Rare eye disease may be COVID-19 outcome: https://knowridge.com/2020/12/covid-19-linked-to-rare-but-severe-eye-infection/ . It’s hard to know what to make of this. Three cases is a very small sample, but the eye disease is generally quite rare.
FDA approves Moderna vaccine: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/fda-approves-moderna-covid-vaccine_n_5fdb8468c5b6f24ae35e5d96 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/modernas-covid-19-vaccine-could-widen-immunization-effort-11608287402 . Still more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/modernas-covid-19-vaccine-is-cleared-for-american-use-11608338496 .
HHS sticks with its false story about miscommunication over vaccine shipping schedule: https://time.com/5923311/covid-19-vaccine-allotments-cut/ . Azar has been a joke from Day 1. This is not helping.
WSJ: Nursing home vaccinations begin: https://www.wsj.com/articles/federal-covid-19-vaccinations-begin-in-nursing-homes-11608304595 .
Third Alaskan health worker has allergic reaction to vaccine: https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/2020/12/18/3rd-alaska-health-care-worker-experiences-adverse-reaction-to-covid-19-vaccine/ . This is an odd place to have a cluster. Perhaps the severe reaction triggered sensitivity to all cases, leading to the reporting of the second and third cases.
Obamacare sign-ups are up: https://apnews.com/article/medicaid-coronavirus-pandemic-barack-obama-a3d6f525238ffb254bfc2512fb59db2e .
WSJ: PPE shortages at VA: https://www.wsj.com/articles/watchdog-finds-some-va-hospitals-rationed-or-ran-out-of-ppe-11608328943 .
Pence, wife, surgeon general get shot: https://apnews.com/article/michael-pence-wife-coronavirus-vaccine-0489a0b64d4353bc693ad1691ff5de1d . Biden is scheduled for Monday: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/18/biden-to-receive-coronavirus-vaccine-in-public-on-monday-448240 . Donnie is still pouting.
Passenger dies after failing to disclose COVID symptoms: https://people.com/human-interest/man-not-disclose-covid-symptoms-has-heart-attack-flight-dies-hospital/ . This does not help the airlines’ “flying is safe” message. Seriously ill liars can defeat the system. WSJ: United reacts: https://www.wsj.com/articles/united-airlines-is-working-with-health-officials-following-possible-covid-19-death-11608318087 .
Boeing “inappropriately coached” pilots in 737 MAX test: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-boeing-737-max-idUSKBN28S314 . Once again, Boeing screws up. This report is from a Senate Republican staff.
Pandemic poll: Most Americans think worst is yet to come: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2020-12-18/most-americans-think-worst-of-coronavirus-pandemic-is-still-to-come-poll-finds .
California activates “mass fatality” program: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/california-activates-mass-fatality-program-covid-cases-deaths-climb-n1251713 . California hospitals are overwhelmed by COVID cases: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/california-hospitals-crushed-virus-patients-flood-icus-74809987 .
India exceeds 10 million cases: https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/india-passes-grim-milestone-of-10-mln-coronavirus-infections-652615 . The US has ¼ of India’s population and over 17 million cases. We have doubled the numbers of cases in the past two months.
The Paris climate agreement 5 years on: https://www.vox.com/22175698/climate-change-treaty-trump-china-eu-uk-paris-agreement-biden . Excellent details on what we know to be the bottom line: Not much action so far.
Congress approves stopgap 2 day government funding measure to prevent government shutdown as relief aid talks continue: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-relief-government-funding-bills-weekend-senate/ . The eleventh hour injection of a Fed borrowing limitation by Senate Republicans is viewed as bad faith by many Senate Democrats. Ron Johnson is apparently hellbent on irritating as many people as possible: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/18/ron-johnson-blocks-stimulus-checks-twice-448504 .
Donnie not talking about the future: https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-trump/irritated-by-loss-trump-hunkers-down-at-the-white-house-and-avoids-talk-of-future-idUSKBN28S0JE . I love the double-entendre in the first sentence – “what lies ahead”. Orange jumpsuit, baby.
How dumb is Donnie? Wow: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/dec/16/trumps-twitter-account-was-hacked-dutch-ministry-affirms . The ethical hacker will not be charged. And he did this TWICE.
The House sharpens its Donnie knives: https://www.salon.com/2020/12/18/donald-trump-has-real-reason-to-be-worried-democrats-are-pursuing-accountability-this-time/ .
Biden team frustrated by cooperation halt from Department of Defense: https://thehill.com/policy/defense/530856-biden-team-expresses-concern-over-abrupt-halt-in-cooperation-with-pentagon . This crap is a direct threat to national security. Let’s just hope Donnie’s not planning some last-minute military action (invade Georgia?).
Several sources indicate the cut-off came because DOD’s Trump appointees think (apparently without evidence) that Biden’s team leaked information on savings from stopping wall construction: https://www.axios.com/pentagon-biden-transition-briefings-123a9658-4af1-4632-a6e6-770117784d60.html . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/massive-hack-blamed-on-russia-tests-limits-of-u-s-response-11608309198 .
Trump grift continues: https://www.salon.com/2020/12/18/how-the-trump-family-grift-grew-out-of-the-presidents-paranoia-about-brad-parscale/ . The scale of this swamp is truly incredible. I have the feeling that between the DOJ and the House, all of this crap will see the light of day in 2021.
Speculation continues over Trump pardons: https://www.axios.com/trump-pardons-christmas-bff29efa-b52b-4336-9fa4-650c13558a96.html . The next grift puzzle piece is expected before Christmas.
Oregon stuffs USC in fourth quarter to repeat as Pac-12 champions: https://247sports.com/college/oregon/LongFormArticle/Oregon-USC-Football-Game-Mario-Cristobal-Ducks-football–157272469/#157272469_1 . A popular two-fer: Oregon wins AND USC loses.