CDC shorter isolation period criticized: https://news.yahoo.com/cdc-director-defends-new-covid-guidelines-reducing-isolation-period-201022276.html . As commented previously, this cannot be an appropriate response to the current Omicron surge. For perspective, discussion 18 months ago suggested a quarantine period of 14 days was too short.
FDA grants EUA to German at-home COVID test: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/us-authorizes-home-covid-test-german-firm-siemens-healthineers-rcna10386 .
WSJ: The vaccine patent battle: https://www.wsj.com/articles/who-invented-covid-vaccines-11640726776 . The huge money involved in this and future COVID vaccine products drives this battle.
US continues to break COVID daily case records: https://www.npr.org/2021/12/29/1068802576/us-record-new-covid-cases . Because people have been testing more frequently during the holidays, more mild and asymptomatic cases are being identified. The general flow of the pandemic remains clear, but the data details are devilishly difficult to understand.
San Francisco requires boosters for certain high-risk workers: https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-gavin-newsom-california-d71e04c514ea6776f04dda33ffb9bc6e .
Texas out of COVID antibody treatment: https://www.aol.com/news/texas-runs-monoclonal-antibody-treatment-114925425.html . Of course, this crisis stems from those who refuse vaccination.
Mississippi sees new COVID nursing home outbreaks: https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/mississippi/articles/2021-12-29/jackson-mayor-closes-city-offices-amid-virus-surge . These could be breakthrough infections. However, as Mississippi trails the national population vaccination percentage by 15 points, this could be unvaccinated elderly. Either way, Mississippi faces the possibility of increasing COVID deaths in the coming weeks.
Kentucky near a COVID test positivity rate of 15%: https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/kentucky/articles/2021-12-29/kentucky-reports-record-covid-19-positivity-rate . Remember that the objective is to have test rates of 3% or less.
New York COVID cases explode as test positivity rate nears 20%: https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/coronavirus/ny-obliterates-single-day-covid-case-record-with-nearly-70000-new-positives/3471191/ . Note that 1.5% of the state’s population has tested positive in the last week.
COVID cases explode in Ireland: https://www.npr.org/2021/12/29/1068802576/us-record-new-covid-cases .
WSJ: Pandemic reverse population outflow from Eastern Europe: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-pandemic-gives-new-hope-to-one-of-the-worlds-fastest-shrinking-countries-11640784601 .
Medical concerns with COVID antiviral pills: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2021-12-29/the-new-covid-antiviral-pills-what-you-need-to-know . There are certain groups that should not receive these prescriptions, as detailed in the article.
Senator Ron Johnson demonstrates the difference between his brain and shinola: https://www.yahoo.com/now/cnn-medical-analyst-rips-sen-ron-johnson-over-vaccine-comments-most-ignorant-man-in-the-united-states-senate-073255797.html . Apparently, something less than 100% has no positive effect. Do the people who support this clown think this is okay? The GOP is now reduced to electing people no reasonable person could respect. Ron Johnson represents the real core of the attack on democracy.
Meanwhile, Nigeria destroys 1 million expired vaccine doses: https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-africa-nigeria-175cc1deaf4886ad2b47d7fe888e39b9 . So exactly how many doses did they administer? Failure to plan vaccine distribution obviously made the donation mostly worthless. I would also point out that Lagos’ population is 14.8 million. They couldn’t administer these doses in Lagos, which is where they undoubtedly came into the country?
Another COVID skeptic passes from COVID: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/economist-robin-fransman-a-prominent-coronavirus-vaccine-skeptic-has-died-from-covid/ar-AASfadi?li=BBnb7Kz .
Judge refuses to dismiss Proud Boys indictment: https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-presidential-elections-capitol-siege-election-2020-indictments-e4f8af8134fdd80bb62c9efa41291b54 . Generally, action is not protected speech. For sure, an insurrection is not protected speech. The defense is clearly desperate. Depending on their level of involvement in planning and organization, I would guess each of these four is looking at 8 to 20+ years in federal prison. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/to-prosecute-jan-6-capitol-rioters-government-tests-novel-legal-strategy-11640786405 . Remember that the feds got Al Capone on tax evasion. This just updates that process.
Alex Murdaugh’s wife left all her assets to him: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/alex-murdaughs-wife-left-property-will-mysterious-murder-rcna10182 . As the will was executed in 2005, when their children were small, this does not strike me as particularly unusual.
Baked Alaska in December: https://news.yahoo.com/67-degrees-in-alaska-climate-change-continues-to-topple-temperature-records-193405514.html . Yet another indication that climate scientists have severely underestimated the rapidity with which climate change will overtake us.
WSJ: Surfside Condo from the tenants’ perspective: https://www.wsj.com/articles/surfside-fla-condo-collapse-from-glimmering-beaches-to-ruin-11640773804 . A revisit of the condition of the building over time provides some perspective on people who loved the building but decided they had to leave.
WSJ: Prediction is getting harder: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-inflation-make-a-mess-out-of-predictions-11640786402 . To the extent that people predicted the future by extending past trends, yes, that makes for poor predictions in a volatile environment. Ip’s comments on the CDC Omicron fiasco are interesting.