Radio New Zealand (August 17)
Going into a national lock down “buys us some time to see results of testing and contact tracing to assess how widely the outbreak has spread.” So far, there’s only one case, but he may have infected others. “One thing we’ve learned from watching Sydney over the past two months is that half-measures can quickly lead to disaster…. Our best option is to go hard now and then relax later if it turns out we have avoided the worst…. With Delta there are no second chances.”
Tags: Contact tracing, Delta, Disaster, Half-measures, Lock down, Outbreak, Relax, Second chances, Spread, Sydney, Testing
Houston Chronicle (July 27)
“The fourth COVID-19 wave is like a sequel to a movie that no one ever wanted to watch in the first place…. Last week, the number of lab-confirmed COVID-19 hospitalizations statewide broke 4,000 for the first time since March” while Greater Houston is seeing over 1,000 people “testing positive per day…more than seven times last month’s daily average.”
Tags: COVID-19, Daily average, Fourth wave, Hospitalizations, Houston, Lab-confirmed, Positive, Sequel, Testing
Chicago Tribune (July 26)
“As companies across the Chicago area welcome workers back to offices, they’re often labeling them as either vaccinated or unvaccinated, with different treatment for each group.” Vaccinated workers may not be “required to wear masks or social distance” while unvaccinated workers may be “told to undergo weekly on-site COVID-19 testing, wear maks and social distance.”
Tags: Chicago, Companies, COVID-19, Masks, Offices, Social distance, Testing, Unvaccinated, Vaccinated, Workers
USA Today (August 10)
“The planet recorded its 20 millionth coronavirus case Monday and U.S. lifestyle continues to face changes, restrictions and cancellations.” The real number is probably much higher, “given testing limitations and the fact that as many as 40% of all those who are infected have no symptoms.”
Tags: Cancellations, Coronavirus, Infected, Lifestyle, Limitations, Planet, Restrictions, Symptoms, Testing, U.S.
The Plain Dealer (July 1)
“Ohio experienced a decrease in the mortality rate for the coronavirus over the past three months” as more new infections are attributed to young people. That’s not the only reason, however, as the mortality rate for those over 60 has dropped from 23% in April to 7.4% in June. Factors likely include “earlier testing for the virus and steroid treatments that have helped hospitalized patients.”
Tags: Coronavirus, Decrease, Hospitalized, Infections, Mortality rate, Ohio, Patients, Steroid treatments, Testing, Virus, Young
Chicago Tribune (April 10)
“The coronavirus crisis maddens in myriad ways, and for many victims one of the most vexing is the inability to get tested…. Broader-scale testing is beginning to occur, but the progress is unacceptably slow.” We need to ramp this up to provide “more detail about where exactly the pandemic has struck.” Until we do, “the country will never be able to defeat the coronavirus — and get the economies of Illinois and the rest of the country back on track.”
South China Morning Post (May 26)
“China will not support using more sanctions to further pressure North Korea into halting its nuclear weapons programme.” Amid North Korea’s “continuous testing of ballistic missiles,” China’s reluctance “is setting up a clash with US President Donald Trump over economic issues that the US cannot win.”
Tags: Ballistic missiles, China, Clash, North Korea, Nuclear weapons, Pressure, Sanctions, Testing, U.S.
New York Times (February 14)
A full disarmament, of North Korea “is unrealistic at this point. To have any chance of success, the negotiations should aim for constraint. That means persuading the North to end all testing and to forsake technology transfers to other parties. This is a formidable challenge, but neglecting it only guarantees that the threat will get worse.”
