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You are here: Home / Healthcare / COVID-19 / COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Monday / Tuesday, May 17-18

COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Monday / Tuesday, May 17-18

by Anne Laurie|  May 18, 20216:48 am| 34 Comments

This post is in: COVID-19, Foreign Affairs

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Go to a cemetery. See all the baby graves there from before the 1950s & 1960s? Then, hardly any. That's when people started vaccinating their kids. If you are unsure, the answer is, literally, written in stone.

— mohamad safa (@mhdksafa) May 16, 2021


59.8% of all American adults have received at least one vaccine shot; 47.4% are now fully vaccinated.

84.6% of Americans age 65 or older have received at least one shot; 72.8% are now fully vaccinated. pic.twitter.com/REH5lqFSgV

— Patrick Chovanec (@prchovanec) May 18, 2021

Is the U.S. doing enough to fight the global pandemic? Many experts and business leaders say no https://t.co/ObkzmR0Fur

— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) May 17, 2021

The US had +25,030 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 today, with the total rising further above 33.7 million. The 7-day moving average, on a revised basis, declined to just over 32,000 new cases per day. pic.twitter.com/tEXA5MgGzw

— Patrick Chovanec (@prchovanec) May 18, 2021

The head of the CDC, facing blowback over the agency’s new liberalized mask guidelines, offered a stark reassurance on Sunday: Only unvaccinated people are at risk if they take off their masks. https://t.co/9fJ91bUjPj

— The New York Times (@nytimes) May 16, 2021

======

I welcome @POTUS & ??'s commitment to donate 80M #COVID19 vaccine doses to countries in need. Your commitment to global health is deeply appreciated! #COVAX partners stand ready to support equitable distribution. Solidarity is the only way to save lives & livelihoods everywhere. https://t.co/vep8m7aR51

— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) May 17, 2021

EXCLUSIVE India unlikely to resume sizable COVID-19 vaccine exports until October -sources https://t.co/YoPzLtrmiI pic.twitter.com/CcckqTdkju

— Reuters (@Reuters) May 18, 2021

India’s total virus cases have surpassed 25 million as the country saw more than 260,000 new cases and a record 4,329 fatalities in the last 24 hours. While cases have been falling for the first time in weeks, deaths are rising and hospitals are swamped. https://t.co/W1TRlTN4W9

— The Associated Press (@AP) May 18, 2021

India's COVID tally passes 25 mln; cyclone complicates efforts in Modi's state https://t.co/saexvwSrPD pic.twitter.com/jpLgatkeEV

— Reuters (@Reuters) May 18, 2021

“India’s vaccine program is being hobbled by supply shortages and an abrupt shift in procurement policy that appears to be without parallel,” per WaPo. India “displayed little urgency about buying large amounts of vaccines in advance, unlike governments in the US and Europe.” https://t.co/hthALLTNXK

— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) May 17, 2021

A desperate India is falling prey to Covid scammers. As the health care system fails, clandestine markets have emerged for drugs, oxygen, hospital beds & funeral services. Fake goods may be putting lives at risk https://t.co/8UlUkqvopj

— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) May 17, 2021

Worth reading the whole thread to which this is a lead-in:

Vaccination is the only way out of this pandemic, even in comparatively Covid-free places.

Given how seriously the average Hong Kong resident took the pandemic initially, widespread vax hesitancy has surprised many.

This thread helps explain where that hesitancy comes from. https://t.co/MDrdT1C5QA

— Jerome Taylor (@JeromeTaylor) May 18, 2021

The last one involving another coronavirus left us scars that we would not forget, and one we have zero desire to repeat.
So we try to wear masks, do our personal hygiene, hole up and wait it out, hoping it would take 3 months just like back in 2003. 8/

— K?? (@K_krazy_xoxo) May 15, 2021

And I'm not going to force you to take the vaccine. I don't believe in taking the autonomy away from you. But I do urge you guys to dig up local statistics yourself and interpret it with the help of microbiology and public health experts in HK. 18/

— K?? (@K_krazy_xoxo) May 15, 2021

Pfizer vaccine can now be stored in fridge for longer, EU drug regulator says https://t.co/xTYBArzp7X

— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) May 18, 2021

Holidaying Brits touch down in Portugal: 'It feels unreal' https://t.co/DPa7IHdAMc

— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) May 17, 2021

"Like a rollercoaster": Patients in London's "COVID triangle" talk about their struggles battling a disease that won't let go. https://t.co/BS7DMKLwD9

— AP Europe (@AP_Europe) May 18, 2021

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said it was still not safe to allow residents fully vaccinated for COVID-19 to travel overseas, as industries hit hard by the pandemic press for a faster reopening of international borders https://t.co/zYP3eKPj69 pic.twitter.com/3D0adBs3WD

— Reuters (@Reuters) May 18, 2021

South Africa’s anti-apartheid icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu, 89, came out of retirement to help the country start its drive to inoculate older citizens against COVID-19. South Africa aims to jab nearly 5 million citizens aged 60 and over by the end of June. https://t.co/sGKxbIn8EA

— AP Africa (@AP_Africa) May 17, 2021

'Vaccine saves, United for vaccines’: Rio de Janeiro's landmark Christ the Redeemer statue was lit up with a vaccine message pic.twitter.com/fdjJ8AKyMP

— Reuters (@Reuters) May 17, 2021

Canadian thread:

This is NOT the time to ease off on 50% prioritization of vaccines to hot spots. We need *at minimum* 4 weeks. We have proof that this strategy works and if we revert back despite knowing this, it’s a massive failure. Equal ≠ Equitable. https://t.co/ezoeqtrslO

— Sabina Vohra-Miller (@SabiVM) May 15, 2021

======

Pfizer & Moderna mRNA vaccines are effective against multiple SARSCoV2 variants, including the B.1.617 & B.1.618, 2 variants underlying the surge in India. The research, while not yet peer-reviewed, was conducted at NYU School of Medicine in New York City https://t.co/3ziRhk8f4t pic.twitter.com/VzYQKWqyQF

— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) May 17, 2021

It's been stunning that Sanofi, GSK & Merck — 3 of the world's biggest vaccines producers — haven't managed to bring forth a #Covid19 vaccine. (Till recently, GSK didn't really try. It allowed others to use its adjuvant.) Seems Sanofi+GSK may yet succeed. https://t.co/qTWEeYOyus

— Helen Branswell (@HelenBranswell) May 17, 2021

======

California will not lift its mask mandate to align with new federal recommendations until after June 15, the target date for the state to fully reopen businesses, state health officials said today https://t.co/2P49mqF5Fz

— POLITICO (@politico) May 17, 2021

New York adopts CDC guidelines on masks for people who've been vaccinated. “No masks, no social distancing,” Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said of the policy that will go into effect on Wednesday https://t.co/UgIYXOPDBo

— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) May 17, 2021

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on keeping mask mandate despite CDC guidance: “We’re just not ready yet. We’ve been clobbered not once, but twice. We’ve lost over 26,000 people. We know the virus is more lethal indoors…We want to make sure we get this right.” https://t.co/GPat6bT95X pic.twitter.com/lpdJ4EiPXl

— The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) May 17, 2021

And MA Guv ‘Chickensh*t’ Baker, predictably, buckles to the tourism industry. We’ve hit the ‘not quite half the population vaccinated’ mark, after all! :

BREAKING: Gov. Charlie Baker said all remaining COVID-19 restrictions will be lifted effective May 29. https://t.co/8fITrpWh3D pic.twitter.com/xXmV3yb09t

— WCVB-TV Boston (@WCVB) May 17, 2021


Boston Mayor bows to the inevitable (rise in cases around mid-June, deaths by Independence Day):

#BREAKING: Boston Mayor Kim Janey says city will fully reopen and drop all COVID mandates as of May 29, in line with the state. Details>> https://t.co/PQRQDQZ9vO pic.twitter.com/l5ALvT8iv4

— WCVB-TV Boston (@WCVB) May 17, 2021


Even though Spousal Unit and I are both vaxx’d, I wasn’t planning to venture into public much anyway, at least not yet.

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Reader Interactions

34Comments

  1. 1.

    NeenerNeener

    May 18, 2021 at 7:01 am

    Monroe County, NY stats:

    112 new cases – 73% were people under 40, including 39 children between 0 and 19

    1267 COVID deaths since March 2020
    3.2% test positivity

    196 people hospitalized, 49 in the ICU

    53.6% with at least 1 jab
    46.9% fully vaccinated

  2. 2.

    YY_Sima Qian

    May 18, 2021 at 7:02 am

    On 5/17 China reported 4 new domestic confirmed & 2 new domestic asymptomatic cases.

    Anhui Province report 0 new domestic confirmed & 2 domestic asymptomatic cases. There are 7 domestic confirmed & 9 domestic asymptomatic cases in the province.

    • Liu’an report 2 new domestic asymptomatic cases, both traced close contacts, both employees at the photo studios were seminars were held. There currently are 5 domestic confirmed & 9 domestic asymptomatic cases there. A shopping center & 5 residential compound are currently at Medium Risk. 
    • Hefei currently has 2 domestic confirmed cases, both traveling sales people who conduct photography seminars. A hotel remains at Medium Risk.

     

    Liaoning Province reported 4 new domestic confirmed (1 previously asymptomatic) & 0 new domestic asymptomatic cases. There are 13 domestic confirmed & 5 domestic asymptomatic cases in the province.

    • Yingkou reported 2 new domestic confirmed (1 previously asymptomatic) & 0 new domestic asymptomatic cases. The new case is a traced close contact. There currently are 9 domestic confirmed & 5 domestic asymptomatic cases there. 4 villages & 5 residential compounds remain at Medium Risk. The epicenter Bayuquan District has completed 2nd round of mass screening of all residents, while the other districts of Yingkou have completed the 1st round.
    • Shenyang reported 2 new domestic confirmed cases, 1 is a traced close contact, the other had traveled to Bayuquan District at Yingkou with family during May 1st International Labor Day break and was tested due to travel history. There are 4 domestic confirmed cases there. A residential compound remains at Medium Risk.

     

    In Yunnan Province, 1 domestic confirmed case recovered, there currently are 15 domestic confirmed & 3 domestic asymptomatic cases.

    Imported Cases

    On 5/17 China reported 18 new imported confirmed cases, 17 imported asymptomatic cases, 1 imported suspect case:

    • Xi’an in Shaanxi Province – 6 confirmed cases, 3 Chinese nationals returning from Italy (via Lisbon), 2 from Nigeria (via Frankfurt) & 1 from São Tomé & Principe (via Lisbon); 5 asymptomatic cases, 2 Chinese nationals each returning from Italy (via Lisbon) & Nigeria (via Frankfurt), & 1 from Serbia (via Frankfurt)
    • Shanghai Municipality – 4 confirmed cases, 3 Chinese nationals returning from Russia & 1 from Hong Kong; 1 suspect case, no information released
    • Chengdu in Sichuan Province – 2 confirmed cases (1 previously asymptomatic), a Chinese national returning from Nigeria (via Germany) & an Egyptian national coming from Egypt; 2 asymptomatic cases, 1 Chinese national each returning from Ghana & the Ukraine (both via Amsterdam Schiphol)
    • Guangzhou in Guangdong Province – 1 confirmed case, a foreign national coming from Japan; 4  asymptomatic cases, 1 Chinese national each returning from Cambodia, Indonesia, the UAE & South Sudan (via Dubai)
    • Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province – 1 confirmed (previously asymptomatic) & 1 asymptomatic cases, both coming from Tanzania
    • Changsha in Hunan Province – 1 confirmed case, no information released
    • Xiamen in Fujian Province – 1 confirmed case, a Filipino crew member off a cargo ship
    • Qingdao in Shandong Province – 1 confirmed case, a Chinese national returning from the Philippines
    • Harbin in Heilongjiang Province – 1 confirmed case, coming from Japan
    • Shenyang in Liaoning Province – 3 asymptomatic cases, no information released
    • Jiangsu Province (location not specified) – 1 asymptomatic case, no information released
    • Zhengzhou in Henan Province – 1 asymptomatic case, no information released
    • Tianjin Municipality – 1 asymptomatic case, a Polish national coming from Poland 

     

    Overall in China, 18 confirmed cases recovered, 14 asymptomatic cases were released from isolation & 4 were reclassified as confirmed cases, and 151 individuals were released from quarantine. Currently, there are 295 active confirmed cases in the country (260 imported), 2 in serious condition (1 imported), 349 asymptomatic cases (332 imported), 1 suspect case (imported). 7,042 traced contacts are currently under centralized quarantine.

    As of 5/17, 421.991M vaccine doses have been injected in Mainland China, an increase of 15.053M doses in the past 24 hrs.

    On 5/18, Hong Kong reported 1 new case, imported (from India).

  3. 3.

    debbie

    May 18, 2021 at 7:04 am

    That first tweet almost makes me think parents and grandparents need to tell their children scary stories. If they had spoken about the fear that polio brought to communities, rather than “protecting” them from real things, maybe there would be fewer anti-vaxers now.

  4. 4.

    Matt McIrvin

    May 18, 2021 at 7:23 am

    That first tweet’s been going around and every time I see it, I initially misread it as an antivaxxer claim saying the opposite of what it says. Too much exposure to Naomi Wolf, maybe.

  5. 5.

    Matt McIrvin

    May 18, 2021 at 7:31 am

    It does seem to be a general pattern that a lot of the countries that have been much better than us at controlling this through compliance with simple public-health measures have been slow to vaccinate. I suppose part of it is that when COVID isn’t ripping through your population killing everyone, the urgency is much lower (which gets to what that thread was saying about local statistics in Hong Kong).

  6. 6.

    Matt McIrvin

    May 18, 2021 at 7:38 am

    Baker would move to lift everything a week before I’m fully vaxxed and 3 weeks before everyone in my family is. Once we’ve got all our shots, I’m not going to be too fussed about avoiding public contact, but I suppose it means we hunker down harder in the interim, and I don’t know what families with young kids are supposed to do. The problem with opening everything up is that it’s nearly impossible to get people to close down again when there’s another disease wave–they make plans.

  7. 7.

    WereBear

    May 18, 2021 at 7:41 am

    Stress multiples the effect. It’s going to feel weird to be “normal” again.

  8. 8.

    Cermet

    May 18, 2021 at 7:44 am

    Interesting that democratic states (all) are in the lead for vaccination of the general population. OK, not really – those states have the above average intelligence populations in the country

  9. 9.

    trnc

    May 18, 2021 at 7:45 am

    I’ve seen various stories about some long haulers being helped by the vaccine. Curious if the London clinic for long haulers is finding that, but the article doesn’t say.

  10. 10.

    lowtechcyclist

    May 18, 2021 at 7:52 am

    Looking at Chovanec’s tweets, I can’t help but notice that most of the shots are now going to people getting their second shot, and that the number of people getting their first shot is dropping WAY down. A mini-chart:

    Date . 1+ . 2 shots
    4/17 . 49.7 . 31.8
    4/27 . 54.2 . 37.3
    5/07 . 57.4 . 42.6
    5/17 . 59.8 . 47.4

    Between 4/17 and 4/27, slightly more people were getting their second shot than their first. Since then, roughly twice as many people have been getting their second shot than their first. Since the 7-day average is down to 1.8M shots per day, that means only about 600K persons per day are getting their first shot at this point.

    This despite the fact that >40% of the population still hasn’t had their first shot. At the rate we’re going, it would take us until December to get everyone their first shot. And absent a change of approach, that rate is likely to keep on slowing down.

    And we know that there aren’t that many hard-core vaccine refusers out there. Sure, there are plenty of them, but nowhere near 40% of the population. Forget them for now: we need to focus on everyone besides them who hasn’t had their first shot yet, find out why they haven’t and what we need to do to get shots in their arms, and then do it.

  11. 11.

    Ken

    May 18, 2021 at 7:53 am

    Regarding Helen Branswell’s tweet about Sanofi, GSK & Merck not developing a vaccine, Derek Lowe has also found it stunning, but in the opposite direction. He’s expressed amazement that so many different companies have developed vaccines, since the usual success rate for vaccine development projects is only about 1/3.  (Which, as he also points out, is stunningly high by the standards of most drug development projects.)

  12. 12.

    WereBear

    May 18, 2021 at 7:53 am

    @lowtechcyclist: That is why I am a fan of requiring proof of vaccination for high risk things. Like going to work or a concert or a ball game…

  13. 13.

    Amir Khalid

    May 18, 2021 at 7:56 am

    Malaysia’s Director-General of Heath Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah reports 4,865 new Covid-19 cases today in his media statement, for a cumulative reported total of 479,421 cases. He also reports 47 new deaths today, a record for a second straight day, for a cumulative total of 1,994 deaths — 0.42% of the cumulative reported total, 0.46% of resolved cases.

    As of yesterday, the seven-day moving average for Malaysia’s nationwide R0/RT was 1.06.

    There are currently 44,287 active and contagious cases; 531 are in ICU, 277 of them intubated. Meanwhile, 3,497 patients recovered and were discharged, for a cumulative total of 432,600 patients recovered – 90.23% of the cumulative reported total.

    19 new clusters were reported today: Jalan Petaling Industri, Jalan Besi Satu, Jalan Bukit Mutiara, and Jalan Sri Putri Empat in Johor; Utarid Sembilan Belas and Jalan Kampung Taib in Selangor; Bayan Lepas Innoplex in Penang; Dah Helang and Dah Arked in Kedah; Jalan Helang Siput in Kuala Lumpur; Kampung Kemuning in Melaka; Jalan Batu Dua in Negeri Sembilan; Banggol, Gong Badak, and Jambu Bongkok in Terengganu; Jalan Lima Belas in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor; Hulu Spaoh and Jelang in Sarawak; and Seri Sutra in Perak.

    Hulu Spaoh, Jelang, Seri Sutra, and Jambu Bongkok are community clusters. Jalan Bukit Mutiara, Jalan Helang Siput, Kampung Kemuning, Jalan Batu Dua, and Banggol are religious clusters. Jalan Batu Dua is an education cluster at a Ministry of Education school. Jalan Lima Belas is an education cluster at a Ministry of Education-registered private school. Gong Badak is a higher-education cluster. The rest are workplace clusters.

    4,860 new cases today are local infections. Selangor reports 1,740 local cases: 64 in clusters, 1,261 close-contact screenings, and 415 other screenings. Sarawak reports 512 cases: 76 in clusters, 348 close-contact screenings, and 88 other screenings. Kuala Lumpur reports 475 local cases: 49 in clusters, 256 close-contact screenings, and 170 other screenings.

    Johor reports 407 cases: 94 in clusters, 194 close-contact screenings, and 119 other screenings. Kelantan reports 406 cases: 19 in clusters, 294 close-contact screenings, and 93 other screenings.

    Kedah reports 244 cases: 66 in clusters, 95 close-contact screenings, and 83 other screenings. Penang reports 220 cases: nine in clusters, 84 close-contact screenings, and 30 other screenings.

    Perak reports 160 cases: 46 in clusters, 84 close-contact screenings, and 30 other screenings. Terengganu reports 156 cases: 38 in clusters, 96 close-contact screenings, and 22 other screenings. Pahang reports 152 cases: 85 in clusters, 48 close-contact screenings, and 19 other screenings. Negeri Sembilan reports 149 cases: 20 in clusters, 87 close-contact screenings, and 42 other screenings. Melaka reports 127 cases: 22 in clusters, 85 close-contact screenings, and 20 other screenings.
    Sabah reports 95 cases: 13 in clusters, 53 close-contact screenings, and 29 other screenings.

    Putrajaya reports nine cases: five close-contact screenings, and four other screenings. Labuan reports six cases: three close-contact screenings, and three other screenings. Perlis reports two cases: one close-contact screening, and one other screening.

    Five new cases today are imported: three in Selangor, two in Kuala Lumpur.

    The deaths reported today are so many, it doesn’t make sense to list them all in what is supposed to be a shortish summary. In future, I think I’ll only list them if there’s a more manageable number, like maybe 30.

  14. 14.

    Matt McIrvin

    May 18, 2021 at 7:56 am

    One thing that concerns me, because it affects my family, is that a lot of these public pronouncements about risk act as if all the vaccines are the same… but they’re not, are they? There’s reason to believe that people who got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine aren’t as well-protected against infection as people who got the other two, and we know that even infections that don’t initially manifest as serious can have long-term effects.

    I wasn’t too fussed about this initially because I figured mass vaccination with any vaccine with >50% effectiveness, combined with the other public-health measures, would eventually smash this thing down through its collective effects, and we’d be fine. But if the premature lifting of restrictions in the belief that this is all over means that uncontrolled infection just rages among groups of unvaccinated children and covidiots, could that in turn be a serious long-COVID risk to people vaccinated with the J&J? I don’t think we know that it’s not.

  15. 15.

    Frankensteinbeck

    May 18, 2021 at 8:01 am

    As of yesterday I am 2nd shot +2 and looking to reconnect with friends.  It has been a long and lonely time.

  16. 16.

    Cermet

    May 18, 2021 at 8:09 am

    @lowtechcyclist: Add to the fact that 12-15 year old’s are getting the vaccine now; as such, it is likely that most of those 1st dose shots were in that age group. So basically, almost no new 1st shots for the 18+ segment of the population.

  17. 17.

    sab

    May 18, 2021 at 8:10 am

    Ohio Vax-a-Million registry is open. They changed the rules. Ohioans have to register to enter the lottery.

  18. 18.

    Fair Economist

    May 18, 2021 at 8:11 am

    @debbie: One wonders if that’s part of why traditional stories and fairy tales are much more often scary with bad endings than modern Disneyfied children’s stories.

  19. 19.

    sab

    May 18, 2021 at 8:13 am

    I don’t much like the common cold or the flu so I intend to keep on masking anyway.

  20. 20.

    Bruce K in ATH-GR

    May 18, 2021 at 8:18 am

    @trnc: Anecdotes aren’t the same as data, but I’ve got at least one friend who caught COVID, suffered through it and its long-term symptoms, then got vaccinated – and shortly after vaccination, she noted that her sense of taste had largely returned to its pre-COVID state.

  21. 21.

    satby

    May 18, 2021 at 8:21 am

    @debbie: Not scary stories. Realistic ones. A distant cousin of mine shared the story of her younger brother, dead at age 2 from meningitis in 1957. Which seems ancient history to millenials. So I posted on that thread about my own son’s bout with meningitis in the mid-80s, when he was 9 months old and 6 months before the vaccine was released. Not ancient history that I nearly lost a child in their lifetimes (or very shortly before) from a disease they’re now routinely vaccinated for. Most of them have no real frame of reference of how routinely people lost young children to disease or disability from disease then.

  22. 22.

    Soprano2

    May 18, 2021 at 8:23 am

    I remember hearing an interview with a historian on “Fresh Air” a long time ago. I don’t remember what the particular topic was, but what I do remember is him saying that if you look at old graveyards they’re absolutely filled with the graves of women of childbearing age and children. He said that losing a child to disease was a common experience before vaccines rather than being the uncommon experience it is today. That really stuck with me, how dangerous the world was for children and women of childbearing age.

    As I thought they would, our City Council voted to lift the mask mandate and capacity restrictions on May 27th, which coincides with the last day of school for our city’s system. We’ll probably be around 40% of the eligible population fully vaccinated by that date (excluding the just-added category of 12-15 year olds). I really wish they had waited until we were closer to 50% fully vaccinated, but at least I and my family are protected. I’m so disappointed that only 41% of City employees are vacced, since we’ve all been eligible since March 15th! There’s no excuse except stubbornness or ignorance. “Did you know the vaccines can change your DNA?” a co-worker asked me the other day – and he took it! *facepalm

  23. 23.

    lowtechcyclist

    May 18, 2021 at 8:26 am

    @Cermet:

    Add to the fact that 12-15 year old’s are getting the vaccine now; as such, it is likely that most of those 1st dose shots were in that age group. So basically, almost no new 1st shots for the 18+ segment of the population.

    I wouldn’t guess ‘almost no’ new first shots for adults, but you’re right in general: no question that over the past few days, parents of 12-15 year olds (like me) have been running out and getting their kids their first shots in very noticeable numbers.

    That’ll tail off after a couple of weeks, because there are but so many 12-15 year olds, and >40% of them are kids of parents who haven’t gotten their first shots yet.  And then the rate of people getting their first shots will seriously nosedive, unless some serious outreach to unvaccinated people who aren’t opposed to it has mobilized by then.

  24. 24.

    Sloane Ranger

    May 18, 2021 at 8:48 am

    Monday in the UK we had 1979 new cases. This is an increase in the rolling 7-day average of 1.1% but figures may still be affected by weekend reporting delays. New cases by nation,

    England – 1645 (up 174)

    Northern Ireland – 82 (down 17, but yesterday’s figures were 2 days worth)

    Scotland – 161 (down 131)

    Wales – 91 (up 37 and yesterday’s figures were 2 days worth).

    Deaths – Yesterday, there were 5 deaths within 28 days of a positive test reported. This is an increase of 7.1%. New deaths, England – 3 and 1 each in Northern Ireland and Wales.

    Testing – There were 1,086,443 tests conducted on Sunday, 16 May. This is a decrease of 10.1% in the rolling 7-day average. The PCR testing capacity estimated by labs on this date was 618,438.

    Hospitalisations – Not updated since 13 May when there were less than 1000 people in hospital with COVID.

    Vaccinations – As of 16 May, there were 36,704,672 people who had had 1 shot of a vaccine and 20,287,403 who have had both. In percentage terms this means that 69.7% of all adults in the UK have had 1 shot and 38.5% were fully vaccinated.

    General – The Indian variant is spreading here, not only in the North West but in parts of London as well. I was considering taking advantage of the relaxation of restrictions to have a meal in a restaurant but am now re-thinking, as the variant has now spread to Bedford and South Northamptonshire, which are geographically very close to me. The somewhat good news is that, of those hospitalised in Bolton, the vast majority were people who were not vaccinated. If that holds up, it may be that the vaccines still work against it.

  25. 25.

    Robert Sneddon

    May 18, 2021 at 9:50 am

    Scotland — 268 new cases of COVID-19 reported yesterday, zero deaths. Test positivity rate is 1.7%.

    My landlord who is a year or two over 60 got his second vaccination today (AstraZeneca). That’s about 9 or 10 weeks after this first vaccination. Vaccination numbers are up to their regular weekday 40,000 or so, mostly second vaccinations at the moment. There may be surge vaccination operations being set up in the hotspots in Glasgow where the Indian variant is taking hold, this is happening in places like Bolton and Bedford as Sloane Ranger mentioned previously. Basically it’s being run on a “roll up your sleeve, get jabbed” processing line rather than by scheduled appointment.

  26. 26.

    Ruckus

    May 18, 2021 at 9:50 am

    @satby:

    At my 50th HS reunion 5 yrs ago a number of us discussed how many of us had been sick with things kids do not get today. It was 100% of the people I talked to, we’d all been sick. And people died. From things that they now don’t get or get routinely successfully treated for. Medicine has come a very long way, and people half my age have little to no idea how much things have changed in the last 7 decades.

  27. 27.

    Betsy

    May 18, 2021 at 10:39 am

    Anne Laurie, you are cautious, and I respect that.  I’m fully vaxed for over a month now.  Is it safe, in your view, for someone like me to fly to a wedding next month? Staying with family who are vaxed and following guidance?

    The CDC guidance is saying yes, but I see your cautiousness, and that of the states and cities that are not doing away with mandates yet, and therefore I’m not certain.

  28. 28.

    UncleEbeneezer

    May 18, 2021 at 10:49 am

    You don’t have to visit cemeteries to visually see the drop in deaths once vaccines were introduced.  You can just look at the heat maps in this article by, of all places, the Wall Street Journal.  This has been my go-to link for anyone who questions the fact that vaccines work.

    http://graphics.wsj.com/infectious-diseases-and-vaccines/?fbclid=IwAR1gMg9P3n0AdP_f9_iTmi5-NxUZBIpGBRz9axtDQI3nqEgI8v2ELSag0P0

  29. 29.

    smith

    May 18, 2021 at 10:55 am

    @satby: Not scary stories. Realistic ones.

    My younger sister had measles at age 4 that turned into encephalitis (this was in the fifties, before there was a vaccine for measles). It caused some brain damage, and she was never able to speak clearly again. It ruined her life.

  30. 30.

    Matt McIrvin

    May 18, 2021 at 11:26 am

    I very much don’t like the seeming shift in emphasis from “if enough people get vaccinated and follow rules, we can reduce the general infection level” to “COVID is effectively harmless for the vaccinated, so we might as well just let it roll and if you get sick, that’s your fault”. Though it’s a very American-individualist attitude.

    It ignores kids, the immunocompromised, the vaccine-allergic, the not-yet-fully-vaxxed and the general imperfection of vaccines. It’s effectively adopting the covidiot line of “if the vaccine really works what do YOU care what I do?” There are lots of reasons to care how much virus is out there

    Maybe the attitude incentivizes getting vaccinated, which will make things better for anyone. But I doubt it–the message is more “it’s over”, so why bother?

  31. 31.

    J R in WV

    May 18, 2021 at 12:18 pm

    @sab: ​

    I don’t much like the common cold or the flu so I intend to keep on masking anyway.

    You and me both~!!~ Anyone who disapproves of my non-clinical infection prevention program can bite my ass, also too.

  32. 32.

    J R in WV

    May 18, 2021 at 12:24 pm

    @Betsy:

    If I was to have to fly I would double mask, with a good filter mask underneath a more sturdy mask over top to hold it against my face more closely.

    I would hope that airlines and the FAA will continue to require masks for those without a CDC shot card proving total immunization of all passengers. I won’t fly in a tube-full of contagious bastards w/o a mask.

  33. 33.

    Ruckus

    May 18, 2021 at 4:20 pm

    @smith:

    I was treated for encephalitis after my bout with measles. For 5 years. It seems to have worked. I was lucky. I don’t think the doc actually had an idea of what he was doing, but it worked, or at least didn’t hurt.

    So many people young, middle or old, could and did die or have life long issues from diseases that most of the young and middle aged of today have no idea of.

  34. 34.

    Anne Laurie

    May 18, 2021 at 4:42 pm

    @Betsy: I’m not a fan of flying at the best of times, so I’m the wrong person to ask!

    But if you want to see  your family, the general consensus seems to be:  As long as you’re vaxxed, you should be okay on the ground.  Mask up in the plane(s), though, because their ventilation systems are tricky!

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