Remember back in November when we were the first to tell you that Omicron was a far milder version of Covid? We got that information from South Africa's Angelique Coetzee, whose clinical work discovered the variant in the first place. Now, in an interview with the German paper Der Welt, she reveals she was pressured not to tell the world about the good news. Meanwhile, many parts of the world are finally getting the memo, with Britain and Sweden set to end all restrictions. But then there's this headline in the New York Times: "The Biden administration remains cautious about easing masking and other Covid safety measures." It's all in Recommended Reading.
Covid-2019
Covid-2019
Wednesday, February 9, 2022
In Recommended Reading -- yep, it's another Covid lab leak. Discovered in (you'll never guess... wait for it...) Antarctica!
Covid-2019
Tuesday, February 8, 2022
In Recommended Reading, first it is reported that Eric Lander, the top White House Science Advisor, apologized for mistreating his staff -- but would stay on in the job, and get some counseling. Hours later, he's out. Goes to show: in today's social media-driven world, whatever you do, don't apologize. Kind of explains Anthony Fauci's durability in the face of far worse failings.
Covid-2019
Monday, February 7, 2022
Omicron is in retreat for sure. All but two US states in two-week downward trajectories for test-positivity, and all but five for new cases.
Covid-2019
Sunday, February 6, 2022
Jordan Peterson presents a video of Canadian psychoanalyst Norman Doidge reading his essay "Needle Points." It’s about the “behavioral immune system,” the deep primitive brain circuitry that gets engaged, for good and for ill, in times of contagion. We have the text version too -- all in Recommended Reading.
Covid-2019
Saturday, February 5, 2022
An astonishing story by national treasure Matt Taibbi. It's not about Covid specifically, but it tears back the curtain on the pharmaceutical-regulatory-journal-media complex that polices discourse about public health. The sub-head of the story reveals the whole incestuous tangle: "The fact-checkers who flagged Paul Thacker's British Medical Journal article about a Pfizer subcontractor for Facebook admitted they police narrative, not fact." This is truly Recommended Reading.
Covid-2019
Friday, February 4, 2022
Interesting new study reported in JAMA: "Among 295 reported COVID-confirmed participants... There was no evidence of association between time after infection and antibody titer." In other words, immunity conferred by prior infection does not wane over time (unlike the immunity conferred by vaccines). It's in Recommended Reading.
Covid-2019
Thursday, February 3, 2022
It sure looks like the US Omicron wave has crested. Fatalities lag, so they still look high as a function of the sheer number of cases at peak. But today 43 US states are in two-week downtrends for new cases, and 47 for test-positivity ratios.
Covid-2019
Wednesday, February 2, 2022
In Recommended Reading, Reuters headlines that "Ivermectin shows ‘antiviral effect’ against COVID, Japanese company says." The first paragraph of the story repeats the point -- and then the entire rest of it is a tired recitation of the controversy about Ivermectin, including the celebrity battle between Joe Rogan and Neil Young. You'd think a "news" organization would give detail about the "news" that trials are pointing to a solution to a deadly disease. But no. Only the "olds."
Covid-2019
Tuesday, February 1, 2022
Hypocrisy isn't a treasonable offense, but your blood will boil when you read the official government report of PM Boris Johnson's partying while he put the UK under cruel draconian lockdowns. Not exactly fiddling while Rome burns. More like fiddling when everyone else is under a no-fiddling order. It's all in Recommended Reading today.