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You are here: Home / Healthcare / COVID-19 Coronavirus / COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Friday/Saturday, Jan. 1-2 2021

COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Friday/Saturday, Jan. 1-2 2021

by Anne Laurie|  January 2, 20214:59 am| 40 Comments

This post is in: COVID-19 Coronavirus, Foreign Affairs

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Jill Biden says her message to Americans on the vaccine is “You have to take it. It doesn’t hurt, I promise.” Joe Biden cuts in and says: “She hates needles, so that’s saying something.”

— Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) January 1, 2021


On the first day of 2021, the U.S. reported its 20 millionth confirmed coronavirus case.

In less than two months, the country has doubled its total number of infections.https://t.co/5UWOApNqQy

— NPR (@NPR) January 2, 2021

Sure, people *say* russian roulette is dangerous — but I’ve pulled the trigger three times already, and nothing happened!

H1N1, H5N1, and boring old Ebolavirus turned out to be huge duds for 95% of the world so the smart money was always that COVID-19 would at most be another SARS. turns out the PRC understated the damage in Wuhan by an order of magnitude and now the smart money looks real stupid

— Zoomcock Archivist ?? (@canderaid) January 1, 2021

The US had +166,044 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 today, bringing the total to over 20.6 million. The 7-day moving average rose back to over 190,000 per day. pic.twitter.com/C5OzXJsCsw

— Patrick Chovanec (@prchovanec) January 2, 2021

Third state identifies more transmissible coronavirus variant as U.S. cases surpass 20 million https://t.co/9DjidrOglA

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) January 1, 2021

======

For those who think policy approaches to sars-cov-2 don't matter, I give you the island of Ireland. https://t.co/rjlyXSkDYG

— David Steadson ?????????????? (@DavidSteadson) December 31, 2020

Unfortunately:

Suddenly overwhelmed, Ireland says thousands of COVID-19 cases yet to be added to tally https://t.co/eLk2ZUDq6K pic.twitter.com/AbzY0Lhy6C

— Reuters (@Reuters) January 2, 2021

… More than 9,000 people who have tested positive for COVID-19 have yet to been added to the official tally of confirmed cases, the National Public Health Emergency Team said. A day earlier it had estimated the number of positive tests still pending registration at just 4,000.

Ireland has gone from having the lowest infection rate in the European Union just two weeks ago to having the fastest rate of deterioration, after shops and large parts of the hospitality sector were allowed to reopen for most of December.

A very large volume of positive tests since Christmas has led to a delay in positive swabs being formally confirmed as new individual cases. Ireland formally reported a daily record 1,754 confirmed cases on Friday, surpassing 1,500 daily cases for the fourth day in a row.

U.K. faces maelstrom of new coronavirus infections, hospitalizations and deaths despite vaccine optimism, seeks to reopen field hospitals to cope. https://t.co/bPtU1qEWuP

— AP Europe (@AP_Europe) January 1, 2021

Britain reactivated emergency hospitals built at the start of the coronavirus pandemic and shut primary schools in London, one of the areas worst-hit by a more infectious variant of the coronavirus https://t.co/sGUJAaxLWC pic.twitter.com/WA5SIuigtf

— Reuters (@Reuters) January 2, 2021

France's new coronavirus cases up 19,348 over 24 hours https://t.co/gpHyFkTqDx pic.twitter.com/vuI9EpCCb4

— Reuters (@Reuters) January 2, 2021

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova reveals more than 80% of excess deaths this year linked to coronavirushttps://t.co/Dz8jDb9DKf

— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) December 29, 2020

From a long, illustrated thread:

1/ I thought I'd write about my experience re-entering South Korea, where I reside, during this global pandemic. It wasn't a 5 minute job like in London Heathrow where I was out in no time. Instead, it took 24 hours. Here's what happened: pic.twitter.com/PjV7Mrz2ju

— Raphael Rashid (@koryodynasty) January 2, 2021

22/ 24 hours to get back home in S. Korea, even though a resident, were a little annoying given the lack of sleep etc, but I can't complain. It's necessary process to fight this virus.

Yet I see so many people and governments who are still clueless, namely the UK. pic.twitter.com/jIY6lurWpS

— Raphael Rashid (@koryodynasty) January 2, 2021

South Korea expands ban on small gatherings to blunt coronavirus surge https://t.co/DjCgttdNB0 pic.twitter.com/K8MmFCsL0I

— Reuters (@Reuters) January 2, 2021

Tokyo to request new emergency declaration as COVID-19 cases climb – media https://t.co/REXPEVFKhz pic.twitter.com/lIXniZLfTn

— Reuters (@Reuters) January 2, 2021

Thailand eyes tougher measures amid virus second wave https://t.co/cmmOHuWFeX pic.twitter.com/mpJYSlPNRg

— Reuters (@Reuters) January 2, 2021

Defying fears and skepticism, thousands in Pakistan volunteer for Chinese vaccine trials https://t.co/caEEeF1MyB

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) January 2, 2021

Australia's NSW tightens restrictions as virus cluster expands https://t.co/l8XEcPUyLG pic.twitter.com/2o1pjnB0Md

— Reuters (@Reuters) January 2, 2021

Israel is managing to prioritize old people while also doing mass vaccination at a rapid rate. https://t.co/wi7YZ1MdjE

— Noah Smith ? (@Noahpinion) January 2, 2021

Mexico reports 11,091 new coronavirus cases, 700 deaths https://t.co/J9Br43GdDA pic.twitter.com/c5y88KzAJP

— Reuters (@Reuters) January 2, 2021

A surge in coronavirus infections in Mexico City has made oxygen hard to come by for many. There are long lines to refill tanks in the city of 9 million, and prices have doubled or tripled. https://t.co/UU1bPccNHH

— The Associated Press (@AP) January 1, 2021

The Serum Institute of India expects to have 100 million doses of the Oxford vaccine ready for developing countries within two weeks, eclipsing the UK’s supply. Has 50 million in vials right now. The UK has 530,000 doses ready to go on Monday. https://t.co/ClbqedPaYA

— Mike Bird (@Birdyword) January 1, 2021

======

Fauci today: The United States will not use 2nd vaccine dose to vaccinate more people. (via @CNN, @elizcohencnn)
That's good because that it's following what we know, the trial data with extraordinary 95% efficacy, avoiding extrapolation and the unknowns.

— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) January 1, 2021

Pfizer and BioNTech to offer COVID vaccine to volunteers who got placebo https://t.co/chONfMeZ2x pic.twitter.com/WLbEG9tuNo

— Reuters (@Reuters) January 2, 2021

Different efficacy data for Chinese COVID-19 vaccine 'real and valid' – media https://t.co/YnvsJlCTZa pic.twitter.com/UOx1fCNhkI

— Reuters (@Reuters) January 2, 2021

Visible evidence: Brain damage in patients w/ Covid19. In-depth study by Natl Institutes of Health scientists. Study in New Englnd Jrnl of Med. Team found key hallmarks: thinning/leaky blood vessels in the brain. Study involved tissue of the newly deceased https://t.co/uos09PMWcI pic.twitter.com/90Gvry62GZ

— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) December 31, 2020

======

California started the new year by reporting a record 585 coronavirus deaths in a single day, and more than 47,000 new confirmed cases. Hospitals in the state ended 2020 on “the brink of catastrophe,” a health official said, as the outbreak spikes. https://t.co/qx0fmIBCJd

— The Associated Press (@AP) January 1, 2021

Roughly 20% to 40% of the L.A. County’s front-line workers who were offered the vaccine declined to get the shot.

So many in Riverside County refused the vaccine — an estimated 50% — that officials met to strategize how best to distribute the unused doses https://t.co/yDtTh6ccq2

— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) December 31, 2020

Some context for this out of context quote: April is 6 months pregnant per the article and is concerned about safety in that situation.

— kindaran (WEAR A GODDAMN MASK) (@kindaran) December 31, 2020

Man under both prior indictment and FBI investigation on new charges celebrates opportunity to worsen deadly pandemic. https://t.co/H4bcek0XnM

— The Hoarse Whisperer (@TheRealHoarse) January 2, 2021

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Reader Interactions

40Comments

  1. 1.

    YY_Sima Qian

    January 2, 2021 at 5:12 am

    On 1/1 China reported 8 new domestic confirmed and 3 new domestic asymptomatic cases.

    Dalian in Liaoning Province reported 4 new domestic confirmed cases (all moderate). Both confirmed cases are in moderate condition. None of the cases appear to traced close contacts, but are from residential compounds under lock down, and so have not left home since 12/22 or 12/25. They all had initially tested positive on 12/29, and were confirmed upon re-test, before finally being reported on 1/1. My impression is that Dalian has been less effective with contact tracing, less prompt and less comprehensive with information sharing, than other places in China. There are currently 47 domestic confirmed cases and 30 domestic asymptomatic cases in the city. There are 13 communities, 2 residential compounds and a village at Medium Risk in the city.

    Shenyang in Liaoning Province reported 3 new domestic confirmed cases (all moderate). 1 of the new confirmed cases is a traced close contact, having been under quarantine since 12/28, the other cases had developed symptoms and were discovered at fever clinics on 12/31 (though 1 had first visited a fever clinic on 12/26 but had tested negative at the time). Both of the latter are had visited the same hospital as the index imported case on the same dates, so it is surprising that the aThere are currently 19 domestic confirmed and 2 domestic asymptomatic cases in the city. 1 residential compound was designated as Medium Risk. There are 1 community, 1 office building and 9 residential compounds at Medium Risk.

    Heihe in Heilongjiang Province reported 3 new domestic asymptomatic cases. 1 is a traced close contact, and the other 2 (a couple) were discovered from community mass screening. There are 3 domestic confirmed and 6 domestic asymptomatic cases in the city. 2 residential compounds are at Medium Risk.

    At Mudanjiang in Heilongjiang Province, 3 asymptomatic cases were released from isolation (at Suifenhe).

    Beijing Municipality reported 1 new domestic confirmed cases (moderate), at Shunyi District. The case is a traced close contact, who has been under centralized quarantine since 12/26. 1 village at Shunyi District was designated as Medium Risk. There are 5 villages and 1 hotel are at Medium Risk in the city. 

     

    On 12/31, China reported 14 new imported confirmed cases, 18 imported asymptomatic cases, 1 imported suspect case:

    • Shanghai Municipality – 4 confirmed cases, 2 Chinese nationals returning from Israel, 1 from Columbia (via Paris CdG), and a Serbian national coming from Germany; 1 suspect case, no information released
    • Tianjin Municipality – 3 confirmed cases, 2 Chinese nationals returning from Guinea (via Paris CdG) and France; 1 asymptomatic case, a Chinese national returning from Guinea (via Paris CdG)
    • Guangzhou in Guangdong Province – 2 confirmed cases (1 previous asymptomatic), a Chinese national returning from Nigeria (via Kigali) and a foreign crew member off an oil tanker from Peru; 1 asymptomatic case, a Chinese national returning from Rwanda
    • Shenzhen in Guangdong Province – 1 confirmed case, a Chinese national returning from the US; 5 asymptomatic case, 4 Chinese nationals returning from South Africa and 1 from Lesotho
    • Xiamen in Fujian Province – 1 confirmed case, a Chinese national returning from the US; 1 asymptomatic case, a Chinese national returning from Italy
    • Fuzhou in Fujian Province – 1 asymptomatic case, a Chinese national returning from Indonesia
    • Qingdao in Shandong Province – 1 confirmed case, a Chinese national returning from the UK
    • Xi’an in Shaanxi Province – 1 confirmed case, a Chinese national returning from Spain (via Lisbon), off a flight diverted from Beijing; 1 asymptomatic case, a Chinese national returning from Uzbekistan, off a flight diverted from Beijing
    • Shenyang in Liaoning Province – 1 confirmed case, no information released
    • Dalian in Liaoning Province – 1 asymptomatic case, no information released
    • Changsha in Hunan Province – 3 asymptomatic cases, no information released
    • Zhengzhou in Henan Province – 2 asymptomatic case, no information released
    • Chengdu in Sichuan Province – 1 asymptomatic case, a Chinese national returning from Algeria
    • Yunnan Province (city not specified) – 1 asymptomatic case, a Chinese national returning from Myanmar, via land border crossing

    Overall in China, 1 cases deteriorated to severe condition, 9 confirmed cases recovered, 18 asymptomatic cases were released from isolation and 2 was reclassified as confirmed cases, and 413 individuals were released from quarantine. Currently, there are 383 active confirmed cases in the country (272 imported), 10 are in serious condition (3 imported), 280 asymptomatic cases (229 imported). 14,311 traced contacts are currently under quarantine.

    On 1/1, Hong Kong reported 35 new cases, 1 imported and 34 domestic (10 of whom do not have source of infection identified). Another 40+ cases are preliminarily positive, awaiting retesting.

  2. 2.

    OzarkHillbilly

    January 2, 2021 at 5:24 am

    My healthcare brother and his healthcare wife have both tested positive for Covid.

    Happy new year.

  3. 3.

    Steeplejack

    January 2, 2021 at 5:35 am

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    Sorry to hear it. Positive thoughts to them.

  4. 4.

    sab

    January 2, 2021 at 5:37 am

    @OzarkHillbilly: I am so sorry. I hope they have mild cases.

    I wish I could convince my dad’s nurses’s aide to get the vaccine. Her kids want her to, the nursing home wants her to, I want her to, but she refuses. 60% of Ohio nursing home staff agree with her. Thank you Operation Warpspeed for your excellent PR efforts//.

    Dad  (age 96) got his first shot three days ago and no bad reaction at all. His arm isn’t even sore.

  5. 5.

    Steeplejack

    January 2, 2021 at 5:38 am

    Thank you, Anne Laurie, for your tireless work in putting out these updates, and thank you, @YY_Sima Qian and Amir Khalid, for adding your reports to the mix.

  6. 6.

    Baud

    January 2, 2021 at 5:40 am

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    Ugh.

  7. 7.

    opiejeanne

    January 2, 2021 at 5:42 am

    @OzarkHillbilly: Oh no, just so close to having the vaccine!

    I’m so sorry. I hope they have mild cases and recover quickly.

  8. 8.

    satby

    January 2, 2021 at 5:43 am

    @OzarkHillbilly: What Steep said. Hoping for a quick recovery for them both.

  9. 9.

    TS (the original)

    January 2, 2021 at 5:59 am

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    What everyone else said. Hope they come through it very quickly & safely.

  10. 10.

    OzarkHillbilly

    January 2, 2021 at 6:01 am

    Hundreds of thousands more US Covid deaths possible amid vaccine chaos

    More than 10,000 people died in the US in the last three days of 2020 alone, to bring the national death toll close to 350,000 so far, including the worst 24-hour toll of the whole pandemic when more than 3,700 people died last Wednesday, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

    So vaccines are the big hope for fighting the outbreak. But experts are warning that hundreds of thousands more deaths are possible if the inoculation process doesn’t get quickly and solidly on track.

    “Basically, the federal government is botching the vaccine rollout,” said Ashish Jha, dean of Brown University’s school of public health. “They thought their job ends when the vaccine arrives in the states, and there’s really no well-delineated plan.” He added: “What America is suffering through is the consequence of incompetence in federal leadership – the entire pandemic has been marred by a group of people, not just Donald Trump – who don’t understand how things work and can’t get something to work effectively.”
    ……………………………….
    If the rollout continues at the current pace, Jha said, it could take “many, many months and years” to fulfill vaccination goals for the nation.

    And if this delay continues for months, it could cause the US to lose “several hundred thousand more people”, he warned.
    …………………………….
    “The vaccine looks like it can reduce the risk of … symptomatic Covid,” said Bruce Y Lee, professor at CUNY graduate school of public health and health policy in New York. But he warned: “Every week, two week, three-week delay, while the cases are pushing up further, is costing lives – and especially if we’re talking about healthcare professionals.”

    Misery hasn’t even begun.

  11. 11.

    JPL

    January 2, 2021 at 6:14 am

    @OzarkHillbilly:  It’s a terrible virus, and I hope that they both have mild cases.

  12. 12.

    Raven

    January 2, 2021 at 6:23 am

    I have read that 40% of health care workers here are declining which may be why the added 65 and up to the 1st tier. I have an appt for Jan 12.

  13. 13.

    Raven

    January 2, 2021 at 6:27 am

    ATLANTA — Georgia’s top public health official, Dr. Kathleen Toomey, explained Thursday the reason the state is moving forward with expanding access to the COVID-19 vaccine was because there are doses “literally sitting in freezers” in parts of the state, with rural healthcare workers reluctant to take them.

    The Department of Public Health commissioner said at a press conference that while there are hundreds of healthcare workers on the waiting list to get vaccinated in metro Atlanta, “in many parts of rural Georgia, both in the north and the south, there’s vaccine available and literally sitting in freezers.”

  14. 14.

    NeenerNeener

    January 2, 2021 at 6:27 am

    Monroe County, NY yesterday: the Christmas cases have begun:

    802 new cases, 9.5% positivity, 919 hospitalized, 149 in ICU

  15. 15.

    OzarkHillbilly

    January 2, 2021 at 6:29 am

    I’m looking at the numbers on the Misery dashboard and something doesn’t add up. Looking at the hospitalization numbers, the number of patients in the hospital and the number in ICU both plateaued around 11/20 and have more or less remained there ever since. But if I go to the Counties page where the deaths to date (5,540) are graphed, deaths peaked on 11/23 with 63 deaths and have since steadily dropped down to 8 deaths on 12/30.

    ????????????????????????

  16. 16.

    Steeplejack

    January 2, 2021 at 6:33 am

    @Raven:

    My brother said that a lot of D.C. firefighters (clients of his HMO) are declining the vaccine.
    ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

  17. 17.

    Chris T.

    January 2, 2021 at 6:36 am

    @JPL: There’s that old joke that ends with the guy asking why God didn’t save him, and St Peter replying: You idiot, He sent you two boats and a helicopter. Apparently we now have to update it with You idiot, He sent you a vaccine.

  18. 18.

    Raven

    January 2, 2021 at 6:37 am

    @Steeplejack: I wonder why? I’m not thrilled that they didn’t ad teachers to tier one but I’m gonna get it anyway.

  19. 19.

    OzarkHillbilly

    January 2, 2021 at 6:39 am

    @Steeplejack: It’s a disease hoax so why get taken by a vaccine hoax?

  20. 20.

    Raven

    January 2, 2021 at 6:43 am

    My friends has a BIL who is a retired nurse and he says if you go inside the hospitals are empty.

  21. 21.

    Chris T.

    January 2, 2021 at 6:44 am

    @Raven: And when was he last inside a hospital?

  22. 22.

    Amir Khalid

    January 2, 2021 at 6:51 am

    Malaysia’s daily Covid-19 numbers. Director-General of Health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah reports 2,295 new cases today, for a cumulative reported total of 117,373 cases. Dr Noor Hisham also reports nine new deaths today, for a total of 483 deaths — 0.41% of the cumulative reported total, 0.51% of resolved cases.

    22,398 active and contagious cases are currently in hospital; 125 are in ICU, 51 of them on respirators. Meanwhile, a whopping 3,321 patients recovered and were discharged, more than the new cases reported today, for a total of 94,492 patients recovered — 80.5% of the cumulative reported total.

    Nine new clusters were reported today: Harum and Dewani in Johor, Casuarina building site and Renggam in Selangor, Batu Lapan in Sabah, Jalan BBN in Negeri Sembilan, Belukar in Kelantan, Kolam Permai in Terengganu and Selangor, and Mador in Sarawak.

    2,286 new cases today are local infections. Selangor has 636 local cases: 224 in older clusters, 60 in Renggam and Casuarina building site clusters, 212 close-contact screenings, and 140 other screenings. Johor has 580 cases: 200 in older clusters, 231 in Dewani and Harum clusters, 76 close-contact screenings, and 73 other screenings. Penang has 288 cases: 82 in existing clusters, 13 close-contact screenings, and 193 other screenings. Sabah has 259 cases: 11 in older clusters, four in Renngam and Casuarina building site cluster, 212 close-contact screenings, and 140 other screenings. KL has 150 local cases: 10 in existing clusters, 69 close-contact screenings, and 71 other screenings. Negeri Sembilan has 131 cases: 70 in older clusters, 16 in Jalan BBN cluster, 32 close-contact screenings, and 13 other screenings.

    Melaka has 95 cases: 88 in existing clusters, six close-contact screenings, and one other screening. Kedah has 47 cases: 37 in existing clusters, seven close-contact screenings, and three other screenings. Pahang has 29 cases: 21 in existing clusters, seven close-contact screenings, and one other screening. Kelantan has 26 cases: 10 in older clusters, seven in Belukar cluster, six close-contact screenings, and three other screenings. Terengganu has 16 cases: three in Kolam Permai cluster, 12 close-contact screenings, and one other screening. Perak has 11 local cases: three in existing clusters, three close-contact screenings, and five other screenings. Putrajaya has 12 cases: nine close-contact screenings, and three other screenings.

    Sarawak has five cases: four in Mador cluster, and one other screening. And Labuan has one case, a close-contact screening.

    Once again, only Perlis reported no new local cases today.

    Nine new cases are imported. Six were reported in KL, two in Selangor, and one in Perak.

    The nine deaths today are a 73-year-old man in Selangor with diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, benign prosttic hyperplasia, cataracts, and glaucoma; a 67-year-old woman in KL with hypertension, cancer, and dyslipidaemia; a 41-year-old woman in KL with dabetes and obesity; an 82-year-old man in Perak with chronic obstructive airway disease, dementia, and hearing problems; a 65-year-old woman in Sabah with dibetes and hypertension; a 76-year-old man in Selangor with diabetes, hypertension, and stroke; a 66-year-old man in Selangor with tuberculosis; a 72-year-old man in Negeri Sembilan with diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidaemia; and a 72-year-old man in Kelantan with diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, chronic obstructive airway disease, and peripheral vascular disease.

  23. 23.

    Mary G

    January 2, 2021 at 6:53 am

    @OzarkHillbilly: Oh no, they were so close to the vaccine. Add me to the jackals who hope their cases are short and mild.

    Mexico isn’t the only place facing oxygen shortages:

     

    (LA Times) In L.A. County, where hospitals have gotten so backed up that patients have had to wait outside in ambulances for up to eight hours, hope for some respite finally arrived Friday: The Army Corps of Engineers was planning to send specialized crews to the region to update oxygen-delivery systems at a handful of aging hospitals.

    Days earlier, several hospitals declared internal disasters and temporarily turned away all ambulance traffic because their internal oxygen systems began to buckle beneath the high demand of air flow needed by patients whose lungs had been ravaged by the coronavirus.

  24. 24.

    Steeplejack

    January 2, 2021 at 6:57 am

    @Raven, @OzarkHillbilly:

    I could see the firefighters (as a group) being sort of police-adjacent, i.e., mostly white, right-leaning, don’t think the virus is a big deal, or don’t want to look like a wuss if they do.

  25. 25.

    raven

    January 2, 2021 at 7:06 am

    “Following the expert guidance of Dr. Toomey, the CDC, and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, Georgia will move to expand Phase 1a vaccination criteria within the next two weeks to include the elderly, law enforcement officers, firefighters and first responders – provided the state continues to receive adequate vaccine supplies,” Kemp said. “We will continue to monitor the administration efforts of our public health workers and partners in the private sector, and the supply chain of both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines to ensure eligible Georgians are vaccinated without delay.”
    More:COVID-19 cases increasing in Georgia
    “Different areas of the state are completing Phase 1a at different times based on the number of healthcare workers and LTCF residents and staff they have to vaccinate,” Toomey said. “This expansion of 1a eligible vaccination criteria will allow vaccine to be administered as quickly as possible to our most at-risk populations in terms of exposure, transmission and severity. It also gives healthcare providers and public health staff time to plan and work with local communities across the state to ensure safe and efficient deployment of limited vaccine supplies.”

  26. 26.

    Platonicspoof

    January 2, 2021 at 7:09 am

    I clicked through to the LA Times article, and I don’t think the article is done very well.

    The article cites “A recent survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 29% of healthcare workers were “vaccine hesitant,” . . . . ” without providing a link to it. I believe they are referring to a

    KFF survey here that has the 29% number in figure 4. Figure 4 actually shows healthcare workers (a month ago) to be within a percentage point of being the least “vaccine hesitant”.

    Whatever the actual number or which group, the LA T article is missing the context of whether the trend is going up or down. It looks like the KFF survey is a new one, so LA T should have said so, and then used, e.g., Pew surveys going back to May, which show confidence in vaccines increasing.

    It’s important to hear stories about the healthcare workers concerns, but I think a major newspaper could do better when so much depends on public confidence.

    Of course, it was free to me, so I got what I paid for.

  27. 27.

    mrmoshpotato

    January 2, 2021 at 7:24 am

    @OzarkHillbilly: Echoing everyone else.  Hope their cases are mild and for full and speedy recoveries.

  28. 28.

    Amir Khalid

    January 2, 2021 at 7:28 am

    Ministry of Health has tweeted that vaccinations in Malaysia begin next month. The first group to be vaccinated will be frontline healthcare workers.

  29. 29.

    Ohio Mom

    January 2, 2021 at 7:32 am

    Ozark Hillbilly:
    My county here in southwest Ohio has the same pattern. Cases and transmission rate peaking before Thanksgiving. Right now tne trandmission rate is the lowest it’s been in months, like Thanksgiving and its travel and big dinners never happened. I agree, weird.

    The numbers are from the covidactnow.org site. Every morning, first thing I check the weather, Anne Laurie’s post and covidactnow. Then I get up and have coffee and wonder why my mood is so fragile.

  30. 30.

    opiejeanne

    January 2, 2021 at 7:38 am

    @Raven: The Seattle Times had an article that said the state is incapable of tracking everyone to vaccinate them in the proper order, so they are going to send out forms to be filled out and they just hope we don’t cheat.

    We’re on the honor system for the vaccination line.

    Meanwhile, it took Evergreen Health (our medical group) nearly a week to vaccinate 3000 health care workers, and they just received another 2000 doses a couple of days ago. I really don’t understand why they took so long to use the first 3000 doses.

  31. 31.

    OzarkHillbilly

    January 2, 2021 at 7:40 am

    @Ohio Mom: I’m trying to not go all conspiracy here, but it sure looks like the numbers are being juked.

  32. 32.

    opiejeanne

    January 2, 2021 at 7:45 am

    @Steeplejack: We had two whole firehouses quarantined in February, after they answered emergency calls at the nursing home in Kirkland, WA. I would think those guys would take it seriously, but I really don’t know.

    I haven’t yet seen an article about health care workers refusing the vaccine in Washington, but maybe they’ll run that story today.

  33. 33.

    EntroPi

    January 2, 2021 at 8:18 am

    @OzarkHillbilly: my Christmas present was a text from my ex that my daughter tested positive. Luckily, asymptomatic, for all that means for long term consequences.
    Since hers was the third case over break, her high school is now requiring everyone to get tested before they’re allowed back. Luckily, RI is starting to be on the ball about testing.

  34. 34.

    Mai Naem mobile

    January 2, 2021 at 8:36 am

    We just crossed the 9000 death mark from COVID in Arizona. The death number  for the regular day reporting  has been around 150/daily. There’s a pattern to reporting where Sunday and Saturday are low and Tuesday is high because of the lag from Sat and Sun. Anyhow, to keep it in perspective, Arizona has a regular annual death rate of around 50,000.

  35. 35.

    Emma from FL

    January 2, 2021 at 11:03 am

    @OzarkHillbilly: Jesus Christ. I am so sorry. What a way for your family to start a new year. Positive thoughts and prayers being sent in your direction.

  36. 36.

    WaterGirl

    January 2, 2021 at 11:12 am

    @Raven: I think that health care providers should be required to publicly post the vaccination status of the entire staff.  I think we have a right to know whether everyone has been vaccinated or not.

    I would find a different dentist if he and everyone on staff were not vaccinated.

  37. 37.

    Lyrebird

    January 2, 2021 at 11:16 am

    @OzarkHillbilly: oh, goodness, may their situation stay mild!

  38. 38.

    WaterGirl

    January 2, 2021 at 11:17 am

    @OzarkHillbilly:  That’s rough, especially with the vaccine right around the corner.  Hoping for the mildest of cases and no lingering after effects.

  39. 39.

    eachother

    January 2, 2021 at 12:50 pm

    Wishing everyone here good health and please be careful. A quick and full recovery if you have illness.
    I got Covid in January last. It was weird in its entirety. I had Covid toe which there was then no knowledge about. Plus other shit that made me doubt my ability to care for myself. It was thought to be respiratory then. Mine was cardio-vascular. Skin and blood vessels. Way deformed a toe. Now a peace sign looking V on appropriately, my radical left foot.

  40. 40.

    J R in WV

    January 2, 2021 at 1:04 pm

    @Raven:

    My friends has a BIL who is a retired nurse and he says if you go inside the hospitals are empty.

    Our family doc’s office suite is in the office tower next to one of the two major hospitals in town. People are not allowed into the hospital proper at all, and must have an appointment with a doctor to enter the office tower. They call the doctor’s office to verify your appointment.

    So retired nurse BIL can’t know that. Not really. Our family doc has lost 9 patients as of our last appointment with him to Covid. Is looking pretty grim himself.

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