Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Take your GOP plan out of the witness protection program.

Give the craziest people you know everything they want and hope they don’t ask for more? Great plan.

Pessimism assures that nothing of any importance will change.

After roe, women are no longer free.

I’d like to think you all would remain faithful to me if i ever tried to have some of you killed.

“Everybody’s entitled to be an idiot.”

Prediction: the GOP will rethink its strategy of boycotting future committees.

When I decide to be condescending, you won’t have to dream up a fantasy about it.

This has so much WTF written all over it that it is hard to comprehend.

Too often we hand the biggest microphones to the cynics and the critics who delight in declaring failure.

White supremacy is terrorism.

I didn’t have alien invasion on my 2023 BINGO card.

Happy indictment week to all who celebrate!

… riddled with inexplicable and elementary errors of law and fact

Yeah, with this crowd one never knows.

Republicans in disarray!

I know this must be bad for Joe Biden, I just don’t know how.

You cannot shame the shameless.

So it was an October Surprise A Day, like an Advent calendar but for crime.

Incompetence, fear, or corruption? why not all three?

It’s always darkest before the other shoe drops.

Speaking of republicans, is there a way for a political party to declare intellectual bankruptcy?

Imperialist aggressors must be defeated, or the whole world loses.

Seems like a complicated subject, have you tried yelling at it?

You are here: Home / Healthcare / COVID-19 Coronavirus / COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Sunday / Monday, Sept. 12-13

COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Sunday / Monday, Sept. 12-13

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Here’s an upbeat assessment, from an expert who is not given to blind optimism:


… Since the Pentagon announced last month that active-duty military personnel would be required to be vaccinated, the percentage of service members with at least one shot has risen to 83 percent from 76 percent, according to Defense Department data.

At the Department of Veterans Affairs, which issued a vaccine mandate for its 115,000 frontline health care workers seven weeks ago, 82 percent of those employees are now fully vaccinated, up from 77 percent, and the number of shots it has given to all of its workers has more than doubled since early July, said Terrence Hayes, a spokesman for the department…

Military leaders had grown tired of vaccination rates that stagnated for months. The low rates were threatening troop readiness, commanders said, and flew in the face of the many vaccine mandates troops must already accept.

But the military in this case reflects the broader culture. More than 80 percent of active-duty service members are under 35, a group that often views itself as impervious to coronavirus infections. Many worry that the vaccines are unsafe, were developed too quickly or will affect fertility, and they have read the same conspiracy theories that have led other Americans to hesitate.

“Our secretary directed a very aggressive schedule,” said Ann Stefanek, a spokeswoman for the Air Force…

======

… Japan’s vaccine rollouts began in mid-February, months behind many wealthy countries due to its lengthy clinical testing requirement and approval process. Inoculations for elderly patients, which started in April, were also slowed by supply shortages of imported vaccines, but the pace picked up in late May and has since achieved 1 million doses per day.

Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, who is in charge of COVID-19 measures, told NHK public television’s weekly talk show Sunday that about 60% of the population is expected to be fully vaccinated by the end of September, on par with current levels in Europe.

The government is studying a roadmap for easing restrictions around November when a large majority of the population is expected to be fully vaccinated. That would allow fully vaccinated people and those who test negative to travel, gather for parties or attend mass events…

Vietnam’s coronavirus outbreak epicentre Ho Chi Minh City will extend its restrictions, state media reported on Monday, as the capital Hanoi and several provinces sought an easing of curbs and the aviation authority proposed domestic flights resume.

Ho Chi Minh City authorities said an extension until the end of September was necessary to isolate clusters, speed up inoculations and prevent hospitals being overwhelmed in the city of 9 million people.

Although more than 1 million vaccine shots have been administered daily of late, Vietnam vaccination rate of 5.2% of its 98 million population is one of the region’s lowest…

Vietnam has recorded more than 610,000 infections and 15,000 deaths, the majority of those since May. Business hub Ho Chi Minh City accounts for half of those infections and 80% of fatalities.

Vietnam had until late April maintained one of the world’s best containment records. The current outbreak and movement curbs have impacted its manufacturing-led economy, with industrial output, exports and retail sales all down in August…


The Rolls must roll!…

… Sajid Javid told the BBC: “We shouldn’t be doing things for the sake of it.”

It was thought the plan, which came under criticism from venues and some MPs, would be introduced at the end of this month.

Just a week ago, the vaccines minister had defended the scheme as the “best way” to keep the night industry open…

Under the scheme, people would have been required to show proof – whether of double vaccination, a negative Covid test or finishing self-isolating after a positive PCR test – in order to gain entry to clubs and other crowded events.

The Night Time Industries Association had said the plans could have crippled the industry and led to nightclubs facing discrimination cases.

The industry body welcomed Sunday’s announcement, saying it hoped businesses could now plan with some certainty and start to rebuild the sector…

Mr Javid denied the government was “running scared” on the policy after criticism from its own backbenchers. He said the passports were not needed because of other things in the “wall of defence” including high vaccine uptake, testing, surveillance and new treatments…

A series of key government announcements and decisions are expected in the coming days.

Boris Johnson is expected to outline plans for booster jabs soon. Mr Javid said that if the JCVI advised having a broad booster programme, he was “confident” it could start this month “as planned all along”.

And on Tuesday, the prime minister will set out his Covid Winter Plan for England, likely to include contingency measures that would be implemented if the NHS was at risk of becoming overwhelmed.

======

======

From a long (somewhat gloating — he’s still David Frum) thread:

Reader Interactions

39Comments

  3. 3.

    lowtechcyclist

    People can make a choice: are they on the side of the coronavirus, or on the side of America? Good riddance to those who decide their greater loyalty is to SARS-Covid-2.

    To Ms. Hague’s husband: don’t let the door hit you where the good Lord split you.

  4. 4.

    p.a.

    These great Murcans leaving the military can now be included in the list of world-class military talent who left when US armed forces desegregated: *crickets

  5. 5.

    NeenerNeener

    Monroe County, NY: The local web site tracker is taking the weekend off.

    NYS Dept of Health says 238 new cases for 9/11. No bueno.

  6. 6.

    Tony Jay

     

       An extract from a statement issued by the Pentagon’s Office of NFLTG

    “On reflection, an ideological refusal to take basic health measures in the face of a global pandemic does tend to make someone a bad fit for a job where taking common sense steps to avoid death or serious injury is pretty much a day one routine expectation of our servicemen and women. It’s good that these hollowskull heroes realised their mistake now and not later when their divided loyalties might cost them their pensions or their guaranteed health-care. Our thoughts and prayers are with them as they embark upon their new careers as not our fucking problem anymore.”

  8. 8.

    Barbara

    @Buckeye: Of course he is. I suppose it would be pointless to go after him for impersonating an active duty officer.  Anti-vaxxers who aren’t actually stupid are liars.

  9. 9.

    MagdaInBlack

    I am eagerly awaiting the full blown panic of our HR department. Over 700 shops in the US to track vaccination and testing, and not a bit of record keeping has been done up to this point. I can hear the pitter-patter of spreadsheets landing already. This will be interesting.

  10. 10.

    Nicole

    @Buckeye: Thanks for that- I read what you linked and the wife has set her Instagram to private, according to Twitter, after a few of the sleuths reached out to inquire about the, ahem, inconsistencies, in her story. ?

  13. 13.

    Amir Khalid

    Malaysia’s Ministry of Health reports 16,073 new Covid-19 cases today in its media statement, for a cumulative reported total of 1,995,771 cases. It also reports 292 new deaths as of midnight, for a cumulative total of 20,711 deaths – 1.03% of the cumulative reported total, 1.17% of resolved cases.

    Based on cases reported yesterday, Malaysia’s nationwide Rt is at 0.98.

    967 active and contagious cases are in ICU, 444 of them on ventilators. Meanwhile, 24,813 more patients have recovered, for a cumulative total of 1,746,526 patients recovered – 87.5% of the cumulative reported total.

    32 new clusters were reported today, for a cumulative total of 5,153 clusters. 1,444 clusters are currently active; 3,7709 clusters are now inactive.

    16,052 new cases today are local infections. Sarawak reports 3,521 local cases: 304 in clusters, 2,477 close-contact screenings, and 740 other screenings.

    Johor reports 2,030 cases: 244 in clusters,916 close-contact screenings, and 870 other screenings.

    Selangor reports 1,940 local cases: 66 in clusters, 998 close-contact screenings, and 876 other screenings. Sabah reports 1,649 cases: 74 in clusters, 932 close-contact screenings, and 643 other screenings.

    Penang reports 1,243 cases: 42 in clusters, 436 close-contact screenings, and 765 other screenings. Kedah reports 1,190 local cases: 21 in clusters, 688 close-contact screenings, and 481 other screenings. Kelantan reports 1,070 local cases: 39 in clusters, 725 close-contact screenings, and 306 other screenings. Perak reports 1,011 cases: 192 in clusters, 322 close-contact screenings, and 497 other screenings.

    Pahang reports 878 cases: 169 in clusters, 612 close-contact screenings, and 97 other screenings.

    Terengganu reports 704 cases: six in clusters, 569 close-contact screenings, and 129 other screenings.

    Kuala Lumpur reports 388 local cases: three in clusters, 163 close-contact screenings, and 222 other screenings.
    Melaka reports 205 local cases: 28 in clusters, 99 close-contact screenings, and 78 other screenings.

    Negeri Sembilan reports 155 local cases: nine in clusters, 78 close-contact screenings, and 68 other screenings.

    Perlis reports 41 cases: 13 close-contact screenings and 28 other screenings. Putrajaya reports 16 cases: nine close-contact screenings and seven other screenings. Labuan reports 11 cases: nine in clusters and two close-contact screenings.

    21 new cases today are imported: 10 in Kuala Lumpur, seven in Selangor, one in Sarawak, one in Kedah, one in Melaka, and one in Negeri Sembilan.

    The National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) administered 227,476 doses of vaccine on 12th September: 76,346 first doses and 151,130 second doses. As of midnight yesterday, the cumulative total is 38,488,051 doses administered: 21,372,278 first doses and 17,177,911 second doses. 65.4% of the population have received their first dose, while 52.6% are now fully vaccinated.

  14. 14.

    New Deal democrat

    Even if the Delta wave recedes as fast as it came in, it has caused 55,000 deaths so far, which would mean another 55,000 in the next two months.

    Also, since deaths haven’t peaked yet, we should expect a very bad week by the end of this month, where the US averages 2400-3000 deaths per day, exceeding all prior waves except for last winter’s.

    And I suspect Delta will recede more gradually, as the epicenter migrates north with cooler weather and school + more indoor gatherings there. The least vaccinated States in the northern half of the country are already surging.

  15. 15.

    Mo MacArbie

    Dad told me about a conversation he had last night with someone “researching” mRNA vaccines, and now I have a question about a talking point I hadn’t heard before. Dr. Virus Guy said something along the lines of “Most people in Boston hospitals are vaccinated.” I assume this is like the breathless reporting out of Israel in which statistics are being misinterpreted, but I didn’t have anything more specific to bat it down with. Or I could be misinterpreting Dad’s interpretation of what Dr. Virus Guy concluded from his “research” and adding to the fun game of Telephone.

    This Boston stuff come on anyone else’s radar?

  16. 16.

    Suzanne

    @Barney: I would be, uhhhhh, calling a divorce attorney, were I married to that Lt. Colonel. Hot damn.

    Well, I suppose SuzMom was right: whenever I would be complaining about an interaction with a dumbass, she would remind me, “Half of everybody is below average”. Apparently including Lt. Colonels.

  17. 17.

    Robert Sneddon

    @Mo MacArbie: Areas with high vaccination rates still get people catching COVID-19 because it’s an infectious disease and vaccination is not a guarantee of immunity. Epidemics are statistics, some people respond better than others to vaccination, in a few individuals the vaccine has little protective effect but for most people they are effective. Booster vaccinations may help, the science isn’t clear on that yet. It’s unlikely boosters will cause problems to individuals statistically speaking.

     

    There are various levels of illness from COVID-19, from feeling bad through ‘man flu’ to ER visits to hospital rest-and-oxygen bed care to intensive-care involving more serious interventions. The reporting from various hospitals says their in-patient and ICU cases are almost all unvaccinated. This indicates that vaccination reduces the risk of severe symptoms, long-term aftereffects (blood clots, liver and kidney damage, lung damage etc.) and death.

  18. 18.

    YY_Sima Qian

    On 9/12 China reported 22 new domestic confirmed cases (2 previously asymptomatic) & 13 new domestic asymptomatic cases.

    Guangzhou in Guangdong Province did not report any new domestic positive cases. There currently are 3 active domestic asymptomatic cases in the city, all associated w/ leak at a quarantine hotel for overseas arrivals.

    Fujian Province reporter 22 new domestic confirmed (2 previously asymptomatic) & 13 new domestic asymptomatic cases. There currently are 43 active domestic confirmed cases & 32 active domestic asymptomatic cases.

    • Putian reported 15 new domestic confirmed (1 previously asymptomatic) & 13 new domestic asymptomatic cases. There currently are 35 active domestic confirmed cases & 32 active domestic asymptomatic cases in the city. Nearly half of the positive cases are elementary school student, & vaccination in this group has not yet started. There is another super-spreading event at a local shoe factory, w/ cases spilling into the neighboring Quangang District of Quanzhou city. The epicenter township is currently High Risk, & 3 villages in neighboring townships have been elevated to Medium Risk
    • Quanzhou reported 6 new domestic confirmed cases (1 previously asymptomatic). There currently are 7 active domestic confirmed cases in the city, 6 of whom work at the shop factotry w/ an outbreak at Putian, & the other is a traced close contact of a positive case in Putian. 1 village has been elevated to Medium Risk.
    • Xiamen reported 1 new domestic confirmed case, a traced close contact of a positive case at Putian. The city also reported a preliminarily positive case yesterday, a logistics worker at a local hospital, the case is awaiting confirmation.

     

    Incidentally, Quanzhou is known as the “Shoe Capital” of the world, w/ a concentration of magnates who have established empires making & marketing shoes of every type. It is also home to major Chinese sporting brands such as ANTA (who owns the Finnish Amer Sports, which in turn owns brands such as Arc’teryx, Wilson, Louisville Slugger & Suunto) & Peak. The shoe factories have expanded to the neighboring Putian, where the cost is a bit lower. The lock downs in response to this outbreak, added to the manufacturing woes caused by the Delta Variant in Vietnam & Cambodia, expect prices of shoes to increase & availability to drop.

    Yunnan Province did not report any new domestic positive cases. There currently are 7 active domestic confirmed & 1 domestic asymptomatic cases there. 1 village in Ruili remains at Medium Risk. 

     

    Jiangsu Province did not report any new positive confirmed cases. 1 domestic confirmed case recovered. There are currently 3 active domestic confirmed cases in the province.

    • At Nanjing 1 domestic confirmed case recovered. There currently is 1 active domestic confirmed case (moderate) inn the city.
    • At Yangzhou there currently are 2 active domestic confirmed cases (both moderate).

     

    Hunan Province did not reported any new domestic positive cases. 2 domestic confirmed cases recovered. There are currently are 54 active domestic confirmed & 1 active domestic asymptomatic cases in the province.

    • At Xiangtan the domestic asymptomatic case was released from isolation.
    • At Zhuzhou there currently are 6 active domestic confirmed cases.
    • At Zhangjiajie 2 domestic confirmed cases recovered. There currently are 48 active domestic confirmed cases in the city.

     

    Henan Province did not report any new domestic positive cases. 1 domestic confirmed cases recovered. There currently are 17 active domestic confirmed cases in the province.

    • At Zhengzhou 1 domestic confirmed case recovered. There currently are 9 active domestic confirmed cases.
    • At Shangqiu there currently are 8 active domestic confirmed cases.

     

    Hubei Province did not report any new domestic positive cases. 3 domestic confirmed cases recovered & 2 domestic asymptomatic cases were released from isolation. There currently are 17 active domestic confirmed (9 mild & 8 moderate) & 12 active domestic asymptomatic cases in the province.

    • At Huanggang 1 domestic confirmed case recovered. There currently is 1 active domestic asymptomatic case in the city.
    • At Jingzhou there currently is 1 active domestic confirmed case.
    • At Jingmen 1 domestic confirmed case recovered. There are currently 10 active domestic confirmed & 5 active domestic asymptomatic cases in the city.
    • At Wuhan 1 domestic confirmed case recovered & 2 domestic asymptomatic cases were released from isolation. There currently are 6 active domestic confirmed & 6 active domestic asymptomatic cases in the city.

     

    Shanghai Municipality did not report any new domestic positive cases. 1 domestic confirmed case recovered. There currently are 7 active domestic confirmed cases in the city.

    Imported Cases

    On 9/12, China reported 27 new imported confirmed cases (1 previously asymptomatic), 15 imported asymptomatic cases:

    • Yunnan Province (locations not specified) – 15 confirmed cases, 14 Chinese nationals returning from Myanmar & 1 from Cambodia (via Laos), via land border crossings
    • Kunming in Yunnan Province – 2 confirmed cases, both Chinese nationals returning from Indonesia
    • Shanghai Municipality – 5 confirmed cases, 2 Chinese nationals returning from the UK (1 each via Amsterdam Schiphol & Frankfurt) & 1 each from Japan & South Korea, & an Israeli national coming from Israel (via Hong Kong)
    • Guangzhou in Guangdong Province – 3 confirmed cases, 1 Chinese national each returning from Cameroon (via Cairo), Myanmar & Sri Lanka; 10 asymptomatic cases, 3 Chinese nationals each returning from Myanmar & the UAE, 2 from Cameroon (via Cairo), 1 each from Malaysia & Kyrgyzstan (via Dubai)
    • Foshan in Guangdong Province – 1 asymptomatic case, coming from the UK, off a flight that landed at Guangzhou
    • Chengdu in Sichuan Province – 1 confirmed case (previously asymptomatic), a Chinese national returning from Algeria
    • Xi’an in Shaanxi Province – 1 confirmed case, a Chinese national returning from Nigeria (via Muscat); 1 asymptomatic case, a Chinese national returning from Pakistan (off a flight diverted from Beijing)
    • Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province – 1 asymptomatic case, coming from Thailand
    • Fuzhou jn Fujian Province – 1 asymptomatic case, coming from Taiwan
    • Xiamen in Fujian Province – 1 asymptomatic case, coming from the UK

     

    Overall in China, 38 confirmed cases recovered (31 imported), 10 asymptomatic cases were released from isolation (8 imported) & 3 were reclassified as confirmed cases (1 imported), & 639 individuals were released from quarantine. Currently, there are 751 active confirmed cases in the country (597 imported), 6 in serious condition (all imported), 411 active asymptomatic cases (359 imported), 3 suspect cases (all imported). 12,320 traced contacts are currently under centralized quarantine.

    As of 9/12, 2,148.12M vaccine doses have been injected in Mainland China, an increase of 5.54M doses in the past 24 hrs.

    On 9/13, Hong Kong report 1 new positive cases, imported (from Qatar). As of 9/12, 3.81M resident have been fully vaccinated (or 56.6% of all residents), & 4.34M residents have had at least 1 shot (or 64.4% of all residents)

  20. 20.

    NeenerNeener

    @MagdaInBlack:  My employer is making us enter our vaccination info on our HR website, including dates and lot numbers. We also have to carry around our vaccination cards to enter our office buildings.

  21. 21.

    dr. bloor

    @Mo MacArbie:  On one hand, everyone in Boston hospitals for any reason might well be vaccinated, because a majority of people from Boston and surrounding areas are vaccinated.

    As for COVID hospitalizations specifically, that doesn’t pass the smell test. Next door in RI, the unvaccinated comprise, IIRC, north of 90% of the hospitalizations for the virus. Seems unlikely that the 50 miles and an arbitrary political border would mean anything significantly different in MA.

  22. 22.

    Barbara

    @NeenerNeener: We don’t have to carry ours around but we had to upload it and we are supposed to fill out a tracker to get permission to enter the office,  which will be denied if we haven’t provided proof of vaccine or received an exemption. I am told we are at 90+% vaccinated. Srsly, office won’t need a lot of additional motive to reduce levels of certain types of support personnel.  I think most of our workforce knows that.

  23. 23.

    bbleh

    Well *I*, for one, am VERY disappointed that more people aren’t resigning or being terminated for not getting the vaccine.  I mean, don’t tell ME that there are just 12 numbwit nutbar MAGAts in a FLORIDA tax collector’s office, and for sure there are LEGIONS of them in the military.

    Once again, it shows that MAGAts are all talk and no action, and that when push comes to shove, they go sit on the couch and pout.

    Stand up for your “rights,” MAGAts!  Really, you’ll feel better, and the rest of us will be better off!

  24. 24.

    Sloane Ranger

    Sunday in the UK we had 29,173 new cases. This is an increase of 1.1% in the rolling 7-day average but, as admin offices are closed at weekends, this number is almost certainly an undercount. New cases by nation,

    England – 19,913 (down 3912)

    Northern Ireland – 1031 (down 393)

    Scotland – 5912 (up 1614)

    Wales – 2317 (includes numbers for Saturday).

    Deaths – There were 56 deaths within 28 days of a positive test yesterday, but again, registry offices were closed, so this is an undercount. This is an increase of 22.6% in the rolling 7-day average. 42 deaths were in England, 6 in Northern Ireland, 0 in Scotland and 8 in Wales.

    Testing – Not updated at weekends.

    Hospitalisations – Not updated at weekends.

    Vaccinations – As of Saturday, 11 September, 48,422,588 people had received 1 shot of a vaccine and 43,991,875 had had both. This means that 89.1% of all UK residents aged 16+ had had 1 shot as of that date and 80.9% were fully vaccinated.

  25. 25.

    Another Scott

    @Mo MacArbie: You should make them do the work.

    “Everything I have read says that the vaccines are extremely effective at preventing hospitalization and death.  Got a link?  Thanks.”

    Good luck.

    Cheers,

    Scott.

  26. 26.

    Robert Sneddon

    Scotland — There were 4,241 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday (Sunday) with no new reported deaths of someone who had tested positive (noting that Register Offices are now generally closed at weekends). Test positivity rate is 11.3%. ICU bed occupancy numbers are 90, up two from yesterday while hospitalisations are 1,048, up 29. Note that some IT problems have been reported over the weekend and this data may be incomplete.

    There were just under 10,000 vaccinations carried out in Scotland yesterday with under 25% of them being first-doses. This brings the total in the adult (16+) population to 90.9% first-dose and 83.2% fully vaccinated. The first-dose vaccination rate for 16 and 17-year-olds is now 63.9%.

    All four chief medical officers in the devolved health services in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have just (in the past few minutes) announced a vaccination program for 12-15 year olds based on a single dose of the Pfizer vaccine with any second dose being delayed until at least the beginning of next year. There’s no specific information whether this will be a full adult dose (which I think is 0.3ml for the Pfizer vaccine).

  27. 27.

    fancycwabs

    I read the study that MTG is citing, and there’s the possibility that its finding are absolutely true.

    Unfortunately, its findings are that teenage boys who are vaccinated are six times more likely to complain of chest pain than they are to be hospitalized for covid.

    The odds of them complaining of chest pain, incidentally, are 1 in 41,152.

    No control group in the study of unvaccinated teenage boys, either for complaining of chest pain or being hospitalized for covid.

  29. 29.

    bbleh

    @Mo MacArbie: @dr. bloor:  Ditto dr. bloors comment.  What does “people in hospitals” mean?  Only COVID inpatients? (If so, surely false.)  In- and out-patient COVID cases?  (Mmmaybe.) ALL in- or outpatients? (Quite possibly.)  EVERYONE including staff? (Surely.)

    Just sounds like more wingnut “talking points,” ie, things they are taught to say that they don’t really understand and wouldn’t care if they did, because the point is not engaging in conversation but rather saying “nuh-UH!!” with more words.

  30. 30.

    grandmaBear

    I live with my son and family near Dayton. Son and DiL both work in areas that don’t allow them to work at home much. Two kids under 12 and in school (originally masks optional but now masks required – ours always wore masks). Son just tested positive yesterday, DiL being tested now. It’s actually amazing we haven’t had this before. We adults were all vaxxed as early as possible, of course, and son is not that sick, but it’s pretty annoying. Kids are certainly a worry, though. Cases are pretty high in Ohio, especially around here. The local childrens hospital has been transferring their patients to DiL’s hospital because they’ve run out of room.  Granddaughter was tested a couple of weeks ago and there was a 3 hour wait at that hospital. And yet I went to Costco on Friday and was shocked that they’re just no longer doing masking much at all there, including employees – lots of people with masks below their noses. Costco had been fairly safe. It’ll be awhile before I go back, even with a mask.

  32. 32.

    Uncle Cosmo

    Just before the end of the millennium I worked with the company making the anthrax vaccine. You might (or might not) recall that when briefed on the possibility that Sodamn Insane was making anthrax for battlefield use, and the possible consequences for US troops, President Clinton directed that the US military be vaccinated against Bacillus anthracis.[1]

    At the time there was a hue and cry from a relatively small percentage of mid-level officers[2] that the vaccine’s side effects were common, severe, and unacceptable[3], and that they would resign their commissions rather than be vaxxed.

    Not all that irrational a reaction. After all, as of New Years Day 2001, weaponized airborne B. anthracis had yet to cause a single case of pulmonary anthrax. From a purely risk-benefit standpoint, why risk a vaccine’s side effects for protection against a threat that no one could say for certain existed?

    Fast forward to autumn 2001, and fine white powder leaking from envelopes USPS in letter sorters.[4] And deaths of postal employees exposed to the stuff. And, mirabile dictu, the anti-anthrax-vaxx mini-revolt grew vewwwy quiet – because the risk-benefit equations had shifted abruptly and drastically.

    I take the moral of the tale to be that groups with a grievance (real or hypothesized) can always adjust their beliefs and consequent actions in the light of new evidence – so long as they aren’t superglued into presumptions beyond the reach of logical thought.

    [1] Which created its own giant can of worms, but in the immortal words of Airplane!, that’s not important now.

    [2] Volume of the complaints hyped all out of proportion to the percentage. Gee, where have we seen that recently?

    [3] I spent some time examining reports of side effects in the Vaccine Adverseco Effects Reporting System (VAERS) for the US Army Office of the Surgeon General (USAOTG); they were broadly comparable in frequency and severity with those reported for common well-established vaccines.

    [4] I was told (by people who should know) that it’s relatively easy to grow anthrax and then freeze-dry it to create spores – but much, much harder to “weaponize” it into airborne-deliverable form. (NB Aum Shinrikyo tried and failed miserably; sarin in the Tokyo subways was their Plan B.) The 2001 anthrax letters freaked out the authorities precisely because their contents were weaponized – the perpetrator clearly had access to (or had independently worked out) this most highly classified process.

  33. 33.

    nclurker

    fundie wedding here in my village a few weeks ago.

    best man was brother of groom.he had tfv.

    no mask.

    bride,groom,mothers,fathers,brides maids now have tfv. they refused to mask.

    i know these people,i like these people.

    how could they all be so totally,blindingly,  fucking stupid!

    thanks again,medievalism.

  35. 35.

    Ruckus

    @lowtechcyclist:

    Make it personal, not political. Make it about their dumb decision to freaking attempt to kill themselves, they are after all just being selfish gits.

    Are you on the side of coronavirus or on the side of your own life?

  36. 36.

    smith

    @bbleh: Well *I*, for one, am VERY disappointed that more people aren’t resigning or being terminated for not getting the vaccine.

    Don’t forget that a lot of MAGAts are self-employed or own small businesses. The mandates won’t touch them unless they are federal contractors. Not that the lack of impact on their lives will make them shut up about mandates, though. Just like with masks, other people’s precautions somehow gravely injure them, and their feelings are of paramount importance.

  37. 37.

    Barney

    @Suzanne: It seems she’s every bit the partisan ideologue that he is:

    “Katie Phipps Hague is an unschool mom of seven, a freelance writer, and the Social Media Coordinator at Libertas Institute where she acts as the online voice and content creator for the Tuttle Twins social accounts. She is an outspoken advocate of education and medical freedom and uses her social media reach and her knack for wordsmithing to spread the messages of self ownership, liberty, and alternative home education”

    https://forum.freedomfest.com/when-they-want-a-new-normal-and-you-want-to-scream/ – “libertarian think tank”

  38. 38.

    bbleh

    @smith:  Well *I* think they should quit ANYWAY, even from sole proprietorships, just on PRINCIPLE!

    I mean, the tree of liberty, etc.  You’re not gonna make the librulz cry unless you shoot yourself squarely in the foot with a LARGE-caliber bullet.  Put up or shut up, MAGAts!

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