Delta variant now dominates US: https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/06/health/us-coronavirus-tuesday/index.html . This is as expected, and pretty much on schedule. Since the average age of those infected is dropping, the question is what percentage of cases will result in hospitalization or death. More: https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/07/06/1013582342/delta-is-now-the-dominant-coronavirus-variant-in-the-u-s .
Delta variant makes inroads in Israel: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/israel-sees-drop-pfizer-covid-vaccine-protection-still-strong-severe-n1273101 . The evidence is making the case for booster shots. We know that COVID is embedded in the global population. Vaccines will now trend toward multivalent formulation to protect against all existing variants. Other reports are that the vaccination effectiveness level was found to be 64% against the Delta variant, which is far lower than the 95% effectiveness against the Alpha variant: https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/pfizer-vaccine-protection-takes-a-hit-as-delta-variant-spreads-israeli-government-says/ar-AALQGM9?li=BBnb7Kz . The 64% is also lower than other Delta test results, so experts await more data. More: https://www.politico.eu/article/biontech-pfizer-vaccine-less-effective-at-preventing-coronavirus-cases-study/ . Still more: https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/covid-infections-in-israel-spike-by-50-percent-1.9973150 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/pfizers-covid-19-vaccine-is-less-effective-against-delta-variant-israeli-data-show-11625572796 .
Delta variant risks in California: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/06/delta-variant-infections-us-west-vaccines .
Delta variant surges in Asia and the South Pacific: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/07/asia-pacific-sees-sharp-rise-in-covid-infections-as-delta-strain-threatens-new-wave . Things just get worse in Indonesia: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/7/7/pregnant-women-children-die-as-covid-tightens-indonesia-grip .
Latest information on the lambda variant: https://www.livescience.com/lambda-coronavirus-variant.html .
WSJ: The variants over time: https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-mutations-have-shaped-the-covid-19-pandemic-11624806000 .
Guess the COVID risk: Texas church summer camp. Answer: superspreader: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/07/06/125-return-church-camp-covid-19-hundreds-more-exposed/7877798002/ .
FEMA now offers funeral support: https://www.fema.gov/disaster/coronavirus .
WHO expands list of COVID drugs: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/7/7/who-adds-lifesaving-drugs-for-severely-ill-covid-19-patients .
Living with COVID is not the same as living with the flu: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/05/why-living-with-covid-would-not-be-the-same-as-flu . I completely agree with the general thrust of this article. However, it is problematic to draw conclusions about disease severity based on data over the past year. The pandemic is evolving rapidly, including vaccination levels, the vaccines being used, the emergence of variants, and the possibility of booster shots.
WSJ: Israel – South Korea vaccine swap: https://www.wsj.com/articles/israel-south-korea-to-swap-700-000-pfizer-biontech-covid-19-vaccines-11625572070 .
Third COVID wave hits Mexico: https://www.fema.gov/disaster/coronavirus .
Efficacy of Sinovac vaccine questioned in Thailand: https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/05/asia/thailand-sinovac-vaccine-efficacy-intl-hnk/index.html .
COVID victims’ ashes used to create memorial park in Bhopal: https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3140107/india-park-made-human-ashes-pays-tribute-victims-covid . You may remember Bhopal from the Union Carbide gas leak disaster in 1984: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhopal_disaster .
The current state of COVID in the US, in 5 charts: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/current-state-covid-19-united-states-5-charts-n1273021 . Note that the chart on the Delta variant is as of June 15, and therefore is out of date given the speed of the Delta variant’s rise.
Will the next US COVID surge be a partisan tragedy?: https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/07/politics/covid-biden-white-house-strategy/index.html . The umpire rules this a hit but not a home run. Obviously, those at highest risk are the unvaccinated. That includes a significant percentage of GOP voters but also minority groups and children. The obvious upcoming superspreader is the start of the fall school year. I’m also thinking Sturgis (August 6 – 15) and the first Alabama home game (September 11) will be problems this year. And the Mercer Bears will get killed at Alabama, with or without the COVID risk. Their school gets a payday, though.
Why the South is at particular risk: https://www.vox.com/2021/7/6/22554198/political-polarization-vaccine-covid-19-coronavirus . A better title would be “Orange Julius’s narcissistic lunacy is killing his followers”.
Ditto for DeMentis: https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/coronavirus/2021/07/06/gda-covid-19-state-2021-07-05-fl-nsht/47098405/ .
And the trend is not the South’s friend: https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/05/health/us-coronavirus-monday/index.html .
WSJ: COVID whacks Wyoming: https://www.wsj.com/articles/delta-covid-19-variant-gains-ground-among-the-unvaccinated-11625572800 .
Medicare must be allowed to negotiate drug prices with insurers: https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/06/health/costco-medicare-savings/index.html . This has been a long-term rip-off of the American public by drug companies. Obviously, Medicare could negotiate a lower price than Costco if given the opportunity.
WSJ: Meanwhile, we’re studying a question that everyone knows the answer to: https://www.wsj.com/articles/hospitals-often-charge-uninsured-people-the-highest-prices-new-data-show-11625584448 . Good grief. If you know that insurers build their health products by negotiating discounts with hospitals, then the study is unnecessary. In fact, if you think the system is just “screw the little guy”, you don’t have to do the study. Next, please.
Eric Adams on track to be next NYC mayor: https://apnews.com/article/ap-news-alert-new-york-new-york-city-campaigns-government-and-politics-ba98da6938e89c6f0270f8e2baa44c61 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-york-city-mayoral-race-new-vote-tally-to-include-absentee-ballots-11625590364 .
The remote work test comes to Wall Street: https://www.wsj.com/articles/jpmorgan-goldman-call-time-on-work-from-home-their-rivals-are-ready-to-pounce-11625563800 .
WSJ: Aon-Willis deal hits another speed bump: https://www.wsj.com/articles/aon-dealt-a-blow-in-bid-for-quick-trial-on-u-s-challenge-to-willis-towers-merger-11625607068 .
The Suez Canal story reaches conclusion: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/ever-givens-stranding-suez-canal-2021-07-06/ (link replaced 11/1/21). Presumably there will be a wake in the WSJ newsroom …
While rescuers search the rubble, the lawyers circle: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/liability-florida-condo-collapse-everyone-will-blame-everybody-else-2021-07-06/ . I do think the US is the greatest country in the world. But also, aspects of our system suck. Here we see “sue first, ask questions later”. Suits should be the last step, not the opening salvo, in seeking resolution. Miami condo collapse death toll now at 36, with 109 accounted for: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/miami-area-condo-collapse-death-toll-rises-to-36-as-elsa-passes/ar-AALQ6iE?li=BBnb7Kz . Sadly, the focus now is on how many of the 109 bodies will be recovered. At some point soon, this needs to be viewed as search and recover. Update: https://apnews.com/article/surfside-florida-building-collapse-live-updates-7223b2f13a2a033dc5545aa43cb83a65 . End-of-day Wednesday (7/7), or before, should move this to search and recover. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/florida-condo-collapse-death-toll-rises-to-32-11625586543 .
The hunt for the Capitol insurrectionists, 6 months on: https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-dc-wire-capitol-siege-government-and-politics-98baf0b213e507e5f3f6f32b78583cbd .
White Coke in World War II: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/the-story-of-the-iconic-soviet-general-and-the-secret-order-for-a-special-kind-of-coca-cola/ar-AALPDQf?li=BBnb7Kz . This is a remarkable part of the history of Coca-Cola. The US military consumed 5 billion bottles of Coke during the war.