Now that the long-awaited moment is upon us, and we can declare at least a temporary end to the pandemic, it's time to take stock of what we've learned and what we don't yet know.
First, we don't know much about the origin of the virus that causes Covid-19. There is a very good chance that the reason Trump blamed it on China is that he received classified briefings from U.S. intelligence officials indicating that human error at the Wuhan Institute of Virology was the possible cause.
Chinese officials have suppressed the records of the earliest cases of the virus, preventing international experts from access to the data they need to determine whether this is true. A growing number of scientists are now calling for a "proper" probe into the virus's origins, as Post is reporting in our top headline below.
So I am going to make a prediction, as an investigator, since I've learned where there is smoke there is fire. Trust me on this one -- there's plenty of smoke. The first case or cases were probably among workers or relatives of workers at that lab.
Meanwhile, one of the *positive* learnings we can take away from the pandemic is how preventative measures can halt the spread of even the most contagious virus. Case in point: The past winter's flu season.
There were hardly any cases of flu at all, and that is certainly because so many of us did the following things:
* We got a flu shot.
* We wore masks.
* We kept our distance from each other.
* We worked from home.
These lessons should be applied to workplaces and workforces uniformly going forward. Various flu and Covid variants will be with us permanently. If someone feels symptoms, they should mask up and get permission to stay home!
Stopping the spread should be the hallmark of our policies nationwide, but it all starts with us. Personal responsibility is the key.
When we adopt the right pubic health practices we can limit the damage.
We are an intelligent species, so we can do this. Now let's move on to tackle climate change.
***
So I need to apologize in advance for today's song lyrics, the sickly sweet "What the World Needs Now," but here's the context.
What the world most definitely does *not* need now is what Israel is doing in Gaza. Oh, I get the pretense -- rockets fired by Hamas and shame on them! -- but I'm not buying it. Our closest "ally" is in fact not acting like one. The unacceptable suppression of Palestinian rights and murder of Palestinian civilians has to end.
Only the U.S., with its massive foreign aid to Israel can stop this nonsense. It's time -- it's beyond time. President Biden?
***
The news:
* Scientists call for ‘proper investigation’ into virus origins including the possibility of a laboratory incident triggering the global health crisis. (WP)
* Pandemic’s end looks to be in sight, though virus will persist (WP)
* Fully vaccinated people do not have to wear masks or maintain social distance indoors or outdoors, with some exceptions, the C.D.C. advised. (NYT)
* Just 12 People Are Behind Most Vaccine Hoaxes On Social Media, Research Shows (NPR)
* India 'on war footing' as coronavirus infections pass 24 million (Reuters)
* Facebook Loses Bid to Block Ruling on EU-U.S. Data Flows -- The social-media company lost a bid to block a European Union privacy decision that could suspend its ability to send information about Europeans to the U.S., opening a pathway toward a precedent-setting interruption of its data flows. (WSJ)
* Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), along with several other progressive Democrats, spoke out about Palestinians "being killed as the world watches" and the lack of recognition by U.S. leaders of the Palestinians' suffering at the hands of Israel. Tlaib, who is Palestinian American, said she was "a reminder to Congress that Palestinians do indeed exist, that we are human.” [HuffPost]
* Israeli forces hit Hamas tunnels in Gaza as all-out war looms; more rockets rain down (WP)
* Israel Ground Forces Shell Gaza as Fighting Intensifies (NYT)
* In Mixed Israel Cities Proud of Good Relations, a Sudden, Explosive Division (NYT)
* Some banks are reducing credit-score requirements and offering more generous loan terms, eager to lend after tightening up when the pandemic hit. (WSJ)
* Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told lawmakers that unaccompanied minors are moving more quickly out of custody and into facilities run by the Department of Health and Human Services. (NPR)
* Deleted video shows Marjorie Taylor Greene harassing Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's office during 2019 Capitol visit. She did so again this week. (CNN)
* In a private meeting last month with big-money donors, the head of a top conservative group boasted that her outfit had crafted the new voter suppression law in Georgia and was doing the same with similar bills for Republican state legislators across the country. “In some cases, we actually draft them for them,” she said, “or we have a sentinel on our behalf give them the model legislation so it has that grassroots, from-the-bottom-up type of vibe.” (Mother Jones)
* Spain logged hottest year on record in 2020 (Reuters)
* Ignoring climate change hasn’t made it go away (WP)
* California's coastal trail, which would run 1,230 miles from Mexico to Oregon, is now about 70 percent complete. (San Jose Mercury News)
* Marine Corps officer is first known active-duty service member charged in Capitol riot (WP)
* The recall effort against San Francisco's newly elected progressive D.A., Chesa Boudin is, "far from qualifying for the ballot." (48 Hills)
* California’s recall law is broken and doesn’t work in our age of hyperpartisan politics. (Atlantic)
* Push Notification Informs Man Of Human Rights Violation (The Onion)
***
What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It's the only thing that there's just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love
No not just for some, but for everyone
-30-
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