COVID cases rise as Delta spreads: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/cdc-covid-cases-10-percent-hypertransmissible-delta-variant-spreads-n1272895 . What do you mean, you don’t want to alarm people? You’d prefer they remain unvaccinated? CDC needs to get with the damn program.
Vulnerability to Delta: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jul/01/delta-variant-us-coronavirus-us-vulnerable .
The dynamics of Delta: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2021/07/3-principles-now-define-pandemic/619336/ . These three straightforward points summarize Delta’s dangers.
J&J vaccine effective against Delta: https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/07/01/1012372893/johnson-johnsons-covid-vaccine-is-effective-against-the-delta-variant-studies-fi . Ditto for Moderna: https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/06/30/1011684609/moderna-says-studies-show-its-vaccine-is-effective-against-the-delta-variant . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/j-j-covid-19-vaccine-shows-promising-preliminary-signs-of-protecting-against-delta-variant-11625184011 .
White House sending COVID response teams to hot spots: https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-white-house/update-1-white-house-sending-special-teams-to-covid-19-hot-spots-to-combat-delta-variant-idUSL2N2OD2G0 . This is not as good as contact tracing, but at least it’s direct management of emerging problems.
Delta moves into Wichita: https://www.kansas.com/news/coronavirus/article252461658.html . You can station those response teams in Atlanta and Dallas, so they’ll start off nearer to the unvaccinated. I suspect California is also going to have problems just because of the size of the population.
The Delta surge in Europe: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/7/1/who-warns-of-third-covid-wave-in-europe-as-cases-rise . We just don’t learn. Once again, the developed countries will get burned by too-aggressive reopening, prolonging the pandemic. The current soccer tournament is looking like a pan-European superspreader: https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2021/7/1/uefa-slammed-over-crowd-presence-at-euro-2020 .
WSJ: Digital passports start in Europe: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-vaccine-passport-system-gets-first-test-in-europe-11625145761 .
WSJ: Booster shots: Turkey is a yes: https://www.wsj.com/articles/turkey-offers-covid-19-booster-shot-after-using-chinese-vaccine-in-early-drive-11625144544 . Ditto for the UK: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-k-plans-to-introduce-covid-19-booster-shots-in-september-11625137154 .
The expert with questions but not answers: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jul/01/live-with-coronavirus-delta-variant-virus-children . Good grief. Some of these answers are obvious. Yes, there will be significant spread of Delta among children because they are unvaccinated. Yes, this will spread to older people, for example in multigenerational households where the adults are unvaccinated. Also, the UK nears major reopening, which once again is too soon. Yes, these things will increase hospitalizations. We can get a more exact answer by mathematical modeling.
WSJ: Singapore’s COVID fantasies: https://www.wsj.com/articles/from-pandemic-to-endemic-singapore-creates-model-for-living-with-covid-19-11625137201 . They’re 40% vaccinated, and 66% by mid-August is not going to do the trick. Delta is coming. And deaths are not the only issue – long COVID remains a major risk. Also, a significant portion of Singapore’s population is Indian. The country is at risk as soon as travel resumes. A further update on Delta: https://www.wsj.com/articles/delta-variant-covid-19-11620722888 .
WSJ: The global effects of Delta: https://www.wsj.com/articles/delta-variants-spread-hobbles-global-efforts-to-lift-covid-19-restrictions-11625131968 .
Human to pet COVID transmission: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2021-07-01/sick-as-a-dog-pets-often-catch-covid-from-humans-study-finds . As to this article, I would draw the opposite conclusions from the study. We would certainly expect that pets could transmit the disease to other members of their species. As minks are known to have transmitted the disease to humans, there is no reason to think that pets cannot do the same. I would also guess that dogs can transmit coronavirus to cats, and vice versa. Yes, more study is needed, but humans have transmitted the disease to a number of animal species. There is no reason to think the reverse is false, especially as we got it from animals.
WSJ: Walgreens: COVID shots improve prescription business: https://www.wsj.com/articles/walgreens-sales-rise-as-covid-19-vaccinations-improve-prescriptions-business-11625140912 .
WSJ: No-surprise billing rule issued: https://www.wsj.com/articles/patients-to-be-protected-from-surprise-billing-under-new-rule-11625170951 .
WSJ: Weekly jobless claims drop to 364,000: https://www.wsj.com/articles/weekly-jobless-claims-07-01-2021-11625091771 .
Supreme Court fails the test on voting rights: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/561141-biden-deeply-disappointed-by-supreme-court-ruling-on-voting . This is a straightforward case the Court blew. This is at best political payback by the conservative justices for their appointment. At least the Chief Justice assigned the opinion to the least credible author, Alito. As pathetic a justice as Thomas is, it would have been a complete embarrassment had he been assigned the opinion. When America is ready to live up to its ideals, this will be one of the first opinions to be overturned. And Biden is correct – Congress has the power to wipe this stupidity away.
Pelosi names select committee members, 7 Democrats and Liz Cheney: https://www.wsj.com/articles/house-speaker-pelosi-names-liz-cheney-to-jan-6-capitol-riot-committee-11625152369 . Stephen Colbert opines that if Democratic questioning doesn’t work, Liz Cheney can shoot the witness in the face.
McCarthy fails the test on political ability: https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/01/politics/kevin-mccarthy-january-6-commission-committee-assignments/index.html . In doing OJ’s bidding, apparently the only skill Kevin has is bullying. What about the 35 GOP House members who voted for the independent commission? Kevin is trying to close the barn door too late, and Nancy will make him pay the price. Even if the GOP retakes the House in 2022, I’d bet against McCarthy as the next Speaker.
Miami condo collapse search and rescue paused over safety concerns: https://abcnews.go.com/US/surfside-building-collapse-biden-visit-area-death-toll/story?id=78600028 . (Update: Work resumed after 15 hours.) WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/miami-area-collapsed-condo-search-and-rescue-efforts-halted-11625149296 . To recap, it has been eight days since the collapse. There have been no signs of life since the first few hours after the collapse. Given that trained search dogs have been on site since the start, there has been very little hope for some time. Those who possibly survived were undoubtedly seriously injured. With the time that has elapsed, their chance of surviving is essentially nonexistent.
We have seen many building collapses around the world after natural disasters. Despite the enormous construction and search resources available in this situation, the search operation has proceeded quite slowly. We do have to ask why that is. And of course we must ask how this building collapsed. Since significant structural issues appeared years ago, how did the danger go undetected? What will be done to appropriately inspect other older buildings in the area? Are we capable of approaching these questions with urgency?
The nature of our society focuses everyone involved on legal and financial liability, and the court system. Despite my reverence for the law, this is a grossly inadequate way to address this stunning and unexplained loss of life.
Canadian village with extreme temperatures devastated by wildfire: https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/01/americas/canada-town-evacuation-extreme-heat/index.html . This is exactly the nightmare Oregon’s summer looks like. Between the record drought and record heat, we are in severe trouble.
The OJ Inc./Weisselberg indictment: It’s a warning shot over the bow: https://www.politico.com/news/2021/07/01/trump-organization-corruption-law-497770 . Good grief. Who are these “experts”, really? We know this prosecution is not about getting Weisselberg on benefits. It is about nailing OJ on fraud. But this is a totally legitimate prosecution, not a political “witch hunt” as OJ would have it. The feds have more on Weisselberg than this – that’s stuff like the asset understatement. The message here is to the OJ Inc. execs – we are serious and we’ll go after you unless you flip. And Weisselberg will face broader charges unless he flips. The grand jury is empanelled until November. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-organization-cfo-allen-weisselberg-surrenders-to-authorities-11625138416 . Still more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-trump-organization-prosecution-what-is-in-the-charges-11625181211 .
Here’s the bottom line for OJ: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/there-s-just-no-legal-defense-trump-organization-jeopardy-experts-n1272934. It was absolutely my expectation that the charges brought would be straightforward to prove. That’s exactly how you put maximum pressure on Weisselberg. As to OJ, already no bank would loan him money – that’s how Deutsche Bank put itself in a pickle. And the organization continues to bleed cash – that is death for property organizations. However, this is not like Tyco, which was publicly held and had to contend with the SEC.
Canadian horror story expands: https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/01/americas/unmarked-graves-human-remains-british-columbia/index.html . As appalling as this is, remember that the Catholic Church committed similar atrocities in Ireland.
Another 400 meter hurdles world record, this time it’s the men: https://sports.yahoo.com/karsten-warholm-norway-400m-hurdles-world-record-kevin-young-tokyo-215849463.html . Lane 7 is an unusual choice – most runners like the inside lanes so they can “make up the stagger” on the field. But Warholm’s race proved why he made that choice – he has an incredibly explosive start for a hurdler. He wants the other runners to see him. It’s a psychological tactic. Expect more world records at the Olympics – that’s when these people plan to peak.