Breakthrough case studies: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/expected-rare-breakthrough-covid-cases/story?id=76682629 . Apparently screening (meaning testing) was used to identify asymptomatic cases. The emphasis on variants here is appropriate. Remember that it may take years to reach appropriate global vaccination. Global viral load remains a major threat to create more variants.
AstraZeneca now officially a second-class vaccine: https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/09/health/vaccine-advisers-astrazeneca-us/index.html . This is strong commentary, although I have been saying the same thing. The problem is, AstraZeneca is intended for a major global role. I hope they are working on reformulation, especially to deal with the South African variant. They need to transform to a multivalent vaccine.
Australia picks Pfizer: https://thehill.com/policy/international/547312-australia-doubles-order-of-pfizer-vaccine . The Commonwealth moves away from AstraZeneca/Oxford.
Pfizer asks FDA to approve its vaccine for 12 to 15 year olds: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2021-04-09/pfizer-asks-fda-to-expand-its-coronavirus-vaccine-authorization-to-children-ages-12-to-15 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/pfizer-biontech-asks-fda-to-expand-use-of-their-covid-19-vaccine-to-adolescents-11617993812 .
WSJ: Europe looks to Pfizer to turn around botched vaccination campaign: https://www.wsj.com/articles/troubled-covid-19-vaccine-rollout-in-europe-nears-possible-turning-point-11617957085 .
J&J vaccine doses will drop for the next few weeks: https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/547299-johnson-johnson-vaccine-doses-will-take-major-drop-next-week . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/j-j-covid-19-vaccine-deliveries-to-drop-significantly-next-week-11617970201 . But there’s an even bigger mess to be resolved: https://news.yahoo.com/62-million-doses-johnson-johnsons-174332534.html . Seriously, Emergent may have screwed up 77 million doses worth of ingredients? No wonder Biden put J&J in charge of this plant.
Georgia shuts vaccine site after adverse reactions: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/johnson-johnson-vaccine-georgia-reactions/ . The reactions do not appear serious. However, this is the third state this week to shut a site over adverse reactions to the J&J vaccine.
WSJ: Michigan governor enacts some limits in the face of COVID surge: https://www.wsj.com/articles/michigan-governor-urges-action-as-covid-19-cases-surge-again-11617995827 . No, this is not a test of a surge against a partially vaccinated population. The vaccination levels are way below herd immunity levels, so the virus wins.
Scientific American’s weekly news round-up: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/coronavirus-news-roundup-april-3-april-9/ .
Privacy advocates criticize vaccine passport plans in Europe: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-k-eu-face-privacy-criticism-for-covid-19-passport-plans-11617960601 . WSJ: Vaccine passport issues in the US: https://www.wsj.com/articles/vaccination-passports-are-new-flashpoint-in-covid-19-pandemic-11617969467 .
Germany faces ICU bed shortage: https://www.dw.com/en/covid-icu-bed-shortage-in-germany-is-imminent-doctors-warn/a-57150437 .
COVID soars in Turkey: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-turkey/how-can-we-not-be-tense-turkeys-coronavirus-infections-soar-idUSKBN2BW2KB .
WSJ: Vaccine shortage hits India: https://www.wsj.com/articles/india-faces-covid-19-vaccine-shortage-as-cases-surge-11617970632 .
Orange Julius’ minions understood their jobs to be lying to the American people to support their fearful leader: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-officials-celebrated-efforts-to-change-cdc-reports-on-coronavirus-emails-show/ar-BB1ftcTx?li=BBnb7Kz . Congratulations to the Washington Post for investigative journalism that proves what we all knew. But now we know just how gleeful they were on their way to Hell. You may remember their solution to this disaster was to pull Caputo off the front lines and keep lying. To paraphrase Tiny Tim, God damn them, each and every one.
Packing the Supreme Court: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/biden-to-unveil-commission-to-study-possible-expansion-of-supreme-court/ar-BB1ftCv6?li=BBnb7Kz . The real problem is that Thomas, Kavanaugh and Barrett should never have been appointed to the Court. They do not qualify based on ability (Thomas, Barrett) or temperament (especially Kavanaugh). The commission won’t confront this, so they start out behind. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-to-sign-executive-order-creating-commission-on-supreme-court-changes-11617983199 .
Revised US budget priorities: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/biden-budget-seeks-to-flip-script-on-trump-administrations-spending-priorities/ar-BB1ftIXC?li=BBnb7Kz . Apparently “The Wall” is no longer a priority. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/whats-in-bidens-budget-proposal-11617982492 .
Setting the corporate tax at 25%: https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-biden-tax-companies/analysis-white-house-us-companies-could-agree-on-25-tax-rate-officials-business-groups-say-idUSL1N2M01TH . So the reduction knocks $350 billion off the income side. Remember that that revenue side was $200 billion over the spending side, and the whole package has been raised from $1.9 billion. You can easily balance this by adding a small minimum corporate tax or dropping a few spending items. I think we are just seeing Biden’s negotiating plan. It is the way Washington traditionally works.
The Matt Gaetz “education” funding plan: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/547280-gaetz-paid-accused-sex-trafficker-who-later-sent-same-amount-of-cash-to-teen . The wheels of justice turn slowly, but they will grind this sausage to bits.
Nancy Pelosi says she eats nails for breakfast: https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/news/politics/2021/04/09/bracing-battle-inside-nancy-pelosis-war-donald-trump/7053833002/ . Somehow this is not at all surprising.
Joe Manchin on the middle ground: https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/world/news/joe-manchin-says-the-capitol-insurrection-changed-him/articleshow/81991429.cms . And Jim Clyburn isn’t having a serving of that dish. I’m with Clyburn on this one.
YouTube yanks DeMentis for misinformation on masks: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/youtube-pulls-florida-governor-s-video-says-his-panel-spread-n1263635 . Liars get yanked from YouTube. Putting four liars on a panel means the panel gets yanked, you dimwit.
Boeing grounds some 737 MAX’s – again: https://www.afr.com/companies/transport/boeing-tells-airlines-to-stop-flying-some-737-max-planes-20210410-p57i16 (link replaced 5/31/21). The electrical systems may be improperly grounded? This is a remarkable quality control failure on an already maligned aircraft. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/boeing-flags-potential-737-max-electrical-issue-on-specific-jets-11617972277 .
More bad news for Boeing: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-boeing-air-force/boeing-sues-cancels-contracts-with-air-force-one-supplier-idUSKBN2BV37Z . Well, at least Orange Julius was focused on this important issue. You might want to check the electrical system, Joe.
Transforming forest management practices: https://abcnews.go.com/International/sustainable-crop-production-reduce-extinction-species-40-study/story?id=76899957 . Could Brazil please get rid of Bolsonaro and stop burning the Amazon rainforests? The soil quality is not worth it. And the incredible damage to biodiversity is irreversible.
WSJ: Prince Phillip passes: https://www.wsj.com/articles/prince-philip-longtime-husband-of-englands-queen-elizabeth-ii-11617966575 . If there is such a thing as a hard-hitting obituary, this would be it.