Analytics

Saturday, October 4, 2025

Post #7387 J

 Pandemic Report

The latest CDC weekly stats:





Nationally, the summer surge continues to decline, although we are still seeing infections, particularly in states identified in last week's post. Celebrity infections include some prominent NBA players. states like Pennsylvania continue to work around the uncertainty created by the politically motivated changes by RFK Jr's vaccine-skeptic CDC. "Louisiana pharmacies make their own rules amid confusing COVID guidance: ‘It’s clear as mud’" "John Cena Was Not Amused By Rumors He Died Of COVID-19"

COVID-19 news items include:

  • "Poll shows Americans view COVID-19 vaccines as unsafe for pregnant women".  This hesitancy doesn't reflect the fact of lower infections or fewer problem pregnancy outcomes.
  • "The CDC still hasn't issued COVID vaccine guidelines, leaving access in limbo. The rules are necessary for the federal Vaccines for Children Program to start shipping the vaccines to doctors, health departments and others. About half of U.S. kids are eligible for shots through the program." "Low-income children lack access to Covid vaccines because of approval delay"
  • "Older COVID-19 survivors more likely to develop new-onset dementia"
  • "Second infection in kids doubles long COVID risk"
  • "Tanking Covid-19 Vaccine Sales Are Crushing Biotech Billionaire Fortunes"
  • "Teens Are Rarely Hospitalized With COVID, but Cases Can Be Severe"
  • "Randomized trial shows exercise benefits for post-COVID immune regulation"
  • "Unusual heart rhythm disorder common in people with long COVID"
  • "Vaccinated but Still Got COVID? A New Study Helps Explains Why. A Japanese study has found that one group of people lose vaccine protection more quickly than others, even though they begin with higher antibody levels."
  • "COVID vaccines may have averted thousands of hospital stays in infants, pregnant women over 18 months"
  • "Inhaled heparin slashes ventilation, death in COVID patients, analysis suggests"
  • "Patients Critically Ill With COVID-19 Have Heightened Risk of Pulmonary Fibrosis"
  • Prosecution of COVID relief fraud or other crimes continues:
  • Political or legal developments:

Other Notes

Blog pageviews remain elevated, while my journal posts, usually my most popular, barely broke double digits the last couple of weeks. I didn't break 40 posts last month (30 days), a usual goal. My X/Twitter stats. in particular, impressions and followers. have somewhat deteriorated the last couple of weeks. I think X is shadowbanning a significant percentage, but only a couple explicitly, one of those with a 12-hour suspension. I don't think either was justified, but I really couldn't figure out the last one. Maybe it was my using the term "lilled" in the aftermath of Kirk's murder. But I used 'killed' in a political context like "the bill was killed by filibuster". 

Just a reminder for readers with Windows 10 PC's that Microsoft drops free patching around mid-month. I believe my desktop is subscribed to the optional extended program, which I believe generally costs $30/year 1 for home users.

One tech issue is my desktop, networking dongle, which allows WIFI connections to my router, is no longer connecting. I've tried all the fixes I've seen on the web to no avail. I can still connect by Ethernet.

I've become a fairly regular Lidl shopper in a north MD suburb. Lidl is a German-founded discount supermarket/retailer. A lot of private-label premium goods. It also carries some national brands, such as Coke, French's, Eggland, Hormel, and Kerrygold, among others. However, don't expect the same variety you might find at Walmart or other supermarkets, e.g., fruit colas. I may still need to go to Walmart or Amazon if I want a grass-fed roast ot low-sugar BBQ sauce or pasta sauce, or root beer. etc It also has some unique frequent shopper perks. For example, this week I redeemed a coupon for a fresh-baked item, which I chose to be a large blueberry muffin, which was awesome. Quite often they'll discount fresh berries ot grass-fed ground beef. More recently, I bought a well-priced variety box of autumn-flavor K-Cup pods like pumpkin spice and apple pie. (I'm sampling salted caramel as I type).

There are a few things I find annoying. For example, they often won't open the self-checkout kiosks until  noon and often in checking out it will stop scanning for God knows what reason, and it can take a while for a store employee to shoe up and unlock the kiosk. Also, I'm not sure whether clearance items are discounted at the kiosks; for example, if Walmart puts meat on clearance they'll slap over the barcode with a discount barcod.

Trump is trying to argue food inflation is down. That's definitely false. But I have noted Lidl lowering prices on a number of items plus I've gotten coupons for big shopping totals, like $10 off $100+. One thing in particular I noticed after a dozen eggs going for about $2.71 suddenly dropped to $2.37

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