WSJ: Trump’s COVID-19 treatment designed to improve immune response: https://www.wsj.com/articles/trumps-covid-19-treatment-seeks-to-boost-immune-response-11601909739 .
WSJ: Trump remains at risk: https://www.wsj.com/articles/president-trump-still-faces-risk-as-he-convalesces-at-white-house-11601944622 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-remains-hospitalized-as-doctors-offer-mixed-signals-on-presidents-health-11601898786 . Medical facilities at the White House have been called similar to an ICU (with no other patients). Still, this represents the prioritization of political theater over sound practice.
Experts raise questions about Trump’s condition: https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-trump-dexamethason/experts-raise-questions-about-severity-of-trumps-covid-19-idUSKBN26P11X .
WSJ: Trump downplays COVID-19 after departing hospital: https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-10-05/even-sick-with-covid-19-trump-refuses-to-change-tune-on-pandemic . To quote the article, “Trump doesn’t do learning experiences”.
Trump: Maybe I’m immune: https://www.axios.com/trump-coronavirus-feeling-better-immune-claime-68b22440-257e-45a2-8fa7-fb8f697eb6f3.html . Serious COVID-19 cases can cause hallucinations. However, in Trump’s case, it’s a pre-existing condition.
Trump’s illness an asset: https://news.yahoo.com/team-trump-attacks-biden-for-not-catching-covid-19-181936903.html . Apparently his staff has the same pre-existing condition.
WSJ: White House goes it alone on contact tracing: https://www.wsj.com/articles/white-house-hasnt-asked-cdc-investigators-for-covid-19-case-tracking-help-11601932906 . Sure, why ask the experts?
CDC revises COVID-19 spread guidance: https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-public-health-archive-1dbf42718788808adc3d36ee6c1b3fe8 . Thanks to political interference, (more than) a day late and a dollar short.
White House blocks FDA vaccine standards: https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2020-10-06/report-white-house-blocks-new-fda-guidelines-on-coronavirus-vaccine-approval (link replaced 10/14/20). This is utter lunacy. If you want to promote vaccine skepticism, this is the way to do it. And vaccine skepticism puts us all at risk, because it limits herd immunity.
The Brits pull no punches on the dangers of Trump’s behavior: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/oct/05/trumps-desperation-to-leave-hospital-shows-the-dangers-ahead . And remember, their frame of reference is Boris Johnson, not exactly a high bar.
WSJ: Global round-up: https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronavirus-latest-news-10-05-2020-11601883583 . To repeat, daily case counts are of little value. This “lowest in 7 days” result reflects the weekend effect, and is meaningless. See the next article.
Here’s the proper context for US COVID-19 data: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/10/03/united-states-reports-highest-covid-cases-august/3610298001/ .
White House follies: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/10/05/trumps-coronavirus-case-shows-limits-covid-19-testing/3625909001/ . So, close but no cigar. The problem is that the White House relies exclusively on testing, which is not a prevention strategy at all. Failure to wear masks or socially distance is the central problem. The White House behavior is juvenile and ignorant. But hey, what’s new?
WSJ: Meatpacker says further shutdowns unlikely: https://www.wsj.com/articles/fresh-wave-of-meat-plant-shutdowns-unlikely-jbs-usa-chief-says-11601935477 .
WSJ: Healthier home cooking: https://www.wsj.com/articles/consumers-are-eating-healthier-and-cooking-more-food-execs-say-11601926763 .
Relief aid bill hits another snag: https://www.reuters.com/article/instant-article/idUSL1N2GV09E . The snag is Mitch McConnell, whose only interest is confirming conservative judges.
WSJ: Nobel Prize in Medicine for hepatitis C discovery: https://www.wsj.com/articles/nobel-prize-in-medicine-awarded-for-discovery-of-hepititis-c-virus-11601890802 .
South Dakota governor speaks: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/10/05/kristi-noem-south-dakota-covid-lockdowns-useless/3632559001/ . Yes, the US mess is the fault of the “elite class of so-called experts”. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/09/03/south-dakota-covid-19-sturgis-rally-state-fair-kristi-noem/5709042002/ . A search of the actuarial directory reveals 8 actuaries residing in South Dakota, all in Sioux Falls, which is 225 miles from the state capitol, Pierre. Sioux Falls has a population of 190,000 while Pierre has a population of 14,000.
WSJ: US services business activity recovering: https://www.wsj.com/articles/fresh-coronavirus-restrictions-cast-doubt-on-strength-of-economic-recovery-11601895961 .
WSJ: States look to recover PUA overpayments: https://www.wsj.com/articles/states-overpaid-virus-unemployment-claims-and-they-want-the-money-back-11601890201 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/states-ask-workers-to-repay-unemployment-benefits-after-overpayments-11601928728 .
WSJ: Supreme Court considers partisanship of judges: https://www.wsj.com/articles/supreme-court-opens-term-with-case-on-partisanship-of-judges-in-delaware-11601933163 . Gee, a (state) constitutional provision limiting court packing. What a concept! By way of explanation, the plaintiff claims he has the right not to associate with his state’s Democratic party, and that should not impair his ability to be considered for a judicial appointment.
England: Excel not so excellent with COVID-19 data: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/oct/05/how-excel-may-have-caused-loss-of-16000-covid-tests-in-england . If the worksheet recorded most recent cases first, contact tracing would not have been affected. (Note that the article says the new tests were at the bottom.)
WSJ: Europe’s second COVID-19 wave: https://www.wsj.com/articles/as-second-covid-19-wave-rolls-through-europe-deaths-and-hospitalizations-rise-11601919564 .
WSJ: Russia may approve second COVID-19 vaccine: https://www.wsj.com/articles/russia-fast-tracks-second-coronavirus-vaccine-11601909843 . An approval before Phase 3 trials violates standard protocol.
WSJ: Iran has record daily COVID-19 cases: https://www.wsj.com/articles/iran-sets-coronavirus-record-as-capital-returns-to-lockdown-11601914695 .
India’s cases approach 6.7 million: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-india-cases/indias-coronavirus-infections-rise-to-6-69-million-idUSKBN26R0GI . We’re still winning. As Trump predicted, I’m getting so tired of winning.
WSJ: Regal Cinemas close all US locations: https://www.wsj.com/articles/regal-cinemas-likely-suspending-operations-at-all-u-s-locations-11601793090 . This confirms yesterday’s reports, and is actually a rewrite of yesterday’s article (same link address).