Regional surges are afoot around the world. India just recorded 103,558 new cases in one day, the largest one day number since the pandemic began over a year ago. Yes, India's population is large enough that that 100,000-plus is smaller than you might think, but its being the highest one-day number since the dawn of the coronavirus says it all. South Korea's leaders warn of a surge there, after recording over 500 new cases for the fifth straight day.
Continuing on the international front, Nepal has reopened Mt. Everest and its seven other peaks over 26,200 feet high, and issued licenses to 300 climbers. Last year, the peaks were closed, and the Nepalese economy was hit very hard. Mountaineering is the principal or only source of income for many people there. Amid criticism that the national government has been slow with mitigation measures, local officials have put in testing, masking, and distancing requirements; sent medical personnel to Base Camp; and made plans for rescuing infected climbers. Climbers must show proof of vaccination or a negative test result when arriving in Kathmandu. Climbers were also required to get additional insurance to cover possible covid events. There are always people trying to be the first someone to climb Mt. Everest. This year, a Qatari woman is aiming to be the first Qatari woman to summit. My favorite, though, is the former NFL wide receiver who wants to become the oldest NFL player to summit the world's seven tallest peaks. I guess we all need goals.
The White House is supposedly pushing federal agencies and private companies to develop vaccine passports. New York is testing its own state-level passport. Florida, of course, has passed a law stating that vaccine passports cannot be a requirement for entry to anything. The EU is working on a "Digital Green Certificate." Passports are supposed to certify vaccination, a negative test result, or recovery from covid that would have resulted in immunity. There are some problems here. It should be clear that there will be people forging any paper document and hacking any digital passport. What would the safeguards against those actions be? I also do not think that negative test results should count for anything. A person can test negative one day and positive the next. To make that equivalent to the vaccine or even to a bout of covid makes no sense to me ... but then they haven't asked me.
Certified to teach? There's probably a job for you somewhere. The pandemic is contributing big-time to teacher shortages. Teacher retirements are up as are requests for leaves of absence. Don't want to work full-time? There is also a big need for substitute teachers. Applications for substitute positions are way down. I know at least one teacher who said they would retire were they forced into in-person teaching before they had been vaccinated.
Remember XPot's negotiator of something trade-related Peter Navarro? He just said, "Fauci is a sociopath and a liar. He had nothing to do with the vaccine. The father of the vaccine is Donald J. Trump. What is Fauci the father of? Fauci is the father of the actual virus." To which Dr. Fauci replied, "How bizarre is that? Think about it for a second. Isn't that a little weird? I mean, come on." Dr. Fauci has spoken of becoming a scapegoat for right-wing figures, saying, "I've been a symbol to them of what they don't like about anything that has to do with things that are contrary to them, anything outside of their own realm." Maybe when you have done as much as Dr. Fauci has for as many different presidents as he has, you develop a thick skin and the ability to let negativity roll off your back. He has more restraint about vital things than I have about trivial ones.
I go now to look for a pan for a chocolate cake. Tomorrow is The Professor's 70th birthday, which I thought we would celebrate May 1 in conjunction with the birthday Son #2 just had. It seems a chocolate cake on the actual day is desired. I want to make half a cake, which is why I must hunt for the right-sized pan. I will find one. I will. Realy.
1 comment:
I tidied all the baking pans last summer when I needed more space for the pantry overflow. I can actually find things now which is a novel idea and there hasn't been an avalanche since I did it. I used some expanding organisers from IKEA which let me put the tins on their ends without them pitching over.
If testing is done at home then there is no knowing who the swab is from. I can't work out whether the passport is just a piece of performance theatre which will make us feel better about mixing because there are so many ways to get round the testing element.
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