Annnnnd we're back to masks. Chicago issues mask mandate for all indoor establishments . This indoor mask mandate for all individuals 2 years and older, regardless of vaccination status, begins Friday, Aug. 20.
Read more here https://t.co/Or5e2rD4QM
PC: Crain's Chicago pic.twitter.com/SQsOF0Ue6d
— Lakeview East (@LakeviewEast) August 17, 2021
U.S. reports more than 1,000 COVID deaths in single day https://t.co/WCjsn7RkQ7 pic.twitter.com/LSh2uI2lnQ
— Reuters (@Reuters) August 18, 2021
The US administered 858,000 vaccines shots yesterday, bringing the total to 357 million, or 107.6 doses per 100 people. The 7-day moving average rose to 769,000 shots per day. pic.twitter.com/LdbHSQcDO2
— Patrick Chovanec (@prchovanec) August 17, 2021
Worried about #Covid & wondering about what's safe to do at this point? We asked a bunch of experts what they are willing to do in this summer of Delta. https://t.co/r3I2NKMqDo pic.twitter.com/p2J4fzT0dr
— Helen Branswell (@HelenBranswell) August 17, 2021
Coronavirus cases in the U.S. top 900,000 in a week for the 1st time since January. For the week ending Aug. 15, the country reported 911,529 new cases w/ an average of more than 130,000 cases a day. Medical experts say SARSCoV's #DeltaVariant is fueling the surge. From @wapost pic.twitter.com/N3USnvqJZa
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) August 17, 2021
The number of people getting a first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine has risen to almost half a million a day, a level last seen at the end of May when the U.S. vaccination campaign was still in full swing in much of the country https://t.co/iKuLVbwjgT
— Bloomberg (@business) August 18, 2021
President Joe Biden's administration confirmed late on Tuesday it plans to extend requirements for travelers to wear masks on airplanes, trains and buses and at airports and train stations through Jan. 18 to address ongoing COVID-19 risks. https://t.co/gHj7teITVE
— Reuters Health (@Reuters_Health) August 18, 2021
2/ That means that unless universal masking & seriously accelerated vaccinations occur, between 3,300 to 12,600 Americans will die from #COVID19 over the next 19 days. pic.twitter.com/OvvC7jlKhZ
— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) August 16, 2021
There is a lot of overstatement in this article, IMO, but I’m sure the headline will be widely circulated:
Preliminary results: Early data in a handful of states hint at a rise in breakthrough infections. With the #DeltaVariant's arrival, Covid hospitalizations & deaths among the vaccinated also may have increased, preliminary figures show https://t.co/zWpPisJNdH
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) August 18, 2021
… Most analyses of breakthrough infections have included figures collected through the end of June. Based on the cumulative figures, the C.D.C. and public health experts had concluded that breakthrough infections were extremely rare, and that vaccinated people were highly unlikely to become severely ill.
The states’ data do affirm that vaccinated people are far less likely to become severely ill or to die from Covid-19. In California, for example, the 1,615 hospitalizations of people with breakthrough infections as of Aug. 8 represents just 0.007 percent of nearly 22 million fully immunized residents, and breakthrough deaths an even smaller percentage.
But in six of the states, breakthrough infections accounted for 18 percent to 28 percent of recorded cases in recent weeks. (In Virginia, the outlier, 6.4 percent of the cases were in vaccinated people.) These numbers are likely to be underestimates, because most fully immunized people who become infected may not be taking careful precautions, or may not feel ill enough to seek a test…
Breakthrough infections accounted for 12 percent to 24 percent of Covid-related hospitalizations in the states, The Times found. The number of deaths was small, so the proportion among vaccinated people is too variable to be useful, although it does appear to be higher than the C.D.C. estimate of 0.5 percent…
A vast majority of vaccinated people who are hospitalized for Covid-19 are likely to be older adults or those who have weakened immune systems for other reasons. C.D.C. data show that 74 percent of breakthrough cases are among adults 65 or older.
Most states do not compile the numbers by age, sex or the presence of other conditions. But in Oregon, which does, the median age for a breakthrough-associated death is 83 years…
Yes, those of us who are old, fat, riddled with co-morbidities [waves hand], or living with people who have those problems should probably step up our current precautions and/or get a booster shot when mandated. (I would not be eligible for one until January, under the current plans, which in pandemic terms is a loooong ways away.) But screaming that OMG THE VAXX HAS FAILED WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE is cosplay for the comfortable, at this point.
======
Vaccine stockpiling by rich nations may lead to increases in Covid cases & new variants. Stockpilers prioritize vaccines for their own citizenry & downplay sharing. This is vaccine nationalism. It may have a profound impact on the emergence of new variants https://t.co/T7AIvx4H2m
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) August 18, 2021
World Health Organization flags counterfeit versions of India's primary Covid vaccine, Covishield https://t.co/P3WfZlbXZD
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) August 18, 2021
Southeast Asia needs vaccine access to curb record deaths -Red Cross https://t.co/sQF4JT9JgZ pic.twitter.com/iFowVEGq5w
— Reuters (@Reuters) August 18, 2021
… The region escaped the worst when the pandemic erupted last year, but in recent weeks has seen the highest deaths globally, as soaring infections push fragile healthcare systems to the brink and expose sluggish vaccination rollouts.
“This COVID-19 surge driven by the Delta variant is claiming a tragic toll on families across Southeast Asia and it’s far from over,” Alexander Matheou, Asia Pacific Director, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said in a statement.
It noted that most Southeast Asian countries including Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia have been posting record COVID-19 infections or fatalities…
… Indonesia and Philippines, the most populous countries in Southeast Asia, have only fully vaccinated around 10-11% of their people, while Vietnam sits at below 2%.
“In the short-term, we need much greater efforts by richer countries to urgently share their millions of excess vaccine doses with countries in Southeast Asia, said Matheou, adding that vaccine companies and governments also needed to share technology and boost production.
“These coming weeks are critical for scaling up treatment, testing and vaccinations, in every corner of all countries in Southeast Asia,” he said, adding that there must be a target for vaccination rates of 70-80%.
Pandemic fatigue complicates Japan's COVID fight, risks recovery delay https://t.co/jdrJndfsx9 pic.twitter.com/Y0K5ZYtzWg
— Reuters (@Reuters) August 18, 2021
Thailand reports record COVID-19 deaths for second day in a row https://t.co/2BJmY2D16C pic.twitter.com/dA1ZvsYMth
— Reuters (@Reuters) August 18, 2021
Australia's Victoria reports 24 local COVID-19 cases https://t.co/wwfNi3bL9R pic.twitter.com/zQwbhGQzts
— Reuters (@Reuters) August 18, 2021
New Zealanders begin life in lockdown as COVID-19 Delta variant cases edge up https://t.co/ksF8DdYZan pic.twitter.com/kItMKCsQgw
— Reuters (@Reuters) August 18, 2021
The poorest region in mainland France has managed to dramatically speed up its COVID-19 vaccination campaign in recent weeks, notably by opening walk-in pop-up centers to reach out to people where they live and work. https://t.co/cr5DlOm1lh
— The Associated Press (@AP) August 17, 2021
Over 7.2 million confirmed #COVID19 cases on the African continent – with more than 6.4 million recoveries & 184,000 deaths cumulatively.
View country figures & more with the WHO African Region COVID-19 Dashboard: https://t.co/FKav40Cbdd pic.twitter.com/t7TVy3gjXQ
— WHO African Region (@WHOAFRO) August 17, 2021
Overwhelmed by coronavirus infections, Cuba’s vaunted health system is reeling. “The funeral homes can’t cope, the hospitals can’t cope, the clinics can’t cope,” said a Cuban doctor who was fired for publicly lamenting the distressed state of medical care https://t.co/0aqyySEuyw
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) August 18, 2021
======
As federal policymakers search for ways to boost America’s vaccination rates, a lack of paid sick leave is playing a role in deterring low-wage workers from taking time off to get vaccinated, according to surveys and policy experts. https://t.co/7MXnMaLKMn
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) August 16, 2021
Trading of animals susceptible to bat coronaviruses is the likely cause of the #COVID19 pandemic, say @SpyrosLytras, @robertson_lab and colleagues in this #SciencePerspective.
Read more: https://t.co/zCckCpBC4l pic.twitter.com/qvPeU00npZ
— Science Magazine (@ScienceMagazine) August 17, 2021
Postvaccination testing of antibody response is an important and feasible tool for selecting individuals who need a third dose of vaccine or persons who may not need a second dose due to previous SARS-CoV-2 infection. @JournalSpectrum https://t.co/XOFhFVZzUa pic.twitter.com/FahrvsezV2
— ASM (@ASMicrobiology) August 17, 2021
An update on the results of my "Would you go to a gym" question that I belatedly put to the experts who helped me with this story.
No: 15
Yes: 4
Yes but masked: 4
Some of the latter two categories were caveated: "If vaccine proof is required." "Masked if very good ventilation." https://t.co/pfsyNXFlX4— Helen Branswell (@HelenBranswell) August 17, 2021
======
Greg Abbott got:
-full mRNA vaccination
-a booster dose before they were available to others
-routinely tested for COVID
-monoclonal antibody infusion as soon as he tested positiveAnd he tells everybody ELSE they shouldn’t worry about COVID https://t.co/V0D9XhsYDr
— Ed MD (@notdred) August 17, 2021
Turns out it wasn't an immigrant or asylum seeker who was spreading COVID-19 all over Texas after all… ??♀️ pic.twitter.com/ib7fju750a
— RAICES (@RAICESTEXAS) August 17, 2021
— stacy-marie ishmael (@s_m_i) August 18, 2021
A Tampa-area school district reports thousands in isolation or quarantine. Nearly 6000 people—5599 students & 316 employees—are affected. An emergency school board meeting has been called. A mask mandate might have helped https://t.co/l4DBiYSM8i
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) August 17, 2021
What's hard to comprehend about ZERO remaining intensive care beds in an ENTIRE state?
– Only 35% of Alabamians fully #COVID19 vax'ed
– highest #Alabama daily new case count since the beginning of the #pandemiceffect
– didn't order masks anywhere until 7/15/21 https://t.co/NuN5T9dhWU pic.twitter.com/5ShiZm9B6V— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) August 18, 2021
At state fairs across the Midwest, nurses are administering COVID-19 vaccines at booths nestled between the usual food stands, rides and animal barns. https://t.co/XuJyDbAlnL
— The Associated Press (@AP) August 17, 2021
Man shot 6 times waits more than a week for surgery after hospital is overwhelmed by covid https://t.co/gw4QWr1MQQ
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) August 16, 2021
*smiles*
*reads closer*
*frowns* https://t.co/aHRX2F9PWc
— Fred Will Not Go To Space Today (@LesserFrederick) August 18, 2021
The Atlanta Falcons announce: Their entire team is vaccinated against COVID.
This is the first NFL franchise to be entirely inoculated against COVID.https://t.co/rZoZQjEnFx
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) August 17, 2021
we can't even get states who are currently drowning in covid cases and maxed out ICUs to reinstate mask requirements (and this sets aside the ones who are making those requirements illegal), a few mean tweets are not really a major problem for anyone to worry about at the moment. https://t.co/5VeQ7tk8k5
— GOLIKEHELLMACHINE (@golikehellmachi) August 17, 2021
COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Tuesday / Wednesday, Aug. 17-18Post + Comments (71)