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You are here: Home / Silverman on Security / Covid-19 & National Security / COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Saturday/Sunday, Dec. 12-13

COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Saturday/Sunday, Dec. 12-13

by Anne Laurie|  December 13, 20205:30 am| 72 Comments

This post is in: Covid-19 & National Security, Foreign Affairs

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The first U.S. shots of Pfizer’s newly authorized COVID-19 vaccine will be administered as early as Monday morning, with shipments scheduled to go out Sunday, according to the Army general organizing the rollout https://t.co/XpIL1ElT6g pic.twitter.com/MoT8JLdhTe

— Reuters (@Reuters) December 13, 2020


First coronavirus vaccines head to states, starting historic effort. Distributing supplies is a daunting logistical challenge, involving sophisticated tracking equipment, military contingencies and tight security https://t.co/nKD2xGTELY

— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) December 13, 2020

The first trucks carrying a COVID-19 vaccine for widespread use in the United States are getting ready to roll out of a Michigan manufacturing plant. The shipments will set in motion the biggest vaccination effort in American history. https://t.co/SUMOeAWIdq

— The Associated Press (@AP) December 13, 2020

This map from the https://t.co/6kWMww3KUq shows where COVID-19 is spreading most rapidly, on a per capita basis, in the past week. https://t.co/yKEwCLtZBJ pic.twitter.com/AAxyAOrklr

— Patrick Chovanec (@prchovanec) December 13, 2020

The US had +220,298 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 today, bringing the total to over 16.5 million. The 7-day moving average rose to nearly 217,000 per day. pic.twitter.com/fglrtO7W4K

— Patrick Chovanec (@prchovanec) December 13, 2020

Recap of these reports: https://t.co/Zpvhutay62
White House: “Vaccine implementation will not substantially reduce viral spread, hospitalizations, or fatalities until the 100 million Americans with comorbidities can be fully immunized, which will take until the late spring.” pic.twitter.com/YXosv7Qf9v

— Liz Essley Whyte (@l_e_whyte) December 12, 2020

How many Americans will die before the vaccine reaches scale? New estimates suggest the U.S. will reach 400k deaths by the end of January https://t.co/Gn2I19Ke2D

— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) December 12, 2020

======

South Korea reports 1,030 coronavirus cases, second daily record https://t.co/l1D75FqimX pic.twitter.com/fK4yhVkEUa

— Reuters (@Reuters) December 13, 2020

Japan’s daily coronavirus cases have exceeded 3,000 for the first time while the government delays stricter measures for fear of hurting the economy ahead of the holiday season. Experts say serious cases are on the rise around the country. https://t.co/mpA5xnSLYY

— The Associated Press (@AP) December 13, 2020

Russia confirmed 28,137 new coronavirus cases Saturday, bringing the total caseload to 2,625,848 https://t.co/FE3kLhvApU

— The Moscow Times (@MoscowTimes) December 12, 2020

Russia recorded more than 47,000 excess deaths in October, the single most deadly month in Russia for more than a decade, @JakeCordell reportshttps://t.co/6KqC6eyYeo

— The Moscow Times (@MoscowTimes) December 12, 2020

Stockholm’s ICU capacity hit 99% this week. Sweden ?? is also completely out of ICU nursing staff because of high resignation rates. There are now fewer ICU healthcare staffers than in spring surge. #COVID19 burnout is real. Chasing herd ruins HC systems. https://t.co/TXEQyB7XXI

— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) December 12, 2020

Germany's confirmed coronavirus cases rise by 20,200 – RKI https://t.co/MtSQ4smHXZ pic.twitter.com/fJx0gAJx3l

— Reuters (@Reuters) December 13, 2020

Germany to close non-essential shops from Dec 16-Jan 10 – draft govt proposal https://t.co/OrVzoS4C8K pic.twitter.com/mrt3rWXaS7

— Reuters (@Reuters) December 13, 2020

France has relaxed coronavirus restrictions and will allow care home residents to spend time with their families and receive visits during the holiday season. The new rules will apply from Dec. 15 to Jan. 3. https://t.co/TDovS9OpPz

— AP Europe (@AP_Europe) December 12, 2020

“This is not a party. This is a scientific study." Hundreds of people will attend a live concert at a Barcelona theater as part of a medical study to evaluate the effectiveness of same-day coronavirus screening to safely hold cultural events. https://t.co/iMAW4r0kZz

— AP Europe (@AP_Europe) December 12, 2020

AP PHOTOS: Italian doctors check on patients in rural areas during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of those who receive house calls don't need to or don't want to be taken to hospitals, helping free up space for people who can't receive treatment at home. https://t.co/9a7y6RvcPg

— AP Europe (@AP_Europe) December 13, 2020

Egypt receives 1st shipment of Chinese vaccine tested in United Arab Emirates. The vaccine, manufactured by Sinopharm, is said to be 86% effective. Egypt's health ministry says health care workers will be vaccinated 1st. 2 doses to be administered ovr 21 days pic.twitter.com/hmFjsq6ieI

— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) December 12, 2020

Peru suspends clinical trials of Chinese-made COVID vaccine. Peru's nat'l institute of health said it interrupted the trial after a volunteer had difficulty w/ arm movement, suggestive of Guillain-Barre syndrome. Vax is a product of China's Sinopharma https://t.co/Tz1FLHKQx2 pic.twitter.com/Rs7AgrUM65

— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) December 12, 2020

No pickers, no coffee: How Covid threatens Colombia's harvest https://t.co/g3XYpn2fsv

— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) December 13, 2020

Brazil’s government has presented a coronavirus immunization plan that provides initially for only enough shots for about a quarter of the population and does not indicate a start date. https://t.co/18pkEyZHYA

— The Associated Press (@AP) December 13, 2020

Mexico reports 12,057 new coronavirus cases, 685 more deaths https://t.co/zufMJWziGz pic.twitter.com/bXaoYGtVtT

— Reuters (@Reuters) December 13, 2020

======

Why RNA vaccines for COVID-19 raced to the front of the pack https://t.co/dHbt769I6S via @medical_xpress

— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) December 12, 2020

This is what happens when my obsession is temporarily the country’s obsession: I get to write 15,000 words answering every possible question you might have about Covid vaccines. And if we missed one, tell us & we’ll add it! https://t.co/hgmseXqyWI

— Tara Haelle (@tarahaelle) December 11, 2020

Great news for all women of childbearing age – who are over represented among health care workers. https://t.co/WQzDNxruQv

— Kathleen Neuzil (@kathleen_neuzil) December 12, 2020

======

Snowbirds who typically escape harsh winters in Canada and elsewhere aren't traveling to warm weather states like Arizona and Florida this year, scared away by COVID-19 or blocked by pandemic border restrictions. https://t.co/Bro493kst4

— The Associated Press (@AP) December 12, 2020

After students came back, deaths in college towns rose https://t.co/N6CLhgGLEV

— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) December 13, 2020

Coronavirus is spreading like a weed and the hospitals are running out of beds for the sickest patients in California's agricultural heartland. https://t.co/SndnxQtFQa

— AP West Region (@APWestRegion) December 12, 2020

“While he was making the case for no new business restrictions, DeSantis’ office refused to publicize reports from the task force which recommended a more robust public response.”https://t.co/Lb274IDNf0

— Maddow Blog (@MaddowBlog) December 13, 2020

Sunday is the nine-month anniversary of “I don’t take responsibility at all.”

(03/13/20) https://t.co/tzbjWVVdPv

— Carl Quintanilla (@carlquintanilla) December 13, 2020

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Reader Interactions

72Comments

  1. 1.

    Baud

    December 13, 2020 at 5:33 am

    Sunday is the nine-month anniversary of “I don’t take responsibility at all.”

    The one time he kept his word.

  2. 2.

    NeenerNeener

    December 13, 2020 at 5:48 am

    Covid yesterday in Monroe County, NY:
    638 new cases, 639 people hospitalized, 121 of them in the ICU and we’re up to 390 deaths now.

  3. 3.

    mrmoshpotato

    December 13, 2020 at 5:53 am

    Thank you AL. Thank you thank you thank you.

  4. 4.

    OzarkHillbilly

    December 13, 2020 at 6:06 am

    No pickers, no coffee: How Covid threatens Colombia’s harvest

    I can deal with the masks, the social distancing, the staying at home, even quarantines if necessary. But no fucking coffee????

  5. 5.

    WereBear

    December 13, 2020 at 6:07 am

    @Baud: It was always his plan, he just admitted it then.

  6. 6.

    Rusty

    December 13, 2020 at 6:26 am

    @OzarkHillbilly:  I want the pickers safe, but having no coffee to do that is going to sting. That one hurts.

  7. 7.

    OzarkHillbilly

    December 13, 2020 at 6:46 am

    @Rusty: I mean, shortages of toilet paper? OK, my hemorrhoids will get used to newsprint. But no morning coffee???

  8. 8.

    YY_Sima Qian

    December 13, 2020 at 6:50 am

    Yesterday, China reported 5 new domestic confirmed and 5 new domestic asymptomatic cases.
     
    Mudanjiang in Heilongjiang Province reported 4 confirmed cases, 3 at Suifenhe and 1 at Dongning. The 3 cases at Suifenhe are all traced close contacts of one of the asymptomatic cases reported on 12/11, and have already been under quarantine since that date. The confirmed case at Dongning was found during the mass screening of all residents, no connection has yet been established with the confirmed case reported there on 12/11. There are currently 6 confirmed (4 at Suifenhe and 2 at Dongning) and 2 asymptomatic cases (both at Suifenhe) in Mudanjiang. Both district level cities are under semi-lock down, with cordon sanitary set up, all public and private transportation halted, schools closed, and non-essential businesses closed. No words that residential compounds are lock down management however. Mass screenings of all residents continue. 1 residential compound at Suifenhe and 1 sub-district ar Dongning are designated as Medium Risk.
     
    Chengdu in Sichuan Province reported 1 confirmed (previously asymptomatic) and 1 asymptomatic cases yesterday. The new asymptomatic case is a traced close contact already under quarantine. There are currently 11 confirmed and 2 asymptomatic cases there. As of 6 PM on 12/12 2,295,922 individuals in the city (including close contacts under quarantine) have been swabbed, 2,170,372 results obtained so far have produced 12 positive results, in addition to the index case. 11,737 environmental samples have been collected, with 11,678 results obtained, 15 positive (all found at residences of positive cases). 2 villages and 3 residential compounds are designated as Medium Risk.
     
    Turfan in Xinjiang “Autonomous” Region reported 4 new domestic asymptomatic cases (3 of whom I mentioned in yesterday’s post). 3 are members of a single family: husband, wife and  mother of the husband. The couple both work at the same trading company (presumably does international business with Central Asia and/or Mongolia), and are tested regularly. Both were previously tested on 12/5, when both tested negative. The mother had previously tested negative on 12/7, not sure under what circumstances was she tested. The 4th case is a coworker of the couple at the trading company. 1 residential compound, the one with active cases, has been designated as Medium Risk.
     
    At Manzhouli in Inner Mongolia “Autonomous” Region, there are 23 confirmed and 2 asymptomatic cases in the city. 1,275 close contacts have been released from quarantine to date, 175 close contacts remain under quarantine. 2 sub-districts have been re-designated from Medium to Low Risk, due to no new positive cases in the past 14 days. 5 sub-districts remain at Medium Risk.
     
    Yesterday, China reported 19 new imported confirmed cases, 9 imported asymptomatic cases, and 1 imported suspect case:
     

    • Shanghai Municipality – 10 confirmed cases, 6 Chinese nationals returning from Russia, 1 each returning from the US and Switzerland, a Russian national coming from Russia, and a Haitian national coming from the US; 1 suspect case, no information released
    • Chengdu in Sichuan Province – 2 confirmed cases (both previously asymptomatic), both Chinese nationals returning from Ethiopia
    • Beijing Municipality – 2 confirmed cases, a Hong Kong resident coming from Hong King and a Russian national coming from Russia; 1 asymptomatic case, a Chinese national coming from Pakistan
    • Yancheng in Jiangsu Province – 1 confirmed case, a Chinese national returning from Russia, entered China at Shanghai, and transferred via negative pressure transport to centralized quarantine at Yancheng, dates not revealed
    • Guangzhou in Guangdong Province – 1 confirmed case, a foreign national coming from Jordan (via Cairo); 5 asymptomatic cases, 2 Chinese nationals returning from Saudi Arabia, 2 foreign nationals coming from Jordan (via Cairo) and a foreign national coming from Iraq (via Tehran)
    • Qingyuan in Guangdong Province – 1 asymptomatic case, a Chinese national returning from Oman
    • Kunming in Yunnan Province – 1 confirmed case, a Chinese national returning from Indonesia
    • Tahe County in Heilongjiang Province – 1 confirmed case (previously asymptomatic), a Chinese national returning from Russia, that had already passed 2 weeks of quarantine at Xi’an in Shaanxi Province and tested negative 5 times
    • Rizhao Port in Shandong Province – 1 confirmed case, a Chinese crew member off a cargo ship from Indonesia
    • Zhengzhou in Henan Province – 1 asymptomatic case, no information released

     
    Yesterday, Hong Kong reported 95 new cases, 3 imported (from the UK and the US) and 92 local (41 of whom without clear sources of infection). Another 70 cases are preliminarily positive, awaiting retesting and confirmation.

  9. 9.

    Mary G

    December 13, 2020 at 6:51 am

    South Korea, a country with a population greater than 51 million people, goes into emergency mode when new daily coronavirus cases go over 1,000 while Orange County, with a population of 3.3 million, has 2,091 and nobody seems to care much.

  10. 10.

    Amir Khalid

    December 13, 2020 at 6:59 am

    Malaysia’s daily Covid-19 numbers. Director-General of Health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah reports 1,229 new cases today in his media statement, for a cumulative reported total of 83,475 cases. Dr Noor Hisham also reports four new deaths today, for a total of 415 deaths — 0.50% of the cumulative reported total, 0.59% of resolved cases.

    13,667 active and contagious cases are currently in hospital; 115 are in ICU, 65 of them on respirators. Meanwhile, 1,309 patients recovered and were discharged, for a total of 69,393 patients recovered — 83.1% of the cumulative reported total.

    Six new clusters were reported today: Hujug Pasir in Labuan, Tanjung Suria in Selangor, Lestari in Selangor and KL, Desa Idaman in Johor, Rimbun building site in Negeri Sembilan, and Kuala in Pahang.

    1,227 new cases today are local infections. Selangor has 433 cases: 194 in older clusters, 20 in Tanjung Suria cluster, 14 in Lestari cluster, 116 close-contact screenings, and 89 other screenings. Sabah has 333 cases: 166 in existing clusters, 103 close-contact screenings, and 64 other screenings. KL has 131 cases: 84 in existing clusters, 18 close-contact screenings, and 29 other screenings. Perak has 105 cases: 100 in existing clusters, two close-contact screenings, and three other screenings. Johor has 103 cases: 55 in older clusters, seven in Desa Idaman cluster, 36 close-contact screenings, and five other screenings.

    Negeri Sembilan has 29 cases: seven in older clusters, 16 in Rimbun building site cluster, three close-contact screenings, and three other screenings. Pahang has 28 cases: 20 in older clusters, seven in Kuala cluster, and one close-contact screening. Penang has 26 cases: four in existing clusters, seven close-contact screenings, and 15 other screenings. Kedah has 13 cases, all in existing clusters. Terengganu has 12 cases: 10 in existing clusters, one close-contact screening, and one other screening. Melaka has seven cases: five in existing clusters, and two close-contact screenings. Labuan has six cases: two in Hujung Pasir cluster, three close-contact screenings, and one other screening. And Perlis has one case, in an existing cluster.

    Sarawak, Kelantan, and Putrajaya reported no new local cases today.

    Two new cases are imported. Both were reported in Selangor.

    The four deaths today are an 83-year-old woman in Kelantan with diabetes, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease; a 60-year-old disabled man in Negeri Sembilan with diabetes, cataracts, and chronic kidney disease; a 44-year-old woman in Selangor with diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, obesity, and chronic kidney disease; and a 29-year-old non-Malaysian man in Selangor.

    In other news, The Sunday Star reports that the Institute of Medical Biology, part of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, has applied to the Ministry of Health to hold a stage 3 vaccine trial here. The application is now going through the review and approval process.

  11. 11.

    Amir Khalid

    December 13, 2020 at 7:13 am

    Kevin McCarthy looks very different now from his Invasion of The Body Snatchers days. What are he and this Judge Jeanine person smoking?

  12. 12.

    Elizabelle

    December 13, 2020 at 7:25 am

    Anne Laurie, thank you again for curating these COVID threads.  In years to come, we can look back on the archive and see what was known — or at least, out there — at any point in time.

  13. 13.

    JoyceH

    December 13, 2020 at 7:34 am

    MSNBC is covering live the packing of the vaccines and loading of trucks at Pfizer, and I can’t help being reminded of Walter Cronkite covering the moon shots.

  14. 14.

    Chyron HR

    December 13, 2020 at 7:46 am

    @JoyceH:

    Because an unreasonable number of Americans think both of them are hoaxes?

  15. 15.

    PST

    December 13, 2020 at 7:48 am

    @JoyceH: I’ve been watching MSNBC cover vaccine vials being packed and loaded on trucks. I don’t understand why, but I can’t take my eyes off it. There is a reporter standing outside Rush University Medical Center, which is only a couple of hours from the Pfizer plant and expects to get its first shipment soon. That’s only about a mile away from me. I’m fantasizing about wandering over there and trying to sneak into line. It feels like a momentous event.

  16. 16.

    Elizabelle

    December 13, 2020 at 7:56 am

    @PST: and @ JoyceH:

    That is exciting. Need to read up, but I am wondering if those trucks will be traveling under police escort. They should be. For safety and speed.

    That is some of the most high-value cargo out there these days

    ETA:  “V Day in America.”  Of course they have branded it.

  17. 17.

    JoyceH

    December 13, 2020 at 8:01 am

    @Chyron HR: No, I think the similarities are the hushed tones and childlike sense o’ wonder. “Now they’re pouring dry ice into the crate…” But it was a Moment when the first loaded pallet rolled out and all the workers applauded.

  18. 18.

    Brachiator

    December 13, 2020 at 8:07 am

    @Mary G:

    South Korea, a country with a population greater than 51 million people, goes into emergency mode when new daily coronavirus cases go over 1,000 while Orange County, with a population of 3.3 million, has 2,091 and nobody seems to care much.

    Some people want to blame a pandemic fatigue.  But a growing number of people have decided not to care for their neighbors. It reminds me of an attitude noted in a story about the pandemic in Kansas.

    Even though many people know someone who has died, they make excuses for not wearing masks and doing the small things to keep each other safe.

    “When that first case happened, the town about shut down because everyone freaked out. But when it really hit, the town wasn’t really ready for it,” she says. “You even hear the high school kids saying, well, it’s just old people dying. But they were part of somebody’s life. They were part of the world. Some people say, well, if it’s your time to go, it’s your time to go. But COVID pushed that along.”

  19. 19.

    Sloane Ranger

    December 13, 2020 at 8:13 am

    Yesterday in the UK we had 21,502 new cases, down about 170 odd cases from Friday. The trend continues to creep back upwards and the rolling 7-day average has increased by 24%. BUT, usual health warning that these are weekend figures and will be affected by delays in processing and reporting so this may be optimistic. Cases by home nation,

    England – 17,468 (down @400)
    Northern Ireland – 476 (down @50)
    Scotland – 1064 (up @60)
    Wales – 2494 (up @300).

    Deaths – There were 519 deaths within 28 days of a positive test yesterday, 440 in England, 9 in Northern Ireland, 39 in Scotland and 31 in Wales. the rolling 7-day average has increased by 1.4%.

    Testing – Not updated at weekends.

    Hospitalisations – On Thursday, 10 December 16,531 people were in hospital and 1275 people were on ventilators on Friday, 11th. The rolling 7-day average for hospital admissions has increased by 8.7%.

    We are NOT in a good place before the UKwide Christmas relaxation of restrictions takes place on the 23rd and a Government advisor has already publicly warned of a Thanksgiving like surge in cases as a result.

  20. 20.

    Elizabelle

    December 13, 2020 at 8:15 am

    “Seventeen years is about the timeline for vaccine development.”  — Dr. Peter Hotez, Baylor and Texas Children’s Hospital

    Yes.  As Ali Velshi said, it is not nine months, as many Americans think.  This COVID vaccine piggybacked onto the development in progress since 2003, with the SARS virus which hit China and Toronto.

  21. 21.

    debbie

    December 13, 2020 at 8:19 am

    @Elizabelle:

    Not only does everything have to be branded, everything has to be opposed by someone. I’m picturing anti-vaxers along the route shrieking “Vuck You!”

  22. 22.

    Elizabelle

    December 13, 2020 at 8:24 am

    @debbie:  Moar vaccine for us.

    Mainly, we cannot relax on masking in public, indoors and  outdoors — when in close proximity, for months.

    But at least we will have a good POTUS and a sane administration.

    The Trump admin, and the United States’ COVID experience, is one for the history books.

  23. 23.

    Amir Khalid

    December 13, 2020 at 8:27 am

    Since when has Joe Biden been claiming credit for the development of any Covid-19 vaccine, as Judge Jeanine says?

  24. 24.

    oatler.

    December 13, 2020 at 8:29 am

    https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/12/us/stop-the-steal-protest-washington-dc-trnd/index.html

  25. 25.

    p.a.

    December 13, 2020 at 8:32 am

    @Brachiator: from the USA Today link: “The farmers are wary of gvt health rules…”.

    But not of gvt price supports, gvt crop research, gvt land fertility resaerch, gvt pest control research… ?

  26. 26.

    Scout211

    December 13, 2020 at 8:41 am

    That AP report is about Lodi, California and is actually a fairly balanced story.  We live about 30 minutes from Lodi and do most of our essential shopping there. The Adventist hospital is the hospital where a team of military personnel built a new section of ICU beds a couple of months ago and it was staffed by traveling nurses. At the beginning of this latest surge of cases, the traveling nurses were all elsewhere in the US. It sounds like they are now coming back and that is a great relief. We are at 0% availability of ICU beds in the Central Valley region.

  27. 27.

    Chetan Murthy

    December 13, 2020 at 8:43 am

    https://www.spiegel.de/international/world/new-on-the-covid-19-front-lines-children-may-be-driving-the-pandemic-after-all-a-95e4c0e7-2ea0-479b-ac27-d17f07d147a5

    TL;DR Kids get infected at the same rates as adults, and are efficient spreaders, esp. b/c they do so due to getting other illnesses, e.g. colds, which cause them to sneeze and cough.  The upshot is that schools and daycares (yeah: even really small kids) are only safe to reopen when there’s no community spread, infection rates are -really- under control.  That is to say, nowhere in the US.

  28. 28.

    Gvg

    December 13, 2020 at 8:49 am

    @Brachiator: it is also partly protecting ourselves. With the current administration, including many state governments, nothing could be done. I mean, it’s a human thing not actually, a physical impossibility, but it is a real barrier. So, know and recognizing that mean that mentally we need some way to not break down when people die, not dissolve into a puddle of fear. And one way to do that is a kind of don’t think about it, just go on with your life, keep your emotions distant, don’t empathize. One example is doctors and nurses accepting that some patients die when they start their career.  Another is poor people but some nice things because they know saving 20 a week won’t add up to investments for retirement no matter how much better off people spout theories.

    when there is hope again, some of the indifference can retreat.

  29. 29.

    Chris T.

    December 13, 2020 at 9:19 am

    Kevin McCarthy, without a shred of irony, tells Judge Jeanine that people will ultimately study Trump’s coronavirus response as an example of remarkable governance

    Remarkable, yes. Remarkably bad and probably even uniquely awful.

  30. 30.

    artem1s

    December 13, 2020 at 9:28 am

    @Elizabelle:

    Anne Laurie, thank you again for curating these COVID threads.  In years to come, we can look back on the archive and see what was known — or at least, out there — at any point in time.

    I was thinking back and trying to remember when I started to think about this virus as being similar to the H1N1 outbreak and when our department decided to start working from home and why.  I went back to Anne’s first post with this tag from January – almost a year ago now. From the very first post it was a great resource – comprehensive and reliable.  I know it was a great comfort to me knowing there was reliable info out there even while the WH was spreading junk news to prop up Donnie’s numbers.

    thanks Anne for helping us weed thru the noise and keeping up this thread! It’s been a go to place to fact check the less reliable compilers in the MSM.

  31. 31.

    Laura Too

    December 13, 2020 at 9:37 am

    @Gvg: Thank you. I have found myself being less empathetic than usual and beating myself up for it. This gives me the hope that I will get it back. And also, thanks to Anne Laurie. I don’t always get here in the morning but I always read post and comments. And YY and everyone else who posts #’s daily are also appreciated.

  32. 32.

    Amir Khalid

    December 13, 2020 at 9:37 am

    @Chris T.:

    It’s the denial of reality in that clip that has me gobsmacked. Trump has lied about the pandemic from the beginning. He has downplayed its impact even as it kills thousands of Americans every day and is on the verge of overwhelming hospitals all over the country. He, not Biden, is the one falsely claimimg credit for the vaccine. He had nothing to do with its development; he just hopped on the bandwagon very late in the day. His Covid-19 record has, if anything, been one of malicious neglect.

  33. 33.

    Chris Johnson

    December 13, 2020 at 9:42 am

    @debbie: If I was Russia, I’d be trying to get the American wingnuts to attack the vaccines in transport. Just a thought. They better have some serious security: this is war.

  34. 34.

    Matt McIrvin

    December 13, 2020 at 9:54 am

    @Chris T.: Trump’s administration stole medical PPE from blue states and actively rejected a national COVID strategy because they calculated that it was a blue-state problem and blue-state governments would take the heat.

    That translates to me as: Trump was actively trying to kill me as punishment for not voting for him. If I did the reverse I’d get arrested by the Secret Service.

  35. 35.

    Punchy

    December 13, 2020 at 10:30 am

    Can someone explain why a vax shipment requires “tight security”?   Who’s going to steal this shit because, ya know, all thieves have -70C freezers in their basements, right?

  36. 36.

    oatler.

    December 13, 2020 at 10:37 am

    @Punchy:

    They’re for Hot Pockets.

  37. 37.

    Haroldo

    December 13, 2020 at 10:42 am

    I’ll happily join the chorus:  Thank you, Anne Laurie.  Your detective work has made it much easier for me to do some of my own.

  38. 38.

    Wag

    December 13, 2020 at 10:53 am

    @Punchy:   I’m not concerned that they’ll steal it and inject themselves out of turn.  I’m concerned that they’ll steal it and destroy it because “Hoax virus, makes the God-Emperor look bad!”

  39. 39.

    Gravenstone

    December 13, 2020 at 10:53 am

    @Punchy:  If they’re just looking to destroy the vaccine because they are against the concept or what ever reason, then it is a particularly fragile target specifically because of the ultralow storage temps required. Just break the units open and it’s gone off in only a few hours.

  40. 40.

    gwangung

    December 13, 2020 at 10:54 am

    @Punchy: 
    Anti-vaxxers. Anti-maskers. Just takes one.

  41. 41.

    WaterGirl

    December 13, 2020 at 11:03 am

    @Punchy: Some may want to steal it in order to destroy it, rather than use it or sell it

    edit: I see others got there first!

  42. 42.

    dnfree

    December 13, 2020 at 11:08 am

    @Elizabelle: excellent point—keeping a real-time historical record. I don’t know of any other single source that so captures what was going on as things unfolded.  Thank you, Anne. Indefatigable is the term that comes to mind.

  43. 43.

    dnfree

    December 13, 2020 at 11:11 am

    @Punchy: saboteurs who want to destroy the vaccine, not use it.

    edited to note several beat me to it.

  44. 44.

    Punchy

    December 13, 2020 at 11:11 am

    @gwangung: I knew anti-vaxxers were against getting the stab thrmselves.  I did not know they were hell-bent on keeping others from getting it too.  Seems crazy selfish (in addition to anti-science)….

  45. 45.

    gwangung

    December 13, 2020 at 11:13 am

    @Punchy: There are variants who hold crazier than crazy notions. Those that think the vaccine has a microchip may want to “save” others from that…

  46. 46.

    grandmaBear

    December 13, 2020 at 11:19 am

    I haven’t seen it mentioned specifically, but I wonder to what extent truckers (and others regularly traveling interstate highways) have been vectors for the virus.

  47. 47.

    grandmaBear

    December 13, 2020 at 11:22 am

    @Elizabelle: my parents bought an encyclopedia at the beginning of WWII and then got yearly update volumes until the late 40’s. It was fascinating reading when I was in my teens.

  48. 48.

    scav

    December 13, 2020 at 11:29 am

    @Punchy: Crazy selfish and anti-science . . . , now where have I seen that combination recently . . .

  49. 49.

    Miss Bianca

    December 13, 2020 at 11:44 am

    @Punchy: Hmm, I’d say that Chris Johnson @33 provides a plausible theory. At least, plausible by Trump Age standards.

  50. 50.

    rikyrah

    December 13, 2020 at 11:48 am

    @Elizabelle:

    It’s the first sign of hope in 10 months.

    That’s why I am glued

  51. 51.

    john b

    December 13, 2020 at 11:48 am

    @Chetan Murthy: The upshot is that schools and daycares (yeah: even really small kids) are only safe to reopen when there’s no community spread, infection rates are -really- under control.  That is to say, nowhere in the US.

    Oh no. Our daycare (which has been good to my eyes with precautions — mask-wearing, keeping classes together, clear communication in the couple of rare instances of infections) has been a godsend since we started our 2yo back there in June. If we had to go back to two WFH parents + remote learning for our older kid + 2yo, I think we might really break.

    I don’t pretend to have it the worst, but those couple of months where we had everyone at home in the spring were not sustainable.

  52. 52.

    JAFD

    December 13, 2020 at 11:49 am

    @OzarkHillbilly: This morning’s Inquirer has story on the Kimberley-Clark ‘Scott’ paper plant in Chester, which is producing it all-out

    https://www.inquirer.com/business/covid-toilet-paper-bathroom-tissue-chester-scott-energy-20201211.html

    Indeed, they said, they’re on a roll…

  53. 53.

    rikyrah

    December 13, 2020 at 11:50 am

    @Matt McIrvin:

    Truth

  54. 54.

    PJ

    December 13, 2020 at 11:55 am

    @OzarkHillbilly:

     

    @Rusty: maybe it’s time to kick the habit.

  55. 55.

    Elizabelle

    December 13, 2020 at 11:58 am

    @grandmaBear:   That would have been great background reading.  The Great War (WW1), the Great Depression, Nazis … all within the past 30 years.  Recent history.  Perhaps less mythologized.

    Checked out what the Beach Boys’ Little Deuce Coupe actually was yesterday (was listening to their Christmas song with “Run, Run Rudolph … ” which is based on the earlier hit) — and it’s a 1932 Ford Coupe.  Deuce for the 2 in the year.

    Which would have been an easy hot-rodding vehicle to come by, 31 years later.

    And we are now 57 years past the 1963 release of “Little Deuce Coupe” and “Little Saint Nick”, which reuses some of the its melody.

    Time flies.  It is always fun to page through old magazines and even encyclopedias.  What was known; what’s been forgotten.

  56. 56.

    Elizabelle

    December 13, 2020 at 12:00 pm

    @rikyrah:   It was exciting.  I teared up when the trucks left.

    In the care of federal marshals.

  57. 57.

    Jay

    December 13, 2020 at 12:17 pm

    @grandmaBear:

    incidence is low, at least, amongst the cross border truckers.

  58. 58.

    Another Scott

    December 13, 2020 at 12:44 pm

    Indeed, thanks AL (and everyone who contributes). Whyte’s tweet above gives me pause. General Whatshisname and the US and BBC reporting make it sound like the pandemic is over in the USA. Her tweet make it very clear that it is very much not. We still have a very long slog ahead of us, and the reporting needs to reflect that or things are going to get even worse.

    I half-expect people to be camped out in front of hospitals to get shots come Monday morning. :-(

    [sigh]

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  59. 59.

    Ruckus

    December 13, 2020 at 1:34 pm

    @Mary G:

    COVID restrictions interfere with making money. Making money off of other people’s lives is the entire point, so take that away and then people who want/need to be rich don’t have a rational for living and therefore don’t give a shit.

  60. 60.

    Ruckus

    December 13, 2020 at 1:57 pm

    @Amir Khalid:

    I believe that trump views himself as a later day Hitler. He has a racist outlook. He’s actively trying to kill a large number of people. His tools are not the same but then he doesn’t have to actually do anything, such as make weapons, other than not attempt to actually stop anything and not doing anything positive is one of his defining traits. And look how pissed he is that everything he hasn’t done has gotten him nothing but hate and loathing while all the time he expected parades and statues and money raining down on him for doing what Hitler did, kill people.

  61. 61.

    sab

    December 13, 2020 at 2:04 pm

    Ohio has 4 counties at purple (the worst possible), including my county, the two neighboring counties ( east and west) and another slightly to the southwest. It is the first time all year we have been anywhere near this bad. Thank you Thanksgiving families.

    Purple means means 5 of 7 criteria failed, one of which is ICU almost full, and contract tracing is impossible.

    I finally gave up on in person grocery store. First time at pickup was a pleasure, althoigh setting up the ordering took forever (2 1/2 hours). Scrolling through 2300 items, 30 per page, 80 pages. I only got halfway through the pages, so we are missing some stuff. Next time I’ll start on page 80 and work backwards. Then I’ll have my regular shopping list set up. I could get used to this.

  62. 62.

    errg

    December 13, 2020 at 2:18 pm

    Yes, thanks Anne for these threads, they’ve been an incredibly useful resource, and I know that they must take a ton of work to put together!

  63. 63.

    StringOnAStick

    December 13, 2020 at 2:27 pm

    I’d like to add my sincere thanks to Annie Laurie too.  I’m glad someone noted that these threads started in January because it reminds me that we jackals had an idea of what was coming so much earlier than most.  I think I remember someone saying “something bad is happening in China” last December but I can’t remember who it was; that comment stuck in my mind at the time.  Everyone I worked with said I was over reacting, which is why I retired in May after the dental office had been closed since mid-late March.  Thanks to these threads I knew what was going on, and I’m really enjoying no longer working my a as off at an outrageous pace while being potentially exposed.  I also just plain like being retired!

  64. 64.

    Chetan Murthy

    December 13, 2020 at 2:31 pm

    @john b: I’d say: read the whole article (adwall, incognito mode).  It’s long, but in typical German fashion (ok, maybe a stereotype, but I find a lot of news from German sources to be really detailed to the point of being almost academic), it carefully cites a -bunch- of research and carefully explains what that research found.

    My general belief is: all forms of mixing have to be curtailed, until and unless we have *proof* that that sort of mixing is safe.  People have been doing it the other way around: “prove that restaurants are unsafe”, etc.  And “here’s an anecdote that shows that hair salons are safe, so wheeee!”  That’s insane in a pandemic, where lives and time matter.  You can’t run the experiments, and even if you could it’s take too long.  So you have to opt for the safer choice until you have more data.

    I’m not saying you should change your decisions.  Just read the article, and maybe you’ll decide that it’s too dangerous.  Or maybe not.  Every person has their own risk calculus, and at this point, it seems clear that we’re not getting guidance from the people responsible for choosing for our entire society …..

  65. 65.

    Bruce K in ATH-GR

    December 13, 2020 at 2:32 pm

    Greece may be starting to get things a bit more under control. 692 cases as opposed to 903 last Sunday. Hospitalizations and deaths are still high, though.

    Also, on one island, there was a case where someone came from Athens to attend a family gathering, and infected them all. Island authorities clamped down hard, isolated the infected people, and did a round of random testing of the population – they had time to do 199 tests, and every last one came back clear. So it can be done.

  66. 66.

    JustRuss

    December 13, 2020 at 2:36 pm

    Is Florida doing as well as that map suggests, or are they cooking the numbers?

  67. 67.

    Chetan Murthy

    December 13, 2020 at 2:41 pm

    @Chetan Murthy: I should add that I don’t think the issue is the danger to children, but to the adults they come in contact with.  That seems to be clear from the article, too.

  68. 68.

    NeenerNeener

    December 13, 2020 at 2:48 pm

    @JustRuss: Cooking the numbers, if they’re stealing home computers from nurses now so they can’t report what they see.

  69. 69.

    rikyrah

    December 13, 2020 at 2:51 pm

    @sab:

    I haven’t been in a grocery store in months. Only thing I really miss is

    Fresh produce shopping

    Choosing my own meat at the butcher counter

     

    Looking for clearance items

  70. 70.

    rikyrah

    December 13, 2020 at 2:53 pm

    @JustRuss:

    Cooking the numbers

  71. 71.

    CarolDuhart2

    December 13, 2020 at 3:15 pm

    @Punchy:
    Also steal it and sell vials for super high prices to anyone willing to pay.  Although price is free, the value makes gold look like Monopoly money right now.  There’s a lot of people who want this who don’t want to wait their turn, and will pay just about anything for the doses.

  72. 72.

    WaterGirl

    December 13, 2020 at 4:42 pm

    @Chetan Murthy: We don’t know nearly enough about COVID yet to say that COVID is not a danger to kids themselves.

    They may not get as noticeably sick, but what we don’t know about long-term effects is big enough to fill the universe.

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