Is this the fourth wave?: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/are-we-entering-a-fourth-wave-of-the-pandemic-experts-disagree/ar-BB1fiD01?li=BBnb7Kz . Yes. Its severity is not yet known. Because seniors have a significant percentage of their population vaccinated, deaths will likely be reduced. But the under-65 population is nowhere near herd immunity. The UK variant is more infectious and more deadly than the original strain of the virus.
Eek! New variant causing concern: https://www.eatthis.com/news-osterholm-covid-variant-eek/ .
Eek variant in 70% of cases in Japan: https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3128268/coronavirus-some-7-10-tokyo-cases-have-e484k-mutation-report .
The COVID wave in Michigan: https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/04/us/michigan-rising-covid-cases/index.html .
The COVID wave in France intensifies: https://www.arabnews.com/node/1837181/amp .
WSJ: J&J vaccine preferred for homeless vaccination: https://www.wsj.com/articles/johnson-johnsons-covid-19-vaccine-emerges-as-preferred-shot-for-homeless-11617530400 . Well, maybe. The first dose of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines is as or more effective than the J&J vaccine.
Governor DeMentis shouts down “60 Minutes” questions: https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/546408-desantis-spars-with-60-minutes-over-vaccine-rollout-what-youre-saying-is . The numbers clearly tell a different story than the governor.
Fauci pushes back on “bizarre” criticism: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/fauci-pushes-back-on-gop-criticisms-calling-claims-bizarre/ar-BB1fiKiV?li=BBnb7Kz .
Vaccine competition creates some terrible results: https://apnews.com/article/immunizations-coronavirus-pandemic-coronavirus-vaccine-veterans-d43aade61cf70abe1f9de070a8d1280b . We must keep in mind that in poorer nations, there are few or no doses to fight over.
UK to test COVID passports: https://thehill.com/policy/international/europe/546405-uk-to-pilot-use-of-coronavirus-passports-at-upcoming-large .
Area around Mumbai to impose lockdowns: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/4/restrictions-imposed-in-indian-state-driving-covid-surge .
WSJ: Will pandemic’s “technology shock” lead to productivity increases?: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-s-long-drought-in-worker-productivity-could-be-ending-11617530401 .
The Thrifty Food Plan is too thrifty: https://news.yahoo.com/biden-administration-ramps-effort-address-011238539.html (link replaced 5/12/21). Think about this: feeding the hungry is described as a profound change in the richest nation on Earth.
The global economic future: https://www.wsj.com/articles/nations-begin-to-shape-post-covid-economy-amid-diverging-fortunes-11617548400 .
Capitol Police union leader warns of departures: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/capitol-police-union-warns-potential-exodus-after-latest-attack-urges-n1262994 .
No. 1 Stanford beats No. 3 Arizona in an all-Pac-12 final for the national women’s basketball championship: https://www.yahoo.com/now/ncaa-championship-national-title-stanford-wins-first-since-1992-arizona-mcdonald-001251916.html . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/stanford-wins-ncaa-womens-basketball-championship-11617581542 . Hmm, the Journal notes the Pac-12 “calls itself the ‘Conference of Champions’”. Uh-huh. That’s because it’s true … we already went over this in the men’s tournament.
I received the second Moderna vaccine dose today. This was much quicker than Round 1. I drove right up to the check-in (an hour last time), and then 10 minutes to complete the vaccination (another hour before). A 15-minute wait to check for symptoms, and I was free to go.