As I stated in last month's prologue for this blog, I am getting "burned out" updating this information on a daily basis. The first cases of what is now known as COVID-19 were reported to WHO on 31 December 2019. I've posted monthly reports about the pandemic since it was declared a pandemic almost a year ago. I am still un-vaccinated because (a) there are not enough vaccine dosages in Colorado, and (b) people my age have yet to be vaccinated (I'll be 65 in June) by the state's decision. The only hospital dispensing the vaccine is currently 3 miles away, with three bus connections, and a one-way time travel of 95 minutes - since bus service has been cut back due to the pandemic. My room mate and I are hoping that the local pharmacy, where we got our flu shots, will soon have the vaccine available. The store has advertised they will give the vaccinations, but no word on when the vaccine will arrive - or which of the 3 approved vaccines it will be, a two-shot series, or a single injection.
Our county level of pandemic restrictions was lowered last week, but it is still encouraged that people wear masks when outside and might be near others. The standing idea is still that wearing a mask and staying 6 feet apart is best. Wearing two masks is even better, with further distancing. I see people outside every day without a mask. When I go to the grocery store or to the library, other people are without masks - walking, running, bicycling, skateboarding and smoking - and they frequently pass within 2 feet of my face, if there is no place for me to move away from them. If there is no nearby traffic, I frequently step out onto a road to avoid being so close to people without masks. So far (knock on wood) Beatrice and I have been untouched by the coronavirus - or, at least, we have had no symptoms of the virus.
Beginning this month, I'll report the numbers I've been reporting - world-wide, US, and the state of Colorado - for number of cases and deaths. The first two sets are from the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Mapping database, and the third set is from the Colorado Department of Public Health. I will also pass along the weekly WHO Epidemiological Report for countries reporting those numbers, along with the most important headline (to me, anyway) news stories of each week. I will make this report on the first and last days of the month, and every 5 days in between. This month, the reports will be on the 1st, 6th, 11th, 16th, 21st, 26th, and 31st. ***** As always, my own person notes, asides, and comments will be marked with multiple asterisks before and after. ***** I will also include any news-worthy headlines regarding the previous squatter in the White House.
We're having a half-way decent week of weather for early March - highs in the 50s and lower 60s, with lows in the 20s at night. On Thursday, I have an appointment at the Senior Center for my taxes to be done by an AARP volunteer. I have everything ready - papers filled out, and items requested - and sitting in an large envelope to take with me. I don't have enough income to actually need to fill out a tax return, but I have to have a copy to present to my landlord to renew my low-cost housing lease each year...
Moose and calf in Rocky Mountain National Park
Let's start off with the numbers for March 1, 2021:
1 March 2021 -
From the Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 Report for the world:
114,417,054 cases 2,537,563 deaths
From the Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 Report in the US:
28,659,784 cases 514,333 deaths
Colorado COVID-19 Report (from the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment):
429,839 cases 5,952 deaths
WHO News:
First COVID-19 COVAX Vaccine Doses Administered in Africa
https://www.who.int/news/item/01-03-2021-first-covid-19-covax-vaccine-doses-administered-in-africa
World Pharmacopoeias Support Public Health During COVID-19 Pandemic
https://www.who.int/news/item/01-03-2021-world-pharmacopoeias-support-public-health-during-covid-19-pandemic
US News:
Dr. Fauci: U.S. Must Stick With Two-Shot Strategy For Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna Vaccines
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/03/01/fauci-defends-two-shot-strategy/
Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Deepens Concerns Over Racial And Geographic Inequities
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/03/01/johnson-and-johnson-vaccine-distribution-disparities/
A Man Refused To Mask Up At a High School Basketball Game. Then He Killed An Officer Who Intervened, Police Say.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/03/01/martinus-mitchum-tulane-mask-shooting/
6 March 2021 -
From the Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 Report for the world:
116,466,916 cases 2,586,852 deaths
From the Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 Report in the US:
28,949,455 cases 524,262 deaths
Colorado COVID-19 Report (from the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment):
435,762 cases 5,986 deaths
2 March - WHO Weekly Epidemiological Report (for most countries):
https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/weekly-epidemiological-update---2-march-2021
WHO News:
WHO Director-General's Opening Remarks At the Media Briefing On COVID-19 On 5 March 2021
https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19-5-march-2021
Women Scientists Capture Public Attention As COVID-19 Rages Across the World
https://www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/women-scientists-capture-public-attention-as-covid-19-rages-across-the-world
Niger's First Lady, Dr Lalla Malika Issoufou, Speaks On COVID-19 Impact On Women
https://www.afro.who.int/news/nigers-first-lady-dr-lalla-malika-issoufou-speaks-covid-19-impact-women
US News:
Merck Will Help Make Johnson & Johnson Coronavirus Vaccine As Rivals Team Up To Help Biden Accelerate Shots
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/03/02/merck-johnson-and-johnson-covid-vaccine-partnership/
Senate Passes $1.9 Trillion Covid Relief Bill, House Democrats Plan Final Approval Tuesday
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/06/covid-stimulus-update-senate-passes-1point9-trillion-relief-bill.html
Some Children's Hospitals See A Surge In Rare Covid-19 Complication MIS-C
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/06/health/mis-c-covid-19-case-increase-wellness/index.html
Texas, Mississippi Governors Recklessly Reopening
https://lasvegassun.com/news/2021/mar/06/texas-mississippi-governors-recklessly-reopening/
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Federico Klein, a State Department Aide Appointed By Trump Stormed the Capitol, Beat Police With a Riot Shield, FBI Says
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/03/05/trump-federico-klein-capitol-riot/
House Impeachment Manager Eric Swalwell Files Civil Lawsuit Suing Trump, Giuliani, Trump Jr and Mo Brooks For Allegedly Inciting Capitol Riot
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/05/eric-swalwell-sues-trump-giuliani-for-inciting-capitol-riot.html
11 March 2021 -
From the Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 Report for the world:
118,455,888 cases 2,628,453 deaths
From the Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 Report in the US:
29,214,412 cases 530,712 deaths
Colorado COVID-19 Report (from the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment):
440,220 cases 6,056 deaths
9 March - WHO Weekly Epidemiological Report (for most countries):
https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/weekly-epidemiological-update---10-march-2021
WHO News:
WHO Director-General's Opening Remarks At the Member States Information Session On COVID-19 On 11 March 2021
https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-member-states-information-session-on-covid-19---11-march-2021
US News:
Moderna And Pfizer On Track To Hit Vaccine Production Goals
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/03/11/976172231/moderna-and-pfizer-on-track-to-hit-vaccine-production-goals
"An Accelerated Cauldron of Evolution": Covid-19 Patients With Cancer, HIV, May Play a Role In Emergence of Variants
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/03/11/immunocompromised-patients-covid-variants/
Biden Signs $1.9 Trillion Stimulus Into Law; Some Could See Stimulus Payments This Weekend
https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2021/03/11/biden-sign-stimulus-covid-relief-congress-checks/
16 March 2021 -
From the Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 Report for the world:
120,645,738 cases 2,669,734 deaths
From the Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 Report in the US:
29,546,639 cases 536,871 deaths
Colorado COVID-19 Report (from the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment):
444,712 cases 6,129 deaths
16 March - WHO Weekly Epidemiological Report (for most countries):
** the 16 March 2021 report is not available at 7 pm MDT **
WHO News:
WHO Director-General's Opening Remarks At the Media Briefing On COVID-19 On 15 March 2021
https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19-15-march-2021
New Research Highlights Risks Of Separating Newborns From Mothers During COVID-19 Pandemic
https://www.who.int/news/item/16-03-2021-new-research-highlights-risks-of-separating-newborns-from-mothers-during-covid-19-pandemic
COVID-19 Cases In Africa To Top 4 Million, Vaccine Rollout Underway
https://www.afro.who.int/news/covid-19-cases-africa-top-4-million-vaccine-rollout-underway
US News:
CDC Identifies Public-Health Guidance From the Trump Administration That Down-Played Pandemic Severity
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/03/15/cdc-removes-some-trump-era-guidance/
FAA To Extend "Zero-Tolerance" Policy For Bad Behavior While Federal Mask Mandate Is In Place
https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2021/03/16/faa-mask-enforcement/
Moderna Begins Testing Covid Vaccine In Babies and Children
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/16/health/moderna-covid-vaccine-children.html
A Concerning Covid Variant Is About To Become Dominant In the US, And How Americans Act Could Help Curb Or Fuel A Surge
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/16/health/us-coronavirus-tuesday/index.html
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Two Arrested In Assault On Police Officer Brian D. Sicknick, Who Died After Jan. 6 Capitol Riot
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/legal-issues/two-arrested-in-assault-on-police-officer-brian-d-sicknick-who-died-after-jan-6-capitol-riot/2021/03/15/80261550-84ff-11eb-bfdf-4d36dab83a6d_story.html
Department of Justice List of Capitol Riot Cases As of March 16 2021
https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/capitol-breach-cases
21 March 2021 -
From the Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 Report for the world:
123,135,920 cases 2,714,606 deaths
From the Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 Report in the US:
29,818,157 cases 542,356 deaths
Colorado COVID-19 Report (from the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment):
450,630 cases 6,149 deaths
16 March - WHO Weekly Epidemiological Report (for most countries):
https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/weekly-epidemiological-update---16-march-2021
WHO News:
Statement Of the WHO Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS) COVID-19 Subcommittee On Safety Signals Related To the AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine
https://www.who.int/news/item/19-03-2021-statement-of-the-who-global-advisory-committee-on-vaccine-safety-(gacvs)-covid-19-subcommittee-on-safety-signals-related-to-the-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine
What Is Africa's Vaccine Production Capacity?
https://www.afro.who.int/news/what-africas-vaccine-production-capacity
WHO Engages Health Workers In Romania To Reach Out On the Benefits Of COVID-19 VaccInes In Pilot Project
https://www.euro.who.int/en/countries/romania/news/news/2021/3/who-engages-health-workers-in-romania-to-reach-out-on-the-benefits-of-covid-19-vaccines-in-pilot-project
US News:
A More Contagious Coronavirus Variant Is Spreading Across the US. Can Vaccines Stop It?
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/20/health/variant-b117-vaccines-work/index.html
Drug Companies Defend Vaccine Monopolies In Face Of Global Outcry
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/03/20/covid-vaccine-global-shortages/
Covid Cases Are Rising In 21 States As Health Officials Warn Against Reopening Too Quickly
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/20/covid-cases-are-rising-in-21-states-as-health-officials-warn-against-reopening-too-quickly.html
Gottlieb Warns Of Potential For New Outbreaks Fueled By New York Variant
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/scott-gottlieb-coronavirus-new-york-variant-face-the-nation/
California Among Worst In Getting Vaccines To Vulnerable Populations, CDC Report Finds
https://www.yahoo.com/gma/california-among-worst-getting-vaccines-215700102.html
European Scientists Zero In On AstraZeneca Blood Clot Link
https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/03/21/979781065/european-scientists-zero-in-on-astrazeneca-blood-clot-link
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Miami Beach Declares State of Emergency And Curfew As Spring Break Crowds Spark Safety Concerns
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/20/us/miami-beach-crowds-clevelander-covid/index.html
Miami Beach Officers Shoot Pepper Balls Into Spring Break Crowds To Enforce Emergency Curfew
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/20/us/miami-beach-crowds-clevelander-covid/index.html
Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) Falsely Claims There Was "No Violence" On Senate Side Of US Capitol On January 6
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/20/politics/ron-johnson-no-violence-senate-capitol-january-6/index.html
What We Know About the Atlanta-Area Spa Attacks
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/03/7-dead-after-shootings-at-multiple-spas-in-atlanta-updates.html
26 March 2021 -
From the Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 Report for the world:
126,019,873 cases 2,766,145 deaths
From the Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 Report in the US:
30,151,278 cases 548,052 deaths
Colorado COVID-19 Report (from the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment):
456,302 cases 6,196 deaths
23 March - WHO Weekly Epidemiological Report (for most countries):
https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/weekly-epidemiological-update---23-march-2021
US News:
Terror In a Boulder Supermarket: How the King Soopers Shooting Unfolded
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/03/24/what-happened-boulder-shooting/
Shots, Then Silence: King Soopers Pharmacy Worker Witnessed Boulder Shooting Suspect's Surrender
https://www.cpr.org/2021/03/23/boulder-shooting-king-soopers-witness/
31 March 2021 -
From the Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 Report for the world:
128,791,500 cases 2,814,899 deaths
From the Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 Report in the US:
30,459,483 cases 552,038 deaths
Colorado COVID-19 Report (from the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment):
462,081 cases 6,238 deaths
30 March - WHO Weekly Epidemiological Report (for most countries):
https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/weekly-epidemiological-update---30-march-2021
WHO News:
WHO Director-General's Remarks At the Member State Briefing On the Report Of the International Team Studying the Origins Of SARS-CoV-2
https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-remarks-at-the-member-state-briefing-on-the-report-of-the-international-team-studying-the-origins-of-sars-cov-2
WHO Calls For Further Studies, Data On Origin Of SARS-CoV-2 Virus, Reiterates That All Hypotheses Remain Open
https://www.who.int/news/item/30-03-2021-who-calls-for-further-studies-data-on-origin-of-sars-cov-2-virus-reiterates-that-all-hypotheses-remain-open
COVID-19 Shows Why United Action Is Needed For More Robust International Health Architecture
https://www.who.int/news-room/commentaries/detail/op-ed---covid-19-shows-why-united-action-is-needed-for-more-robust-international-health-architecture
US News:
As U.S. Braces For Fourth Pandemic Wave, One Governor Asks For More Vaccines In Hot Spots
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/03/30/coronavirus-covid-live-updates-us/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Derek Chauvin's Body Camera Video Shows His Reaction Just After George Floyd Left In An Ambulance
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/31/us/derek-chauvin-trial-george-floyd-day-3/index.html
The One *Big* Problem With Matt Gaetz's Explanation
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/31/politics/matt-gaetz-fbi-17-year-old/index.html
Justice Department Charges Capitol Rioter Who Allegedly Tased And Assaulted Officer With Flag Pole
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/31/politics/capitol-rioter-police-officer-flag-pole-taser/index.html
