Yesterday's covid numbers for the US were 248,488 new cases, 1,293 deaths, and 610,018 doses of vaccine given. It's the 248,488 that scares me the most. The last time we saw a number like that, we were thinking once it came down that it wouldn't get that high again. As the director general of health in New Zealand put it, the Delta variant is like a whole new virus. The vaccine number is on track for August; there have been over 400,000 vaccinations every day this month. Dr. Fauci says that if the "overwhelming majority" of the population is vaccinated, the US could have control of covid by spring 2022. And then he adds, "But there's no guarantee because it's up to us." That statement is, unfortunately, all too true.
There have been multiple positive covid tests connected to the Paralympic Games already, tests that were recorded abroad or in training camps in Japan. They just had the first Paralympic athlete to test positive in the Paralympic Village. The unnamed athlete is now in isolation elsewhere. The Summer Olympics had just under 700 positive cases. It will be interesting to see how the Paralympics compare. Meanwhile, Tokyo recorded 4,220 new cases Tuesday and nine deaths. It remains under a state or emergency at least until after the Paralympic Games end.
The covid cluster in New Zealand has grown to 148 cases. Experts say that it could grow to 1,000 and take four to six weeks to stamp out. There were 41 new cases on Tuesday. The majority of cases appear to be Samoans; I don't know enough to comment as to the possible reason other than they may have been to the same gathering. There are only eight people hospitalized, none of whom are in the ICU. A math modeler at the University of Canterbury says that the cluster is on track to be the largest New Zealand has experienced. Just when you thought you were home free, one little thing goes wrong.
The chief health officer of New South Wales says that the citizens there could be wearing masks indoors for years and that proof of vaccination may be required to enter high-risk venues even when the state hits 80 percent of the population vaccinated. The lockdowns there continue with no real end in sight.
Meanwhile in England, the Cornwall tourist board is urging people to go somewhere else. Cornwall just hosted some 70,000 people at the Boardmasters music and surfing festival. So far almost 5,000 covid cases have been traced back to that festival. I don't know if there was any sort of vaccine or testing required to attend. I wonder what will happen as the college football season here begins in a week or two. I know that the local university is not restricting attendance now, and has no vaccine or testing requirement that Ive heard about. Perhaps fortunately, they haven't had a sellout game in quite some time.
Charlie Watts, the drummer for the Rolling Stones, has died at the age of 80. I wonder if they'll replace him and, if so, how old the replacement will happen to be. Will they search for another geriatric to fit in with the rest of the group or might they take a chance with someone much younger? And who will be the next group member to kick the bucket? Mick Jagger? Keith Richards? Just remember that you can't always get what you want.
1 comment:
Attendance at that event required a negative LFT within 24 hours of going through the gate, double vaccination with the second dose 14 days before the event or a previous positive PCR test (so natural immunity). On site campers needed a second LFT while they were there. I think we can say that all the right measures were in place but they weren't effective. That shouldn't be too surprising as we know that you can still catch and carry covid after vaccination or a first infection.
Cornwall will empty next week anyway because schools go back.
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