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CHINA'S PARANOID ZERO-COVID POLICY

            From Worldometer (new  COVID-19 deaths yesterday):

          DAY   USA  WORLD    Brazil    India    South Africa

June     9     1093     4732         1185        246       82
July    22      1205     7128         1293      1120     572
Aug    12      1504     6556        1242        835     130
Sept     9      1208      6222       1136       1168       82
Oct     21      1225      6849         571        703       85
Nov    25       2304    12025        620        518      118
Dec    30       3880    14748       1224       299      465
Jan     14       4142      15512        1151        189      712
Feb      3       4005    14265       1209       107      398
Mar      2       1989     9490        1726       110      194
April     6        906    11787         4211       631       37
May     4        853     13667        3025      3786     59 
June    1        287    10637         2346      3205      95
 July    7         251      8440        1595        817      411
Aug     4         656    10120        1118        532      423 
Sept   22      2228      9326          839       279     124
Oct      6       2102      8255          543       315       59
Nov    3        1436      7830         186        458       23
Dec     1       1633      8475          266        477       28
Jan     7        2025      6729         148         285     140
Feb     2        2990   12012          946        991      175
Mar     2        1778     7756          335         173       28 
Apr     1         439      4056         290         52        12
May    5         225      2404        151            ?        64 
June    2        216      1413          130          10        31 
July    7         320       1958        297          38         9 
Aug   4         311        2138          258          70         ? 
         11         290       1994         173          49         ?
        18          264      1950         202           ?         ?
        25          245      1909         197          68        ?
        31          403      1989         115           37        ? 
Sep    1          272       1732          39            ?         ? 
          7          353       1556          39            ?        ?
          8          287       1676          99          13        ?

Summary:  not much more to say.

China:

  • Was the origin of COVID-19.
  • However, this is an oppressive nation, and the government can control the people.  A ZERO-COVID policy was made and followed.
  • It worked, for compared to the USA:
    • Total Cases/Million Population
      • China  171
      • U.S.  289,232
    • Total Deaths/million
      • China  4
      • U.S.  3207
  • Yet, as recently as April of this year, both Beijing, Shanghai and 27 other cities were locked down, quarantining 180 million people.
  • People have complained, but carefully.
Many residents have complained of food shortages, lack of medical access, poor conditions at makeshift quarantine camps and heavy-handed measures such as authorities separating infected children from their parents.

  • Unemployment at all-time highs, especially for the younger generation.
  • The yuan plunged to a low level.
  • Foreigners remain banned from entering the country.
Vivian Wang wrote in the New York Times about China's Zero-COVID policy.  Some of you can't access it, so I summarize:
  • Today, even though cases and deaths are minuscule, 65 million remain in some form of lockdown.
  • The message is:  Do you want what happened in American to happen here?
  •  The government has prioritized nationalism over medical science.
  • Has refused to import better vaccines.  The home-made ones are notoriously ineffective.  Further, elders were the lowest priority for shots.  These are the ones who die.
  • President Xi Jinpiang is identified as the individual who adheres to this policy.
  • The problem is that Xi is seeking a third 5-year term, and this decision will be made on October 15.  A sudden escalation of cases can ruin his attempt.  But frankly, I think this is irrelevant, for laws were changed to make him president for life.
In any case, after that date, you can expect a relaxation of rules from Zero-Covid to yikes, for once tourism is allowed, the BA.5 variant will invade.  I would not be surprised if by early next year China has the highest number of new cases/day.  As many of them will be old, the death rate will also lead the world.  Once this happens, China will be stuck with this disease for a very long time.  How ironic if this occurs.

One more bit of Covid info to guide you through the next few months of this pandemic.  The next set of vaccinations will involve a third booster, a special enhancement by Pfizer and Moderna to protect you from those super contagious Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 variants.  The big question is, should you mix and match?  

...based on previous studies of mixing and matching, health officials are relatively confident that the booster doses are interchangeable, and the CDC says people over 18 “may get a different product for a booster than they got for their primary series, as long as it’s Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna.”

Thus, you can mix.  However, should you?  For example:

  • Moderna's is applied at a higher dose, meaning more side effects such as arm soreness, fever and fatigue.  
  • However, when compared with the effectiveness of Pfizer's vaccine, Moderna's generated a higher level of virus-fighting antibodies.
  • But will two different kinds of vaccines be ultimately more effective?  No medical research on this subject yet.
  • My personal sense is that, absent all the facts, I will probably choose to continue with Moderna.
What about kids?
  • No Omicron booster is yet authorized for children under 12.  When?  Not known.
  • A bit complicated for 12-17 year-olds.  The only Omicron booster authorized at this time for this age group is Pfizer's.
  • However, 5-12 year-olds who were vaccinated with Pfizer can ONLY get an original booster, not the bivalent Omicron booster.

96-year old Queen Elizabeth II is dead, long live 73-year old King Charles III.  She reigned for 70 years. An accession council of over 700 citizens, including Prime Minister Lizz Truss, voted to proclaim the new king.  Very quick process that has to occur within 24 hours of passage.  The actual coronation will not take place for months.  Queen Elizabeth II was so honored 16 months after King George VI went.  

Longest reigning monarch now is Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei.  He is 76-years old and is soon to reach 55 years.  How many of you have been to Brunei?  

It is located on the north coast of Borneo in Southeast Asia.  Has a population of just under half a million.  Gained independence from Britain in 1984.  Has vast oil and gas fields, and is next to Singapore in the Human Development Index.  Government has zero public debt.

Some history:

  • Charles I was beheaded in 1659 at the age of 48.  Before that, he faced bankruptcy, had religion policy problems during this English Reformation, reigned during the English Civil War, lost his battle with the Parliament, was indicted for treason and lost his head, which was exhibited, but quickly sewed back onto his body and embalmed.
  • Charles II, his son, fled to France, but was restored to the throne in 1660.  The country suffered from the Great Plague of London in 1665, then the Great Fire of London the following year.  He was known as the Merry Monarch and had at least 112 illegitimate children by various mistresses.  Died of a sudden apoplectic fit at the age of 54.

While the UK is undergoing some turmoil today, Charles III should not have as tumultuous a time as his predecessors.  Scotland independence will re-surface.  There is, of course, the matter of any monarchy today being obsolete.  
  • Elizabeth II did such a fabulous job as queen that legitimacy won't be a problem for Charles.  
  • But will William ascend?  
  • If the U.S. had a monarch, that would have been yet another hurdle Donald Trump would have had to overcome to become President of Life.  So maybe the Crown does a purpose.
  • Of the world's 195 countries, 44 are monarchies, most of them figureheads.  By all measures, monarchies are declining.

I'll close with an alert about America's Got Talent.  The finals will occur next Tuesday, September 13.  No contest.  Metaphysics will win.  Here was their second appearance, which gives you a hint as to why.  Thomas Graham and Chris Ume will change the performance industry.
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