Imagine a world without fossil fuel energy in the fight against COVID-19.
The most obvious crisis would be a lack of gasoline, diesel and jet fuel to transport vaccines, but that’s just the beginning.
“China eats weird animals disease”
COVID-19 cases in Canada top two million as hospitals brace for Omicron wave’s unknowns
Canada marked Boxing Day by crossing another COVID-19 milestone, surpassing two million total cases despite many jurisdictions not reporting numbers over the holiday weekend, and as hospitals brace for the still unknown impact on admissions.
Health care staff and governments are on edge as they wait to see whether the sharp rise in case counts will have a domino effect on hospitals and intensive-care units. A steady number of international studies show that the new Omicron variant of COVID-19 leads to fewer severe cases, but with the sheer number of infections, even a smaller ratio of people getting very sick could swamp hospitals.
Ethics Professor Fired For Refusing Covid Vaxx Writes Book
Canadian ethics professor Julie Ponesse worked at the University of Western Ontario for two decades. This past September, as the school year was about to begin, she lost her job. Because she opposes medical coercion. Because she declined a medical procedure known as COVID-19 vaccination.
Why are some people with Omicron testing negative for COVID?
Imagine attending a Christmas or New Year’s party, learning the next day that someone there had COVID, then waking up the day after that with a sore throat, sniffles, and achiness. It wouldn’t take a genius to piece together what happened. But you’d want to be sure, so you’d reach for that rapid test you wisely purchased last month after the news about Omicron first broke, knowing that the new variant would soon be on your doorstep.
Ontario reports 9,418 new COVID-19 cases; death and testing data not released
Ontario reported more than 9,400 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, as demand for diagnostic testing continues to outstrip available supply.
The seven-day rolling average of new cases now stands at 7,550, up from 2,863 one week ago.
Experts concerned about hospital capacity as Omicron spread continues
OTTAWA — A rise in COVID-19 cases driven by the highly infectious Omicron variant of the virus has renewed concerns among experts about the capacity of Canada’s hospitals and health-care workers to handle another wave of the pandemic.
Paul-Emile Cloutier, president of HealthCareCAN, said the latest wave could make the existing health-care worker shortage worse. HealthCareCAN represents research hospitals and regional health authorities.
Interesting observations by this ER doc
So what are the take-home points?
1. The Omicron wave will not come anywhere near the initially modeled worst case scenario in terms of hospitalization and ICU utilization.
— David Jacobs (@DrJacobsRad) December 26, 2021
King Fauci Says You’ll Always Have to Worry About Wearing a Mask
In case you missed any Faucisms because you were busy during the holiday, we have a few here to lift your day.
‘You can’t open in January’: An infection-control epidemiologist on Omicron in schools
Natalie Philippe, a public health nurse for Public Health Sudbury and Districts, says that a school outbreak does not always involve transmission within the school. Instead, it is declared when two cases are reported in a single classroom. Often, she says, “outbreaks that occur in schools are actually from contact that occurred outside of school.” Her region has been a hotspot since the end of October — and the city’s schools have not been spared. “We know that with Omicron, we are going to be dealing with something even stronger,” Philippe says.
New Zealand Allows Euthanasia for Coronavirus Patients ‘in Some Circumstances’
New Zealand’s Ministry of Health has confirmed that patients suffering from the Wuhan coronavirus could be eligible for a right to a lethal injection under the nation’s new euthanasia law.
What You Should Know About Ivermectin, Hydroxychloroquine, Monoclonal Antibodies, Paxlovid, Molnupiravir, and BioNTech and Pfizer’s Comirnaty Jab…And Why Democrats May Be Fresh Out of Monsters
You understand, of course, that Western Civ’s mass formation psychosis, like a horror movie franchise, requires the constant re-invention of its monsters and hobgoblins, and a constantly refreshed arsenal of weapons to defeat them. Covid is our mutating monster, but Big Pharma’s silver bullets and wooden stakes have proven quite lame. So, the resourceful superhero, Dr. Fauci (“The Science”), has induced his magic messenger, Santa Claus (a.k.a. the FDA), to deliver two brand-new light-sabers to humankind to keep millions of disordered minds churning with hope of slaying the object of their fear.
A (statistical) journal of the plague year
As a Christmas present to statistics lovers, the Census Bureau has released its estimates of the population of the nation and the 50 states as of July 1, 2021. The Bureau admits up front that, due to COVID, its numbers are subject to more than usual uncertainty. But overall, they provide important clues as to how the public has coped with the pandemic and how COVID may have changed the trajectory of national growth — and contraction.
Growing Number of New Year’s Celebrations Canceled Across the World Amid Omicron Spread
… This year, the German cities of Berlin, Frankfurt, and Munich canceled their fireworks celebrations and prohibited large gatherings due to Omicron. Celebrations have been canceled in Paris, France; Rome, Italy; Edinburgh, Scotland; London, England; and New Delhi, India.
“Due to the surge in Covid cases, we’ve taken the difficult decision to cancel our NYE event in Trafalgar Square,” Mayor of London Sadiq Khan wrote on his Twitter account. “The safety of all Londoners must come first.”
Omicron: bleak New Year or beginning of the end for the pandemic?
Scientists are cautiously optimistic that the variant may be a sign the virus is losing its power, despite the high infection figures
Once again, Britain is experiencing a festive season hit by waves of Covid-19 infections. Last year, Christmas and New Year were spoiled by the appearance of the Alpha variant. This time, it is Omicron that has sent case numbers soaring. Christmas cancellations have swept through Britain’s restaurants, pubs and clubs and left the country on the brink of another bleak New Year as the NHS warns once more that it is facing the threat of being overwhelmed by spiralling numbers of seriously ill patients.
The scenario has raised fears that this now represents the shape of Christmases to come. Social restrictions and lockdown threats could become our normal festive fare.
As Omicron spreads, almost 80% Canadians won’t travel this holiday season: poll
A majority of Canadians will not be travelling over the holiday period, according to a new poll, as the highly-transmissible Omicron variant continues to drive a rapid rise in COVID-19 cases at home and abroad.
In a survey published Thursday by RedFlagDeals.com, 79 per cent said they don’t plan to travel by plane during the 2021 holiday season. But almost 22 per cent said they would.
What will Christmas look like next year?
Is China going to be able to deal with Omicron?
The Omicron variant could have been called the Xi variant if the World Health Organization hadn’t decided to skip a couple letters of the Greek alphabet to avoid stigmatizing a common name. But with the Chinese Olympics coming up, it’s fair to ask how China is going to be able to deal with Omicron.
Recent COVID Surges Debunk Deceitful Partisan Narratives
Writing in the Wall Street Journal late last week, Karol Markowicz noted, “Covid is suddenly funny and cool now that all the right people are getting it.”
Sadly, there’s truth in that claim.