But Wait, There's More!

There’s a new version of the virus in town and it spreads three to NINE times faster than the old plague.

The new version seems to multiply faster in the upper respiratory tract -- the nose, sinuses and throat -- which would explain why it passes around more easily, the researchers said.

But tests on 1,000 hospitalized coronavirus patients in Britain showed those infected with the new version did not fare any worse than those who caught the original strain.
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"The increase in G614 frequency often continues well after stay-at-home orders are in place and past the subsequent two-week incubation period," they added. (source)

What does this mean for the vaccine? Is all the research and testing done to date unusable? The science folks are looking into all that.

"There are potential consequences for the vaccines. We are actively investigating those possible consequences," Montefiore said.

Joy.

And in insane Republican Governor news:

The Baker-Polito Administration today announced that on July 6, Phase III of the Commonwealth’s reopening plan will begin and updates on gatherings will be in effect. For the City of Boston, Phase III and the gatherings order will take effect on Monday, July 13.
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The following businesses will be eligible to reopen in Step One of Phase III, subject to industry-specific rules concerning capacity and operations:

• Movie theaters and outdoor performance venues;
• Museums, cultural and historical sites;
• Fitness centers and health clubs;
• Certain indoor recreational activities with low potential for contact;
• Professional sports teams, under the authority of league-wide rules, may hold games without spectators (source)

Yeah…NO. Here in Massachusetts, there were 261 new Trump Plague cases on Wednesday and 28 fresh deaths. On Tuesday, June 30th there were 114 new cases – no one died of Plague45 that day though.

We’re certainly doing better than in mid-April (on 4/15 there were 1,755 new cases and 151 deaths) BUT is Massachusetts doing well enough that I can safely go to the Y? The MFA? Is it safe to catch a matinee of The Invisible Man?

I’m not betting on it and I’m not gonna chance it. Especially not after seeing all those vids and news reports of fit throwing, entitled, brain dead Barbies. I live in VERY blue Mass BUT there are self obsessed, dimwitted bozos and twats everywhere.

I saw that Texas Governor Greg Abbott FINALLY came around and has mandated masks. Will Texans don the cloth coverings after all this time of played down virus severity and lukewarm safety suggestions? Some will, some won’t. Abbott’s attempting to shut the barn door on the bull that stampeded out four months ago. Yur a little late to the Prevent the Spread Party, Greg!

I have friends and relatives in Texas – I hope they’re all staying home.

Nebraska’s idiot Governor Pete (masks? We don’t need no fucking masks!) Ricketts, an obvious Treasonweasel sycophant, has threatened to withhold federal coronavirus aid to localities that do impose mask mandates. Yeah, that boy’s half a planet away from being AOK in la cabeza.

How do these fecal beaned toads get elected?