Endemic Report
The Sick Times:
It's fairly clear that the virus surge has peaked in the South but is still increasing across the northern states. This doesn't mean it's necessarily safe out there; politician AOC has caught COVID, and a recent high school football game had to be forfeited over a COVID outbreak. Probably the biggest news this past week is that about half of children who rely on federally funded vaccine programs have been delayed because of CDC delays.
Latest COVID-19 news items:
- "Airport air sampling captures COVID, influenza viruses"
- "CDC Updates Respiratory Virus Guidance for Health Care Personnel"
- "A new coronavirus discovered in a Brazilian bat provides more support for the theory that the Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus, which caused the Covid-19 pandemic, evolved naturally in bats, as opposed to the controversial claim that it was engineered in a Chinese lab."
- "Updated COVID-19 Vaccine Beneficial for Those With Autoimmune Rheumatic Disease"
- "Georgia Southern study finds link between breastfeeding rates and COVID-19 outcomes across Georgia"
- "Decline in childhood vaccination rates in Europe since COVID-19"
- "Severe COVID-19 identified as major risk factor for adverse health outcomes among frail, older adults"
- "Two coronavirus master keys: new study unveils the mechanisms Covid-19 virus uses to enter our cells"
- "COVID classroom rebound? K-12 schools showing signs of pandemic-era recovery"
- "How a single viral protein hijacks immune cells to supercharge COVID-19 infection"
- "Prenatal COVID Not Linked to Most Neurodevelopmental Disorders"
- "Brazilian Tree Compounds Fight COVID-19 on Multiple Fronts"
- "Adult Respiratory Vaccination Delivers Up to $12 in Societal Value for Every $1 Spent, Analysis Finds"
- "Long-Term Adverse Effects After COVID-19 Vaccination Vary by Brand"
- "China approves Walvax’s third mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, targeting the Omicron JN.1 strain"
- COVID-19 relief fraud/other crimes:
- "Pair of Kansas City metro women indicted for COVID-19 fraud"
- "New Mexico man sentenced in connection to fraudulent COVID-19 loans"
- "Two W.Va. women plead guilty to COVID-19 relief fraud"
- "Federal officials announce $245 million COVID-19 loan fraud crackdown"
- "Former Purdue student, city councilman admits COVID-19 fraud scheme"
- "Mount Pleasant man sentenced in nationwide COVID relief fraud sweep"
- "4 charged locally in nationwide COVID-19 aid investigation"
- "NE Ohio at the center of two Covid-era fraud cases being federally investigated"
- "Former Charlotte council member Tiawana Brown to be sentenced for COVID loan fraud scheme"
- "Lansing woman pleads guilty to defrauding COVID relief programs"
- "Georgia House member ordered to pay $10K over fraudulent COVID unemployment payments"
- "More than 160 charged with fraud tied to COVID-era loan programs"
- Political/legal issues:
- "Audit questions nearly $28 million in ADPH COVID-19 grant money"
- "Panel admonishes Polk County judge over COVID-19 vaccine mandate"
- "Vance announces about 870,000 people suspected of defrauding COVID-era programs barred from future federal loans"
- "IRS Says Court Must Strike Down ‘Staggering’ Covid-19 Tax Ruling"
- "Judge disciplined for requiring COVID-19 vaccination for parents in custody case"
- "Now Back in Uniform: At Least 134 Airmen, Guardians Who Refused COVID Vaccine"
- "Federal prosecutors claw back $314M+ in defrauded COVID funds, one billion to go"
- "US officials sidelined warnings about flawed COVID vaccine safety algorithm, investigation finds"
Other Notes
The blog is now dubiously getting almost 3K pageviews daily. I published my second essay for the month; I should hit the 40-post mark again this month. X/Twitter followers continue to fluctuate just below 200 followers.
Lidl is celebrating hitting its app download milestone with a week of freebie bakery item coupons. (The bakery is a distinguishing difference between Lidl and Aldi) . My UH Cougars fell to Texas Tech on the road last night. They fell inches short in attempting a game-tying 2-point conversion in the game's waning moments.
