The unique perspective and provocative opinions of Joe O’Neill
COVID Bits
Approximately 15 percent of the world population has been vaccinated. In developing countries: less than 2 percent.
“Wealthy governments shouldn’t be prioritizing giving third doses when much of the developing world hasn’t even yet had the chance to get their first COVID-19 shots.”—Kate Elder, senior vaccines policy adviser at Doctors Without Borders’ Access Campaign.
The U.S. has donated and shipped more than 110 million doses of COVID vaccine to more than 60 countries.
According to the CDC, more than 97 percent of people who are hospitalized for COVID-19 are unvaccinated.
The U.S. is now averaging 100,000 new COVID infections a day.
Florida, Georgia and Louisiana account for nearly 40 percent of all hospitalizations in the country.
“It is unvaccinated people who have become petri dishes for the delta variant.”—Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post.
“This meeting could have been an email.” A popular meme that refers to those who travel long distances for a work meeting.
Super Spreader update: The Sturgis (S.D.) Motorcycle Rally drew some 700,000 people last weekend.
CNN fired three employees who violated company policy by coming to work unvaccinated. Good. Hopefully it sends a signal—community and corporate public health is priority one—to other businesses.
According to the CDC, from July 24-30, Florida averaged 32 pediatric COVID hospitalizations per day—the highest rate in the country.
“It’s not something I support.” That was Gov. Ron DeSantis’ response when asked his take on hospitals requiring their staff members to get vaccinated.
United Airlines will start requiring all of its (67,000) U.S.-based employees to be vaccinated—becoming the first domestic airline to make vaccination a condition of employment.
Delta surge and Florida epicenter notwithstanding, St. Pete-Clearwater InternationalAirport set an all-time record in July for traffic. Numbers show that more than 260,000 passengers flew to and from Pinellas County—a seven percent increase over June 2019, the previous record-holding month with 246,000 passengers.
Tampa Bay area public and Catholic schools are making masks optional for students and teachers.
Those who got vaccinated at the New Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church were able to pose with a photo of the Lombardi Trophy won by the Bucs in Super Bowl 55.