Latest on the Corona Virus

[slimslob]

The state government, however, is flush with cash. Gov. Gavin Newsom recently reported that the state expects to have a $15 billion surplus this year despite the economic crisis — so much cash, in fact, that it may be required to refund some to taxpayers by law.

If that is the case then he has been hiding surpluses for a number of years. The last time California was forced to pay back surpluses to the tax payers was during Moon Beams first term in office. He tried to claim that it was because of his budgets but the truth came out that it was left over from when Reagan was Governor.

On another note about News Cum: https://apnews.com/article/sacrament...xEqUbV9Pr_Y_gw

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Ex-C.D.C. Chief on Challenge of Serving Trump During Pandemic
Dr. Robert Redfield predicted the “worst is yet to come” with the coronavirus and expressed frustration with the politicization of mask-wearing and mitigation efforts.

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Robert R. Redfield, the C.D.C. director, speaking before a Senate committee in September.
Robert R. Redfield, the C.D.C. director, speaking before a Senate committee in September.Credit...Anna Moneymaker for The New York Times
By Sheila Kaplan
Jan. 20, 2021
Dr. Robert R. Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will leave his post at noon on Wednesday, as Joseph R. Biden Jr. is sworn in as the new president.

An infectious-disease specialist with a focus on treatments for AIDS/H.I.V., Dr. Redfield led the public health agency during one of the most tumultuous periods in its history. He was frequently criticized for moving too slowly to protect the United States from the coronavirus, especially regarding the initial rollout of coronavirus tests, while being attacked by Mr. Trump and others within the administration for contradicting their overly optimistic scenarios of the likely course of the pandemic.

On the weekend before his departure, Dr. Redfield talked in an interview about his challenges and his disappointments.

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The face mask that could end the pandemic
By Keri Enriquez
Updated 6:44 AM EST, Sat January 23, 2021

(CNN)Getting Americans masked up is a top priority for the Biden Administration.

Biden, who calls wearing masks "a patriotic act," signed an executive order Wednesday -- his very first as president -- to ask Americans to wear masks of their choice for the first 100 days of the new administration. The executive order also requires mask use on all federal property, though in this case, not just any old mask will do.

On Wednesday after the inauguration, White House press secretary Jen Psaki showed off her bright white N95 mask in the press briefing room. "I wore it out, of course, here today and will continue to do that," Psaki said after removing her medical-grade mask and before turning to questions.

CDC reports record number of daily Covid-19 vaccinations as states struggle with supply
CDC reports record number of daily Covid-19 vaccinations as states struggle with supply

N95 masks are considered the gold standard in personal protective equipment because they block 95% of large and small particles utilizing a unique electrostatic filter.

The filter works by trapping neutral particles like bacteria and viruses before they pass through the mask, protecting the wearer and those around them. It's similar to how socks might get stuck to a blanket in the dryer. The N95 mask, which costs roughly $5, also fits securely to the face, eliminating most of the leakage that may occur with a loose-fitting cloth or paper mask.

Studies have shown that masks significantly decrease the chances of transmitting or contracting the coronavirus. But not all masks provide equal protection. Depending on the fabric and number of layers, homemade and simple cloth masks have a range of effectiveness that can be as low as 26%, which leaves the wearer vulnerable.

Some experts like Brigham Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School physician Dr. Abraar Karan have been advocating for public use of N95 masks from the start of the pandemic. In an interview with CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Dr. Karan outlined why N95s are critical at this stage of the pandemic.

"If for four weeks the country essentially wore these masks in those risky settings like that indoors, what kind of difference do you think it would make?" Gupta asked.

"This would stop the epidemic," Karan responded.


The quality of protection a face mask can provide is crucial. A respiratory illness like the coronavirus is transmitted through aerosols, tiny particles that waft and hang in the air. Some virus-carrying particles are small enough to travel through or around lower-quality masks, making the wearer vulnerable to inhalation of viral particles.

"We know now that aerosols spread best when there is poor ventilation, crowding and close contact that's prolonged," Karan told Gupta in an interview. "So we were arguing that actually in those settings, cloth masks alone are not going to block aerosols."

Karan is not the only expert who has been vocal in support of better quality masks for the general public. Former Food and Drug Administration commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb wrote in an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal that "encouraging Americans to wear higher-quality masks is a simple step that might make a difference."

The biggest problem is lack of supply. This week marked a full year of the coronavirus, and the Biden Administration has committed to invoking the Defense Production Act more often to boost manufacture of N95 masks and other critical supplies. Experts hope manufacturing will hit a speed to be able to sufficiently supply the population.

"An N95 that's well-fitted clearly is the best that you can do," National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci told CNN Friday. "You could get production of that at a much higher rate now."

Karan believes N95 masks could be an essential asset in reopening the economy as the vaccine rollout remains sluggish and quarantine fatigue soars.

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If you or anyone you know have young children you need to be aware of the potential for a rare condition called multi-symptom inflammatory symptoms (MIS-C). Growing Number of Children Getting Infected With COVID-19: Report – NBC Bay Area

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According to Florida’s vaccine report, more than 43,000 people from out-of-state have gotten their shot in Florida.

[BillyCarpenter]

Looks like Biden is facing reality that there's nothing he can do to stop the trajectory of Corona and is praying that enough folks get vaccinated to stop it.


Biden says 'nothing we can do' to change pandemic 'trajectory' in coming months


President Biden provided a grim outlook about the country’s ability to combat the coronavirus pandemic Friday while calling on Congress to move forward with additional stimulus relief measures.

Biden addressed his administration’s response efforts during a press briefing on two executive orders meant to provide food assistance to low-income families and protect workers’ rights during the pandemic. Days after the US surpassed 400,000 deaths related to COVID-19, the president warned the country had little ability in the near term to prevent spiking case totals.

"If we fail to act, there will be a wave of evictions and foreclosures in the coming months as this pandemic rages on because there’s nothing we can do to change the trajectory of the pandemic in the next several months," Biden said.


The president faced some pushback over his remarks on the pandemic’s trajectory. Critics, including former Michigan Rep. Justin Amash, pointed out that coronavirus-related restrictions imposed in several states were meant to "flatten the curve."

"Haven’t we been told for months that restrictions and mandates were necessary to change the trajectory of the pandemic in the next several months?" Amash wrote on Twitter.

[BillyCarpenter]

What do the sheep think about Biden saying that democrats are gonna lock you down but there's nothing we can do to slow the trajectory of Corona?

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Lockdowns, Masks trigger words for the weak minded.

Now we finally Have a Plan