My laptop has apparently recovered from yesterday's bout of wonkiness. Here's hoping she (her name is Twiggy) keeps on humming. I can also see again! There was clearly a problem with the new glasses I picked up several weeks ago; trying to see through them was almost as bad as trying to see without them. It took a small bit of doing, but I got the optical office to remake or replace the right lens. I picked the new pair up today, and the difference is very real. Now they're going to remake or replace the lens on my re-done sunglasses because they're just as bad as my clear specs were. Life is good!
The CDC is worried about a developing lag in routine childhood vaccinations, saying it could be "a serious public health threat." It has the potential to derail the school re-openings planned for the coming year. While we're on kids, vaccine advisers at the FDA are debating how urgent it might be to vaccinate kids under the age of 12. Specifically, what detailed information or data do they need to make a decision? Some on the advisory panel say that kids are at such a low risk, there is no rush to make a decision. Others on the panel worry about fall and winter surges. The FDA needs to advise pharmaceutical companies what kids of clinical trials and data they would need to make a decision. Those who want this started now note that giving Emergency Use Authorization for kids does not mean that it has to be given to them. Having the EUA in place means the public health folks would be ready to go if need be.
One worry with a vaccine for kids is the possibility of heart inflammation--myocarditis or pericarditis. There have been few cases in 12- to 15-year olds. For those aged 16 or 17, there have been 79 cases out of the 2.3 million vaccine doses given; the normal rate for that age group would be two to 19. For young people 18 to 24, there have been 196 cases out of the 9.8 million doses given. Normal would be eight to 83. Some argue that there being few cases in the kids just older than 12 means there would be fewer in kids younger.
More and more companies have employees returning to the office or are planning for that. Some will keep letting employees work from home on a full-time or part-time fashion. Part of planning for the return is figuring out how to handle the vaccine issue with employees. The worry about vaccine mandates is the possibility of lawsuits, political upheaval, and enforcement. Safety is obviously also an issue. So far, about two-thirds of companies have not developed a vaccine policy. Tuesday, Goldman Sachs gave employees two days to report their vaccination status. They say they will not require proof but told employees that lying could result in disciplinary action including termination.
The reopening of the cruise industry could be going better. On the inaugural sailing of the Celebrity Millenium, all passengers had to have been vaccinated as well as show proof of a negative test within 72 hours of sailing. Still, two passengers who were traveling together tested positive. All passengers will take an antigen test as part of disembarkation. The cruise started and ended in St. Maarten because Florida won't let cruise lines require vaccination. And two passengers not traveling together tested positive on a Mediterranean cruise. Passengers were not required to show proof of vaccination for that cruise but did have to show two negative tests before boarding.
Bitcoin 2021 met in Miami for a week of panels, parties, networking, and deal making. It was the first major business conference since the pandemic began. In the aftermath, attendees are starting to report positive tests. Most of the events at Bitcoin 2021 took place in a large, crowded warehouse and neither vaccines nor masks were required. This week, the first major trade show, The World of Concrete, is happening in Las Vegas. There are typically 60,000 people there. Any bets on how the aftermath of that one is going to look?
The Euro 2020 soccer championship is opening with a game in Rome. Subsequent games will be in 11 cities around Europe. There will be crowd limitations, staggered arrival times, social distancing, and lots of hand sanitizer. Rome will also require fans to show documentation of vaccination, a negative test, or proof of having recovered from a case of covid. If this does not go smoothly and safely, it will validate the decision of the IOC not to allow spectators in Tokyo.
The seven-day average number of cases in the US yesterday was 13,409, an eight percent drop from the day before. Since January 2020, at least one in 10 people who live in the US have been infected, and at least one in 554 have died. And while the US case numbers are dropping, it has taken less than six months for the world to record 1.88 million covid deaths, about the same as last year's total.
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