The Coronavirus
Worldwide, reported infections have exceeded 200 million. Deaths are over 4 million. Both numbers are thought to be far lower than reality due to minimal testing and poor reporting in many countries.
Iran is seeing out of control daily cases and deaths. Australia, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines are combating severe surges. Martinique and Guadeloupe, 2 French territories in the Caribbean, are having their first Covid surges.
Japan reported an explosion of new cases and an “impending disaster” as the country set records for daily new case rates most of last week. Over 400 infections were reported among the competitors and others while in Japan for the Olympics.
In the US, the Delta variant is still winning the current battle of the war against Covid. The country is averaging over 125,000 new cases per day. More than 72,000 Americans are now hospitalized with Covid, and the average death rate is over 650 per day and rising sharply.
Louisiana and Florida spent the last couple weeks vying to lead the nation in new cases. If they were independent countries, they would lead the world. Indoor mask mandates were reinstated in Louisiana. Florida lacks the leadership to take that measure; it has more Covid cases, hospitalizations and deaths now that at any point in the pandemic.
University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson has responded to the state’s surge (leaving the entire state without available ICU beds for a full week) by converting its garage to a field hospital for Covid patients. It will be staffed by federal health care workers.
Missouri hospitals are still overwhelmed in most areas, though the surge may have crested there. Special ambulance squads are parked outside full hospitals to ferry patients to other facilities for care—often several counties away and even out of the state.
Oregon is experiencing a sudden surge in hospitalizations with a severe shortage of staff. National Guard troops are being deployed to assist with care. Oregon is requiring masks be worn indoors, in public spaces, throughout the state. Of course, this is a terrible time for the new school year to be starting. New Jersey and Virginia will require masks in schools.
In Arkansas, parents went to court over the state’s BAN on mask mandates in schools; a judge blocked the ban, for now. Arkansas judge temporarily blocks the state’s ban on mask mandates https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/08/06/world/covid-delta-variant-vaccine?campaign_id=154&emc=edit_cb_20210806&instance_id=37362&nl=coronavirus-briefing®i_id=122311001&segment_id=65629&te=1&user_id=85e9340cba19164d75f3915211a487be#arkansas-mask-mandate-asa-hutchinson
Concert tours were starting up again, but now many are being cancelled. Stevie Nicks cancelled her entire 5-show 2021 tour (including her ACL Festival date). Other tour cancellations include Counting Crows and Limp Bizkit. Jason Isbell cancelled his Houston show; he only plays venues requiring proof of vaccination or a current negative test to attend. Michael Bublé and Counting Crows have postponed tour dates.
Amazon, Wells Fargo, BlackRock, The New York Times, and countless smaller companies nationwide have delayed planned returns to in-person work due to the surge.
In the last 2 weeks, US cases have increased 66%, hospitalizations are up 74%, and deaths are up 116%.
Experts now say the best-case long-term result with Covid is that we tame—not eliminate—it. To get there, vaccination must become the norm. Very nearly all adults are thus protected, and kids get vaccinated early on along with all the other usual shots. Breakthrough cases will happen, but they are mild. Since everyone is protected from serious disease, hospitalization and death by vaccination, masking and other precautions are NOT needed. Once we get to this point, Covid will—finally—be reduced to “just like the flu”—yukky but not dire. The glaring exceptions will be among the unvaccinated, whose suffering and death should serve as a cautionary tale to others. To keep those exceptions from overwhelming hospitals and imploding the economy, we must get a lot more adults vaccinated AND get vaccines approved for even the youngest children. BUT–how long until we get there, and how many more people will die needlessly? Plus, of course, there’s no guarantee we ever convert that sunny scenario to reality. It can be derailed in several ways, including continued vaccination failure, new variants emerging that are not blocked by the existing vaccines, or another ugly surprise from this aptly named “novel” virus. This one-hour podcast (there’s a link to a written transcript) with epidemiologist Dr. Céline Gounder is an excellent overview of Delta, where we are now, and what to expect; happily, she is overall optimistic. The Good News and Bad News about the Delta Variant 8/6/21 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/06/opinion/ezra-klein-podcast-celine-gounder.html
In Texas, in the last 2 weeks, cases have increased 58%, hospitalizations are up 86%, and deaths are up 150%. Over 75% of new cases in Texas are due to Delta.
Texas is reporting 14,000 new cases daily. As of now, there are 11,261 Texans hospitalized for Covid-19. The current positivity test rate is 19%.
Over 50 Texas hospitals had no available ICU capacity last week. Houston hospitals erected tents for extra capacity; still, Covid patients are being transferred to hospitals out of the city and even out of the state. The Austin metropolitan area (comprised of 11 counties, with over 3 million people) was down to 2 ICU beds off and on over the last several days. Children and even infants are in ICUs and on ventilators, in high numbers not seen in previous surges. Covid hospitalizations (over 95% are unvaccinated) are expected to exceed 15,000 later this month.
Large urban school districts, in light of the surge and increased hospitalization of children, are ignoring Gov. Abbott’s bizarre decree against mask mandates. (As well they should, since his emergency powers are limited to measures protecting public safety; REQUIRING masks protects public health, but how can BANNING masks do so?) State courts issued temporary injunctions last week against Abbott’s mask ban, specifically for Dallas and San Antonio schools. School districts in Austin/Travis County and Houston, and more will require masks, as well. (Fort Worth was also on that list, until 4 parents sued and got a judge to enter a restraining order, which may or may not stand.) If Abbott dares to follow through with the threatened fines and loss of school funding, it will all end up in the courts.
Austin Community College has adopted a mask mandate. University of Texas has NOT done so to date; as a state school, it is bowing to Abbott’s edict.
Vaccinations–the safe path to herd immunity
Worldwide, booster shots are becoming controversial. Germany, France, Hungary and Russia are offering booster shots to high-risk people (the elderly and those with compromised immune systems). The UK says it has purchased extra vaccines in case boosters are needed in the fall. The companies making vaccines are VERY much in favor of boosters, for obvious reasons. Others feel no one should be offered a third shot until some level of vaccination has been reached world-wide; this is not just altruistic, since the pandemic won’t be stopped until all countries have access to vaccines. The World Health Organization recently called for a moratorium on boosters until late September, so that all countries have a chance to vaccinate at least 10% of their populations. The US government position is that boosters GENERALLY are not now needed (though stock vaccine has been purchased), and the issue is being monitored. BUT, an extra shot for those whose immune system is compromised (such as organ transplant patients) was recently approved. The F.D.A. authorized a third dose of Covid vaccines for immunocompromised people 8/13/21 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/12/us/covid-vaccine-booster-pfizer-moderna.html
Germany has always provided free Covid testing. Now, unvaccinated people have to pay for testing.
In the US, just over 50% of the entire population is FULLY vaccinated. And, on Aug. 2 we reached the milestone of 70% of American adults getting at least 1 shot, a month after the hoped-for date of July 4. Still, that leaves over 90 million eligible people unvaccinated. The good news is that vaccinations are up; we are now averaging over 700K shots per day.
Vaccine mandates are proliferating. This ruling helped, strongly indicating there is no legal impediment to mandates, even for emergency authorization vaccines. The Supreme Court won’t block Indiana University’s vaccine mandate 8/12/21 https://apnews.com/article/health-courts-coronavirus-pandemic-us-supreme-court-c10f02b467c86e2b61c6743aedd4fc69
The New York Stock Exchange is requiring vaccinations to enter its trading floor. Tyson Foods is requiring its entire workforce of over 120,000 people to be vaccinated. Walmart, the country’s largest private employer, announced vaccine mandates for employees, BUT ONLY for the 17K people working at its headquarters and NOT for its 1.6 million store employees; for them, Walmart is increasing its cash incentive to get a shot, to $150. Microsoft will require all employees and visitors be vaxxed by September. BlackRock is requiring workers be vaccinated upon a delayed return to offices in October. Amtrak is requiring all employees be vaccinated or test weekly. CNN fired 3 workers who violated policy by returning to in-person work unvaccinated.
San Francisco as of Aug. 20 will require FULL vaccination for patrons of indoor dining, bars, nightclubs, gyms, concerts, theaters and other events held inside; testing is not an option. Workers in SF are being given until October to get vaccinated. New York state will require public transport workers be vaccinated or tested weekly by September and is considering the same for other frontline workers including teachers, healthcare workers and nursing home workers. New York City will require proof of vaccination to access indoor spaces—including restaurants, gyms, movies, concerts, and other performances, starting in September. Virginia is requiring all state workers to be vaccinated. Washington, DC is requiring all public workers to be vaccinated. Washington state is requiring state workers and heath care providers to be vaccinated. Hawaii is requiring all public workers (including public school teachers) be vaccinated. California is requiring all teachers and school staff (at public and private schools) to be vaccinated or face weekly testing. The nation’s largest teachers’ unions now support mandating vaccines for teachers. LA and Chicago are requiring all teachers and school staff to be vaccinated. Some Ohio judges are requiring vaccination for allowing prisoners probation.
A study done in 10 US states found over 1 million doses were wasted from December, 2020-July, 2021. Reasons include breakage, storage/transportation problems, expiration, and shots that were prepared but not used after people did not show up for appointments. The highest loss rate found was 2% in a given state. Extrapolating to all 50 states yields an estimated 5 million wasted doses so far.
The FDA plans to complete the process for FINAL approval (as opposed to the current emergency authorization) of the Pfizer vaccine in early September.
In Texas, of all state residents, only 44% are fully vaccinated, with 53% of those age 12 and up fully protected. Both numbers are well below the national averages.
Recent Covid articles I recommend….
Texas Hospitals Are Already Overloaded. Doctors Are ‘Frightened by What Is Coming.’ 8/11/21 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/11/us/covid-texas-hospitalizations-icu.html
Austin warns of ‘catastrophe’ as Texas again becomes epicenter of pandemic 8/9/21 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/aug/09/austin-catastrophe-epicenter-again-pandemic
Fears as more children falling ill in latest US Covid surge and school approaches 8/8/21 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/08/us-children-covid-delta-latest-surge
‘This Is Really Scary’: Kids Struggle With Long Covid 8/8/21 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/08/health/long-covid-kids.html
What to Do With Our Covid Rage 8/7/21 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/07/opinion/sunday/covid-unvaccinated-anger.html
The Good News and Bad News about the Delta Variant 8/6/21 (one hour podcast with link to a written transcript) https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/06/opinion/ezra-klein-podcast-celine-gounder.html
Is the Future Just a Spike Protein Stamping on a Human Face, Forever? 8/5/21 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/05/opinion/covid-delta-vaccinated-flu.html
Should I Mask? Can I Travel? What About Hugs? How Delta Is Changing Advice for the Vaccinated 8/3/21 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/03/well/live/covid-delta-variant-vaccine-symptoms.html
Daring Mighty Things
There was an emergency in space, lasting an hour. On July 29, the International Space Station–a complex and delicate network of modules, arrays, antennas and equipment that all together is larger than a football field—abruptly spun 1 and a half revolutions and stopped upside down, due to an accidental thruster firing by a newly docked Russian craft. To correct orbital position, the ISS fired its own thrusters to forward flip 180 degrees, returning to normal. There were seven astronauts on board. All seems to be well, but the ISS was not built for gymnastic stunts, and nothing like this ever happened in its previous 22 years of existence. It Was His Day Off. Then the Space Station Went for a Spin. 8/2/21 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/02/science/nasa-space-station-zebulon-scoville.html
Texas state elections
There wasn’t much election news recently, except for Gov. Abbott wreaking havoc as he feebly works his best Trump impression.
So, the first special legislative session in Texas limped to an end on Aug. 6, and Gov. Abbott immediately called a second special session starting Aug. 7. His pet priorities include the vote-restricting bill that nuked the previous session. Gov. Greg Abbott announces special legislative session starting Saturday, covering elections, federal COVID-19 funding, quorum rules 8/5/21 https://www.texastribune.org/2021/08/02/greg-abbott-texas-special-legislative-session/
With Congress on vacation, the AWOL Texas Democratic reps militating in DC for national voter registration protections are coming home. The bad news is that the all-Republican Texas Supreme Court on Aug. 10 ruled the Dems can be arrested upon their return to Texas and forcibly returned to House chambers; just for practice, apparently, the House locked inside its less-than-quorum membership last week. Texas Supreme Court allows for arrest of Democrats who don’t show up to Legislature 8/10/21 https://www.texastribune.org/2021/08/10/texas-greg-abbott-democrats-special-session/
The good news is that Abbott caved on his spiteful veto of all funding for the legislative branch when Dems first broke quorum over voting rights back in May. So, Capitol workers and government contractors will get paid. After his veto didn’t lure Democrats back to work, Gov. Abbott extends funding for legislative branch 8/7/21 https://www.statesman.com/story/news/politics/state/2021/08/07/texas-gov-greg-abbott-restores-legislative-branch-funding-special-session/5514626001/
In Lakeway
Go here for Mayor Kilgore’s Aug. 11 video update on Covid, the police chief search and more– https://www.facebook.com/cityoflakeway
Lakeway Council meets in Regular Session on Monday, Aug. 16, 6:30pm, in-person, at City Hall.
Also, the proposed FY2022 budget has been posted on the city’s site (see link below).
Consequential Agenda items include:
–The Consent Agenda (items 4-12) includes appointment of members to the Board of Ethics, Parks and Recreation Committee, and Wildlife Advisory Committee (names are in the Meeting Packet), as well as awarding contracts after bidding solicited for civil engineering services and street striping (details in Meeting Packet).
–Item 13 is Citizens Participation (for items not on the Consent Agenda).
–Item 14 is the Financial Report.
–Item 15 is a request by Tex Arts for $50K of Hotel Occupancy Tax funds.
–Item 16 is an increase in trash and recycling fees from $22.14 to $22.33 per month for each household (subsequent to the provider’s rate increase request being approved last month).
–Item 17 deals with the city’s franchise agreement with Austin Energy, maintaining the payment amount of three percent gross electric revenues from customers within Lakeway and extending the term for three years (instead of the requested 10 years).
–Item 18 is a law enforcement interlocal agreement between the city and LTISD.
–Item 19 is a special use permit for short-term rental at 1819 Lakeway Boulevard. –Item 20 is a trio of requests relating to the proposed Nightingale Project, on 7.76 acres at 309 Ranch Road 620 North. Considerable info is in the Meeting Packet, pages 87-248. The current proposal is 248 rental units of Workforce housing (reduced rent for those making 60% or less of the area median income), with a parking garage and a privately-maintained one acre park, accessible to the public, to be built with several variances. To allow this project via PUD (Planned Unit Development), applicant is asking for 3 things: change the property’s future land use map designation from commercial to residential; reduce the minimum PUD district size from 8 acres, as stated in the Code of Ordinances, to 7.76 acres; and change zoning from the current C-1 (Office/Retail) and AG (Agricultural) to PUD. Many local businesses support this project, as it would provide lower cost housing to help staff our struggling businesses. Residential neighbors insist it is too dense and lacks parking (despite a lot of improvement in both areas since ZAPCO’s May meeting, plus access from 620 will be via a stop light at Nightingale); people really cannot expect that land to remain undeveloped, and I doubt they will be happy with commercial use, either. This project was voted down at the Aug. 9 ZAPCO meeting. Go here to view discussion of item 9: https://lakewaytx.new.swagit.com/videos/130144
–Item 21 is approval of the FY 2022 budget and proposal of 2021 property tax rate. The proposed budget was posted on the city’s site 8-13-21–https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/DocumentCenter/View/36734/FY-22-General-Fund-Draft-Budget
–Items 22, 23, and 24 are Executive Sessions, where Council will consider (behind closed doors) a Lakeway MUD property request, police department matters, and legal advice relating to certain developments in the ETJ.
–Item 25 is action, if any, on items discussed in the Executive Sessions.
–Addendum #1 adds this—possible increase of Lakeway’s over age 65 homestead property tax exemption.
–Addendum #2 adds this—review of a Nov. 16, 2020 ordinance re: The Oaks’ Main Street extension.
–Item 26—Adjourn. Go here for the Agenda (with Addendum 1 and Addendum 2) and the Meeting Packet— https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/archive.aspx
To send comments to Council beforehand (by 3pm Monday) about any agenda item, go here and create a Public Comment Form– https://lakeway-tx.civicweb.net/Portal/CitizenEngagement.aspx
Go here to watch the Council meeting online (live or after the fact)— https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1062/Videos—Meetings-Events
Back to me….
I’m pretty much staying home again, to avoid Delta. Also staying off ladders, to avoid breaking a hip or something since hospitals are full….
So, I have plenty of time to read. Good books I recently finished (available at Lake Travis Community Library):
—Landslide: The Final Days of the Trump Presidency (2021), by Michael Wolff—I don’t like the author’s writing style (and haven’t read his other Trump books), and for me the first half of this book chronicling the last stage of the 2020 campaign was just so-so. But, his coverage of how White House insiders managed, manipulated and isolated Trump from election day through Jan. 6, the second impeachment, and trading the Oval Office for Mar-a-Lago’s lobby is riveting. Plus, Wolff’s scoop on the 3 stooges who reluctantly appeared as Trump’s lawyers during the impeachment trial in the Senate is laugh-out-loud funny and explains SO MUCH of what happened (and didn’t happen) on camera. Wolff demonstrates that the Trump who walked into office as President was exactly the same as the Trump who left 4 years later. Despite countless failures, disasters and disgraces, he never changed or learned or grew or transformed; he never got better, and he was never ashamed.
—Frankly, We Did Win This Election (2021), by Michael C. Bender—This is a well-written account of Trump’s last year in office, by the Wall Street Journal reporter who covered him since the beginning. Bender (who Trump condemns as overly harsh but still favors due to his “beautiful hair”) provides new details on the Lafayette Square/Bible debacle, the super-spreader Tulsa rally, Trump’s rabid hyena impression at the first debate, Trump’s own case of Covid, the shock of election night, Jan. 6 in all its glory, the odd Trump/Pence relationship, impeachment 2.0, and more. Bender closes with an eerie portrait of Trump’s life post-presidency, holding court in the lobby of Mar-a-Lago among the other faded septuagenarians with their trophy wives, discussing the menu and golf every bit as seriously as politics, and preening in the adulation of the crowd—even if it is just applause as he enters the dining room for meatloaf.
I feel zero pity for Trump, but both these books make it crystal clear that he is damaged mentally and psychologically, to the point he should be confined for everyone’s protection. Instead, his staff and political allies keep him propped up for their own benefit, and the purely transactional relationship he has with family members means they will do the same as long as cash and power dribble down to them.
—Forget the Alamo (2021), by Bryan Burrough, Chris Tomlinson, and Jason Stanford—Any book that sets Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s hair on fire goes on my must-read list, and this one did not disappoint. For a history book, it is delightfully light and often downright funny; as the authors say—they don’t take themselves too seriously. They do, however, slay several beloved Alamo myths and expose the truth that territorial Texas rebelled against Mexico back in 1836 to protect slavery. Plus, the doomed heroes of the Alamo were slave owners. (Not having grown up in Texas, I didn’t realize any of that was “news.” I also didn’t realize Texas today requires kids be taught the Alamo defenders were “heroic.”) The story didn’t end in 1836, of course, and the book covers the modern era of Alamo handling by the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, University of Texas, General Land Office, and—oddly enough—British musician Phil Collins.
I had to replace my exercise bike (RIP, NordicTrack). Amazon sent me a new one—in a VERY heavy box that was bigger than I am and filled with a sea of parts, bolt-thingees, and a teeny-tiny tool set. It took 3 hours and ruined a Sunday, but I ended up with something that looks a lot like an exercise bike. Every time I use it, I’m shocked that it works.
I’m seeing deer on my morning walks, but their location is very different than in previous summers. Wonder why…. Here are some photos I took recently.
Panda cub video update on Washington Zoo’s Xiao (AKA Biscuit) who turns ONE YEAR OLD on Aug. 21:
Fun and informative article by one of Xiao’s keepers: Caring for Giant Pandas: Stories from a Real-Life Zoo Guardian 8/8/21 https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/news/caring-for-giant-pandas-stories-real-life-zoo-guardian?fbclid=IwAR0GlmUYEKiLFFJaYtnKszM3sljiizHsAyLOlBISbDnwHWQeL4ZPvZs2Fmg
Xiao Qi Ji: A Memoir, With Love by Dr Q 8/12/21 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkNda53kwlA
Xiao Qi Ji and Mei Xaing 8/7/21 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-XS7K9_w0E
Xiao–Trotting Little Cutie Has Fun in the Yard 8/3/21 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHGYJM8Wg-U