US COVID surge model predicts mid-October peak at 60,000 cases and 850 deaths daily: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/07/22/1019475669/delta-variant-will-drive-a-steep-rise-in-covid-deaths-model-shows .
State Department and CDC: Stay away from UK – and Florida – and Arkansas, Missouri, Louisiana … : https://finance.yahoo.com/news/delta-variant-doctor-cautions-americans-about-traveling-to-florida-145905680.html .
Expert predicts US COVID wave will get much worse: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/22/i-think-people-are-underestimating-how-bad-this-is-going-to-get-dr-ashish-jha.html . Dr. Jha believes the peak will come in September. So it would be wise to get school attendance protocols in place now. More: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jul/22/us-covid-cases-rise-delta-variant .
Latest US COVID surge fueled by the misinformation variant: https://apnews.com/article/health-religion-coronavirus-pandemic-michael-brown-dbc0303c3fa13643ca2dc0eb8d806f33 . This is now learn or get sick.
WSJ: Booster shot for immunocompromised favored by advisory panel: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-advisory-panel-signals-preliminary-support-for-covid-19-vaccine-boosters-11626989587 .
Alabama governor frustrated with the unvaccinated: https://www.mediaite.com/politics/watch-clearly-frustrated-alabama-gov-says-its-time-to-start-blaming-the-unvaccinated-folks-as-covid-cases-rise-in-her-state/ .
COVID surge comes to Arkansas: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2021/07/arkansas-cases-covid-19/619515/ .
Latest summary on the Lambda variant: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2021/07/21/lambda-variant-covid-identified-texas-hospital-what-know/8039406002/ .
The return of masks as a business decision: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/vegas-workers-will-put-masks-back-tourists-won-t-have-n1274686 . So, this doesn’t really make much sense. The greatest risk to tourists is other tourists.
WSJ: The effect of the Delta variant on the US economy: https://www.wsj.com/articles/delta-variant-can-still-clip-u-s-economys-wings-11626959045 . This seems rather optimistic. A rate of 60,000 cases daily (see lead article above) is almost 2 million cases in a month.
UK “pingdemic” may cause food shortages: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/7/22/uk-pingdemic-raises-fears-of-food-shortages .
The European COVID surge: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/7/22/half-of-europeans-vaccinated-but-concern-grows-over-delta-variant .
Russia battered by third COVID wave: https://abcnews.go.com/International/russia-battered-deadly-covid-3rd-wave/story?id=78968763 . Yet again we have evidence that governments underreport COVID mortality for political purposes. So, “excess death” analysis continues to be the most effective way to get global death totals for the pandemic. That number now appears to be in excess of 10 million.
China rejects next phase of WHO COVID origin study: https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-rejects-who-proposal-for-second-phase-of-covid-19-origins-probe-11626952015 . So this sure looks like “something to hide” behavior.
Is there GOP movement on the COVID vaccine? Not so much: https://www.salon.com/2021/07/21/why-republicans-suddenly-seem-to-be-taking-covid-seriously/ . This is a strong counterpoint to my question two days ago about whether the GOP is coming around on vaccines. The author documents that the pro-vaccine commentary is designed to maintain a GOP image that they are not so bad in the mainstream media while still feeding red meat to the base in the conservative media.
WSJ: Are vaccines effective against the Delta variant?: https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-covid-19-vaccines-work-well-against-delta-variant-11626957000 . Yes, with caveats. But the mounting number of breakthrough infections will test the public’s understanding of vaccine efficacy.
More on monkeypox: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-57919573 . The fatality rate is 10% …
WSJ: Weekly jobless claims rise to 419,000: https://www.wsj.com/articles/weekly-jobless-claims-07-22-2021-11626901031 .
WSJ: Fed debates economic tightening: https://www.wsj.com/articles/fed-ramps-up-debate-over-taper-timing-pace-11626946201 . The $8 trillion in asset holdings seems way too high and may be difficult to unravel without depressing asset values generally.
Will Pelosi add more Republicans to the select committee?: https://www.politico.com/news/2021/07/22/pelosi-anti-trump-republicans-jan-6-investigation-500535 . Since she bounced two, adding two makes sense.
Election denialism becoming more difficult for the GOP: https://www.deseret.com/2021/7/22/22583828/republican-approach-to-the-2020-election-is-becoming-increasingly-untenable-donald-trump-voter-fraud .
Voting rights activists speak up: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/democrats-divide-on-voting-rights-widens-as-biden-faces-pressure/ar-AAMs6Tb?li=BBnb7Kz .
Tucker Carlson officially declares himself a cartoon: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/tucker-carlson-attacks-black-officer-who-says-he-was-called-n1274694 . This newsletter has previously pointed out Fox’s Tucker Carlson defense – no reasonable person would believe what he says. However, this latest stunt reminded me that a year ago, the right was promoting Tucker Carlson as a 2024 presidential candidate: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/02/tucker-carlson-2024-republicans-348334 . As to intellectual bankruptcy, Republicans go deeper in debt every time they open their mouths.
Infrastructure deal inches along toward Monday: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/senate-infrastructure-deal-in-sight-after-medicare-agreement/ar-AAMrqc7?li=BBnb7Kz .
WSJ: A storage battery for the grid: https://www.wsj.com/articles/startup-claims-breakthrough-in-long-duration-batteries-11626946330 . We’ll see, but this could be a total gamechanger in the drive to eliminate coal.
WSJ: Mercedes looks to go all-electric by 2030: https://www.wsj.com/articles/mercedes-benz-plans-to-go-all-electric-by-end-of-decade-11626970823 .
How big is the unsafe structure problem in Miami? Wow: https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2021-07-22/miami-dades-unsafe-structures-board-frustrated-by-delays . We have included reporting on unsafe structures in Miami since the condo collapse 4 weeks ago. So now we learn the scope of the problem. Surely, more building evacuations are coming.
African country of Guinea withdraws from Olympics: https://sports.yahoo.com/guinea-backs-out-tokyo-olympics-days-before-opening-ceremony-citing-covid19-coronavirus-pandemic-125805554.html .