Abbott might have surrendered, but we don’t have to.
Join us as we go door to door (masked and socially distanced) to register Texans for the covid vaccine this weekend.
Vaccine canvasses taking place in 18 different cities:https://t.co/YVL7RWH3ME
— Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) March 3, 2021
Cases of #COVID19 are on the rise.
As of March 1, the 7-day moving average of new cases is 66,010, a 3.5% increase from the previous week. Now is not the time to relax prevention measures. Wear a well-fitting mask. Stay 6 feet apart. Avoid crowds. More: https://t.co/YT7LKi6sF2. pic.twitter.com/5fjf0h0G9e
— CDC (@CDCgov) March 3, 2021
.@CDCDirector warns COVID is "on the cusp" of potential resurgence, with cases and deaths rising. She says highly-transmissible B117 variant could "hijack our successes" in fighting the virus, and fatigue has led to precautions being "flagrantly ignored" https://t.co/Ft33UVRkSU pic.twitter.com/Kx0dzKiedW
— CBS News (@CBSNews) March 3, 2021
Only about 10% of Americans have been vaccinated, & many of those at greatest risk have yet to receive a vaccine. Abandoning measures such as masking & social distancing will postpone the day we can put COVID-19 behind us.
Public health support is needed: https://t.co/sVjPsq8OL9 pic.twitter.com/qENyNQZxmB
— IDSA (@IDSAInfo) March 3, 2021
Lasy year just about everything shut down by by March 15th.
On March 15th, 2020 total US deaths from COVID had just passed 100. https://t.co/w3rcocexq7
— Dana Houle (@DanaHoule) March 4, 2021
"There are going to be massive disruptions to our social fabric in terms of your day-to-day." A year ago Friday, @juliettekayyem said that at the start of a @harvardiop panel with @michaelmina_lab, @rickberke & me.
We're getting the band back together. https://t.co/uzDGKvgu2a— Helen Branswell (@HelenBranswell) March 4, 2021
======
This is very exciting. Let's pressure our wealthy govts to give more support to COVAX so that this new #COVID19 #vaccine distribution chain can be increased and sustained. https://t.co/0SbYUQ3L47
— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) March 3, 2021
China, everybody https://t.co/OXPlRclGfX
— Elise Hu (@elisewho) March 4, 2021
Efficacy data for India's own COVID-19 vaccine could boost public acceptance https://t.co/6SnT2wNFqa pic.twitter.com/oPzqdBbbHm
— Reuters (@Reuters) March 4, 2021
Cambodian Prime Minister Hu Sen has been inoculated with a vaccine supplied by the World Health Organization’s COVAX initiative, as a plan to immunize up to two thirds of the country’s population remains on track to be completed by the end of the year. https://t.co/9CiinmKrOA
— The Associated Press (@AP) March 4, 2021
Russia on Thursday confirmed 11,385 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total caseload to 4,290,135https://t.co/WEVY5Rbv1C
— The Moscow Times (@MoscowTimes) March 4, 2021
Europe reviewing Russia's COVID-19 vaccine https://t.co/zftEOER6RY pic.twitter.com/diqXA4cYqE
— Reuters (@Reuters) March 4, 2021
Hospitals in Czech Republic, which is one of the hardest-hit European countries right now in the coronavirus pandemic, are at breaking point. The government is turning to Germany and other nearby nations to take in some Czech patients who have COVID-19. https://t.co/U6Z44naHaT
— AP Europe (@AP_Europe) March 3, 2021
React study finds virus decline slowing in England https://t.co/NIiinQw41M
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) March 4, 2021
Covid: Germany to approve AstraZeneca vaccine for over-65s https://t.co/1CgdRjjfwD
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) March 4, 2021
Germany is extending its coronavirus shutdown by three weeks but also easing some restrictions. The moves are aimed at balancing concern over more contagious variants with a growing clamor for a return to a more normal life. https://t.co/WVAWG7l9K4
— The Associated Press (@AP) March 3, 2021
Brazil's daily Covid deaths reach all-time highhttps://t.co/qyKgw5CVvo
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) March 3, 2021
Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires, the 2 biggest cities in each of the neighboring S. American countries, head in opposite directions in the COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting how places lessening restrictions despite scientists' warnings see a spike in the pandemic. https://t.co/NP7ZYjV7Od
— The Associated Press (@AP) March 4, 2021
A national panel of vaccine experts in Canada has recommended that provinces extend the interval between the two doses of a COVID-19 shot to quickly inoculate more people. https://t.co/1oXb5AGKlD
— The Associated Press (@AP) March 4, 2021
======
How to track variants of the pandemic much faster: A global group of researchers is calling for better integration of viral genetics, bioinformatics & public health to enable better pandemic response now and better pandemic preparedness in the future https://t.co/zYJIuEYVe0
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) March 3, 2021
Regulators in the U.K. and four other countries plan to fast-track the development of modified COVID-19 vaccines to ensure drugmakers are able to move swiftly in targeting emerging variants of the disease. https://t.co/CgO1gyfhfS
— The Associated Press (@AP) March 4, 2021
Very nice study by colleagues at University of Maryland, Mohammad Sajadi, Anthony Harris @MattFrieman, showing great immune responses after one mRNA vaccine shot in people previously infected with SARS-CoV-2. Now out as peer reviewed paper. https://t.co/3oFOmVIxI0
— Florian Krammer (@florian_krammer) March 3, 2021
CDC: States should prioritize people with disabilities as they broaden vaccine access https://t.co/juhQ8NizRU
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) March 3, 2021
Overweight people should be prioritized for vaccinations says a study that shows a strong link between obesity and #coronavirus deaths https://t.co/9wEkHQYWTo
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) March 4, 2021
======
BREAKING: California to designate 40% of vaccine doses for poorest areas and revise metrics for quicker business reopenings. https://t.co/PoertCFBR8
— The Associated Press (@AP) March 4, 2021
Houston: 1st city to have almost all major coronavirus variants in circulation. The as yet unpublished findings arrive as public health measures are lifted in Texas. Houston Methodist researchers confirmed the UK, Brazil, S. Africa & Calif variants in Houston patients (from @CNN) pic.twitter.com/s2MBlajBkR
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) March 3, 2021
BREAKING: CVS now listing teachers as eligible to make vaccine appointments in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, just one day after President Biden issued a challenge to states to get educators and school staff one dose by the end of March. @wpri12 pic.twitter.com/7kbhZ0uqew
— Alexandra Leslie (@AlexandraLeslie) March 3, 2021
Former Illinois Gov Bruce Rauner wrote a $250,000 check to Florida Gov Ron DeSantis after the gated Florida Keys complex where Rauner now lives got vaccines before the rest of Florida.
Miami Herald —> https://t.co/Y74VdO0t7H
— Reid J. Epstein (@reidepstein) March 4, 2021
— Midwin Charles, Esq. (@MidwinCharles) March 4, 2021
Texas's governor is lifting the state-wide mask mandate
But not all businesses are on-board https://t.co/mo177lc9L2 pic.twitter.com/HjSyBtd3xY
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) March 4, 2021
just over here fantasizing about mass death as retaliation for policy positions people had no agency over. as one does. https://t.co/JBqaVG4qwH
— Peloton InfoSec Analyst (Incident Response) (@CalmSporting) March 3, 2021
NeenerNeener
Monroe County, NY yesterday:
109 new cases. Now at 1154 reported deaths, up from 1137
1.8% positivity
177 people in the hospital, 54 in the ICU
40% of regular hospital beds available, 34% ICU beds available
OzarkHillbilly
A Republican governor funneling money to her family while many citizens of her state unnecessarily suffer and die? I never could have seen that coming.
sab
@OzarkHillbilly: But they say she didn’t actually know officially, so it’s okay.
//
satby
I put a comment in a thread last night recapping my latest struggle with the three tatooed morons who “don’t like needles” at work. Two waited until I left yesterday to try to bully the doctor about requiring the covid vaccine last night. So now it’s war and they’re on a short ride to unemployment for cause (and the cause will be insubordination). I really don’t like bullies.
Gvg
I wonder if some of the vaccine hesitancy comes from the fact that this shot hurts more than most shots. It’s a fact. Flu shots just don’t usually have anything other than maybe a sore arm for a little while. I get mine at work for 27 year and go back to work with no concern. I don’t recall any childhood shot being worse except for fear. Shingrix is an exception and I was going to get it eventually but not everyone was. This one hurts and some people have a stronger reaction. It’s worth it to me but a lot of people are really afraid of shots. In fact I wonder if some regular antivaxers might be deep down motivated by shot fear.
Enhanced Voting Techniques
@OzarkHillbilly: “But a Democratic governor ate out at a restaurant. So both side” some MAGA twit.
Amir Khalid
Malaysia’s daily Covid-19 numbers. Director-General of Health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah reports 2,063 new cases today at his media briefing, for a cumulative reported total of 307,943 cases. He also reports five new deaths today, for a cumulative total of 1,153 deaths — 0.38% of the cumulative reported total, 0.40% of resolved cases.
There are currently 23,161 active and contagious cases; 193 are in ICU, 99 of them intubated. Meanwhile, 2,922 patients recovered and were discharged, for a cumulative total of 283,629 patients recovered – 92.1% of the cumulative reported total.Dr Noor Hisham notes that Malaysia’s nationwde R0 is currently at 0.81.
14 new clusters were reported today: Jalan Maju Satu, Jalan Distripark B6, Persiaran Kempas Baru, Batu 21, Jalan Kabel Gemilang, and Jalan Limau Manis in Johor; Lagenda Suria, Jalan Bukit Tiga, Jalan Damansara, and Industri Subang in Selangor; Queens Waterfront building site and Jalan Kebun Nenas in Penang; and Nilam Sari building site in Negeri Sembilan.
Jalan Limau Manis is a community cluster. Persiaran Kempas Baru is a high-risk group cluster. The rest are all workplace clusters.
2,054 new cases today are local infections. Selangor reports 628 local cases: 61 in older clusters; 73 in Lagenda Suria, Jalan Bukit Tiga, Jalan Damansara, and Industri Subang clusters; 392 close-contact screenings; and 102 other screenings. Sarawak reports 361 cases: 84 in existing clusters, 111 close-contact screenings, and 166 other screenings. Penang reports 337 cases: 97 in older clusters, 177 in Queens Waterfront building site and Jalan Kebun Nenas clusters, 32 close-contact screenings; and 31 other screenings. Johor reports 254 local cases: 36 in older clusters; 75 in Jalan Maju Satu, Jalan Distripark B6, Persiaran Kempas Baru, Batu 21, Jalan Kabel Gemilang, and Jalan Limau Manis clusters; 83 close-contact screenings; and 60 other screenings.
Kuala Lumpur reports 114 local cases: 48 in existing clusters, 36 close-contact screenings, and 30 other screenings. Perak reports 101 cases: 89 in existing clusters, and 12 close-contact screenings.
Negeri Sembilan reports 91 cases: 41 in older clusters, 24 in Nilam Sari building site cluster, 21 close-contact screenings; and five other screenings. Sabah reports 78 cases: 24 in existing clusters, 40 close-contact screenings, and 14 other screenings. Kelantan reports 44 cases: 23 in existing clusters, 12 close-contact screenings, and nine other screenings.
Pahang reports 13 cases: eight in existing clusters, and five close-contact screening. Kedah reports 12 cases: eight close-contact screenings, and four other screenings. Terengganu reports 10 cases: two in existing clusters, two close-contact screenings, and six other screenings. Putrajaya reports seven cases: one in an existing cluster, and six close-contact screenings. Melaka reports three cases: one in an existing cluster, and two close-contact screenings. And Perlis reports one case, found in other screening.
Labuan reports no new cases today.
Nine new cases today are imported: Six in Kuala Lumpur, two in Selangor, and one in Johor. They were returning from Indonesia, India, Singapore, Turkey, Qatar, Nigeria, Myanmar, Mexico, and Denmark.
The deaths reported today are a 79-year-old woman in Pahang with hypertension; a 79-year-old man in Selangor with diabetes, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease; a 78-year-old man in Kuala Lumpur with diabetes and hypertension; a 72-year-old man in Selangor with diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and chronic kidney disease; and a 70-year-old woman in Selangor with diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and chronic kidney disease.
Bruce K in ATH-GR
Greece is getting hammered now – Worldometer shows 2697 new cases in yesterday’s reporting period, and if we’re not at the peak, we’ll see the numbers exceed the 3300 dailies from the November spike. It looks like the British variant, B117, might be part of the problem. They’re hardening the lockdown nationwide. Vaccines are still only available for health care workers, 75-and-up, and 60-64 for the Oxford vaccine (because of the contraindication for over-65 for that one).
Doesn’t look too good at the moment. And this may be a harbinger of what Texas and like-minded states will be seeing soon.
Enhanced Voting Techniques
@Gvg:Not just that, it makes you mildly ill for three days and a lot of companies are pushing people to put in 120% effort. because you are an essential worker, and the bosses are home isolating, so all this work can’t be that bad because they aren’t tried and people should stop being lazy.
Freemark
@satby: Refusing vaccines while wanting to work at a doctor’s office should be grounds for termination. Just curious, what do you think are their real reasons for refusing?
AndoChronic
So, Cook county is the highest vaccinated county in MN. Most likely due to an older population. Wanted to mention that I was up there last weekend at Lutsen doing some snowboarding. I saw only about 50% of folks wearing masks in the lift lines and on the lifts. Masking in those locations is mandatory per mountain rules. Although, most people on the mountain were most likely not from Cook county. I got into it with a guy I ended up riding with on a 6 person lift, one of us on each end. He was frustrated that the “kid” marshaling the lift line directed him to follow the rules regarding how to ride up as a single. He even delivered an f-bomb to the kid. This guy wasn’t wearing a mask, he didn’t believe Covid could survive at such cold temps., (while it was a warm 30 degrees), and has a brother who’s a bio-blahblahblah. He was wearing snow-camo pants I might add. I told him look, mountain rule are to wear a mask on the lift and in lift lines. I told him that I was wearing one even though I’m fully vaccinated and that I was jamming to some Van Halen, so yeah. I felt I shamed him just enough as not to be mean or jeopardize my own zen, and he left me alone. I think he just wanted his perspective validated by someone, which I didn’t give him. So there is a way to confront these folks and not feel icky or remiss that you didn’t. Just stay with the rules and the facts. And, do it in public but maybe not 100 ft off the ground. I am a 6’4 200+ lbs dude too though.
NotMax
Italy on the cusp of becoming the 8th country to surpass 3 million reported cases.
Meanwhile, amongst the asinine,
Chris T.
Yeah, but at that time, powerful Republicans believed it killed rich white men. Now they think it only kills the poors and POC….
satby
@Freemark: One of them is a fundy religious asshole who has been a problem for five years but the previous manager never even wrote her up. She’s on the edge of being fired anyway, because she’s pitched a battle about every single rule or change ever proposed. I’m pretty sure she’s the ringleader.
One is a former junkie on probation (no lie, in recovery and she’s an excellent worker) and it’s possible that “shots” have bad connotations, but then the tatoos show we can get past that when we want; she was already looking for a full time job anyway.
The third is a puzzle, she initially was very excited at the thought of getting a bonus for getting the vaccine. She never mentioned any “bad reactions” and we’ve been encouraging getting the vaccine since it became available to non-hospital healthcare workers in late January. Now it’s suddenly all about her bodily autonomy and right to refuse. Which is not in dispute, but her right to be employed by this doctor in spite of what the doctor wants for her practice doesn’t actually exist.
debbie
@OzarkHillbilly:
Upsetting, but not as upsetting as DeSantis’s profiteering. ?
debbie
@satby:
She certainly has the right to show herself out the door. ?
OzarkHillbilly
@NotMax: That headline cracks me up:
There’s no dilemma, it’s all about the wholly pure and innocent unborn. After they take their first breath they are stamped with original sin and at that point who cares if they live or die?
To quote my truck, “Pro life my ass.”
rikyrah
@satby:
Go satby ??????
Central Planning
@Enhanced Voting Techniques: I have not heard 3 days for recovery. My experience (and those I have talked to – I know, anecdotes, not data) is maybe a day of not feeling good. 36 hours for me and I was back to normal. The first shot didn’t bother me. It was the second (Moderna).
I guess the point is lots of anecdotes out there and not hard data, and people tend to believe the former.
rikyrah
@Bruce K in ATH-GR:
Be reminded
That phucker Abbott is VACCINATED ??
sab
Dropped in at work to drop off and pick up my files on an off day last week.
Whole office maskless. I have had shot one ! so okayish. Very plump very upper sixties coworker also there maskless. Extremely religious Catholic. When did they become snake handlers? She wants her shot but her faith will protect her meanwhile.
Sigh.
Freemark
@satby: Sorry you have to deal with that. I get frustrated with people like that because it makes no logical sense especially if they work in a doctor’s office. Curious if it an office where they don’t see the consequences of actual sick people too often.ie Dermatologist, orthopedist, etc.
satby
@OzarkHillbilly: They’re better Catholics than the Pope, who has already stated that the moral good of the vaccination protecting others and helping to end the pandemic outweighs the moral ambiguity of cells derived from an abortion almost 50 years ago.
Baud
@NotMax:
@OzarkHillbilly:
The key thing to remember is that these people want to elect people who will impose their views on everyone.
Baud
@satby:
American Exceptionalism!
OzarkHillbilly
@debbie: Speaking of which:
After his wealthy Florida Keys enclave got early vaccines, ex-Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner gave $250,000 to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis
satby
@Freemark: It is, an optometrist’s office. And about 40% of the patients are older, diabetic, obese, or have other risk factors. Hence the doctor’s concern for her patients (and staff) and her insistence on vaccinating. But she’s very conflict averse (it’s why she asked me to come back, I’m her anger translater), and she got the impression last night that they want the requirement in writing to sue her.
edit: during the shut down last year, the doctor kept them on the payroll with the intent that they work from home learning the new system, which is cloud based. I audited who logged in, almost none, and certainly not for the amount of hours they claimed. Fraud is a cause for dismissal too.
Baud
@OzarkHillbilly:
The (Trump U) student has become the master.
sab
So some whackjob bishop in Nawlins La wants people to not get vaccinated becaise fetal tissue. Live people worth less than fetuses. 176 + bishops disagree. So press covers the one nut job.
My Catholic husband is trying to follow. The sheep have no idea who the current shepherd is. Politics is complicated. Best left out of religion.
debbie
@OzarkHillbilly:
Apparently DeSantis is the Trump wannabe who everyone should fear. I hope stories like this are remembered when that time comes.
rikyrah
@Baud:
Tell that truth
Amir Khalid
@sab:
I think that’s what they were really saying.
sab
@satby: I postponed my eye exam and both my dental visits because of your posts. Can’t trust the staff even if you trust the doctor.
My son caught Covid at work because some of his coworkers were idiots. Mild case, but he is young.
It is cutting into your boss’s business if your workers are idiots. Your boss needs to know that this is an issue with patients, especially old and vulnverable ones.
sab
@Amir Khalid: I agree. Thankfully I don’t live in South Dakota. What is up with you guys? Your gov is appalling. Haven’t you noticed?
YY_Sima Qian
On 3/3 China reported 0 new domestic confirmed & 0 new domestic asymptomatic cases.
Hebei Province
Hebei Provincial Health Commission reported that the last 5 domestic confirmed cases recovered.:
Jilin Province
Jilin Provincial Heath Commission reported that the last 3 domestic confirmed cases recovered.:
Imported Cases
On 3/3 China reported 10 new imported confirmed cases, 14 imported asymptomatic cases, 1 imported suspect case:
Overall in China, 19 confirmed cases recovered, 14 asymptomatic cases were released from isolation & 2 were reclassified as confirmed cases, and 112 individuals were released from quarantine. Currently, there are 177 active confirmed cases in the country (165 imported), 1 in critical/serious condition (imported), 247 asymptomatic cases (244 imported), 2 suspect cases (both imported). 5,043 traced contacts are currently under centralized quarantine.
On 3/4 Hong Kong reported 9 new cases, 3 imported & 6 domestic (1 of whom does not yet have source of infection identified).
marklar
@Central Planning:
Oh come now…doesn’t everybody know that “the plural of anecdote is data?*”
This is all the more true when you use artisanal anecdotes, carefully curated to support one’s favorite pet theory!
* BTW, if you want to understand why anecdotes are so persuasive, read up on “availability heuristic”, which refers to our tendency to use information that comes to mind quickly and easily when making decisions about the future. Anecdotes are much more easily accessible to our ‘story-telling minds’ than is actuarial data.
satby
@sab: Red State, at least once a day we have to insist on some moron putting on a mask or wearing it correctly. Non-compliance has always been at about 30% here, and South Bend is a fairly blue city. Lots of the most at risk patients are Foxbots who think it’s a hoax.
Central Planning
@marklar: I’m in sales, and telling (true!) stories is one of the best parts of my job. I’ll take a look at “availability heuristic”. It sounds interesting. Thanks!
gvg
@sab: Amir doesn’t live in South Dakota. Did you mean someone else?
Geminid
@sab: The late Jonathan Sacks, former chief rabbi of England:
“When you start to mix politics with religion, you get terrible politics, and even worse religion.”
Sloane Ranger
Yesterday in the UK we had 6385 new cases. This is a decrease of 6 from the day before and a reduction of 31.6% in the rolling 7-day average. New cases by nation,
England – 5408 (down @120)
Northern Ireland – 226 (up @70)
Scotland – 543 (up 1)
Wales – 208 (up @38).
Deaths – There were 315 deaths within 28 days of a positive test yesterday. This is decrease of 33.8% in the rolling 7-day average. New deaths by nation, England – 264, Northern Ireland – 4, Scotland – 35 and Wales – 12.
Testing – On Tuesday, 2 March, 675,543 tests were conducted out of a capacity of 750,326. This is an increase of 11.9% in the rolling 7-day average.
Hospitalisations – On Monday, 1 March, 12,849 people were in hospital and 1709 people were on ventilators on Tuesday, 2nd. The rolling 7-day average for hospital admissions is down by 27.9%.
Vaccinations – As of 2nd March, a total of 20,703,615 people had received the 1st shot of a vaccine and 895,412 had received both shots.
General – I note the extract AL posted above but I’m not currently seeing any increase in cases but the number does seem to be levelling off somewhat.
The Fat White Duchess
@satby: I’m sorry you have to deal with people like that.
ETA: Tattooed, and they’re claiming they don’t like needles? Oy. (Missed that initially.)
YY_Sima Qian
On the subject of China requiring anal swabs be performed on all foreign arrivals (the vast majority of whom are returning Chinese nationals), I think substituting it with stool samples would not only reduce diplomatic tensions with other countries, it would also reduce the psychological impact on the medical staff performing anal swabs. Within the country anal swabs are reserved for active cases (confirmed and asymptomatic) and close contacts under medical observation. I am sure the motivation for implementing such sample collection protocol is the small number of imported cases that only tested positive after 2 weeks of quarantine at port of entry and multiple negative results from naso- or oropharyngeal swabs, and traveled from port of entry to final destination on mass transportation. Most of those are asymptomatic, and possibly recovered cases shedding dead vita fragments. Chinese bureaucrats charged with minimizing risk of outbreaks will take any and all measures to that end. Their careers depend on it. The feelings of individuals being subjected to anal swabs are not part of the consideration, and there isn’t (and won’t be) any push back from the domestic population.
On the subject of vaccination in China, it appears Beijing has by far the highest vaccination rate in the country, with 3.6M individuals vaccinated as of early this week. Enrollment is open to anyone 18 – 59, sign up either through places of employment or local community, shots are readily available. The authorities must be prioritizing the capital, especially with the all important national Congresses meetings starting today. Some of my colleagues there have already taken at least the 1st shot.
The prioritization of protecting the capital has been a consistent part of the COVID-19 response since the beginning. Even at the height of the initial wave in Feb. 2020, the CCP regime declared the central fronts of the battle to be Wuhan, the surrounding Hubei Province, and Beijing. Beijing only had a few hundred cases during the 1st wave. When the city of Langfang in Hebei Province found a single case during the latest outbreak in the Province, several counties in the city immediately went into full lock down, despite (or perhaps because of) these counties servicing as bedroom communities of people who work in the southern part of Beijing. All to protect the capital, but the measures caused great disruption to people’s lives and operators of many businesses. OTOH, during Beijing’s outbreaks in Jun., Dec. & Jan., lock downs were much more targeted to residential compounds and communities, and movement restrictions imposed at district level at the highest.
Local authorities across China also appear to be making preparations for mass vaccinations of the general population. Admin staff at the university my wife works at have been task to survey staff who are willing to take the vaccine shots. The shots are free and vaccination is not compulsory. There is a surprising amount of nonchalance among her coworkers and friends. There is a common belief that the inactivated virus vaccines only have 6 months of effectiveness (based on what data I do not know), combined with the very low risk of infection, some people do not feel it is worth it. My wife signed up for vaccination, and I would do so as soon as it is available. Booster shots are likely required for the “more advanced” mRNA/molecular protein/viral vector vaccines, anyway, due to the new variants.
VOR
Catholics used to be the devil incarnate to some protestant congregations, notably Southern Baptist. There supposedly was concern JFK would take orders from the Pope. Bob Jones III, of the famous Bob Jones University, once reposted a letter on the university’s web page referring to Mormons and Catholics as being members of “cults which call themselves Christian”.
But then the Right found Catholics to be companions in the culture wars. Catholics like Antonio Scalia, Anthony Kennedy, Amy Coney Barrett, Samuel Alito, Brett Kavanaugh, William Barr, and John Roberts became acceptable. Of course Catholics like Joe Biden and Sonia Sotomayor are still bad.
Abortion gave the US Church hierarchy a reason to informally ally with Republicans. I remember a sermon at my local Catholic church during the 2012 election praising the faith of Mitt Romney, who was a Mormon Bishop.
Uncle Cosmo
Um, no – American Conceptionalism.
(You’re very welcome!)
Pope Frankie needs to smack down his asshole bishops hard.
Uncle Cosmo
Day 38 of eligibility for vaccination. Text msg at 09:53 from CVS: COVID19 vaccine appointments available in the next 2 days for qualified patients! Click on…
So I clicked on as quick as I could, and there were in fact appointments available.
In Ocean City. About as far away from Baltimore as one can get & still be in MD – 3 hours’ drive (longer if you bypass the Bay Bridge tolls). Everything else booked up solid.
The FUBAR continues. :^(
JustRuss
That wasn’t my experience. I got the Pfizer last week, barely felt it at all. Now if you’re talking about the after effects, sure, I hear the second one can be a bear. But the shot itself was nearly painless.
JAFD
@Gvg: I’ve had a bunch at needles stuck into me, past ten years.
On scale where 9 was “We need a couple of vials of blood for testing… there’s got to be a vein here somewhere…”, my first covid was a 0.5, the second a 1.
(OK. the two days after Shot #2 were cold damp dreary, whether weather or shot made feel down ???)
Regardless, it’s March Fourth, y’all should at least take walk around block. ;-)
Bill Arnold
Re
Expect recombined variants of vaccine-resistant SARS-CoV-2 possibly emerging from Texas due to high levels of infection combined with selective pressure from antibodies (from vaccines and natural from previous infection); these variants, if they happen, will spread and kill beyond Texas. There is now enough tracking of variants in the US that Texas could be pinned as the source.