COVID Catharsis Corner - Reports from around the world from today, Sunday 8th of August:
- World: 202,570,646 confirmed cases and 4,292,041 confirmed deaths.
- US: Right wing radio presenter Dick Farrel who had been anti-vaxx and advising listeners not to get vaccinated until as recently as June dies from COVID-19 after being admitted to hospital on the 4th of August... I don't know who he was because I live 3,000 miles away, but it made my news feeds so I presume he was well known... A close friend of his indicated on Fasebook: “He texted me and told me to ‘Get it!’ He told me this virus is no joke and he said, “I wish I had gotten [the vaccine]!”
- US: National Institutes of Health director raises concern on the comparatively high level of young falling ill to COVID-19: “the largest number of children so far in the whole pandemic right now are in the hospital, 1,450 kids in the hospital from Covid-19.”
- US: Tesla tells workers at its Nevada battery factory that they will have to wear masks indoors regardless of vaccination status from Monday.
- Iran: Sees record high new cases and deaths.
- Vietnam: Sees record high new daily cases.
- UK: Health secretary calls on watchdog to investigate firms overcharging on COVID tests for people wishing to travel.
- UK: Another top government minister, this time the Foreign Minister found to have dodged Quarantine rules on return from France which at the time required 10 day quarantine. Officials responded "It is his job to pursue the UK’s interests abroad, including on security, trade, and international development" and it transpires, according to the news article: "Government ministers are exempt from quarantine on account of conducting essential state business for the UK outside of the country" which is news to me.
- Spain: UK student nurse who tested positive prior to leaving to return to the UK put up in a Majorca Quarantine Hotel, however reports they were not given any water and had to wait over 12 hours before being fed: "This boy cut up a bed sheet, tied it all together, tied the water and roped it down to me, so I could have a bottle of water. People are ordering food and putting the rope down and the delivery guy will just tie it on," in response officials for the facility advised "The operation is sanitary (more similar to that of a hospital than to that of a hotel), and therefore the meals (four a day) are served by the hospital catering, supervised by hospital dietitians."
- Australia: Army dispatched to poorer suburbs of Sydney to enforce COVID restrictions, causing concern. Critics point out more people in these areas are essential workers who are in the food, service and other industries which stop them from being able to work from home and to still be in contact with people and blame cannot be squarely sat not them following or disobeying restrictions at home.
- Saudi Arabia: To allow Umrah pilgrims again, however they have to be vaccinated.
- Democratic Republic of Congo: City of Lubumbashi makes not wearing a mask in public punishable by up to 7 days in jail.