Medical News of the Day
Monday, December 20th, 2021
Medical News of the Day - Monday, December 20th, 2021
Covid
Omicron
The number of confirmed Omicron cases in the U.S. has nearly doubled in a period of 24 hours, and six Northeastern states saw a record number of daily COVID cases this week as the variant is now confirmed in 44 states, with New York hit the hardest.
As of Saturday morning, there were 830 cases of the Omicron COVID-19 variant confirmed by DNA sequencing across the country, a 97 percent increase from Friday morning's tally.
In reality, the true number of Omicron cases is much higher, as only 1 to 2 percent of all cases are sequenced for variant markers, but the testing data shows a disturbing national trend.
U.S. could see 1 million cases per day, warns departing NIH director Francis Collins - NPR
After spending more than 12 years as director of the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Francis Collins is retiring this weekend. But he's no less worried about the public health agency's latest pandemic curveball.
As the omicron variant threatens record-breaking rates of infections in the U.S., Collins departs with a warning. If Americans don't take COVID-19 seriously, the country could see 1 million daily infections, he said.
Omicron wave driven by ‘young, healthy, vaccinated’ population - The Telegraph
Data from Denmark shows that just over 70 per cent of omicron cases have been among those younger than 40
Most of the World’s Vaccines Likely Won’t Prevent Infection From Omicron - The New York Times
A growing body of preliminary research suggests the Covid vaccines used in most of the world offer almost no defense against becoming infected by the highly contagious Omicron variant.
Health officials say omicron variant likely to cause record-high coronavirus cases, hospitalizations in U.S. - Washington Post
Top government health officials on Sunday warned that the United States will probably see record numbers of coronavirus cases and hospitalizations as the omicron variant spreads rapidly and forces Americans to again grapple with the dangers of a pandemic that has upended life around the globe.
“Unfortunately, I think that that is going to happen. We are going to see a significant stress in some regions of the country on the hospital system, particularly in those areas where you have a low level of vaccination,” Anthony S. Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious-disease specialist, said on CNN’s “State of the Union” when asked whether the United States could see record numbers of cases, hospitalizations and deaths.
Restaurants anxious as omicron, high food costs take toll - Associated Press
While restaurants in the U.S. and United Kingdom are open without restrictions and often bustling, they are entering their second winter of the coronavirus pandemic anxious about what’s ahead: They’re squeezed by labor shortages and skyrocketing food costs and the omicron variant is looming.
“I’m extremely worried. I’ve never felt like we were out of the woods,” said Caroline Glover, chef and owner of the restaurant Annette in the Denver suburb of Aurora.
Substacks
Omicron: such a joke that South Africa is about to dump all contact tracing and quarantines - Alex Berenson Substack
Yes, the scientists advising the government of South Africa - where Omicron is now the dominant strain - say tracing and quarantining the contacts of infected people is a waste of time.
This cool-headed advice is exactly the opposite of the panic in wealthy European countries (and certain blue states).
Stunning Covid data from Denmark - Alex Berenson Substack
But not for the reason you've been told; the story is vaccine failure, not Omicron
Vaccines are very good…for the drug companies - Steve Kirsch Substack
Take your vaccine like they tell you. Do not ask questions. Just follow orders.
Webinar Talk: This is Not a Pandemic of the Unvaccinated - Rounding the Earth Substack
This past Tuesday, I gave a talk during a webinar by the people at StopVaxPassports.org that was largely aimed at discussions surrounding Natural Immunity. I did not at the time realize that Frank Gaffney was emceeing the webinar. I recall seeing him talk on TV when I was growing up, and it is amusing to see Wikipedia now begins its characterization of him as a "conspiracy theorist" right from the get-go. And that is one of the reasons for Campfire.wiki.
How to read RFK Jr’s book in 5 minutes - Steve Kirsch Substack
This is a dense book. 450 pages long. Here are some methods for getting the gist of it in minutes.
ICYMI: Articles of Interest - Steve Kirsch Substack
Lots of articles aren't getting coverage in the mainstream media. Rather than do a separate substack on each article, I'm going to consolidate them here with a brief commentary.
A peek inside my inbox - Steve Kirsch Substack
You wouldn't believe some of the messages I get. Or maybe you would.
Lockdowns/Protests/Mandates/Closures
A large group of people opposed to Covid-19 restrictions gathered in Westminster to demonstrate against Boris Johnson's Plan B announcement.
A handful of Met Police officers suffered 'minor injuries' while attempting to escort a police motorcyclist through Parliament Square at around 12.30pm on Saturday.
Video footage of the incident shows antagonistic protesters remonstrating with police.
Americans increasingly refuse to obey mandates in the name of fighting COVID - New York Post
Americans are increasingly done with mandates in the name of fighting COVID. After almost two years, most have gone back to their pre-pandemic lives and just won’t obey orders from the hysteria echo chamber.
Consider Gov. Kathy Hochul’s recent mask-or-vax mandate. More than 30 New York County executives have publicly refused to enforce it, using terms like “Gestapo tactics” and “mask police.”
Schools, classrooms close doors again in latest Covid surge - NBC News
As schools brace for the rapid rise in omicron cases amid delta’s continued onslaught and the onset of flu season, some are closing their doors once again and moving back to online learning ahead of the holiday break.
Prince George’s County in Maryland on Friday became the first major school district to announce that all students will transition to remote learning as cases surge. The shift to online learning will begin Monday, four days before the start of winter break, and continue for two weeks after school resumes on Jan. 3.
Netherlands ‘going into lockdown again’ to curb omicron - Associated Press
Nations across Europe moved to reimpose tougher measures to stem a new wave of COVID-19 infections spurred by the highly transmissible omicron variant, with the Netherlands leading the way by imposing a nationwide lockdown.
All non-essential stores, bars and restaurants in the Netherlands will be closed until Jan. 14 starting Sunday, caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte said at a hastily arranged press conference Saturday night. Schools and universities will shut until Jan. 9, he said.
Israel set to ban travel to US as Covid curbs widen - France 24
Israel's health ministry Sunday recommended banning Israelis from travelling to the United States, and added several European countries to its Covid "red list", aimed at containing the Omicron variant's spread.
Barring US travel for Israeli citizens and residents would mark a significant step for Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's government, given the hundreds of thousands of dual nationals and close ties between the countries.
Vaccine
CDC Endorses Pfizer, Moderna Vaccines Over J&J, Citing Blood Clot Risk — But Data Show All 3 Carry Similar Risk - Children’s Health Defense
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday voted 15 - 0 to “preferentially recommend” mRNA COVID vaccines Pfizer and Moderna over the Johnson & Johnson shot due to “higher-than-expected” risk of blood clots, but data show Pfizer, Moderna shots also cause blood-clotting disorders.
Pfizer’s child-sized vaccine fails to produce expected immunity in younger kids; company adds third dose to trials - CNN Health
Vaccine maker Pfizer said Friday that trials of its vaccine in children ages 2 to 5 show that it did not provide the expected immunity in kids this age, and it is adding a third dose to the regimen.
The company decided to add the third dose for all children and babies ages 6 months to 5 years after its independent outside advisers took a look at the data so far.
Fauci says redefining fully vaccinated as three shots ‘on the table’ - New York Post
A move to redefine the term fully vaccinated as three shots of Pfizer or Moderna is “on the table,” Dr. Anthony Fauci said Friday.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention is open to changing the definition to include a booster shot for the two-dose vaccines, the White House’s chief medical advisor told CNBC.
“There’s no doubt that optimum vaccination is with a booster,” Fauci said on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.” “Whether or not the CDC is going to change that, it certainly is on the table and open for discussion.”
School District in New York Sends Out Email Warning Parents of Sudden Cardiac Arrest in Students Grades K-12 - Gateway Pundit
Eastport-South Manor Central School District (ESM) in Suffolk County, New York sent out an email to all parents informing them about the new physician in their district. The new hiring was part of the new regulations regarding Sudden Cardiac Arrest of students Grades K- 12.
The Gateway Pundit obtained a copy of the email where the ESM stated that there’s a new regulation where all districts are now required to ensure that nurses and coaches can address the treatment and monitoring of students who exhibit signs and symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest.
Pfizer says pandemic could extend to 2024, vaccine data for younger children delayed - Reuters
Pfizer Inc on Friday forecast that the COVID-19 pandemic would not be behind us until 2024 and said a lower-dose version of its vaccine for 2- to 4-year-olds generated a weaker immune response than expected, potentially delaying authorization.
What the VAERS Data Tell Us About COVID Jab Safety - Mercola
The U.S. Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) is among the best adverse event data collection systems in the world, but it's antiquated and difficult to use. Still, it’s a good way to detect safety signals that weren't detected during premarket testing or clinical trials
Politics
President Joe Biden's decision to wait until Tuesday to address his plan to combat the rapidly spreading COVID Omicron variant has been met with incredulity as many criticized his apparent lack of urgency while he spends the weekend in Delaware.
It comes after Vice President Kamala Harris admitted on Friday that the administration was not prepared for the variant as cases doubled over the past 24 hours, with all but six states confirming cases, stoking fears of shutdowns similar to the ones in 2020.
Biden administration pushes COVID-19 ‘test-to-stay’ policy in schools - The Hill
The Biden administration is advocating for a “test-to-stay” policy in schools, aiming to reduce the number of absences and quarantines among students exposed to COVID-19.
The strategy, announced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday, will permit close contacts of those with confirmed COVID-19 to stay in classrooms if they test negative at least twice in the week after interacting with an infected person.
Sarah Palin has brazenly refused to get vaccinated against Covid, saying she'll get the shot "over my dead body."
The former Alaska governor spoke out against the lifesaving Covid jab despite being diagnosed with the virus earlier this year.
Other Covid News
Nearly 50 people catch COVID-19 aboard Royal Caribbean cruise - New York Post
Four dozen people aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship tested positive for coronavirus when they returned to Miami on Saturday following a seven-day excursion, a report said.
All but one of those infected on the Symphony of the Seas was fully vaccinated, the cruise line said in a statement, and all patients quarantined following the positive results, NBC Miami reported.
‘Silent’ COVID twice as prevalent as feared: 4 in 10 patients have no symptoms, study warns - Study Finds
Four in 10 COVID-19 patients are asymptomatic carriers of the virus responsible for over 800,000 deaths in the United States, a new study warns. Researchers from China say a global study of almost 30 million people found “silent” cases of the virus are twice as prevalent than previous estimates feared.
The results show 40.5 percent of the confirmed cases of the illness are among people who show no symptoms of the infection at all. Rates rose among certain groups including pregnant women (54%), air and cruise travelers (53%), and care home residents or staff (48%).
New COVID-19 protocols to feature targeted testing of fully vaccinated players, staff - NFL
In response to a recent surge of COVID-19 cases and the new Omicron variant of the virus, the NFL and NFLPA announced on Saturday the implementation of enhanced COVID protocols that includes changes to the testing cadence for fully vaccinated, asymptomatic players and staff.
NHL, NHLPA announce enhanced COVID-19 measures - NHL
The National Hockey League (NHL) and National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) announced today the immediate adoption of enhanced COVID-19 measures given the emergence of the Omicron variant and recent increase in positive test results. These enhanced measures will remain in effect through the Holiday season and the New Year, and will be reevaluated no later than Jan. 7, 2022, by the NHL and the NHLPA.
The full text of these measures can be found here.
NBA, players agree to additional protocols through holidays - NBA
The NBA and its players have agreed to enhanced health and safety protocols through the holiday season in response to rising virus numbers, with additional testing coming and a return to mask usage in many situations.
The upgraded mask rules will be in place “until agreed otherwise by the NBA and Players Association,” according to a memo shared with teams Thursday night and obtained by The Associated Press. Masks need to be worn again in almost all circumstances during team activities — including travel, when on the bench during games, in meetings and locker room, weight room and training room settings.
I am working with Mathew Crawford, who runs the very successful Rounding the Earth Substack, on Operation Uplift Wristband, where you can show your Medical Freedom solidarity. My profile photo on here is what the wristband looks like with Mathew’s Substack on the other side.
If you’re interested in purchasing wristbands, please email us at operationuplift@protonmail.com.
Here are the prices, which includes shipping in the United States. You will need to pay for shipping if you live outside of the US.
10 for $10
50 for $40
100 for $60
500 for $250
You can read Mathew’s Substack from last week for information about Operation Uplift.
It is time for us to stand up against the medical tyranny that has devastated humanity around the world for the past generation and let’s stand up for MEDICAL FREEDOM.
Lastly, on a personal level, my prayers and well wishes go out to my brother-in-law and two friends, who have contracted Covid. My sister and her children are doing fine so far. This Substack will never do what other social media feeds have done and ridicule, harass and taunt people based on vaccination status. Medical Freedom is for everyone, even those who want to be in the tyrannical rule of the corporatists in the medical field. Like I have said, this is much more than just COVID.
God Bless my family, friends and everyone who is battling the virus.