J&J vaccine suffers failure to launch: https://indianexpress.com/article/world/high-hopes-for-johnson-johnsons-covid-vaccine-have-fizzled-in-the-u-s-7365864/ (link replaced 11/13/21). The production errors by Emergent Solutions have dealt a crippling blow to this promising alternative. A one-shot vaccine remains part of our future, but time is of the essence right now. Time has sped by J&J.
England’s chief medical officer suffers failure to think: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/18/whitty-5-years-before-vaccine-can-hold-line-against-covid-variants.html . There is no scientific evidence for what this guy is saying. England’s problems are primarily related to nationalistic pride in the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine. Boosters may well be needed. But the timing of when England comes out of the pandemic is unknown. Five years seems ridiculously pessimistic.
Biden warns public about delta variant, especially the risk to the young: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/559194-biden-warns-of-potentially-deadlier-delta-variant-urges-public-to-get . More on delta: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2021/06/expect-unexpected-delta-variant/619245/ . Still more: https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/18/health/us-coronavirus-friday/index.html . And: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2021-06-18/delta-variant-makes-up-nearly-all-new-uk-coronavirus-cases . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/delta-variant-covid-19-11620722888 . And: https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-marks-covid-19-milestone-of-300-million-shots-with-a-warning-on-variant-11624045494 . Also: https://www.wsj.com/articles/delta-covid-19-variant-likely-to-become-dominant-in-u-s-cdc-director-says-11624047575 .
Digital vaccine verification comes to California: https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/california-rolls-digital-vaccine-verification-dont-call-passport-rcna1224 . California has navigated all the political nonsense to provide a voluntary system that will be useful to its users and many businesses. Government getting something done – what a concept! Here’s hoping the GOP stops drinking the Orange Julius.
Long COVID also takes victims: https://www.today.com/health/heidi-ferrer-dawson-s-creek-writer-dies-after-struggle-long-t222633 . “Bedridden with constant pain” … we can only hope the current re-opening wave will not subject too many more people to the suffering and death COVID will be inflicting for years to come.
WSJ: The hospital “business”: https://www.wsj.com/articles/pe-backed-hospital-chain-got-help-from-major-landlord-as-losses-mounted-11624014000 . Leveraging hospitals will lead to bankruptcies. Governments have an interest in limiting this type of activity.
China is lying about COVID: https://news.yahoo.com/new-covid-outbreaks-in-china-threatens-to-delay-shipments-at-americas-port-203110232.html . It’s pretty hard to reconcile 20 reported cases with massive shipping disruptions. China has sufficient contact tracing to do a more targeted lockdown. At least they’ve been transparent about the initial Wuhan outbreak … not.
Another problem is that, like India, China exported vaccines before addressing the needs of their population. One lesson of the pandemic is that local control of vaccine production is an important protection for a country’s economy.
WSJ: China considers removing all childbirth restrictions by 2025: https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-plans-further-shift-toward-encouraging-childbirth-11624003448 . This is just arranging deck chairs on this Titanic problem. Note that demographers project China’s population to drop by half by 2100. Economic incentives will be necessary to raise the birthrate significantly.
Uganda faces COVID surge: https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/uganda-tightens-lockdown-measures-virus-cases-surge-78363751 . A weak medical infrastructure and lack of supplies are a problem: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/uganda-seeks-oxygen-donations-nine-doctors-die-india-like-coronavirus/ .
Palestinian Authority rejects Israeli vaccines: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/6/18/palestinians-to-get-1-million-covid-vaccine-doses-in-israel-swap . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/israel-sends-pfizer-doses-to-palestinians-in-covid-19-vaccine-swap-11624031522 . The real losers here are the Palestinian people. The proper objective is to get the doses in people’s arms before they expire. Make best efforts, with Israel’s help, and the vaccines that still expire do not count in the vaccine swap. This isn’t hard if the two sides try to cooperate.
WSJ: The future of the ACA: https://www.wsj.com/articles/supreme-court-ruling-on-affordable-care-act-emboldens-democrats-11624008602 . Even by WSJ standards, this is a crappy spin on important actual developments. As far as I’m concerned, basic health care is a human right. The task is to recognize our constantly evolving standards of what is “basic” in this context.
WSJ: A primer on Juneteenth: https://www.wsj.com/articles/juneteenth-day-federal-holiday-2021-11624032408 . How about this: Juneteenth celebrates the day the last enslaved people in the US were freed, and the US took a big step toward living up to its founding principles?
Armed insurrection: https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/559115-capitol-riot-defendant-becomes-first-to-face-firearms-charge-under . So it is quite likely that multiple people involved in the insurrection were armed. But how many we will never know, as there were few arrests on January 6. The danger of this behavior should be obvious, even to the Republican congressmen trying to downplay the danger of this event.
Remember Kyle Rittenhouse, the 17-year-old who shot protesters in Kenosha last summer, killing two?: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/26/juvenile-arrested-in-shooting-death-of-2-at-kenosha-protest.html . I suggest to you that open or concealed carry has no place in a civilized society. It is a danger to everyone, including the police. “Carry” has a chilling effect on peaceful protest on both sides. We need meaningful gun control legislation, just as we have for many years.
Racist Fox News trying to create talking points for the racist GOP: https://www.salon.com/2021/06/17/fox-news-caught-trying-to-pass-off-gop-operatives-as-parents-concerned-about-critical-race-theory/ . My language is intentionally strong. All of these lazy Republicans talk about critical race theory without defining what it is to them or why it’s objectionable. The idea is that “the left” (or the New York Times’ 1619 Project) is somehow promoting “race theory” in a way that’s “un-American”, I guess. The only concept is here is “race”. That is about as racist as you can get. Here’s more on the 1619 Project: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_1619_Project .
The racist South: https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/6m-settlement-kkk-deputies-sued-excessive-force-78345894 . Just look at the facts: 6 families sued with 43 causes of action. The sheriff’s department settled for $6 million. So there’s clearly a pattern of appalling conduct. Meanwhile, the new sheriff, in defending the former officers, does not understand the need for change. Systemic racism is not just an ongoing problem in America. From my years in Charleston, it’s still a way of life in much of the South.
Gaetz indictment may happen in July: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/gaetz-investigation-ramps-feds-mount-sweeping-probe-central/story?id=78321551 . This type of story is often planted or encouraged by prosecutors to reduce surprise when the indictment comes. The suggestion here is that there is a wide-ranging pattern of corruption, not an isolated event.
Greg Abbott: I don’t know the consequences of my actions: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/texas-gov-greg-abbott-signed-a-new-state-budget-that-defunds-the-entire-state-legislature/ar-AALcvXF?li=BBnb7Kz . So, are you doing anything to fix the grid? But I guess it’s not that big of a problem, it only fails in winter and summer …
Can anybody in the GOP just do their job?: https://apnews.com/article/ga-state-wire-georgia-election-2020-voter-registration-business-a916e90db938aa60a4eff3d00d391006 . Note that Raffensperger made the point that he “fought and beat Stacey Abrams”. However, there is no proof of any voter fraud. This is just the GOP trying to suppress votes, again. Remember, thanks to Stacey Abrams’ long-term voter registration projects (and educated people moving to Atlanta), the GOP is losing its grip on Georgia.
The fruit crop arrives in Florida: https://news.yahoo.com/mike-pence-called-traitor-by-hecklers-in-florida-192753694.html . So, who exactly is going to vote for Mike Pence? Is the fly even registered?
Journeyman golfer leads US Open: https://sports.yahoo.com/richard-bland-leading-the-way-at-the-us-open-wait-who-204547459.html . So, we get a clear read on the US sports mentality. “This guy is so unknown he doesn’t have a hat deal.” Remember when we celebrated amateurism and playing sports for the fun of it? With all of our Olympic teams now featuring pro athletes, I don’t see how kids today will get what is in my view the true thrill of sports – playing. Just for the fun of it. Capitalism should have its limits.