# 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:** 69
**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:** [May 22, 2021, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1393 "2021-05-22T04:02:09Z")
166,486,326 total cases 3,457,851 dead 147,242,961 recovered In the US: 33,862,398 total cases 603,408 dead 27,399,429 recovered The day before yesterday’s numbers for comparison: > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > 165,568,854 total cases > 3,431,786 dead > 144,589,029 recovered > > In the US: > > 33,802,324 total cases > 601,949 dead > 27,299,180 recovered ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2021, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1394 "2021-05-22T04:21:05Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > 603,408 dead …was there a big correction in numbers here? Because that seems a huge jump from the day before. (And thanks for the daily posting again 🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2021, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1395 "2021-05-22T05:24:20Z")
I initially had the same reaction. Then I noticed that the older numbers in Bo’s post were from the **day before yesterday**. So that jump was two days’ worth of numbers, not one. ---
**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:** [May 22, 2021, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1396 "2021-05-22T07:08:36Z")
Aye; that’s a 1-day gap showing there. That’s twice recently that I’ve missed a day. I do indicate it when it happens but this time was more subtle than usual; sorry for the confusion. ---
**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:** [May 23, 2021, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1397 "2021-05-23T04:19:09Z")
167,054,372 total cases 3,468,818 dead 147,976,264 recovered In the US: 33,882,333 total cases 603,876 dead 27,471,242 recovered The day before yesterday’s numbers for comparison: > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > 166,486,326 total cases > 3,457,851 dead > 147,242,961 recovered > > In the US: > > 33,862,398 total cases > 603,408 dead > 27,399,429 recovered ---
**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:** [May 24, 2021, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1398 "2021-05-24T04:27:14Z")
167,527,962 total cases 3,478,355 dead 148,544,144 recovered In the US: 33,896,660 total cases 604,087 dead 27,502,255 recovered Yesterday’s numbers for comparison: > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > 167,054,372 total cases > 3,468,818 dead > 147,976,264 recovered > > In the US: > > 33,882,333 total cases > 603,876 dead > 27,471,242 recovered ---
**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:** [May 25, 2021, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1399 "2021-05-25T04:01:12Z")
167,986,595 total cases 3,487,045 dead 149,302,095 recovered In the US: 33,922,937 total cases 604,416 dead 27,563,930 recovered Yesterday’s numbers for comparison: > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > 167,527,962 total cases > 3,478,355 dead > 148,544,144 recovered > > In the US: > > 33,896,660 total cases > 604,087 dead > 27,502,255 recovered ---
**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:** [May 25, 2021, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1400 "2021-05-25T20:38:06Z")
Good news, everyone! > **[Moderna says its COVID-19 shot works in kids as young as 12](https://apnews.com/article/moderna-says-covid-19-shot-works-in-kids-as-young-as-12-ce7dd76d73e82a1511cbfb91f1c39a0c)** > > Moderna says its COVID-19 vaccine strongly protects kids as young as 12. The company released the preliminary findings Tuesday based on testing on more than 3,700 12- to 17-year-olds in the United States. > [@](#): > > With global vaccine supplies still tight, much of the world is struggling to vaccinate adults in the quest to end the pandemic. But earlier this month, the U.S. and Canada authorized another vaccine — the shot made by Pfizer and BioNTech — to be used starting at age 12. > > Moderna aims to be next in line, saying it will submit its teen data to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other global regulators early next month. > > The company studied more than 3,700 12- to 17-year-olds. Preliminary findings showed the vaccine triggered the same signs of immune protection in kids as it does in adults, and the same kind of temporary side effects such as sore arms, headache and fatigue. > > There were no COVID-19 diagnoses in those given two doses of the Moderna vaccine compared with four cases among kids given dummy shots. In a press release, the company also said the vaccine appeared 93% effective two weeks after the first dose. ---
**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:** [May 26, 2021, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1401 "2021-05-26T00:33:22Z")
Interesting that they had to rely on antibody tests for effectiveness. Four positives in the control group isn’t enough to demonstrate effectiveness. On the other hand, a couple thousand kids jabbed, none of whom had a serious adverse reaction is pretty decent evidence of safety. And it would be bizarre if it didn’t work for teens, safety had to have been the big question. ---
**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:** [May 26, 2021, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1402 "2021-05-26T04:20:56Z")
168,528,040 total cases 3,499,712 dead 150,052,550 recovered In the US: 33,947,189 total cases 605,208 dead 27,606,442 recovered Yesterday’s numbers for comparison: > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > 167,986,595 total cases > 3,487,045 dead > 149,302,095 recovered > > In the US: > > 33,922,937 total cases > 604,416 dead > 27,563,930 recovered ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1403 "2021-05-26T07:31:25Z")
Someone’s been trying to start a smear campaign against the Pfizer vaccine in France and Germany. Other headlines suggest it might be Russia linked. > [@](#): > > Several French social media influencers say they have received a mysterious financial offer to spread negative publicity about the Pfizer vaccine. > > They say an agency claiming to be based in the UK has contacted them by email offering a “partnership”. > > Léo Grasset, who has 1.17m YouTube subscribers, tweeted (in French) that a “colossal budget” was promised from a client “who wants to remain incognito”. > **[France puzzled by mystery anti-Pfizer campaign offer](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57250285)** > > French social media influencers say they have been offered money to discredit the anti-Covid vaccine. ---
**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:** [May 26, 2021, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1404 "2021-05-26T12:10:12Z")
A weird mutation (as it were) among the anti-vaxxers world. Counterintuitively, some of the later theories mentioned are Canadian. I always had faith in the level-headedness of Canadians… [https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/anti-vaccine-movements-shift-their-target-to-the-vaccinated/ar-AAKoLpk?rt=1&ocid=Win10NewsApp&referrerID=InAppShare](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/anti-vaccine-movements-shift-their-target-to-the-vaccinated/ar-AAKoLpk?rt=1&ocid=Win10NewsApp&referrerID=InAppShare) > … > “I think it is particularly interesting that people are saying that those who are those who are vaccinated are a risk to those who aren’t,” said David Broniatowski, who’s the associate director for the Institute for Data, Democracy & Politics at George Washington University. “It’s like taking the common vaccine conventional wisdom and flipping it on its head where people will say, ‘if you have not been vaccinated, you’re a risk to those who are more vulnerable and vaccinated.’” > > Broniatowski said he’s never seen this before in the history of anti-vaccine rhetoric. > > “This is the first time,” Broniatowski said. > > The conspiracy centers on one particular myth that people who are vaccinated can emit contagious particles of the coronavirus’s [Spike protein](https://www.salon.com/2020/06/30/a-new-coronavirus-mutation-affects-the-spike-protein-that-invades-human-cells/) and can infect others, a process referred to as “vaccine shedding.” Vaccine shedding is a very rare possibility with live-attenuated vaccines that use a diluted version of a disease to stimulate an immune response. In the rare case there’s enough germ to spread, the shedding usually happens via feces— for example, with the polio vaccine or the measles vaccine. > … > > But even though the AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are adenovirus vaccines, it is impossible for shedding to occur in the case of these vaccines. That’s because they don’t actually contain weakened versions of the coronavirus; rather, they contain weak adenoviruses that have been modified to contain a piece of coronavirus DNA. > > In other words, vaccinated people cannot shed the coronavirus, and thus they aren’t contagious. > … There’s more, including protecting women of childbearing age [they’re the ones we’re always protecting, amirite?] from vaccinated people. If you want a deep dive into the Crazy, read the whole article. (I don’t know if it’s paywalled. The link is by way of a Microsoft aggregator.) ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1405 "2021-05-26T15:24:49Z")
**SB** , quick request if you can to show the +/- differences day to day. I always have to mentally estimate them on the fly each day. ---
**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:** [May 26, 2021, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1406 "2021-05-26T17:49:01Z")
I think @Snowboarder_Bo does PLENTY. 🙄 Keep a calculator at hand (or use the one on your phone). ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1407 "2021-05-26T18:08:25Z")
I’m surprised to be the first to post this: > **[Biden tasks intelligence community to report on Covid origins in 90 days |...](https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/26/politics/biden-intelligence-community-pandemic-origins-report/index.html)** > > President Joe Biden said Wednesday he has directed the US intelligence community to redouble their efforts in investigating the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic and report back to him in 90 days. Isn’t this a bit scary, especially in light of Fauci’s recent comments? ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1408 "2021-05-26T20:08:04Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > A weird mutation (as it were) among the anti-vaxxers world. Counterintuitively, some of the later theories mentioned are Canadian. I always had faith in the level-headedness of Canadians… Canadians are humans too, so they are not immune to weird and crazy. For example, there are Canadian Trumpists. At any rate, just shedding the spike protein is not going to be contagious. If anything, it’ll be a very low level (probably not enough to be noticed) form of immunization for those not vaccinated. However, there is the possibility of vaccines that contain a weakened form of the target virus to be a danger. That weakened form could mutate back into a virulent form. This actually happens with one of the polio vaccines. However, none of the major COVID vaccines is a weakened virus-type. There is one out there that is, but I can’t remember its name. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1409 "2021-05-26T20:16:30Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > A weird mutation (as it were) among the anti-vaxxers world. In the ultimate irony, some of these fools are now advocating masking and social distancing - to protect them from vaccine cooties. Posted a couple of weeks ago in the Pit here: [Fucking maskholes and vaxholes - #674 by Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-maskholes/915339/674) > [@dtilque](#): > > However, there is the possibility of vaccines that contain a weakened form of the target virus to be a danger. That weakened form could mutate back into a virulent form. But then that would be virus rather than vaccine. So in antivaxxer reverso-world, that wouldn’t be a worry. > [@dtilque](#): > > However, none of the major COVID vaccines is a weakened virus-type. There is one out there that is, but I can’t remember its name. Sinovac is inactivated virus. They appear to nuke it until it’s pretty thoroughly dead. I’m not aware of any in widespread use that would be characterized as “live-attenuated”, where the risk of infection might be higher. > **[How the Sinovac Vaccine Works (Published 2022)](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/health/sinovac-covid-19-vaccine.html)** > > Using inactivated coronaviruses to train the immune system. This one appears to be in Phase 1 trials: > **[Meissa’s Nasal COVID-19 Vaccine Uses Codon Deoptimization for Stronger...](https://www.biospace.com/article/meissa-s-nasal-covid-19-vaccine-uses-codon-deoptimization-for-stronger-responses-/)** > > Meissa Vaccines’ intranasal live attenuated chimeric virus-based vaccine for SARS-CoV-2 (and its variants) recently was cleared for Phase I trials, which will start at the end of March. ---
**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:** [May 26, 2021, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1410 "2021-05-26T23:54:05Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > In the ultimate irony, some of these fools are now advocating masking and social distancing - to protect them from vaccine cooties. Posted a couple of weeks ago in the Pit here: This is absolutely fascinating. I will not be sad if the antivaxxer fools go for this theory, and “protect themselves” by keeping away from all of us vaccinated people. They should really just board themselves up in their homes and not come out again. Win-win. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2021, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1411 "2021-05-27T00:37:44Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > I always have to mentally estimate them on the fly each day. …it would be harder to mentally estimate them if SB stopped posting them all together! I think the numbers are fine as they are, and want to thank @Snowboarder_Bo once again for taking the time out to post the numbers daily. We all really appreciate it. ---
**Author:** ![LauderdaleFort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/977dab/32.png) [@LauderdaleFort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LauderdaleFort)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2021, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1412 "2021-05-27T00:46:42Z")
Definitely. It’d been “case closed” for months and now the door is, at least, unlocked. Kudos for NOT digging heels and saying “already done it” and asking for the fullest of information even if it contradicts what you’ve said for a year. THAT is real science. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428.md?page=68) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428.md?page=70)