I am living in the middle of the emergency over coronavirus in Finland. Due this reason the update cycle to make posting to this blog could be slowed down.
The Finnish government announced on Monday nationwide school closures in order to help prevent the spread of coronavirus. Read more on the following aricles:
Finland closes schools, declares state of emergency over coronavirus
https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/finland_closes_schools_declares_state_of_emergency_over_coronavirus/11260062
Daycare centres are to stay open but parents were asked to keep their kids home if possible. The government also published a 19-point list of emergency legislation that takes effect on 18 March.
Coronavirus latest: 359 cases confirmed in Finland, S-Group shuts its Helsinki eateries, bankruptcy fears mount
https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/coronavirus_latest_359_cases_confirmed_in_finland_s-group_shuts_its_helsinki_eateries_bankruptcy_fears_mount/11249610
Here is a link to an earlier post related to Coronavirus:
https://www.epanorama.net/blog/2020/02/12/mobile-trends-2020-mwc-canceled/
1,657 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ice Cream “Tests Positive for COVID-19,” But What’s The Risk?
https://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/ice-cream-tests-positive-for-covid19-but-whats-the-risk/
A handful of headlines claiming “Ice cream tests positive for coronavirus in China” have been doing the rounds on social media. Fortunately, it doesn’t mean this dairy dessert has fallen sick with the infection, but it does suggest that it’s possible for food supply chains to become contaminated with the virus. Rest assured though, the risk of catching COVID-19 from any food remains extremely low.
Authorities in northern China say they’ve identified three samples of ice cream that were contaminated with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, according to Xinhua Chinese state media.
it appears that the ice cream or some of its ingredients became contaminated by a person infected with COVID-19 at some point along the supply chain. It’s possible the virus may have entered up in the food simply an infected person coughing, sneezing, or even breathing near the food. Since ice cream is not heated or cooked during its processing, the virus was not inactivated. It is unlikely that chilling or freezing would be effective in inactivating COVID-19.
Back in June 2020, there were reports from China that a COVID-19 outbreak in Beijing stemmed from contaminated meat or fish after a salmon cutting board at Xinfadi market tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.
In sum, food can become contaminated with SARS-CoV-2 and harbor the virus for some time. It’s also possible that infections can occur in anyone who ingests contaminated food that has not been cooked. While no studies have looked to quantify the risk of catching COVID-19 from food, the risk appears to be low in the grand scheme of things.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/south-africas-new-covid-variant-50-percent-more-transmissible-than-previous-strains/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Historian Highlights Eerie Parallels Between Reactions To Cholera And COVID-19 Outbreaks
https://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/historian-highlights-eerie-parallels-between-reactions-to-cholera-and-covid19-outbreaks/
When cholera emerged, it took many years before humanity figured out and proved that it was a water-borne disease, when John Snow (not the sexy one) proved that a contaminated well was the cause of 500 cholera deaths in ten days by removing the handle from the well pump. This made drinking from the well impossible and stopped the outbreak in its tracks.
Before then, as with many new diseases, the cause of the illness was widely speculated on by everybody from scientists to the 19th Century equivalent of YouTubers. Conspiracy theories abounded, including theories that the disease spread more rapidly through poorer areas because they were deliberately being poisoned by the rich, and that God was punishing whole communities for their sins, like a supply teacher keeping the whole class for detention.
Before you get too smug about how dumb the people of the past were, historian Judith Flanders recently posted a thread of eerie parallels with the COVID-19 pandemic of today.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/south-african-covid19-variant-may-cause-more-reinfections-early-study-suggests/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Euroopan keskuspankin pääjohtaja Christine Lagarde: Koronaviruksen uusiutuminen uhkaa nyt taloutta
Taloustilanne eri puolilla euroaluetta on “epätasapainoinen”, Lagarde sanoi. Keskuspankki piti korot ennallaan.
https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-11747948
Tomi Engdahl says:
Tutkija kertoo, miksi koronan uusi mutaatio vaatii FFP2-suojaimen – kirurgisessa maskissa on yksi ongelma https://www.is.fi/tiede/art-2000007755228.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Japan looks for a way out of Tokyo Olympics because of Covid
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/japan-looks-for-a-way-out-of-tokyo-olympics-because-of-virus-lf868xfnd
The Japanese government has privately concluded that the Tokyo Olympics will have to be cancelled because of the coronavirus, and the focus is now on securing the Games for the city in the next available year, 2032.
According to a senior member of the ruling coalition, there is agreement that the Games, already postponed a year, are doomed. The aim now is to find a face-saving way of announcing the cancellation that leaves open the possibility of Tokyo playing host at a later date.
Tomi Engdahl says:
It’s A ‘Liberating Feeling’: Fauci Describes Working Under Biden Vs. Trump
https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelsandler/2021/01/21/its-a-liberating-feeling-fauci-describes-working-under-biden-vs-trump/?utm_campaign=forbes&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=Gordie
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease expert, offered his most candid criticism of the Trump administration to date, saying it’s somewhat of a “liberating feeling” to speak more freely about Covid-19.
Tomi Engdahl says:
WHO Says Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 Vaccine Is Safe For The Elderly After Norway Questioned Its Role In Numerous Deaths
https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/01/22/who-says-pfizer-biontech-covid-19-vaccine-is-safe-for-the-elderly-after-norway-questioned-its-role-in-numerous-deaths/?utm_campaign=forbes&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=Gordie
The World Health Organization said Friday that it still recommends the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 shot with an expert panel it convened finding no evidence implicating it in the deaths of elderly people, after Norway’s medicines authority said there was no certain connection when 23 elderly patients died shortly after receiving the vaccine.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The reports of deaths in elderly people receiving the vaccine “are in line with” what would be expected for that demographic, the WHO Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety said Friday.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/what-we-know-so-far-about-vaccines-and-the-new-covid19-variants/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/virus-with-up-to-75-mortality-may-be-next-major-threat-to-asia/
Tomi Engdahl says:
The First U.S. Coronavirus Case Was Detected One Year Ago Today—This Is How It Spread To 25 Million
https://www.forbes.com/sites/carlieporterfield/2021/01/21/the-first-us-coronavirus-case-was-detected-one-year-ago-today-this-is-how-it-spread-to-25-million/?sh=5bce296d3085&utm_source=fb_breakingnews&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=forbes&utm_content=4118624078
On January 21, 2020, the U.S. confirmed the first-known coronavirus infection in a Washington man who had recently traveled to Wuhan, China—just one year later, the same virus has infected 24.5 million Americans and killed more than 400,000, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Experts say widespread vaccination is the country’s best bet to ending the pandemic and getting back to a semblance of normal life. However, the U.S. vaccine rollout has been anything but smooth, and the government has fallen far behind on its promise to vaccinate every American who wishes to have a vaccine by June. President Joe Biden, who was sworn into office Wednesday, already has plans to ramp up vaccine distribution and mandate face coverings.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.grano.fi/ajankohtaista/burger-king-testaa-covidsafe-virusteippia-ravintolassaan?utm_campaign=Case&utm_content=150945372&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&hss_channel=fbp-288314994678724&hsa_acc=10150371034527440&hsa_cam=6236850431550&hsa_grp=6236850432150&hsa_ad=6236850432750&hsa_src=fb&hsa_net=facebook&hsa_ver=3
Tomi Engdahl says:
Fauci: Trump’s Covid-19 Response ‘Very Likely Did’ Cost Lives
https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2021/01/22/dr-anthony-fauci-trump-covid-19-response-very-likely-did-cost-lives/?utm_campaign=forbes&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=Gordie
Dr. Anthony Fauci believes the “lack of candor” and “lack of science” in the Trump administration’s Covid-19 response was “not helpful” and likely resulted in more deaths, the federal government’s top infectious disease expert told CNN Friday, as the Biden administration tries to mount an aggressive response to Covid-19 and move on from the “divisiveness” of the Trump White House’s approach.
Fauci said that President Joe Biden plans to “reset” the federal government’s approach to Covid-19 with an emphasis on rebuilding public trust, after having “a lot of divisiveness” and “facts that were very, very clear that were questioned” as a result of the Trump administration’s response.
“People were not trusting what health officials were saying,” Fauci said, criticizing how mask-wearing was politicized under former president Donald Trump.
Biden intends to instead “let the science speak” and “get people to trust that we’re all in this together,” which Fauci said he believes is the right approach, likening the fight against Covid-19 to a war that must be fought.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Dow Falls 200 Points, Stocks Slip Worldwide As Covid Variants Strain Sentiment Amid Unclear Stimulus Timing
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanponciano/2021/01/22/dow-falls-200-points-stocks-slip-worldwide-as-covid-variants-strain-sentiment-amid-unclear-stimulus-timing/?utm_campaign=forbes&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=Gordie
Despite blowout fourth-quarter earnings still pouring in, stocks are falling Friday as unclear timing on fiscal stimulus under the new administration begins to rattle sentiment amid a worsening pandemic outlook that’s also crippling markets around the world.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Covid variant found in UK may be more deadly than others, says Boris Johnson
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/01/22/uk/uk-variant-scientists-johnson-intl/index.html
The new Covid-19 variant first detected in the UK may be more lethal than previous strains, according to the country’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
“We’ve been informed that in addition to spreading more quickly… there is some evidence that the new variant… may be more associated with a higher degree of mortality,” Johnson said at a news conference on Friday.
“Both the vaccines we’re currently using remain effective both against the old variant and this new variant,” he added.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Fauci says herd immunity possible by fall, ‘normality’ by end of 2021
https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2020/12/anthony-fauci-offers-a-timeline-for-ending-covid-19-pandemic/
Tomi Engdahl says:
A Virologist Explains What You Need To Know About The New Coronavirus Variants
https://www.forbes.com/sites/coronavirusfrontlines/2021/01/22/a-virologist-explains-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-coronavirus-variants/
Infectious disease expert Dr. Dave Wessner explains why it’s so important to identify new variants of the coronavirus that causes Covid-19 as they emerge.
Despite all the optimistic news about the coronavirus vaccines, other current Covid-19 news stories are more ominous. The detection of a SARS-CoV-2 genetic variant, initially in the United Kingdom and now in other countries throughout the world, has raised concerning questions. Is this new variant, referred to as B.1.1.7, more transmissible? Could it lead to an explosion of new cases and further over-burden healthcare systems? Could this new variant be less easily neutralized by the vaccines?
Tomi Engdahl says:
How To Cope With A Job Hunt During A Pandemic
http://on.forbes.com/6182HkLhM
As if you didn’t have enough stress already, now you are on the hunt for a job. Millions of people now find themselves searching for work. Instead of that fact making you feel less alone, it just adds to your stress. How are you supposed to compete with millions of people? However, changing the way you look at your job search can help you better cope with the stress. Look at your job search as a valuable learning experience that can teach you skills for your career. View your job search as a way to learn new technology, or discover a career path. It’s easier to admit defeat and feel like things won’t change than stretch yourself outside your comfort zone to create a new life for yourself. Take that first step.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Fauci Praises World Health Organization’s Pandemic Leadership, Says U.S. Will Rejoin
https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/01/21/fauci-praises-world-health-organizations-pandemic-leadership-says-us-will-rejoin/?utm_campaign=forbes&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=Gordie
One day after President Joe Biden was sworn into office, Dr. Anthony Fauci said the U.S. will remain a member of the World Health Organization and join the global vaccine alliance intended to distribute Covid-19 vaccines more equitably around the world, praising the WHO’s leadership during the pandemic in stark departure from the Trump administration which had planned to leave the organization it accused it of being too “China-centric.”
“This is a good day for WHO and a good day for global health,” WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. “WHO is a family of nations and we are all glad that the United States is staying in the family,” he added on Twitter.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.thestreet.com/mishtalk/economics/counting-excess-deaths-500000-people-have-died-from-covid
Tomi Engdahl says:
Putting the Cost of COVID-19 in Perspective
https://www.visualcapitalist.com/putting-the-cost-of-covid-19-in-perspective/
When it comes to the toll on human life, mental well-being, and any long-term complications, the true cost of COVID-19 can be difficult to quantify.
That said, from a purely economic angle, researchers can and do examine these things—as well as economic data like unemployment and lost GDP, to assign dollar figures to the pandemic.
Using data from a study out of Harvard University, these visualizations focus on putting the economic cost of COVID-19 in the U.S. in perspective. To help us understand the immense price associated with a pandemic, the study looked at other comparables like the costs of running America’s longstanding war on terror.
The Cost of COVID-19
Since the pandemic took hold in the U.S. in March 2020, job loss has been one of the most significant consequences. Unemployment claims in the U.S. have recently reached a total of 60 million, while lost GDP is estimated to be around $7.6 trillion.
Unemployment, uncertainty, lost loved ones, and lost social connections, have led to spikes in depression and anxiety. In April 2020, around 40% of U.S. adults reported having at least one of these mental illnesses. Based on the sheer number of people struggling, the cost of mental health impairment could be as high as $1.6 trillion, according to these researchers.
The economic value of a human life can be put in terms of ‘statistical lives’, a notion used in both American and global health policy. While human life is priceless, the value tied to one using this metric sits between $7-$10 million. Even when using the lower end of the scale, the cost of premature death due to COVID-19 is estimated to be $4.4 trillion.
Finally, when looking at the long-term healthcare costs that could impact people who contract COVID-19, the price comes out to almost $2.6 trillion. These costs will go on for decades as certain lifelong conditions can emerge out of COVID-19, like respiratory and cardiovascular issues.
Both a global pandemic and a war have long-term health consequences and are extremely pricey.
The estimated cost of the post-9/11 wars rises to over $6 trillion.
While economic recovery is on the horizon, the U.S—and other nations around the globe—will continue to pay the cost of COVID-19 for years to come.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Birx: Trump’s Coronavirus Response Crippled By Denial, Election Pressures
https://www.forbes.com/sites/carlieporterfield/2021/01/24/birx-trumps-coronavirus-response-crippled-by-denial-election-pressures/?utm_campaign=forbes&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=Gordie
Former White House coronavirus task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx told CBS News that the Trump administration’s response to the coronavirus pandemic was hampered by pressure from President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign, White House insiders who thought the pandemic was a hoax and confusion as the president was presented with “parallel” data whose source she did not know.
Former White House coronavirus task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx told CBS News that the Trump administration’s response to the coronavirus pandemic was hampered by pressure from President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign, White House insiders who thought the pandemic was a hoax and confusion as the president was presented with “parallel” data whose source she did not know.
The inconsistency within the administration ended up hurting the country’s pandemic response, she said.
“When you have a pandemic where you’re relying on every American to change their behavior, communication is absolutely key,” Birx said. “Every time a statement was made by a political leader that wasn’t consistent with public health needs, that derailed our response.”
“I always feel like I could have done more, been more outspoken, maybe been more outspoken publicly,” Birx said. “I didn’t know all the consequences of all of these issues .. I didn’t know how far I could push the envelope.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/who-chief-scientist-covid19-herd-immunity-unlikely-in-2021-despite-vaccines/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/why-new-covid19-variants-are-on-the-rise-and-spreading-around-the-world/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Moderna Launches Trial For Covid-19 Vaccine Booster To Tackle South African Strain
https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2021/01/25/moderna-launches-trial-for-covid-19-vaccine-booster-to-tackle-south-african-strain/?utm_campaign=forbes&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=Gordie
Moderna will launch a trial for a booster Covid-19 vaccine shot, it said Monday, after tests showed that its vaccine — deemed 95% effective against the most prevalent strains — may produce less robust immunity against the newly discovered, more infectious South African variant of the coronavirus.
Tests on blood samples from eight people who had received two doses of the vaccine, as well as immunized monkeys, showed that Moderna’s vaccine was just as effective against the more transmissible U.K. variant, but there was a six-fold reduction in the neutralizing antibody produced against the South African strain which has also been found to be more transmissible.
In a press release, Moderna CEO Stéphane said that the studies reinforce the company’s confidence that Moderna’s vaccine “should be protective against these newly detected variants” but they are working on the booster shot against the South African variant out of “an abundance of caution.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
The #COVID19 vaccine rollout has, excepting #Israel and the #UAE, been met with anything from stumbles (Canada & EU) to chaos (US). MIT researchers have developed a paper vaccine passport that could simplify the process & preserve patient privacy.
Paper Cards and Digital Codes Target Vaccination Chaos
https://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/biomedical/devices/paper-cards-and-digital-codes-target-vaccination-chaos
Other than Israel and the United Arab Emirates, the COVID-19 vaccine rollout around the world has had a rocky start. Some like Canada and the European Union have suffered stumbles so far. Others like the United States have been in a state of chaos since the vaccines were first approved at the end of last year. Many in the U.S. have scrambled online for ephemeral appointment slots, while pharmacies desperately look to use up leftover doses before they expire.
One low-tech solution may help: An MIT-led coalition has unveiled an augmented vaccination card that works with or without user apps to help enable a much smoother vaccination process for everyone.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Moderna says it’s making variant-specific COVID-19 vaccines, but its existing vaccine should still work
https://techcrunch.com/2021/01/25/moderna-says-its-making-variant-specific-covid-19-vaccines-but-its-existing-vaccine-should-still-work/?tpcc=ECFB2021
Moderna has detailed some of the steps it’s taking to ensure that its vaccine remains effective in the face of emerging strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that leads to COVID-19. These include testing how adding a second booster, for a total of three shots, works with its existing COVID-19 vaccine, and also developing a strain-specific variant designed to target spike proteins on the new variants of the virus that were first identified in the UK and in South Africa.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Peräti 79 prosenttia koronaan teholla kuolleista on miehiä – professori nostaa esiin kaksi selitystä
https://www.iltalehti.fi/terveysuutiset/a/d6db46fb-25f3-4392-85e4-e64e71e53c79
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ensimmäiset koronarokotteen jälkeiset kuolemantapaukset ilmoitettiin Fimeaan – ei yhteyttä rokotteeseen
Tänään klo 11:34 (26.1. klo 12:27)
Kuolemantapauksia on ilmoitettu eiliseen mennessä kolme ja ne ovat tapahtuneet pian rokotusten jälkeen, kertoo Fimea.
https://www.iltalehti.fi/koronavirus/a/af669614-196a-4e1a-8ebf-369f60a2b96c
Tomi Engdahl says:
BREAKING: Global COVID-19 cases officially pass 100 Million.
https://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/covid19-cases-officially-pass-100-million-but-declining-daily-rate-offers-some-hope/
The world has passed another grim milestone in the COVID-19 pandemic, reaching 100 million confirmed cases, as tracked by government health agencies. The number follows hot on the heels of passing 2 million recognized COVID-19 deaths (almost certainly an underestimate) earlier this month. One optimistic sign, however, is that the number of cases per day has experienced the largest decline since tracking began.
Over the last week, more than 4 million new cases have been identified, equivalent to the entire country of Croatia being infected in seven days. Yet unlikely as it may seem, that is actually one of the more optimistic figures relating to the pandemic. In the first week of the year, the number was well past 5 million. The drop since then represents the largest worldwide fall in new cases on record, in percentage as well as absolute numbers in almost a year.
Tomi Engdahl says:
More than 70 million Americans (or roughly 40% of the labor force) have filed unemployment claims since the start of the pandemic.
Report: American Billionaires Have Added More Than $1 Trillion In Wealth During Pandemic
http://on.forbes.com/6186Hb9hs
While the global coronavirus pandemic has crippled significant segments of the economy, leading to the United States suffering the sharpest rise in its poverty rate in more than 50 years, the collective net worth of the country’s billionaires has grown by $1.1 trillion over the past ten months, according to a new report from the Institute for Policy Studies and Americans for Tax Fairness.
According to the report, which was based on Forbes data, the combined fortune of America’s 660 billionaires as of January 18 had climbed to $4.1 trillion, representing an increase of 38.6% compared to their collective net worth in mid-March of 2020.
On average, the wealthiest 15 billionaires’ fortunes increased 58.7%, while some, such as Elon Musk, are up more than 500%.
According to an IPS and ATF press release, the gains made by America’s billionaires during the pandemic could “pay for all the relief for working families” in President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion stimulus package, “while leaving the nation’s richest households no worse off than they were before” the arrival of the coronavirus.
$2.4 trillion. That’s the total amount of wealth held by the 165 million Americans that make up the bottom half of the population, which is $1.7 trillion less than the wealth of the county’s 660 billionaires.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Trust In Government Information On Covid Surges Under Biden, Poll Reports
https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2021/01/26/trust-in-government-information-on-covid-19-surges-under-biden-poll-reports/?utm_campaign=forbes&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=Gordie
Americans’ trust in the federal government to provide accurate information about Covid-19 has gone up by double digits since President Joe Biden’s inauguration, a new Axios/Ipsos poll found, as the incoming administration has moved swiftly to address the pandemic, and Democrats’ view of the White House has improved without former President Donald Trump.
Tomi Engdahl says:
‘All the ingredients are there to have this virus become an endemic coronavirus that might be around for hundreds of years.’ – virologist Prof. Marc Van Ranst
Q&A: Why history suggests Covid-19 is here to stay
https://horizon-magazine.eu/article/qa-why-history-suggests-covid-19-here-stay.html?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=share&utm_campaign=MarcVanRanst
A mysterious flu-like illness that caused loss of taste and smell in the late 19th century was probably caused by a coronavirus that still causes the ‘common cold’ in people today, according to Professor Marc Van Ranst at KU Leuven in Belgium, an expert on coronaviruses.
He says that the foothold of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the human population today means it is likely to follow a similar pattern and become a continuously circulating, or ‘endemic’ virus, joining four other human coronaviruses that infect people with common cold symptoms.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.eejournal.com/article/dont-stand-so-close-to-me/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Germany Moves To Exclude Seniors From AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 Vaccine
https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/01/28/germany-moves-to-exclude-seniors-from-astrazenecas-covid-19-vaccine/?utm_campaign=forbes&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=Gordie
Ahead of its expected approval for use by Europe’s medicines regulator Friday, Germany’s vaccine committee has recommended against giving AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine to people over the age of 65, citing a lack of evidence that the shot is effective in that age group.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Death Of A City: The Portland Story?
https://www.forbes.com/sites/billconerly/2021/01/28/death-of-a-city-the-portland-story/?utm_campaign=forbes&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=Valerie
How long does it take for a city to die? Downtowns across the country have emptied due to the pandemic, causing many stores and restaurants to close. Suburbs are doing much better, in many cases hardly touched by the recession. But in Portland, Oregon, continued violence and vandalism have combined with high housing costs, homelessness and poor community leadership to raise the question: how long before this city dies?
Portland has been doing well for years, and current problems are not certain to end the city’s life.
Cities can die. Death can be sudden, as with Pompei, or gradual, as with the Mayan city of Tikal and the Jordanian city of Petra. The United States abounds with ghost towns in the mining country as well as communities left behind by economic change. Down the road from Portland are a number of mill towns that have emptied out.
Thus cities start with a specific advantage but often grow in ways that are quite different from their original advantage.
The question about the death of Portland becomes whether people will continue to want to move here. Inbound migration has been the dominant demographic feature.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The 6 Largest U.S. Airlines Lost A Whopping $35 Billion In 2020
http://on.forbes.com/6181HjMGc
Three of the nation’s six biggest airlines on Thursday reported combined net losses of roughly $14 billion for all of pandemic-ridden 2020. That’s on top of the $20.9 billion in combined net losses already reported by the three other members of the industry’s largest six.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Brittitutkimus: Näissä ammateissa työskenteleviä on kuollut eniten koronan seurauksena
https://www.iltalehti.fi/ulkomaat/a/f33f86a3-7ec9-4972-bf5b-13eed35fd9b0
Tomi Engdahl says:
Tanskan pääministerin näköinen nukke hirtettiin ja poltettiin, pormestari Hollannista pelkää jo sisällissotaa – mitä Euroopassa tapahtuu nyt?
Tänään klo 20:50
Voivatko tiukat koronarajoitukset repiä jopa EU:n vauraimmat maat kappaleiksi? Hollannin koronamellakat saattavat johtaa sisällissotaan, pelkää Eindhovenin pormestari.
https://www.iltalehti.fi/ulkomaat/a/df557ca7-2d69-44f8-b373-df6e9d2cfd2c
Tomi Engdahl says:
Science is better than bullshit
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Gun Seizure Rate At Airports Doubled In 2020
https://www.forbes.com/sites/suzannerowankelleher/2021/01/30/the-gun-seizure-rate-at-airports-doubled-in-2020/?sh=6f70c32b5e29&utm_source=FBPAGE&utm_medium=social&utm_content=4449876259&utm_campaign=sprinklrForbesMainFB
Half a billion fewer travelers flew out of U.S. airports in 2020 compared to 2019, which meant that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened a whopping 61% fewer passengers.
But despite the dramatic decline in the number of passengers, the rate at which the TSA discovered guns during routine screenings doubled.
Last year, the agency seized 10.2 guns per million passengers screened, twice the five firearms per million travelers screened in 2019. It was the highest gun seizure rate since the TSA’s inception 19 years ago.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Governments Exploit Covid Data for Other Uses, Risking Backlash
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-31/governments-exploit-covid-data-for-other-uses-risking-backlash
In the beginning, Singapore was held up as a model for other nations. As the government encouraged people to download the TraceTogether app to their smartphones, it published the source code and promised strict limits on data use. Developers from around the world pitched in to hone and debug it in real time.
Now the early optimism is fading. Public support took a hit after authorities disclosed in January that police had used the app’s data in a murder investigation — only months after the minister in charge vowed it would only be used for Covid containment. The government issued a rare apology. But rather than back down, it plans to formalize the ability of police to access such data in specific cases when parliament meets this week.
“I felt disappointed,” he told Bloomberg News. “The trust factor that was there was reduced.”
Now Singapore could become a very different kind of model. After countries from the U.S. to Australia to Israel collected reams of data during the pandemic, largely with public support, they may start to see uses for that information beyond the original intent.
“Singapore is saying to other governments, with a wink and a nod, that we’ve done it and you can do it too,”
Singapore has tried to explain the changes. The legislation would allow access to contact tracing data under seven categories of serious crime including murder, rape and drug trafficking. In response to queries, a government spokesperson referred to Minister Vivian Balakrishnan’s comments in January.
“The police must be given the tools to bring criminals to justice, and protect the safety and security of all Singaporeans,” he said at the time. “Especially in very serious cases, and where lives are at stake, it is not reasonable for us to say that certain classes of data should be out of reach of the police.”
He added that TraceTogether data is automatically purged after 25 days and that the whole program will be retired once the Covid-19 pandemic is over.
A government minister said in January TraceTogether is used by about 78% of Singapore’s residents, or about 4.2 million people. A smartphone app and token use Bluetooth technology to gauge the distance between users, allowing the government to notify them if they’ve been in contact with someone who’s tested positive for the virus.
Initial acceptance from the general public was sluggish
In South Korea, private sector contact tracing apps became increasingly invasive
In China, a digital website reported last December that hackers were able to breach Beijing’s health code system and access government ID numbers and sell them online; such ID numbers are used to access a person’s Covid-19 test records.
There has been pushback from the public. In Thailand, the government was forced to walk back a threat from the spokesman for the government pandemic center that anyone found to have tested positive without downloading the virus tracking app would face jail time.
Apple, Google Bring Covid-19 Contact-Tracing to 3 Billion People
The World Health Organization has issued guidelines to governments on the “ethical” considerations of using tracking technologies for contact tracing. Member states are obliged to develop surveillance systems to capture “critical data” to monitor the virus, “while ensuring that such systems are transparent, responsive to the concerns of the communities, and do not impose unnecessary burdens, for example infringements on privacy,” the guidance issued in May 2020 reads.
He points out that governments can present virus technologies as benign and then reverse legislation or regulations later. The risk of Singapore’s move is that it shows not just governments, but citizens as well, how easily changes can be made.
“There is a slippery slope, where data retention periods are increased because it does add value to law enforcement, and suddenly the scope of the privacy risk changes so much more,” he said.
“The government is using Covid-19 as an excuse to put in place social engineering and public surveillance platforms and policies that ordinarily would never have been considered nor publicly palatable,” wrote Andy Wong, a 27-year-old freelance defense writer and risk analyst. “I wonder how many sane foreigners will want to work in a country like that.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
More Than A Third Of Americans Say They’re “Unlikely or Hesitant” To Get COVID-19 Vaccine
https://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/more-than-a-third-of-americans-say-theyre-unlikely-or-hesitant-to-get-covid19-vaccine/
More than a third of people in the US say they are either unlikely or at least hesitant to get a COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available to them, according to a relatively small new study. This high level of vaccine hesitancy could become a significant hurdle in the effort to curb COVID-19, the researchers argue, but it also highlights the need to better understand this trend and the many complex factors that drive it.
“Even though vaccination remains one of the most effective public health initiatives, some still doubt the efficacy and safety of vaccines. Unfortunately, the seemingly rushed process of the COVID-19 vaccine may have further fueled these doubts.”
The proportion of people who are hesitant about receiving a jab against COVID-19 appears to have increased since the early days of the pandemic when the vaccines hadn’t been developed yet.
African American, Latino, and Native American communities were reportedly less interested in getting vaccinated against COVID-19, despite being some of the hardest-hit subpopulations from the disease. There is a significant historical precedent for this distrust, the study suggests
Some of the main concerns about vaccines were focused around their safety and effectiveness, concerns the researchers say are most likely exacerbated by the perceived “rush” to develop and roll out the vaccine in under a year. Fortunately, there’s demonstrable scientific evidence and information to allay many of these fears.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Biden Admin Strikes Deal For Millions Of At-Home Covid Tests
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jemimamcevoy/2021/02/01/biden-admin-strikes-deal-for-millions-of-at-home-covid-tests/?utm_campaign=forbes&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=Gordie
The Biden administration said Monday that it has struck a deal with Australian manufacturer Ellume to secure what will be the country’s first over-the-counter, at-home Covid-19 test.
The test was authorized by the Food and Drug Administration in December. It is sold over the counter and, according to the Biden administration, is appropriate for people ages 2 or older. The test uses a nasal swab that is less-invasive than those typically used for Covid-19 tests, and can be self-performed. “After you take the swab, you put the sample into a digital analyzer, which will send a result to your smartphone in about 15 minutes,” said Slavitt.
“They can be used if you feel symptoms of Covid-19, and also for screening for people without symptoms so they can safely to go to work, school and events,” said Slavitt.
Tomi Engdahl says:
CBO: Economy Recovering Faster Than Expected, Will Reach Pre-Pandemic Growth By Mid-Year
https://www.forbes.com/sites/sarahhansen/2021/02/01/cbo-economy-recovering-faster-than-expected-will-reach-pre-pandemic-growth-by-mid-year/?utm_campaign=forbes&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=Gordie
The U.S. economy is improving more quickly than expected from the ongoing coronavirus crisis, putting it on track to reach pre-pandemic growth levels by the middle of the year, but it will still take several years for the labor market to return to normal, the Congressional Budget Office said Monday.
The CBO predicts that gross domestic product will grow 3.7% in the fourth quarter of 2021 (over the fourth quarter in 2019) and another 2.4% in the fourth quarter of 2022.
The pandemic-related provisions of the $2.3 trillion budget bill enacted in December will boost the economy an average of 1.5% in 2021 and 2022, but the huge spending bill will also add $774 billion to the federal deficit in 2021 and $98 billion to the deficit in 2022, the CBO said.
Tomi Engdahl says:
How Portugal Went From A Coronavirus Success Story To The Epicenter
http://on.forbes.com/6184Hddk4
Through a combination of good luck, early and decisive government action and the responsible behavior of the Portuguese people, Portugal was spared the worst of the coronavirus’s devastation last year. Although the talk of a “Portuguese miracle” was somewhat overblown, the country never had the horrific case numbers and overwhelmed hospitals as its neighbors in southern Europe.
Until now, that is. For some two weeks now, Portugal has been leading the world by a large margin in new coronavirus infections and in deaths from Covid-19. The local and international news about the country are dominated by scenes of overwhelmed emergency rooms and long lines of ambulances in front of hospitals. By some accounts, Portugal in 2021 is where Lombardy was in the early spring of 2020.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Pfizer expects $15bn in Covid vaccine revenue this year
Drugmaker raises guidance for 2021 as it benefits from having first shot approved in the west
https://www.ft.com/content/0f1ab138-401d-40ff-824f-f6879704f10e
Pfizer expects about $15bn in revenue this year from its Covid-19 vaccine developed with BioNTech, and raised its 2021 guidance as it benefits from having the first shot approved in the west.
Tomi Engdahl says:
As contactless menu ordering becomes the norm amid COVID, China pushes back
https://techcrunch.com/2021/02/01/china-criticize-contactless-payments/?tpcc=ECFB2021
Digital ordering and paying at restaurants was already gaining much ground in China before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. The tap-to-order method on a smartphone is part of the greater development in China where cash and physical documentation is increasingly being phased out. Many restaurants across large cities go as far as making digital menus mandatory, cutting staff costs.
Meanwhile, there has been pushback from the public and the authorities over aggressive digitization. An article published this week by People’s Daily, an official paper of the Chinese Communist Party, was titled: “Scan-to-order shouldn’t be the only option.”