# 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:** 98
**Author:** ![Jay\_Z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Jay\_Z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jay_Z)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1974 "2021-08-02T04:23:04Z")
Not crazy about the logic behind this. The thesis is that there is a “market opportunity” for the vaccinated to be infected by a Covid that evades the vaccines, that one will develop that evades the vaccines. Extending this argument, even if a vaccine or booster were developed for THOSE variants, it would again be “almost certain” that more new variants would develop that would evade those adjustments. The biggest variable in the equation is Covid itself. If those variants CAN be created, then yes it will happen sooner or later. But I’m not ready to declare Covid an unbeatable shapeshifter. Whatever happens is dependent upon what Covid can do or not do. Not some market opportunity for infection. There are plenty of imaginary viruses that could infect people one way or another, and a few real ones coming down the pike to be certain. But there aren’t waiting lists of viruses scheming to infect us in every possible way. ---
**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 2, 2021, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1975 "2021-08-02T04:42:51Z")
199,022,838 total cases 4,240,374 dead 179,631,883 recovered In the US: 35,768,924 total cases 629,380 dead 29,673,290 recovered Yesterday’s numbers for comparison: > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > 198,552,233 total cases > 4,233,009 dead > 179,294,083 recovered > > In the US: > > 35,745,024 total cases > 629,315 dead > 29,666,117 recovered ---
**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 2, 2021, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1976 "2021-08-02T11:22:24Z")
COVID is proving itself to be increasingly transmissible, which is also what enables it to mutate rapidly. It’s almost certainly endemic at this point. We will probably be getting boosters regularly and dealing with outbreaks, some of which might produce variants that are relatively benign and others that are more dangerous. ---
**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 2, 2021, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1977 "2021-08-02T12:28:11Z")
**tofor** may have been right about Florida only reporting weekly now, because the data (Johns Hopkins sven-day-averaged Daily New Cases) now shows that **Florida** hit a new high of 27,681 yesterday, far exceeding its earlier peaks of 17,991 on January 5 and 11,865 from a year ago. And it’s still rising rapidly (with un-averaged daily values way in excess of 27,681. Where are those coming from if the data’s reported weekly?) **Hawaii** has also hit a new high well above previous values – 448 as of yesterday, well above the 228 on January 8 or the 254 last August). And, as in Florida, it’s still increasing sharply. While it’s still increasing in other states, the rate is not as dramatic, and some appear to have “paused”. And nobody else is reporting new record highs. Internationally, rates are going up in many places (although several appear “paused”), but are increasing sharply in Thailand Malaysia Cuba’ Japan According to the morning news, a majority of people questioned in Japan didn’t want the Olympics to go on, and many are blaming the Olympics (despite all the precautions) for the rise. ---
**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 2, 2021, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1978 "2021-08-02T13:20:08Z")
More Florida: > **[Florida breaks record for COVID-19 hospitalizations](https://apnews.com/article/business-health-florida-coronavirus-pandemic-7ca97f0d685ab25559cf9b51cfc077eb)** > > A day after it recorded the most new daily cases since the start of the pandemic, Florida on Sunday broke a previous record for current hospitalizations set more than a year ago before vaccines were available. > [@](#): > > The Sunshine State had 10,207 people hospitalized with confirmed COVID-19 cases, according to data reported to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. > > The previous record was from July 23, 2020, more than a half-year before vaccinations started becoming widespread, when Florida had 10,170 hospitalizations, according to the Florida Hospital Association. > > Florida is now leading the nation in per capita hospitalizations for COVID-19, as hospitals around the state report having to put emergency room visitors in beds in hallways and others document a noticeable drop in the age of patients. “… and others document a noticeable drop in the age of patients.” ---
**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 2, 2021, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1979 "2021-08-02T13:41:20Z")
An encouraging trend. Hope it continues. 🤞🏽 Maybe people are figuring it out. > **[COVID-19 Vaccinations Climb Across Texas, As Delta Variant Boosts New Infections](https://www.tpr.org/bioscience-medicine/2021-08-01/covid-19-vaccinations-climb-across-texas-as-delta-variant-boosts-new-infections?sourceid=1074922&emci=ad7e7161-2af3-eb11-b563-501ac57b8fa7&emdi=35a613b4-7ef3-eb11-b563-501ac57b8fa7&ceid=9179121)** > > It’s the first vaccination increase since early April. > All of Texas saw a [sharp increase](https://tabexternal.dshs.texas.gov/t/THD/views/COVID-19VaccineinTexasDashboard/VaccineDosesAdministered?%3Aorigin=card_share_link&%3Aembed=y&%3AisGuestRedirectFromVizportal=y) in new COVID-19 vaccinations last week, as new infections rise due to the more transmissible delta variant. > > The number of new vaccinations dropped sharply since early April when COVID-19 vaccines first became available for everyone older than 18. > > In Harris County — at its peak the week of April 5 — health care workers administered more than 321,000 doses. > > That number went down to just more than 54,000 the week of July 5. > > But last week saw a 25% jump, to nearly 68,000. > > The same trend is happening for the whole state: Texas saw a 26% increase in vaccinations last week. > … ---
**Author:** ![Jay\_Z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Jay\_Z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jay_Z)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1980 "2021-08-02T14:13:06Z")
The difference in hospitalization rates between age groups has never been as stark as the mortality rate. I suppose we’ll find out if overwhelmed hospitals change that at all. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1981 "2021-08-02T14:19:12Z")
It’s crazy here in Florida. We’re nearly up to triple digits at my local hospitals - comparable with the worst of the pandemic, last July and in January (source for below images: [Florida DoH](http://ww11.doh.state.fl.us/comm/_partners/covid19_report_archive/covid19-data/covid19_data_latest.pdf#page=2), [NYT](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/us/florida-covid-cases.html)) - mostly unvaccinated but I am told a number of fully vaccinated individuals have perished. [![](https://i.imgur.com/9dEeUbL.png) ](https://i.imgur.com/9dEeUbL.png) [![](https://i.imgur.com/lCouiAq.png) ](https://i.imgur.com/lCouiAq.png) And we are not in a state of emergency. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1982 "2021-08-02T16:39:00Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > **Hawaii** has also hit a new high well above previous values – 448 as of yesterday, well above the 228 on January 8 or the 254 last August) Close. [452 yesterday](https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/), as per the state Health Department and in my post earlier. ---
**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 2, 2021, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1983 "2021-08-02T18:25:40Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Close. [452 yesterday](https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/), as per the state Health Department and in my post earlier. Take it up with Johns Hopkins. Considering that it’s a seven day average, I’m surprised the two numbers are that close. ---
**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 2, 2021, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1984 "2021-08-02T19:17:55Z")
> **[Americans' Optimism About COVID-19 Dashed as Cases Surge](https://news.gallup.com/poll/353003/americans-optimism-covid-dashed-cases-surge.aspx)** > > Americans' assessments of the COVID-19 situation have dramatically worsened, and their worry about getting the disease has increased. At the same time, social distancing behaviors are largely unchanged. > WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a dramatic shift from last month, more Americans now say the coronavirus situation in the U.S. is getting worse (45%) rather than better (40%). In June, a record 89% said the situation was getting better, while only 3% said it was getting worse. > … > > Americans now expect societal disruptions related to COVID-19 to persist at least through the end of the year, or longer. Whereas in June, nearly half of Americans expected COVID-related disruptions in society to last only a few more weeks or months, now just 17% believe they will end by then. > > Instead, 41% expect the COVID-19 disruptions to persist through the end of the year, and 42% – up from 17% in June – believe they will stretch into 2022. > … Sadly, this is kinda how I’m feeling. I’d love to turn out to be wrong. ---
**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 2, 2021, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1985 "2021-08-02T20:40:46Z")
Here’s some better news (not good enough to be good news, but better than bad news): > **[US hits 70% vaccination rate -- a month late, amid a surge](https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-health-coronavirus-pandemic-e33cc7e3eb782ceffdc9107a7cac25ab)** > > The U.S. on Monday finally reached President Joe Biden’s goal of getting at least one COVID-19 shot into 70% of American adults -- a month late and amid a fierce surge by the delta variant that is swamping hospitals and leading to new mask rules and... ---
**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 2, 2021, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1986 "2021-08-02T21:05:25Z")
Employers are getting in the game: > **[US employers ratchet up the pressure on the unvaccinated](https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-c5d6a5593289d6e3ac5e46102b66f5c6)** > > NEW YORK (AP) — Employers are losing patience with unvaccinated workers. For months, most employers relied on information campaigns, bonuses and other incentives to encourage their workforces to get the COVID-19 shot. ---
**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 2, 2021, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1987 "2021-08-02T23:04:17Z")
This - and as painful as it is, there almost certainly is some inherent herd immunity that comes with rapidly-spreading virus, which is why Dr. Gottlieb believes the wave will start a precipitous fall in the next 2-3 weeks. I was bored and began browsing the COVID data in various countries on Google and found that, with the few exceptions of countries that did an outstanding job of bringing the virus under control, most Delta surges seem to be peaking at about 6-7 weeks into the surge before starting a sudden decline. In a few cases, the surge went on for 8-9 weeks. We’re probably 4-5 weeks into the surge now. A few countries like Taiwan did an outstanding job of getting their shit together. Brazil, by far, has been the worst among major countries. It’s been an unmitigated disaster - so bad that when you look at their trend lines, there’s no sharp rise or fall like what most countries have experienced; it’s just a wave that goes up and down but never very far, as case loads remain very high. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1988 "2021-08-02T23:15:31Z")
Israel has just started giving booster shots - my father (73) and mother-in-law (69) got their third Pfizer shot last week and today, respectively. They’ll probably get around to my age group in a few weeks. ---
**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 2, 2021, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1989 "2021-08-02T23:24:56Z")
This might be a dumb question, but is it basically just another dose of the same vaccine or is it a newer version that Pfizer has made? I would assume the former, right? Also, is there any data about immune response so far that you know of? ---
**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 3, 2021, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1990 "2021-08-03T00:09:08Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > This - and as painful as it is, there almost certainly is some inherent herd immunity that comes with rapidly-spreading virus, which is why Dr. Gottlieb believes the wave will start a precipitous fall in the next 2-3 weeks. I was bored and began browsing the COVID data in various countries on Google and found that, with the few exceptions of countries that did an outstanding job of bringing the virus under control, most Delta surges seem to be peaking at about 6-7 weeks into the surge before starting a sudden decline. In a few cases, the surge went on for 8-9 weeks. We’re probably 4-5 weeks into the surge now. Yep. This is what I’m seeing too. ---
**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 3, 2021, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1991 "2021-08-03T04:13:19Z")
199,611,690 total cases 4,249,312 dead 180,101,722 recovered In the US: 35,895,980 total cases 629,862 dead 29,717,537 recovered Yesterday’s numbers for comparison: > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > 199,022,838 total cases > 4,240,374 dead > 179,631,883 recovered > > In the US: > > 35,768,924 total cases > 629,380 dead > 29,673,290 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:** [August 3, 2021, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1992 "2021-08-03T14:34:25Z")
Some positive news: the US has sent over 110,000,000 covid vaccine doses to some 60 countries around the world. > **[Biden chides Republican governors who resist vaccine rules](https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-health-coronavirus-pandemic-dceebc8654a9b3d2596127ed38df9bd2)** > > WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Tuesday called on resistant Republican governors to “get out of the way” of vaccine rules aimed at containing the more transmissible and dangerous COVID-19 variant. ---
**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 3, 2021, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1993 "2021-08-03T14:34:58Z")
Some negative news: > **[China orders mass testing in Wuhan as COVID outbreak spreads](https://apnews.com/article/health-china-coronavirus-pandemic-wuhan-8fa8edb073629c692ac51772e5e9d775)** > > BEIJING (AP) — China suspended flights and trains, canceled professional basketball league games and announced mass coronavirus testing in Wuhan, as widening outbreaks of the delta variant reached the city where the disease was first detected in late... [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428.md?page=97) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428.md?page=99)