Florida covid update – it gets worse

I think it's very early. It can get much, much louder.

DeSantis confronts growing resistance over COVID-19 handling https://t.co/L4CqWUWucE
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) August 12, 2021

White House Covid-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients: “In the past week, Florida has had more Covid cases than all 30 states with the lowest case rates combined. And Florida and Texas alone have accounted for nearly 40% of new hospitalizations across the country.”
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) August 12, 2021

24,753 new cases in Florida today — another record. Please do your part. Vaccinate and mask indoors.https://t.co/f8Z5L5aYZW
— Nikki Fried (@NikkiFried) August 12, 2021

Floridians are listening. Vaccinations are rising. I can't say it enough — we have to vaccinate our way out of this pandemic.https://t.co/9MqXVnNUrm
— Nikki Fried (@NikkiFried) August 12, 2021

Florida superintendent: Covid-19 cases among students and staff are much higher than anticipated. https://t.co/adZfZ1DiI0
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) August 12, 2021

Over 800 doctors signed a letter urging Florida's governor to repeal his order barring districts from requiring masks in school.

"What’s heartbreaking … is watching children needlessly suffer while Gov. DeSantis rejects simple protections," they wrote. https://t.co/VjetekmUM2
— Axios (@axios) August 12, 2021

Brian Williams: What it's like to be in your line of work where the governor is anti-mask, especially where it applies to children?

Florida Physician Dr. Marty: We want liberties and freedoms. But my freedom ends when I'm endangering your health. https://t.co/KUb8P9rY5x
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) August 12, 2021

This story and the one about Texas asking for out-of-state help fighting their self-inflicted #COVID19 surges makes me wonder: what happened to all that talk of personal freedom, responsibility, and fighting against government overreach?https://t.co/QOp39EReb3
— Julia Ioffe (@juliaioffe) August 12, 2021

This was a choice, and quite possibly the plan. https://t.co/ESpa7A5Tou
— robneyer ⚾️🧗‍♂️🦉🗽 (@robneyer) August 12, 2021

It doesn’t have to be this way, @RonDeSantisFL. https://t.co/Ji4dwtknLA
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) August 12, 2021

The Covid crisis in Texas

Governor Abbott is preventing cities from dealing with it

TX health system executive: “If this continues, and I have no reason to believe it will not, there is no way my hospital is going to be able to handle this. There is no way the region is going to be able to handle this.” https://t.co/OZ3CBaijnU
— Ronald Brownstein (@RonBrownstein) August 11, 2021

"The number of COVID-19 patients in TX hospitals is accelerating faster than at any other point in the pandemic as the contagious delta variant spreads unchecked, primarily among the unvaccinated." https://t.co/OZ3CBaijnU
— Ronald Brownstein (@RonBrownstein) August 11, 2021

10,000 new Covid cases a day in Texas & Greg Abbott preventing major cities from requiring masks

16 cases of false addresses on voter registration forms out of 11 million votes in 2020 & Texas Republicans authorizing arrests of Texas Dems in order to make it harder to vote
— Ari Berman (@AriBerman) August 11, 2021

BREAKING: In surprise move, Fort Worth school superintendent Kent Scribner says he is ordering use of masks when school starts next week. Defies order by Gov. Abbott and follows same move in Dallas and Houston https://t.co/YOuOMb0A2m
— ScottGordonNBC5 (@ScottGordonNBC5) August 11, 2021

Great graphic from ⁦@HoustonHealthGa⁩ illustrating why vaccination matters pic.twitter.com/LukZWXECH7
— Kavita Patel M.D. (@kavitapmd) August 11, 2021

All five major cities in Texas are now instituting mask mandates in schools, in open defiance of Governor Abbott.

Houston, Austin, and Fort Worth are ignoring his ban, as well as San Antonio and Dallas, who are also suing him.

If he won’t keep kids safe, local leaders will.
— Sawyer Hackett (@SawyerHackett) August 11, 2021

A tangible measure of the impact of Abbott's strategy of systematically blocking diverse blue-trending big urban centers from responding to the pandemic, as part of his overall strategy of preempting them across many issues to mobilize GOP's non-urban base. https://t.co/bVH7LqfDdU
— Ronald Brownstein (@RonBrownstein) August 10, 2021

"It's tragically ironic he'd use his emergency powers from dealing with the emergency," San Antonio Mayor Nirenberg says on Texas Gov. Abbott's attempted ban on mask mandates. https://t.co/Wmn79S5Rlu
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) August 11, 2021

NEW from @texastribune: Texas — with a population of more than 29 million — is down to 329 available ICU beds statewide, the lowest point thus far in the pandemic https://t.co/eRRwE7F2om #txlege
— Evan Smith (@evanasmith) August 11, 2021

Texas governor Abbott’s terrible approach to Covid

The ban on mask mandates raises to a new level the Abbott strategy of increasingly overriding choices by blue-trending big urban centers as a way of mobilizing his exurban/rural base. https://t.co/2ZogwgFyhB via @TexasTribune
— Ronald Brownstein (@RonBrownstein) August 10, 2021

Greg Abbott is hoping nurses will come from other states to aid Texas's overflowing hospitals — letting them wear the masks that he won't ask Texans to wear. https://t.co/VsylFM0y3b
— Philip Bump (@pbump) August 10, 2021

It's disgusting that Greg Abbott is calling for outside help with Texas's Covid surge while barring local officials from acting to protect residents from that same surge. He and Ron DeSantis have shown new depths of contempt for public service. My latest:https://t.co/o9NsJUoq0E
— Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) August 10, 2021

I have now become aware of the best term of art for the willful antivaxxer, pro-COVID party represented by DeSantis, Abbott, Rand Paul, et al.

"Spreadnecks."

That's so money.
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) August 10, 2021

The Dallas Independent School District says that everyone — students, employees and visitors — must wear a mask while on school property, starting today.

The mandate was imposed in defiance of Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. https://t.co/LT2FBqrZtD
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) August 10, 2021

What are odds that highly partisan & ideological TX State Supreme Court will support any lawsuit to overturn Abbott's order? Will raise question of whether Biden Admin might find a federal cause of action to support the cities (which were, after all, the core of his TX support) https://t.co/7J5lSXbo1U
— Ronald Brownstein (@RonBrownstein) August 10, 2021

My op-ed piece today in the @dallasnews, on Gov. Abbott’s misguided attempt to prohibit public schools from requiring masks.

A law that is supposed to allow a governor to respond to disasters is instead being used to prevent responses to a disaster.

https://t.co/0krFwc6pw4
— John Turner (@TurnerForTX) August 10, 2021

Delays in returning to offices because of Covid

Thanks to the Delta variant and people who won’t take the vaccine

As the contagious Delta variant continues to reach across the U.S., more and more companies are delaying plans to reopen offices. Some of the companies include:

• Apple
• Google
• Amazon
• BlackRock
• Wells Fargo
• WMEhttps://t.co/V9iPMPaZWd
— Axios (@axios) August 5, 2021

Amazon latest to reportedly delay return to office plans https://t.co/6I3FPL65tI
— CNET (@CNET) August 10, 2021

American Express postponed the full return of workers to its offices until at least Oct. 11 https://t.co/8D9Odg0VF8
— Bloomberg (@business) August 10, 2021

Despite Biden’s vaccine order for feds, delta surge causes some back-to-work plans to be scrapped https://t.co/w3Is6lhJHV
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) August 6, 2021

US Bank, one of America's largest banks, has told employees they will no longer be due back in the office early next month because of surging Covid-19 cases. It had planned to bring employees across the country back to offices on September 7. https://t.co/MXiGYFT9HV
— CNN (@CNN) August 5, 2021

Perella Weinberg told staff primarily in New York and London that return-to-office plans will be delayed as the Covid-19 variants spread https://t.co/NLH61jzy2z
— Bloomberg (@business) August 10, 2021

ViacomCBS Delays Return to Offices Until October, Bob Bakish Details Vaccinations Requirement https://t.co/RB5wItnOSN
— Variety (@Variety) August 5, 2021

Wells Fargo and BlackRock delay return-to-office plan until October https://t.co/nz2GUbx1nh
— Finance News (@ftfinancenews) August 5, 2021

Google delays office return until January as COVID-19 worries linger https://t.co/irKdT5VEiv pic.twitter.com/0BH95Sk1QD
— Reuters (@Reuters) August 31, 2021

This was most recently planned for October

Ford is delaying its hybrid return-to-work program for employees who have not already returned to offices from October until no earlier than January due to the rapidly spreading delta variant of the coronavirus. https://t.co/ZUeqdEoDaI
— NBC News (@NBCNews) August 25, 2021

Here is the full memo from WaPo publisher Fred Ryan announcing that the mandatory return-to-office date has been delayed until January 10, 2022. pic.twitter.com/OEvVQzDOeJ
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) September 2, 2021

High rate of hospitalization in Florida

DeSantis is putting his political future before public health.

So here's where Florida is on hospitalizations relative to other states. The arrow leads up from the point where a state with Florida's density of vaccinations might be expected to be based on the current data from other states. https://t.co/GOeifJkzOx pic.twitter.com/jtNt1dGKas
— Philip Bump (@pbump) August 9, 2021

Defunding schools and school administrators for refusing to endanger children is third-world dictator level dangerous. This should alarm everyone in the country, not just Florida. https://t.co/YlqkbA8SHL
— Nikki Fried (@NikkiFried) August 9, 2021

13,977 Floridians are in the hospital RIGHT NOW being treated for COVID-19.

This is the most ever. Again.
Get vaccinated. Mask indoors. RT.
Data: 251 hospitals to @HHSGov
— Nikki Fried (@NikkiFried) August 9, 2021

There were 28,317 COVID cases and 120 deaths reported in Florida today.

Governor DeSantis responded by threatening to withhold the salary of local school officials that require students to wear masks.
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) August 9, 2021

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis's office said the state board of education could move to withhold the salaries of superintendents and school board members who disregard the governor's executive order prohibiting mask mandates for school districts. https://t.co/PF2TvYLfvp
— CNN (@CNN) August 9, 2021

Florida COVID-19 Update:

Florida added 56,633 cases of COVID-19 last weekend. That puts our 7 day moving average at 22,484 cases.

🚨 This is an emergency. 🚨

Source: @CDCgov pic.twitter.com/rDPwESRn8C
— Nikki Fried (@NikkiFried) August 9, 2021

Florida's governor is jeopardizing the health of our children to score partisan political points. But local school districts are fighting back. And they have our support. Watch today's COVID-19 briefing. pic.twitter.com/keyhIPpAvo
— Nikki Fried (@NikkiFried) August 9, 2021

What worst than worst?
Worster. Florida. pic.twitter.com/uREK1fWXHx
— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) August 9, 2021

Awk https://t.co/o1m1GnDCqa
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) August 9, 2021

The Texas governor has made the covid problem worse

Now he has to do drastic things like this. It probably could have been avoided if he didn’t ban mask mandates. Abbott is too busy with voter suppression to help Texas residents. At least some jurisdictions are doing the right thing and defying him.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sent a letter asking hospitals to voluntarily postpone elective medical procedures to increase capacity for coronavirus patients https://t.co/GHJzawsmmm
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) August 9, 2021

I want the world to see the blatant hypocrisy we see in Texas everyday. Schools aren't allowed to require testing, vaccinations or masks by mandate of our Governor, but you can't go see your elected officials unless your test negative first. Help this go viral. @dandrezner pic.twitter.com/HCmnHimmux
— Dr. Catherine Weaver (@kateweaverUT) August 9, 2021

Those who defy Abbott’s order could be subject to a fine of up to $1,000. It’s unclear how such a penalty could be applied to school districts.

"Who knows?" Hinojosa said.

"All this is going to play itself out. We're not going to be the only ones taking this action." https://t.co/XS8NyYaWJF
— Talia Richman (@TaliRichman) August 9, 2021

#Breaking: Dallas schools to require masks in defiance of Gov. Abbott’s order https://t.co/zAV6xLy1ir
— Dallas Morning News (@dallasnews) August 9, 2021

In Greg Abbott and Dan Patrick's Texas:
– schools will lose funding if they offer online schooling
– schools cannot require masks
– schools do not need to contact trace nor inform parents of a positive case in the classroom

The contempt for public education is unconscionable.
— Mike Collier (@CollierForTexas) August 9, 2021

“Lice is apparently more dangerous in Texas than COVID,” Crystal Blackerby said of coronavirus policies experts slammed for their potential to make a bad situaton worse. https://t.co/A67mXs3eet
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) August 9, 2021

This is the chief elected official for Dallas County, which is the 2nd largest county in Texas. Its population is more than 2.6 million people.

There are 14 available adult ICU beds.
14!!! https://t.co/XavUsT8oeI
— Annie Andersen (@Annie_Andersen) August 9, 2021

There are 6 ICU beds available in Austin, a city of 1 million people.

There are 25 open ICU beds in San Antonio, a city of 1.5 million.

There are 42 ICU beds in Houston, the 4th biggest US city.

In a state that’s only 44% fully vaccinated, Texas is in a real crisis.
— Sawyer Hackett (@SawyerHackett) August 8, 2021

While Abbott, continuing his war on metros, bans mask mandates, “More than 100 new Covid patients were admitted (friday) & intensive care units were near capacity, w/Covid patients occupying more than 180 I.C.U. beds & 102 of those patients on ventilators” https://t.co/0x69mCBPVy
— Ronald Brownstein (@RonBrownstein) August 8, 2021

Wear a mask!

Republican governors are harming their residents with mask bans

Leading COVID models are predicting another 83,000-142,000 deaths in the United States between today and December 1st.

Those same models show that we could prevent 48,000-108,000 of those by simply wearing masks.

Get your shot. Wear a mask. Save someone’s life.
— Angry Staffer (@Angry_Staffer) August 9, 2021

Gov. Henry McMaster (R-SC) doubles down on opposition to mask requirements in schools:

“Mandating masks is not the answer. Personal responsibility is the answer, common sense is the answer. And we have an abundance of both in South Carolina.” pic.twitter.com/tPv0EACgsA
— The Recount (@therecount) August 9, 2021

Republican Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson tells CBS that he made a mistake in signing a law banning mask mandates in his state.

"It was an error to sign that law. I admit that."
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) August 9, 2021

The CDC recommends that people wear masks in indoor public places — regardless of their vaccination status — in parts of the U.S. with “substantial” or “high” coronavirus transmission rates.

Right now, that covers nearly 2,800 counties in the U.S. https://t.co/yUoceARK8v
— The New York Times (@nytimes) August 6, 2021

Make wearing a mask all day more comfortable by washing it regularly, using adjustable ear loops and more. https://t.co/KaXktnHYzX
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) August 2, 2021

Sturgis will be a superspreader event….again

"Doesn't bother me. To me it's just the common cold."

"You kinda have to let go a little bit."

"I'm a realist. If it's my turn, it's my turn." https://t.co/kGeArMCLgf
— Bill Grueskin (@BGrueskin) August 9, 2021

Sturgis motorcycle rally director says this year is likely the biggest crowd the event has ever had https://t.co/XJaCz8tfBU
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) August 9, 2021

The rally has no vaccination, testing or masking requirements as people ride outdoors but also gather at tattoo parlors, bars, campsites and concerts. Gov. Kristi Noem and Sturgis Mayor Mark Carstensen say the rally is safe but medical experts disagree. https://t.co/ETt8dTpf5l
— NPR (@NPR) August 9, 2021

Dr. Fauci chastises those attending the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally: You’re going to get to do that in the future, but let's get this pandemic under control before we start acting like nothing is going on." pic.twitter.com/ifb6tVdMgg
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) August 8, 2021

last year:

In August the tiny town of Sturgis, South Dakota hosted a 10-dy motorcycle rally of >460,000 people, most not wearing masks. From there, #COVID19 spread across the Midwest. The @CDCgov documented this example, in Minnesota. https://t.co/0plBD7sBsn
— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) November 22, 2020

The motorcycle rally in Sturgis, South Dakota, in August has been linked to a Covid-19 outbreak in Minnesota, according to a new report from the CDC https://t.co/cfjewFUgzT pic.twitter.com/zMeGbrgoKW
— CNN (@CNN) November 21, 2020

The Covid Lambda variant

There's a lot left to learn about Covid-19's Lambda variant, which is still rare in the US. Here's what experts know so far. https://t.co/N6Q5sEW71H
— CNN (@CNN) August 7, 2021

Good thread on antibodies from Covid infection vs. antibodies from vaccination

look at the thread

I have a weird question for the actual experts on here. Is there some way after the fact to know if you had a COVID infection if you *also* had antibodies from having been vaccinated? That is, can a test distinguish vaccine-acquired and naturally-acquired antibodies?
— Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) August 5, 2021

one answer

Yes. The vaccine gives you antibodies for the S (spike) protein, but the tests can distinguish antibodies to the N (nucleocapsid) protein, which will be a feature of infection, but not of vaccination.
— Derek Lowe (@Dereklowe) August 5, 2021