Y2/D219 - Meh
Oct. 21st, 2021 05:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkatGuess what? The Governor's emails are back.
ME: The Governor's Emails are back!
Mother: What?
ME: The Governor's emails...remember? The Governor was sending me emails about the virus and what was happening every week. Well they are back!
Mother: But different Governor?
ME: Yes, they've changed the format a bit. Less easy to cut and past.
Governor's email:
Since Day One as governor, I’ve been committed to transparency — that means communicating openly and honestly with you. That's why starting today, I will be sending updates on our ongoing efforts to combat COVID-19 and vaccinate New Yorkers — straight to your email inbox.
Let's dive in.
THE LATEST NUMBERS
SHARING THIS WEEK'S COVID TRENDS.
As of October 19, 2021, there were 2,144 New Yorkers hospitalized with COVID-19. Our 7-day percentage positivity average was 2.33%, which is down from 2.53% last week.
Per the CDC, 86.2% of adult New Yorkers have at least one vaccine dose. So far, 26,412,510 total vaccine doses have been administered, and 58,380 doses were administered over the past 24 hours.
ANNOUNCING A NEW DATA HUB.
We launched a new portal that will house all of the state's data related to our COVID-19 efforts.
OTHER UPDATES IN NEW YORK'S FIGHT AGAINST COVID
GETTING KIDS READY FOR THE PFIZER VACCINE.
We expect authorization to come soon, as soon as November, for kids ages 5-11, and New York State is ready to go when it comes.
Parents: Make a plan now so you don't have to wait once approval comes.
The State is also working closely with schools so they can help get shots in arms.
TWO WEEKS LEFT TO VAX AND WIN.
Get vaccinated and enter to win tickets, gear, and more from your favorite New York football teams. [ I don't know, I kind of feel cheated? Not that I want to go see a football team, but they have vaccine hubs now in front of movie theaters in the city - where they offer you a $100 to get a vaccine before seeing the movie.]
GET YOUR FLU SHOT. Good news! You can receive your COVID vaccine and the flu shot at the same time. Get your flu shot as soon as you can. Don't forget to wear a mask and stay home if you're sick — helpful advice for avoiding COVID, too. Watch our new PSA encouraging everyone to get their flu shot. [Good to know, but they weren't offering both at the place I got the booster. And the day they are offering the flu shot is the day I'm not in the office. It's very annoying. The universe just doesn't want me to get it yet, what can I say?]
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Every week, we’re answering some commonly asked questions about COVID-19 and vaccinations. You can submit a question for a chance to get your question answered in next week’s newsletter. Submit your question here.
QUESTION: Are COVID-19 vaccines safe for pregnant people?
ANSWER: Yes. The CDC recently released new data on the safety of COVID-19 vaccinations among pregnant people and encourages vaccination for all people 12 years and older, including people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant now, or might become pregnant in the future. The increased circulation of the highly contagious Delta variant, the low vaccine uptake among pregnant people, and the increased risk of severe illness and pregnancy complications related to COVID-19 infection among pregnant people make vaccination for this population more urgent than ever.
It's more direct and to the point, I'll give it that.
**
I'm bored and achy today. Told mother, I felt off. Mother responded that I've been feeling that a lot lately. Hardly helpful, Mother. Chose not to do laundry today as a result.
Also, very tired. I kept dozing off at my home work station, or falling asleep in my work chair. At lunch time, I took off and got another milk shake. Not the best idea in the world - suffice it to say, I like milk shakes, they do not like me. I think I may be slightly lactose intolerant?
I get gas when I have ice cream apparently, and my face breaks out with rosea.
**
Flirted with an Anne Bishop book that is on sale on Amazon, but read the reviews...and no, I don't want to read a book with lots of rape, torture and pedophilia in it. So pass. Smart Bitches is truly hit or miss.
Not much more to say...kind of spent mentally. Brain fog, and sleepy.
**
Covid
* Pfizer is claiming that the Booster is 95% effective in preventing breakthrough infections or severe illness due to COVID. But their studies have yet to be peer reviewed or acknowledged in medical journals.
*Scientific advisers to the Centers for Disease Control today recommended extra doses of the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccines for tens of millions of Americans.
1) For those immunized with the J.&J. vaccine, the committee recommended a second dose of that vaccine at least two months after the first.
2) For those with an mRNA vaccine (Moderna and Pfizer), it recommended boosters six months or more after the second dose. [I got mine roughly six months after last dose. My last dose was beginning of March.] Those eligible include adults over 65, adults 50 to 65 years old with certain medical conditions, and those in long-term care.
3.) The advisers also said adults 18 to 49 years old with certain medical conditions, and adults whose jobs regularly expose them to the virus, may choose to receive a booster after considering their individual risk, perhaps in consultation with a medical provider.
4.) The panelists also suggested that for their booster, people stick with the vaccine they received initially, but they conceded that some might need to mix them because of preference or availability.
I do wish they'd stop providing confusing and contradictory information on this. It's annoying.
What else...
* Bulgaria, with the E.U.’s lowest vaccination rate, is facing a surge in cases.
* The city of Moscow announced a lockdown as it struggled with rising cases and low vaccination. (It only had 47 Million out of 147 million vaccinated. We're doing better believe it or not. You'd think a dictatorship would be better at the whole vaccination thing, but you would be wrong. Makes me wonder about China and North Korea.)
* Virus cases continue to rise in Britain, and the country’s experiment — opening up with hardly any restrictions — is facing its toughest test. [Also it's created a new variant apparently - thank you, Britain. Can you stop doing that please? We don't need new variants. Get with the program and behave yourself.]
* The N.I.H. said that a bat research group that collaborated on research in China failed to report findings promptly. [You think?]
* Apparently NYC isn't alone in trying to get its police force vaccinated, so is Chicago - with not a lot of success. Apparently our media isn't exaggerating, police officers truly aren't the brightest bulbs on the planet. Who knew? Well most criminals, and folks who have been wrongly persecuted for a crime and well defense attorneys and prosecutors..
* Canada settled on one standard “vaccine passport” for travel. [Finally, although I shouldn't judge, the US hasn't gotten that far.]
* As borders reopen, New York City is clamoring for foreign tourists. [Can it clamor for vaccinated foreign tourists? These idiots travel through the building I work in, daily. I'd prefer they be vaccinated and mandated to wear masks.]
* Israel moved to allow tourists back in — if they are vaccinated. [ See, let's follow Israel's example, at least in this regard.]
* And travel in Asia has yet to rebound. [It's not really rebounded completely anywhere...has it? Maybe Europe. For some reason that escapes me folks decided the US, Cost Rica, and Europe were safe.]
Eh American Politics...
*The House voted to find Steve Bannon in criminal contempt for stonewalling the investigation into the Capitol riot. The Justice Department will decide whether to prosecute. [You'd think it would be obvious - he refuses to comply, they hold him in contempt and throw him in jail. They have done it in the past...But no..]
The vote of 229 to 202, mostly along party lines, came after Bannon, a former adviser to Donald Trump, refused to comply with a subpoena from the House select committee investigating the riot, declining to provide the panel with documents and testimony.
The move came after a bitterly partisan debate over the Jan. 6 attack, and as Republicans sought to deflect questions about Trump’s role in the violence. [Sigh. And this is why I'll never vote Republican again in my lifetime and have no respect for anyone in this party, and think it should be disbanded, and most of the current elected Republican officials thrown in prison for Treason and Acts of Terrorism against the American People for the rest of their lives. Maybe send them to Guantamo Bay, assuming its still open, it may not be.]
* In other news out of Washington, Texas’ attorney general urged the Supreme Court to leave the state’s restrictive abortion law in place, saying that the federal government was not entitled to challenge it. [Well, considering you idiotically made part of the law - "that anyone in any other start can sue or file charges against a citizen of Texas seeking an abortion in another state", yes they do have the right to challenge it. Hello, Commerce Clause, you nitwit. The moment your law affects the rights of folks in other states or people traveling from state to state - you jump out of "State" Jurisdiction to "Federal" Jurisdiction right there, you dingbat. Also since abortion laws concern the right of privacy under the Constitution, that also gives them the right to challenge it. Honestly, I'm beginning to wonder about some of these law schools and bar exams. (My Grandmother would just say - "well, it is Texas".) I admittedly went to law school a century ago - in the 90s, and my memory is dim, but even I know that if you have a law that is outside your state's boundary lines, the federal government has a right to challenge it. God, pro-lifers are idiots.]
Science tid-bits...from the Times..
* We’ll start 200 to 250 million years ago. That’s when a set of fossilized footprints from a birdlike, two-legged predator formed in what is now Australia. Scientists initially believed they were the tracks of a giant carnivorous dinosaur, but a new analysis shows that the prints belonged to a smaller, meeker herbivore no taller than a person.
* Moving to Europe, a team of scientists analyzed 273 ancient horse genomes and concluded that modern horses were domesticated around 4,200 years ago in steppes around southern Russia. And in case you missed it, a kidney grown in a genetically altered pig was found to work normally after surgeons in New York attached it to a human patient. [I feel sorry for the horses, they were probably happier running wild than carrying annoying humans on their backs. Also the genetically altered pig to provide kidneys for humans...is kind of cringe-inducing. I'm not sure about the ethics of that. Should we be doing it? Also, not certain I'd want to tell anyone if I got one.]
***
Random Photo of the Day..
ME: The Governor's Emails are back!
Mother: What?
ME: The Governor's emails...remember? The Governor was sending me emails about the virus and what was happening every week. Well they are back!
Mother: But different Governor?
ME: Yes, they've changed the format a bit. Less easy to cut and past.
Governor's email:
Since Day One as governor, I’ve been committed to transparency — that means communicating openly and honestly with you. That's why starting today, I will be sending updates on our ongoing efforts to combat COVID-19 and vaccinate New Yorkers — straight to your email inbox.
Let's dive in.
THE LATEST NUMBERS
SHARING THIS WEEK'S COVID TRENDS.
As of October 19, 2021, there were 2,144 New Yorkers hospitalized with COVID-19. Our 7-day percentage positivity average was 2.33%, which is down from 2.53% last week.
Per the CDC, 86.2% of adult New Yorkers have at least one vaccine dose. So far, 26,412,510 total vaccine doses have been administered, and 58,380 doses were administered over the past 24 hours.
ANNOUNCING A NEW DATA HUB.
We launched a new portal that will house all of the state's data related to our COVID-19 efforts.
OTHER UPDATES IN NEW YORK'S FIGHT AGAINST COVID
GETTING KIDS READY FOR THE PFIZER VACCINE.
We expect authorization to come soon, as soon as November, for kids ages 5-11, and New York State is ready to go when it comes.
Parents: Make a plan now so you don't have to wait once approval comes.
The State is also working closely with schools so they can help get shots in arms.
TWO WEEKS LEFT TO VAX AND WIN.
Get vaccinated and enter to win tickets, gear, and more from your favorite New York football teams. [ I don't know, I kind of feel cheated? Not that I want to go see a football team, but they have vaccine hubs now in front of movie theaters in the city - where they offer you a $100 to get a vaccine before seeing the movie.]
GET YOUR FLU SHOT. Good news! You can receive your COVID vaccine and the flu shot at the same time. Get your flu shot as soon as you can. Don't forget to wear a mask and stay home if you're sick — helpful advice for avoiding COVID, too. Watch our new PSA encouraging everyone to get their flu shot. [Good to know, but they weren't offering both at the place I got the booster. And the day they are offering the flu shot is the day I'm not in the office. It's very annoying. The universe just doesn't want me to get it yet, what can I say?]
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Every week, we’re answering some commonly asked questions about COVID-19 and vaccinations. You can submit a question for a chance to get your question answered in next week’s newsletter. Submit your question here.
QUESTION: Are COVID-19 vaccines safe for pregnant people?
ANSWER: Yes. The CDC recently released new data on the safety of COVID-19 vaccinations among pregnant people and encourages vaccination for all people 12 years and older, including people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant now, or might become pregnant in the future. The increased circulation of the highly contagious Delta variant, the low vaccine uptake among pregnant people, and the increased risk of severe illness and pregnancy complications related to COVID-19 infection among pregnant people make vaccination for this population more urgent than ever.
It's more direct and to the point, I'll give it that.
**
I'm bored and achy today. Told mother, I felt off. Mother responded that I've been feeling that a lot lately. Hardly helpful, Mother. Chose not to do laundry today as a result.
Also, very tired. I kept dozing off at my home work station, or falling asleep in my work chair. At lunch time, I took off and got another milk shake. Not the best idea in the world - suffice it to say, I like milk shakes, they do not like me. I think I may be slightly lactose intolerant?
I get gas when I have ice cream apparently, and my face breaks out with rosea.
**
Flirted with an Anne Bishop book that is on sale on Amazon, but read the reviews...and no, I don't want to read a book with lots of rape, torture and pedophilia in it. So pass. Smart Bitches is truly hit or miss.
Not much more to say...kind of spent mentally. Brain fog, and sleepy.
**
Covid
* Pfizer is claiming that the Booster is 95% effective in preventing breakthrough infections or severe illness due to COVID. But their studies have yet to be peer reviewed or acknowledged in medical journals.
*Scientific advisers to the Centers for Disease Control today recommended extra doses of the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccines for tens of millions of Americans.
1) For those immunized with the J.&J. vaccine, the committee recommended a second dose of that vaccine at least two months after the first.
2) For those with an mRNA vaccine (Moderna and Pfizer), it recommended boosters six months or more after the second dose. [I got mine roughly six months after last dose. My last dose was beginning of March.] Those eligible include adults over 65, adults 50 to 65 years old with certain medical conditions, and those in long-term care.
3.) The advisers also said adults 18 to 49 years old with certain medical conditions, and adults whose jobs regularly expose them to the virus, may choose to receive a booster after considering their individual risk, perhaps in consultation with a medical provider.
4.) The panelists also suggested that for their booster, people stick with the vaccine they received initially, but they conceded that some might need to mix them because of preference or availability.
I do wish they'd stop providing confusing and contradictory information on this. It's annoying.
What else...
* Bulgaria, with the E.U.’s lowest vaccination rate, is facing a surge in cases.
* The city of Moscow announced a lockdown as it struggled with rising cases and low vaccination. (It only had 47 Million out of 147 million vaccinated. We're doing better believe it or not. You'd think a dictatorship would be better at the whole vaccination thing, but you would be wrong. Makes me wonder about China and North Korea.)
* Virus cases continue to rise in Britain, and the country’s experiment — opening up with hardly any restrictions — is facing its toughest test. [Also it's created a new variant apparently - thank you, Britain. Can you stop doing that please? We don't need new variants. Get with the program and behave yourself.]
* The N.I.H. said that a bat research group that collaborated on research in China failed to report findings promptly. [You think?]
* Apparently NYC isn't alone in trying to get its police force vaccinated, so is Chicago - with not a lot of success. Apparently our media isn't exaggerating, police officers truly aren't the brightest bulbs on the planet. Who knew? Well most criminals, and folks who have been wrongly persecuted for a crime and well defense attorneys and prosecutors..
* Canada settled on one standard “vaccine passport” for travel. [Finally, although I shouldn't judge, the US hasn't gotten that far.]
* As borders reopen, New York City is clamoring for foreign tourists. [Can it clamor for vaccinated foreign tourists? These idiots travel through the building I work in, daily. I'd prefer they be vaccinated and mandated to wear masks.]
* Israel moved to allow tourists back in — if they are vaccinated. [ See, let's follow Israel's example, at least in this regard.]
* And travel in Asia has yet to rebound. [It's not really rebounded completely anywhere...has it? Maybe Europe. For some reason that escapes me folks decided the US, Cost Rica, and Europe were safe.]
Eh American Politics...
*The House voted to find Steve Bannon in criminal contempt for stonewalling the investigation into the Capitol riot. The Justice Department will decide whether to prosecute. [You'd think it would be obvious - he refuses to comply, they hold him in contempt and throw him in jail. They have done it in the past...But no..]
The vote of 229 to 202, mostly along party lines, came after Bannon, a former adviser to Donald Trump, refused to comply with a subpoena from the House select committee investigating the riot, declining to provide the panel with documents and testimony.
The move came after a bitterly partisan debate over the Jan. 6 attack, and as Republicans sought to deflect questions about Trump’s role in the violence. [Sigh. And this is why I'll never vote Republican again in my lifetime and have no respect for anyone in this party, and think it should be disbanded, and most of the current elected Republican officials thrown in prison for Treason and Acts of Terrorism against the American People for the rest of their lives. Maybe send them to Guantamo Bay, assuming its still open, it may not be.]
* In other news out of Washington, Texas’ attorney general urged the Supreme Court to leave the state’s restrictive abortion law in place, saying that the federal government was not entitled to challenge it. [Well, considering you idiotically made part of the law - "that anyone in any other start can sue or file charges against a citizen of Texas seeking an abortion in another state", yes they do have the right to challenge it. Hello, Commerce Clause, you nitwit. The moment your law affects the rights of folks in other states or people traveling from state to state - you jump out of "State" Jurisdiction to "Federal" Jurisdiction right there, you dingbat. Also since abortion laws concern the right of privacy under the Constitution, that also gives them the right to challenge it. Honestly, I'm beginning to wonder about some of these law schools and bar exams. (My Grandmother would just say - "well, it is Texas".) I admittedly went to law school a century ago - in the 90s, and my memory is dim, but even I know that if you have a law that is outside your state's boundary lines, the federal government has a right to challenge it. God, pro-lifers are idiots.]
Science tid-bits...from the Times..
* We’ll start 200 to 250 million years ago. That’s when a set of fossilized footprints from a birdlike, two-legged predator formed in what is now Australia. Scientists initially believed they were the tracks of a giant carnivorous dinosaur, but a new analysis shows that the prints belonged to a smaller, meeker herbivore no taller than a person.
* Moving to Europe, a team of scientists analyzed 273 ancient horse genomes and concluded that modern horses were domesticated around 4,200 years ago in steppes around southern Russia. And in case you missed it, a kidney grown in a genetically altered pig was found to work normally after surgeons in New York attached it to a human patient. [I feel sorry for the horses, they were probably happier running wild than carrying annoying humans on their backs. Also the genetically altered pig to provide kidneys for humans...is kind of cringe-inducing. I'm not sure about the ethics of that. Should we be doing it? Also, not certain I'd want to tell anyone if I got one.]
***
Random Photo of the Day..