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You are here: Home / Healthcare / COVID-19 Coronavirus / COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Saturday/Sunday, Feb. 6-7

COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Saturday/Sunday, Feb. 6-7

by Anne Laurie|  February 7, 20215:27 am| 44 Comments

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

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Super spreader Sunday? Experts worry Super Bowl could trigger coronavirus explosion https://t.co/GNYzKSufXt

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) February 5, 2021


9.5% of the US population has received at least one COVID-19 vaccine shot, while 2.7% are now fully vaccinated with two shots.

— Patrick Chovanec (@prchovanec) February 7, 2021

The US had +105,983 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 today, bringing the total to over 27.5 million. The 7-day moving average declined to below 120,000 new cases per day, its lowest level since November 9. pic.twitter.com/6dkZli9Wbx

— Patrick Chovanec (@prchovanec) February 7, 2021

Wondering why the #Covid19 vaccine rollout has been as bumpy as it's been? Read this @KatherineEban piece.
Vaccine doses don't magically become vaccinations. People tried to tell the previous administration that. Key players would not listen. https://t.co/0LxC61KhAf

— Helen Branswell (@HelenBranswell) February 6, 2021

“Our whole testing approach, which has failed, has tried to tackle this pandemic as though it’s a bunch of little medical problems,” says @michaelmina_lab. Calls grow to refocus COVID testing on mass public health screening to save lives. https://t.co/gbFgoA5m62

— The Associated Press (@AP) February 6, 2021

======

A year after his death from COVID-19, residents in the Chinese city of Wuhan say they remain grateful to the "whistleblower" doctor who first sounded the alarm about the outbreak before it received official recognition.​ https://t.co/Hw8PBkmAjB

— Reuters Health (@Reuters_Health) February 6, 2021

"Dr Li, history and the people will never forget you!"

Tributes paid on social media in China to the doctor who raised the alarm about the country's coronavirus outbreak, one year after he died with Covid-19https://t.co/pHKHP6w9dW

— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) February 6, 2021

Thailand reports 237 new coronavirus cases https://t.co/9hIwpQg3im pic.twitter.com/Cc5N8BE89M

— Reuters (@Reuters) February 7, 2021

Malaysians get a taste for drive-in dining: This restaurant is serving meals in a customized tray that fits between the driver’s seat and steering wheel https://t.co/DUr4zbjINk pic.twitter.com/5DJIKj5LzY

— Reuters (@Reuters) February 6, 2021

First doses of COVID-19 vaccine arrive in Afghanistan from India https://t.co/NjbkGGJYVv pic.twitter.com/cO3Dyag7Y7

— Reuters (@Reuters) February 7, 2021

Britain is racing ahead of the European Union on vaccinations because it has taken more gambles: signing contracts early, approving vaccines fast and delaying the second shot to protect more people. https://t.co/wxsWdBffJH

— AP Europe (@AP_Europe) February 7, 2021

Covid PPE: How healthcare workers came to feel 'expendable' https://t.co/qyp1LRdK3b

— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) February 6, 2021

Over 3.6 million confirmed #COVID19 cases on the African continent – with more than 3.1 million recoveries & 94,000 deaths cumulatively.

View country figures & more with the WHO African Region COVID-19 Dashboard: https://t.co/FKav40Cbdd pic.twitter.com/nb4b78mzlY

— WHO African Region (@WHOAFRO) February 6, 2021

Australia reports no new local coronavirus cases ahead of Australian Open https://t.co/jJXtkEF1lR pic.twitter.com/AAA1XiNL8W

— Reuters (@Reuters) February 7, 2021

The #COVID19 epidemic in Manaus region of #Brazil is "a humanitarian crisis" of catastrophic proportions, says @PauloLotufo and many Brazilians responding to this tweet. Pay heed: This is a unique, powerful viral variant at work. And yes, the P1 variant has emerged in USA. https://t.co/QXar8B7wPV

— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) February 6, 2021

Some poorer countries are getting tired of waiting to get vaccines through a United Nations program, so they are striking out on their own. Countries including Honduras, Serbia and Mexico have cut their own private deals. https://t.co/6xZ3x6OF2u

— The Associated Press (@AP) February 6, 2021

Russia’s once-scorned vaccine is now a favorite in the pandemic fight. It's a low-cost inoculation w/ a high efficacy rate & is being purchased by many countries around the world https://t.co/3eDM9omEuD

— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) February 6, 2021

How likely is it that Moscow's jab will be going into arms across the 27-nation bloc after trial results showed it to be 91.6% effective? https://t.co/PvBURXuMJs

— The Moscow Times (@MoscowTimes) February 7, 2021

======

What kind of vaccine is Johnson&Johnson's? It's an adenovirus vector vax. A "replication-incompetent" common cold adenovirus, Ad26, carries a coronavirus spike protein. Among COVID vaxes, it's closest to Sputnik V which uses 2 different vectors, Ad26 & Ad5 https://t.co/U8w7YtSnXe

— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) February 7, 2021

None of the #COVID19 #vaccines tested against the mutant strain in So Africa are performing well. Here, @AstraZeneca vax:
"In both the human trials & tests on the blood of those vacc'ed the jab showed signif reduced efficacy against the 501Y.V2 variant"https://t.co/NLA7F5sIOp

— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) February 7, 2021

A small number of people who've had Covid end up with a scrambled sense of smell and taste

Here's what they miss mosthttps://t.co/Onka4cS985

— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) February 6, 2021

RT @JohnsHopkinsSPH: "While improving data systems in public health is not as flashy as vaccines or therapeutics, it’s past time to bring outbreak analytics into the 21st century," write @CMYeaton and @DylanBGeorge. https://t.co/PXompbvHJg

— Global Health Observ (@GlobalPHObserv) February 6, 2021

Some international travel requires proof of yellow fever vaccination. Measles vaccines are necessary for school admission. Vaccine certificates already exist—and can work for Covid if we ensure privacy and equity and make them strictly voluntary & secure. https://t.co/5CuM93L43n

— Dr. Tom Frieden (@DrTomFrieden) February 6, 2021

ICYMI: The Wingcopter drone distributes vaccines by air. The German start-up has had run trials in Africa, the South Pacific and Southeast Asia, and aims to scale up operations to deliver vaccines to millions of people https://t.co/FRYNZwqZnG pic.twitter.com/ez3dpv0pQY

— Reuters (@Reuters) February 7, 2021

======

If you're watching @SuperBowl tomorrow, spare a thought for Tampa's Mayor Jane Castor, struggling to get her city of 400,000 to wear #COVID19 masks. Amid wild support for @Buccaneers epidemic control post-game — especially if they win — will be tough.https://t.co/fbhYqCGSNl

— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) February 6, 2021

Discounts, tax breaks and bonuses: How governments and employers are incentivizing coronavirus vaccination https://t.co/5v08rJ8T5U

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) February 6, 2021

Good piece by ⁦@CarolineYLChen⁩ — we are back here again. States like my own MA are liberalizing indoor dining capacity when we are finally starting to see a decline in cases. We need to wait until we have vaccinated far more people to do this safely https://t.co/ICNsxqO4Ht

— Abraar Karan (@AbraarKaran) February 7, 2021

A ‘win’ for the Talibangelicals’ SCOTUS picks…

The Supreme Court tells California that it can't bar indoor church services because of the coronavirus pandemic, but it can keep for now a ban on singing and chanting indoors. https://t.co/AoqVPeD3Lj

— AP Politics (@AP_Politics) February 6, 2021

(Mardi Gras is February 16th, this year)

Mardi Gras parades got canceled by Covid-19. So people in New Orleans turned their houses into floats. Some 3,000 homes across New Orleans and its suburbs — even some as far away as Luxembourg — are dolled up for the inaugural Krewe of House Floats.https://t.co/KHFpAhjjNe pic.twitter.com/SZCn4IRmGd

— CNN International (@cnni) February 6, 2021

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Reader Interactions

44Comments

  1. 1.

    OzarkHillbilly

    February 7, 2021 at 5:53 am

    Blech.

  2. 2.

    brantl

    February 7, 2021 at 6:06 am

    It seems that California is promoting idealism over common sense.

  3. 3.

    YY_Sima Qian

    February 7, 2021 at 6:30 am

    On 2/6 China reported 1 new domestic confirmed, 2 new domestic asymptomatic case.

    Hebei Province:

    Hebei Provincial Health Commission report 1 new domestic asymptomatic case. There are currently 192 domestic confirmed cases (1 serious, 155 moderate and 36 mild) & 11 domestic asymptomatic cases in the province:

    • Xingtai did not report any new domestic positive case. There are currently 23 domestic confirmed cases in the city. Nangong District remains at Medium Risk.
    • Langfang did not report any new domestic positive cases. There are 1 domestic confirmed & 1 domestic asymptomatic cases there.
    • Dingzhou in Baoding did not report any new domestic positive cases. There is 1 domestic confirmed case there. 1 residential compound remains at Medium Risk.
    • Shijiazhuang reported 1 new domestic asymptomatic case, no information released. Currently, there are 168 confirmed cases & 10 asymptomatic cases. There is 1 village & 1 district still at Medium Risk in the city. Gaocheng District remain at High Risk.

     

    Heilongjiang Province

    Heilongjiang Province did not report any new domestic positive cases. 29 domestic confirmed cases recovered & 52 domestic asymptomatic cases were released from isolation. There are currently 387 domestic confirmed (273 moderate and 114 mild) & 371 domestic asymptomatic cases in the province.:

    • Suihua did not report any new domestic positive cases. 26 confirmed cases recovered & 25 domestic asymptomatic cases were released from isolation. There are currently 255 domestic confirmed & 232 domestic asymptomatic cases there. 7 residential compounds were re-designated as Low Risk. 4 residential compounds, 2 residential buildings & 6 villages are at Medium Risk. The entire Wangkui County, as well as 2 villages at Hailun, remain at High Risk.
    • Harbin did not report any new domestic positive cases. 2 domestic confirmed case recovered & 6 domestic asymptomatic cases were released from isolation. There are currently 131 domestic confirmed & 139 asymptomatic cases there. Currently there are 4 sub-districts at High Risk. 17 sub-districts, 3 townships & 1 village remain at Medium Risk.
    • Qiqihar did not report any new domestic positive cases. 20 asymptomatic case was released from isolation. There is 1 domestic confirmed case there. 1 village remains at Medium Risk.
    • Yichun did not report any new domestic positive cases. The last domestic asymptomatic case was released from isolation.
    • Daqing did not report any new domestic positive cases. The last domestic confirmed case recovered.

     

    Jilin Province 

    Jilin Province reported 1 new domestic confirmed (previously asymptomatic) & 1 new domestic asymptomatic cases. 20 domestic confirmed cases recovered. There are currently 247 domestic confirmed (5 critical, 12 serious, 174 moderate and 56 mild) & 5 domestic asymptomatic cases:

    • Songyuan did not report any new domestic confirmed cases. There are 4 domestic confirmed cases there.
    • Tonghua reported 1 new domestic confirmed (previously asymptomatic) & 1 new domestic asymptomatic cases. The asymptomatic case was found via mass screening but already under home quarantine. 17 domestic confirmed cases recovered. There are currently 152 domestic confirmed & 2 domestic asymptomatic cases in the city. The entire Dongchang District remains at High Risk.
    • Changchun did not report any new domestic positive cases. 3 domestic confirmed cases recovered. There are currently 91 domestic confirmed & 3 domestic asymptomatic cases in the city. 1 township remains at Medium Risk.

     

    Imported Cases:

    On 2/6 China reported 10 new imported confirmed cases, 11 imported asymptomatic cases, 2 imported suspect case:

    • Shanghai Municipality – 3 confirmed cases, 2 Chinese nationals returning from Ethiopia and 1 from India (via Germany); 2 suspect cases, no information released
    • Beijing Municipality – 2 confirmed cases, both returning from Papua New Guinea (via Hong Kong); 1 asymptomatic case, no information released
    • Taizhou in Jiangsu Province – 2 confirmed cases, both Chinese nationals returning from Indonesia, off flight that landed at Shanghai
    • Jiangsu Province (location no specified) – 1 asymptomatic case, no information released
    • Foshan in Guangdong Province – 1 confirmed case, a Chinese national returning from Iraq (via Tehran); 1 asymptomatic case, a Chinese national returning from Algeria
    • Guangzhou in Guangdong Province – 1 confirmed case, a Chinese national returning from Japan
    • Shenzhen in Guangdong Province – 4 asymptomatic case, 3 Chinese nationals returning from Russia and 1 from the DRC (Congo Kinshasa)
    • Zhaoqing in Guangdong Province – 1 asymptomatic case, a Chinese national returning from Bangladesh, off a flight that landed at Guangzhou
    • Changsha in Hunan Province – 1 confirmed case (previously asymptomatic), no information released
    • Fuzhou in Fujian Province – 1 asymptomatic case, a Chinese national returning from Japan
    • Quzhou in Zhejiang Province – 1 asymptomatic case, a Chinese national returning from the Netherlands; the case arrived at Hangzhou on 1/22, passed through 14 days of centralized quarantine and tested negative on RT-PCR multiple times, upon release from quarantine on 2/5 was driven by private car into centralized quarantine at Quzhou, where he tested positive on RT-PCR and IgG antibodies, but negative for IgM antibodies (so probably a recovered case shedding dead viral particles)
    • Xi’an in Shaanxi Province – 1 asymptomatic case, a Chinese national returning from the UAE, off a flight diverted from Beijing.

     

    Overall in China, 70 confirmed cases recovered, 62 asymptomatic cases were released from isolation and 2 were reclassified as confirmed cases, and 2,596 individuals were released from quarantine. Currently, there are 1,176 active confirmed cases in the country (283 imported), 25 are in critical/serious condition (6 imported), 682 asymptomatic cases (284 imported), 2 suspect cases (all imported). 30,212 traced contacts are currently under centralized quarantine.

    On 2/7 Hong Kong reported 27 new cases, 3 imported (all from Indonesia) and 24 domestic (6 of whom do not have sources of infection identified). There are another 20+ cases preliminarily positive, awaiting retesting for confirmation.

  4. 4.

    NeenerNeener

    February 7, 2021 at 6:41 am

    Monroe County, NY yesterday:

    219 new cases, 2.8% positivity
    448 people in the hospital
    113 people in the ICU

    37% available regular beds, 29% available ICU beds

    Now at 1024 reported deaths.

  5. 5.

    mrmoshpotato

    February 7, 2021 at 6:46 am

    The Supreme Court tells California that it can’t bar indoor church services because of the coronavirus pandemic, but it can keep for now a ban on singing and chanting indoors.

    Oh goody.  Most likely causing more unnecessary death. ?

  6. 6.

    germy

    February 7, 2021 at 6:47 am

    "Russian news outlets connected to election disinformation campaigns in the United States have set their sights on a new target: convincing Spanish-speaking countries that the Russian coronavirus vaccine works better than its American competitors…" https://t.co/xZ8CfwsxWB

    — Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) February 5, 2021

  7. 7.

    Geo Wilcox

    February 7, 2021 at 6:52 am

    That insane Iowa governor pulled all the things that stop the spread so the state can have unlimited super bowl parties at bars and restaurants with no maximum occupancy. All for a little bit of sales tax money. F*cking idiot.

  8. 8.

    germy

    February 7, 2021 at 6:53 am

    Is this true?

    Some good news: #COVID19 vaccine doses administered in the US outnumbered new cases of the virus 10-to-1 this week.— Ana Cabrera (@AnaCabrera) February 5, 2021

  9. 9.

    germy

    February 7, 2021 at 6:57 am

    Nate Silver is anxious to bypass safety regulations, and someone made a good point about his own job performance:

    Brutal pic.twitter.com/Uhb0pWwBu2— Marshall Steinbaum ? (@Econ_Marshall) February 6, 2021

  10. 10.

    Amir Khalid

    February 7, 2021 at 7:00 am

    Malaysia’s daily Covid-19 numbers. Director-General of Health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah reports 3,731 new cases today in his media statement, for a cumulative reported total of 242,452 cases. He also reports 15 new deaths today, for a cumulative total of 872 deaths — 0.36% of the cumulative reported total, 0.46% of resolved cases.

    There are currently 51,281 active and contagious cases; 292 are in ICU, 140 of them intubated. Meanwhile, 3,269 patients recovered and were discharged, for a cumulative total of 190,339 patients recovered — 78.5% of the cumulative reported total.

    Seven new clusters were reported today: Lembah Selatan building site, Jalan Bagan, and Ampang Campuran in Selangor; Jalan Gangsa Dua in Johor; Seruas in Sarawak; and Taman Segar and Lorong Mawar in Perak.

    Ampang Campuran is a high-risk group cluster. Seruas and Taman Segar are community clusters. Lorong Mawar is a religious cluster. The remaining three are workplace clusters.

    3,723 new cases today are local infections. Selangor reports 1,606 cases: 317 in older clusters; 103 in Lembah Selatan building site, Jalan Bagan, and Ampang Campuran clusters; 605 close-contact screenings; and 581 other screenings. Johor reports 497 local cases: 109 in older clusters, 30 in Jalan Gangsa Dua cluster, 87 close-contact screenings, and 271 other screenings. KL reports 366 local cases: 48 in existing clusters, 168 close-contact screenings, and 150 other screenings. Melaka reports 313 cases: 264 in existing clusters, 26 close-contact screenings, and 23 other screenings. Penang reports 250 cases: 197 in existing clusters, seven close-contact screenings, and 46 other screenings. Sarawak reports 219 cases: 78 in older clusters, 34 in Seruas cluster, 48 close-contact screenings, and 59 other screenings.

    Sabah reports 160 cases: 16 in existing clusters, 97 close-contact screenings, and 47 other screenings. Negeri Sembilan reports 92 cases: 73 in existing clusters, 18 close-contact screenings, and one other screening. Perak reports 71 cases: 29 in older clusters, five in Taman Segar and lorong Mawar clusters, 18 close-contact screenings, and 19 other screenings. Kedah reports 43 cases: 15 in existing clusters, nine close-contact screenings, and 19 other screenings. Pahang reports 34 cases: 30 in existing clusters, three close-contact screenings, and one other screening. Kelantan reports 32 cases: one in an existing cluster, 23 close-contact screenings, and eight other screenings.
    Terenggabu reports 29 cases: nine in existing clusters, 16 close-contact screenings, and four other screenings. Putrajaya reports nine cases: six close-contact screenings, and three other screenings. And Perlis reports two cases, both found in other screenings.

    Labuan reports no new cases today.

    Eight new cases are imported: six in KL, two in Johor.

    The 15 deaths reported today are a 74-year-old woman in Sarawak with diabetes, hypertension, and stroke; an 18-year-old girl in Selangor, DOA with asthma; a 67-year-old man in Sabah with chronic kidney disease; a 65-year-old man in Penang with diabetes and hypertension; a 65-year-old woman in Kedah with diabetes, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease; a 62-year-old man in KL, DOA with diabetes, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease; a 93-year-old man in Sarawak with hypertension and chronic obstructive airway disease; an 80-year-old woman in Sabah with stroke and dyslipidaemia; a 77-year-old man in Selangor with diabetes, hypertension, stroke, heart disease, andf chronic kidney disease; a 94-year-old woman in Selangor with no co-morbidities listed; an 88-year-old man in Selangor with chronic kidney disease, hypertension, and adrenal insufficiency; a 37-year-old woman in Sabah, DOA with chronic kidney disease; a 64-year-old man in KL with diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, gout, and chronic kidney disease; a 62-year-old woman in KL with diabetes, adthma, heaert disease, dyslipidaemia, obesity, and empty sella syndrome; and a 93-year-old man in Johor with hypertension and heart disease.

  11. 11.

    mrmoshpotato

    February 7, 2021 at 7:10 am

    @germy: Damn.  Burn.

  12. 12.

    rikyrah

    February 7, 2021 at 7:16 am

    @mrmoshpotato:

    Decision made virtually.

    Make sense of that bullshyt?

  13. 13.

    rikyrah

    February 7, 2021 at 7:17 am

    @Geo Wilcox:

    Absolutely crazy?

  14. 14.

    Steeplejack

    February 7, 2021 at 7:28 am

    @rikyrah:

    Legal Twitter was having a bit of an issue with this yesterday.

    While most of us were sleeping:

    The Supreme Court again played fast and loose with its own rules and past precedent to make new law in favor of churches in the midst of a pandemic.

    Independent of merits, that all of this is happening under the cover of night is a real scandal.
    https://t.co/CFCsStZHUT

    — Cristian Farias (@cristianafarias) February 6, 2021

    Last night’s #SCOTUS ruling re CA’s indoor worship ban is emblematic of much that’s wrong with the “shadow docket”:

    No opinion for the Court;
    No application of factors for injunction;
    Handed down with no notice Friday at 10:44 pm (6 days after briefing finished);
    Unclear impact.

    — Steve Vladeck (@steve_vladeck) February 6, 2021

    Folks are going to disagree about the merits of the ruling (inscrutable though they may be); but at some point, we really do need to have a conversation about whether, merits aside, it’s healthy for the Court as an institution that so many major rulings are coming down this way.

    — Steve Vladeck (@steve_vladeck) February 6, 2021

    Kagan:

    “I fervently hope that the Court’s intervention will not worsen the Nation’s COVID crisis. But if this decision causes suffering, we will not pay. Our marble halls are now closed to the public, and our life tenure forever insulates us from responsibility for our errors.”

    — Mark Joseph Stern (@mjs_DC) February 6, 2021

  15. 15.

    Amir Khalid

    February 7, 2021 at 7:33 am

    I don’t think drive-in dining works all that well here. Our food isn’t very suitable for eating in a car. That’s only the second ever drive-in restaurant in Malaysia. The first (and before now, only) is the venerable A&W in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, which offers American fast food that is easier to eat in a car, because you don’t need a plate. And even that A&W drive-in has mostly dine-in customers.

  16. 16.

    Amir Khalid

    February 7, 2021 at 7:44 am

    @Steeplejack: ​
     The Supreme Court’s ruling is so wrong-headed. The prohibition of services in houses of worship is a necessary public-health measure, not an attack on freedom of religion. Treating it as the latter needlessly hinders the fight against Covid-19.

  17. 17.

    Platonicspoof

    February 7, 2021 at 7:44 am

    I wasn’t able to access the NYT article at Anne Laurie’s 23rd blockquote (Tom Frieden), but Europol recently warned “Several cases have already emerged of fraudulent COVID-19 test certificates being sold to travellers : . . . “.

    Given the widespread technological means available, in the form of high-quality printers and different software, fraudsters are able to produce high-quality counterfeit, forged or fake documents.

     

    .

  18. 18.

    Amir Khalid

    February 7, 2021 at 7:49 am

    @Amir Khalid: ​
      Terenggabu should be Terengganu.

  19. 19.

    Amir Khalid

    February 7, 2021 at 7:56 am

    @Platonicspoof: ​
     I don’t see the point in vaccination certs anyway. Vaccinated people are safer from the disease’s worst effects, true; but my understanding is that they can still be contagious if they’re carrying the virus on them. So they should probably continue taking the same precautions as the unvaccinated: masks, personal hygiene, social distancing.

  20. 20.

    Steeplejack

    February 7, 2021 at 8:03 am

    @Amir Khalid:

    One comment:

    The problem is a court packed with rightwing Christian zealots intent on carving out special privileges for religious sects to discriminate against and endanger others.

    — Francis P Detweiler (@detweiler_p) February 6, 2021

  21. 21.

    raven

    February 7, 2021 at 8:17 am

    Come on football haters, crank it up.

     

    Also, this is bullshit “that all of this is happening under the cover of night is a real scandal.?

  22. 22.

    Dan B

    February 7, 2021 at 8:19 am

    @Amir Khalid: The three originalists on the court would have prevented California from any regulation on religious institutions, ie. Christian.  They have expressed interest in invalidating precedent like Brown vs. Board of Education.  I don’t know how that is resolved with the Civil Rights Act but Thomas, Scalia, and Gorsuch decision would have ruled 100% against California limiting religious services to slow Covid-19.

    This ruling is a preview of what is to come for reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights, and much more.  Expanding the courts is crucial.  Hopefully Sinema can be freed from her cocoon.  Otherwise she faces years of scorn.

  23. 23.

    Amir Khalid

    February 7, 2021 at 8:21 am

    @Steeplejack: ​
     Here in Malaysia, where Islam is the state religion, they closed all the houses of worship, including all the mosques, during lockdown. And with the reimposition of lockdown, the mosques have been closed again. Preservation of life takes priority over observance.

  24. 24.

    Platonicspoof

    February 7, 2021 at 8:23 am

    @Amir Khalid:

    Certainly true for the vaccinated but possibly contagious, but here in the Looney Tunes of America, the Never Vaxxers with false documents for flying internationally, e.g., will be much more likely to be contagious.

    Hope you are able to get your shot soon!

  25. 25.

    Dan B

    February 7, 2021 at 8:27 am

    @Amir Khalid: Where would all the ruthless and completely heartless barons of commerce go on Sunday to display their godliness and devotion to charity?

    Used to be a joke in the US that the fat cats attended church to be seen.

  26. 26.

    Dan B

    February 7, 2021 at 8:29 am

    @Platonicspoof: It’s only four weeks till I get my first Fauci Ouchie (if I live that long…).

  27. 27.

    Soprano2

    February 7, 2021 at 8:32 am

    I’ll say it again,  the lack of help for state and local governments is a lot of what’s driving the reopenings. That,  and the lack of monetary help for businesses to stay closed. It’s not all about being an asshole Republican.  How are governments supposed to function with much-reduced tax revenue? How are businesses supposed to pay the bills that still come due if they’re closed for 6 months? I totally understand the health issues involved, but closing almost everything with no help for businesses or governments was never going to happen. The PPP loan program is only good for businesses that stay open.

  28. 28.

    Amir Khalid

    February 7, 2021 at 8:45 am

    @Platonicspoof: ​
     From what’s been announced, my high-risk cohort should be looking at getting the Ouchie in May or thereabouts.

  29. 29.

    HinTN

    February 7, 2021 at 8:50 am

    Hey @raven: Thanks to you I’m reading Company Aytch. As to the sports ball thingy, I’m happy for long suffering Tampa Bay,  I’m looking at you Betty C, but I’m pulling for the Chiefs.

  30. 30.

    HinTN

    February 7, 2021 at 8:51 am

    @Amir Khalid:

    Preservation of life takes priority over observance.

    And rightly so.

  31. 31.

    Amir Khalid

    February 7, 2021 at 8:56 am

    @Dan B: ​
     Didn’t Jesus say that it’s far better to pray in secret, where only God sees it, than to make a public show of your prayers?

  32. 32.

    raven

    February 7, 2021 at 8:57 am

    @HinTN: Oh cool, my ancestor, Jason Figg, was with the 11th Tennessee and Sam was in the 1st so it gives me a better idea of what he experienced. Jason was killed at the Battle of Atlanta just after the horrific “Dead Angle” battle at Cheathem’s Hill. I always thought of myself as a Yankee so it was enlightening to find I had roots on both sides.

  33. 33.

    stinger

    February 7, 2021 at 9:04 am

    Again, THANK YOU, ANNE LAURIE.

  34. 34.

    Punchy

    February 7, 2021 at 9:55 am

    How would one know if FL was having a superspreader event, or simply having a typical, everyday FL spreading event?  Isnt every day’s spread in FL super?

  35. 35.

    Ohio Mom

    February 7, 2021 at 10:08 am

    Individual congregations that are affiliated with liberal religions — mainline Protestant, Reform and Conservative Judaism, etc. — will keep observing Covid restrictions no matter what the Court allows.

    They will follow the science and stick to Zooming and other remote methods. They are being will be weakened: participation and contributions are down.

    Many congregations will not survive, and that will be a loss because they generally promote progressive values and causes They are usually careful not to involve themselves with partisan politics because that is against the law for nonprofits.

    Meanwhile, right-wing fundamentalist congregations will continue going as whole hog as they can, and that is a net negative for us all because they promote the worse sort of politics and politicians — they are known for ignoring the prohibition on participating in partisan politics.

    Nothing to be done about this, sadly. It is an established trend that is being supercharged by Covid, and now being helped along by the troglodytes on the Court.

  36. 36.

    Barbara

    February 7, 2021 at 10:12 am

    Everyone should read the Eban piece in Vanity Fair. It underscores the photo finish in the contest between incompetence and malice that lay at the heart of Trump’s pandemic response. Also, note Mango’s characterization of Biden’s approach as authoritarian. In addition to being projection all the way down, someone needs to learn that “authoritarian” is not the opposite of “chaos” or even “random.” Here’s hoping Alex Azar’s reputation never recovers.

  37. 37.

    Sloane Ranger

    February 7, 2021 at 10:48 am

    Yesterday in the UK we had 18,262 new cases. This is a reduction of around 900 from the previous day and a decrease of 25.1% in the rolling 7-day average. Caution must be used, however with this and subsequent figures due to weekend admin. delays. New cases by nation,

    England -16,302 (down @1000)

    Northern Ireland – 390 (down @100)

    Scotland – 895 (same as previous day)

    Wales – 675 (up @270).

    Deaths – There were 828 new deaths within 28 days of a positive test yesterday. This is a decrease of 20.9% in the rolling 7-day average. New deaths by home nation, England – 724, Northern Ireland – 7, Scotland – 48 and Wales – 49.

    Testing – Not updated.

    Hospitalisations – There were 29,326 people in hospital on Thursday, 4th February and 3505 on ventilators on Friday, 5th. The rolling 7-day average for hospital admissions was down by 20.1% as of 2nd February.

    Vaccinations – As of 5th February, 11,465,210 people had received their 1st shot of a vaccine and 510,057 had received their 2nd shot.

    General – A government spokesperson has come out against the idea of vaccine passports but has said that if another country demanded evidence of vaccination, an individual could get that from their GP. What is not clear from this statement is a) would another country accept a doctor’s note, given they can be easily forged?, b) would individuals be charged by their doctor for such a note and, if so, how much?

  38. 38.

    lowtechcyclist

    February 7, 2021 at 12:00 pm

    @germy:

    Is this true?

    Yes, amazingly enough.
    New cases: daily 7-day rolling average is 119,000, per Worldometer.  And in AL’s post, you can see that the 7-day average for vaccinations is 1.43M per day.  So vaccinations are outnumbering new cases by about 12 to 1 actually.
    1.43M/day = 10M/week, so at that rate, we’d need 66 weeks to give every one of 330M Americans their two shots.  So we still need to seriously pick up the pace, but I think we can trust the Biden Administration to make that happen.  Also, once the J&J vaccine, which requires only one shot, comes online, that should speed things up further.
    The kid starts high school in the fall.  While he’s doing surprisingly well with online classes this year, it would be nice if things were back to normal by then, or at least close enough to normal to open the schools here.  I think it’s possible.​
     

    Nate Silver is anxious to bypass safety regulations, and someone made a good point about his own job performance:

    I saw that yesterday. Sweet.

  39. 39.

    lowtechcyclist

    February 7, 2021 at 12:14 pm

    @raven: ​
     

    Come on football haters, crank it up.

    OK, I’ll come through for you. Watching a sport that causes horrible and irreversible brain damage to a nontrivial number of players is morally in the same ballpark as watching gladiators fight to the death in the Roman coliseum two millennia ago.

    Also, this is bullshit “that all of this is happening under the cover of night is a real scandal.?

    When it’s not exactly an emergency ruling, I’d say so. While the ruling itself may be the deeper scandal, trying to slide this by via issuing a decision in the middle of the night on a weekend, rather than at 10am on a weekday morning, is being just plain sneaky. This wasn’t a death-row appeal with the execution scheduled for midnight. It could have waited.

  40. 40.

    J R in WV

    February 7, 2021 at 1:23 pm

    deleted

  41. 41.

    tokyokie

    February 7, 2021 at 1:52 pm

    When I first got a passport back in 1971, I also got a card that showed my vaccinations (and, I guess, what childhood diseases I’d had, because I didn’t have blood work performed to determine titer levels) and I carried that card in my passport. But after that one expired and I got a new one in the mid-1980s, I no longer needed the card, although I got the series of yellow fever shots because I was contemplating taking a job in Hong Kong. (The vaccination record wasn’t needed to travel to faraway places, it was needed to be able to return to the United States.) So this is nothing new, and I was wondering why it wasn’t being reinstitute.

  42. 42.

    JustRuss

    February 7, 2021 at 2:03 pm

    I’m getting so damn tired of religious freedom being used as an excuse to do whatever you damn well want (hi Hobby Lobby!).  Carving out religious exceptions for public health policies is ridiculous.

  43. 43.

    JaneE

    February 7, 2021 at 2:27 pm

    When I first went overseas in the 60’s, you had to have vaccinations. Which ones depended on where you were travelling, and the USA required some for re-entry after your trip, others were required by the countries you would visit, and some where required for both entry into another country and re-entry into the USA. You got a little card or folder, depending on how many vaccinations you needed and that went with your passport. The customs agents did check the dates, as some vaccinations were only good for travel for a period of years. It was just part of what you did to enter foreign countries and get back into this one.

  44. 44.

    J R in WV

    February 7, 2021 at 3:04 pm

    @JaneE:

    When I was pressed into the US Navy (enlisted at the point of a draft board) I would up getting dozens of vaccinations in boot camp. Multiple times.

    Wish I knew what all they were injecting in 1970 boot camp. Imagine if I had told the Chief I didn’t believe in vaccines!?!?!! He would have exploded.

     

    ETA:   But allowing church ministers with degrees in Southern Baptist Theocratic Religion to make decisions about health care in a pandemic is so crazy I think judges voting in favor of that should be impeached for being stupid AND crazy.

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