Court halts federal vaccine mandate for companies: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/us-federal-appeals-court-freezes-bidens-vaccine-rule-for-companies/ar-AAQoxOy?li=BBnb7Kz . Again, my view is that the existence of OSHA proves its right to regulate workplace safety. Together with federal supremacy, I just don’t see that the states have a legal basis for their challenge. The Fifth Circuit is generally considered the most conservative appellate court, so the GOP appears to have forum-shopped here. This order would normally apply only within the Fifth Circuit (Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi), but the Louisiana AG believes it is national in scope: https://apnews.com/article/appeals-court-stays-vaccine-mandate-coronavirus-biden-b235b6fa858bd23b02ab5f9c009428db . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/federal-appeals-court-temporarily-blocks-biden-administration-vaccine-rules-for-private-employers-11636226904 . If the Fifth Circuit persists, an appeal to the Supreme Court is likely.
What if your employer does not comply with the federal vaccine mandate: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/details-of-covid-19-vaccine-workplace-rules-are-out-what-if-your-employer-wont-comply/ar-AAQmF33?li=BBnb7Kz . This article also questions the ability to sue to void the mandate.
US administers 429.4 million COVID vaccine doses: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/us-administers-4294-million-doses-of-covid-19-vaccines-%e2%80%93cdc/ar-AAQoWaF?li=BBnb7Kz . As most of the vaccines involve two doses, this is not that impressive for a population of 331 million people.
WSJ: Rising breakthrough cases in the UK: https://www.wsj.com/articles/rising-covid-19-breakthrough-cases-hinder-efforts-to-control-virus-11636191003 . Note that this does not bode well for the US, as the UK has a higher vaccination rate (admittedly, primarily the AstraZeneca vaccine). Also note that children are accelerating the spread.
Russian COVID surge continues to set records: https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-europe-health-russia-vladimir-putin-e2dc21ece794eb65297ddedf9e0111ee .
Europe sees major COVID return: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2021-11-04/who-europe-chief-voices-grave-concern-about-covid-rebound .
Elderly Romanians are dying from COVID despite vaccine availability: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2021-11-05/covid-19-tears-through-generation-of-unvaccinated-romanian-elderly .
Fire at newly built COVID hospital in India kills at least 10: https://www.voanews.com/a/india-hospital-covid-ward-fire/6302555.html . Some of these fires reflect a lack of safety precautions around oxygen administration.
A new reason not to use hand sanitizer: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/man-burst-into-flames-after-police-tasered-him-remains-in-grave-condition/ar-AAQoqsF?li=BBnb7Kz .We now know that COVID is rarely transmitted by surfaces, so hand sanitizer use is not particularly more helpful than washing your hands. However, now we learn police used a taser on a man who had just used hand sanitizer, and he burst into flames.