“Our COVID-19 policy is the most scientifically effective, the most economical and yields the best result,” insisted the People’s Daily newspaper in China after mass public protests against the government’s zero COVID policy last weekend.
In the past month, two near family members were sick with COVID, despite shots, boosters & masks.
Both are recovering, but one — a working single mother ineligible for sick leave — lost two weeks pay as well. Other relatives suffered mild cases and bounced back; yet another relative had it last winter, and is still struggling with debilitating “long COVID” effects.
I seem to have dodged it so far, had the third booster shot this week, and came up negative on two COVID tests. But I am still nervous. So, while I’m overall very grateful that Joe Biden is in the White House, his gaffe about the end of the pandemic was not trivial. Past the peak, it seems, yes; but . . . .
Reporter Ed Yong, whose writing on the pandemic won a Pulitzer prize, memorably summed up my outlook:
In Otero County, New Mexico, there was a local primary election on June 7. Republicans were elected to every office on the ballot but two.
One exception was a Democrat for one of the three County Commissioner seats. For a second commissioner seat, a near tie of 801 votes to 790, may go to a recount — but both those candidates are Republicans too.
New Mexico. Otero county is in purple in the bottom tier.
Not much excitement, or news here, initially. But then the incumbent commissioners made headlines last week, by refusing to certify the results.
There were no charges of any irregularities, but the county had used Dominion voting machines, which MAGA Republicans falsely assert are actively wired for fraud, and that was enough: the Commission voted unanimously not to certify.
Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin
New Mexico’s Secretary of State went to the state supreme court, which ordered the Otero commissioners, lacking any evidence of fraud, to certify the vote by week’s end. On Friday, two of the members met. But the third, Couy Griffin, was absent. Continue reading Quotes to Start the Week, On Election Integrity & Consequences→
“Our COVID-19 policy is the most scientifically effective, the most economical and yields the best result,” insisted the People’s Daily newspaper in China after mass public protests against the government’s zero COVID policy last weekend.
