Covid-2019

In "Recommended Reading," a shocking report in the British Medical Journal: "...students at North American universities with third-dose COVID-19 vaccine mandates risk disenrolment if unvaccinated... To prevent one COVID-19 hospitalisation over a 6-month period, we estimate that 31,207 to 42,836 young adults aged 18–29 years must receive a third mRNA vaccine. Booster mandates in young adults are expected to cause a net harm: per COVID-19 hospitalisation prevented, we anticipate at least 18.5 serious adverse events from mRNA vaccines, including 1.5–4.6 booster-associated myopericarditis cases in males (typically requiring hospitalisation)." Is there anyone dumb enough to think that's a good trade-off? Yes -- only people who run American universities.

It's like we said. China is loosening "Zero Covid" lockdown restrictions in the face of protests by claiming that it has Covid under control. But official statistics still report record case loads. They need to coordinate the propaganda better. 

In "Recommended Reading," China continues to loosen "Zero Covid" restrictions even as cases persist at all-time highs. Meanwhile in the US, higher numbers of reported non-Covid respiratory infections are stoking the old tropes about "the health care system getting overwhelmed." Will it never end?

In "Recommended Reading," our friends at the Wall Street Journal editorial page remind us that China isn't the only place where there have been lockdown protests -- there's Canada, too. And now President For Life Trudeau is very unapologetic about his crackdowns against the protesters. Over at the New York Times, a headline wishes "Happy Birthday" to Omicron.