Four Big Questions About the New Covid-19 Boosters, Answered | Science| Smithsonian Magazine

Every day in the United States right now, a jumbo-jet full of patients dies from Covid-19. To be more precise, 314 individuals have died every 24 hours over the past week, while 70,000 got infected and 4600 were hospitalized. Even though the Biden Administration predicted in May that 100 million Americans would be infected with the coronavirus this fall and winter, much of the public has put the pandemic in the rear-view mirror in their pursuit for normalcy.

That approach carries some risk. “The vast majority of the United States has had Covid at some time, but that is not going to protect you for the rest of your life,” says Katherine Poehling, a pediatrician and epidemiologist at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. “Our immunity is going to wane because it does to all coronaviruses.”

Source: Four Big Questions About the New Covid-19 Boosters, Answered | Science| Smithsonian Magazine

Lancet Commission on COVID-19 response: ‘Massive global failure’ | CIDRAP

Noting an estimated 17.2 million COVID-19 deaths worldwide through May 31, the commission said, “This staggering death toll is both a profound tragedy and a massive global failure at multiple levels. Too many governments have failed to adhere to basic norms of institutional rationality and transparency, too many people—often influenced by misinformation—have disrespected and protested against basic public health precautions, and the world’s major powers have failed to collaborate to control the pandemic.”

Published yesterday in The Lancet, the report is aimed at United Nations (UN) member states and agencies and intergovernmental groups such as the G20 and G7. The commission included 28 experts from around the world.

It details national negligence in prevention, rationality, public health practices, and international cooperation, as well as “excessive nationalism” that led to unequal access to resources such as personal protective equipment (PPE), vaccines, and treatments. The report also acknowledges that many members of the public openly flouted government efforts to control the pandemic.

What went wrong

Specifically, the report details 10 failures:

  • A lack of timely notification of the initial outbreak of COVID-19
  • Delays in acknowledging that SARS-CoV-2 spreads by aerosols and to implement appropriate public health mitigation measures at national and international levels
  • An absence of coordination among countries to suppress viral transmission
  • Government failures to examine evidence and adopt best practices for controlling the pandemic and managing economic and social spillovers from other countries
  • A lack of global funding for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)
  • A failure to ensure adequate supplies and equitable distribution of key resources such as PPE, diagnostic tests, drugs, medical devices, and vaccines—particularly for LMICs
  • A dearth of timely, accurate, systematic data on infections, deaths, viral variants, health system responses, and indirect health consequences
  • Poor enforcement of appropriate levels of biosafety regulations leading up to the pandemic, raising the possibility of a lab leak
  • A failure to combat systematic disinformation
  • The lack of global and national safety nets to protect vulnerable populations

The report proposes the five pillars of fighting infectious diseases, including prevention strategies such as vaccination, containment, health services, equity, and global innovation and diffusion. But the underpinning of success, the commission proposed, is “prosociality,” or the reorientation of governments, regulators, and institutions toward society as a whole.

Source: Lancet Commission on COVID-19 response: ‘Massive global failure’ | CIDRAP

Report calls for rethink as 29 per cent of Chennai city may be inundated in five years- The New Indian Express

While the Chennai Corporation’s draft city climate action plan has been welcomed by various quarters, experts say it may be used as a base document to create a more detailed plan for the future. The report says rising sea levels could submerge 100 metres of coastal area in the next five years.

As per the greenhouse gases inventory for 2018-19, residential buildings account for 31% of emissions, and commercial and institutional buildings account for 26%. Manufacturing and construction industries contribute 11%, and energy industries 2%. Together, they account for 70% of emissions.“The report says residential and commercial buildings constitute a large part of emissions, but doesn’t specify what to do in terms of mitigation,” G Sundarrajan, of Poovulagin Nanbargal, pointed out.

According to the projected flood risks, 29% of the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) area could be inundated within five years, and with 100 years, 56.5% would be at risk. In the next 100 years, 68% of slums are at a risk of inundation due to the population density there being twice as much as in the rest of the city. In the same period, 45% of physical infrastructure, such as MTC bus stops, CMRL stations and suburban railway stations, stands to be affected.

Source: Report calls for rethink as 29 per cent of Chennai city may be inundated in five years- The New Indian Express

Lagos begins decontamination of bird markets – P.M. News

The Lagos State Government has commenced the decontamination exercise of 35 major bird markets in the state to prevent Avian Influenza and other poultry diseases.

Ms Abisola Olusanya, the commissioner for agriculture in Lagos, disclosed this on Thursday.

Speaking on the exercise, she noted that the decontamination is, among other things, to serve as a proactive and preventive measure against the outbreak of avian influenza and other bird-borne diseases.

Source: Lagos begins decontamination of bird markets – P.M. News

♫ Bohemian Rhapsody ♫

Filosofa's Word

I have played this only once here on Filosofa’s Word, almost four years ago in October 2018, at the request of our friend David.  Being exhausted tonight, I spun the wheel, stuck out my finger … where she lands nobody knows … and it landed here!  And so tonight I give you … Freddy Mercury and Bohemian Rhapsody!


A week or so ago, a dear friend said that if I could play some Queen, I would be a star.  Well, I debated whether I really wanted to give up my quietly obscure life for stardom and after some deliberation, decided I would give it a quick try, although I suspect I will only be a star for a matter of hours, if that.

I am not a huge Queen fan, but I find this one interesting.  There are parts I like, and other parts that I find disturbing.  According to…

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