COVID WATCH

Final night for the Democratic National Convention.  2,000 pro-Palestinian protesters marched yesterday.  All went well.  However, on Tuesday, there were 56 arrests at an un-sanctioned pro-Palestinian rally outside the Israeli Consulate.

Froma Harrop had an excellent op-ed today on Gutsy Republicans are Quiet Star of the Dems' Convention.  Stephanie Grisham, Trump's former press secretary, who was the first White-Houser to resign on 6January2021, shared the true character of Donald and Melania Trump.  Coming from an insider who was like family is just another confirmation of what everyone knows anyway.  Also mentioned other Republicans like Adam Kinzinger and John Giles.  Read this.

Otherwise, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is expected to drop out of the race tomorrow and endorse Donald Trump.  Trump suggested in an interview this week that Kennedy would do an “incredible job” as a secretary of health and human services. Kennedy, a famous anti-vaccine advocate and conspiracy theorist, hasn’t shied away from floating his interest in a Cabinet position under Trump. But a position as an HHS secretary, by historical comparisons, would be an odd choice. For one, Kennedy has openly advocated for dismantling offices like the FDA and CDC and rebuilding them with like-minded fringe figures. Here’s what else Kennedy has advocated for.  Just another kook into this family of weird and creepy people.

Speaking of vaccinations, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved the updated COVID-19 vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna, targeting the KP.2 variant, which has been dominating this summer.  Yes, this is that same FDA that "future" Secretary of Health and Human Services Kennedy would dismantle.  The FDA also granted emergency use for Moderna's Spikevax and Comirnaty, jointly developed by Pfizer and BioNTech to those 6 months through 11 years of age.  The shot by Novavax has not yet been accepted.  15 Craigside, where I live, will have an in-house vaccination day for this booster on September 11.

Did you know that the youthful version of LONG COVID is different from adults?  At one time it was thought that only 1% of kids suffered from long COVID.  This new study says this estimate is now between 10% and 20%.  Adults are in the 10% range.

Among children ages 6 to 11, the researchers identified 10 symptoms strongly linked to Long COVID: 

• Trouble with memory or focus
• Back or neck pain
• Stomach pain
• Headaches
• Phobias
• Refusal to go to school (which Gross says may be an indicator of larger issues)
• Itchy skin or rash
• Trouble sleeping
• Nausea or vomiting
• Lightheadedness or dizziness

Surely sounds similar to that experienced by adults.  Further, this report indicated eight key symptoms for adolescents, ages 12 to 17:

• Change or loss of smell or taste
• Body, muscle, or joint pain
• Daytime sleepiness or low energy
• Fatigue after walking
• Back or neck pain
• Trouble with memory or focus
• Headaches
• Lightheadedness or dizziness 

COVID data show that there have been 112 million cases in the USA, which would calculate to 33% of Americans.  

• Except that 15% get it two and three times.  
• Another report says that 32% caught COVID only once, but 12% were infected twice, 3% thrice and 1% four times.  
• 46% have not yet had COVID.
• Except that researchers feel that more individuals actually were infected, but did not realize this happened because symptoms were mild to inconsequential.  The closer number is that 77.5% of Americans have antibodies which had to come from getting COVID at least once.
• Into the future, multiple infections will become more and more likely.  
• While some will only show mild symptoms, many will get sicker than from a common cold, and some will be at risk of something serious, even death.  
• According to a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs study, those who had two or more bouts with the virus had a higher hospitalization risk, and RATES OF DEATH DOUBLED.
• Then there are the long COVID cases.
• The best precaution is to take those new boosters at least annually.  Even better if you wear a mask when in a large group or enclosed area with people.
• 15 Craigside keeps going in and out of mask mandates, and we currently need to wear masks.

If you look at the data of what percent of a country get infected, Worldometer has a comparison:  one case for every so many people in the country.  What this shows more than anything else, I think, is that some countries don't accurately report their COVID cases.  The higher the number, the better, or fewer cases for the population.

#1      Western Sahara     62,606 (they only had 10 cases reported)

#2      China                      2,878

#3      Niger                      2,626

#10    Nicaragua                  367

#23    Syria                         335

#43    Pakistan                   145

#67    India                          31

#85    Thailand                   15

#113  Canada                       8

#124  Russia                        6

#144  Japan                         4

#149  Norway                      4

#163  USA                           3

 #182  Germany                   2

#184  Australia                    2

#194  Singapore                  2

#221  Nauru                        2

#225  South Korea              1

      Diamond Princess        0.19

Hurricane Gilma is now at 125 MPH, headed straight for Hawaii, but should weaken before making any landfall later next week.

However, on Sunday, Tropical Storm Hone is expected to largely pass just south of the Big Island.

In the western Pacific, Tropical Storm Shanshan will soon attain hurricane strength.  Typhoon Shanshan will make landfall over Wakayama Prefecture, with the eye possibly heading right over Nara next week on Tuesday.

-