Tuesday, January 11, 2022

Wake-Up Call: COVID Hospitalizations Hit New Peak

Daily Mail graphic 1/11/22

The number of people hospitalized in the U.S. with Covid-19 amid the current omicron surge has passed the record set last winter, The New York Times reported. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services data showed that as of Sunday, 142,388 patients with Covid were in hospitals across the country, higher than last year's peak of 142,315 on January 14, 2021. Due to the strain that's putting on hospitals, who are at the same time dealing with staffing shortages because of their own people getting infected by the highly-contagious variant, a growing number of them are allowing nurses and other workers who have Covid to keep working if they have mild or no symptoms, according to the Associated Press.

➤PRIVATE INSURERS REQUIRED TO COVER HOME COVID TESTS: The Biden administration announced Monday that private health insurers will be required to cover home Covid-19 tests starting on Saturday. Insurers will have to cover up to eight tests per month per person for people on their plans. Under the new policy, people will be able to either buy home tests for free under their insurance, or submit receipts for the tests for reimbursement. Americans on Medicare won’t be able to get tests reimbursed through the program, but Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program plans are required to cover them.

➤COMMON COLD EXPOSURE MAY PROVIDE PROTECTION AGAINST COVID-19:  Vaccination is still the best way to protect yourself from COVID-19, but a new study suggests that immune system activation of T-cells by common colds may offer some protection as well. Imperial College London study author Dr. Rhia Kundu explains, “We found that high levels of preexisting T-cells, created by the body when infected with other human coronaviruses like the common cold, can protect against COVID-19 infection.” Kundu added, “While this is an important discovery, it is only one form of protection, and I would stress that no one should rely on this alone. Instead, the best way to protect yourself against COVID-19 is to be fully vaccinated, including getting your booster dose.” This study might also provide a blueprint for a second-generation, universal vaccine that could prevent infection from current and future variants.

🏫DEAL REACHED FOR SCHOOL TO RETURN IN CHICAGO: Public school teachers in Chicago will be returning today and students will be back on Wednesday after a deal was reached ending the Chicago Teachers Union work action over concerns about safety amid the omicron-driven Covid surge. Students' last day of school had been last Tuesday, after the union voted not to have teachers go in as they wanted a temporary return to remote learning amid the surge, which the city didn't want. Mayor Lori Lightfoot said at an evening news conference, "[W]e reached an agreement on the metrics at a school base level for when we needed to convert a classroom or school to go [to] remote [learning]." Lightfoot also said they're doing more to increase Covid testing of students.

Daily Mail graphic 1/11/22


🔥BRONX HIGH-RISE FIRE DEATH TOLL ADJUSTED DOWN TO 17: The death toll from Sunday's fire in a Bronx high-rise was adjusted down Monday to 17 from the originally reported 19, eight of them children. Dozens of people remained hospitalized, including several in critical condition. A malfunctioning electric space heater started the fire, and while the damage from the fire was confined to a relatively small area, the deaths and injuries were caused by the heavy smoke that quickly traveled through the building, aided by doors that were left open. Investigators were trying to determine why safety doors didn't close, with Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro saying the front door of the apartment where the fire began and a door on the 15th floor should have been self-closing, but they stayed fully open.

➤NORTH KOREA FIRES APPARENT BALLISTIC MISSILE: North Korea test-fired an apparent ballistic missile into the sea on Tuesday, its second launch in a week after a series of weapons tests last year. South Korea said the launch by the North showed a more advanced capability than the one last week. State media in North Korea claimed it was a successful test of a hypersonic missile, a type of missile it claimed to have first tested last September.

➤BIDEN DELIVERING VOTING RIGHTS SPEECH TODAY AS DEMS PUSH VOTING LEGISLATION IN CONGRESS: President Biden will deliver a speech in Atlanta today focused on voting rights, an address that comes as Democrats in Washington are trying to push voting legislation through Congress. In the face of united Republican opposition, Democrats have been considering eliminating the filibuster for voting rights legislation, but to do that, they'd need the support of all 50 Democrats, and Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema oppose getting rid of the filibuster, at least for most legislation.

➤NYC SUED OVER LAW ALLOWING NON-CITIZENS TO VOTE IN CITY ELECTIONS: Republicans filed suit yesterday against a new New York City law that allows some non-citizens to vote in city elections, although not in state or federal elections. It applies to an estimated 800,000 green card holders and other non-citizens who have the right to work in the U.S., including the so-called "Dreamers" who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children. New York's City Council approved the legislation last month, and Mayor Eric Adams allowed it to automatically become law on Sunday. Filing suit were a group of Republican New York City elected officials and New York's Republican chairman. They charge it violates the state constitution, which says, quote, "every citizen shall be entitled to vote at every election" provided they are at least age 18 and a "resident of this state." The Republicans also contend it violates state election law, which says "no person shall be qualified to register for and vote at any election unless he is a citizen of the United States." A City Hall spokesperson said they plan to, quote, "vigorously defend the law in court." Those who back the law says it gives a voice in elections to non-citizens who live in the city and pay taxes, but can't easily become U.S. citizens or would rather remain citizens of their home nations.

🩸BLOOD SUPPLY 'DANGEROUSLY LOW': The American Red Cross is saying that the country's blood supply is, quote, "dangerously low," and calling on donors to give blood. The organization said, "Some hospitals have already been forced to alter treatments for some patients or cancel some patient surgeries due to blood supply challenges." Reasons for the shortage include the Covid surge and winter storms, which are keeping people from donating, and also causing staffing shortages that are forcing blood drive cancellations.

➤'GRAND THEFT AUTO' MAKER TAKE-TWO INTERACTIVE BUY'S 'FARMVILLE'S' ZYNGA: The maker of the video games Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption, Take-Two Interactive, is buying Zynga, the maker of FarmVille and Words with Friends, in a deal valued at about $12.7 billion, it was announced Monday. This move joins a console gaming major player with a very popular mobile gaming company.

➤IRS WARNS OF CHALLENGING TAX SEASON: The IRS announced Monday that this year's tax filing season will begin earlier and end slightly later, and warned that it's expecting a challenging season. Filing will begin on January 24th, 17 days earlier than last year, and the deadline for filing will be April 18th, three days later than usual, due to the Emancipation Day holiday in Washington, D.C. The IRS warned it will be a challenging filing season, due to the Covid resurgence and resulting staffing shortages, and to less funding from Congress than the administration had requested. IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig said that to avoid processing delays, including delays in getting refunds, file electronically, avoiding a paper return, and provide information for direct deposit of refunds.


➣BETTY WHITE’S CAUSE OF DEATH IS REVEALED: According to Betty White’s death certificate, her cause of death was a stroke. The document reveals that she suffered from a cerebrovascular accident, which means blood wasn’t flowing to parts of her brain, causing tissue damage. Cerebrovascular accidents can be the result of blood clots or broken blood vessels in the brain. The death certificate also shows that White experienced this stroke six days prior to her death. Sources tell TMZ that White was “alert and coherent after the stroke, and she died peacefully in her sleep at home.” White passed away in her home less than three weeks before her 100th birthday. Betty White: A Celebration will hit theaters for one day only on January 17th, White’s birthday.


🏈GEORGIA TOPS ALABAMA 33-18 TO WIN COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP: Alabama defeated defending champion Alabama 33-18 last night in Indianapolis to win the College Football Playoff National Championship, its first national title in 41 years. Georgia came from behind to grab the title, going ahead 19-18 on a touchdown with 8:09 left. They added another touchdown with 3:33 left, and then put it away when Kelee Ringo intercepted the ball with just over a minute left and ran it in 79 yards for a touchdown. Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett went 17 for 26 for 224 yards and two touchdowns and was named the offensive MVP. Heisman Trophy-winning Alabama quarterback Bryce Young had two interceptions and was sacked three times, and was playing without his top two receivers for most of the game, John Methcie III, who injured in the SEC title game, and Jameson Williams, hurt early in the second quarter last night.


🏈HEAD COACHES OF NFL'S VIKINGS, BEARS, DOLPHINS FIRED: Three NFL head coaches lost were fired on Monday, the day after the end of the regular season: the Minnesota Vikings' Mike Zimmer, the Chicago Bears' Matt Nagy, and the Miami Dolphins' Brian Flores. Of the three, Flores was the biggest surprise, after he led the team back from a 1-7 start to end the season at 9-8. Dolphins owner Stephen Ross hinted at communication issues, according to AP, saying, "I think an organization can only function if it’s collaborative and it works well together, and I don’t think we were really working well as an organization . . . to win consistently at the NFL level."

🎾PRIME MINISTERS OF AUSTRALIA, SERBIA SPEAK TO EACH OTHER ABOUT DJOKOVIC: Novak Djokovic held a second day of practice in Australia on Tuesday, the day after a judge returned the visa that had been canceled when his medical exemption to the country's strict Covid vaccination rules was found upon his arrival to not be acceptable. The men's top-ranked tennis player is looking ahead to playing in the Australian Open that begins next week, where he's hoping to win a record 21st Grand Slam title. But his visa could be revoked again, with Immigration Minister Alex Hawke considering whether to use his power to deport Djokovic. Meanwhile, the prime ministers of Australia and Serbia yesterday spoke to each other about the issue. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison's office said he'd "explained our non-discriminatory border policy and its role in protecting Australia during the Covid-19 pandemic," while Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić asked Morrison to ensure Djokovic was treated with dignity, according to Radio Television of Serbia.

⛄AT WHAT TEMPERATURE CAN YOU GET FROSTBITE? SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS TO LOOK OUT FOR:  It’s very cold today across much of the U.S., and you have to be careful. If you must travel in subzero temperatures, you need to bundle up. Your fingers, toes, nose, and ears are especially vulnerable to frostbite in this weather. LiveScience reports you can develop frostbite if the temperature falls below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. The National Weather Service notes in a blog post, “Frostbite happens when the body’s survival mechanisms kick in during extremely cold weather. To protect the vital inner organs, the body cuts circulation to your extremities: feet, hands, nose, etc., which eventually freeze.” To avoid frostbite you’ll want to stay inside if the wind chill is negative 50 or below, dress in layers, and keep and eye out of signs and symptoms of frostbite, including: a prickly, burning sensation followed by numbness, skin color changing to red, white, blue or pale white-yellow tones, waxy or tough-looking skin, stiffness in joints or muscles, and in severe cases: blistering can occur and skin can turn black. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends, “If you experience symptoms of frostbite, try to gradually bring feeling back into the body. Never rub frostbitten skin or submerge your hands or feet directly into hot water; use warm water or a warm washcloth instead.” If you notice more serious signs of frostbite you should go to an emergency room as soon as possible.





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