Endemic Report
A lot of news coverage this week on the sixth anniversary of the pandemic in America.
CDC weekly stats:
The latest trends show the virus spreading in Arkansas and DC, but declining in most of the states (70+%). especially the West US.
The Sick Times:
- "Severe COVID-19, flu may raise lung cancer risk"
- A recent study casts doubt on the lab leak COVID-19 origins hypothesis. "Recent Pandemic Viruses Jumped to Humans Without Prior Adaptation, UC San Diego Study FindsLarge-scale evolutionary analysis shows most zoonotic viruses emerge without prior adaptation, while passing through a laboratory leaves detectable genetic signatures, offering a new tool to interpret outbreak origins."
- "Long-COVID prevalence may vary by COVID-19 variant, time since infection"
- "High-dose vitamin D3 does not reduce COVID-19 severity, but may impact long COVID outcomes"
- "DNA origami vaccine rivals mRNA shots while being easier to store and manufacture"
- "Persisting taste loss in Long COVID linked to sensory tissue damage at cellular level"
- Prosecutors pursue COVID relief fraud/other crimes:
- "Georgia Democratic lawmaker pleads guilty to COVID-19 unemployment fraud, resigns from office"
- "Former Nye County Commissioner indicted on COVID-19 relief fraud charges"
- "Nonprofit leader accused of misusing COVID-19 relief funds waives right to speedy trial"
- "Independence man sentenced to 5 years for COVID-19 fraud"
- "Ex-Missouri house speaker sentenced to 21 months in prison for misusing Covid relief funds"
- "Upstate man who used scam businesses to steal $1.8M in COVID-era relief money sentenced"
- "Kansas City woman pleads guilty in federal court to COVID-19 fraud"
- "Three SC men indicted for ‘millions’ of thefts in flawed COVID testing scheme"
- Politics/legal issues:
- "US vaccine panel retreats from mRNA Covid review ahead of midterms" "CDC DROPS PLAN TO STOP MRNA COVID SHOT RECOMMENDATION"
Other Notes
Bloated blog pageviews for the week, although most daily posts failed to attract double-digits the first day after posting. On X/Twitter, the followers have resumed a trend downwards towards 200
