# Coronavirus COVID-19 (2019-nCoV) Thread - 2021 Breaking News **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [January 1, 2021, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428 "2021-01-01T08:03:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 104
**Author:** ![John\_Bredin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@John\_Bredin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Bredin)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2021, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/2094 "2021-08-12T20:24:20Z")
Lollapalooza was not a superspreader event and did not significantly impact Chicago’s Covid situation. \*No deaths or hospitalizations so far attributed to Lolla. \*Among the approximately 385,000 attendees, there have been 203 Covid cases including 127 vaccinated people and 76 unvaccinated people. \*Chicago has routinely had emergency rooms flag Lolla attendees due to other health concerns such as drugs and heat. \*Some, including city officials, said that about 90% of attendees were vaccinated, but others say the vax-or-negative check at the entrances was not strict enough to say that. A key quote: Public Health Commissioner “Arwady said that if the [Chicago] region’s COVID rates and hospitalizations were more akin to those in say New Orleans, the city likely would not have held Lollapalooza or other large public gatherings.” ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2021, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/2095 "2021-08-12T20:33:29Z")
Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Tfletch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tfletch1/32/5340_2.png) [@Tfletch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tfletch1)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2021, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/2096 "2021-08-12T20:48:51Z")
> [@John\_Bredin](#): > > Watching the press conference now so no written story to link yet, but Chicago Public Health Dep’t is saying that Lollapalooza (began 14 days ago) was not a super-spreader or surge event. Commissioner gave very detailed numbers on vaccinated vs. unvaccinated attendees with Covid. > > Express caveats from the commissioner’s mouth: (1) Lolla was an outdoor event with about 90% of attendees vaccinated, and (2) Chicago is not undergoing a Covid spike as in New Orleans, where cancelling Jazz Fest made sense. Very interesting. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2021, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/2097 "2021-08-12T23:48:45Z")
This doesn’t bode well. > **[2 Days Into The School Year, A Florida District Asked 440 Students To Quarantine](https://www.npr.org/sections/back-to-school-live-updates/2021/08/12/1027222426/palm-beach-florida-school-district-440-students-quarantine-covid)** > > Palm Beach County has reported 51 student and faculty COVID-19 infections but the total number asked to quarantine includes their contacts. > Palm Beach County, Fla., has asked 440 students to quarantine just two days into the school year, after [51 students and faculty](https://www.palmbeachschools.org/students_parents/health_services/coronavirus_disease_2019__covid_19/covid-19_dashboard) had confirmed cases on COVID-19. > > The School District of Palm Beach County, the 10th largest school district in the country, teaches an estimated 197,000 students, according to the district’s [website](https://www.palmbeachschools.org/about_us). While students and staff are required to wear masks in the district, Interim School District Superintendent Michael Burke said in an interview with [MSNBC](https://www.wptv.com/rebound/state-of-education/440-palm-beach-county-students-quarantined-in-two-days-superintendent-says?aaaa) that 5,700 Palm Beach students have opted out, per an order from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis that [allows parents to give permission to their children to do so.](https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/08/06/1025192746/some-florida-school-districts-will-require-masks-the-governor-may-cut-their-fund) > > Burke blamed the opt-out rule as the reason for the spike in cases, calling on DeSantis to make changes to protect students from infection. > > “The governor has got to take responsibility for establishing the ground rules we’re operating under,” Burke said. “This ability for families to opt out is leading to more cases, which will ultimately send more kids home and deprive them of that traditional classroom experience.” > … ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/2098 "2021-08-13T00:03:29Z")
Two items of interest just now: 1. Amy Coney Barrett denied an emergency petition that asked SCOTUS to block Indiana University’s vaccine mandate. No justice dissented. 2. Goldenvoice, the promoter of such huge festivals as Coachella, as well as the operator of many music venues, announced that they will require proof of vaccine at ALL their festivals and venues. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/2099 "2021-08-13T03:49:19Z")
206,241,755 total cases 4,348,086 dead 185,088,485 recovered In the US: 37,203,649 total cases 636,298 dead 30,097,898 recovered Yesterday’s numbers for comparison: > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > 205,542,853 total cases > 4,337,580 dead > 184,545,357 recovered > > In the US: > > 37,060,454 total cases > 635,219 dead > 30,050,064 recovered I’m a bit early tonight; kinda tired, eh. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/2100 "2021-08-13T03:50:17Z")
Georgia: > **[The Latest: 4 tiny Georgia districts close in-person classes](https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-business-health-new-zealand-coronavirus-pandemic-b728b0c9742feb3a489a918fb97feaa0)** > > Four tiny Georgia public school districts have temporarily shut down in-person instruction within days of starting school, saying high COVID-19 case counts among students and staff makes it unsafe to continue. > [@](#): > > Four tiny Georgia public school districts have temporarily shut down in-person instruction within days of starting school, saying high COVID-19 case counts among students and staff makes it unsafe to continue. > > Other districts have closed individual schools or sent hundreds of students into quarantine after exposure to people with COVID-19. > > The 1,100-student Macon County district on Wednesday became the fourth district to suspend in-person classes, following the smaller Taliaferro, Glascock and Talbot counties in recent days. The four districts combined serve a fraction of 1% of Georgia’s 1.7 million students. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/2101 "2021-08-13T10:55:54Z")
In Texas, we’ve solved the problem of so many kids being exposed that you have to close schools by declaring that only kids who actually have COVID stay home. Close contacts can, but they don’t have to. And they may not know they are close contacts, anyways, because schools don’t have to report them. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/2102 "2021-08-13T11:48:42Z")
> **[FDA Authorizes 3rd COVID-19 Dose For People With Weakened Immunity](https://www.npr.org/2021/08/13/1027296490/fda-authorizes-third-covid-dose-immunocompromised)** > > The FDA amended its emergency use authorizations for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to allow for an additional dose for some immunocompromised people. The CDC needs to sign off, too, but i gather that’s a rubber stamp, and the EUA will be modified to allow third shots in the US for immune-compromised people later today. I have never before seen a government approval released after 11pm. Someone was working hard to dot all the i’s on that document yesterday. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/2103 "2021-08-13T13:19:02Z")
**Florida** is still not reporting its new caseload to the Johns Hopkins site, but according to the Ne York Times, its seven-day-average of new cases is **over 21,000**. The un-averaged daily maximum is 56,610 > **[Florida Coronavirus Map and Case Count](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/us/florida-covid-cases.html)** > > See the latest charts and maps of coronavirus cases, deaths, hospitalizations and vaccinations in Florida. Back at the Johns Hopkins site, the (seven-day-averaged daily reported new cases) has hit new highs in **Louisiana** (8331) **Mississippi** (4494) **Oregon** (2450) **Washington** state (3873) I note that all of these added together still don’t approach Florida’s daily average. Other states shooting up rapidly and poised for record highs 9or which achieved highs recently near or above records: **Hawaii** **Texas** **Alabama** (almost certain to set a new record in a day or so) **Georgia** (same) **Tennessee** **Puerto Rico** **Washington DC** **North Carolina** (also looks like a contender for new record soon) **South Carolina** (same) **Alaska** others are rising very rapidly, but nowhere near a record yet. I note that South Dakota has got a very sudden rise that, in light of the Sturgis rally, bears close inspection over the next couple of weks. ---
**Author:** ![Tfletch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tfletch1/32/5340_2.png) [@Tfletch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tfletch1)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/2104 "2021-08-13T13:39:07Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > **Florida** is still not reporting its new caseload to the Johns Hopkins site, but according to the Ne York Times, its seven-day-average of new cases is **over 21,000**. The un-averaged daily maximum is 56,610 Florida only reports on Fridays because people don’t need to know daily cases in the middle of their worst surge and right before school starts. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/2105 "2021-08-13T14:04:48Z")
[Canberra, Australia:](https://apnews.com/article/canada-business-health-australia-coronavirus-pandemic-460afab866006f92ebd1e3916b024246) > [@](#): > > Australia’s capital Canberra will remain locked down until there are no more COVID-19 infections in the city, a government leader said on Friday. > > The Australian Capital Territory, which comprises Canberra and two villages, locked down for a week after a man tested positive on Thursday. > > The tally of infections rose to six on Friday, with more than 1,800 people identified as close contacts of the original case since he became infectious, officials said. > > Australian Capital Territory Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the lockdown would last until all new cases had been in isolation throughout their entire infectious period. > > “We would want to see no additional community transmission, we want to go back to zero,” Barr said. > > The recent infections are the first cases of community transmission in the city of 460,000 since July 10 last year. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/2106 "2021-08-13T15:05:12Z")
> **[Iran’s Health System ‘Beyond Disastrous’ From Covid Surge (Published 2021)](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/13/world/middleeast/iran-virus-delta-variant.html?unlocked_article_code=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACEIPuonUktbfqohkQFUaACbKWsIjolqDhPTDxLExj2TiaymPQDAH0eUPHpPF90rJeaMmedIp3j2dWJlBLLorDrRU_9NoAnZMGUOus4fW39MMOTk0ooa-GWk6gJucVroxtDWzMmL8dbwmnPju4U2LdWXpUafZhXMiJQZgqIB3Ng3_gQx-za_OFOF309Vsj7x2Vt0hG2B2NGTdtOLoCh59JNyMchndjwExUOhfUj3X9sWOv_NCKE4BTAKbEw4spDo0-9heO9sIPafgLBBGeMb2gLgZDmMAP546VAAmIk6CgFSzCSLniI4f&smid=url-share)** > > The Delta variant of the coronavirus has overwhelmed the country, which has been reeling from the pandemic since it began, presenting a stark test for its new hard-line president. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/2107 "2021-08-13T15:32:32Z")
> [@](#): > > As experts race to mitigate the [spread of Covid-19](https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/09/health/us-coronavirus-monday/index.html) by encouraging vaccinations and mask wearing, hospital systems in a handful of states are now straining to keep up with the surge. > > Eight states, many of which have lagged the national average for vaccinations, have Covid-19 patients that account for at least 15% of their overall hospitalizations: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada and Texas, according to a CNN analysis of data from the US Department of Health and Human Services. > > [ > > Of all Covid-19 hospitalizations, these eight states’ combined totals make up approximately 51% of patients, though the states account for only around 24% of the nation’s population, according to Census data. [https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/13/health/us-coronavirus-friday/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/13/health/us-coronavirus-friday/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/2108 "2021-08-13T15:40:45Z")
AT&T has told all of its managers to get vaccinated (some exceptions allowed) or face disciplinary action. Does not matter if you are full-time telecommuter, either. So good for them. I presume they are in discussions with their unions on how/when to require the represented workforce to vaccinate. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/2109 "2021-08-13T19:00:08Z")
I have wondered if COVID’s impact on already-failed states. It wouldn’t shock me if a regime or two fell because of the pandemic. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/2110 "2021-08-13T19:02:28Z")
> [@Folacin](#): > > AT&T has told all of its managers to get vaccinated (some exceptions allowed) or face disciplinary action. I wonder what exceptions are allowed? If it’s anything other than people who are allergic to the shots then it’s almost meaningless. Also, they make exceptions, but not for people who work entirely from home? That seems odd. I’m 100% for everyone at AT&T and everyone else getting vaxxed but it seems a curious policy. > [@asahi](#): > > I have wondered if COVID’s impact on already-failed states. You mean like Florida? ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/2111 "2021-08-13T19:09:05Z")
Right? Mississippi might beat them. > **[Mississippi’s hospital system could fail within 5-10 days. Gov. Tate Reeves...](https://mississippitoday.org/2021/08/12/mississippi-hospital-system-fail-tate-reeves-2/)** > > Top doctor: "If we continue this trajectory (of COVID-19 cases)... I think we’re going to see failure of the hospital system in Mississippi." ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/2112 "2021-08-13T19:41:41Z")
> **[27 people aboard a Carnival cruise test positive for COVID-19](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/carnival-cruise-covid-outbreak/)** > > Infected include 26 crew members and one passenger, all vaccinated, on a cruise that set sail from Galveston, Texas. But surely cruise ships are not a super-spreader venue? ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/2113 "2021-08-13T20:36:40Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > I wonder what exceptions are allowed? If it’s anything other than people who are allergic to the shots then it’s almost meaningless. Also, they make exceptions, but not for people who work entirely from home? The exception policy is apparently (from the WJS): employees who are unable to be vaccinated for medical or other reasons. Hopefully “other” is limited to “sincerely held religious belief” (like presumably Christian Scientists) and not “my freedom!” dumb asses. I like the full-time telecommuters bit - from a societal view point, the more people vaccinated the faster we get to herd immunity. From the company view point, if you come down with COVID you are unable to work and are going to be a major component of health care expenses (I’m pretty sure AT&T is self-insured, hiring Aetna and others to manage care, not actually insure it). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428.md?page=103) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428.md?page=105)