The Road goes ever on and on ... Day 238 (738)

Hillary Clinton, former Senator, Secretary of State, and Presidential candidate; and Jen Psaki, press secretary to POTUS, have both tested positive for covid and are both experiencing mild symptoms. Psaki was about to leave for a NATO meeting with POTUS. She earlier had to drop from another international trip after a member of her family tested positive. A few days later, Psaki tested positive as well.

Moderna is requesting emergency use authorization for its vaccine to be given to children under the ago of six as well as to be given to children ages 12 to 17. Currently, Pfizer is the only vaccine available to children ages five and older. Moderna says that its vaccine is 44 percent effective in children ages six months to two years, and 37 percent effective in children ages two to five years.

Scientists are looking for a test to measure a person's current level of immunity to covid; this could help determine if someone needs another booster. The trouble is that not all antibodies can actively prevent infection. The current estimate is that 95 percent of Americans over the age of 15 have antibodies from vaccination or infection. Speaking of boosters, the US does not have enough money to buy a fourth dose of vaccine for all Americans. 

The WHO is warning that several European nations have eased or ended their covid restrictions too soon. Covid is now on the rise in 18 European countries. The head European official at WHO says these countries "are lifting these restrictions brutally, from too much to too few."

South Africa is lifting restrictions as the start of a "new era" in the fight against the coronavirus. Masks will no longer be required outdoors but will still be required in public indoor spaces including shops, offices, and public transportation. Venues that require proof of vaccination or a negative test result will be allowed to fun at 50 percent capacity. Venues that do not require such proof will be limited to 1,000 inside and 2,000 outside. The maximum capacity at funerals is being raised to 200 from the current limit of 100. Post-funeral gatherings will still be prohibited. For reference, only 30 percent of the population in South Africa is fully vaccinated. 

South Korea, meanwhile, is asking crematoriums and funeral homes to increase their capacities. There were 621,423 new cases last Thursday, the most in the world that day.

How about this line from The New York Times: "White House officials have said they are focusing on returning the United States to a place of prepandemic normalcy..."? Prepandemic normalcy? Really? I'm not sure I remember what that normal was. Standing shoulder-to-shoulder in a bar watching a sporting event? Air kisses on each cheek? Booking a spur-of-the-moment trip? Doing any or all of the above without thinking twice or batting an eye? I'm not sure I'll ever do things such as those without weighing whether they are worth a certain amount of risk. Nothing seems as safe today as it was before the pandemic. Nothing.