Author: BigGuy

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Carnival says most itineraries unchanged even as Omicron cases rise

https://youtu.be/Gy_LsL_H6tg

(Reuters) – Carnival Corp said on Tuesday a majority of its ships’ itineraries were unchanged, despite a surge in Omicron coronavirus cases that has threatened to stall a recovery in the cruise industry. The world’s largest cruise operator, however, said a few destination ports were reviewing their protocols and processes due to the fast-spreading new variant. Many passengers and reports, including those from CNN and Euronews, said authorities of a few ports in the Caribbean, Puerto Rico and Mexico disallowed passengers from cruise ships that were carrying active COVID-19 cases to disembark. “Looks like my cruise this Friday is a cruise to no where,” wrote one Reddit user on a Royal Caribbean forum late Monday. Carnival said on Monday it would find an alternative destination should it be forced to cancel a port. Royal Caribbean Group did not respond to a Reuters request for comment, while Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd declined to comment. “The cruise lines’ reaction to the substantial increase in COVID-19 cases caused by the Omicron surge is largely hit or miss,” said James Walker, a Miami-based maritime lawyer. Carnival’s shares were up 1%, while those of Norwegian Cruise and Royal Caribbean were largely flat. The Omicron variant has sparked concerns that the U.S. health officials may reintroduce a temporary ban on cruising, just months after U.S. cruise operators resumed guest operations.

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Italy adds record 78,313 new virus cases…..UK: COVID-19 infections at daily high of 129,471…..US adds 512,553 COVID cases amid backlog…Finland bans unvaccinated travelers

Italy set another record in daily COVID-19 cases, as the number of people who tested positive jumped by 78,313 during the last 24 hours, the Health Ministry’s data showed on Tuesday. Within the same timeframe, the country’s health authorities have detected 202 fatalities attributed to the virus, the data revealed. Italy’s COVID death toll, which is the second-highest in Europe, climbed to 136,955 after the latest updates.
Continue reading “Italy adds record 78,313 new virus cases…..UK: COVID-19 infections at daily high of 129,471…..US adds 512,553 COVID cases amid backlog…Finland bans unvaccinated travelers”

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U.S. CDC investigating nearly 70 cruise ships hit by COVID-19 cases

As omicron continues to spread across the country, COVID-19 cases are continuing to emerge on cruise ships. Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International and MSC Cruises are among the cruise lines currently dealing with clusters of cases on board resulting in a myriad of scenarios including protocols kicking in to mitigate spread, itinerary changes and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention investigations. The CDC has been working with global public health experts and industry partners to learn about omicron, spokesperson Dave Daigle told USA TODAY Thursday. “We are still learning how easily it spreads, the severity of illness it causes, and how well available vaccines and medications work against it.” Continue reading “U.S. CDC investigating nearly 70 cruise ships hit by COVID-19 cases”

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For third day, COVID-19 crimps Americans’ holiday travels

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK, Dec 26 (Reuters) – U.S. airlines canceled more than 1,300 flights on Sunday as COVID-19 thinned out the number of available crews, while several cruise ships had to cancel stops after outbreaks on board, upending the plans of thousands of Christmas travelers. Commercial airlines had canceled 1,318 flights within, into or out of the United States by mid-afternoon, according to a tally on flight-tracking website FlightAware.com. At least three cruise ships were also forced to return to port without making scheduled port calls after COVID-19 cases were detected on board, according to multiple media reports. It was the third straight day of pain for some Americans traveling over the weekend as the Christmas holidays, typically a peak time for travel, coincided with a rapid spread of the Omicron variant nationwide.

Continue reading “For third day, COVID-19 crimps Americans’ holiday travels”

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NY dept of health warns of rise in child covid hospitalizations

The New York State Department of Health warned of an increase in children hospitalized with COVID-19, in a notice sent to doctors on Christmas Eve. “NYSDOH is closely monitoring an upward trend in pediatric hospitalizations associated with COVID-19,” the notice read. The jump in hospitalizations of children — who usually face very mild COVID-19 cases — is “concentrated in New York City and the surrounding greater metropolitan area,” according to the health advisory.

Pediatric admissions in the city have risen four-fold from the week starting December 5, 2021, to the week starting December 19, according to the bulletin, which did not quantify the actual number of children hospitalized.

The DOH did not immediately return a message seeking the number of hospitalizations. About half of the children hospitalized were under five, and therefore ineligible for the vaccine, according to the notice, which encouraged physicians to continue to promote social distancing and wearing “a well-fitting mask” among their younger patients. In addition, the notice advises doctors to remind parents “not to assume a mild respiratory illness is a routine ‘cold’; test for COVID-19.” NN: as you know I am adamantly opposed to sending vaccinate kids to school. If you must I urge you to give them our N95 fun masks or the kiddie sized N95 masks we offer. Fun masks with filters here

And kids sized N95 masks here 10 pack kiddie sized N95 filters

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China’s local COVID case count driven to 21-month high by Xian outbreak…. S. Korea adds 5,419 COVID cases, 69 deaths…. France reports more than 100,000 COVID-19 infections for first time….Italy report record number of COVID-19 infections…..UK reports new record of 122,186 COVID cases……Irish COVID-19 infections hit record

Reuters BEIJING (Reuters) – China reported its highest daily rise in local COVID-19 cases in 21 months as infections more than doubled in the northwestern city of Xian, China’s latest COVID hot spot.
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Biden says no one saw Omicron 4th wave coming…For the record I did and starting barking in August

President Biden is defending his administration’s response to the omicron variant of COVID as Americans struggle to get tested amid a potent new surge of cases and illness. “You could argue that we should have known,” Biden told ABC News in an exclusive sit-down interview that aired Thursday night. “Nothing has been good enough.” He rebuffed accusations that the administration should have prepared for a lightning-spreading strain of COVID like omicron by making sure testing capacity could handle any surge. “You’re chasing whatever comes on the scene,” Biden said. “No one saw it coming. Who in the world saw it coming?” NN: I did and so said Biden heads into the end-of-year holidays in a major political slump, his standing dented both by setbacks in Congress and inflation that has rattled consumers. But he is betting that his ability to lead America out of the crippling pandemic will eventually win back the legion of supporters that sent him to the White House with a record-setting 81 million votes. Biden told World News Tonight host John Muir that he’s proud of getting lifesaving vaccines in the arms of more than 200 million Americans. He also boasted about ordering some 20 million doses of the newly approved Pfizer pill to treat COVID, which some doctors believe will be a game-changer in the roller coaster fight against the pandemic. “I hope we don’t even need them,“ the president said. “If people get two shots and the booster, they’re not going be in a position where they would need the pills.” Biden also dropped some political news, making it clearer than ever that he plans to seek a second four-year term in the White House in 2024 if he’s healthy. He insisted he would welcome a potential rematch with former President Donald Trump, suggesting he would relish the chance to whip his rival again. “Why would I not run against Trump?” Biden said. “If he’s the nominee … that would increase the prospect.” NN: Do you remember when they destroyed the test kits? How about CDC telling vaccinated people no need to wear masks. So do not let them shit you. The experts were so fast to declare victory they ignored the science. And millions of people will be dead in the next 90 days…….

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Two years too late The CDC Wants Your Masks to Meet New Standards

https://youtu.be/kn2xWB0sqhE

Masks have–understandably—been incredibly popular during the COVID-19 pandemic, though when officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that people who are fully vaccinated against the virus no longer needed to mask up, there was certainly a temporary drop in use.

Those recommendations have now changed and, with the rapid spread of the Omicron variant across the country along with a recent sharp uptick in COVID-19 cases, people are suddenly paying more attention to their masks once more. This being said, new CDC guidelines for masks are now in place.

Continue reading “Two years too late The CDC Wants Your Masks to Meet New Standards”

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Austria’s vaccine board recommends fourth COVID jab for some

ZURICH (Reuters) – Austria should offer some healthcare staff and other key workers a fourth COVID-19 jab, the National Vaccination Board said in updated guidance published late on Thursday, citing risks from the fast-spreading Omicron variant of the coronavirus. But it said there was not enough scientific data for it to recommend fourth shots be given more widely. “In view of an imminent Omicron wave, (a fourth vaccination) can be offered in high-risk areas (e.g., exposed health care personnel) and in systemically critical areas from six months after the third vaccination,” the board said. Austria said on Wednesday it will tighten restrictions again from Dec. 27 to slow the spread of the Omicron variant. In November, the government announced a fourth national lockdown and said it would make vaccinations compulsory for all Austrians, the first European Union country to do so. While that three-week lockdown slashed daily COVID-19 infections from record levels, the country is bracing for another surge. Several hundred Omicron cases have been confirmed already. In its updated guidelines, the National Vaccination Board said fourth COVID-19 shots could be given “off label” to groups in healthcare and other critical areas following medical consultation. “There is still no evidence that this additional vaccination can prevent infections. However, it can be it can be assumed that serious illnesses can be prevented,” it said.