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Greetings!
We start with The New York Times update for Aug. 17:
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New cases are emerging at their highest rates since winter as the Delta variant sweeps across the country and Americans come to terms with the fact that Covid is not going away any time soon.
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Every state has had its progress derailed by Delta, but the effects have been especially severe in the South. Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi have shattered past known case records and seen hospitals overwhelmed.
- Hospitalizations nationwide now exceed every previous peak except last winter’s. More than 700 deaths are being reported each day, on average, a figure that has more than doubled since the start of August. Deaths have so far remained far below past records, but can lag case data by weeks.
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The pace of vaccination has increased only slightly, to about 700,000 doses a day, even as the daily case rate has soared. About 51 percent of Americans are fully vaccinated. Vaccines provide protection from the Delta variant, especially against severe disease and death.
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Some of the areas hit hardest early in the summer have started to see case numbers level off or even fall. The outlook is improving in the Ozarks of Missouri and Arkansas, in the Las Vegas area, and around Jacksonville, Fla.
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Rural areas in the Pacific Northwest have seen especially sharp rises in cases. Oregon recently set a weekly case record and reimposed an indoor mask mandate.
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Cases are rising in the Upper Midwest and Northeast, but remain far lower than the figures seen in other regions. On a per capita basis, the counties that include Miami and Tampa, Fla., are averaging more than six times as many cases each day as the counties that include Chicago and Detroit.
On Aug.17, 2021 in the U.S., the seven-day daily average number of new cases was 138,172 the 14-day change in cases was an increase of 52 percent with a total of 37,133,674 total cases. On Aug.17 in the U.S., the seven-day daily average number of new deaths was 696, the 14-day change in new deaths was an increase of 87 percent, and the U.S. death total has reached 623,237. We once again ask you to use the link to The New York Times Covid Map to view the hardest hit states.
In Canada, where on Aug. 17 the seven-day daily average number of new cases was 2,073, the 14-day Change in cases was an increase of 146 percent with a total of 1,465,478 cases. On Aug. 17 in Canada, the seven-day average of new deaths was 7, the 14-day change in new deaths was an increase of 3 percent, and the Canadian death total has reached 26,678.
This week's issue offers comparative data for the U.K. France, Italy, and Spain. Like the U.S. and Canada, virtually all of these countries’ new cases and deaths are unvaccinated people. Go to The New York Times International Covid Map for country data.
In the United Kingdom on Aug. 17, the seven-day daily average number of new cases was 29,243, the 14-day change in cases was an increase of 15 percent with a total of 6,322,241 cases. On Aug. 17 in the U.K., the seven-day average of new deaths was 92, the 14-day change in new deaths was an increase of 12 percent, and the U.K. death total has reached 131,149.
In France on Aug. 17, the seven-day daily average number of new cases was 24,876, the 14-day change in cases was an increase of 13 percent with a total of 6,581,417 cases. On Aug. 17 in France, the seven-day average of new deaths was 57, the 14-day change in new deaths was an increase of 79 percent, and the French death total has reached 113,116
In Italy on Aug. 17, the seven-day daily average number of new cases was 6,195, the 14-day change in cases was an increase of 13 percent with a total of 4,449,606 cases. On Aug. 17 in Italy, the seven-day average of new deaths was 34, the 14-day change in new deaths was an increase of 97 percent, and the Italian death total has reached 128,510.
As we work on then finalize this issue of Revitalize we had the newsroom dream or perhaps some of our journalists and other readers would say nightmare of important breaking news along with key stories with added data. Therefore, we cut some articles to meet our curator mandate. Talking about mandates, our breaking news lead story from The Washington Post informs us that the "Biden administration to offer vaccine booster shots beginning Sept. 20, require vaccinations for nursing home staff." Please go immediately to the WAPO site for explanation of boosters and we believe the equally important and perhaps more needed vaccine mandate.
We then turn to the Covid-in-kids crisis linking you to both an NPR podcast and a professor of pediatrics who argues in The Atlantic in a most articulate and detailed manner: “Go ahead. Vaccinate the kids.”
We turn next to New York Magazine for the article "A new variant to Covid denialism has emerged," in which Jonathan Chait finds: “There is no clever plan here — just politicians so desperate to cater to the pathologies of their base that they chase one another to adopt the most politically toxic and socially hazardous position available. Donald Trump’s heirs have tested the political marketplace and arrived at a morbid conclusion: His supporters would rather die than admit they were wrong.”
Cut and then replaced by vote of all curators and editors is a great article from StatNews: "‘Stuck in a cul-de-sac’: Researchers are finally breaking away from the central dogma of depression." Although this article is a step removed from today’s breaking news, this is an important topic that affects us all and very much meets our curator mandate.
For our must-have-big-explainer podcast, we return to In the Bubble with Andy Slavitt: "Our shot for breakthrough infections —and boosters — explained (with Jennifer Nuzzo)." Starting at the 12th minute, “Andy gets to the bottom of this when he calls up one of the clearest explainers he knows, Johns Hopkins epidemiologist Jennifer Nuzzo” to answer the questions we are all asking, including: “So you’ve been vaccinated. And now you’re hearing that you could get infected? Or be contagious?” Please go there now for these and many more answers and explainers.
From our real Culver City offices, where the whole crew has returned to hot and by-LA-standards humid days to get the kids back to school and work, we bring you Revitalize for Aug.19, 2021:
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Revitalize: The week in health-care news you need
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Biden administration to offer vaccine booster shots beginning Sept. 20, and require vaccinations for nursing home staff.
COVID-19 News: A hospital system overwhelmed, booster shots update. In the last two weeks or so, the number of new daily COVID-19 cases in the United States has increased by about 40 percent. Compared to a year ago — when we didn't have the vaccine — we have three times the number of new cases on average. Covers a hospital system in Mississippi is struggling to find beds for patients, the push to get kids vaccinated, and booster shots for people who are immunocompromised.
Go ahead. Vaccinate the kids. The risk of vaccinating children will never be zero, but the alternative is worse.
A new variant of Covid denialism has emerged. There is no clever plan here — just politicians so desperate to cater to the pathologies of their base that they chase one another to adopt the most politically toxic and socially hazardous position available.
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'Stuck in a cul-de-sac': Researchers are finally breaking away from the central dogma of depression.
In the Bubble with Andy Slavitt Our shot: Breakthrough infections — and boosters — explained (with Jennifer Nuzzo). So you’ve been vaccinated. And now you’re hearing that you could get infected? Or be contagious? Andy gets to the bottom of this when he calls up one of the clearest explainers he knows, Johns Hopkins epidemiologist Jennifer Nuzzo. They discuss why although you may get infected with SARS-CoV-2 eventually, unvaccinated people are still unlikely to get COVID-19, and what that means. Plus, Andy breaks down the expected new recommendation about boosters. Starts at the 12 minute mark.
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Jerry Seelig, CEO
Fax: 310-841-2842
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