Come for the politics, stay for the snark.
Anne Laurie has been a Balloon Juice writer since 2009.
This post is in: Open Threads, President Biden, Proud to Be A Democrat
Even in our toughest times, America always gets back up and builds a better future. We are stronger today than we were a year ago.
Watch our new video featuring @tomhanks and extraordinary Americans to celebrate one year of the Biden-Harris Administration. pic.twitter.com/T9bFeGUUcl
— Biden Inaugural Committee (@BidenInaugural) January 20, 2022
He’s earned it — we all have.
Remember, sharing is caring!
Friday Morning Open Thread: Happy Anniversary, President BidenPost + Comments (89)
This post is in: COVID-19 Coronavirus, Foreign Affairs
St George testing the dragon for covid pic.twitter.com/TzGTsHwtXv
— Art History Memes for Aesthetic Teens (@ArtMemeLord) January 18, 2022
ICYMI: You can now request the 4 free covid test kits from the fed gov't via phone.
* Call: 800-232-0233
* TTY: 888-720-7489Please share with those you know who are not online.
— Mark D. Levine (@MarkLevineNYC) January 20, 2022
COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Thursday / Friday, Jan. 20-21Post + Comments (73)
I'm late to see this 🧵, sorry.
The calculations of the percentage of people in the US who have & will be infected in this wave are staggering.
The final tweet in this thread gives me pause. Is Omicron a foreshadowing of Covid season once it becomes endemic? https://t.co/yAOkk4hIzn— Helen Branswell (@HelenBranswell) January 20, 2022
There may be a longer tail of circulation after the peak (as seen in South Africa), but a rough expectation would have an equivalent number of cases in the next 4 weeks on the other side of the peak. This would suggest 36-46% of the US infected by Omicron by mid-Feb. 7/9
— Trevor Bedford (@trvrb) January 20, 2022
My big question now is to what extent will Omicron-like emergence events characterize "endemic" circulation of SARS-CoV-2? Given it occurred once, having it occur again would not be at all surprising, but I don't know whether to expect this every year or every ten. 9/9
— Trevor Bedford (@trvrb) January 20, 2022
I stand in solidarity with our nurses. They’re the true heroes at the bedside.
This @nytopinion video explains why nursing is in crisis. Patient ratios were unsustainable pre-pandemic. Covid and the ‘business of medicine’ has only made their jobs harder. pic.twitter.com/DSSISsFRRL
— Craig Spencer MD MPH (@Craig_A_Spencer) January 20, 2022
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China daily local confirmed COVID cases fall to nearly two-month low https://t.co/c3EyUHeoT7 pic.twitter.com/BL3AaTJaCD
— Reuters (@Reuters) January 21, 2022
China is limiting the torch relay for the Winter Olympics to only three days amid coronavirus worries. Officials say the flame will be displayed only in enclosed venues that are deemed “safe and controllable." https://t.co/7bHRlTznb7
— The Associated Press (@AP) January 21, 2022
Hong Kong warns people to stop trying to prevent COVID hamster cull https://t.co/37a8NJKvf3 pic.twitter.com/PSXO5uQXI6
— Reuters (@Reuters) January 21, 2022
Indian capital to lift weekend curfew as COVID cases fall – source https://t.co/hRYxmwagcQ pic.twitter.com/aDtbj5D03k
— Reuters (@Reuters) January 21, 2022
Pakistan records most daily COVID cases since pandemic began https://t.co/PyGA6Rgrpa pic.twitter.com/opZdAQq7Ln
— Reuters (@Reuters) January 21, 2022
Restaurants and bars will close early in Tokyo and a dozen other areas across Japan as the country widens COVID-19 restrictions due to the omicron variant causing cases to surge to new highs in metropolitan areas. https://t.co/VzI8USSDCN
— The Associated Press (@AP) January 21, 2022
Malaysia resumes ticket sales for quarantine-free travel to Singapore https://t.co/qtcOw4XylC pic.twitter.com/ld8WUeVUWt
— Reuters (@Reuters) January 21, 2022
"We have to bring the vaccines to them."
Getting #Covid19 shots to distant places has become one of the pandemic's biggest challenges. @dreocalonzo joins a team of health workers to vaccinate those in remote islands of the Philippines https://t.co/bH64QGwNZn pic.twitter.com/WTtuqT994F
— Bloomberg Quicktake (@Quicktake) January 19, 2022
Zero-Covid island nation of Tonga fears aid could bring in virus https://t.co/r5GzvOjKr7
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) January 20, 2022
As aid trickles into the South Pacific nation of Tonga, devastated by a volcanic eruption and tsunami, an Australian aid flight was forced to return to base due to a positive COVID-19 case onboard, a defense official said https://t.co/RlJwvzCAJ0
— Reuters (@Reuters) January 21, 2022
Russia reported its highest number of coronavirus cases in two months on Thursday, with new infections setting record highs in the two largest cities of Moscow and St. Petersburghttps://t.co/R0BqCsGRKp
— The Moscow Times (@MoscowTimes) January 20, 2022
EXPLAINER: Why global health officials are saying it's premature for some European countries such as Spain to begin making plans to treat COVID-19 as an “endemic” disease, warning that the world is nowhere close to declaring the pandemic over. https://t.co/j8XwUJQ63I
— The Associated Press (@AP) January 20, 2022
Poland reports record daily COVID cases as Omicron spreads https://t.co/Oew8rMgtbW pic.twitter.com/LM3Dhzanys
— Reuters (@Reuters) January 21, 2022
Austrian parliament approves mandatory Covid vaccination order https://t.co/y8hFzhAWsv
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) January 21, 2022
German health min sees possible tripling of COVID infections by mid-Feb -sources https://t.co/VoNLL85ElN pic.twitter.com/1lacXqdtbp
— Reuters (@Reuters) January 21, 2022
Ireland set to rapidly drop almost all COVID-19 restrictions https://t.co/Co4Lc8hCS8 pic.twitter.com/wDMG550v48
— Reuters (@Reuters) January 21, 2022
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Very similar pattern for age 50-64
44-fold reduction of hospitalization for vaccination
Booster benefit consistent,at every time point, but gradient vs 2-shot less pronounced than age 65+ pic.twitter.com/Rzg15Ivz5r— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) January 21, 2022
Antibodies in the blood soon after Covid onset may predict disease severity. By analyzing antibodies from study participants the day of their Covid test & 28 days later, differences were found between those who developed severe symptoms & those who didn't https://t.co/IcPvz1Ig5a
— delthia ricks 🔬 (@DelthiaRicks) January 20, 2022
In development: Scientists report progress on a potential broad-spectrum anti-coronavirus 'cocktail' therapy. Oral administration of the cocktail suppresses the viral replication cycle, reduces viral loads in the lungs & ameliorates virus-induced pneumonia https://t.co/a8a5XhR3YI pic.twitter.com/h5hwYI515E
— delthia ricks 🔬 (@DelthiaRicks) January 20, 2022
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California would allow children age 12 and up to be vaccinated without their parents’ consent, the youngest age of any state, under a state senator's proposal. Alabama allows such decisions at age 14, Oregon at 15, Rhode Island and South Carolina at 16. https://t.co/UCgq04UcAY
— The Associated Press (@AP) January 21, 2022
Neighboring states moving in opposite Omicron case spread directions
Wisconsin heading to #1
Michigan now 2nd lowest (above ME) pic.twitter.com/yKYSy65aYt— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) January 20, 2022
This is going to be the solution to Covid lots of states choose: out of sight, out of mind. They’re going to stop testing ppl even when they’ve had close contacts with infected ppl. And some red states will almost certainly soon stop reporting Covid deaths on a regular basis. https://t.co/9V1vgR5HDR
— James Surowiecki (@JamesSurowiecki) January 20, 2022
.@Pontifex told all Catholics to get the vaccine, so idk what ReLigiOuS eXeMpTiOn you're speaking of. #bospoli https://t.co/SWGye0qwLh
— chip goines (@chipgoines) January 19, 2022
Novak Djokovic visa denied because he could have inspired anti-vax Australians, court says https://t.co/WXxEPJ89Q3
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) January 20, 2022
An American Airlines flight to London returned to Miami less than an hour into the flight after a passenger refused to follow the federal requirement to wear a face mask, according to the airline. https://t.co/DYW7iSnhT6
— The Associated Press (@AP) January 20, 2022
This post is in: Open Threads, Proud to Be A Democrat, Readership Capture
13 years ago tonight: in a cold freight elevator en route to an Inaugural ball. pic.twitter.com/3edVPKW3iF
— Pete Souza (@PeteSouza) January 20, 2022
I know you Left-Coasters tend to get stuck with the nasty bits, so here’s a nice memory, as a treat.
Mr. Souza has one hell of a fine eye for just the right moment…
Late Night Open Thread: Readership CapturePost + Comments (36)
This post is in: Open Threads, Proud to Be A Democrat, Our Failed Media Experiment
Wow. Since we've been told that press conferences are the most important thing on earth, the media will as surely readjust their "Biden is ducking us" narrative and replace it with kudos for his transparency…or something. https://t.co/jzb277l9jK
— Centrism Fan Acct ?? (@Wilson__Valdez) January 20, 2022
President Biden gave his 7th solo press conference of his Presidency today. At the same point in Trump's first term, he had only given one.
Many very serious blue checks on here swore this was a very important metric to track.
— What Biden Has Done (@What46HasDone) January 20, 2022
The parties, the media, the whole country, all met Trump where he was & had the silly, stupid, disingenuous conversations he persisted in & accepted his refusal to answer serious questions, often belittling the questioner. Biden acts like an adult & this is the unfair price. https://t.co/zDA57SKNkS
— Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) January 19, 2022
Thursday Evening Open Thread: Our Failed Media Village IdiotsPost + Comments (52)
trump literally tried to steal the election. suggesting something might need to be done to prevent a person like from succeeding is… not the same thing as trump "raising questions about the legitimacy and sanctity of our democracy"
— Gerry Doyle (@mgerrydoyle) January 19, 2022
This is an editor at the Washington Post who doesn't understand how politics works.
Of course, she's a Politico alum, so that fits. https://t.co/Q8csCUR6Du— soonergrunt ???? A Capybara Appreciation Account (@soonergrunt) January 20, 2022
cue a thousand voices crying out that biden was a fool who do not understand that they are not the audience for this message https://t.co/VgHvEaC9jb
— GOLIKEHELLMACHINE (@golikehellmachi) January 19, 2022
of course, this is all nonsense. biden may have *hoped* to receive cooperation, but the way they've approached legislation says they did not *believe* it. hasan does not think biden actually *believes* this, but he *hopes* you'll go along with pretending he does.
— GOLIKEHELLMACHINE (@golikehellmachi) January 19, 2022
Once again, you're not in Sally Quinn's parlor in 1985, everyone can see your real opinions.
— Let's not, Brandon (@agraybee) January 19, 2022
https://t.co/PUB174XL6Y pic.twitter.com/BL1H2XCwx4
— Jeff Fecke (@jkfecke) January 20, 2022
That's not fair. They took the job to get on television.
— Jeff Fecke (@jkfecke) January 19, 2022
In hopes of getting a little closer to their Big Crush…
Journalist Chris Cillizza https://t.co/GvotZjKxD0 pic.twitter.com/SnmXLCARye
— The Volatile Mermaid (@OhNoSheTwitnt) January 19, 2022
This post is in: Open Threads, President Biden, Proud to Be A Democrat, Our Failed Media Experiment
"Tomorrow will mark one year since I took office,” President Biden says as he begins outlining his administration’s accomplishments. “It’s been a year of challenges but also a year of enormous progress.” pic.twitter.com/elPFntfNgi
— Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) January 19, 2022
Pres Biden, in the longest news conference in presidential history, made news, pushed back on critics, called out lies, took responsibility for mistakes he believes he made, expressed surprise at GOP, talked foreign policy and didn't lash out on reporters.
Quite the change.
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) January 19, 2022
Thursday Morning Open Thread: Proud to Be A Biden DemocratPost + Comments (224)
Biden says “yes” he thinks VP Harris is doing a good job on voting rights (despite the bill headed for failure), and “yes” she will be his running mate in 2024
— Alayna Treene (@alaynatreene) January 19, 2022
"The fundamental question is, what's Mitch for?" Biden says, framing how he'll campaign against McConnell and congressional Republicans this year.
— Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) January 19, 2022
“I’m going to get out of this place more often,” Biden says at the White House https://t.co/qi2nGH2GxH
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) January 19, 2022
I'll take "there's so much more work I want to get done for you" over "I alone can fix it" in the Oval Office any day.
— Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) January 20, 2022
That was nearly two hours of POTUS.
He answered each question cogently and to the best of his ability.
He called on more than 20 different reporters.
He never once attacked us.
He never once avoided a question.
He never once tried to belittle us.
He stayed on point.
-30-— Brian J. Karem (@BrianKarem) January 19, 2022
The media wants to paint Joe Biden as a failure. He won’t let that happen, @JRubinBlogger writes: https://t.co/Um8PWdtNwO
— Washington Post Opinions (@PostOpinions) January 20, 2022
… Many of the questions from reporters verged on self-parody. Fox News’s Peter Doocy comically asked why Biden is pulling the country so far to the left. (Disclosure: I’m an MSNBC contributor.) The right-wing outfit Newsmax asked about his mental fitness for the job. It seemed everything was his fault, from Republicans’ refusal to support virtually any proposal to the fight between airlines and telecom companies over 5G.
Biden, for the most part, remained a “glass half full” president. “I’m not going to give up and accept things as they are now,” he said. “I call it ‘a job not yet finished.’” He stressed that the situation with covid-19 is improving. On school closures, he emphasized that 95 percent remain open.
He also seems to have heard complaints from Democrats, who have practically been begging him to focus more on his legislative successes. He started the news conference with a lengthy and passionate recitation of the low unemployment, widespread vaccination and infrastructure investment he achieved during his first year. “It’s been a year of challenges but also enormous progress,” he declared, conceding the nation should have done more testing earlier in the omicron surge. He also vowed to spend more time telling the country what he’s done and stressed the need to contrast his ambitions agenda with the stand-pat Republicans…
In a show of bravado, he asked if the reporters wanted to continue the presser for another hour or two. (He gave them 20 more minutes.) By then, he had demonstrated he had far more patience than was necessary considering the questions’ low quality.
In short, with the exception of the Russia questions, Biden turned in a strong performance that belies the right’s accusation that he is feeble. He was determinedly upbeat, ready to defend a productive first year and more pointed than he has been in dealing with Republican extremism. The press corps, by contrast, revealed once more that they put more emphasis on sounding tough, asking unanswerable questions and creating conflict than they do on exploring some of the gravest problems our country has ever faced. Our democracy deserves better.
This post is in: COVID-19 Coronavirus, Foreign Affairs
Kudos to @Google for sharing regional vaccine info. Simply click on the Google Doodle https://t.co/Yw2F1OH9pH
— Paula Santonocito (@psantonocito) January 19, 2022
Biden on COVID-19: “I’m not going to give up and accept things as they are now … some people call it a new normal. I call it a job not yet finished.”
— Daniella Diaz (@DaniellaMicaela) January 19, 2022
COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Wednesday / Thursday, Jan. 19-20Post + Comments (63)
“Much better days may be ahead. But as the world has learned over the past two years, only fools with short memories make promises in a pandemic.”
Wise words from @BillHanage
via @NYTOpinion https://t.co/D4GwyseZSF— Jeremy Faust MD MS (ER physician) (@jeremyfaust) January 19, 2022
If only someone could have given anyone any warning.
Oh wait, we did. @bhrenton @BillHanage @alexanderjxchen @kmpanthagani https://t.co/cjdEF8wzL5 pic.twitter.com/BKtvDTbaYF
— Jeremy Faust MD MS (ER physician) (@jeremyfaust) January 19, 2022
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Everybody knows that the #COVID19 #pandemic true toll FAR exceeds official numbers — but by how much?
MOREhttps://t.co/V5dDpJPYpt— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) January 18, 2022
3/ Depending on which reckonings one accepts for #COVID19 deaths so far, here's how our #pandemic stacks up against the major #flu pandemics.
(Note: Even the highest estimates still don't put COVID on a par with 14th C #Plague or HIV/AIDS — yet.) pic.twitter.com/xdQTIS8FDt— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) January 18, 2022
Like many vaccinated and boostered people, I experienced a mild infection.
Of course I wonder what the experience would have been like with no prior immunity at all.
I’m privileged. I got three doses. One third of the world population has gotten zero doses so far.— Kai Kupferschmidt (@kakape) January 18, 2022
I have recovered and I’m happy to go back to reporting on omicron.
I hope that’s it. But as someone who is HIV-positive I have a lot of respect for the power of viruses to cause long-term troubles and we should all have some humility in the face of such a new virus.
— Kai Kupferschmidt (@kakape) January 18, 2022
Cheap version of Merck COVID pill to be made for poorer nations https://t.co/C7h2fMlAOY pic.twitter.com/cuYOlgy9HH
— Reuters (@Reuters) January 20, 2022
BRUSSELS, Jan 20 (Reuters) – A U.N.-backed agency has struck a deal for nearly 30 generic drugmakers to make low-cost versions of Merck & Co’s (MRK.N) COVID-19 pill molnupiravir for poorer nations, widening access to a drug seen as a weapon in fighting the pandemic.
The antiviral drug, which in December received emergency approval in the United States, reduces hospitalizations and deaths of high-risk patients by around 30%, according to clinical trial results.
The agreement, negotiated by the U.N.-backed Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) with Merck, allows 27 generic drugmakers from India, China and other countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East to produce ingredients and the finished drug.
The MPP said on Thursday the deal stipulated the pill would be distributed to 105 less-developed nations…
Beijing city raises vigilance as local COVID cases tick higher before Olympics https://t.co/I4VS76lbA1 pic.twitter.com/kittSVSLbA
— Reuters (@Reuters) January 20, 2022
New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says tough measures, like mandatory masks and limits on public gatherings, will be taken if there is community transmission of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 https://t.co/3UqYBXnm7h pic.twitter.com/OA03tysIjX
— Reuters (@Reuters) January 20, 2022
Russia reported 33,899 new Covid-19 infections, the most in six weeks, as Omicron becomes the dominant strain of the virus in Moscowhttps://t.co/XyE0DkyZTd
— The Moscow Times (@MoscowTimes) January 19, 2022
Switzerland has begun reporting Covid deaths among three different groups of people: unvaccinated; vaccinated but not boosted; and boosted.
Look at this chart (with data via @redouad and @MaxCRoser): pic.twitter.com/psP3Tr6mK7
— David Leonhardt (@DLeonhardt) January 19, 2022
After South Africa, Denmark was one of the first countries hit by Omicron. There's little sign of any let up, except in ICU patients@OurWorldInData pic.twitter.com/MPz8sRU0AS
— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) January 19, 2022
A Czech folk singer got COVID intentionally in order to avoid vaccination and get natural immunity, thus enabling herself to attend public events.
She died last weekend. https://t.co/EEFq2s1OtK— Slava Malamud (@SlavaMalamud) January 19, 2022
Ireland announces annual bank holiday to honour Covid victims and workers https://t.co/owbwaNIRjL
— The Guardian (@guardian) January 19, 2022
South Africa's top #COVID19 experts suspect the west is filtering out encouraging news about #Omicron from this continent, and only reacting to bad news: https://t.co/HQS2xB6ovV
— andrew harding (@AndrewWJHarding) January 20, 2022
Mask and rapid test access is a problem in Canada🇨🇦, too. https://t.co/DRwjxWaNuU
— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) January 19, 2022
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Parents, please take note of this important finding on 90% vaccine protection vs MIS-C below.
And good to see new data that the recovery of heart function for MIS-C is fairly rapid in most children when this dreaded outcome occurshttps://t.co/Jm6vBukm5Z https://t.co/XNJDnpALl9 pic.twitter.com/Op4ITae7dr
— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) January 19, 2022
The terrific @RebeccaDRobbins wrote about the struggle to find Covid drugs for her mother.
Game changers can only change the game if people can actually get them. https://t.co/2H9vyyXauR— Helen Branswell (@HelenBranswell) January 19, 2022
Placebo effect's evil twin? Most side effects experienced after Covid vaccination can be blamed on the ‘nocebo’ effect. Researchers reviewed 12 randomized clinical trials of Covid shots & found the nocebo effect accounted for 76% of 'adverse reactions' https://t.co/El3USlBXtm
— delthia ricks 🔬 (@DelthiaRicks) January 19, 2022
James Palmer is not a scientist, but he is a survivor, and I think he has a good perspective on Long Covid:
Long covid is a real problem, it's also *very* hard to identify or distinguish from other issues, and some parts of it appear to be longer than regular covid but not permanent!
— James Palmer (@BeijingPalmer) January 10, 2022
I had a severe but not quite hospitalizable case of covid in March 2020; I had periods of exhaustion that lingered for far longer than the three weeks I was seriously sick, but that had largely vanished by the next year.
but it was also *extremely* difficult to tell some of that apart from the stress and exhaustion of 2020!
‘self-reported symptoms in fall 2020’ are not going to be a good indicator for ‘permanently disabled by covid.’
this is also going to take a lot of skill and sensitivity from doctors, because diagnostic criteria are going to be *really* difficult, and medical history shows how easy it is to dismiss people – especially certain groups of people – as hysteric.
the thing for docs to remember I think is that even ‘long covid’ symptoms that probably *aren’t* covid related reflect real problems for the patient!
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Not sure who needs to hear this, but most of the HCWers at my hospital who have caught COVID got it from their kids who got it from school… Yup school. While we can and do wear N95s at work, it is hard to expect people to wear them at home.
— James Heilman, MD (@WikiDocJames) January 18, 2022
GOVERNOR DEATHSANTIS WILL NOT BE IGNORED!
A Florida public health official has been "put on leave" for recommending that his staff get vaccinated. Less than half the staff was fully inoculated. Dr. Raul Pino— Florida’s top public health official in Orlando—sent the email Jan. 4 as #Omicron surged https://t.co/CpaNZerRwc
— delthia ricks 🔬 (@DelthiaRicks) January 19, 2022
Prisoners in Arkansas forced to take ivermectin — and in potentially toxic doses — without their consent ↓ https://t.co/oPRDyQSj2m pic.twitter.com/hXqF6MBLqo
— delthia ricks 🔬 (@DelthiaRicks) January 19, 2022
go get vaccinated, it's free. they give you a free vaccine card
— Gerry Doyle (@mgerrydoyle) January 20, 2022
Not that I disagree with the judge here, but isn’t this just gonna be one for excuse for the anti-vaxxers to stay stubborn?
Read U.S. District Judge Robert Scola's order canceling a trial because some jurors were unvaccinated.
"It is the Court’s belief that the vast majority of the unvaccinated adults are uninformed and irrational, or—less charitably—selfish and unpatriotic."https://t.co/xp8loebytF pic.twitter.com/Nxzzkfpqu2
— Mark Joseph Stern (@mjs_DC) January 19, 2022
This post is in: Cat Blogging, Open Threads
I can tell you’re trying to concentrate. I’ll sit 2 feet away and stare at you so hard you will physically feel my steady, unblinking support. You’re welcome pic.twitter.com/A867qWNrS2
— Jorts (and Jean) (@JortsTheCat) January 19, 2022
Book Club posts in an hour or so — here’s an Even More Open Than Usual Thread to tide y’all over…
The whack a feathery mole toy is officially a success. It's day four and they're still obsessed. pic.twitter.com/rcd2J5FXmU
— JJ MacNab (@jjmacnab) January 12, 2022
Semyon the cat takes his job — wearing a uniform and lounging around the fire station — very seriously https://t.co/YCuhqicklY pic.twitter.com/qGrsrpn7kE
— The Moscow Times (@MoscowTimes) January 19, 2022