Covid Peaks in US and UK. Sharknado Averted. Not Yet Time for Celebration
Look at the giant peak omicron caused! No wonder things seemed to be going to hell.
Once again, the world teeters toward decreasing covid-19 incidence. Before we celebrate, recall that a new strain may emerge.
We are in the midst of influenza season in the northern hemisphere, and as people mask less, we may get a whopping influenza outbreak. This is especially true of the US where large numbers of misguided people refused to wear masks even as deaths piled up at the height of the delta surge.
Just When You thought 2022 Was Safe from Flurona
Remember flurona, where a person is infected with covid-19 and influenza simultaneously. It’s a bugaboo for worriers and hypochondriacs. USA Today stokes fears even as it says fluona “…conjures images of cheap cable horror flicks – think ‘Sharknado.’”
As covid-19 incidence falls and influenza numbers still low, we can come out of our fallout shelters.
A mask will prevent both flu and covid-19. Why be one of the last people to risk your life getting covid?
Good News! The Deltacron variant doesn't exist.
Friends of the blog at Nature magazine reveal early reports of the dreaded variant, which supposedly combined the deadliness of delta with the super-infectivity of omicron, were in error.
RIP, Magwa, Hero Rat
Friends of the blog at the BBC report that the plucky African Giant Pouched Rat was honored for detecting over a hundred unexploded landmines in Cambodia. Rats are light enough that they don’t set off the mines, and their noses, keenest in the animal kingdom, allow them to detect explosives deep in the earth.
Magwa was trained and employed by the Belgian charity APOPO. I’ve contributed to their rats for over 15 years. I also support Carolina, a lady rat who is trained to detect tuberculosis in sputum sample faster than routine smears. or cultures. Her clinic in Tanzania has a 40% higher detection rate than others.
Join me in supporting this heroic work.
In other sad news, the singer Meatloaf died today at age 74, one year younger than I. He bequeathed the world wonderful passionate blads include, Paradise by the Dashboard Lights, and his classic performance with Cher, Dead Ringer for Love.
Time to re-watch him in the Rocky Horror Show in his memory. It’s best seen in a midnight show in theaters, but in view of covid, I recommend streaming it on YouTube.
When the world needs it, I’ll post again. Mark
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