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You are here: Home / Healthcare / COVID-19 / COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Wednesday / Thursday, Sept. 29-30

COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Wednesday / Thursday, Sept. 29-30

by Anne Laurie|  September 30, 20216:30 am| 64 Comments

This post is in: COVID-19, Foreign Affairs

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White House moves to shield pandemic response if the government shuts down https://t.co/Esv9vKp3hD

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) September 29, 2021


The U.S. recovery from the latest Covid-19 wave is taking hold across the country, with cases dropping or poised to start falling in the vast majority of states. https://t.co/PT1tapE1DH

— Tim O’Brien (@TimOBrien) September 29, 2021

A high stakes gambit to boost the U.S. vaccination rate, Biden’s federal mandate will cover as many as 100 million Americans, including private-sector employees, health care workers and federal contractors. https://t.co/g36YwkJ6T0

— The Associated Press (@AP) September 28, 2021

If FDA authorizes the booster of this coronavirus vaccine at a half dose size, as sources tell us is likely, the smaller dosage level could reduce risk of side effects from the shot, and allow Moderna to produce more doses globally in near-term, easing supply constraints. https://t.co/xcuh05r1T7

— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) September 29, 2021

For its vaccine, Moderna created a strong dose—almost max tolerated. Pfizer did opposite, leading to speculation it was about profit margin, requiring multiple doses.

Sources tell me they think smaller Moderna booster is more about lessening potential side effects of 3rd dose. https://t.co/vhe7LTwcId

— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) September 29, 2021

We’re reaching deadlines for vaccine mandates. Some compliance numbers:
United: 98.5%
Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, NY: 95.5%
Bassett Healthcare Network, NY: 97%
NY hospitals overall: 92%
In several cases: <1 percent of employees terminatedhttps://t.co/IWRSyw2TfM

— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) September 29, 2021

Daily chart – America’s pandemic is now an outlier in the rich world https://t.co/QAVLWLqBTV

— Doug Thompson (@NWADoug) September 29, 2021

======

The head of the World Health Organization said on Tuesday that he expected all countries, including China, to collaborate in the second phase of a probe into the origins of the coronavirus after an initial mission to China. https://t.co/wuqc18xFu1

— Reuters Health (@Reuters_Health) September 28, 2021

Column: New evidence undermines the COVID lab-leak theory — but the press keeps pushing it https://t.co/Na8TVnDTJU

— Michael Hiltzik (@hiltzikm) September 29, 2021

China's Golden Week travel not expected to return to pre-COVID levels this year https://t.co/flUkQrlXqE pic.twitter.com/v9OYOhTEUm

— Reuters (@Reuters) September 30, 2021

Malaysia makes COVID-19 vaccinations compulsory for government employees https://t.co/uPeswOgjil pic.twitter.com/ppRC8Ku7L4

— Reuters (@Reuters) September 30, 2021

Vietnam will lift the lockdown in its largest city, ending nearly three months of restrictions on movement to curb a coronavirus surge. People in Ho Chi Minh City will be able to leave their homes, but the government will still enforce social distancing. https://t.co/I2WCmHfv3U

— The Associated Press (@AP) September 30, 2021

As Singapore pursues a strategy of “living with COVID” and a gradual relaxation of pandemic restrictions, daily cases are skyrocketing and residents are growing increasingly anxious. But behind the headline figures, there is evidence the plan is working. https://t.co/oxOxbkBOj3

— The Associated Press (@AP) September 30, 2021

Melbourne's COVID-19 cases surged to record levels with officials blaming illegal home gatherings to watch the Australian Rules Football Grand Final for the spike as a hard lockdown neared two months https://t.co/R7owGWXKIE pic.twitter.com/iL7xO2BlJY

— Reuters (@Reuters) September 30, 2021

Shock as teens reveal they're behind hit Covid sitehttps://t.co/1ECrhWdbOH pic.twitter.com/Xg31LSRkNv

— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) September 30, 2021

New Zealand will offer a one-off resident visa to as many as 165,000 migrants after delays in processing applications during the pandemic threatened an exodus of skilled workers https://t.co/eYjhxbpBkh

— Bloomberg (@business) September 30, 2021

Russia yesterday recorded the highest Covid death number in the world and officials are warning that the country is about to face a fourth wave. Only 29% of the population is fully vaccinated pic.twitter.com/MXxGl0x8Z5

— Pjotr Sauer (@PjotrSauer) September 27, 2021

Russian residents may soon be able to receive vaccines not recognized by the government, the Kommersant business daily reported, citing a Health Ministry proposal put up for public discussionhttps://t.co/bzEGHVbVAg

— The Moscow Times (@MoscowTimes) September 30, 2021

New frontiers in d*ck-measuring!

“It’s very low,” was Erdogan’s response after Putin reported his antibody level (“around 15 or 16”). My antibody level, for example, is above 1,000” https://t.co/MvCT77T5Gk via @bpolitics

— Rosalind Mathieson (@RosMathieson) September 29, 2021

The pandemic has caused life expectancy in western Europe to fall by the largest amount since the second world war. Find out how our data team is tracking the pandemic on the continent https://t.co/tgvzl7UFs5

— The Economist (@TheEconomist) September 29, 2021

======

It’s safe to get Covid & flu vaccines at the same time, according to the CDC https://t.co/CrygMyUclH pic.twitter.com/cXm9geXiCr

— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) September 30, 2021

2/ "As of Sept27, 2021, >125,000 lab-confirmed #COVID19 cases have been reported in pregnant people, including >22,000 hospitalized cases & 161 deaths."
In addition to risk to mothers, "there is an increased risk for adverse pregnancy and neonatal outcomes" with COVID infection. pic.twitter.com/kDkFpUnZ9b

— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) September 29, 2021

Kids & Covid: 200K new pediatric cases are being added weekly, according to the Amer. Academy of Pediatrics & the Children’s Hospital Assn. Over a 5-wk span, there have been 1.13M new pediatric cases just under 20% of all cases during the entire pandemic https://t.co/H99ktYu0Rl pic.twitter.com/Neqq4xqe2n

— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) September 30, 2021

did they also announce they’ve invented a time machine because https://t.co/Mz2YSWsf1i

— World Famous Art Thief (@CalmSporting) September 29, 2021

======

South Carolina school districts can require masks, the state's education chief said. The decision came a day after a federal judge sided with the parents of disabled students who said a state ban on masks was discriminatory. https://t.co/c0dbs84Agp

— The Associated Press (@AP) September 29, 2021

Los Angeles moves toward barring the unvaccinated from most businesses https://t.co/hJOSseTJAu pic.twitter.com/hUDICpmnBO

— Reuters (@Reuters) September 30, 2021

So there it is…

Andrew Wiggins will forfeit $15.8 MILLION this season if he refuses to get vaccinated.

Kyrie Irving will forfeit $17.5 million if he chooses not to get vaccinated. https://t.co/EQpdiSOeQk

— Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) September 29, 2021

“What do the Pope, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, the Dalai Lama, and the Taliban have in common?” https://t.co/t8pu2Ppz7R

— Fred Will Not Subscribe To Your Newsletter (@LesserFrederick) September 28, 2021

She tells it like it is, and I appreciate it. States that have “personal/philosophical belief” exemptions can let people off, but the religious exemption with respect to vaccination is nearly obsolete in practice and, if applied rigorously, numerically insignificant.

— Fred Will Not Subscribe To Your Newsletter (@LesserFrederick) September 28, 2021

Authorities in religions that have historically refused medical treatment and vaccination, like Jehovah’s Witnesses and Christian Scientists, have said that vaccination is a personal choice. It is not doctrinally forbidden.

— Fred Will Not Subscribe To Your Newsletter (@LesserFrederick) September 28, 2021

where does kathy hochul go to get her apology https://t.co/5lO5C7A06T

— Fred Will Not Subscribe To Your Newsletter (@LesserFrederick) September 28, 2021

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Reader Interactions

64Comments

  1. 1.

    NotMax

    September 30, 2021 at 6:34 am

    U.S. blows past 700,000 reported deaths.

    Bulgaria and Bolivia now the 56th and 57th countries to report more than 500k total cases.

  2. 2.

    Baud

    September 30, 2021 at 6:38 am

    @NotMax: 

    Once again, I wish they would distinguish between innocent deaths and suicide by virus.

  3. 3.

    p.a.

    September 30, 2021 at 6:42 am

    Why do tRumpturds push the ‘China made it’ bs? To me, that makes their god-king’s incompetent and viscious response even more condemnable than if the virus is the result of natural processes.

  4. 4.

    OzarkHillbilly

    September 30, 2021 at 6:43 am

    America’s pandemic is now an outlier in the rich world
    Its daily toll of excess deaths is greater than in all other high-income countries combined

    We’re #1! We’re #1! We’re #1! We’re #1!

  5. 5.

    Baud

    September 30, 2021 at 6:45 am

    @p.a.:

    Their stories don’t need coherence.

  6. 6.

    NeenerNeener

    September 30, 2021 at 6:47 am

    Monroe County, NY:

    Monroe County web site: 240 new cases yesterday. 4% test positivity.
    NYSDOH says 250 new cases.

    I’m not seeing any signs of Delta cases waning in these numbers.

  7. 7.

    mrmoshpotato

    September 30, 2021 at 6:52 am

    “It’s very low,” was Erdogan’s response after Putin reported his antibody level (“around 15 or 16”). My antibody level, for example, is above 1,000”

    They can both suck an ass’s ass.

  8. 8.

    OzarkHillbilly

    September 30, 2021 at 6:56 am

    US hospitals outfitting nurses with panic buttons to prevent assaults

    Now hospital administrators plan to provide more than 300 panic buttons to healthcare staff over the next two months, which Paul thinks could help avoid such potentially dangerous situations. The hospital is buying the buttons with a $132,000 grant from a local charity, the Skaggs Foundation, because of increasing concerns about violence against its staff, a problem that predates the Covid-19 pandemic but appears to have since worsened at hospitals around the country.

    Indeed, across the US – as America’s hospitals and clinics have strained under the impact of Covid-19 – there have been reports of staff facing increased threats and violence, making an already difficult and dangerous job even more so.

    Lynne Yaggy, who became a nurse in 1991 and is now chief nursing officer and vice-president of clinical services at the Branson hospital, said: “There has always been violence against healthcare workers, but what I have seen is an escalation of that in intensity and in the number of incidents.”
    …………………….
    Arnetz attributes the reported spike in violence in part to the increased volume of patients and Covid patients’ inability to be with their loved ones because of quarantines.

    “The violence can come both from patients themselves and from [their] loved ones,” said Arnetz. “There is a lot of frustration. Patients can be in great discomfort, in pain.”

    Here’s an idea, don’t go to the hospital. Stay home and die.

  9. 9.

    mrmoshpotato

    September 30, 2021 at 6:58 am

    @Baud:

    Once again, I wish they would distinguish between innocent deaths and suicide by virus. 

    Same here.

  10. 10.

    John S.

    September 30, 2021 at 7:05 am

    Authorities in religions that have historically refused medical treatment and vaccination, like Jehovah’s Witnesses…

    Since I have quite a few JWs in my family, I can definitively say this is misleading.

    There is only one medical procedure that Jehovah’s Witnesses have ever refused based on doctrine: blood transfusions.

    They have never refused any other form of medical treatment or vaccinations in particular.

  11. 11.

    Ksmiami

    September 30, 2021 at 7:06 am

    @mrmoshpotato: sorry antivaxxer. Com should do more stats….

  12. 12.

    OzarkHillbilly

    September 30, 2021 at 7:07 am

    @John S.: My curiosity is peaked. What specifically is their objection to blood transfusions?

  13. 13.

    debbie

    September 30, 2021 at 7:09 am

    @p.a.:

    For the same reason they freak out about critical race theory being taught in preschool. Fear of things that don’t exist has been their calling card for decades.

  14. 14.

    The Thin Black Duke

    September 30, 2021 at 7:11 am

    @OzarkHillbilly: Why not give the hospital staff tasers instead?

  15. 15.

    John S.

    September 30, 2021 at 7:12 am

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    There are passages in the Bible (Old Testament) which forbid eating blood. Orthodox Jews also maintain this standard, which is why Kosher meats have to be slaughtered and prepared in a very particular way.

    As fundamentalists, JWs consider intravenous consumption of blood to be “eating”, and therefore forbidden.

  16. 16.

    raven

    September 30, 2021 at 7:12 am

    @The Thin Black Duke: They don’t work that well on insane people in a rage.

  17. 17.

    Baud

    September 30, 2021 at 7:12 am

    @The Thin Black Duke:

    This is America. Give them guns.

  18. 18.

    The Thin Black Duke

    September 30, 2021 at 7:13 am

    @debbie: We used to call people suffering from hallucinations crazy.

  19. 19.

    The Thin Black Duke

    September 30, 2021 at 7:15 am

    @Baud: Now I’m imagining Florence Nightingale with an AK-47.

  20. 20.

    Ken

    September 30, 2021 at 7:16 am

    @OzarkHillbilly: Leviticus 17:10-14 forbids eating blood. The Witnesses extend that to taking blood into the body in any way.

  21. 21.

    mrmoshpotato

    September 30, 2021 at 7:18 am

    @The Thin Black Duke:

    Now I’m imagining Florence Nightingale with an AK-47. 

    And a time machine? ?

  22. 22.

    YY_Sima Qian

    September 30, 2021 at 7:18 am

    On 9/29 China reported 6 new domestic confirmed cases & 0 new domestic asymptomatic cases.

    Fujian Province did not report any new domestic positive cases. 40 domestic confirmed cases recovered. There currently are 318 active domestic confirmed (75 mild, 241 moderate & 2 critical) & 1 active domestic asymptomatic cases.

    • At Putian 22 domestic confirmed cases recovered. There currently are 127 active domestic confirmed (34 mild, 92 moderate & 1 critical) & 1 active domestic asymptomatic cases in the city. Fengting Township (except for 11 villages & 1 community at Low Risk, & 4 villages at Medium Risk) remains at High Risk. 3 zones, 1 residential compound, 1 school, 1 community & 8 villages remain at Medium Risk.
    • At Quanzhou 1 domestic confirmed case recovered. There currently are 16 active domestic confirmed cases (including 1 critical case being treated at Xiamen). 1 village has been re-designated as Low Risk. 3 villages remain at Medium Risk.
    • Xiamen did not report any new domestic positive cases. 16 domestic confirmed cases recovered. There currently are 174 active domestic confirmed cases (38 mild, 136 moderate) in the city. Xinmin Township remains at High Risk. 1 zone, 5 villages, 2 communities & 3 residential compounds are currently at Medium Risk.
    • At Zhangzhou 2 domestic confirmed cases recovered. There is still 1 active domestic confirmed case in the city, though actually being treated at Xiamen. The Medium Risk community has been re-designated as Low Risk.

    Heilongjiang Province reported 6 new domestic confirmed cases. There currently are 74 active domestic confirmed & 7 active domestic asymptomatic cases in the province.

    • Harbin reported 6 new domestic confirmed (5 mild & 1 moderate; 5 at Bayan County & 1 at Nan’gang District; 5 are traced close contacts already under centralized quarantine & 1 from mass screening). There currently are 73 active domestic confirmed (61 at Bayan County, 7 at Songbei District, 2 at Mulan County, 2 at Nan’gang District & 1 at Xiangfang District) & 3 active domestic asymptomatic cases (both at Bayan County) in the city. The Xinglong Township in Bayan County is currently High Risk. 2 residential compounds & 1 residential building have been elevated to Medium Risk. 13 residential compounds, 1 residential building & 1 village are currently at Medium Risk.
    • Suihua did not report any new domestic positive cases. The currently are 1 active domestic confirmed & 4 active domestic asymptomatic cases in the city (all at Beilin District). 1 residential compound remains at Medium Risk.

    Yunnan Province did not report any new domestic positive cases. There currently are 9 active domestic confirmed & 2 domestic asymptomatic cases remaining in the province, all at Ruili in Dehong Prefecture.

    At Hunan Province the last 2 domestic confirmed cases recovered.

    At Henan Province there currently are 7 active domestic confirmed cases remaining, all at Shangqiu.

    Imported Cases

    On 9/29, China reported 16 new imported confirmed cases (2 previously asymptomatic), 21 imported asymptomatic cases, 1 imported suspect case:

    • Yunnan Province (locations not specified) – 5 confirmed cases, all Chinese nationals returning from Myanmar; 2 asymptomatic cases, both Chinese nationals returning from Laos; via land border crossings
    • Guangzhou in Guangdong Province – 3 confirmed cases, all Chinese nationals returning from Bangladesh & 1 from the UK; 3 asymptomatic cases, 2 Chinese nationals returning from Bangladesh & 1 from the UK (via Amsterdam Schiphol)
    • Foshan in Guangdong Province – 3 asymptomatic cases, 2 coming from Turkey & 1 from Jordan, off flights that landed at Guangzhou
    • Dongguan in Guangdong Province – 3 asymptomatic cases, 2 coming from Singapore & 1 from Gabon, off flights that landed at Guangzhou 
    • Shanghai Municipality – 3 confirmed cases, 1 Chinese national each returning from the DRC (via Paris CdG), France & the UK (via Helsinki); 1 suspect case, no information released
    • Shenyang in Liaoning Province – 1 confirmed case (previously asymptomatic), no information released
    • Dalian Liaoning Province – 1 confirmed & 2 asymptomatic cases, no information released
    • Qingdao in Shandong Province – 1 confirmed case, a Chinese national returning South Korea
    • Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province – 1 confirmed case (previously asymptomatic), coming from Mexico
    • Xiamen in Fujian Province – 1 confirmed case, a Chinese national returning from Romania (via Amsterdam Schiphol)
    • Wuhan in Hubei Province – 3 asymptomatic cases, all Chinese nationals returning from Pakistan
    • Guangxi “Autonomous” Region (location not specified) –  1 asymptomatic case, no information released
    • Zhengzhou in Henan Province – 1 asymptomatic case, no information released

    Overall in China, 63 confirmed cases recovered (21 imported), 7 asymptomatic cases were released from isolation (all imported) & 2 were reclassified as confirmed cases (both imported), & 672 individuals were released from quarantine. Currently, there are 908 active confirmed cases in the country (504 imported), 4 in serious condition (1 imported), 354 active asymptomatic cases (342 imported), 1 suspect case (imported). 27,283 traced contacts are currently under centralized quarantine.

    As of 9/29, 2,208.921M vaccine doses have been injected in Mainland China, an increase of 2.867M doses in the past 24 hrs. As of 9/28, 1,047.872M individuals have been fully vaccinated, or 74.2% of the total population.

    On 9/30, Hong Kong reported 3 new positive cases, all imported (from France & Pakistan).

  23. 23.

    Baud

    September 30, 2021 at 7:18 am

    @John S.:

    @Ken:

    Ok, so now I’m curious.  Do JH follow all the OT dietary restrictions? I thought Jesus said they were moot post-Him.

  24. 24.

    Amir Khalid

    September 30, 2021 at 7:18 am

    Malaysia’s Ministry of Health reports 12,735 new Covid-19 cases today in its media statement, for a cumulative reported total of 2,245,695 cases. It also reports 208 new deaths as of midnight, for a cumulative total of 26,143 deaths – 1.16% of the cumulative reported total, 1.26% of resolved cases.

    Based on cases reported yesterday, Malaysia’s nationwide Rt is at 0.89.

    849 confirmed cases are in ICU, 387 of them on ventilators. Meanwhile, 17,725 more patients have recovered, for a cumulative total of 2,054,824 patients recovered – 91.5% of the cumulative reported total.

    15 new clusters were reported today, for a cumulative total of 5,477 clusters. 1,088 clusters are currently active; 4,389 clusters are now inactive.

    12,718 new cases today are local infections. Sarawak reports 2,487 cases: 25 in clusters, 1,313 close-contact screenings, and 1,149 other screenings.

    Selangor reports 1,936 local cases: 112 in clusters, 901 close-contact screenings, and 923 other screenings. Johor reports 1,239 cases: 107 in clusters, 614 close-contact screenings, and 518 other screenings. Kelantan reports 1,232 cases: 29 in clusters, 798 close-contact screenings, and 405 other screenings. Kedah reports 1,033 cases: 38 in clusters, 584 close-contact screenings, and 411 other screenings.

    Sabah reports 988 local cases: 13 in clusters, 492 close-contact screenings, and 483 other screenings. Perak reports 913 cases: 81 in clusters, 399 close-contact screenings, and 433 other screenings.

    Penang reports 763 cases: 15 in clusters, 267 close-contact screenings, and 481 other screenings. Terengganu reports 726 cases: five in clusters, 568 close-contact screenings, and 153 other screenings.

    Pahang reports 696 local cases: 311 in clusters, 302 close-contact screenings, and 83 other screenings.

    Kuala Lumpur reports 254 local cases: three in clusters, 106 close-contact screenings, and 145 other screenings.

    Melaka reports 194 cases: 22 in clusters, 76 close-contact screenings, and 96 other screenings. Negeri Sembilan reports 131 local cases: two in clusters, 73 close-contact screenings, and 56 other screenings.

    Perlis reports 97 cases: 38 close-contact screenings and 59 other screenings. Putrajaya reports 28 cases: 21 close-contact screenings and seven other screenings. Labuan reports one case, found in a cluster.

    17 new cases today are imported: five in Sabah, four in Selangor, four in Kuala Lumpur, two in Johor, one in Pahang, and one in Negeri Sembilan.

    The National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) administered 338,661 doses of vaccine on 29th September: 190,599 first doses and 148,062 second doses. As of midnight yesterday, the cumulative total is 43,367,580 doses administered: 23,369,913 first doses and 20,093,678 second doses. 71.5% of the population have received their first dose, while 61.5% are now fully vaccinated.

    The Federal Government is now requiring that all government staff get vaccinated – unless they get a medical exemption. Dang, scooped again by Anne Laurie.

  25. 25.

    debbie

    September 30, 2021 at 7:19 am

    @The Thin Black Duke:

    Some hospitals are teaching self-defense techniques. Wouldn’t a kick to the groin shock the hell out of a MAGAt? I look forward to a news story about that.

  26. 26.

    OzarkHillbilly

    September 30, 2021 at 7:20 am

    @John S.: Thanx. I kinda have to wonder how they get around that restriction with say, a liver transplant.

  27. 27.

    The Thin Black Duke

    September 30, 2021 at 7:22 am

    @mrmoshpotato: Makes as much sense as loony tune nutjobs gobbling down horse paste when there are three viable vaccines available. I did not think this lunacy would be on my 2021 Bingo card.

  28. 28.

    OzarkHillbilly

    September 30, 2021 at 7:22 am

    @John S.: @Ken: Also, more blood sausage for me.

  29. 29.

    Ken

    September 30, 2021 at 7:22 am

    @Baud: Do JW follow all the OT dietary restrictions?

    Not that I know of… (googles) Harumph. Yes, based on my extensive research, they don’t follow any of the OT dietary restrictions.

    I suspect bacon factored into the original decision.

  30. 30.

    Baud

    September 30, 2021 at 7:23 am

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    If that surgery is anticipated, don’t they save up their own blood to use?

  31. 31.

    John S.

    September 30, 2021 at 7:25 am

    @Ken:

    I never had a problem with the logic of viewing taking in intravenous fluids as “eating”. But I could never understand why a Christian faith that believes Jesus as the messiah overturned the “old laws” would still adhere to some (but not all) of those old laws.

    It always seemed a bit picky/choosy to me.

  32. 32.

    Chetan Murthy

    September 30, 2021 at 7:28 am

    @John S.: As much as I understand that some of the kosher laws are ancient food safety rules, …. even still, the idea of expecting any sort of consistency from *religion* seems pretty hopeless.

  33. 33.

    Baud

    September 30, 2021 at 7:29 am

    @John S.:

    Picky/choosy is the fundamental tenet of Baudism.

  34. 34.

    John S.

    September 30, 2021 at 7:30 am

    @Baud:

    No. But back in the 80s, a doctor pioneered “bloodless” surgery whereby a machine is used to recycle the blood back into the body. That’s the only thing they consider acceptable. Which also feels a bit picky/choosy to me.

    JWs actually carry “No Blood” cards that forbids medical practitioners from giving them a blood transfusion under any circumstances. They would rather die than get one.

  35. 35.

    OzarkHillbilly

    September 30, 2021 at 7:32 am

    @Baud: I’m thinking of all the blood within the liver, which is more than a little. Do they somehow clean it out? And how thoroughly?

  36. 36.

    prostratedragon

    September 30, 2021 at 7:34 am

    @Baud: [choking on the dust covering memories of confirmation classes] As I recall, that was Paul’s interpretation. He and Peter had a big disagreement about whether it was necessary for Gentile converts to be fully Jewish (circumcised) first, and I think the notion that the dietary laws need not be obeyed followed from Paul’s interpretation that the first conversion was not necessary. It’s in the book of Acts.

  37. 37.

    Peale

    September 30, 2021 at 7:40 am

    On the Meh News home front, cases in my immediate area have been stable for the last few weeks. If there was going to be a spike from schools reopening and people spending more time inside, we would have started to experience it by now. That said, cases have not been declining either. So daily new cases are still 12-15x higher than June and have been for two months.

    On the good news front, there doesn’t seem to be a new variant in the pipeline that will make us go sideways. So at least for awhile, we’re good. Whatever’s coming is not different enough to make me think we’re in for a new wave.

  38. 38.

    John S.

    September 30, 2021 at 7:41 am

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    Nah, they just rationalize that the liver isn’t “blood” even though it contains a lot of blood. Their official position is that organ transplants are fine as long as there is no blood transfusion during the surgery.

    Faith and science don’t usually overlap.

  39. 39.

    topclimber

    September 30, 2021 at 7:51 am

    @John S.: JW stance on blood transfusions.

  40. 40.

    lowtechcyclist

    September 30, 2021 at 7:53 am

    @p.a.:

    Why do tRumpturds push the ‘China made it’ bs? To me, that makes their god-king’s incompetent and viscious response even more condemnable than if the virus is the result of natural processes.

    Same thought here.  If Covid is a Chinese attack, Trump’s response was to leave the nation undefended, and encourage his minions to fight any locality that tried to to defend itself.

    Sounds like treason to me.

  41. 41.

    Amir Khalid

    September 30, 2021 at 8:00 am

    @Ken:

    Judaism and Islam both allow preservation-of-life exceptions for kosher and halal dietary restrictions. Don’t Jehovah’s Witnesses and other such groups also allow this kind of exception?

  42. 42.

    topclimber

    September 30, 2021 at 8:01 am

    @Peale: Your good news is good news indeed.

    As to declining case rates, I think we will see news of long hauler effects among younger  patients, kids especially, will be next to saturate public awareness.

  43. 43.

    OzarkHillbilly

    September 30, 2021 at 8:05 am

    @John S.: Faith and science don’t usually overlap.

    Ain’t that the truth.

  44. 44.

    Cermet

    September 30, 2021 at 8:14 am

    As I have pointed out a number of times, no religion (we are talking non-local cults) prohibit vaccines. So the exemptions is utter nonsense.

  45. 45.

    Nelle

    September 30, 2021 at 8:17 am

    My state ‘s positivity rate is about 9.5% (Iowa) but my county, Polk, is at 14.12% for the last seven days (CDC numbers).  Keeping close to home.  My four year old granddaughter wears a mask all day, except meals, at pre-K/daycare.  “That’s how we keep everyone safe, Grandma.”

  46. 46.

    Cermet

    September 30, 2021 at 8:19 am

    @Baud:I see someone got there already

  47. 47.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    September 30, 2021 at 8:21 am

    @p.a.: the China conspiracy theory supports their “we’re an oppressed minority that everyone hates” LARP and also explains why Jesus isn’t protecting them; because the Libertards made the virus with the evil magic of science!

  48. 48.

    WaterGirl

    September 30, 2021 at 8:38 am

    If you sign up for a booster at CVS, and you are not over 65, they make you attest that you are immunocompromised AND they make you attest that you are eligible for a vaccine under the CDC recommendations.

    I wonder.  Is this CYA (cover your ass) for CVS?  Attempt to dissuade  people who are signing up for the booster but are not eligible yet?  Would this set the state for there be consequences for anyone who signed up for wasn’t allowed under the CDC guidelines?

  49. 49.

    Robert Sneddon

    September 30, 2021 at 8:38 am

    @Amir Khalid:  ‘Young’ religions and especially offshoots of established religions are often more ‘pure’ than their forebears who learned the hard way through plagues and famines that religious dietary and hygiene rules are more like strong suggestions in some situations.

    JWs can be hard-core opposed to blood transfusions in part because only a few individuals would suffer and die because of this decision and modern medical science has ways to get around even that limitation to treatment options in many cases. If there was a widespread disease or plague that could best be treated by blood transfusions then either the JW community would suffer appalling numbers of fatalities and/or the doctrine would change.

    See also the original 19th-century Mormon doctrine regarding dark-skinned people (the Sons of Ham?) and the superseding revelation in the mid-20th century that actually black folks were real human beings all along, funny that.

  50. 50.

    sab

    September 30, 2021 at 8:46 am

    @debbie: My 97 year old dad used to be very good at prying things from the hands of toddlers. He said he learned the techniques as a doctor in training in emergency rooms.

  51. 51.

    New Deal democrat

    September 30, 2021 at 8:52 am

    The question for the next few weeks is likely to be whether the Delta wave continues to recede or not. There is some cautionary news there, as the decline has slowed in the last week, and in particular the last 5 days, which have had only a 4% decline (measured from peak), as opposed to a 22% decline in the prior week. OTOH, there have been several such slow short periods of decline since the peak one month ago.

  52. 52.

    Robert Sneddon

    September 30, 2021 at 9:10 am

    Scotland — 2,911 new cases reported today. The test positivity rate is 6.7%. There were 35 new deaths reported overnight. ICU bed occupancy numbers are 74, up three from yesterday while hospitalisations are 998, down 22.

    There were over 5,500 vaccinations carried out in Scotland yesterday (Wednesday) with about 55% of these being first vaccinations. 91.4% of 16+ adults are now vaccinated with their first dose and 84.4% are fully vaccinated. 71.4% of 16 and 17-year-olds have now received their first vaccination, up 0.2% from yesterday. 13.7% of 12-15 year olds have now received their first vaccination, up 1% from yesterday. Reverse-engineering that last figure, there are about 200,000 12-15 year olds in Scotland so about 2,000 of them received a vaccination yesterday, about two-thirds of all first vaccinations that day.

  53. 53.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    September 30, 2021 at 9:14 am

    @Amir Khalid: JW consider anyone not in their group a satanist so that includes science. If you get a vaccine you are having Satan injected into you in the JW world view, and what is month of misery dying from COVID next to an eternity in Hell?

  54. 54.

    Soprano2

    September 30, 2021 at 9:16 am

    This is good news, because we’re going to need effective treatments for Covid-19 as well as vaccines. I wonder if the people who are taking ivermectin will accept drugs like this as a treatment.

     Sept 29 (Reuters) – Laboratory studies show that Merck & Co’s experimental oral COVID-19 antiviral drug, molnupiravir, is likely to be effective against known variants of the coronavirus, including the dominant, highly transmissible Delta, the company said on Wednesday.

    Since molnupiravir does not target the spike protein of the virus – the target of all current COVID-19 vaccines – which defines the differences between the variants, the drug should be equally effective as the virus continues to evolve, said Jay Grobler, head of infectious disease and vaccines at Merck.

  55. 55.

    Scout211

    September 30, 2021 at 9:20 am

    @WaterGirl:

    All the sign-up sites in California (state, counties, pharmacies) have a menu that includes a check-list that links to the CDC standards and makes you attest that you fit into the current categories of eligibility.  I assumed that this was coming straight from the CDC and all of the administering agencies are required to comply with the standards.

    The question of consequences for the people who lie and claim they are eligible but are not? It sounds like the responsibility is on the individual who lied, not the agency administering the shot.  Maybe it’s CYA but it’s also good medical practice IMHO.

  56. 56.

    Tony Gerace

    September 30, 2021 at 9:43 am

    @p.a.: That’s right.  Trump surrendered after the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor

  57. 57.

    Peale

    September 30, 2021 at 10:25 am

    @Soprano2: They’ll just go back to saying that its experimental and interferes with their natural immunity.

  58. 58.

    Robert Sneddon

    September 30, 2021 at 10:43 am

    @Peale: ​
      It’s a press release from the drug makers touting in-house lab results. Lots of drugs and treatments work “in the lab”, even bleach works against a virus like COVID-19 in the lab. Pardon my cynicism.

  59. 59.

    Abnormal Hiker

    September 30, 2021 at 10:51 am

    @Amir Khalid: I think the answer is no exceptions. There have been cases in Canada where JW children were made wards of the state to allow a blood transfusion

  60. 60.

    Uncle Cosmo

    September 30, 2021 at 10:52 am

    @Ken: ​I suspect bacon factored into the original decision.

    …Roger, Francis, or Kevin?? :^p

  61. 61.

    Ruckus

    September 30, 2021 at 11:10 am

    @p.a.:

    Are you attempting to use common sense in your questioning of trumpturds? Because they have no grasp of, no understanding of, no desire to, no concept of any kind of idea of common sense, or ideal of reality.

  62. 62.

    Uncle Cosmo

    September 30, 2021 at 11:21 am

    @Robert Sneddon: ​See also the original 19th-century Mormon doctrine regarding dark-skinned people (the Sons of Ham?) and the superseding revelation in the mid-20th century that actually black folks were real human beings all along, funny that.

    For that matter, go farther back – the Federal government refused to admit Utah to the Union until its Mormon-dominated government outlawed polygamy in 1890, even though it qualified by population size a couple of decades earlier. You have to suspect that the “revelation” that multiple wives was now a no-no was, mmm, strongly encouraged by the general desire of the Latter-Day Saints** not to remain forever a territory with neither Congressional representation nor the right to vote for Presidents.

    (When I toured the Temple complex in SLC some years back, my young Mexican guide said that after 1846 polygamy was justified because so many of the men had perished during the great migration, and in LDS culture women “needed” to be under the protection of a man; once the gender balance was restored it was no longer necessary. Nice try…with no mention at all of anything prior, certainly not the Joseph Smith connection…)

    ** As opposed to the rest of us, the “Later-the-Same-Day Sinners” they call “Gentiles.” (Only the Mormons could turn Jews into Gentiles with straight faces.)

  63. 63.

    Fair Economist

    September 30, 2021 at 11:44 am

    @New Deal democrat: The UK’s record, with a long run of high transmission rates, indicates that without hygienic measures Delta will just keep grinding on and on. Crudely, if everybody caught it once a year, which seems very plausible comparing it to cold viruses, we’d get about 150,000 infections per day, which would be about 50,000 recorded based on estimates I’ve seen of the percentage that get recorded.

  64. 64.

    New Deal democrat

    September 30, 2021 at 12:41 pm

    @Fair Economist: Except in Israel cases have declined 60% from peak. And in India they have been down about 80%-90% from peak for over half a year.

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