The US syndemic: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/16/world-caught-in-syndemic-of-chronic-diseases-and-covid-19 . A syndemic is the combination of the COVID-19 pandemic with chronic obesity, diabetes and other diseases. The US overall population health is dismal in relation to other developed countries. More: https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2020/10/global-study-shows-deadly-convergence-chronic-disease-covid-19 .
Five minute antigen tests: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-britain-antigen/oxford-scientists-develop-five-minute-covid-19-antigen-test-idUSKBN27014F . The Oxford test will not be available until 2021. However, Siemens Healthineers have just launched a rapid antigen test in Europe.
Free vaccinations for nursing homes: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/10/16/trump-plan-free-coronavirus-vaccine-nursing-homes-cvs-walgreens/3682278001/ . Um, “protecting the vulnerable has always been the Trump administration’s number one priority”? For a number one priority, it’s not going well. Apparently someone has read the polling that the senior vote has turned against Trump over the handling of COVID-19.
US round-up: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/coronavirus-case-increases-set-records-least-7-states-prompting-new-n1243823 . The 7 states setting new daily case records are Colorado, Idaho, Indiana, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Dakota and West Virginia. WSJ: Global round-up: https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronavirus-latest-updates-10-17-2020-11602928147 . The US reported almost 70,000 new cases on Friday.
33 inmates infected at Fairbanks prison: https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-alaska-fairbanks-prisons-7d16d2ed597d0c70c19097d3b1e51738 . Terrible. Still, this is less than the number infected at the Rose Garden event.
I heard somewhere that 2/3 of COVID-19 deaths among jail inmates were persons who were awaiting trial. So you haven’t been convicted of anything, but your time in jail is a death sentence. That statistic appears to make some sense, because 80% of jail inmates are awaiting trial: https://www.justiceactionnetwork.org/covid19 (see September 28 entry). I believe these figures distinguish jails from prisons, which typically house longer-term detainees.
WSJ: Pelosi sets 48-hour stimulus response deadline: https://www.wsj.com/articles/pelosi-pushes-white-house-to-reach-deal-on-coronavirus-relief-11602989800 . With people voting and the last debate looming, this is a smart time to apply pressure.
8 million Americans have slipped below poverty threshold since May: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/8-million-americans-slipped-poverty-amid-coronavirus-pandemic-new-study-n1243762 .
The chart at the bottom of the link’s page shows unemployment rates among young people (ages 16 -24) for spring 2019 and spring 2020: https://www.epi.org/publication/young-workers-covid-recession/ . As you’d expect, this group has been hit particularly hard by the COVID recession. So, those who have taken a semester of year off from college have bleak employment prospects. The same is true for those who did not plan to attend college.
WSJ: Saving for college: https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-covid-19-has-changed-the-way-people-should-save-for-college-11602885076 .
WSJ: US day cares in financial crisis: https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronavirus-threatens-to-push-the-child-care-industry-over-the-edge-11602927001 . One of the drivers is remote work. Also, the “don’t plan to return” group is likely overstated as some of those involve children who have aged into public school. They will likely be replaced by other children aging into day care.
New York shuts down wedding with over 10,000 attendees expected: https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/521553-ny-wedding-with-10000-attendees-shut-down-amid-covid-19 . Beyond nuts, right? Maybe the father of the bride leaked this to the state in order to stay sane and solvent …
Bacon-scented masks: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/food/2020/10/14/hormel-black-label-bacon-face-masks-giveaway/3653043001/ . “We’re continuously focused on innovation.” The article says Hormel has also developed a bacon-fueled motorcycle. We may be getting to the root cause of why China is outmaneuvering the United States.
England: Contact tracing system is having only marginal impact: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/13/what-has-gone-wrong-with-englands-covid-test-and-trace-system . What has gone wrong? Pretty much everything.
Iran has worst wave yet of COVID-19 cases: https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-pandemics-iran-middle-east-tehran-97573c43bcea9ad436777a67f5f1eb9f .
WSJ: Americans face retaliatory detention in China: https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-warns-u-s-it-may-detain-americans-in-response-to-prosecutions-of-chinese-scholars-11602960959 . This is one reason why the US must constantly promote human rights.
“NOT REAL NEWS: A Look at What Didn’t Happen This Week”: https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-virus-outbreak-ap-fact-check-cory-booker-confirmation-hearings-9dc2b94bcf7268de19e6dbb8fa580ee0 . So now fake news is news …
NBC pleased with Savannah Guthrie: https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-joe-biden-donald-trump-politics-savannah-guthrie-e2b597578aa2b7f91dc31e02cf4f384f . Trump said, “If you can’t handle Savannah Guthrie, you cannot handle Putin and President Xi and Kim Jong Un.” See, Trump does say things I agree with.
WSJ: More on early voting: https://www.wsj.com/articles/long-lines-early-ballots-new-polls-point-to-massive-voter-turnout-11602939973 . Note in particular Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania in the chart. This is a strong indication that Biden will re-establish the Blue Wall.
Lindsey Graham in trouble: https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-senate-elections-confirmation-hearings-judiciary-campaigns-cd9ba087d55cfdbb11207566c266d98e . Two points here are worth noting. (1) The Graham response essentially admits it’s an ethics violation. And this is obvious based on giving out your website and asking for funds. (2) The reporting indicates that a total of $85 million was raised in this Senate race in the last 3 months. This is an insane amount of money for one Senate seat. Something needs to be done regarding the Citizens United decision.
“Pope replaces saint-making chief as corruption scandal grows”: https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-b7b5587681d276054370f0c328cf029a . Ethics violations are permeating a lot of institutions.
WSJ: South’s economy outperforms rest of US: https://www.wsj.com/articles/with-fewer-covid-restrictions-souths-economy-outperforms-nation-11602927000 . One wonders how the South would be doing if everyone went out with masks. There may be an opportunity for Hormel here.