CNN: Global round-up: https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/04/world/coronavirus-newsletter-08-04-20-intl/index.html . WSJ: Round-up: https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronavirus-latest-news-08-03-2020-11596443238 .
More on relief package negotiations: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/03/coronavirus-stimulus-updates-relief-bill-talks-hinge-on-unemployment-insurance.html . And: https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2020-08-03/dispute-over-federal-unemployment-benefit-stalls-congressional-coronavirus-relief-package?src=usn_nl_coronavirus . And: WSJ: https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronavirus-stimulus-talks-to-resume-after-jobless-aid-lapses-11596470044 .
Fauci interview: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2020-08-03/fauci-we-will-get-back-to-normal-but-the-pandemic-is-far-from-over?src=usn_nl_coronavirus .
WSJ: FDA has messed up mask approvals: https://www.wsj.com/articles/fdas-shifting-standards-for-chinese-face-masks-fuel-confusion-11596460191 . And these people regulate drugs …
Six states band together to accelerate testing: https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/08/04/899116648/after-severe-delays-several-states-band-together-to-buy-coronavirus-tests . The natural consequence of no federal strategy, this leaves 44 states out … and DC … but they may be allowed to join later.
Russia: More on “Sputnik 2” vaccine: https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-says-coronavirus-vaccine-ready-production-september-criticized-rushed-2020-8 .
Norway: More on cruise outbreak: https://apnews.com/bc6e0cbfc223134f27881ec679de5016 .
Parts of DOL rule limiting COVID-19 sick leave struck down by federal court: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-new-york-lawsuit/judge-rejects-trump-restrictions-on-coronavirus-sick-leave-for-employees-idUSKCN24Z1Y6 .
Southwest reduces cleaning between flights: https://www.travelandleisure.com/airlines-airports/southwest/southwest-airlines-coronavirus-cleaning . Questionable from health and public relations standpoints.
More on airlines’ aid request: https://www.travelpulse.com/news/airlines/airline-industry-wants-second-round-of-federal-aid.html .
WSJ: FAA fix list for 737 MAX: https://www.wsj.com/articles/faa-formally-proposes-fixes-for-return-of-boeings-737-max-jets-11596496799 .
WSJ: COVID-19 boosts Fed as global lender: https://www.wsj.com/articles/fed-federal-reserve-jerome-powell-covid-coronavirus-dollar-lending-economy-foreign-currency-11596228151 .
WSJ: AIG COVID-19 losses: https://www.wsj.com/articles/global-insurer-aig-swings-to-quarterly-loss-on-substantial-losses-tied-to-pandemic-11596486068 .
WSJ: Vaccine financial mania: https://www.wsj.com/articles/gilead-shows-the-dangers-of-covid-19-drug-mania-11596452402 .
Postal delays: https://www.npr.org/2020/07/29/896588223/election-officials-worry-postal-changes-could-affect-voting-by-mail . Postal delays also affect medication deliveries, and have a disproportionate impact on rural areas.
Mail delays affect Michigan primary: https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-government/postal-delays-could-cause-trouble-michigans-primary-election.
Colleges struggle with shut-down planning: https://www.wsj.com/articles/college-reopening-plans-include-how-many-coronavirus-cases-would-close-them-again-11596533400 .
Troubles at Georgia school re-openings: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tommybeer/2020/08/03/260-employees-of-largest-school-district-in-georgia-have-tested-positive-for-coronavirus-or-are-in-quarantine/#5d39058a251a .
WSJ: Biology pushes teens to violate virus guidelines: https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-the-teenage-brain-pushes-young-people-to-ignore-virus-restrictions-11596467107 .
WSJ: The psychology of COVID-19: https://www.wsj.com/articles/for-some-a-recovery-from-covid-brings-a-greater-sense-of-safety-11596462443 .
JAMA Study: Many older Americans being left behind by telemedicine: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2768772 . “Older adults account for 25% of physician office visits in the United States and often have multiple morbidities and disabilities. Thirteen million older adults may have trouble accessing telemedical services; a disproportionate number of those may be among the already disadvantaged. Telephone visits may improve access for the estimated 6.3 million older adults who are inexperienced with technology or have visual impairment, but phone visits are suboptimal for care that requires visual assessment.”
This remarkable study from Health Affairs worked to quantify the spread of COVID-19 from jails to the surrounding community: https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/full/10.1377/hlthaff.2020.00652 . Quoting from the abstract, “The data suggest that cycling people through Cook County Jail alone is associated with 15.7 percent of all documented COVID-19 cases in Illinois and 15.9 percent of all documented cases in Chicago as of April 19, 2020. Our findings support arguments for reduced reliance on incarceration and for related justice reforms both as emergency measures during the present pandemic and as sustained structural changes vital for future pandemic preparedness and public health.” This finding puts a completely different light on the high rates of minority deaths from COVID-19 in Chicago and elsewhere, and raises important insights into the compounding effects of institutional racism.
“Science” outside the box: Craft brewing a “vaccine”. Turns out there is a group of Harvard and MIT “researchers” who are making their own chemical stew intended as a prophylactic for COVID-19. No lab studies, no animal studies, they’re just making a home brew and snorting it (seriously, it’s delivered as a nasal spray). And they’ve put up a white paper on this website: https://radvac.org/ . As you know, I’m a big believer in science; this is not science. This is more of an advanced take on injecting bleach. Warning signs: the website is loaded with disclaimers that it’s just research and not medical advice (so, bleach with lawyers). Also note the commentary on page 6 about “vaccine enhanced disease”, past cases where an intended vaccine resulted in more serious infections than an unvaccinated control group. And one of the examples is SARS (the forerunner of COVID-19), where the negative impact was on lung tissue! The FDA is there for a reason. To promote the idea of just testing chemicals on yourself is unbelievably irresponsible; these people must have skipped their ethics classes.
J&J antidepressant nasal spray: https://fortune.com/2020/08/03/johnson-johnson-spray-suicide-treatment/ . First FDA approval of a drug for those actively contemplating suicide.
COVID-19 and the cloudy future of American mass transit: https://time.com/5869375/public-transit-coronavirus-covid/ .
This has nothing to do with COVID-19 (although it did come from WIRED’s coronavirus newsletter), and takes place in a very different universe from the one I inhabit most days. But as a shake-up thought piece on the current state of American culture, this fits the bill – oh, and it tells me a whole lot about TikTok I didn’t know – highly recommended: https://www.wired.com/story/tiktok-evolution-digital-blackface/?utm_source=nl&utm_brand=wired&utm_mailing=WIR_Science_080420&utm_campaign=aud-dev&utm_medium=email&utm_term=WIR_Science&bxid=5f224e30532fc61e895ff4bb&cndid=61753530&esrc=bounceX&source=EDT_WIR_NEWSLETTER_0_SCIENCE_ZZ .