US drowning in virus: https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/14/health/us-coronavirus-saturday/index.html . A little over a week after the US first topped 100,000 cases in a day, Friday’s total exceeded 184,000. To reaffirm, the huge virus load in the population globally increases the likelihood of mutation. This in turn could reduce vaccine effectiveness.
More: https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/11/14/934973850/u-s-adds-184-000-coronavirus-cases-in-one-day-with-no-end-in-sight . A national lockdown would make sense if we had adequate testing and contact tracing firmly in place at the end of the lockdown. That, and public buy-in, is currently dubious at best.
WSJ: An at-home COVID-19 antibody test: https://www.wsj.com/articles/scanwell-aims-to-offer-instant-at-home-covid-antibody-test-11605177000 . This could be useful. However, where is the test accuracy data? Also, immunity is more than antibodies. And presumably, the need for this test would be superseded by an effective vaccine. This article doesn’t really get to the bottom of the issues.
WSJ: Managing your health from home: https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-to-stay-on-top-of-your-health-from-home-during-covid-19-11605312924 . Some of this information would be relevant for a health plan newsletter.
Musk alleges positive and negative test results: https://nypost.com/2020/11/14/elon-musk-most-likely-has-covid-19-amid-conflicting-test-results/ . With this guy, who knows? More: https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2020/11/14/elon-musk-and-erykah-badu-get-mixed-covid-19-results/6295074002/ .
WSJ: The advantages of age in the pandemic: https://www.wsj.com/articles/during-covid-19-there-are-advantages-to-being-older-11605403660 . These advantages apply to those who remain free of the disease.
Meanwhile, back on Mars: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/giuliani-election-lawsuits-trump_n_5faf5fd9c5b6d05e86e70be0 . Porter Wright finally moved on. Apparently The Four Seasons Total Landscaping parking lot made it clear that the gravy train was ending. Also, the publicity was damaging their reputation: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/11/14/giuliani-trump-legal-plans-436475 .
WSJ: Uninformed and proud of it: https://www.wsj.com/articles/pro-trump-demonstrators-in-washington-protest-election-results-11605379984 . Maybe at some point this will discourage some of the 72 million who voted for their fearful leader. Not keeping my fingers crossed.
An idiot with firepower: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/in-trumps-final-days-a-30-year-old-aide-purges-officials-seen-as-insufficiently-loyal/ar-BB1b0bzx?li=BBnb7Kz . Competence is disloyalty. Incompetence is rehired and promoted.
Dakota governors continue competition for Idiot of the Pandemic State Award: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/11/14/covid-19-north-south-dakota-masks-kristi-noem/6237635002/ . Dakotans are naturally socially distanced, but stupidity can overcome any advantage. At least the North Dakota governor is making an effort on the mask issue, late as it is.
Wyoming governor wants to use federal COVID-19 funds to help oil industry: https://apnews.com/article/wyoming-coronavirus-pandemic-mark-gordon-a5d9ebabce1dd5ebd3ce979c753ee546 . To keep up the fantasy that Democratic states are the only ones suffering financially, the CARES Act has a minimum $1.25 billion grant to each state. This bails out the little ones, which are mostly Republican states. In Wyoming, the amount is about $2100 per resident.
WSJ: Europe keeps schools open: https://www.wsj.com/articles/despite-coronavirus-surge-european-schools-stay-open-11605349800 .
Drones patrol Sydney beaches for safe social distancing: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8945741/COVID-19-Drones-used-monitor-social-distancing-Sydney-beaches-WEEKEND.html . Interestingly, the drones have found that the beachgoers are less compliant than the great white sharks.
WSJ: DACA restored by federal court: https://www.wsj.com/articles/federal-judge-invalidates-trump-administration-s-daca-rollback-11605400169 . The administration’s disregard of legal requirements remains completely stupefying, extraordinarily incompetent and phenomenally stupid.
Majority of Americans will not travel for holidays: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2020-11-12/majority-of-americans-wont-travel-for-holidays-due-to-coronavirus?src=usn_nl_coronavirus . The pandemic gives people the chance to not spend the holidays with relatives they only visit because it’s the holidays.