Vaccination blood disorder suspected: https://www.deseret.com/u-s-world/2021/2/11/22276114/new-covid-19-vaccine-symptom-patients-rare-blood-disorder (link replaced 3/21/21). The disorder is exceedingly rare, but it raises another issue which will fuel vaccine skeptics.
Pfizer will significantly ramp up vaccine production: https://bgr.com/2021/02/08/coronavirus-vaccine-supply-pfizer-output-increase/ . Hopefully ingredient shortages are not a problem here.
AstraZeneca vaccine suffers setbacks: https://sg.news.yahoo.com/early-hopes-astrazeneca-oxford-vaccine-171007839.html . South Africa will turn to the J&J vaccine: https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-africa/south-africa-looks-to-jj-vaccine-after-disappointing-astrazeneca-data-idUSKBN2A81GY .
COVAX has a major headache. This WHO program projected delivery of 2 billion doses of the vaccine to poorer countries in 2021. However, the majority of those doses were based on the AstraZeneca vaccine. One way out would be to wait for AstraZeneca to update the vaccine to address the South African variant, but that process is expected to take 3 to 4 months minimum. References: https://www.gavi.org/news/media-room/100-million-covid-19-vaccine-doses-available-low-and-middle-income-countries-2021 . And: https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/covax-supply-forecast-reveals-where-when-covid-19-vaccines-will-be-delivered . And: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-55795297 . WSJ: WHO defends AstraZeneca vaccine: https://www.wsj.com/articles/astrazenecas-covid-19-vaccine-defended-by-world-health-officials-11612821292 . This behavior appears more political than scientific.
WSJ: CanSino vaccine 66% effective: https://www.wsj.com/articles/third-chinese-covid-19-vaccine-was-66-effective-in-late-stage-study-11612800486 ,
More on the COVID reinfection risk: https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-new-variants-b4d472f3d61c62a57aa68c4aa7c85012 .
WSJ: Vaccine hesitancy among meatpackers: https://www.wsj.com/articles/meatpackers-want-workers-to-get-covid-19-vaccines-but-some-arent-so-sure-11612803619 .
UK variant appears in US sewage: https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/02/08/1017609/the-fast-spreading-coronavirus-variant-is-so-prevalent-its-turning-up-in-us-sewers/ .
Preliminary UK modeling suggests South African variant does not have increased transmissibility: https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/coronavirus-pandemic-vaccine-updates-02-08-21/h_17c6d41a0591ebc4d631b219edb9f65c . This is contrary to other reporting; stay tuned.
WSJ: State-by-state guide to vaccination mechanics: https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-to-get-a-covid-19-vaccine-a-state-by-state-guide-11611703769 . This is being republished weekly. It is re-reported here because the rules are in so much flux right now.
Large weekly drops in US cases, hospitalizations: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa-trends/u-s-covid-19-cases-and-hospitalizations-log-biggest-weekly-drops-since-pandemic-started-idUSKBN2A8286 . Unfortunately, unmasked Super Bowl celebrations may lead to another surge.
WSJ: Biden vaccination strategy: https://www.wsj.com/articles/bidens-covid-19-vaccination-aims-speeding-the-rollout-and-addressing-racial-disparities-11612792800 .
WSJ: Orange Julius vaccine free-for-all continues as states overwhelmed: https://www.wsj.com/articles/demand-for-covid-19-vaccines-overwhelms-state-health-providers-11612789789 . Appointment systems are inadequate, and states don’t have the funding to fix them.
Ron Wright, Congressman from Arlington Texas, becomes first House member to die of COVID: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2021/02/08/rep-ron-wright-dies-after-battle-with-covid-19/ . The congressman, 67, had lung cancer. This is probably why he had not received a vaccination (that is, he may have been immunocompromised). WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-rep-ron-wright-dies-of-covid-19-11612803373 .
House Democrats release first draft of stimulus bill: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/house-democrats-unveil-first-draft-of-stimulus-bill-measures/ar-BB1dvv07?li=BBnb7Kz . Again, at some point the parliamentarian must rule on the Byrd amendment effects on this bill, which is why the $15 minimum wage (among other provisions) may not survive. The initial analysis was that only about $1 trillion of the bill could pass under reconciliation.
Stimulus check qualifications settled for now: https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/08/democrats-income-debate-direct-payments-467626 . WSJ: https://www.wsj.com/articles/democrats-stimulus-plan-offers-1400-checks-at-same-income-levels-as-previous-rounds-11612823749 . The political argument for this is to not be stingier than the checks from the prior administration.
WSJ: Stimulus expansion of child care credit is temporary: https://www.wsj.com/articles/child-tax-credit-poised-for-expansion-in-stimulus-bill-11612814021 .
WSJ: CBO study of effects of $15 minimum hourly wage: https://www.wsj.com/articles/15-minimum-wage-would-cost-1-4-million-workers-jobs-lift-900-000-from-poverty-cbo-study-finds-11612800875 .
Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama won’t run for re-election: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/537813-shelby-wont-run-for-reelection . The Republican Party continues to undergo transition. To what, we don’t know. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/sen-richard-shelby-of-alabama-wont-run-for-re-election-11612804752 .
DOJ to seek resignation of most US attorneys appointed by Orange Julius: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/537937-doj-to-seek-resignations-of-most-trump-appointed-us . Jeff Sessions had requested the resignations of a similar group at the start of OJ’s reign of terror. This is a relatively routine procedure.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Oath Keepers leader charged in Capitol insurrection is a former FBI employee: https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-navy-9fb28e32aded4d67f18ff42cc9a49c71 .
Liz Cheney presses forward against Orange Julius: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/feb/07/liz-cheney-criminal-investigation-trump-tweet-mike-pence .
Georgia launches Orange Julius phone call probe: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-georgia-investigation-exclu/georgia-secretary-of-states-office-launches-probe-into-trump-idUSKBN2A82HO . This is a criminal probe.
WSJ: Georgia GOP looks to voter suppression legislation: https://www.wsj.com/articles/fight-over-voting-access-revs-up-in-georgia-11612780203 .
WSJ: National security apparatus failed to act on January 6 intelligence: https://www.wsj.com/articles/capitol-riot-warnings-werent-acted-on-as-system-failed-11612787596 . Duh.
Orange Julius’ lawyers embarrass themselves – again: https://lawandcrime.com/impeachment/law-professor-cited-15-times-by-trumps-legal-team-says-impeachment-memo-was-filled-with-flat-out-misrepresentations-of-his-work/ . Process arguments need to be sharp. When your leading source states publicly that you misrepresented his work, you are screwed legally. What is left is naked political ridiculousness. Other reviewers are equally brutal: https://lawandcrime.com/opinion/top-9-absurdities-distortions-and-fails-in-trumps-impeachment-trial-brief/ .
Senate trial rules set: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/537876-schumer-mcconnell-reach-deal-on-trump-impeachment-trial .