Friday's report:
171,125 new cases. Comparisons will resume next week.
Top 10:
Fuck Florida.
Texas: 17,208 new cases; 412 deaths
California: 10,828 new cases; 166 deaths
Ohio: 9,019 new cases; 45 deaths
Georgia: 8,278 new cases; 156 deaths
New York: 6,266 new cases; 29 deaths
North Carolina: 5,877 new cases; 71 deaths
Indiana: 5,328 new cases; 24 deaths
Illinois: 5,309 new cases; 52 deaths
Kentucky: 5,188 new cases; 32 deaths
Numbers are beginning to settle back to "normal" and the picture still isn't good but appears at first blush to be improving at the national level. We'll know for sure next week. Individually there are still several states not doing well, Ohio in particular. They're back up to winter wave numbers and still appear to be climbing. South Dakota's also still heading in the wrong direction--but we all already expected that. Along with Alabama and Tennessee they have the worst positivity in the country. Tennessee currently has the most daily cases per 100k at about 100; New England has the least.
1,761 deaths brings the total to 677,017. Texas posted another 400+ deaths and it's becoming less a correction and more the stark reality. I admit I haven't been paying close attention to Florida this week--because fuck Florida--but their daily average deaths is up to 350 so that's probably all that needs to be said. California and Georgia had similar death totals which is not a good look for Georgia considering they have about a quarter California's population. The 7-day national average is around 1,380 and probably still climbing.
Related news:
Republicans attack Biden's COVID vaccine plan and threaten court challenges--We all predicted it, I'm sure. The "Pro-Life" party sure hates legislation that protects life. I guess many of them still haven't realized they're killing off children and their own voters at this point.
The Fourth U.S. Wave of COVID-19 Could Be Ebbing. The Fifth Might Be Worse
This is what I've been dreading, and I believe @PhaelixWW also alluded to it. I'm hopeful we can avoid the catastrophe that last Winter was because of the large number of vaccinated citizens, but if the vaccine isn't approved for children 12 and under soon Delta is going to continue to cut a swathe through the population during the Fall and Winter. I think death totals should not reach the heights of last year, but then I didn't think we'd be so close to 2k this wave either.The question is now: What happens this fall and winter, when children are at school and Americans once again travel for the holidays? In spite of desperate warnings from the CDC that people stay home for last year’s holiday, they largely did not, which led to the third spike in cases, which reached heights that dwarfed the first two. That doesn’t bode well for Christmas 2021, especially given that, in this current, fourth wave, seven states have already surpassed their previous peaks in cases (with another four doing nearly as poorly):
Within the next several days, we may see a modest surge from travel over the Labor Day weekend, but the real test will come in about two months—still all too soon. The holidays always sneak up on us. Under one possibility, many millions of Americans may be bolstered by a booster shot of the COVID-19 vaccine, though this will be scant protection for those who have yet to receive a first.
Evidence that surging cases could inspire more unvaccinated Americans to change their mind was initially encouraging, but did not extend indefinitely. Should the fourth wave recede considerably, it may take a fifth to convince a significantly greater number.
Stay safe, folks.