This is brief rundown of the news so you don’t have to watch cable news. It’s just the facts with maybe a little snark.
With a vaccine on its way by mid-December, CoVid-19 infections have surpassed 14 million and yesterday’s death rate as 2777, that’s one American a minute dying. The CDC has announced guidelines for who should receive the vaccine first with healthcare workers and nursing home at the top of the list. The CDC also reduced quarantine times for close contact from 14 days to 7 to 10 days. The also redefined the criteria for close contact.
The CDC updated its definition of a close contact with a Covid-19 patient in late October to include multiple, brief exposures. The current definition includes exposures adding up to a total of 15 minutes spent six feet or closer to an infected person. Previously, the CDC defined a close contact as 15 minutes of continuous exposure to an infected individual.
The FDA meets December 10 and 17 to review applications for approval of vaccines
The FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, a panel of independent experts, will meet on Dec. 10 to review Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine candidate and make a recommendation about whether to authorize the vaccine. A similar FDA committee meeting for Moderna’s vaccine candidate is set for Dec. 17. FDA officials say their decisions on the vaccines could come days to weeks after the meetings — it depends on what questions come up.
People who receive the vaccine will get a immunization card as proof of vaccination. I have a similar card from WHO with all my vaccinations since some countries require proof of certain vaccinations.
The California Governor Gavin Newsom announced new regional stay at home orders based on ICU capacity.
The strict stay-at-home order will go into effect when intensive care unit capacity drops to 15%. Under the new plan, California will be divided into five regions — Northern California, Bay Area, Greater Sacramento, San Joaquin Valley and Southern California.
None of the five regions are currently under the new order, but projections show four regions will reach that threshold in the next day or two, with only the San Francisco Bay Area expected to remain open until mid-December, Newsom said at a news conference.
The White House is planning as many as 20 indoor holiday parties. Masks optional, as is social distancing. The State Department is also planning parties for employees with one that has 900 on its guest list. By all means spread the “joy” of CoVid-19.
Once again there are talks in Congress about a Covid-19 relief bill that includes liability protection businesses, hospitals and others from lawsuits that has been a sticking point for most Democrats. The Human Hybrid Turtle and some Republicans are adverse to aid to the states that is included in the woefully inadequate $900 billion bill. I don’t see this farce going much further.
In his Quarantinewhile segment, Stephen Colbert examines how the pandemic has punched a hole in peoples’ holiday plans and asks is it possible we’re better off now that SantaCon has been cancelled?
Off in the fantasy world of the Squatter-n Chief, his ” crack’ lawyer Rudolph “A Noun, a Verb and 9/11” Giuliani are holding mock hearing in hotel conference rooms, filing bogus law suits and the airing of grievances on Facebook. Thisis day 30 of #Squattergate. No, I won’t go into details. These people are delusional and best ignored.