Endemic Report
The Sick Times:
While the aggregate stats still show a declining summer wave, rising west/central states may signal the start of the traditional respiratory season. No clear news trends other than defensiveness from HHS Secretary Kennedy et al. over the measles outbreak in PA and NY. The Administration has also pulled publications showing vaccine effectiveness and pushed vaccine injury claims, etc. One incidental note: a CDC data-tracking webpage I have referenced for months, if not years, of writing this post suddenly disappeared. Perhaps they were doing website maintenance, but usually the government will post a relevant maintenance page in the interim (I remember doing that when I was maintaining a Siebel application for veteran records at National Archives in 2004)
Other COVID-19 news items:
- "Long-COVID symptoms may be linked to bacterial mix in the mouth, lungs"
- "Value-aligned vaccine messages can boost COVID-19 shot intentions, OSU-Cascades study says"
- "The genetic technique that finds (almost) every infection"
- "COVID-19 Drug Shows Promise in Treatment-Resistant Depression"
- "For restaurants Covid-19 was a crisis – pandemic loans are proving a disaster"
- "Why do some children become seriously ill with COVID-19? The answer may lie in their genes"
- "Eye Pain Following COVID-19 Can Last For Years, Even Without Clinical Signs"
- COVID relief fraud/other crimes:
- "Elkins woman admits to stealing $400k+ in Covid-19 funds"
- "Phoenix man sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for COVID fraud, firearm offenses"
- "North Hollywood Man Receives 70 Months in Prison for Nearly $5 Million COVID-19 Relief Fraud"
- "Evansville woman gets prison for $965K COVID-19 tax credit scheme"
- "West Virginia woman pleads guilty to more than $400K in COVID fraud"
- "Montgomery County Man Facing Federal Charges In Alleged COVID-19 Healthcare Fraud Scheme"
- "Stamford Doctor, Practices To Pay Over $860K To Settle Billing, COVID Fraud Allegations: CT Attorney General"
- "Rockville CEO Charged In $100M Covid-19 Fraud Scheme"
- "Muncie man accused of requesting $1 million in false COVID-19 relief tax credits"
- "New Haven man pleads guilty to lying to IRS in $257K COVID-19 fraud scheme"
- Legal/politicl issues:
- "Buchanan Secures Closure of COVID-19 Tuition Reimbursement Class Action for Wilkes University"
- "East Tennessee widow denied life insurance benefit after husband died of COVID-19"
- "CDC issues reminder on ending of the emergency authorization for COVID-19 in vitro diagnostics tests"
- "Experts rubbish claim Covid vaccine spurred Fiji's HIV outbreak"
Other Notes
The blog averaged over a dubious 7K page views over the past week. I'm working on my first October essay. My X followers are nearing 250 just weeks after dipping below 200. The only reason I can think of is that I have spent more time replying to tweets, and I think my replies are getting more views than my originals.
I have to follow up on the weird Amazon order mix-up from last weekend. I expected delivery of a nearly $200 Prime deals promo order, but instead I received an unordered package of dog treats. The delivery notification clearly listed my ordered items, and I was amazed that Amazon's proof of delivery showed the slender package of dog treats. Anyone with a quick glance would know something was wrong. In any case, Amazon agreed to make it right. The next day I found a box on my porch—which seems to have been the mishandled order. I called customer service to let them know the box had unexpectedly arrived so they could make any necessary adjustments. I know a couple of times in the past they delivered a package to the wrong address and were slow to credit my account, hoping whoever got the package would re-deliver it to me or have me search the neighborhood to see if I could find it on my own. (Usually they have a snapshot of where they left the package, and I've had to point out structural differences at my actual address: I don't have a window there; my rail is on the other side of the stairs, etc.) In this case, they somehow linked the dog treats that were actually delivered to a larger shipment of other items. I don't intend to profit from a package mix-up, and the vast majority of my orders are fulfilled correctly..
Well, UT has all but eliminated itself from contention for the football playoffs with a second consecutive field-goal loss, this time at home. They quickly jumped to a 17-3 lead (including a punt-return TD) against Florida, only to see Florida respond with 24 unanswered points, and I think UT gained about 8 yards in the entire third quarter, embarrassing for a former #1-ranked team against one of the weakest defenses in the SEC. Arch Manning has to be one of the most overrated QBs ever. Last week he threw 2 fourth-quarter interceptions; this week he fumbled late in the game.
Hallmark has started its annual Countdown to Christmas. They don't do a good job putting the ones I like (like "Heaven Down There") in the rotation. They have too many royal-themed and, lately, football-themed rom-coms.
