The omicron variant remains an unknown factor – DeFazio steps down – Another prominent anti-vaxxer succumbs to COVID – Evening statistics
Developments concerning the omicron variant are still to be determined. It apparently is outcompeting delta in speed, but whether it will force out delta and become dominant is remains to be seen. The large number of this variant’s mutations (over 50 in all) suggests that it might become more resistant both to vaccines and treatments such as monoclonal antibodies. Studies are underway to determine to examine whether the antibodies produced by the vaccines will have an effect against the new variant, but it will take about two weeks to arrive at a definite conclusion on this point. At this point, also, we still have no idea whether the omicron variant is more virulent or less than other strains.
Congressman Peter DeFazio, the longest serving representative in Oregon’s history and chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, announced that he would not seek reelection this coming year. Since he has been in the House for 35 years and is now 74 years old, this move is to be applauded: he is not waiting, like Dianne Feinstein and Don Young, for nothing short of death to relinquish office. However, he is the 19th Democrat to retire or to run for a different office, which means that the Democrats will have a difficult struggle in order to retain their majority in either of the chambers.
Marcus Lamb, founder of the large Christian network Daystar, died Tuesday after contracting the coronavirus. Lamb and his network consistently promoted anti-vaccine conspiracies, hosting daily interviews with skeptics who talked about dangerous, hidden forces pushing vaccines and stealing Christians’ freedoms. William Blake once claimed that John Milton, in writing “Paradise Lost,” was “of the Devil’s party without knowing it.” The same might be said about Lamb, albeit for widely different reasons.
Today’s statistics as of 9:00 PM – # of cases worldwide: 263,716,044; # of deaths worldwide: 5,241,569; # of cases U.S.: 49,572,995; # of deaths; U.S.: 805,004.