Corona Log Entry Dec. 29, 2020
By jxmartin
Tue, 29 Dec 2020
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Corona Log Entry -December 29, 2020
It is breezy and cool here in SW Florida this morning. Snow storms are raging across the northern tier of the United States. Winter has arrived. New Year’s Eve is only three days from now. Everyone is hoping to put the horrendous happenings of 202 behind them.
Corona vaccinations started here yesterday in SW Florida, although it only 300 doses were given and those with short 24- hour notice. Seniors stood in line for hours, waiting for the magic potion that would change their lives. About 2 million vaccinations have been administered so far in the U.S. It will take a long time to reach all 323 million of us here in America. The AstraZeneca vaccine might be available for usage this week, increasing our medical arsenal. The new vaccine is up for FDA review and emergency approval this week. Medical expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, advised that we should get ready for a “post-holiday surge” of viral infections. Insuring this possibility, the TSA advised that well over one million passengers had passed through U.S. airports on Monday. People still resist mask wearing and social distancing, despite all evidence of the harmful effects by not doing so.
Travel industry officials predict that passengers will need a “vaccine passport” for use on cruises and tours this year. Certification that you have been vaccinated, against the Corona Virus, will be necessary before you are allowed entry onto a cruise ship or even airliners. All of those industries are in dire shape financially.
As one would predict, the first case of “vaccine diversion” has occurred in New York State. Authorities are investigating. That is a nice way of saying that some rascals hijacked a shipment of the Covid -19vaccine, for sale on the black market. It happens in war time and all major crisis situations. Some people will always be out to capitalize financially on the misery of others.
Nationally, the virus still rages across the land. Some 345,000 Americans have succumbed to complications from Covid-19. They are dying at a rate of over 3,000 people per day. 82 million Americans have so far been infected with the virus. Across the globe, Japan has locked down the whole country, barring any foreign nationals from entry for a month. Britain is in similar straits. Both face a new variant of the virus that is much more infectious. The mutation will soon spread no matter what precautions are taken. This only complicated the whole virus-treatment protocol. Will the vaccines be effective against the newer strains of the Corona virus?
The president finally signed a $900 Billion-dollar Covid relief package yesterday, after arguing with Congress over terms of the bill. It would provide $600 per person for Americans earning under $75.000. It also provides an extra $300 a week for the unemployed. It is timely in that authorization for many of the unemployment programs expired this week. It is hard to think of so many Americans out of work. I can’t even imagine what it must have been like during the Great Depression. There are food lines everywhere across the land today from people who can’t afford to buy the basics. “Food insecurity” is the new term for people who don’t have enough to eat. And this, in the wealthiest country on the planet. How did we ever come to this?
Congress has mustered the votes to override presidential veto of a two-trillion-dollar defense authorization bill that would keep the government running. If successful, it will be the first veto override of the Trump Administration. It is also signals a weakening of the Trump domination of the Republican party.
In spite of the high unemployment rate and failure of many thousands of businesses, the Dow Jones average of the stock market sails along at record high levels in the 34,000-point range. The market experienced a 400-point bump upwards on news of the new stimulus bill. I don’t understand the disconnect between an American economy that is strangling to death and a stock market that reflects a boom-time economy. It reflects a major disconnect between the “haves” and the “have nots.”
As a backdrop, the presidential war of attrition continues. President elect Biden yesterday accused the Trump forces of actively obstructing the presidential transition process, especially in the Defense department. There are also rumors of Republican plans to disrupt the January 6th formal Congressional acceptance of the Electoral College Presidential results. Finally, some Republicans are pushing back, advising the Trump Forces to “knock it off.” The man clearly does not want to leave quietly from office. While all of this turmoil was happening, President Trump played golf at his Florida Mar-Lago resort. Has no one ever heard of Marie Antoinette advising the peasants “let them eat cake?” It wasn’t good advice then or now.
A smaller subplot is the election run-off for two United States Senate seats from the State of Georgia on January 6th. Both parties need to win the two seats, to control the U.S. Senate for the next two years. The race is spirited and the amounts of money being spent would beggar a Saudi. The pre-election day voting is heavy. The vote could go either way.
For the rest of us, we wear our masks in public, continue hand washing, social distancing and wait our turn for the arrival of the Covid-19 vaccines. Most people around us are still leery of dining inside restaurants and attending any events that have large numbers of people, so called “super spreader events.” But, we manage and go about our lives, one day at a time.
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Comments
Grim all round. I can't
Permalink Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on
Grim all round. I can't understand why some people still don't wear masks - it's lunacy!
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My mother-in-law (age 101) is
My mother-in-law (age 101) is due for the first dose tomorrow of the 'two-dose' vaccine together with the others in her Care Home. Maybe in the not too distant furure we can visit normally again. She has adjusted so surprisingly welll to existing mostly on big prnt letters with photos. But visitng when you can't hug she finds difficult, especially as she can't hear much, and a perspex screen and masks hinders more. Rhiannon
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In my part of the UK our
In my part of the UK our relatively low cases have meant we've been under lighter restrictions. Now our cases are going through the roof, and we are bracing ourselves to join other parts of the country in the strictest lockdown. Hoping that our government doesn't make a mess of vaccine distribution as it has everything else. Nevertheless, wishing you and yours a Happy New Year!
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The Oxford vaccine has been
The Oxford vaccine has been approved in the UK now. Good news for the whole world!
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