COVID-19 vaccination free under Medicare: https://apnews.com/article/politics-virus-outbreak-seniors-medicare-medicaid-d5b621adae41ae1bca5212e862cb0481 .
Pfizer’s Phase III trial not yet fully enrolled: https://www.wsj.com/articles/pandemic-dents-third-quarter-sales-for-pfizer-11603799937 .
Eli Lilly continues to seek approval for antibody drug: https://www.wsj.com/articles/eli-lilly-earnings-halted-covid-19-drug-trial-disappoint-investors-11603822022 .
Does a flu shot boost your immune response to COVID-19?: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-flu-shot-might-reduce-coronavirus-infections-early-research-suggests/ .
Mission accomplished: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-election-2020/trump-coronavirus-white-house-science-office-pandemic-ended-covid-cases-b1387794.html . Apparently your Christmas fruitcake has arrived early.
WSJ: Shorter quarantines intended to boost compliance: https://www.wsj.com/articles/countries-try-shorter-covid-19-quarantines-in-bid-to-boost-compliance-11603791001 . Uh-huh. Note that when Belgium shortened from 14 days to 7, it had to raise back to 10 days BECAUSE THE VIRUS SURGED! (sorry to shout).
If people shed virus for 14 days, then that’s the quarantine period. From there, you decide what to do about those who violate the quarantine. This isn’t a popularity contest, IT’S A PANDEMIC! (sorry again, must be pandemic fatigue).
Venezuela’s Maduro claims development of COVID-19 drug: https://www.bloombergquint.com/onweb/venezuela-s-maduro-presents-molecule-that-inhibits-covid-19 (link replaced 11/5/20). After hydroxychloroquine and remdesivir, here we go …
Gates seeks stimulus bill funding for global vaccination efforts: https://news.yahoo.com/bill-gates-stimulus-deal-coronavirus-vaccine-world-response-120815346.html . Gates argues stimulus funding is in the US’s best interest.
WSJ: Cancer screening changes recommended: https://www.wsj.com/articles/adults-as-young-as-45-should-be-screened-for-colorectal-cancer-u-s-panel-recommends-11603810800 . Note that the docs say they treat colorectal cancer patients as young as 20. Additional study is called for, as Dr. Ng says.
COVID-19 leads in “Trump Country”: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-coronavirus-graphic/spared-early-on-trump-country-now-leads-in-coronavirus-cases-deaths-idUSKBN27C1C5 .This is an interesting analysis. However, a red-vs-blue by-county analysis would be more revealing as to the urban-vs-rural nature of the current surge. Either way, this suggests that mask-wearing is highly effective. “Give me liberty or give me death” has taken on a new meaning.
You talking to me?: https://www.foxnews.com/us/chicago-security-guard-stabbed-27-mask-coronavirus . This is really, really nuts.
Arizona focuses on COVID-19: https://www.npr.org/2020/10/27/928029238/coronavirus-weighing-heavily-on-voters-in-arizona .
WSJ: France leads European COVID-19 surge: https://www.wsj.com/articles/france-emerges-as-covid-19-epicenter-as-cases-surge-across-europe-11603817793 .
Russia implements nationwide mask mandate: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2020-10-27/russia-implements-nationwide-mask-mandate-as-coronavirus-cases-rise . The one time we need Trump to follow Putin … and it’ll never happen …
“Rust Belt” left further behind under Trump pre-pandemic: https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-election-economy/the-rust-belt-boom-that-wasnt-heartland-job-growth-lagged-under-trump-idUSKBN27C1AX .
WSJ: It’s financial dominoes: https://www.wsj.com/articles/lenders-cracking-down-on-mall-owners-behind-on-the-mortgage-11603800000 . No stimulus package, so what would you expect to happen to retailers?
WSJ: Millions face eviction: https://www.wsj.com/articles/struggling-rental-market-could-usher-in-next-american-housing-crisis-11603791000 . Hey, maybe they can stay at the malls …
AIG restructuring still leaves issues: https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-broken-up-aig-would-still-have-work-to-do-11603815249 . AIG, in shedding businesses, is no longer too big to fail.
AMD buys Xilinx: https://www.wsj.com/articles/amd-agrees-to-buy-rival-chip-maker-xilinx-for-35-billion-11603794663 . This is more of a sales pitch for the deal than hard reporting. Intel sold a segment of its chip business because TMSC is killing Intel in chip technology. AMD is gaining because its products are made by … TMSC.
The article says the deal will immediately improve AMD’s earnings, profit margin and cash generation. So why did AMD’s stock fall 4% on the announcement? (The market does not like the long-term prospects here.) Oh, and what happens if China invades Taiwan? (China wins, with little fight from Taiwan or the US.) A better deal would have been for AMD to buy TMSC and relocate them to the US. Here’s more from WSJ, still upbeat on the deal but raising even more issues: https://www.wsj.com/articles/amd-can-roll-the-dice-with-xilinx-11603811460 .
China to sanction US defense manufacturers over Taiwan arms sales: https://www.axios.com/china-sanctions-taiwan-boeing-raytheon-lockheed-5f3797ce-c966-495f-9ba7-1b492e36c3e9.html .
WSJ: Why the US can’t duplicate South Korea’s economic recovery: https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-the-u-s-cant-replicate-south-koreas-impressive-economic-recovery-11603794924 . Mike, you ignorant slut! (‘70’s SNL reference: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/jane-curtin-snl-sexism-infamous-ignorant-slut-line-1219343 ). Your article has the answer: First, control the virus. When we blew that step, it was game over.
Many of our services are domestically delivered. We would have taken a hit, but nothing like what’s happened. And the restaurants and their supply chains would be intact. And nothing like 225,000 deaths and counting. WSJ: More on South Korea: https://www.wsj.com/articles/south-korean-economy-returns-to-growth-11603800971 .
WSJ: A very COVID Thanksgiving: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-covid-thanksgiving-outdoor-heaters-virtual-meals-grandma-stays-home-11603828758 . Hold Thanksgiving outside? In New Jersey? Are you kidding?
WSJ: Justice delayed but not denied: https://www.wsj.com/articles/judge-bars-doj-from-representing-trump-in-defamation-suit-11603807915 .
Trump bets on pandemic fatigue: https://www.usnews.com/news/elections/articles/2020-10-27/trump-gambles-on-voters-not-caring-about-coronavirus . Not really. He’s just doing a farewell tour.
Biden lead growing: https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/yahoo-news-you-gov-poll-with-one-week-left-bidens-lead-over-trump-grows-to-12-points-his-biggest-yet-192740138.html (link replaced 1/21/21). Some reassuring news is here for nervous Democrats. The sample size is 1,500. Electoral analysis is by state, which could test the sample size validity. However, the article represents that even if Biden only wins the states in which he leads by over 3% (the overall error margin), he would win 341 electoral votes. We’ll see – open voter suppression appears much higher than in the past, and particularly in battleground states.
Record early voting continues: https://electproject.github.io/Early-Vote-2020G/index.html . As of 11:59 pm Eastern 10/27, 71.1 million votes have been cast, 47.8 million by mail and 23.3 million in person. For states reporting party affiliation, 16.5 million Democrats and 10.0 million Republicans have voted. The Democratic advantage has again expanded, from 6.3 million votes yesterday to 6.5 million today. More: https://www.ft.com/content/8d8fa717-8923-4223-af75-bd6d31d25d9a . WSJ: Still more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/mail-balloting-is-fueling-historic-early-voting-in-the-2020-election-11602591220 .
Projections have been that 150 to 160 million will vote in this year’s election. Even at 160 million, 71.1 million represents over 44% of the total vote, with 6 days to go before Election Day.
The Brits explore their bloody past: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/oct/25/chilling-find-shows-how-henry-viii-planned-every-detail-of-boleyn-beheading#Echobox=1603614332 . Yikes! Today’s vocabulary word: collywobbles. I’m somewhat amazed that Spell-check accepted “collywobbles” (it doesn’t accept Spellcheck).
COVID-19 affects everything: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-los-angeles-dodgers-win-world-series-to-finish-baseballs-strangest-year-11603856526 . Even the Dodgers can’t dodge COVID-19.