by ezs | Oct 26, 2021 | evilzenscientist
Weekend – Negative covid tests here in the house; putting the last few weeks to rest.
Meanwhile – cases continue to decline in Washington State and across the US. Cases continue to surge in the UK.
Friday – non-vaccinated refusers, vaccine mandates, protests.
Thursday – back to the list of locations where cases are surging. Singapore and across SE Asia, much of Europe and especially Eastern Europe.
Wednesday – AY.4.2 variant is now >9% of UK cases; not unexpected to see variants emerge from the vast pool of positive cases in the UK; this one is of concern. Meanwhile >43k cases in the UK, cases surge in Russia and Eastern Europe.
Tuesday – Those UK numbers are still terrifying. Planning a trip to England later this year to close out some business; and I am wondering about the safety and wisdom of such a trip.
Monday – out of isolation. First booster (Moderna) in the house. Looking back – just four months ago, in June 2021, I was wondering “when to stop the covid blogging“. With over 80% vaccinated locally then, and >93% 12+ fully vaccinated now – it certainly felt like the beginning of the end. Locally the mask and vaccination mandates are enforced; but there are still lots of under-vaccinated areas of the county and state.
This time last year – on the rapid climb into the winter infections wave of 2020, pre-vaccine and huge numbers of cases, hospitalisation and sadly deaths.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/series/coronavirus-live
https://www.seattletimes.com/tag/coronavirus/
by ezs | Oct 21, 2021 | evilzenscientist
Weekend – slight uptick in cases in Washington State; but a good 6-8 weeks of downward trend now.
Friday – Plenty of reports on mixed boosters – anecdotally it looks like “MMM”, “MMP”, “PPM” in order are the most effective. One of the house is getting Moderna booster (“MMM”) next week.
Thursday – boosters, mixed boosters – both approved by the CDC and FDA. Children 5-11 will soon be eligible. That’s another big vaccination target to remove transmission vectors. If there can be >80% vaccination Covid will move from being a pandemic to endemic. As noted last year – that means an annual “covid shot”, probably in conjunction with a flu shot, targeted at the current variant of concern. In the UK >50k cases, much discussion about the real, non-symptomatic rate being above 100k. What this looks like (plans B and C) for winter isolation and protecting NHS and other key workers). New variant “AY.4.2” more infectious than delta.
Wednesday – 3% of Washington State employees are gone after not meeting the vaccine deadline. In context – that’s less than the “normal” attrition rate through retirement or moves. School north of Seattle closes because of Covid outbreak.
Tuesday – Washington State University fire their high profile football coach. Multiple Washington State Patrol staff leave WSP.
Monday – Tests for all of the family. Two positive, two negative. Isolating in the home.
This time last year – Continuing ramp of European cases, stable in Washington State.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/series/coronavirus-live
https://www.seattletimes.com/tag/coronavirus/
by ezs | Oct 19, 2021 | evilzenscientist
Weekend – positive test for the house member. That’s thoroughly annoying. I’ll save my rant for private.
NZ hosts “vaxathon” – over 2.5% of the population jabbed in a single day.
Cases in Washington State trending downwards.
Friday – Uh oh – a house member has been exposed to COVID through a potentially unvaccinated co-worker. Off to get tested in an abundance of caution.
Thursday – US travel restrictions lifting. Still >40k daily cases in the UK.
Wednesday – Russia >30k cases. Still generally high transmissions around the globe.
Tuesday – Moderna to join Pfizer in approval for booster shots. Mixed boosters also to be considered.
Monday – Cases still dropping in Washington.
This time last year – European wave, looking forward to Thanksgiving being a super-spreader event.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/series/coronavirus-live
https://www.seattletimes.com/tag/coronavirus/
by ezs | Oct 12, 2021 | evilzenscientist
Weekend – we’ve been out a few times in the last month – and every time it’s been to vaccination required, masks required venues. Bands, movies, sports. This is going to become the new normal; and it’s been made easier with the higher vaccination rates in the Seattle area.
In Washington State, positive cases are declining. In King County >80% adults and around 70% of all residents are fully vaccinated.
Friday – Good numbers coming from US CDC about vaccination numbers – but it’s still very skewed.
Thursday – flu shot. Good line of folk getting first, second or booster Covid vaccines.
Wednesday – flu shot booked for tomorrow, reported shortages.
Tuesday – UK still at >30k cases per day, 100k kids off school.
Monday – Russia urging vaccinations. Booster shots live in the US.
This time last year – the beginning of the massive Covid ramp in the UK.
I wrote this week retrospectively; so shorter notes.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/series/coronavirus-live
https://www.seattletimes.com/tag/coronavirus/
by ezs | Sep 27, 2021 | evilzenscientist
Weekend – “Worst to come” for UK. 5% of secondary school pupils in the UK had Covid last week. Locally case rates are trending down quite dramatically.
Weekly graphic from The Seattle Times.
Friday – UK continues to see >30k daily cases.
Thursday – we went to our first in-cinema film in over 18 months. Vaccinations required, masks required. Many bars, restaurants and venues are requiring the exact same protocols. This is going to become the “new normal”, and the sooner there is a standardised, non-paper vaccination record the better.
Wednesday – vaccine mandates are controversial; but United Airlines sees >99% vaccinated.
Tuesday – vaccination sites in Seattle and King County are re-opening for vaccine boosters. Lockdown and travel restrictions easing in Auckland, NZ.
Monday – good commentary on the US vaccination program and why it stalled.
This time last year – Trump had COVID, 200k deaths in the US, 1M globally
https://www.theguardian.com/world/series/coronavirus-live
https://www.seattletimes.com/tag/coronavirus/
by ezs | Sep 20, 2021 | evilzenscientist
Weekend – Washington State cases are down, deaths are up.
Friday – Booster shots are back on the table in the US; over 65 – get a top up.
Thursday – On one side: Portugal fully vaccinates 85% of adult population; on the other: health care system collapse in Alaska, Idaho and other states.
Wednesday – many of the protections from the last 18 months are being unwound; eviction protection, furlough, quarantine pay. In the UK – UK Chief Medical Officer, Chris Whitty, tells MPs that most transmission is currently in children: “There is definitely substantial transmission happening in this age group.”
Tuesday – super local – bunch of Issaquah High School kids positive, and spread at a football game. Waiting for these numbers to grow quickly – and then what? Back to distance learning? Data from ISD Covid Dashboard.
Monday – “Pfizer vaccine safe for kids 5-11” – emergency use authorisation soon, close followed by 6mo – 5. US to allow vaccinated non-citizens from UK and EU to visit from November
This time last year – the start of another wave in Europe; bleach as cure for Covid
https://www.theguardian.com/world/series/coronavirus-live
https://www.seattletimes.com/tag/coronavirus/
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