#AloneTogether
* The U.S. isn’t allowing locally made vaccines to be exported—and, yes, that includes Canada and Mexico.
* The FDA has approved an at-home test for coronavirus. The Quidel QuickVue Test is a nasal-swab test that can be self-administered by anyone over 14—or performed by a parent on anyone over 8.
* 329,000: the number of jobs added nationally in February. In January, it was 166,000. In December, 306,000 jobs were lost.
* As of Monday (March 15), any Floridian 60 and older will be eligible for vaccination.
* While restaurants have taken a big lockdown hit, it has been a sales booster for Publix. The grocer reported sales of $44.9 billion for the fiscal year—a 17.7 percent increase from the previous year.
* “We are in an oasis of freedom in a nation that’s suffering from the yoke of oppressive lockdowns.”–Gov. Ron DeSantis. But if he’s wrong, the yoke’s on us.
* USF plans a full return to campus this fall, resuming in-person classes and activities.
* Forecasts show extremely high levels of pollen in the coming weeks. Yet another reason to mask up.
* Official numbers–about 50–indicate that the Super Bowl was no super spreader. Unofficial, actual numbers would be higher—but no game changer.
* Definition of evil: Those behind fake medical-grade masks, coronavirus tests and vaccines.
* If rivals Merck & Co. and Johnson & Johnson can collaborate on a vaccine, maybe Democrats and Republicans can cooperate on a pandemic package and voting rights legislation.
* “Got my second shot. Go get yours.”–O.J. Simpson (73).