Florida sets another daily COVID case record: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/pandemic-pushed-americans-into-retirement-211408391.html . Who would send their unvaccinated child (that is, every child under 12 and most of the 12 to 18 year olds in Florida) to school anytime soon? If what DeMentis is doing is not an impeachable offense, it should be. Preventing mask mandates is child endangerment, period.
US averaging 100,000 new COVID cases per day: https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/08/07/1025753258/the-u-s-is-now-averaging-100-000-new-covid-19-infections-a-day . This means that Florida had about one-quarter of the cases in the US yesterday.
Booster shot debate continues: https://news.yahoo.com/will-americans-need-a-3rd-dose-of-the-coronavirus-vaccine-180831006.html . While it’s true that there is more to immunity than antibodies, the significant boost from a third shot is meaningful to the most vulnerable portion of the population.
Some in US getting booster before FDA approval: https://apnews.com/article/business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-coronavirus-vaccine-fe8ecebb3b61c7d3ee8ed4225500cb0e . As the prior article notes, other countries have approved boosters.
Sturgis underway: https://www.foxnews.com/us/sturgis-motorcycle-rally-thousands-coronavirus . We didn’t see much in the way of masking or social distancing last year. It is doubtful things will be different this year. Many attendees say they have had at least one vaccination shot, according to some news reports.
Is UK COVID surge easing?: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2021-08-06/more-evidence-emerges-of-improving-covid-backdrop-in-uk . Because the UK has a highly vaccinated population, another possible explanation is that asymptomatic and mild cases are being underreported. The current surge makes people more reluctant to seek medical assistance if their symptoms do not seem serious.
French continue protests against health pass: https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/08/07/1025765213/thousands-protest-against-frances-coronavirus-health-pass-as-stricter-rules-loom . Ironically, attending the protest is one of the most likely ways to catch COVID. Good thing this is outdoor activity.
Australia struggles with Delta outbreak: https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/coronavirus-australias-most-populous-states-struggle-with-delta-variant-outbreaks-2505437 . The Australian lockdowns reflect their strategy as an island nation. For reference, 282 cases is just over 1% of Florida’s daily total yesterday.
Does the Indonesian outbreak create increased risk for a new variant?: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-08/could-indonesias-outbreak-give-rise-to-a-new-variant-covid19/100343554 . Sigh. So the increased viral load does create increased risk of a variant emerging. But there is no certainty or even probability that a dangerous variant will appear.
Pandemic led 1.7 additional Americans to retire: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/pandemic-pushed-americans-into-retirement-211408391.html . This is another aspect of the economic dislocation caused by the pandemic. This large group has moved away from fulltime employment and presumably started drawing on their retirement assets.
WSJ: Bipartisan infrastructure bill advances: https://www.wsj.com/articles/infrastructure-bill-clears-senate-procedural-hurdle-11628361290 .