News summary: NBC: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/meet-the-press/five-months-u-s-hasn-t-succeeded-combating-pandemic-n1233288 (link replaced 7/11/21). Outrage grows over the pandemic missteps at the federal level.
WSJ: Global pandemic update: https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronavirus-latest-news-07-09-2020-11594284580 . Their journalism would certainly benefit by access to an actuary. Since deaths are a lagging indicator, if cases are exploding in Brazil then deaths have at best temporarily stabilized.
WSJ: Charts on virus: https://www.wsj.com/graphics/coronavirus/ .
WSJ: Pandemic missteps: https://www.wsj.com/articles/nations-top-emergency-preparedness-agency-focused-on-warfare-threats-over-pandemic-11594287003 . As often as I note WSJ’s scientific shortcomings, it is also important to note that much of their reporting shows high-quality investigation.
WSJ: More on testing delays: https://www.wsj.com/articles/wait-times-grow-for-covid-19-test-results-as-infections-rise-sharply-11594287001 . And on contact tracing: https://www.wsj.com/articles/contact-tracing-isnt-keeping-up-with-americas-reopening-11594209600 . So every day is another opportunity to get things right. Given the state and local government budget shortfalls, feds could move to fund contact tracing nationwide. And a lot of contact tracing (the phone part) can be done from anywhere. Coordination of existing resources would help.
WSJ: NYC disease surveillance: https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-york-city-improves-disease-surveillance-to-avert-covid-19-surge-11594206001 .
WSJ: Building ventilation strategy changing: https://www.wsj.com/articles/offices-try-to-combat-coronavirus-with-more-fresh-air-11594206158 .
WSJ: Using plasma as a prophylactic: https://www.wsj.com/articles/drug-derived-from-plasma-of-covid-19-patients-to-be-tested-as-preventive-measure-11594211400 .
More on the connection between blood type and COVID-19: https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2020-07-09/link-between-covid-19-and-blood-type (link replaced 7/11/21).
Day-by-day analysis of progression of COVID-19: https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-covid19-day-by-day-symptoms-patients-2020-2 .
Long-term effects of COVID-19 now emerging: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/08/warning-of-serious-brain-disorders-in-people-with-mild-covid-symptoms .
Facemask improvement hack: https://www.insider.com/doctor-tiktok-shows-how-to-make-face-mask-fit-better-2020-7 .
Fauci prediction has come true: https://www.businessinsider.com/fauci-sorry-nightmare-pandemic-scenario-was-right-2020-7 (link replaced 7/11/21). This is what experts do, right?
Again, no V-shaped recovery. Worse, more layoffs: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/another-wave-of-layoffs-is-coming-obama-deputy-sec-of-labor-says-recovery-is-stalled/vi-BB16xJ5o?ocid=spartan-dhp-feeds .
Data, the White House, and CDC: https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/08/politics/trump-fauci-cdc-redfield-experts-coronavirus/index.html (link replaced 7/11/21). More: https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/09/politics/cdc-guidelines-school-reopenings/index.html . And: https://www.pressherald.com/2020/07/10/the-latest-cdc-feels-pressure-from-trump-as-rift-grows-over-coronavirus-response/ (link replaced 7/11/21).
Every death has a face: https://www.abc15.com/news/state/beloved-gila-county-teacher-passes-away-from-covid . Blanket school re-openings would be another mistake.
Speculation on a coronavirus relief bill: https://www.forbes.com/sites/sarahhansen/2020/07/09/report-gop-officials-weighing-a-lower-income-cap-for-second-round-of-stimulus-checks/?sh=3202518666b9 (link replaced 7/11/21).
Not again: Opioid deaths rising: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jul/09/coronavirus-pandemic-us-opioids-crisis (link replaced 8/10/20).
Hong Kong: Cases rising: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/07/09/asia-pacific/hong-kong-covid19-resurgence/ (link replaced 7/11/21). The numbers are just so different where contact tracing has been successfully deployed.
China: Effects of the pandemic on workers and new graduates: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-53303357 .
The use of localized lockdowns around the world: https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/09/health/local-lockdowns-leicester-melbourne-gutersloh-intl/index.html (link replaced7/11/21).
Colleges cancelling fall sports: https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/09/us/schools-sports-programs-canceled-coronavirus/index.html . This comment on Need2Know: If we can’t watch Princeton v Yale, are we truly living? More: WSJ: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-ivy-league-says-no-sports-until-2021-11594243087 .
A striking example of the information in DNA: https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/09/asia/polynesia-america-intl-hnk-scli-scn/index.html .
Operating on a beating heart: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200708-how-surgeons-learned-to-operate-on-beating-hearts . Often, our heroes stand on the shoulders of those who came before.
Rats: Helping, tribalism and the “bystander effect”: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/07/08/888767466/to-come-to-the-rescue-or-not-rats-like-people-take-cues-from-bystanders .
Laughter, life and mental elasticity: https://aeon.co/essays/for-henri-bergson-laughter-is-what-keeps-us-elastic-and-free . And now for something completely different …
WSJ: More on the federal deficit: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-budget-gap-in-june-nearly-matched-entire-fiscal-2019-deficit-11594244577 .
WSJ: Brooks Brothers bankruptcy: https://www.wsj.com/articles/brooks-brothers-hurt-by-casual-fridays-and-coronavirus-files-for-bankruptcy-11594210645 .
WSJ: Allstate acquisition: https://www.wsj.com/articles/allstate-to-acquire-rival-insurer-national-general-for-4-billion-11594182627 . And: https://www.wsj.com/articles/kkr-to-buy-global-atlantic-financial-group-for-around-4-billion-11594207178 . Taken together, these articles show evolving strategies in the insurance industry.
Florida: Suit against Republican Convention: https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/08/politics/florida-lawyers-sue-republican-convention/index.html (link replaced 7/11/21). Seems unlikely that a court will ban a political convention. It’s possible the court will require compliance with local health regulations. Or could the convention move outdoors? https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2020/07/09/report-republicans-exploring-holding-rnc-in-jacksonville-outdoor-stadium/ (link replaced 7/11/21).
Florida: Democratic Party to return PPP funding: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/08/florida-democrats-return-ppp-money-354252 (link replaced 11/10/21).
Brazil: Government, the media, and COVID-19: https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/07/08/889268503/brazils-bolsonaro-sued-for-unmasking-as-he-announced-positive-test-for-covid-19 .
Did the Supreme Court just hammer Tulsa? https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-oklahoma/u-s-supreme-court-deems-half-of-oklahoma-a-native-american-reservation-idUSKBN24A268 . Historically, Oklahoma was the center of the Indian Territory, where the federal government relocated forcibly displaced Native Americans.
WSJ: Baseball: The shortened season: https://www.wsj.com/articles/baseballs-back-it-will-be-brief-will-it-be-better-11593089083 . A provocative article, with fans provoked but generally responding respectfully in the reader comments. Interesting points the comments brought out to me: (1) many aspects of the game require patience: how does this match to current society?; (2) these tweet-length responses don’t exhibit much patience [the medium is the message – that is, the structure of Twitter (for example) incites this type of response]; (3) are you such a purist that the shortened season is unacceptable?; (4) for one fan, the main thing he misses is 2 hours daily pouring over statistics. The main thing? What about the game itself? There may be some points to ponder for actuaries in here.
Can’t make this stuff up: Fauci wins by a length in his second horse race: https://apnews.com/879bf8c3311df30691cc8d74c19ff9d1 (link replaced 8/10/20). The horse was not wearing a mask.