Covid-19

[Tracker]

Texas GOP Official Mocked COVID Five Days Before He Died of Virus

A GOP official from Texas who regularly espoused anti-vaccine and anti-mask views online has died from COVID-19, five days after posting a meme on Facebook questioning the wisdom of getting inoculated against COVID.

Dickinson City Council member and Galveston County Republican Party chair H. Scott Apley, 45, died in a local hospital around 3 a.m. Wednesday morning, according to a GoFundMe page set up to help Apley’s family with expenses. He was admitted to the facility in Galveston on Sunday with “pneumonia-like symptoms,” and was hooked up to a ventilator as his condition worsened. His wife was also infected, the family said.

H. Scott Apley, Chair of Galveston County Texas GOP, Mocked COVID Days Before He Died of Virus (thedailybeast.com)

[Mark F]

1 hour ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

 Maybe Leutonia needs a Keeper Of The Budgies. 

leutonia  😂

sctv fan here.

[iHeart]

 

 

[blue_gold_84]

Meanwhile, in Freedumbland:

[iHeart]

oh look we've got the morons of the week after all

 

Edited August 5, 2021 by iHeart

[Tracker]

Some researchers fear the lambda variant could be even more dangerous than delta
-Reuters

Right now the world's attention is on COVID-19's delta variant, and rightly so. The mutated virus is, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), able to spread as easily as chickenpox and could be more dangerous to unvaccinated people than ordinary COVID-19. It is currently overtaking the United States, and is now the most prevalent new variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

At the same time, the delta variant is not the only novel coronavirus strain that has experts worried. Meet C.37, better known as the lambda variant. Some scientists studying it believe that it could be more of a threat than delta. 

First traced back to Peru circa August 2020, the variant aroused attention in June when the World Health Organization (WHO) labeled it as a "variant of interest" because cases involving it had started to rapidly spread. Variants of interest are different from "variants of concern"; the latter include the strains that most trouble authorities, such as the alpha variant or the delta variant; whereas variants of interest beg for further investigation. A disproportionate number of the cases found so have occurred in South America, although it has been detected overall in 29 countries, territories or areas within 5 WHO regions — including the United States.

"Authorities in Peru reported that 81% of COVID-19 cases sequenced since April 2021 were associated with Lambda. Argentina reported increasing prevalence of Lambda since the third week of February 2021, and between 2 April and 19 May 2021, the variant accounted for 37% of the COVID-19 cases sequenced," the report added.

A new study available on bioRxiv, which has not yet been peer reviewed, identified several mutations that could make the lambda variant more dangerous. These include two mutations to the spike protein, the T76I and L452Q mutations, which creates the nubs that stick out of the side of the coronavirus sphere like thorns. These spikes help the virus enter the body's cells; notably, mRNA vaccines like those manufactured by Pfizer and Moderna mimic those proteins in training the body to defeat the virus, which makes a mutation in the spike protein particularly worrisome.

The authors claim that the mutations to the spike protein have made it more infectious, adding that another mutation called RSYLTPGD246-253N helps the virus avoid destruction at the hands of antibodies (which the immune system uses to neutralize pathogens). They also write that this mutation "is responsible for the virological phenotype of the Lambda variant that can associate with the massive infection spread mainly in South American countries." Two other spike protein mutations, 260 L452Q and F490S, also help the virus become more resistant to antibodies that are induced through vaccination.

[JCon]

7 minutes ago, Tracker said:

Some researchers fear the lambda variant could be even more dangerous than delta
-Reuters

Right now the world's attention is on COVID-19's delta variant, and rightly so. The mutated virus is, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), able to spread as easily as chickenpox and could be more dangerous to unvaccinated people than ordinary COVID-19. It is currently overtaking the United States, and is now the most prevalent new variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

At the same time, the delta variant is not the only novel coronavirus strain that has experts worried. Meet C.37, better known as the lambda variant. Some scientists studying it believe that it could be more of a threat than delta. 

First traced back to Peru circa August 2020, the variant aroused attention in June when the World Health Organization (WHO) labeled it as a "variant of interest" because cases involving it had started to rapidly spread. Variants of interest are different from "variants of concern"; the latter include the strains that most trouble authorities, such as the alpha variant or the delta variant; whereas variants of interest beg for further investigation. A disproportionate number of the cases found so have occurred in South America, although it has been detected overall in 29 countries, territories or areas within 5 WHO regions — including the United States.

"Authorities in Peru reported that 81% of COVID-19 cases sequenced since April 2021 were associated with Lambda. Argentina reported increasing prevalence of Lambda since the third week of February 2021, and between 2 April and 19 May 2021, the variant accounted for 37% of the COVID-19 cases sequenced," the report added.

A new study available on bioRxiv, which has not yet been peer reviewed, identified several mutations that could make the lambda variant more dangerous. These include two mutations to the spike protein, the T76I and L452Q mutations, which creates the nubs that stick out of the side of the coronavirus sphere like thorns. These spikes help the virus enter the body's cells; notably, mRNA vaccines like those manufactured by Pfizer and Moderna mimic those proteins in training the body to defeat the virus, which makes a mutation in the spike protein particularly worrisome.

The authors claim that the mutations to the spike protein have made it more infectious, adding that another mutation called RSYLTPGD246-253N helps the virus avoid destruction at the hands of antibodies (which the immune system uses to neutralize pathogens). They also write that this mutation "is responsible for the virological phenotype of the Lambda variant that can associate with the massive infection spread mainly in South American countries." Two other spike protein mutations, 260 L452Q and F490S, also help the virus become more resistant to antibodies that are induced through vaccination.

[blue_gold_84]

5 minutes ago, JCon said:

[Bubba Zanetti]

20 minutes ago, JCon said:

You think its bad now?? Just wait until the Omega-Mu variant hits!

Edited August 5, 2021 by Bubba Zanetti

[Mark F]

well i am in new territory for me....

 

somewhat prominent covid denying, mask and vaccine refusnik in usa died from covid, five days after video scoffing it.

 

i thought good riddance.

that is new to me .... being thankful a person died from disease. 

thanks wack jobs.

Edited August 5, 2021 by Mark F

[Super Duper Negatron]

No masks in school. If all it took to end the pandemic was to declare it over we should have done this months ago. 🙄

[JCon]

4 minutes ago, Super Duper Negatron said:

No masks in school. If all it took to end the pandemic was to declare it over we should have done this months ago. 🙄

We're so screwed. 

[Sard]

31 minutes ago, Super Duper Negatron said:

No masks in school. If all it took to end the pandemic was to declare it over we should have done this months ago. 🙄

My kid will be wearing a mask in school whether it is required or not... at least until she is fully vaccinated.

[Mark F]

40 minutes ago, JCon said:

We're so screwed. 

its the reverse version of the  war of the worlds . sort of.

Edited August 5, 2021 by Mark F

[Fred C Dobbs]

Re the lambda variant. Maybe it's not that bad after all:

Quote

Dr. Anna Durbin, a professor in the Department of International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told Newsweek that the Lambda variant "is going to run into a problem here in the U.S. and that is the Delta variant."

...

While the Lambda variant, which was first detected in Peru and has predominately spread in South America, only makes up 0.17 percent of the variant cases in the U.S., the Delta variant is responsible for more than 93 percent of circulating U.S. cases.

Durbin thinks that because the Delta variant has become so prevalent in the U.S., Lambda won't be able to outcompete the highly transmissible strain currently surging across the country.

"It's survival of the fittest," she said. "You have these viruses that replicate and they get mutations. The one that can replicate for the highest titer or be transmitted better is the one that's going to survive because that one is going to spread more easily and the other variants are going to sort of just die out."

https://www.newsweek.com/jhu-covid-researcher-predicts-lambda-variant-will-run-problem-us-1616658?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1628189038

[WildPath]

Pretty sick of changing masking from required to recommended. Pretty obvious the people more likely the spread the disease - Covid deniers, anti-restriction types will definitely not wear a mask and will likely contribute to more spread and longer that regular, sane folk have to be more cautious.

Taking away the provincial requirement also puts business owners in a bad place for deciding how they will approach things. I've already hear

[Mark H.]

Oh well. I had no illusions about Manitoba remaining a bastion of social distancing.  Decent people will wear masks, even if only to keep the peace. 

[Tracker]

Congressman Suing Pelosi Over Mask Fines Gets COVID

-Getty

Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) may have to put his lawsuit against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) over mask mandates on hold. He announced Thursday that he had contracted a breakthrough COVID-19 infection. The South Carolina Republican is suing Pelosi for a $500 fine imposed on him for not wearing a mask on the House floor. Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY), who were also fined, joined him in the suit. Their lawyers wrote, “The masking requirement was an attempt to prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, medicine, and science, despite a deep divide over these issues of opinion.” Norman says he was vaccinated in February. He is the second South Carolina congressman to be infected with the virus.

[Tracker]

Rep. Lauren Boebert lost a family member to COVID — but she's still a vaccine foe
Rep. Lauren Boebert, the Colorado right-wing firebrand, has continued to oppose both mask mandates and vaccine precautions aimed at stopping the spread of the coronavirus, even as the pandemic heads into a third deadly wave, fueled by low vaccination rates and the fast-spreading delta variant. This is especially striking since a member of Boebert's extended family, her step-grandfather Bob Bentz, died of COVID last December.

As Salon has previously reported, Boebert never knew her biological father. Her mother, Shawn (or Shawna) Roberts Bentz, became partners with Steve Bentz (Bob Bentz's son) sometime before 1994, when their first son was born. Lauren was 7 years old at that time. Shawn Roberts and Steve Bentz were married in 1996 and had three more sons, born around 1996, 1999 and 2003, according to a bankruptcy filing reviewed by Salon. 

Rep. Lauren Boebert lost a family member to COVID — but she's still a vaccine foe | Salon.com

(Boebert has obviously found a well-paying side job)

[iHeart]

 

[Tracker]

Alabama has the worst vaccination rate. Cases are exploding. They just threw out 65,000 doses.
   
As the delta variant nears 100% of coronavirus cases nationwide Alabama continues to be the worst state in the country for getting its population vaccinated. Barely more than one in three Alabamians (34.6%) are fully vaccinated, compared to one in two Americans (50.3%).

Alabama State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris announced Friday that one month ago there were less than 200 people in the state hospitalized with COVID-19. Today there are over 1800.

"We've had three straight days of double-digit deaths," Dr. Harris announced, the first time in months they've seen a death rate like that. They've also had four straight days of "much higher" coronavirus cases per day, now "ten times higher" than one month ago, more than 3000 per day.

The state has 1.5 million doses currently available, but more than 65,000 doses just expired, Dr. Harris told reporters, calling it a "shame" they had to be thrown out because there are people around the world desperate for vaccines.

Alabama has the worst vaccination rate. Cases are exploding. They just threw out 65,000 doses. - Alternet.org

[FrostyWinnipeg]

When does the Ken Burns doc come out

 

[FrostyWinnipeg]

 

[the watcher]

Every time I think the world can't get more bizarre or stupid , it does.

[Tracker]

U.S. Now Averaging 100,000 New COVID-19 Infections Daily, Again
 

The U.S. is now averaging 100,000 new COVID-19 infections a day, returning to a milestone last seen during the winter surge in yet another bleak reminder of how quickly the delta variant has spread through the country.

The U.S. was averaging about 11,000 cases a day in late June. Now the number is 107,143.

It took the U.S. about nine months to cross the 100,000 average case number in November before peaking at about 250,000 in early January. Cases bottomed out in June but took about six weeks to go back above 100,000, despite a vaccine that has been given to more than 70% of the adult population.

The seven-day average for daily new deaths also increased, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. It rose over the past two weeks from about 270 deaths per day to nearly 500 a day as of Friday.

The virus is spreading quickly through unvaccinated populations, especially in the South where hospitals have been overrun with patients.

Health officials are fearful that cases will continue to soar if more Americans don’t embrace the vaccine.

“Our models show that if we don’t (vaccinate people), we could be up to several hundred thousand cases a day, similar to our surge in early January,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Rochelle Walensky said on CNN this week.

U.S. Now Averaging 100,000 New COVID-19 Infections Daily, Again | HuffPost