News for August 3

WSJ: US round-up: https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronavirus-latest-news-08-03-2020-11596443238 . Some news on India, China and Mexico at the end. More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronavirus-latest-news-080220-11596361041 . Last paragraph has news on Australia.

WSJ: Europe: Youth infections rise: https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronavirus-cases-rise-in-europe-as-youth-hit-beach-and-bars-11596364200 .

WSJ: Australia: Melbourne hardens lockdown: https://www.wsj.com/articles/melbourne-hardens-lockdown-to-combat-resurgent-coronavirus-outbreak-11596361390 .

Latest on pandemic relief package: https://www.businessinsider.com/pelosi-pandemic-relief-bill-agreement-probably-not-until-next-week-2020-8 .

WSJ: Dr. Birx says virus “extraordinarily widespread”, Trump calls her “pathetic”: https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-criticizes-health-adviser-deborah-birx-after-her-coronavirus-warning-11596469424 .

WSJ: Lilly prophylactic antibody clone drugs: https://www.wsj.com/articles/eli-lilly-studies-experimental-covid-19-drug-in-nursing-homes-11596451502 .

Governors working to understand vaccine distribution plans: https://www.nga.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/NGA-Memorandum-on-COVID-19-Vaccine-and-Mass-Distribution-Considerations.pdf .  Broad concern about lack of detailed federal distribution plan: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa-vaccine/trump-planning-for-u-s-rollout-of-coronavirus-vaccine-falling-short-officials-warn-idUSKCN24W1ON .

Refusal to vaccinate: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/07/people-are-suffering-too-much-refuse-vaccine/614818/ . Botching the roll-out will increase vaccination fears.

Vaccine: Two doses or one?: https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/07/30/897267139/vaccine-candidate-delivers-protection-in-a-single-shot-in-monkeys .

Vaccine: Who’s first in line?: https://apnews.com/6515204e97bea1799db223b2c694d48d .

The money behind Oxford’s vaccine: https://www.wsj.com/articles/if-oxfords-covid-19-vaccine-succeeds-layers-of-private-investors-could-profit-11596373722 .

UK rolls out test for COVID-19 and flu with 90 minute turn-around: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/roll-out-of-2-new-rapid-coronavirus-tests-ahead-of-winter . Millions of tests will be provided.

China meddled in US vaccine efforts: https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2020-07-31/houston-consulate-closure-deterred-china-but-not-before-it-meddled-with-vaccine-efforts-us-intel-sources?src=usn_nl_coronavirus .

WSJ: Murder rates rising around US: https://www.wsj.com/articles/homicide-spike-cities-chicago-newyork-detroit-us-crime-police-lockdown-coronavirus-protests-11596395181 .

Mississippi: Next COVID-19 hot spot: https://thegrio.com/2020/08/03/mississippi-no-1-hot-spot-for-covid-19/ .

WSJ: Summer school in Detroit: https://www.wsj.com/articles/what-could-school-be-like-in-the-fall-summer-school-in-detroit-offers-a-preview-11596447001 .

WSJ: School re-opening targets: https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-york-city-schools-to-reopen-only-if-positive-coronavirus-test-rate-is-below-3-11596214305 .

WSJ: Virus orphans: https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-toll-of-coronavirus-in-new-york-is-a-new-group-of-orphans-11596288601 .

Vietnam: Testing of 1.1 million residents of Danang to control outbreak: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-vietnam-cases/vietnams-danang-to-test-entire-population-as-outbreak-spreads-beyond-city-idUSKCN24W39A . This has been widely reported, but the detail here that the test capacity is under 10,000 per day means testing won’t be completed before the US elections in November, if ever. More: https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/coronavirus-vietnam-to-test-11-million-people-in-danang .

Judge voids COVID-19 sick leave restrictions: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-new-york-lawsuit/judge-voids-trump-administration-restrictions-on-coronavirus-sick-leave-idUSKCN24Z1Y6 .

More on the cruise outbreak: https://apnews.com/781a3fa3faabde06d44749bfe57139da . Turns out this is more like a working ferry than a cruise ship. From Tripadvisor’s Norway blog: “Hurtigruten is more a Norwegian version of a reliable and very comfortable maritime bus line. Do not compare it to luxury cruise ships or to functional car ferries. It is an own “class” of sea journey.”

Why are some people so concerned about an app to track movements during the pandemic? Surveillance scoring is a partial answer: https://www.natlawreview.com/article/petition-filed-ftc-seeking-investigation-use-secret-surveillance-scoring . We lack a modern definition of privacy.

Regaining strength after COVID-19: https://health.usnews.com/health-care/patient-advice/articles/how-to-regain-strength-after-covid-19?src=usn_nl_coronavirus .

COVID-19 and Utah: https://www.newyorker.com/science/medical-dispatch/fighting-the-coronavirus-from-new-york-to-utah . Once again, politicization of masks is just wrong; I don’t know anything about the governor, except that he’s not a Nazi.

Mask protests in Germany: https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/01/world/berlin-germany-covid-19-protest-intl/index.html . The concept that the virus is now embedded in many populations is apparently difficult for some to grasp.

More on masks: Stress and an AK-47 are a poor combination and a worse defense: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/man-fires-officers-ak-47-day-after-refusing-wear-mask-n1235652 .

Sturgis happening this weekend: https://kstp.com/news/sturgis-rally-still-a-go-in-south-dakota-as-many-as-250000-people-expected-to-attend-august-3-2020/5815528/ . And then they’ll all go home …

Hong Kong as COVID-19 case study: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-53596299 . We continue to get a clear picture of what limitations work best for long-term protection of populations. The wide use of masks in Hong Kong has remained effective in keeping overall cases low, and also enabling effective contact tracing.

WSJ: Declining cases in Pakistan: https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-youthful-conservative-pakistan-is-a-coronavirus-bright-spot-11596297600 .

WSJ: Potentially huge shift in Fed thinking: https://www.wsj.com/articles/fed-weighs-abandoning-pre-emptive-rate-moves-to-curb-inflation-11596360600 . With the huge amount of stimulus being pumped into the world economy, one has to wonder about the long-term relative value of money. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/behind-the-vast-market-rally-a-tumbling-dollar-11596360601 .

WSJ: Lord & Taylor files Chapter 11: https://www.wsj.com/articles/luxury-department-store-lord-taylor-files-for-bankruptcy-11596409396 . More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/lord-taylor-limps-into-bankruptcy-looking-for-a-suitor-11596495976 .

WSJ: Tailored Brands/Men’s Wearhouse/Jos. A. Banks file Chapter 11: https://www.wsj.com/articles/mens-wearhouse-parent-files-for-bankruptcy-11596420155 . More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/mens-wearhouse-jos-a-bank-parent-to-pivot-to-casual-attire-in-chapter-11-11596491020 .

Pleas to Congress for small business help: https://money.yahoo.com/over-100-ce-os-beg-congress-dont-let-small-businesses-fail-forever-175536533.html . The writer has a great last name. WSJ: And the airlines are asking, too: https://www.wsj.com/articles/airlines-go-back-to-congress-for-money-to-preserve-jobs-11596298261 .

Businesses pivot to new normal: https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-normal-emerges-for-companies-navigating-covid-19-pandemic-11596376801 .

WSJ: Colleges: Dude, where’s my stuff?: https://www.wsj.com/articles/college-campus-reopen-dorm-coronavirus-schools-fall-semester-yale-boston-university-11596408514 .

WSJ: Portland protests peaceful: https://www.wsj.com/articles/fed-weighs-abandoning-pre-emptive-rate-moves-to-curb-inflation-11596360600 . WSJ finally reporting what is going on here – with the feds gone, the protesters have returned to their focus on racial justice. Hopefully there will be no more violence against protected speech and actions.

Elon Musk and mental health: https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-invited-egypt-after-said-pyramids-were-built-aliens-2020-8 . So, billionaire, operates SpaceX – is this just any publicity is good publicity?

Money laundering: https://www.nydailynews.com/coronavirus/ny-coronavirus-south-korean-loses-money-20200801-vw76obzrnjgexcoxvwgfpqhcjy-story.html . And don’t microwave it, either …