The slowing pace of US vaccinations: https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/21/health/us-coronavirus-friday/index.html . Not surprisingly, the lowest 8 states are predominantly Republican, the highest 8 predominantly Democratic.
White House partners with dating apps to encourage vaccinations: https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/21/politics/covid-vaccine-status-dating-apps-white-house/index.html . I like to think of myself as open-minded. This seems weird, even creepy …
WSJ: Later stages of vaccination drive may involve wasting some doses: https://www.wsj.com/articles/getting-more-people-vaccinated-against-covid-19-means-wasting-doses-11621594802 . Duh. Overall, US distribution has been highly efficient.
Exploring improvements in the COVID vaccines: https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2021/05/spike-protein-vaccines-covid/618954/ .
Hospital consolidation follows CARES Act funding: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/buoyed-federal-covid-aid-big-142702853.html (link replaced 5/29/21). So the CARES Act was the Republican relief bill passed in 2020. How many times has this newsletter criticized the prior administration for oversight failures? A bunch, in actuarial terms. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/hospitals-want-more-time-to-spend-covid-19-relief-money-11621598403 .
Early CDC testing screw-ups involved multiple failures: https://www.npr.org/2021/05/21/999194177/early-cdc-coronavirus-test-came-with-inconsistent-instructions-cost-u-s-weeks .
Scientific American’s coronavirus news round-up May 8-21: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/coronavirus-news-roundup-may-8-ndash-may21/ .
WSJ: US will provide vaccinations to 550,000 South Korean troops: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-will-provide-covid-19-vaccines-to-550-000-south-korean-troops-engaged-with-u-s-forces-11621637522 .
WSJ: Medical supply shortages in the developing world: https://www.wsj.com/articles/poor-countries-ask-wealthy-ones-to-do-more-to-stave-off-covid-19-surge-11621602003 . The Biden administration’s early focus on developing vaccine production capabilities will prove to be a major contribution to global control of the pandemic, but it will take time.
COVID and excess deaths: https://www.aol.com/news/total-death-toll-covid-19-081949041-092122338.html . Here’s today’s nothing-burger from WHO. The only hope for accurate assessment of the global COVID death toll is analysis of excess deaths. That is doable analytically. The broad range in this article is in line with other estimates. But as we are over a year into the pandemic, it is disgraceful that careful analysis has not been done.
WSJ: More on the black fungus in India: https://www.wsj.com/articles/rare-black-fungus-mucormycosis-infects-thousands-of-covid-19-survivors-in-india-11621614697 .
Pandemic is bad and getting worse in Latin America: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2021-05-21/covid-19-deaths-in-latin-america-set-to-surpass-1-million-as-outbreak-worsens .
Confusing reporting on Japanese antibody study: https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/05/b7d3f1162d01-antibodies-against-coronavirus-variants-weaken-in-6-12-months-study.html . The data given seems to contradict the headline.
WSJ: Bitcoin mining and coal: https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2021/05/spike-protein-vaccines-covid/618954/ . This rather bizarre connection shows that data mining burns a lot of energy. Note that one idled coal plant is being restarted with natural gas, so it will be cleaner but still emit significant carbon dioxide.
WSJ: Boko Haram leader has died (probably): https://www.wsj.com/articles/boko-haram-leader-responsible-for-chibok-schoolgirl-kidnappings-dies-11621608392 .
AOC: Capitol attack has affected lawmaking: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/all-out-attempted-coup-aoc-says-capitol-attack-has-deeply-n1268031 . Again, it is fundamentally ridiculous to not fully investigate an insurrection, let alone one that reached inside the Capitol itself. The GOP position is based solely on getting re-elected. They have decided this means holding up Orange Julius through actions like voter suppression, and opposing Biden 100% (to quote McConnell) regardless of the needs of the country. More OJ-related violence remains a serious possibility and threat.
The aftermath of Gaza: https://apnews.com/article/africa-middle-east-israel-palestinian-conflict-health-coronavirus-pandemic-41d515a273b54187d429887a3ae9d9e8 . The key question here is the relative balance between Israel’s degradation of Hamas and the violence between Israelis and Palestinians within Israel. The former is at best a temporary advantage for Israel, depending on who in Hamas leadership was killed. The latter is potentially a long-term game-changer for the Palestinians’ fight, as they have been unified by the force of Israel’s suppression.
Um, sanity has now officially left the GOP: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/cheney-primary-challenger-says-he-impregnated-14-year-old-when-n1268147 . What does the swamp have to do with this life story? This disgrace is Cheney’s leading opponent?
WSJ: Media consolidation continues: https://www.wsj.com/articles/axel-springer-in-talks-to-buy-axios-11621618962 . Axios is an important source for this newsletter.
WSJ: Flying spiderlings: https://www.wsj.com/articles/up-and-away-how-baby-spiders-fly-11621627246 . This is really crazy physics. I actually observed this behavior yesterday … what a wild way to disperse your population.