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marmar

marmar's Journal
marmar's Journal
April 29, 2021

Gov. Whitmer unveils plan to tie Michigan vaccination rates to easing COVID-19 rules


(Detroit Free Press) Gov. Gretchen Whitmer outlined a plan that ties specific vaccination levels to rolling back COVID-19 restrictions during a press event Thursday morning.

The announcement mirrors the state's goal of vaccinating 70% of all Michigander's 16 and older, but comes as Michigan continues to grapple with the nation's worst pandemic outbreak.

....(snip)....

Whitmer outlined four steps to gradually ease restrictions:

* Two weeks after 4.5 million Michiganders have received their first vaccine dose (55% of the eligible population), the state will lift requirements that employers mandate employees work remotely where feasible.

* Two weeks after 4.9 million Michiganders have received their first vaccine dose (60% of the eligible population), the state will increase indoor capacity for sporting events, conference centers, banquet halls and other similar facilities to 25%. The state will also increase capacity limits at gyms to 50%, and lift curfews on restaurants and bars.

* Two weeks after 5.3 million Michiganders have received their first vaccine dose (65% of the eligible population), the state will lift all indoor capacity restrictions and relax limits on social gatherings.

* Two weeks after 5.7 million Michiganders have received their first vaccine dose (70% of the eligible population), the state will rescind the health department's facemask and gathering order and stop issuing similar rules "unless unanticipated circumstances arise."


....(snip)....

President Joe Biden has said he’d like the nation to be able to get back to normal by the July Fourth holiday, and Whitmer said that’s a “very real possibility” in Michigan. But, she said, “it’s dependent on us working together to get the majority of our population vaccinated – the vast majority.” ...........(more)

https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2021/04/29/michigan-covid-coronavirus-vaccinations-restrictions-whitmer/4885905001/





April 28, 2021

We're about to hit an "inflection point" in COVID-19 cases -- here's why (Good news)


We're about to hit an "inflection point" in COVID-19 cases — here's why
Experts are hopeful COVID-19 cases in the U.S. are on a steady decline

By NICOLE KARLIS
APRIL 28, 2021 9:50AM


(Salon) Even though nearly 40 percent of American adults have received the COVID-19 vaccine, COVID-19 cases across the country have been skyrocketing in the past month. The surge in cases has cast a dark pallor over the positive news on vaccinations, suggesting that a great number of Americans have prematurely cast caution to the wind.

Yet it seems that the vaccinations may finally be catching up to the virus. Newly updated data from this week shows that coronavirus cases are not increasing linearly or exponentially, as they have in previous surges. Experts believe the COVID-19 case load in the country is following the downward curvature that signifies we've hit an inflection point — giving public health officials and experts alike hope that the worst of the pandemic is truly over.

In a Tuesday briefing, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Dr. Rochelle Walenski noted that over the past seven days, new cases, hospitalizations and daily deaths all went down. Specifically, new infections fell by 21 percent over the past week, prompting Walensky to call the trend "a really hopeful decline." Even cases in states like Michigan, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota— which were leading the surge in the U.S. last week — are down.

"I hope this message is encouraging for you," Walensky said. "It shows just how powerful these vaccines are in our efforts to end this pandemic and why we are asking everyone to roll up their sleeves and get vaccinated." ..........(more)

https://www.salon.com/2021/04/28/were-about-to-hit-an-inflection-point-in-covid-19-cases-heres-why/




April 28, 2021

We're about to hit an "inflection point" in COVID-19 cases -- here's why


We're about to hit an "inflection point" in COVID-19 cases — here's why
Experts are hopeful COVID-19 cases in the U.S. are on a steady decline

By NICOLE KARLIS
APRIL 28, 2021 9:50AM


(Salon) Even though nearly 40 percent of American adults have received the COVID-19 vaccine, COVID-19 cases across the country have been skyrocketing in the past month. The surge in cases has cast a dark pallor over the positive news on vaccinations, suggesting that a great number of Americans have prematurely cast caution to the wind.

Yet it seems that the vaccinations may finally be catching up to the virus. Newly updated data from this week shows that coronavirus cases are not increasing linearly or exponentially, as they have in previous surges. Experts believe the COVID-19 case load in the country is following the downward curvature that signifies we've hit an inflection point — giving public health officials and experts alike hope that the worst of the pandemic is truly over.

In a Tuesday briefing, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Dr. Rochelle Walenski noted that over the past seven days, new cases, hospitalizations and daily deaths all went down. Specifically, new infections fell by 21 percent over the past week, prompting Walensky to call the trend "a really hopeful decline." Even cases in states like Michigan, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota— which were leading the surge in the U.S. last week — are down.

"I hope this message is encouraging for you," Walensky said. "It shows just how powerful these vaccines are in our efforts to end this pandemic and why we are asking everyone to roll up their sleeves and get vaccinated." ..........(more)

https://www.salon.com/2021/04/28/were-about-to-hit-an-inflection-point-in-covid-19-cases-heres-why/




April 27, 2021

Six powerful ways "Sesame Street" shaped our culture, as seen in poignant new "Sunny Days" special


Six powerful ways "Sesame Street" shaped our culture, as seen in poignant new "Sunny Days" special
From an unaired episode about Snuffleupagus' parents divorcing to addressing racism, the show put kids' needs first

By ASHLIE D. STEVENS
APRIL 27, 2021 8:32PM


(Salon) Come and play, everything's a-okay. You only have to hum a bar or two of the "Sesame Street" theme song to become instantly nostalgic for watching some of your favorite characters — Bert and Ernie, Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, Elmo, Grover, Rosita — spend time learning the "letter of the day" and other lessons alongside guest stars and celebrities.

But since "Sesame Street" first aired in 1969, it hasn't solely existed as a weekly children's show. For over five decades, the series has both uniquely reflected and impacted culture in ways that are unprecedented for any piece of media, whether its for children or adults.

ABC's new 90-minute documentary, "Sesame Street: 50 Years of Sunny Days," (now on Hulu) explores some of the strides the series has made, behind-the-scenes decisions, and the show's plans for the future.

....(snip)....

"Sesame Street" has long prioritized inclusion — and is now focusing on fighting racism

Since its inception, "Sesame Street" has been rooted in African American culture, more specifically the historically Black community of Harlem. This was apparent from the set design, to much of the show's music, to the diversity of its human cast — which was especially uncommon on children's television when "Sesame Street" first debuted in 1969.

"'Sesame Street' sees all the holes and just fills them," Whoopi Goldberg said while being interviewed about the impact of the series. .............(more)

https://www.salon.com/2021/04/27/sesame-street-50-years-of-sunny-days-abc-hulu/




April 27, 2021

Seven Great Lakes communities collaborate on cleanup effort





(Detroit Metro Times) Some Michiganders are part of a multi-state effort this week to clean up and protect the Great Lakes.

The volunteer campaign involves seven Great Lakes communities, and is made possible through $300,000 in funding from the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

Heather Smith, Grand Traverse baykeeper for The Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay, explained each of the communities involved has been conducting its own annual cleanups, but the EPA Trash Free grant allows for broad collaboration.

"This is unique in that we have a number of organizations working across the basin," Smith noted. "So we're getting a lot of momentum to remove of the trash on our area beaches and in our near-shore waters that is certainly threatening habitat and drinking water sources." .................(more)

https://www.metrotimes.com/news-hits/archives/2021/04/27/seven-great-lakes-communities-collaborate-on-cleanup-effort




April 27, 2021

Florida man accused of trying to smuggle drugs into jail using prosthetic leg





A Florida man allegedly tried to smuggle drugs into jail using his prosthetic leg, a report said.

Keith Adams, 37, is accused of using the artificial limb to try to sneak in a gram of fentanyl and some Xanax pills into a Pinellas County jail on Saturday, The Smoking Gun reported, citing police.

Adams was taken to the lockup after an arrest for allegedly possessing cocaine and resisting arrest earlier in the night near Largo, the outlet reported. .............(more)

https://nypost.com/2021/04/27/florida-man-accused-of-trying-to-smuggle-drugs-into-jail-using-prosthetic-leg/




April 27, 2021

Salmon have shrunk so much that Whole Foods redid its guidelines


At OBI Seafoods, a sprawling operation with outposts throughout Alaska, there’s all sorts of extra machinery for workers to master. At Whole Foods Market, there are new guidelines for purchasing salmon from wholesalers. And at Ivar’s, a fixture on Seattle’s waterfront for eight decades, the chef is sending back skimpy salmon delivered to his kitchen.

Behind all these changes is an alarming trend that’s been building for years: The giant schools of wild Pacific salmon that can turn southeast Alaska’s ice-cold waters into a brilliant orange blur are thinning out, and those that do survive are shrinking in size.

It’s the shrinking part that’s causing the biggest logistical snarl right now. Many salmon are so small they’ve thrown off OBI’s fish-sorting process and no longer meet the purchasing specifications at Whole Foods and culinary demands at Ivar’s. There, head chef Craig Breeden snaps photos of the fish next to his knife to illustrate their diminutive size before shipping them back.

“It’s very irritating when the supplier sends it to me and I see the size of these fillets,” he said. “In the last eight to 10 years, the salmon sizes have started to get smaller and smaller.” ....................(more)

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/salmon-have-shrunk-so-much-that-whole-foods-redid-its-guidelines-1.1595742




April 27, 2021

Experts fear India has more than half a billion Covid cases, 30 times higher than reported


(CNN) India, home to the world's worst ongoing coronavirus outbreak, has reported more than 17.6 million cases since the pandemic began last year.

But the real number, experts fear, could be up to 30 times higher -- meaning more than half a billion cases.

Health workers and scientists in India have long warned that Covid-19 infections and related deaths are significantly underreported for several reasons, including poor infrastructure, human error, and low testing levels.

Some things have changed since then -- testing has greatly increased in the wake of the first wave, for instance. But still, the true extent of the second wave now ravaging India is likely much worse than official numbers suggest. ............(more)

https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/27/india/india-covid-underreporting-intl-hnk-dst/index.html




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Hometown: Detroit, MI
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