Saturday, September 4, 2021

And another day of student covid cases, kidney problems, thousands in isolation or quarantine, being used like ‘livestock,’ zip ties, redistricting, air pollution shortening lives, and ending qualified immunity in CA comes to a close:

“Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change.” -- Confucius

Deaths

US: 665,858 (+923)

World: 4m575m323 (+8362)

Cases

US: 40,765,356 (+61,682)

World: 221,110,702 (+494,357)

Lyft and Uber will pay legal fees of drivers sued under the Texas anti-abortion law. A driver could be sued for a minimum of $10,000.

Texas schools have amassed more than 50,000 confirmed coronavirus cases in students in just a couple of weeks. More than a dozen school districts have closed temporarily as a result of the disease, and Texas is a leader in child deaths from COVID-19 with 59 as of Sept. 3.

New kidney problems linked to 'long COVID'; loss of smell may be followed by other smell distortions. Analyzing data on more than 1.7 million U.S. veterans, including nearly 90,000 COVID-19 survivors with symptoms lasting at least 30 days, researchers found the "long haulers" were at higher risk for new kidney problems compared to people who had not been infected with the coronavirus. This was true even when survivors had not been hospitalized, although declines in kidney function were "more profound" with more severe infection…Many people who lose their sense of smell due to COVID-19 eventually regain it, but some survivors later report smell distortions and unexplained smells, a new study found.

Schools grapple with thousands in isolation or quarantine as delta variant rages. Many schools that planned to forgo virtual and hybrid learning this year, in favor of in-person classes, are revisiting those plans as outbreaks require students to quarantine.

More than 20 percent of weekly COVID-19 cases by end of August were children. The high number of cases comes as many children return to in-person classes at school, which has created a flood of concern.

Oregon governor sued by police, firefighters over vaccine mandate. The plaintiffs argue that the order is "unenforceable because it conflicts with Oregon statutes, would result in a common law wrongful discharge of the Plaintiffs, conflicts with the Oregon Constitution's guarantee of free expression, and conflicts with the United States Constitution guarantee of equal protection, free exercise, and due process." — We will never get out of this mess. 

"It was not consensual. They used us as an experiment, like we're livestock": An inmate at a Washington County, Arkansas jail tells CBS News he was unknowingly given ivermectin when he had COVID two weeks ago. An Arkansas doctor under investigation for prescribing an anti-parasite drug called ivermectin to jail detainees with COVID-19, even though federal health officials specifically warn against it, has said that those patients took the drug willingly. But several inmates at the Washington County jail say that is not the case — that they were given the pills with no indication of what they really were.

Three men with zip ties confront Arizona principal after student told to quarantine. A principal in Tucson, Arizona, was confronted by three men, one carrying zip ties, who threatened to make a citizen’s arrest after the son of one of them was told to quarantine because of possible Covid-19 exposure.

New Zealand has 1st virus death in over 6 months. Health authorities said the woman who died was in her 90s and had underlying health problems. Authorities reported 20 new community cases, all in the largest city of Auckland.

Democrats see consequences from redistricting reform push. Democrats argue that the once-a-decade process of redrawing political maps shouldn’t be a partisan cage match. In the name of good government and balance, they’ve pushed for independent commissions to do the work of rebalancing population changes into congressional districts. They’re about to feel the consequences of their focus on fairness. In Democratic-controlled Colorado, Virginia and Oregon, new congressional maps drawn by commissions or bipartisan power-sharing agreements are unlikely to give the party the sort of political advantages it could have otherwise enjoyed. Republicans, meanwhile, haven’t given up their power, controlling the process in 20 states, including Florida, Texas and North Carolina. -- Democrats go for “fair.” Republicans go for “win.”

Air pollution is slashing years from billions of people's lives around the world and is a greater threat to life expectancy than smoking, HIV/AIDS or war, a new report shows.

California legislature passes bill that would end qualified immunity for police officers, sending it to governor's desk. It would also set up a process by which law enforcement officers charged with wrongdoing - including sexual assault, excessive use of force, and perjury - are stripped of their badges.

A Woman's IUD Left Inside for 20 Years Was Covered by Bacteria That Caused Serious Infection.

RIP Willard Scott. He was 87.

Life’s short. Live, love, create, and help others.

Until next time, my friends. Stay safe and stay sane. Good night.