News headlines of late appear to be more like the Onion stories, but this one is very real and somewhat startling. Apparently, a vial of smallpox was found in the freezer at a lab in Pennsylvania!
Here is what is know:
“The frozen vials labeled ‘Smallpox’ were incidentally discovered by a laboratory worker while cleaning out a freezer in a facility that conducts vaccine research in Pennsylvania. CDC, its Administration partners, and law enforcement are investigating the matter and the vials’ contents appear intact,” the CDC added.
“The laboratory worker who discovered the vials was wearing gloves and a face mask. We will provide further details as they are available.”
According to Yahoo News, which cited an alert sent to Department of Homeland Security leadership, the vials were reportedly found in a freezer Monday night at a Merck facility outside Philadelphia.
The closest Merck sites to Philadelphia are the sprawling campuses in West Point and North Wales, Montgomery County, although Action News cannot confirm there are questionable vials inside the building.
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While this matter has zero zilch to do with COVID-19, Facebook has given itself the chance to use news links of it to Xpress the safety of the COVID-19 vaccination roll out.
Except for initial hot spots like New York City, many ERs across the U.S. were often eerily empty in the spring of 2020. Terrified of contracting COVID-19, people who were sick with other things did their best to stay away from hospitals. Visits to emergency departments dropped to half their normal levels, according to the Epic Health Research Network, and didn’t fully rebound until the summer of 2021.
From the article, it appears Americans are getting ready for action in the summer of 21:
Deodorant, teeth whitener and condoms are in high demand. Sales of perfume, nail polish, swimsuits, sunscreen, tuxedos, luggage and alarm clocks are climbing fast, according to companies that make these products and large retailers…
Beauty products and teeth whiteners were big sellers during the most recent quarter at Walmart Inc., finance chief Brett Biggs said in an interview. “You can tell that the masks are coming off,” he said.
And this interesting twist in the life of someone who did not shave since the beginning of COVID-19:
Noel Kittredge, a 32-year-old student from Albuquerque, N.M., recently shaved for the first time in a year. He has ventured out only a few times since the pandemic began and felt especially nervous about being around people after both his mother and grandmother contracted the virus.
Mr. Kittredge didn’t shave all that regularly before the pandemic, but as he makes plans to socialize it was time, he said. “I’m tired of being cooped up,” he said.
The horrible scourge of COVID-19 has decimated so much of India over the past week.. It is truly a horror show to see some of the images coming from the nation. We saw one video recently where two sons were transferring their deceased mom on a motorbike..
The numbers are sickened are rising into the hundreds of thousands by the day. Some conservative estimates say that there will be one million or more dead in that nation by August.
The United States has largely been able to brag up its vaccine over the previous 100 days of the Biden Administration, but this India problem seems extremely concerning. What variants? What kind of a wave.. will this effect the rest of the planet just as we want to rid earth of the plague?
The Biden administration will restrict travel from India as that country grapples with a gigantic surge in coronavirus cases, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Friday.
The policy will take effect Tuesday, May 4, Psaki said in a statement. The administration made the decision on the advice of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, she said.
India has reported an average of about 357,000 new cases per day over the past seven days — up about 26% from a week ago, Johns Hopkins data shows.
Just consider this too: 32.69% positivity rate in Delhi, India..
Concerning the variant, it seems that India is being hit by the highly contagious Covid variant, known as B.1.617, which was first spotted there. The variant, which contains two key mutations that have been found separately in other coronavirus strains, is believed by some to be behind the latest wave of infections.
NEW DELHI — As he surveyed the thousands of people gathered at an election rally in eastern India on April 17, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appeared jubilant. “Everywhere I look, as far as I can see, there are crowds,” he said, his arms spread wide. “You have done an extraordinary thing.” At the time, India was recording more than 200,000 coronavirus cases a day. In the western state of Maharashtra, oxygen was running short, and people were dying at home because of a shortage of hospital beds. In Modi’s home state of Gujarat, crematoriums were being overwhelmed by the dead. Those scenes were just a prelude to the devastation now unfolding in India. It is recording more infections daily — at last count 379,000 — than any other country since the start of the pandemic. Hospitals are turning away severely ill patients, and their relatives are frantically searching for medical oxygen.
Elizabeth Warren and others are urging President Biden to assist with vaccines in India..
The COVID-19 outbreak in India is a humanitarian crisis that threatens its 1.4 billion citizens, and billions more around the world. I’m urging President Biden – and our vaccine manufacturers – to use every tool possible to help with this crisis. https://t.co/9TgUuyJeKg
Just a note this, website is not trying to be a constant harbinger of doom and gloom.. but wow.. these India numbers are atrocious and concerning. IF you are not concerned you are not normal..
And this “ban” is not a complete ban.. and it starts May 4..
How much of the India strain already got out to the rest of the world…?
A survey of more than 31,000 people shows that insufficient sleep, mental health problems, and stress were the causes of a whole host of symptoms doctors are used to seeing in head injury patients. Symptoms of what doctors call post-concussion syndrome (PCS) range from persistent headaches, dizziness and anxiety, to insomnia and loss of concentration and memory.
While 27 percent of people report having several of these symptoms, between one-half and three-quarters say they experience at least one. The most common symptoms are fatigue, low energy and drowsiness. Yet despite their findings, researchers believe the number in the general population could be much higher.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association and the US military officially funded the study that produced this shocking results.. It was designed to improve care for athletes and soldiers who suffered concussions. A total of 2,039 military service academy cadets and 18,548 student athletes were surveyed.
While there is no conclusion or theory as to why such a dramatic number of people are walking around as though they have brain damage, the past year has not helped!
Perhaps the zombie mentality we find ourselves in has been the result of the news cycle in overdrive, fears over the virus, and addiction to our smart phones. People are restless and edgy.. Their smart phones and social media wars aren’t helping.
Let’s be honest, this year has been bleak for many restarants.
Yes, there are some shining examples of how take out only can work, but other major chains and small restaurants are feeling the burn of COVID.. The early spring and summer lockdowns throughout the United States did not do the industry favors.. And when dining finally was allowed throughout parts of the nation, few places were able to boast of a thriving night life.
And now with the media and politicians warn of what most have suddenly deemed a “dark winter,” dining is slowing again to a crawl..
A DARK WINTER?! Was it even a bright summer!?
One of the biggest attractions that many fair weathered states had was the luck of the sun. OUTSIDE DINING.. places soaked up the ability to lessen its dim fate with tables on sidewalks and closed down streets… Inside was limited, but the air outside led to some cities coming up with unique abilities to close down alleyways and less busy roadways for table side service in the open air.
But even with those few months of profit, the restaurant industry lost $120 bil by the middle of summer.
The National Restaurant Association released new data outlining the grim COVID-19 impact so far. The Association said restaurants lost $40 billion in May, bringing the three-month total to $120 billion after March dropped $30 billion in an abbreviated window and April sank $50 billion as stay-at-home policies covered the entire month. Overall, restaurants are expected to lose some $240 billion by year’s end.
As the summer ended and fall began, the pandemic showed signs up picking up in intensity.
Domino’s Pizza and Papa John’s are among the most obvious winners, as consumers quickly transitioned to order their pizzas for delivery during lockdowns. But burger chains like McDonald’s and Wendy’s, which saw sales take deeper dives in March and April, also reported relatively speedy rebounds to their U.S. businesses. The disparity between the fast-food sector and full-service restaurants is also reflected in restaurant stocks. Shares of Olive Garden parent Darden Restaurants have fallen about 8% this year, while Dine Brands, owner of IHOP and Applebee’s, has seen its stock tumble 32%. On the flip side, McDonald’s stock is up 11% and Wendy’s shares are flat in 2020. Shares of fast-casual chain Chipotle Mexican Grill have gained more than 50% year to date, adding more than $11 billion to the company’s market value. Jim Stevens, president of the Golden Chick restaurant chain, said the company saw its sales dive 15% at its more than 190 locations in Texas, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Florida during the five weeks after stay-at-home orders were put in place. But the fried chicken chain’s second-quarter same-store sales rose 21%, and its third quarter is on track for a 26% increase. Drive-thru sales account for about 85% of its business now, compared with about two-thirds before.
This was that game trailer:https://www.youtube.com/embed/Fgvo-9pJ1EU?version=3&rel=1&fs=1&autohide=2&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&wmode=transparent
November 13, another Friday, charts out where we are now so many months later:
Daily tests have increased all year, but daily cases have come in waves.. This looks to be a third wave that does not seem to be relenting.. Hospital rates were back twice this year.. now they appear to be raging.. and while deaths were down for most of the summer and early fall, things seem to be rebounding into negative territory..
Is it just West Philly or is this the slowest Friday ever?
What followed were tons of comments, still being written, from around the United States..
Comments like these from people throughout the United States on Friday the 13th, November 2020, during the pandemic:
Slow in NJ. I made $30 last night
Slow in Maryland tonight
The slowest Friday I’ve worked in years in Ohio
Slow texas i worked from 8:30am to 2 manage to make $90 but only had like 10 tables
Dead in Western New York
New Hampshire Quiet Too
Sooooo slooooooww in Metro Detroit today
San Diego is super quiet tonight
Slow in north west pa. Waiting to be shut down again
Slow in Tampa, fl
Ne Georgia.. Slowest night I can remember in a long time barely walked with 70 for 5 hours
Dead as fuck here in Charleston WV. We had a 30min wait at 6pm and then it just flatlined. Staff ready to leave in 15min
It’s the slowest friday ever. Pa
My day in Memphis was SUPER slow. I thought it was at least 4 and it was only noon
Yes because everyone is sick or afraid of getting sick we have a huge outbreak right now in western Michigan
Illinois: It’s horrid. The slowest night since we reopened in May!
I’m 20 minutes out of Philly on the Main Line. Totally dead.
Slow here in md. We’re adding more restrictions to gatherings here on Sunday so people are panic shopping and ordering takeout.
I was watching the news tonight (I live in the suburbs of Philly) and they were going on about how there’s going to be a set of new covid restrictions announced on Monday
Doesn’t it seem that we’re just venturing into a great experiment with our youth? This idea for the entire year that COVID-19 would not spread amongst them will now be tested.
And already schools and colleges are seeing little flareups that could lead to bigger outbreaks.
Despite parents across the nation and even world hoping for a “normal school year” that Hope will dwindle with each new classroom and each new case.
I have my own son beginning school this week, the reality of this grand experiment is heading home. I have relatives in college, as most likely to you..
The social norms of yesterday had become the repugnant future and present day.
The virus did and just “go away.“ And most likely will not, some experts say that COVID-19 will still be here flaring in 2021 and even 2022..
But!
One school year at a time…
Hopes and prayers for a year filled with joy, education, and health.
But trepidations of the year filled with chaos, sickness, and darkness.
Let’s hope that the light wins over the darkness during the grand experiment: The school year of 20-21..
“The man at Mount Sinai died after 90 days in the hospital, but C. auris did not. Tests showed it was everywhere in his room, so invasive that the hospital needed special cleaning equipment and had to rip out some of the ceiling and floor tiles to eradicate it.
“Everything was positive — the walls, the bed, the doors, the curtains, the phones, the sink, the whiteboard, the poles, the pump,” said Dr. Scott Lorin, the hospital’s president. “The mattress, the bed rails, the canister holes, the window shades, the ceiling, everything in the room was positive.”
C. auris is so tenacious, in part, because it is impervious to major antifungal medications, making it a new example of one of the world’s most intractable health threats: the rise of drug-resistant infections.
For decades, public health experts have warned that the overuse of antibiotics was reducing the effectiveness of drugs that have lengthened life spans by curing bacterial infections once commonly fatal. But lately, there has been an explosion of resistant fungi as well, adding a new and frightening dimension to a phenomenon that is undermining a pillar of modern medicine.”
Heart attack prevention and outcomes have dramatically improved for American adults in the past two decades, according to a Yale study in JAMA Network Open.
Compared to the mid-1990s, Americans today are less likely to have heart attacks and also less likely to die from them, said the researchers.
“We believe we will offer in a year’s time a complete cure for cancer,” said Dan Aridor, of a new treatment being developed by his company, Accelerated Evolution Biotechnologies Ltd. (AEBi), which was founded in 2000 in the ITEK incubator in the Weizmann Science Park. AEBi developed the SoAP platform, which provides functional leads to very difficult targets.
“Our cancer cure will be effective from day one, will last a duration of a few weeks and will have no or minimal side-effects at a much lower cost than most other treatments on the market,” Aridor said. “Our solution will be both generic and personal.” It sounds fantastical, especially considering that an estimated 18.1 million new cancer cases are diagnosed worldwide each year, according to reports by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Further, every sixth death in the world is due to cancer, making it the second leading cause of death (second only to cardiovascular disease).
