The Arlington Loop – COVID in China – Obesity in American children – Yet another Russian defenestration – Evening statistics
I went with the Vigorous Hikers along the Arlington Loop today. There were only six of us this year, which is a pity, for conditions could not have been better: bright and clear, just as yesterday was, but considerably warmer. When we passed along the Potomac the sunny skies and clarity of the water caused the river to act like a mirror and reflect the facades of the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, and other buildings close to the river bank.
During lunch DG asked me what I thought was causing the great upsurge of COVID cases in China, and I was forced to admit that I was puzzled. Possibly the rigid lockdown that prevailed for months kept people in isolation to such an extent that they now provide a perfect conductor for the virus now they have been allowed to co-mingle again. It is also possible that their vaccine is less effective than ours, and it is certain that their vaccination rate is lower. But no one can advance any explanation with confidence. Such data that the Chinese medical authorities are permitted to release are simply too unreliable to form a firm basis for any hypotheses. This issue is not confined to China only. Now that various restrictions have been lifted, Chinese are resuming travel plans as eagerly as we ourselves did earlier this year. Several countries, including the U.S., are contemplating enacting a regulation that travelers from China provide proof of a negative COVID test result before they are allowed to enter their destination.
One of the numerous undesirable side effects of the COVID virus is the rise in obesity among children aged 2 to 19. Many were confined indoors for substantial periods, encouraging a lifestyle that had already become overly sedentary. One study found that pre-pandemic average screen time was 4 hours per day, but during the pandemic it had increased to 8 hours per day. The obesity rate in this age group has grown from 19.3% in 2019 to 22.4% in 2022. RK, my friend who teaches in a private school, tells me that the figure of the child teased and bullied by his schoolmates for being overweight, so familiar to those in my generation who attended schools, barely exists now: so many children in any given class are overweight as to eliminate the possibility of any particular child being singled out for being so.
Yet another Putin critic has died from falling out of a window – in Rayagada, India, of all places. The main in question was visiting the Odisha district at the time to celebrate his 65th birthday. He was Pavel Antov, chair of the committee on agrarian policy, nature management, and ecology of the Legislative Assembly of the Vladimir Region and he seems to have posted a Whatsapp message critical of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – I say “seems,” because fairly quickly after it was posted it was deleted, probably by hands other than his own. Clearly, Putin’s agents are capable of casting an extremely wide net and anyone who criticizes Putin should confine himself to ground floors only.
Today’s statistics as of 8:00 PM – # of cases worldwide: 662,525,701; # of deaths worldwide: 6,688,344; # of cases U.S.: 102,303,889; # of deaths; U.S.: 1,116,347.