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Balloon Juice

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Let me eat cake. The rest of you could stand to lose some weight, frankly.

No offense, but this thread hasn’t been about you for quite a while.

The republican caucus is already covering themselves with something, and it’s not glory.

I did not have this on my fuck 2022 bingo card.

Prediction: the GOP will rethink its strategy of boycotting future committees.

We are builders in a constant struggle with destroyers. let’s win this.

“But what about the lurkers?”

The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.

It’s the corruption, stupid.

Proof that we need a blogger ethics panel.

I’ve spoken to my cat about this, but it doesn’t seem to do any good.

It may be funny to you motherfucker, but it’s not funny to me.

Why did Dr. Oz lose? well, according to the exit polls, it’s because Fetterman won.

When I decide to be condescending, you won’t have to dream up a fantasy about it.

In my day, never was longer.

Thanks to your bullshit, we are now under siege.

A snarling mass of vitriolic jackals

Within six months Twitter will be fully self-driving.

A sufficient plurality of insane, greedy people can tank any democratic system ever devised, apparently.

Peak wingnut was a lie.

JFC, are there no editors left at that goddamn rag?

John Fetterman: Too Manly for Pennsylvania.  Paid for by the Oz for Senator campaign.

Nothing worth doing is easy.

Jesus, Mary, & Joseph how is that election even close?

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You are here: Home / Healthcare / COVID-19 Coronavirus / COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Wednesday/Thursday, Dec. 2-3

COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Wednesday/Thursday, Dec. 2-3

by Anne Laurie|  December 3, 20204:59 am| 31 Comments

This post is in: COVID-19 Coronavirus

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Story here: The three most recent former presidents hope an awareness campaign to promote confidence in its safety and effectiveness would be a powerful message as American public health officials try to convince the public to take the vaccine. https://t.co/3B9vbDO8M0

— Adam Levine (@cnnadam) December 3, 2020


The CDC for the first time shortened the recommended length of self-quarantine after potential exposure to the coronavirus to seven days with a negative test and 10 days without a test https://t.co/UeKGroZMQL pic.twitter.com/nEujSJRfEi

— Reuters (@Reuters) December 3, 2020

.@CDCgov director Robert Redfield has accepted the recommendation that health-care providers & long term care residents should be at the front of the line when #Covid19 vaccines roll out in the next couple of weeks. States should be using this guidance in their rollout planning. pic.twitter.com/oPasEP7MWo

— Helen Branswell (@HelenBranswell) December 2, 2020

Our daily update is published. States reported 1.4 million tests, 196k cases, and 2,733 deaths. There are 100,226 people currently hospitalized with COVID-19 in the US —the first time hospitalizations have exceeded 100k. pic.twitter.com/8QSKujBGao

— The COVID Tracking Project (@COVID19Tracking) December 3, 2020

The US now has over 5.5 million active cases of COVID-19. pic.twitter.com/BqIeMzWMAt

— Patrick Chovanec (@prchovanec) December 3, 2020

This is a tragedy beyond comprehension. This is a situation that is already unimaginable but day by day deteriorating. This is an utterly abject failure of leadership on so many levels. This is great power self-destruction. I don't know what else to say. https://t.co/RDf3rwgPpb

— Elsa B. Kania (@EBKania) December 3, 2020

Ah yes the great breakthroughs in immunological science:

Polio vaccine
Smallpox vaccine
Measles vaccine
Trump vaccine https://t.co/r53lt9hJcZ

— Zeddy (@Zeddary) December 2, 2020

======

? See where coronavirus infections are trending ⬆️ or ⬇️ relative in each country https://t.co/xahNMCMZgV pic.twitter.com/M2I81qep1x

— Reuters (@Reuters) December 2, 2020

Russia confirmed 25,345 new coronavirus cases and a record-breaking 589 deaths Wednesday, bringing the total to 2,347,401 cases and 41,053 deathshttps://t.co/NtYIaoqmGI

— The Moscow Times (@MoscowTimes) December 2, 2020

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the start of a “large-scale” COVID-19 vaccination of doctors and teachers late next week with the Sputnik V shot, which has yet to complete advanced studies needed to ensure its effectiveness and safety. https://t.co/91aIW666af

— AP Europe (@AP_Europe) December 2, 2020

Madrid inaugurates huge new 'pandemic' hospital. The controversial new facility was built in just 3 months. It's capable of treating 1000+ patients during a health emergency. The Isabel Zendal complex covers 860k square ft & cost nearly $100 million https://t.co/RzJFVwnxr9

— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) December 2, 2020

At the beginning of the outbreak, the China CDC made secret arrangements with three companies to make test kits – even as they held back critical information about the coronavirus. Experts say it blinded them to seeing how fast the virus was spreading. https://t.co/vQcaLYzmmc

— The Associated Press (@AP) December 3, 2020

Thread on rising #COVID19 cases in #Canada — still small, compared to the USA, but proving every bit as taxing for their healthcare system. https://t.co/4z1EEIXmHv

— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) December 2, 2020

======

Terrific thread with useful #Covid19 vaccine information, from @drsanjaygupta. https://t.co/3nxylAJTKd

— Helen Branswell (@HelenBranswell) December 3, 2020

I think it will be very important to communicate to the population that these vaccines have more reactogenicity (injection site pain, transient fatigue, headache, elev temp) than most other licensed vaccines. Not dangerous but unpleasant. People need to know what to expect. https://t.co/51R1J8vRKQ

— Florian Krammer (@florian_krammer) December 2, 2020

When will you, I be able to get vaccinated?
I like this graphic, from @UCSF honcho @Bob_Wachter which indicates the US will still only be immunizing high priority individuals until next summer. pic.twitter.com/Y7V4a88Maj

— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) December 2, 2020

WHO recommends masks indoors if ventilation is poor in an update to its COVID-19 guidance on masks. The new recommendation applies to areas of known or suspected cluster or community transmission of SARSCoV2 https://t.co/Ohi2ywl45D via @medical_xpress

— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) December 2, 2020

UCSF top honcho @Bob_Wachter makes a very good, scary point about #COVID19 #vaccines. Based on routine US statistics one can predict that some people will die of heart attacks or cancer, etc if 10M are immunized. The vax will NOT be the cause, but anti-vaxers may claim otherwise. pic.twitter.com/RO2ViRpz6g

— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) December 2, 2020

Regarding the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine approval in Britain here's what happens next: The govt has ordered 40 million doses. The 1st 800k doses are expected to be shipped from Belgium in the next couple of days, enough to immunize 400k people, 2 doses each https://t.co/q5sLAnmH7L

— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) December 3, 2020

The Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine is on its way to the UK, but even after the first injection it will take 12 days before people start building immunity to the virushttps://t.co/pcI05EPpQt pic.twitter.com/HbVI3yIlkw

— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) December 2, 2020

COVID 'longhaulers' are in the vanguard of a global patient movement and a new study of symtoms. One scientist who joined similarly ill researchers is taking part in the study of what's now called "long COVID." Findings are informing global policymakers https://t.co/hxKTatq68Q pic.twitter.com/Km1Nyb411F

— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) December 2, 2020

Medical journal editorial refutes WHO finding on Gilead's remdesivir for COVID-19 https://t.co/7lvIwpGFCM pic.twitter.com/eQivl0ZPCv

— Reuters (@Reuters) December 3, 2020

======

U.S. hospitals slammed with COVID-19 patients are engaged in a desperate effort to ease staffing shortages. Some are
trying to lure nurses out of retirement, recruit students and new graduates who don't have their licenses and offering bonuses. https://t.co/YCfQcpED5D

— The Associated Press (@AP) December 2, 2020

Forty-eight NBA players tested positive for COVID-19, the league said https://t.co/bzFTBHlCEW pic.twitter.com/edeQIokK3k

— Reuters (@Reuters) December 3, 2020

Surging coronavirus cases expose California’s weak spot: A lack of hospital beds and staff https://t.co/SJV5O8nHdm

— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) December 2, 2020

A Hawaiian couple was arrested after they boarded a flight while knowingly infected with coronavirus. https://t.co/wqRuXFXlgz

— Complex (@Complex) December 3, 2020

Arizona chief medical officers call for curfew, ban on indoor dining https://t.co/NZCdqZnj6E pic.twitter.com/VvOmBalSjA

— The Hill (@thehill) December 2, 2020

https://t.co/Pva8mz8zo7

— Matthew Reichbach (@fbihop) December 3, 2020

Incredibly, Gov. Tate Reeves told @nickjudin that Mississippi HAS NOT surpassed our summer peak.

“That’s just not true. That’s false, in fact,” Reeves said.

SUMMER PEAK: 1,775 cases on July 30 / 7-day Avg: 1,201

TODAY: 2,457 cases / 7-Day Avg: 1,605 https://t.co/MxiNi8XJFp

— Ashton Pittman (@ashtonpittman) December 3, 2020

Ohio Department of Health now recommending those in Ohio avoid traveling to Ohio https://t.co/ESuAzpMS6w

— News 5 Cleveland (@WEWS) December 2, 2020

So we blue-staters don’t get too complacent, news of the Staten Island ‘autonomous zone’ –

An owner of a New York City bar that was providing indoor service in defiance of coronavirus restrictions was arrested after a sting in which plainclothes officers went inside and ordered food and beverages, the city sheriff's office said. https://t.co/xyjja0wmLr

— The Associated Press (@AP) December 2, 2020

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Reader Interactions

31Comments

  1. 1.

    NeenerNeener

    December 3, 2020 at 5:36 am

    Monroe County NY yesterday:
    625 new cases today, 461 people in the hospital, 83 in the ICU. And I used to think 40 new cases a day was bad, then 200 cases a day was bad, then 350 cases a day was bad, then  540 cases a day was bad….

  2. 2.

    Brachiator

    December 3, 2020 at 5:49 am

    The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Wednesday announced 5,987 newly confirmed cases of coronavirus and 40 deaths, bringing countywide totals to 414,185 cases and 7,740 deaths.

    Officials also said there were 2,439 people hospitalized with COVID-19, the highest number since the beginning of the pandemic.

    Doctors at one hospital have seen a nearly 100% increase in the number of patients in the last several days — many with symptoms of COVID-19

    Of the nearly 2,500 hospitalized Wednesday throughout the county, 24% were being treated in intensive care units and 13% were on ventilators.

    “We are seeing terrifying increases in cases in L.A. County,” Dr. Barbara Ferrer, county public health director, said. “We are now at the worst point in this pandemic.”

    Also on Wednesday, the city of Los Angeles issued an updated targeted Safer at Home order to align the city’s local order with the county’s order.

    “It’s time to cancel everything, and if it isn’t essential don’t do it,” Garcetti said.

    Health officials said there were 122 ICU beds available in the county — a county that serves more than 10 million people.

    And this is one week since Thanksgiving.

  3. 3.

    YY_Sima Qian

    December 3, 2020 at 6:01 am

    Yesterday, China reported 0 new domestic confirmed and 1 new domestic asymptomatic case. The new asymptomatic case is reported by Shenzhen, a close contact of the truck driver from Hong Kong (who was reported on 12/1). The case had tested negative on 12/1, but positive on 12/2. The family of the asymptomatic case have tested negative, so far. The urban village where the case is located, and where the driver had went through, is under lock down and all residents will be screened. 2,913 individuals have been swabbed, and 27 environmental samples collected, all negative.
     
    At Qingdao in Shandong Province, authorities reported that 594 close contacts of the 2 asymptomatic cases reported on 12/1 have been traced and quarantined, all tested negative so far.
     
    Manzhouli in Inner Mongolia “Autonomous” Region reported 1 new confirmed and 1 new asymptomatic cases early this morning, both close contacts of previous cases, and are already under quarantine. These cases will be included in China National Health Commission’s daily data dump tomorrow.
     
    Yesterday, China reported 16 new imported confirmed cases and 5 imported asymptomatic cases and 2 new imported suspect cases:
     

    • Shanghai Municipality – 8 confirmed cases, 3 Chinese nationals each returning from the US, 2 from the UK, and 1 each returning from France, Switzerland and the UAE; 2 suspect cases, no information released
    • Guangzhou in Guangdong Province – 3 confirmed cases, 1 Chinese national each returning from the Canada, Iraq (via Tehran) and Ghana (via Cairo); 4 asymptomatic cases, 2 Chinese nationals returning from Indonesia and 1 each from Iraq (via Tehran) and Kenya
    • Huizhou in Guangdong Province – 1 confirmed case (previously asymptomatic), a Chinese national entering via Hong Kong
    • Shenzhen in Guangdong Province – 1 asymptomatic case, a Chinese national returning from Zambia
    • Rizhao Port in Shandong Province – 2 confirmed cases (1 previously asymptomatic), both Chinese crew members off a cargo ship from Indonesia
    • Wuhan in Hubei Province – 1 confirmed case, a Chinese national returning from Pakistan
    • Xi’an in Shaanxi Province – 1 confirmed case, a Chinese national returning from Russia

     
    Yesterday, Hong Kong reported 90 new cases, 11 imported and 79 local (31 of whom without clear sources of infection, and 21 related to the ballroom dancing clubs). It appears that the city’s 4th wave has spread from the dance clubs well into the community.

  4. 4.

    OzarkHillbilly

    December 3, 2020 at 6:01 am

    Dozens test positive for Covid after swingers convention in New Orleans

    “If I could go back in time, I would not produce this event again,” Hannaford wrote.

    “I wouldn’t do it again if I knew then what I know now. It weighs on me and it will continue to weigh on me until everyone is 100% better.”

    Who’da thunk it?

  5. 5.

    Baud

    December 3, 2020 at 6:11 am

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    At least they’ll go out with a bang.

  6. 6.

    mrmoshpotato

    December 3, 2020 at 6:18 am

    An owner of a New York City bar that was providing indoor service in defiance of coronavirus restrictions was arrested after a sting in which plainclothes officers went inside and ordered food and beverages, the city sheriff’s office said.

    Good.

  7. 7.

    Michael_Emmett

    December 3, 2020 at 6:27 am

    It’s an obvious fact that there will be deaths – heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure, etc – without the vaccine that will, statistically speaking, occur within a vaccinated population anyways. When 5 out of 4 Americans have no understanding of statistics and 115% have difficulties with probabilities, this doesn’t bode well for the next 6 months of vaccine roll out. If we thought there was needless hysteria about measles vaccinations, we are in for a wild ride of ignorance. especially when 1/2 of the country has given up any ability to evaluate expertise and replaced it with the raving lunacies of their megachurch pastors, science-denying elected officials and youtube vidiots.

  8. 8.

    Amir Khalid

    December 3, 2020 at 6:34 am

    Malaysia’s daily Covid-19 numbers. Director-General of Health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah reports 1,075 new cases today in his media statement, for a cumulative reported total of 69,095 cases. Dr Noor Hisham also reports 11 new deaths,  for a total of 376 deaths — 0.54% of the cumulative reported total, 0.64% of resolved cases.

    10,802 active and contagious cases are currently in hospital; 116 are in ICU, 46 of them on respirators. Meanwhile, 948 patients recovered and were discharged, for a total of 57,917 patients recovered — 83.8% of the cumulative reported total.

    Four new clusters were reported today: Monsoon in Selangor; and Jalan Kilang, Jalan Kubota, and Perdana Enam in Sabah.

    1,072 new cases today are local infections. Selangor has the most cases today, 458: 302 in older cluusters, five in Monsoon cluster, 54 close-contact screenings, and 97 other screenings. Sabah has 310 cases: 31 in older clusters, 28 in Jalan Kilang, Jalan Kubota, and Perdana Enam clusters, 156 close-contact screenings, and 95 other screenings. Johor has 78 cases: 63 in existing clusters, 11 close-contact screenings, and four other screenings. Negeri Sembilan has 52 cases: 45 in existing clusters, three close-contact screenings, and four other screenings.

    KL has 48 cases: 19 in existing clusters, 19 close-contact screenings, and 10 other screenings. Penang has 43 cases: 36 in existing clusters, one close-contact screening, and six other screenings. Kedah has 32 cases: 24 in existing clusters, five close-contact screenings, and three other screenings. Perak has 26 cases: 23 in existing clusters, two close-contact screenings, and one other screening. Labian has eight cases: two in existing clusters, two close-contact screenings, and four other screenings. Kelantan has nine cases: seven in existing clusters, and two close-contact screenings.

    Pahang has four cases: two close-contact screenings, and two other screenings. Melaka has two cases: one in an existing cluster, and one other screening. Sarawak has one case, found in other screening. And Terengganu has one case, found in other screening.

    Only Putrajaya reported no new cases today.

    Three new cases are imported. They were reported in Selangor, KL, and Labuan. For some reason, Dr Noor Hisham only mentions countries of departure when he briefs the media in person, so no information on that today.

    The 11 deaths today are a 72-year-old woman in Selangor with hypertension, dyslipidaemia, and obesity; a 70-year-old woman in Negeri Sembilan with hypertension, dyslipidaemia, and gout; a 74-year-old woman in KL; a 79-year-old man in Putrajaya with diabetes and hypertension; a 64-year-old man in Sabah with diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and chronic kidney disease; a 71-year-old woman in Johor with diabetes, hypertension, and gout; a 77-year-old woman in Kelantan with hypertension and dementia; a 72-year-old woman in Selangor with hypertension, asthma, dyslipidaemia, and stroke; an 81-year-old man in Selangor with hypertension, diabetes, stroke, and depression; a 50-year-old woman in Johor with diabetes and obesity; and a 79-year-old man in Sabah with diabetes and hypertension.

  9. 9.

    Rusty

    December 3, 2020 at 6:41 am

    Our leaders have failed us, but we also fail ourselves.  The cops broke up a 400 person party at a mansion on Long Island NY.  WTF doesn’t even begin to describe this.

  10. 10.

    Platonicspoof

    December 3, 2020 at 6:55 am

    Re-posting my reply to Cain from Cheryl’s last post since others may want to get tested and donate at same time:

    You can get an antibody test for free if you donate blood to the Red Cross.

    An initial positive sample gets secondary testing.

    They need blood and convalescent plasma.

    Will add that results take a week or two.

    In Oregon the Red Cross web page with maps for blood drives (at churches, motel conference rooms, etc.) may not make clear the permanent Red Cross buildings’ locations. If you prefer the permanent offices, the web address will be in this form.

    Thanks to all for info. Especially the NYT article on true (excess) death toll and those warning that these vaccines may cause strong temporary reactions.

     

  11. 11.

    Mary G

    December 3, 2020 at 7:02 am

    Orange County is doing almost as badly as LA County. Today we had 1,208 new cases on 12,851 tests, which is more than 10% positive. The official percent positivity is only 8.8%, because of averages and four day lag, reduced from 7 day lag. Change in number of hospitalizations over last three days is +18.6%. Available ICU beds down to 19%.

    I’m leaving the house today for the third time since March, to get blood tests. I have mask and face shield or goggles that fit over my glasses. Goggles seem safer?

  12. 12.

    Brachiator

    December 3, 2020 at 7:10 am

    @OzarkHillbilly: 

    The New Orleans swinger convention gives a whole new meaning to the term, “superspreader event.”

  13. 13.

    Zzyzx

    December 3, 2020 at 7:14 am

    There are such different estimates about when the vaccine will be available. I’m rooting for earlier obviously.

  14. 14.

    Dan B

    December 3, 2020 at 7:15 am

    People defying pandemic restrictions drive me crazy. During AIDS people were calling for everyone with AIDS or HIV to be quarantined. People were tried for having sex without telling their partners they were positive. Some extremists called for capital punishment.

    And now: It’s fascism to curtail my freedom! They need to be assigned community service in Covid-19 wards. They can bring their own PPE as far as I’m concerned, except more cases add strain to hospital workers.

  15. 15.

    Dan B

    December 3, 2020 at 7:17 am

    @Mary G: Goggles are safest but reports find that people who wear glasses are less likely to be exposed.

    Do what makes you feel safest.

  16. 16.

    OzarkHillbilly

    December 3, 2020 at 7:19 am

    @Brachiator: Heh.

  17. 17.

    Mary G

    December 3, 2020 at 7:22 am

    @mrmoshpotato: Then, this happened:

    (NY Post) Hundreds of people on Wednesday night — including members of the right-wing group Proud Boys — protested the closure of a Staten Island bar that ignored COVID-19 restrictions.

    “Proud Boys in the house,” a handful of people chanted outside Mac’s Public House — the defiant pub that was shut down by authorities Tuesday night after operating without a license and in violation of health orders.

    One speaker led the crowd through the Proud Boy credo — “I am a proud Western Chauvinist” — before segueing into Queen’s “We Will Rock You.”

    The entrance of the pub was blocked on Wednesday night by dozens of city sheriffs — who were verbally targeted by some of the protesters.

    “Where is your backbone? Where is your morality?” one protester shouted at the deputies through a speakerphone.

    The city Sheriff’s Department executed the order the night before that also led to the arrest of the pub’s 34-year-old co-owner, Daniel Presti.

  18. 18.

    Dan B

    December 3, 2020 at 7:33 am

    When hospitals get overwhelmed in addition to worker burn out, and some drop out, there will be triage.  We should be telling the public that  this may mean people most likely to succumb may be assigned to field hospitals with no visitors and no care.  Those who are most ill may be unable to be helped.

    The reluctance to inform people of possible trajectories can produce the consequences we most fear.  How many people are panicking?  If the answer is zero the message is ineffective.

    Before the polio vaccine was available were panicked.  People lined up in huge lines to get the vaccine even after 200,000 people got a dose contaminated with live virus and many were sickened and died.

    The time to sugarcoat is over.  Our medical system demands truth, however rough.

  19. 19.

    Platonicspoof

    December 3, 2020 at 7:47 am

    @Mary G:

    Since watching things like this test of masks on YouTube, I wear sort of wrap around safety glasses similar to these.

    Sealing the top edge of the mask with a bandaid prevents fogging if I have to be in a store.

    .

  20. 20.

    Robert Sneddon

    December 3, 2020 at 8:06 am

    Scotland — First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirms a further 958 people have tested positive for Covid-19. That is 4.3 % of the total number of tests carried out. 982 patients are in hospital with a confirmed case (down nine), with 69 being treated in intensive care (up one) and a further 51 people who tested positive have died. The R figure is believed to be slightly less than one at the moment. There is no expectation that the various restrictions across the country are going to be relaxed ahead of the forthcoming Xmas “holiday”.

     

    Scotland is on course to start inoculating people with the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine starting on Tuesday 8th when they expect 65,000 doses to be in place. Due to logistical restraints of the storage requirement for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine this initial rollout will be limited to people who can attend the health centres that have suitable freezer units. This means elderly people in care homes who can’t travel to such centres won’t be inoculated in the first case. They’re working on cold-chain logistics to be able to provide inoculations in-situ away from the freezer-equipped centres but they are very reluctant to waste any of the initial doses available by trying something that doesn’t work for some reason.

  21. 21.

    Sloane Ranger

    December 3, 2020 at 8:21 am

    Yesterday, we had 16,170 new cases here in the UK. This is just under 3000 more cases than the day before. The rolling 7-day average is still 18.3% lower that the week before, however. Yesterday’s new cases by nation,

    England – 13,323 (up @1700)

    Northern Ireland – 416 (up @20)

    Scotland – 951 (up @200)

    Wales – 1480 (up @800).

    Deaths – There were 648 deaths within 28 days of a positive test yesterday, 555 in England, 4 in Northern Ireland, 38 in Scotland and 51 in Wales.

    Testing – 312,003 tests were processed on Tuesday, 1 December out of a capacity of 582,960. The number of tests taken continues to fall. The rolling 7-day average is now down by 8.3%.

    Hospitalisations – On Monday, 30 November there were 15,436 people in hospital and 1351 were on ventilators on Tuesday, 1 December. The rolling 7-day average for hospital admissions has decreased by 14.3%.

    General – Nothing of note to report. Mostly it’s about when the first delivery of vaccine will arrive.

  22. 22.

    YY_Sima Qian

    December 3, 2020 at 8:59 am

    The AP report on China’s early testing woes is pretty good, and quite believable despite all the anonymous sourcing. Anyone who has lived in China or done business in China or studied China closely for extended period of time is well aware of the nepotism, cronyism and corruption in Chinese bureaucracy and especially government procurement. I recall reading oblique references in Chinese media and social media to the Chinese CDC contracting inexperienced suppliers to make the COVID-19 tests back in late Jan. to early Feb. It was well known that the early tests had ~ 30% false negative rate (of course, in those early days it was not well understood at what point the infected case should have enough viral load be detectable by the standard nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal swab), and the tests did not become useful until the big players like BGI got in the game, and the testing situation did not exit crisis level until mid-Feb. The AP report, however, clarified a lot of the behind the scenes maneuverings.

    CNN recently obtained a large cache documents from the Hubei CDC. (The Wuhan files Leaked documents reveal China’s mishandling of the early stages of Covid-19) However, I found the report filed by CNN to be shoddy and underwhelming, a waste of what should be a treasure trove of inside information. The stream of documents being leaked out of China is likely an attempt by whistleblowers looking to ensure that the early failures, and the lessons they offer, are not swept under the rug by the CCP regime’s current triumphalism with respect to COVD-19.

    Another scandal in late Jan. to early Feb. was the China Red Cross claiming monopoly over distribution of donated medical supplies, while leaving hospitals across Hubei in dire shortage of PPEs, contributing to a wave of nosocomial infection among medical staff in the province during that period. That had gotten a lot of coverage on Chinese media and social media at the time. The biggest scandal, whereby Wuhan and Hubei authorities overruled the public health professionals, cowed hospital administrators and doctors, short circuited the infectious disease reporting system, and obfuscated with expert from Beijing and overseas, and underplayed the risk of human to human transmission early to mid-Jan., have not been written in depth, yet.

    Overall, these leaked document show that the early Chinese response was affected by the similar kind of mistakes, corruption, indecision and lack of resources that plague many other nations. When test kits are as rare as precious jewels, and inaccurate at that, authorities can be lulled by the low confirmed case counts into a false sense of security. NYT recently published an in depth investigation into the early COVID-19 response at Bergamo in Norther Italy. (THE LOST DAYS THAT MADE BERGAMO A CORONAVIRUS TRAGEDY) It was eerie how some of the early missteps echoed those at Wuhan 2 months earlier. While all of the attention was on the cluster of small towns in Lodi that went into lock down, Bergamo was experiencing uncontrolled community transmission with the main hospital as the epicenter, inundated with symptomatic patients. However, the testing criteria restricted to people with travel history to China, so the exploding epidemic was missed for critical days and weeks. The sorry saga of early testing (or lack thereof) in the US is well documented.

    The CCP regime, however, quickly recovered and rebalanced, reorienting the nation (population and bureaucracy) on Jan. 20, and gotten on top of the epidemic in Wuhan and Hubei by mid-Feb. (earlier in the rest of the country). It’s high effective response sincere the 180 on Jan. 20 is the reason that the population in China is largely receptive to the triumphalist message the regime has been broadcasting.

  23. 23.

    Uncle Cosmo

    December 3, 2020 at 9:21 am

    @Brachiator: More of a “stupids spread ’em event.”

    The Bill/Bush/Barack offer to be publicly vaccinated is a good and decent gesture, but it won’t move the needle** much – antivaxxers and Qanutcases will call it a fake & claim that the injections were saline solution*** & within minutes the vaccination team’s names & addresses will be published on Twitter & death threats will begin. Sad but predictable.

    ** Pun unintended but I accept the award/blame on behalf of my subconscious.

    *** Those with brain enough to know what “saline solution” is

  24. 24.

    Bruce K

    December 3, 2020 at 9:23 am

    Greece: two straight days in the 2,000-new-case range, after a dip to just over 1,000. The government just announced that the lockdown and 9pm curfews would be extended to December 14. Northern hospitals remain at or near capacity, although according to the government spokesman, there are currently more discharges than admissions.

  25. 25.

    J R in WV

    December 3, 2020 at 9:25 am

    And of course here in the US we have  NO IDEA when we will get vaccine availability for any given group of people!

    Wife and I are old, she has multiple health problems,  I’m less so,  but treated high blood pressure, overweight, 70 the end of the month. I seem to have a good immune system,  but what that means to Covind19 no one knows!

    Governors are lying in press conferences, Senators are lying to their constitutes — all of which seems calculated to terrify everyone who is aware of the reality they keep denying! Perhaps they are afraid that their inability to manage their responsibility,  resulting in this worst case scenario, will lead to the people demanding that they be held accountable legally for the deaths, thousands of people dead. And it is their fault,  their responsibility.

    I’m kind of loosing it here, finally,  I think…

    Fear and anger in equal parts. Eventually I will need to go back to town…

  26. 26.

    laura

    December 3, 2020 at 10:07 am

    Yesterday, in San Joaquin County – just south of Sacramento, an 11 yo child used a gun to kill himself while online learning with his class. He may not have died of Covid, but he should be a Covid statistic. Dark, heavy times.

  27. 27.

    mrmoshpotato

    December 3, 2020 at 10:30 am

    @Mary G: Proud Jagoffs

  28. 28.

    Kelly

    December 3, 2020 at 11:55 am

    Covid cases in Oregon has been lower than most states, no idea why. That may be changing.

    https://rt.live/ lists Oregon as the highest Rt in the USA. https://www.covidexitstrategy.org/ lists our positive test rate at 47.5%

    Take shelter fellow Oregonians

  29. 29.

    The Moar You Know

    December 3, 2020 at 12:34 pm

    He may not have died of Covid, but he should be a Covid statistic. 

    @laura:  Why?

  30. 30.

    laura

    December 3, 2020 at 12:42 pm

    @The Moar You Know: Maybe I’m way off base, but the utter failure to plan for school students/teachers/parents needs comes at a cost, and the sharp increase in stress and depression can be attributed to the failures of the pandemic response at the federal level. I’m just so very angry and upset and dont know if I can ever get over this. Im sure that as details are revealed about this tragedy, it may prove me way wrong or regretably right.

  31. 31.

    Uncle Omar

    December 3, 2020 at 3:26 pm

    @Uncle Cosmo:  Not only that, but roughly 40% of the population will decide that it’s a Deep State plot and decline the vaccine. A good way to determine who will not take the vaccine is to check the signatures on the “Letters to the Editor” page of your local newspaper–if you still have one.

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