Free N95 mask distribution begins: https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/25/health/how-to-get-free-n95-mask-us-wellness/index.html . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-to-get-free-n95-masks-from-the-u-s-government-11643114887 .
Face mask requirements change in England: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-60144903 .
US booster program stalls: https://news.yahoo.com/3-reasons-booster-push-faltered-145914563.html . More: https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-492fb86ff65c0f9a2d87b129e5da90a4 .
WSJ: More on current US COVID deaths: https://www.wsj.com/articles/omicron-deaths-in-u-s-exceed-deltas-peak-as-covid-19-optimism-rises-in-europe-11643201653 .
Omicron causes less severe illness in hospitalized patients: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/surge-hospitalizations-omicron-causing-less-severe-illness-rcna13507 . The CDC says this may be a combination of vaccination and a less virulent variant.
Stealth Omicron found in Arizona: https://www.azfamily.com/news/continuing_coverage/coronavirus_coverage/new-version-of-omicron-reported-dubbed-stealth-omicron-found-in-arizona/article_38c39db6-0ffd-59f7-8f19-66fe01d8dd3a.html .
WSJ: COVID testing primer: https://www.wsj.com/articles/when-should-you-test-for-covid-19-and-which-test-you-should-take-11643213228 . Booster timing for breakthrough infections: https://www.wsj.com/articles/when-should-a-vaccinated-person-who-recovered-from-covid-19-get-boosted-its-complicated-11643154112 .
WSJ: Abbott Labs sales benefit from rapid COVID tests: https://www.wsj.com/articles/abbotts-rapid-covid-19-tests-boost-quarterly-sales-growth-11643208574 .
Vaccine mandates take effect Thursday for many US healthcare workers: https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-missouri-nursing-homes-23607093639bbbb1862c3a49052379bc . Unquestionably, it is safer for patients if there are no unvaccinated workers in the hospital.
Another health risk for the unvaccinated: No transplants: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/hospital-patient-covid-shot-denied-heart-transplant-82496601 . My view is that it is quite reasonable to deny scarce organ transplants to those who won’t follow medical advice.
Moderna starts Phase 2 Omicron vaccine trial: https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/26/health/moderna-omicron-antibodies-booster/index.html . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/moderna-starts-testing-omicron-vaccine-in-people-11643234701 .
Oxford embarks on human challenge vaccine trial: https://www.aol.com/lifestyle/wanted-volunteers-catch-covid-name-151810592-172757537.html .
One-quarter of inpatient COVID deaths potentially attributable to surges: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/full/10.7326/M21-1213?journalCode=aim . While medical writing is often obtuse, this article is opaque. However, about 2/3 of the way in, we find Table 2 in the Results section, where, of 25,344 COVID deaths studied, 5,868 (23.2%) were potentially attributable to surge conditions in the hospital.
News for people living under a rock: COVID will become endemic: https://news.yahoo.com/covid-not-going-away-but-will-melt-into-the-background-author-151511891.html . How is this article newsworthy?
Federal judge blocks South Dakota rule limiting medication abortions: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/judge-blocks-south-dakota-rule-that-hinders-medication-abortions/ar-AATbAtX?li=BBnb7Kz .
Justice Breyer to retire: https://news.yahoo.com/breyer-to-retire-from-supreme-court-171756901.html . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/supreme-court-justice-stephen-breyer-to-retire-11643219955 . The brightest mind on the court leaves. With the 2019 replacement of Justice Ginsburg with a silly person, the court now consists of an able politician (and sharp mind) as Chief Justice, two liberals of above average ability, a conservative of average ability (Gorsuch), and four clowns. So at the moment the Court has no real future, and this precedes their dreaded abortion ruling. As Justice Sotomayor said so directly, the Court will not survive the stench of reversing Roe v. Wade.
Here’s how we know Biden will nominate a Black woman to replace Breyer: https://news.yahoo.com/the-inside-story-of-how-biden-promised-to-appoint-a-black-woman-to-the-supreme-court-192146779.html . More: https://news.yahoo.com/white-house-confirms-that-biden-will-pick-black-woman-for-supreme-court-seat-202811727.html .
Here are the leading candidates: https://www.yahoo.com/news/ketanji-brown-jackson-leondra-kruger-are-seen-as-leading-contenders-to-replace-breyer-on-supreme-court-182845922.html . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/bidens-first-supreme-court-vacancy-a-look-at-potential-candidates-to-replace-breyer-11643229190 . But as Judge Jackson sits on the federal bench and is a former law clerk for Justice Breyer, she is clearly the leading candidate. In my view, the only thing that could derail her is a problem in the background check. Since Biden pledged to nominate a Black woman in 2020, it’s a safe bet that background checks have already been done at some level. But part of the reason I’m confident in these predictions is the dearth of Black women on the bench at any level.
The growing Social Security debacle: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/retirement/social-security-has-quietly-crossed-yet-another-financial-rubicon-of-systemic-decay/ar-AAT8rCq?li=BBnb7Kz . I can hear the grinding teeth of readers who are pension actuaries. We have been warning, in unison, for at least 50 years that small changes were necessary to avoid major problems down the road. So now we are now far, far down the road. However, the best current fix would be to remove the earnings cap on Social Security taxes for Social Security and Medicare. The last time I did the math, this change solved about 85% of the problem.
“Camp Auschwitz” insurrectionist pleads guilty: https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-riots-virginia-newport-news-a2c7a7a7fd31088d6d9f0f1e78585deb . US taxpayers look forward to paying for some quiet time for this jerk.
Alleged Houston cop shooter arrested in Mexico: https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2022-01-26/man-sought-in-fatal-shooting-of-houston-area-deputy-arrested . However, Mexico does not extradite to the US without a guarantee that the death penalty will not be imposed.
Russian COVID policies pose problem for China at Beijing Olympics: https://www.wsj.com/articles/beijing-olympics-roc-covid-11643220111 .
The Evergrande saga continues: https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-evergrande-promises-to-play-by-the-book-in-offshore-debt-restructuring-11643221089 .
Actor and COVID denier Vachik Magassarian dies from COVID at 78: https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/vachik-mangassarian-dead-ncis-covid-1235163087/ . More: https://www.thedailybeast.com/vachik-mangassarian-ncis-actor-who-decried-vaccine-dies-of-covid-complications?source=articles&via=rss . So clearly, this immigrant became a Grumpy Old Person.
SpaceX rocket to smash into the Moon: https://www.livescience.com/spacex-rocket-to-hit-moon . The writer says this is the first example of a rocket (or other space debris) hitting the Moon. But here is the film (from 1902, no less) that proves him wrong: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVY8r6OAo70 . Know your history!