Evidently a NJ man has severe Covid-19 and is intubated several weeks AFTER getting the J&J vaccine. This may be more troubling than the clotting issues, especially if we see many more cases like this.
So far the mRNA vaccines have won the battle, so to speak.
Brazil appears to have peaked. Still bad numbers but there may be some minor improvement. Other parts of South America are still in the ascendant phase.
As North mentioned, India is in deep trouble.
Massachusetts is improving, albeit gradually.
As a whole, the U.S. is locked in a battle between the virus and vaccinations. The latter will ultimately win out. Right now it’s an even fight, with both sides scoring points on jabs (pun intended).
Republican governors opposed to masks and restrictions tend to see the issue as one of “liberty.” I understand their concern. But I also think it’s disingenuous. The constitution was not written to be a purely static document; witness all the amendments. Nor were the constitution and the governing principles of democracy absolutist in nature. Not one of our rights is absolutist in nature. There’s invariably a balancing act, which will depend on contexts, such as war, public health crises, other emergencies (eg, terrorism, riots, unrest) that lead to temporary suspension of unfettered exercise of one or more rights. And, quite frankly, many of the rules on the books that many Republicans (and some Democrats) over the years have endorsed and strictly enforced with very punitive measures (so unlike mask mandate/social distancing which was hardly ever enforced with fines) – public nudity, drinking of alcohol in public spaces, sodomy laws designed to ban homosexuality, smoking of marijuana, abortion, etc … – are infringements on liberty. In fact, one could argue much clearer infringements than any of the mask mandates or physical distancing protocols, such as limits on gathering sizes (50 in a church instead of 500).
Thanks Joshua as always for that update. The medical “leaders” like Dr. Fauci etc. had better start recognizing that the J&J vaccine is definitely showing troubling signs and to stop “poo-pooing” more reports of vaccine sufferers. The J&J Company needs to go back to the drawing board, if necessary, whether it takes weeks…or months.
Only 4 more days (Thursday) until my Pfizer #2 shot.
Officially 2,000,000 MA residents have been fully vaccinated. I would be curious though as to what percentage of the current state population that number is.
When at least 50% have been fully vaccinated, then I can “start” to get excited. The tv news media acts like the local sports team are one game away from taking a playoff series.
For now, I consider that 2,000,000 “just a number” as opposed to any serious breakthrough. I’ll do some research on our current total population. Maybe I’m too skeptical?
As of 2019 = 6,892,503 pop.
Still a good ways to go for my taste.
Good comments. Thanks
Our founders were supporters of vaccines. Washington made sure continental arm had vaccines. Adams made sure sailors did as well. Madison and even the many who was a full supporter of state rights…,Jefferson…..supported small pox vaccinations. I get tired of folks using a constitution and founding fathers that they clearly know little about.
Concerns in Israel that Indian variant may undermine their vaccination efforts.
I hope this doesn’t happen. I should add the Indian variant to my list of really worrisome mutant versions.
Ugh. The double CA double mutation has not been around long enough to know it’s impact.
This virus is tenacious.
Vicki, thanks for sharing that vaccination history. I had no idea that vaccines were used way back in the day of the Founding Fathers. I figured that the knowledge of vaccines did start until well into the 1800’s, if not until the Civil War era.
If that’s the case, then I’m surprised that there wasn’t at least an attempt of a vaccine during the 1918 pandemic.
Joshua, what is the reason for all these variants showing up in many parts of the world now? I believe there are some variants named after some cities here in the U.S. as well.
SF, NYC?? Others?
I’ll take a stab at this one: Pretty much every virus that’s ever existed mutates. That’s what this is.
This is true. Viruses mutate all the time. The vast majority – 99.99% aren’t of any consequence. But some are consequential, especially those that impact the spike proteins – these help to attach viruses to cells in our bodies. There are formal scientific names for all the variants of concern, or even simply variants that potentially could cause trouble (be more transmissible, for example). And, there are informal names, usually referring to the city or place a particular mutation was first sequenced.
This is NOT new to the coronavirus. I’ve been reading some accounts on LinkedIn that suggest we didn’t have these variants with the Spanish Flu. That is false. Scientists have long theorized that mutations were going on with the Spanish Flu. The differences in severity of the various waves suggests this. The main difference between then and now is our ability to do genomic sequencing and identify variants. We couldn’t do this 100 years ago.
I do think that our mobility with international air travel in particular being a driver, is responsible for variants moving much more quickly from one region to the next.
I agree. It is why we need a flu shot every year. Different variants yearly. Just not as deadly. So how long before covid gets to that stage?
Joshua and I were typing at the same time I was responding to TK
Joshua, I’m hearing folks push back on proof of vaccine for flights and cruises and international travel in general. It would make me laugh if it were not so ridiculously pathetic. Sorry but it is. Mac and family had to show proof of vaccination for many diseases back when they first moved to sweden in 1951. And that was nothing new at that time
Then people actually understood the reasoning and cared about others. What is new is the mindset now.
I sincerely do not understand pushback on proofs of vaccinations for international travel. While it makes things more complicated, it’s a sane approach to keeping things relatively safe.
I found out today that although CDC does not require proof of a negative test for passengers leaving the U.S. to go to an international destination, that destination may still require it in addition to the proof of vaccination. To me that may be a bit of overkill, but I do understand the precaution. So, as of now, the UK is still requiring a negative test (even if fully vaccinated). I hope they remove all quarantine restrictions soon. Also, the U.S. is still requiring a negative test for ALL passengers entering the U.S. (including fully vaccinated ones). I do believe this will (should) change soon. But for now that’s the policy. What this means is that as of the rules on 4/18 I will need a negative test on the way to the U.K. and coming back from the U.K. A major expense, by the way. I hope this requirement ends by the time I fly. Fully vaccinated people carry very little risk of transmission.
Somebody tweeted this 3 months ago: “@CDCgov
why do fully vaccinated people need a negative test for international arrivals? If there is an exception for recently recovered patients there should be for fully vaccinated as well.”
I totally agree. The policy makes no sense. In fact, reinfection is more likely in someone who recovered from Covid-19 than contraction of virus in someone who was vaccinated.
I understand your concern. But do we know enough yet to be sure the variants absolutely cannot break through the vaccines for those who are fully vaccinated
I have to add that I don’t understand one bit why there is a differentiation for those who have had covid. We have known all along that folks can be reinfected
The J&J vaccine will end its “pause” this Friday.
I do not know if these are validated …with the exception of the NJ case that Joshua mentioned earlier. But it sure feels to me as if we are continuing to rush JJ.
Evidently a NJ man has severe Covid-19 and is intubated several weeks AFTER getting the J&J vaccine. This may be more troubling than the clotting issues, especially if we see many more cases like this.
So far the mRNA vaccines have won the battle, so to speak.
Brazil appears to have peaked. Still bad numbers but there may be some minor improvement. Other parts of South America are still in the ascendant phase.
As North mentioned, India is in deep trouble.
Massachusetts is improving, albeit gradually.
As a whole, the U.S. is locked in a battle between the virus and vaccinations. The latter will ultimately win out. Right now it’s an even fight, with both sides scoring points on jabs (pun intended).
Republican governors opposed to masks and restrictions tend to see the issue as one of “liberty.” I understand their concern. But I also think it’s disingenuous. The constitution was not written to be a purely static document; witness all the amendments. Nor were the constitution and the governing principles of democracy absolutist in nature. Not one of our rights is absolutist in nature. There’s invariably a balancing act, which will depend on contexts, such as war, public health crises, other emergencies (eg, terrorism, riots, unrest) that lead to temporary suspension of unfettered exercise of one or more rights. And, quite frankly, many of the rules on the books that many Republicans (and some Democrats) over the years have endorsed and strictly enforced with very punitive measures (so unlike mask mandate/social distancing which was hardly ever enforced with fines) – public nudity, drinking of alcohol in public spaces, sodomy laws designed to ban homosexuality, smoking of marijuana, abortion, etc … – are infringements on liberty. In fact, one could argue much clearer infringements than any of the mask mandates or physical distancing protocols, such as limits on gathering sizes (50 in a church instead of 500).
Thanks Joshua as always for that update. The medical “leaders” like Dr. Fauci etc. had better start recognizing that the J&J vaccine is definitely showing troubling signs and to stop “poo-pooing” more reports of vaccine sufferers. The J&J Company needs to go back to the drawing board, if necessary, whether it takes weeks…or months.
Only 4 more days (Thursday) until my Pfizer #2 shot.
Officially 2,000,000 MA residents have been fully vaccinated. I would be curious though as to what percentage of the current state population that number is.
When at least 50% have been fully vaccinated, then I can “start” to get excited. The tv news media acts like the local sports team are one game away from taking a playoff series.
For now, I consider that 2,000,000 “just a number” as opposed to any serious breakthrough. I’ll do some research on our current total population. Maybe I’m too skeptical?
As of 2019 = 6,892,503 pop.
Still a good ways to go for my taste.
Good comments. Thanks
Our founders were supporters of vaccines. Washington made sure continental arm had vaccines. Adams made sure sailors did as well. Madison and even the many who was a full supporter of state rights…,Jefferson…..supported small pox vaccinations. I get tired of folks using a constitution and founding fathers that they clearly know little about.
Concerns in Israel that Indian variant may undermine their vaccination efforts.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/why-the-indian-mutation-should-worry-israel-analysis-665534
Thanks for sharing.
I hope this doesn’t happen. I should add the Indian variant to my list of really worrisome mutant versions.
Ugh. The double CA double mutation has not been around long enough to know it’s impact.
This virus is tenacious.
Vicki, thanks for sharing that vaccination history. I had no idea that vaccines were used way back in the day of the Founding Fathers. I figured that the knowledge of vaccines did start until well into the 1800’s, if not until the Civil War era.
If that’s the case, then I’m surprised that there wasn’t at least an attempt of a vaccine during the 1918 pandemic.
Joshua, what is the reason for all these variants showing up in many parts of the world now? I believe there are some variants named after some cities here in the U.S. as well.
SF, NYC?? Others?
I’ll take a stab at this one: Pretty much every virus that’s ever existed mutates. That’s what this is.
This is true. Viruses mutate all the time. The vast majority – 99.99% aren’t of any consequence. But some are consequential, especially those that impact the spike proteins – these help to attach viruses to cells in our bodies. There are formal scientific names for all the variants of concern, or even simply variants that potentially could cause trouble (be more transmissible, for example). And, there are informal names, usually referring to the city or place a particular mutation was first sequenced.
This is NOT new to the coronavirus. I’ve been reading some accounts on LinkedIn that suggest we didn’t have these variants with the Spanish Flu. That is false. Scientists have long theorized that mutations were going on with the Spanish Flu. The differences in severity of the various waves suggests this. The main difference between then and now is our ability to do genomic sequencing and identify variants. We couldn’t do this 100 years ago.
I do think that our mobility with international air travel in particular being a driver, is responsible for variants moving much more quickly from one region to the next.
This tweet indicates how many coronavirus infections are on board international flights between Delhi, India, and Toronto, Canada. This is after all the necessary precautions of rapid antigen tests have been carried out. It explains why we need to continue to be vigilant about importing variants of concern from places like Brazil and India. https://twitter.com/fascinatorfun/status/1383910462878744578
https://twitter.com/fascinatorfun/status/1383910462878744578
I agree. It is why we need a flu shot every year. Different variants yearly. Just not as deadly. So how long before covid gets to that stage?
Joshua and I were typing at the same time I was responding to TK
Joshua, I’m hearing folks push back on proof of vaccine for flights and cruises and international travel in general. It would make me laugh if it were not so ridiculously pathetic. Sorry but it is. Mac and family had to show proof of vaccination for many diseases back when they first moved to sweden in 1951. And that was nothing new at that time
Then people actually understood the reasoning and cared about others. What is new is the mindset now.
I sincerely do not understand pushback on proofs of vaccinations for international travel. While it makes things more complicated, it’s a sane approach to keeping things relatively safe.
I found out today that although CDC does not require proof of a negative test for passengers leaving the U.S. to go to an international destination, that destination may still require it in addition to the proof of vaccination. To me that may be a bit of overkill, but I do understand the precaution. So, as of now, the UK is still requiring a negative test (even if fully vaccinated). I hope they remove all quarantine restrictions soon. Also, the U.S. is still requiring a negative test for ALL passengers entering the U.S. (including fully vaccinated ones). I do believe this will (should) change soon. But for now that’s the policy. What this means is that as of the rules on 4/18 I will need a negative test on the way to the U.K. and coming back from the U.K. A major expense, by the way. I hope this requirement ends by the time I fly. Fully vaccinated people carry very little risk of transmission.
Somebody tweeted this 3 months ago: “@CDCgov
why do fully vaccinated people need a negative test for international arrivals? If there is an exception for recently recovered patients there should be for fully vaccinated as well.”
I totally agree. The policy makes no sense. In fact, reinfection is more likely in someone who recovered from Covid-19 than contraction of virus in someone who was vaccinated.
I understand your concern. But do we know enough yet to be sure the variants absolutely cannot break through the vaccines for those who are fully vaccinated
I have to add that I don’t understand one bit why there is a differentiation for those who have had covid. We have known all along that folks can be reinfected
The J&J vaccine will end its “pause” this Friday.
I do not know if these are validated …with the exception of the NJ case that Joshua mentioned earlier. But it sure feels to me as if we are continuing to rush JJ.
https://nypost.com/2021/04/11/nj-man-in-hospital-with-covid-after-being-fully-vaccinated/
https://news.yahoo.com/mississippi-man-partially-paralyzed-unable-145117353.html
https://abc7.com/johnson-and-vaccine-blood-clot-symptoms-pause-on/10513302/
C-19 for 4-19 is ready.