COVID doubles risk of stillbirths: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-19-risks-pregnant-women-babies-study/ .
COVID origin debate continues: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/michael-worobey-covid-origin-wuhan-animal-market-science_n_6196ff2ae4b0f398af02d14d . The Wuhan market was almost undoubtedly the first major superspreader of the pandemic. However, that does not prove origin. Case dating is the most reliable way of establishing origin.
CDC advisers support boosters for all adults: https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-boosters-adults-cdc-fda-pfizer-moderna-34aabde2c1c5a88c7763fa1dac77df5f . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-boosters-from-pfizer-biontech-moderna-cleared-for-all-u-s-adults-11637329341 .
Only 40% of American adults have strong immunity against COVID: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/the-data-point-less-than-half-of-americans-have-strong-immunity-against-covid/ar-AAQUAAP?li=BBnb7Kz . Again, the pandemic is not over. The holidays look to be a mass superspreader.
Minnesota sees hospitalization surge: https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-education-minnesota-4c547c72067961fd9ba9f2d2870ce778 .
WSJ: US explores expanded availability of COVID oral antiviral Paxlovid: https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-administration-looks-to-expand-access-to-covid-19-antiviral-pills-11637328183 .
WSJ: Status of FDA COVID drug reviews: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-treatments-what-is-fda-approved-and-what-is-coming-next-11637336430 .
Russia’s COVID deaths continue to break records: https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-europe-russia-426b8e092fde746d4e3814a647e8be97 .
Africa has avoided COVID disaster – so far: https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-pandemics-united-nations-fcf28a83c9352a67e50aa2172eb01a2f . However, the infectiousness of the virus suggests this situation is temporary. This remains true even though we are almost 2 years into the pandemic.
The Great Resignation involves considerable job-switching: https://news.yahoo.com/the-great-resignation-story-is-not-a-choice-that-most-american-workers-can-have-210550922.html . Also, a majority desire remote work, and the majority of those are women.
Reconciliation package passes House: https://apnews.com/article/climate-immigration-joe-biden-health-lifestyle-bff841da156cb12cd47a564f9e0267eb . With expected significant changes in the Senate, the House will likely get back a very different bill. This feels like the Democrats are fiddling while Rome burns. But if the bill does not pass this year, it will be very difficult to have enough implementation for voters to see by next year’s elections. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/house-votes-220-to-213-to-pass-2-trillion-social-spending-and-climate-bill-11637333460 . Current details of the bill: https://www.wsj.com/articles/democrats-budget-plan-what-11626301275 .
Academy summary of healthcare-related provisions in the reconciliation package: https://www.actuary.org/sites/default/files/members/alerts/pdf/2021/2021-CP-5.pdf . (I am unsure if nonmembers will be able to access this link.)
Kyle Rittenhouse acquitted on all charges: https://www.npr.org/2021/11/19/1057288807/kyle-rittenhouse-acquitted-all-charges-verdict . My perspective is as follows: Assume the same facts except Rittenhouse is black. So what happens if a black 17-year-old goes across state lines with an illegally obtained automatic weapon and fires on 3 white men, killing two? Right.
January 6 participant sentenced to jail: https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/19/politics/judge-blames-trump-riot/index.html . Note that defendant’s agitation on a plane out of DC caused the flight to return to DC, where he was recognized and arrested. This guy is obviously not a criminal mastermind.
Update on SC attorney Alex Murdaugh: New indictments for stealing almost $5 million: https://apnews.com/article/shootings-lawsuits-south-carolina-indictments-805c39a1cea3bf55f33e559a718b178e . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/alex-murdaugh-indicted-on-27-counts-of-new-financial-crimes-11637362112 . So the ultimate question here is why his wife and son were shot to death. However, it is hard to imagine that Murdaugh’s activities were unconnected to those deaths.
Orange Julius endorses Gosar: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/582270-trump-throws-support-behind-gosar-after-censure-vote . Rarely has such a manure show gone public. How low can the GOP go?
WSJ: Where is Peng Shuai?: https://www.wsj.com/articles/peng-shuai-what-to-know-about-the-missing-chinese-tennis-star-11637324061 .