# 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:** 7
**Author:** ![FigNorton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fignorton/32/5619_2.png) [@FigNorton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FigNorton)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/121 "2021-01-11T22:49:49Z")
I wonder how the common coronaviruses are faring under all this. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/122 "2021-01-11T22:52:48Z")
Gorillas are known to be susceptible to human viruses. I was lucky enough to visit some in Congo a couple of years ago and they made me wear a face mask to protect them from anything I might be carrying. ---
**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:** [January 11, 2021, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/123 "2021-01-11T22:53:43Z")
How is it the minks, ferrets, gorillas, not to mention dogs and cats ARE being tested? Who does this and why? Is it just random or are these animals showing symptoms? I’m not doubting it; I just don’t get how it is happening. ---
**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:** [January 11, 2021, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/124 "2021-01-11T22:55:58Z")
Well, gorillas share, as the article mentions, 98.4% of our DNA, so it seems likely they could get infected. And the zookeepers noticed two of them coughing on the same day, which was prolly unusual so they started checking things out. ---
**Author:** ![FigNorton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fignorton/32/5619_2.png) [@FigNorton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FigNorton)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/125 "2021-01-11T23:14:12Z")
Animal reservoirs is an important part of understanding a human disease/epidemic. It is no surprise to me that some people are keeping an eye on our companion and commercial animals. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/126 "2021-01-11T23:27:56Z")
> [@FigNorton](#): > > For a little reality check, it’s been 3 weeks since Israel started their vaccine program and their covid cases are still rocketing up. Fair enough. Even if the U.S. rollout had been handled like in Israel, it would be, by the good evidence you provide, too early for vaccines to yet be squashing new case numbers. [Something to consider:](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1947_New_York_City_smallpox_outbreak) > [@](#): > > On January 3, 2021, Dr. [Anthony Fauci](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Fauci), the Brooklyn-born Director of the [National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Institute_of_Allergy_and_Infectious_Diseases), in specifying the potential speed of the U.S. national [COVID-19 vaccination](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_vaccine#Deployment) program, described his own experience in the 1947 smallpox outbreak, “New York City, in March and April of 1947, vaccinated 6,350,000 people; 5 million of which they did in two weeks. I was a six-year-old boy who was one of those who got vaccinated. So if New York City can do 5 million in two weeks, the United States could do a million a day. We can do it.” There are a bunch of ways COVID vaccination is harder than with smallpox. But there are also a bunch of tools we have for organizing this that were unavailable in 1947, like computers and fast cargo aircraft. Given the extreme high percentage of U.S. GDP devoted to health care, and the U.S. being the headquarters country of Pfizer and Moderna, something is wrong when we aren’t significantly ahead of Israel. ---
**Author:** ![FigNorton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fignorton/32/5619_2.png) [@FigNorton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FigNorton)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/127 "2021-01-11T23:36:39Z")
Israel is putting on a great demo on how to do it but I don’t think everyone realizes they made a special deal with Pfizer for reliable deliveries. They basically agreed to be the “mass rollout” study. > [@](#): > > In a deal which Mr Netanyahu claims he personally stuck with Pfizer’s CEO, Israel agreed to provide Pfizer with detailed data from vaccinated patients in exchange for priority delivery of the dose - which they had proved to Pfizer could be distributed fast. > **[COVID-19: Israel urges world to follow its rapid vaccine rollout, but...](https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-israel-urges-world-to-follow-its-rapid-vaccine-rollout-but-palestinians-are-left-waiting-12184489)** > > The Israeli government vows to vaccinate all over-16s by the end of March, but says occupied areas must fend for themselves. That is not to take away from the amazing job they’ve done or excuse the slow rollout elsewhere. ---
**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:** [January 12, 2021, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/128 "2021-01-12T02:05:25Z")
> [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > This demonstrates that Covid is much much more virulent and deadly than the flu (as if we didn’t know). We’re acting in a way that massively depresses spread of the flu and yet Covid is still raging. More contagious, more virulent, and more deadly. ---
**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:** [January 12, 2021, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/129 "2021-01-12T05:06:10Z")
91,319,487 total cases 1,952,976 dead 65,291,971 recovered In the US: 23,143,197 total cases 385,249 dead 13,680,461 recovered Yesterday’s numbers for comparison: > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > 90,691,625 total cases > 1,943,131 dead > 64,813,561 recovered > > In the US: > > 22,917,334 total cases > 383,275 dead > 13,483,490 recovered ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/130 "2021-01-12T09:26:35Z")
Out of interest, does anyone believe that the numbers have NOT been altered downwards in certain states, or in the period when Trump ordered his hirelings into CDC? Especially in the light of the attemted usurping of the presidential election on 06/01. Given just how much Trump was prepared to lie to push his agenda elsewhere and how much pressure he was prepared to put on others I personally think its highly likely that there are large discrepancies, especially in swing states. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/131 "2021-01-12T12:42:12Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > How is it the minks, ferrets, gorillas, not to mention dogs and cats ARE being tested? Ferrets in particular are exquisitely susceptible to the influenza viruses that infect humans. They’ve been used in research for a long time. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/132 "2021-01-12T12:56:51Z")
**Moderator Note** > [@casdave](#): > > Out of interest, does anyone believe that the numbers have NOT been altered downwards in certain states, or in the period when Trump ordered his hirelings into CDC? Especially in the light of the attemted usurping of the presidential election on 06/01. This is a breaking news thread. Feel free to start a new thread to discuss this if you’d like, but it’s not appropriate for this thread. ---
**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:** [January 12, 2021, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/133 "2021-01-12T13:54:18Z")
New record highs of Daily Reported cases (seven day average) reported on Monday, Jan 11, 2021 Arizona Oklahoma Only two. That’s encouraging. Several states in the Midwest and Mountain West actually went through a peak several weeks ago in November and haven’t risen since – Nebraska, the Dakotas, Iowa, and several others ---
**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:** [January 12, 2021, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/134 "2021-01-12T16:41:16Z")
California is so overwhelmed that funerals are being held in hospital parking lots; there is not other available space to have them: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Du5HjRpAliE/maxresdefault.jpg "Sara Sidner chokes up after reporting from hospital") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Du5HjRpAliE) ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/135 "2021-01-12T22:46:32Z")
After a hard lockdown for the past 10 days, in which people could leave the house only for 4 to 6 hours a week depending on gender and ID number, Panama is loosening restrictions somewhat on Friday. Now you can leave the house from Mondays to Friday, although you are still restricted from shopping except on specific days according to gender (women M,W,F, men Tu,Th). The start of nightly curfew has been moved back from 7 PM to 9 PM. Weekends will still be complete lockdown, with no one permitted to leave the house. Some economic activities like construction will be permitted to resume. The government will begin opening some additional businesses aside from groceries and pharmacies etc. after February 1. Covid cases seem to be leveling off to some extent but are still at a high level of 3,500/day. However, they are reporting an Rt of 0.88 which I guess has been taken into consideration. For me the best aspect is that they are permitting outdoor exercise again, so I can go back to my evening walks. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/136 "2021-01-12T22:58:14Z")
I worry a little about this, UK infection case rate appeared to fall in the couple of weeks leading to Xmas, and then it stalled and then took off again - and this despite lockdowns becoming tighter. We now know that the new variant of Covid is responsible for a large and increasing percentage of infections. Like any growth curve, it starts off small - in effect in the UK we have 2 pandemics, the new variant was there for rather longer than we thought but overshadowed - now it has achieved a certain critical level and it has rocketed. This is a fear I have for any nation that is now opening up again - that the second pandemic is at very low levels and overshadowed and will emerge dreadfully quickly. In the UK we really are at crisis and hope is galloping toward the horizon with very loose traces on that could come off at any time - its getting pretty desperate. I think others are without doubt going to be hit by this second pandemic, and when it does you won’t know what hit you, national policies should be geared to assuming this it is already present and is on the increase even if it is currently at low levels. ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/137 "2021-01-12T23:38:20Z")
Australia is rightly worried about its arrival. There have been a few arrivals detected with it already. When [probably] a Brit traveller in hotel quarantine passed it on to a cleaner Brisbane imposed a 3 day snap shut-down of the city. Announced Friday morning, and taking effect at 6 pm. Its aim was to minimise any spread beyond the cleaner. Large amount of testing has only found a single community transmission - to the cleaner’s partner. While it was fairly convenient - falling over a weekend and giving most people a longish week, I think the population fell in behind that approach really quickly. Now with no more cases it has been listed but mask wearing is still required for a couple of weeks. Not sure if this approach will keep it at by forever, but hard and fast response is essential to stop spread getting beyond the ability to control. ---
**Author:** ![Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heffalump_and_roo/32/7691_2.png) [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/138 "2021-01-12T23:40:59Z")
I’m happy to see Biden get his second dose of vaccine on camera for a number of reasons. > **[Joe Biden receives second dose of COVID-19 vaccine on camera](https://abc7news.com/joe-biden-covid-vaccine-coronavirus-covid-19-gets/9561849/)** > > Biden has expressed his confidence in the vaccine and encouraged Americans to receive one as soon as it becomes available to them. ---
**Author:** ![FigNorton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fignorton/32/5619_2.png) [@FigNorton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FigNorton)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2021, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/139 "2021-01-13T00:32:53Z")
What are your vaccine plans there? It seems you may be in a place where just vaccinating people working the quarantine would keep you pretty safe until a national rollout. ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2021, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/140 "2021-01-13T00:49:51Z")
The overall plan was to roll out vaccination, following a full Therapeutic Goods Administration [our FDA] approval in March, starting with the usual priority areas, including frontline workers. That’s been pulled forward to February. The concern with vaccinating quarantine workers is that it may protect them but they are still potentially transmitting as asymptomatic carriers, having caught the latest version of the bug. I suspect the argument will putter along until its overtaken by the start of the main rollout. The intention of getting a full normal vaccine approval is to minimise reluctance among the vaccine-agnostic about its safety. Starting late is justified based on the low number of cases, and giving a few months to see how the vaccines fare in practice. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428.md?page=8)