Merry Christmas everyone! La Scala’s Beverly Hills location is tucking these invitations to an indoor New Year’s Eve dinner in their takeout bags: “Please keep this discreet, but tell all your friends.” ??? pic.twitter.com/hu4cJGYxce
— Alissa Walker (@awalkerinLA) December 25, 2020
Eat, drink & be merry!…
UNITED STATES: According to data from Johns Hopkins University, one in every one thousand Americans have now died from coronavirus.
— The Spectator Index (@spectatorindex) December 26, 2020
Our daily update is published. States reported 2.1 million tests, 189k cases, and 1,409 deaths. There are more than 117 thousand people hospitalized with COVID-19.
These numbers continue to be affected by disruptions to data pipelines caused by the holidays. pic.twitter.com/4qCPlX3KA2
— The COVID Tracking Project (@COVID19Tracking) December 27, 2020
The American Medical Association, the largest association of doctors in the US, is calling for help to prevent the US healthcare system from "functionally collapsing". That's a big deal. https://t.co/nij5W8PSxV
— Infectious Diseases (@InfectiousDz) December 26, 2020
This is from over 100 years ago… pic.twitter.com/ALCEzE8r8d
— Pantomime Democracy (@pantodemocracy) December 26, 2020
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The number of confirmed coronavirus infections around the world has now topped 80 million, according to Johns Hopkins University, and the global death toll from COVID-19 now exceeds 1.75 million. https://t.co/Z2z064Jf0u
— The Associated Press (@AP) December 26, 2020
Coronavirus cases in Europe top 25 million https://t.co/z30vAQlv3R via @medical_xpress
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) December 26, 2020
Covid: EU launches mass vaccination in 'touching moment of unity' https://t.co/FJUF4AtMp1
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) December 27, 2020
"Every day we wait is a day too long:" An 101-year-old woman gets a coronavirus vaccine shot in Germany as eager EU nations jump-start their campaigns ahead of the bloc's official rollout. https://t.co/8caNzFftAy
— AP Europe (@AP_Europe) December 26, 2020
Germany's confirmed coronavirus cases rise by 13,755: RKI https://t.co/dljjdNQTud pic.twitter.com/zbHW27qwK8
— Reuters (@Reuters) December 27, 2020
Seismic change: How Covid-19 altered world events in 2020 https://t.co/KSDsEE5ltd
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) December 27, 2020
Russia on Saturday passed 3 million confirmed coronavirus infections, as authorities hold out against reimposing a national lockdown while the country is battered by a second wave https://t.co/wYoHfkcCVF
— The Moscow Times (@MoscowTimes) December 26, 2020
Beijing tightens COVID-19 curbs as cases detected across capital https://t.co/OpFnil1HZU pic.twitter.com/WBGg0gnj8E
— Reuters (@Reuters) December 27, 2020
… China has largely brought the coronavirus under control but sporadic cases are resurfacing in a small number of cities. Authorities plan to vaccinate 50 million people in high-risk groups before the week-long Lunar New Year holidays from Feb. 11, said state media Global Times.
Beijing has asked its civil servants to stay in the city from Jan. 1 until the holiday and asked the public to avoid unnecessary travel during the period…
Singapore panel recommends maximum level of COVID-19 vaccine coverage https://t.co/5Awh4yuYyL pic.twitter.com/hCCOopYJOW
— Reuters (@Reuters) December 27, 2020
As the #coronavirus resurges in Africa, doctors fear the worst Is yet to come https://t.co/THhLnKtDBV
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) December 26, 2020
South Africa's #coronavirus variant is driving a holiday surge of cases. A record number of 14,305 new cases have been confirmed in the past 24 hours with no sign of South Africa reaching a peak. The country's health systems are on the brink of collapse https://t.co/8bIWHrroz1
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) December 26, 2020
Mexico City's COVID-19 'excess mortality' reaches 214 deaths a day https://t.co/dzraKRG2w3 pic.twitter.com/7Xi8NA4HYk
— Reuters (@Reuters) December 27, 2020
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COVID antibodies preferentially target a different part of the virus in mild cases than they do in severe cases, & wane significantly w/in months of infection. COVID's severity is affected by the proportion of antibodies that target a crucial viral protein https://t.co/oGIXrUmvoT pic.twitter.com/dUjZJJFXvx
— delthia ricks ?? (@DelthiaRicks) December 25, 2020
4) Why is the Oxford #COVID19 vaccine so critical for the world?
—8-10x cheaper than Moderna/Pfizer
—Does **NOT** require any freezing! Only simple refrigeration.
—Is the #1 vaccine on order worldwide.
➡️Hence a cheap, easy to handle vaccine at 95% is huge!! pic.twitter.com/DZMMXaCWil
— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) December 27, 2020
Other vaccines: Turkish health official says CoronaVac a vax developed by Chinese biopharmaceutical company Sinovac is 91.25% effective. Infectious diseases expert Dr. Serhat Unal says findings are based on early results of late-stage trials in his country https://t.co/i13CYT88O6
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) December 26, 2020
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Los Angeles County scientists have begun to test samples of the coronavirus from local patients to determine if a new, more contagious strain that is circulating in Britain has arrivedhttps://t.co/iylBLH7kIB
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) December 25, 2020
Several malls were cited and fined up to $500 for violating COVID-19 measures, which could include not keeping occupancy below 20% capacity and not prohibiting eating and drinkinghttps://t.co/XUKj3hprie
— KTLA (@KTLA) December 26, 2020
Sentinel: “Fred Piccolo, spokesman for Gov. Ron DeSantis, deactivated his Twitter account Wednesday after he tweeted in the middle of night that photos of each dead COVID-19 victim should be balanced with 99 photos of people who survive the disease.” https://t.co/Q90a9W3aQE
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) December 26, 2020
Do any of these jack o’lanterns actually grasp that “hating lockdown” isn’t some edgy pose? Everyone hates it. The vast majority of us who support it just value life. pic.twitter.com/KZ22MXJrQW
— Paul Musgrave (@profmusgrave) December 27, 2020
a. recovering from the virus doesn't mean "success"; ppl have lingering illnesses for a long time.
b. given a, & that 1% dead is a huge number of dead, it's better to not get the disease; thus, vaccines.
c. if you're a medical doctor, you should lose your license. https://t.co/1fnFWl2cYg
— Noah Berlatsky (@nberlat) December 27, 2020
“Obituaries are sort of an advertisement for the dead. I wanted the last word.” @ChrisMegerian https://t.co/A0mUrYZX96
— Seung Min Kim (@seungminkim) December 26, 2020
sab
Sort of yay! for me. Gov deWine says over 65ers are second in line. 1st in line are nursing home workers and residents. (AlsoEMS and cops?) Second in line are school teachers and olds.
No info whatever on where to go or how to sign up. Dad’s nursing home is still pretty clueless on when they will actually get the vaccine.
That takes planning and that didn’t happen.
Good job Trump running America like a business. Any local sandwich shop could have done it better.
NotMax
South Africa poised, by the start of the week, to become the 18th country to report cumulative case totals over 1,000,000.
sab
NotMax, Why are you still up?
NotMax
Only 1 in the a.m. here; shank of the evening. Napped from 10:30 to 12:30, following the weekly Zoom RPG session.
?BillinGlendaleCA
My step-daughter was not able to join her mother and myself for Christmas dinner since she has been treating COVID patients. The hospital she works at Beverly Hills adjacent, La Scala can burn in hell.
gkoutnik
That last picture – the article was about obituaries so evidently one of the pictured couple died. But which one? Can’t know without reading the article. But that uncertainty when studying those two faces – which is dead? which alive? – somehow emphasizes and personalizes the seeming randomness of the death that COVID brings, and makes that moment more moving and terrifying.
Amir Khalid
Malaysia’s daily Covid-19 numbers. Director-General of Health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah reports 1,196 new cases today in his media statement — slightly over half yesterday’s number — for a cumulative reported total of 105,096 cases. Dr Noor Hisham also reports one new death today, for a total of 452 deaths — 0.43% of the cumulative reported total, 0.54% of resolved cases.
20,233 active and contagious cases are currently in hospital; 111 are in ICU, 50 of them on respirators. Meanwhile, 997 patients recovered and were discharged, for a total of 84,411 patients recovered — 80.3% of the cumulative reported total.
One new cluster was reported today, Jalan SEDCO in Sabah.
1,191 new cases today are local infections. Selangor has 390 cases: 42 in existing clusters, 195 close-contact screenings, and 153 other screenings. KL has 202 cases: 101 in existing clusters, 54 close-contact screenings, and 47 other screenings. Johor has 194 cases: 123 in existing clusters, 48 close-contact screenings, and 23 other screenings. Sabah has 186 cases: 21 in older clusters, nine in Jalan SEDCO cluster, 109 close-contact screenings, and 47 other screenings.
Negeri Sembilan has 39 cases: 17 in existing clusters, 16 close-contact screenings, and six other screenings. Penang has 37 cases: 27 in existing clusters, one close-contact screening, and nine other screenings. Kelantan has 31 cases: 18 in existing clusters, nine close-contact screenings, and four other screenings. Perak has 30 cases: 15 in existing clusters, 11 close-contact screenings, and four other screenings. Kedah has 27 cases: four in existing clusters, 17 close-contact screenings, and six other screenings. Melaka has 23 cases: 13 in existing clusters, nine close-contact screenings, and one other screening. Labuan has 12 cases: three in existing clusters, seven close-contact screenings, and two other screenings.
Pahang has nine cases: one in an existing cluster, five close-contact screenings, and three other screenings. Putrajaya has six cases: one in an existing cluster, four close-contact screenings, and one other screening. Terengganu has five cases: one in an existing cluster, one close-contact screening, and three other screenings.
Sarawak and Perlis reported no new local cases today.
Five new cases are imported. Two were reported in Selangor, and three in Sarawak.
The one death today is a 71-year-old man in Sabah, with no co-morbidities listed.
Mary G
Assholes coming out of the woodwork in this pandemic.
NeenerNeener
Monroe County, NY yesterday:
299 new confirmed cases, 8% positivity
848 people are hospitalized, 141 of them are in ICU.
34 % of hospital beds are available, 31% of ICU beds are available, deaths are still at 507.
The lower number of new cases is probably because fewer people were getting tested over the holiday, not because our case count is actually dropping. I’m expecting really horrific numbers soon, but I hope I’m wrong.
mrmoshpotato
What the?
Amir Khalid
The city of Beverly Hills has already denounced La Scala’s New Year’s Eve dinner plan. The Deadline story at the link doesn’t say if the city threatened to revoke its restaurant licence, but that’s what I would have done.
mrmoshpotato
@Mary G:
BUT MAH FREEDUMB!
Amir Khalid
A shopping mall lets in way too many people, and Los Angeles fines it a piddling US$500? Methinks the fine should have a couple more zeros at the end.
mrmoshpotato
@Amir Khalid: Same. Five hundred bucks? Pfft!
TS (the original)
@mrmoshpotato:
Most of the fines down under start at $1000 – and that is for individuals.
mrmoshpotato
@TS (the original): Oh, I loves me some Scott’s Car Cameras. I know about the seriousness of Aussie fines. ?
Chris T.
@Amir Khalid: Especially since businesses just treat these fines as “cost of doing business”. It’s not like the mall will get arrested after all. Make $10k a day, subtract off the $500 => make $9.5k/day. Profit!
Robert Sneddon
@TS (the original): The maximum individual fine in the UK for breaching COVID-19 regulations is £10,000 (ca. $13,000 US). A group of four students who held a big party in their rented house in England each got fined that amount back in the autumn.
debbie
@sab:
They were vaccinating firefighters here yesterday.
I’m wondering whether whatever follows any tweet beginning with “I’m wondering” ever ends up well.
mrmoshpotato
@Robert Sneddon: Ouch. Good. Assclowns.
YY_Sima Qian
On 12/25, China reported 12 new domestic confirmed and 4 new domestic asymptomatic cases.
Dalian in Liaoning Province reported 4 new domestic confirmed and 2 new domestic asymptomatic cases. 1 of the 4 confirmed cases are traced close contacts (under quarantine since 12/24) and the other 3 were discovered during screening of individuals at higher risk areas (under quarantine since 12/24 or 12/25). 3 of the new cases are at Jinpu New Area, and the other one at New Development Zone. No case summaries were published for the asymptomatic cases. It does not appear that the authorities are ahead of the outbreak, yet. The Dalian Maritime University just announced that one of its students had been deemed an asymptomatic case on 12/22, and all students and staff at the university has since tested negative, and the university is temporarily closed and all instruction moved online. The delay announcement, and not from the Dalian Municipal Health Commission or the Municipal CDC, has caused a surge of criticism on social media for lack of transparency. The authorities shared that 6.379M residents in the city have been screened since 12/22, and that the 2.984M residents of the Jinpu New Area have been tested multiple times. There are currently 28 domestic confirmed cases and 24 domestic asymptomatic cases in the city. 9 communities and a village were deemed Medium Risk. There are 10 communities and a village at Medium Risk in the city.
Shenyang in Liaoning Province reported 3 new domestic confirmed cases and 1 new domestic asymptomatic case. 1 of the confirmed cases is a nurse at a clinic who treated the imported case on 12/21, and the other 2 visited the same clinic at the same time on 12/21 as the imported cases; 2 of the 3 cases were traced close contacts under quarantine since 12/23, but the 3rd was discovered only after she developed symptoms and visited fever clinic on 12/25. The asymptomatic case visited the same hospital as the imported case on 12/21 – 12/22, and has been under isolation at that hospital since 12/23. There are currently 4 domestic confirmed and 2 domestic asymptomatic cases in the city. 81 F1 close contacts and 30 F2 close contacts have been traced and quarantined. 1 community and 1 residential compound are at Medium Risk.
Beijing Municipality reported 5 new domestic confirmed and 1 new domestic asymptomatic cases, all at Shunyi District, and 5 of the 6 positive cases live in the same township, 4 in the same village. All 6 cases are close contacts (family or friends) of the case cases reported by Shunyi District on 12/26 . 2 villages in the Shunyi District has been re-designated as Medium Risk, There are 2 villages and 1 hotel at (Chaoyang District) is at Medium Risk in the city.
On 12/24, South Korea reported that an Asiana Airlines employee who worked at Chaoyang District had tested positive upon return to the country on 12/22, and is deemed an asymptomatic case. 43 close contacts have been traced, all have tested negative so far.
At Mudanjiang in Heilongjiang Province, 1 sub-district at Dongning and 1 at Suifenhe have been re-designated as Low Risk. 1 sub-district and 1 office building remain at Medium Risk.
At Turpan in Xinjiang “Autonomous” Region, that last 2 domestic asymptomatic cases have been released from isolation. 1 residential compound is still deemed Medium Risk of the afternoon of 12/26, but it will probably be re-designated as Low Risk shortly.
There are no changes in other Chinese cities with recent/current outbreaks.
On 12/24, China reported 10 new imported confirmed cases, 11 imported asymptomatic cases:
Overall in China, 16 confirmed cases recovered, 8 asymptomatic cases were released from isolation and 1 was reclassified as confirmed case, and 571 individuals were released from quarantine. Currently, there are 334 active confirmed cases in the country (270 imported), 4 are in serious condition (3 imported), and 251 asymptomatic cases (206 imported). 11,954 traced contacts are currently under quarantine.
On 12/24, Hong Kong reported 70 new cases, 1 imported (from the U.K.) and 69 local (23 of whom without clear sources of infection).
Calouste
Someone like Sohrab Amharic who uses phrases like “techno-remote living” and “an atomized existence” is just using big words to cover up that they don’t have anything meaningful to say.
Geminid
@Calouste: Ten dollar words don’t validate a two-bit argument.
ThresherK
I’ve posted this before, maybe here, but: Is Jake Tapper getting better at his job over this last year?
Amir Khalid
@Geminid:
The ten-dollar words are misdirection: they’re there to draw the attention of the easily impressed away from the two-bit argument.
The Moar You Know
@Amir Khalid: Revoking their health permit is not a punishment. They’ll just get another one. Not sure you can revoke a business license.
If you want to put a restaurant out of business in America, and destroy even its resale value and the real estate it’s on, you pull their alcohol license. And the state of California should have started doing that months ago. It’s a state agency and there’s no appealing their decisions. One call from the CalABC to La Scala and that party is over.
catclub
“i wonder as I wander, out under the sky,…”
Kathleen
@sab: Me too!
Kathleen
@debbie: Hamilton County also started vaccinating first responders last week.
Sloane Ranger
Came down this morning to find water dripping out of my telephone/Internet wall socket. There was a massive storm here last night, the guttering got a battering and, to cut a long story short, a lot of water found a way into my house and into the socket. Needless to say, the Internet and telephone are down.
I’m posting from my phone but don’t feel up to trying my usual UK update on it. The figures aren’t really reliable at the moment anyway.
A builder friend is coming to see how the water got in and, hopefully, at least do a temporary fix. Not worth trying to fix the Internet/phone connection until that is done as water will only get in again and more rain/snow is forecast.
PPCLI
I wonder if DeSantis talker Piccolo also believes that the Vietnam Memorial should be side-by-side with another, much bigger slab with all the names of Americans who didn’t die during those years.
scav
If only the La Scaly’s owners along with all their discreet customers were indeed together Inside † for the New Year.
† the Big House, it goes without saying. Only the Biggest will do.
Carlo
I’m starting to lose respect for Eric Feigl-Ding. His take on the AstraZeneca vaccine is very boosterish.
In the first place, it’s not just that “Oxford was unhappy” about their Phase III trial protocols. That trial was an amateurish sloppy mess which had to be thrown in the trash, incidentally also trashing the justification for the risk to which they put their trial subjects. There ought to be consequences to company officials for that sort of malpractice.
Moreover, what was that noise about love for AZ for publishing their data in a journal, in contradistinction to Pfizer and Moderna? AZ published their junk trial data, while their new Phase III results (which EFD is rapturous about) is still secret. I actually analyzed the Pfizer and Moderna (and Sputnik V preliminary) trial data in early December. The Moderna and Pfizer FDA submissions are public documents, and have been reviewed by the FDA review committee at least as rigorously as they would be by a journal. But where would I find the AZ trial data to review that 95% number? The state of play is currently “trust us, it’s 95%”.
The AZ vaccine is promising, for the reason’s EFD notes. But this is not the way for scientists to keep pharma companies accountable, even in a pandemic. AZ ha it’s own PR op to do it’s boosterism.
Suzanne
I love how La Scala writes, “keep this discreet” and it ends up on Twitter within, probably, minutes.
Sohrab Ahmari is consistently an asshole. I mean, he made me find myself agreeing with David French, of all people. He is a Bad Person.
I am about to take down all of the holiday decorations. I need visual stillness again, and I need there to be more baby-proofed space.
J R in WV
Health Dept workers in Kanawha County WV started the first set of vaccinations Monday 2 weeks ago tomorrow. Neighbor is an inspector with them. Assume other first responders also started receiving theirs around then.
Tony Jay
@Sloane Ranger:
Oh, that sounds awful. Sorry, Sloane. Hope the damage isn’t too bad and you get dried out as soon as this storm passes.
laura
I’m hoping that there will be more information in the coming days/weeks/months about allergic reaction to the vaccine. So far, there’s a very brief news article about a physician in Boston who experienced anaphylactic shock after his jab. I have a severe shellfish allergy and it has gotten worse since acquiring it in 2001 and the most recent anaphylaxis was from eating a chile relleno at a local restaurant-likely from the cooking oil in the fryer.
I’ll gladly take the first vaccine offered, but I’d sure like to know what risks are attendant.
Carlo
@laura: Your allergies sound like a serious issue, and you are right to be concerned, based on some early reports. Nonetheless, I would guess that if you discuss this with your doctor, he/she might feel that the risk of anaphylactic shock, in a doctor’s office, with personnel aware of your allergies, and with your EpiPen in readiness, is less than the risk of contracting COVID.
Ruckus
@Geminid:
@Amir Khalid:
Those ten dollar arguments are there to entice the unwitting to move the ten dollars into the speakers pocket, seeing as how they have more than enough ten dollar units that they don’t need.
What I’d like is the concept that we really are a country, made up of people, not all of whom are selfish bastards who think their reward for being selfish bastards is to continue to be selfish bastards. This is the entire conservative concept of life, that it’s not only OK to be a selfish bastard but it’s OK to lower the minimum below an actual livable concept so they can have more than enough. Conservatism is about making it OK to be a selfish bastard, fuck everyone who stands in their way of taking everything they can steal.
Ruckus
@laura:
As someone who also has an epipen for an allergy I feel I have a bit of an understanding. Notice that there has been a lot testing, possibly not enough but these vaccines work differently than most vaccines have worked in the past and the risk should be far less for anaphylactic shock. Not zero, as you well know zero is never reached for some allergies, but very close. Personally I’m going to remind the VA docs about my allergy before being stuck, but I’m not going to risk herd immunity because this disease has been politicized in this country and that is unconscionable and fucking stupid because many will still die because of it. It’s why it’s wise that the shitty politicians have had their pictures taken getting it, to set the tone that no matter what bullshit comes out of their mouths, the vast majority have to take the vaccine. I can hate that it’s so, that these absolutely shitty political assholes get to the front of the line but overall for all of our health it really is a good thing.
In the end it’s up to you to weigh the risk for the reward, but if you decide yes, I’d make sure that there was a good epipen within reach when getting the shots. That’s what I’m going to do.
Ivan X
I’m totally gonna hit that La Scala dinner. Good on them for sticking it to the man with retro glamour.
Don’t make me out a /s here.
J R in WV
So Dr Ben Tapper tells people not to believe in vaccines, that the body is stronger than medicine.
He’s a chiropractor, a fraud, not a Dr of medicine at all. Cheating people with serious disease by treating them with “spinal manipulation” — the secret fraud of Chiropractic.
Origuy
@Ruckus: Would it help to take Benadryl beforehand? My housemate has a shellfish allergy as well as several antibiotic and other allergies. She is not 60 yet but with all of her other medical issues would seem to be a fairly high priority. Not a substitute for an EpiPen, but maybe a prophylactic?
Ruckus
@Origuy:
Not a doctor and haven’t even played one on TV so my answer would be I have no idea.
Benadryl doesn’t seem to do anything for me, taken orally, it has done well for me in a shot. At least I’m assuming that it was Benadryl because I was about 7 when I got the shot, but that was the normal drug of choice for the issue, at the time. IOW I’ve taken Benadryl orally and it is ineffective for me as either a prophylactic or a response. That means nothing for someone else, I also have allergic reactions to a number of meds that my docs say are the normal and only responses to my issues. Including reactions that docs that have been prescribing them for decades don’t believe. I’m medically weird, so I don’t make too many suggestions for others, other than find a doc you trust, and follow their suggestions. I’m not the only weird patient in the world, probably not the only one on BJ but I am not the norm when it comes to medications.
Sorry for the non helpful answer but there really is no good answer for some of us, trial and error is it. And for me, I reject any doc who says different, because I’ve got 70 yrs of experience with this body, they do not. And the docs who have helped me the most are those who recognize that as trained as they are, as smart as they are, most of that means jack shit if they don’t listen to the patient. We have at our disposal the most information anyone has ever had, at our fingertips. Read, learn, ask (as you have!) but don’t expect a cut and dried answer, almost as often as not it will be at least questionable. Those of us who don’t fit in the cubby holes that some try to put us in have to push back, for our own survival.
sherparick
@sab: The business he is running is a Reality TV Show, the business of which is making Trump the center of attention. At that one thing he is very good and skilled at with 40 years of practice. Not good at actually being President.