Category Archives: Pandemic

San Francisco Rents in Free-Fall. New York Rents Swoon. Expensive Cities, College Towns, Cities in Texas, Other States Sag. But in 16 Cities, Rents Jump Double-Digits

Tracking the damage in big city residential rents.

The US Excess Mortality Rate from COVID-19 Is Substantially Worse than Europe’s

Debunking yet another defense of the US’ abject Covid-19 performance.

Corralling the Facts on Herd Immunity

learing up some confusion on herd immunity, a key topic in Covid-19 policy debates.

Trump’s “Operation Warp Speed” Covid-19 Vaccine Development Program: Dominated by Military Personnel, Accused of Corruption

Operation Warp Speed is a public/private partnership set up by the Trump administration, which is developing several vaccines for Covid-19 in parallel.

Fiscal Federalism and the COVID-19 Shock in the US

The COVID-19 shock has significant negative consequences for the finances of US state and local governments, especially since they are bound by balanced-budget requirements

Update on Federal Covid-19 Data at HHS: Hysteria on TeleTracking Data Manipulation Unwarranted, but Concern on Palintir Surveillance Oddly Muted

The danger in the HHS Protect project on Covid-19 isn’t data manipulation, but what the data will be used for (which almost nobody is talking about).

These Secret Safety Panels Will Pick the COVID Vaccine Winners

A small, secret panel of experts is tasked with reviewing crucial data on the safety and effectiveness of coronavirus vaccines that U.S. taxpayers have helped fund, including products from Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson and others.

Andrew Cuomo Says NY Officials Will Do Separate Review of Any COVID-19 Vaccine

New York state governor Andrew Cuomo steps into the debate over approval of covid-19 vaccine and will appoint panel to set NY distribution.

Continued Tight UK Self-Isolation Rules Continue to Hammer Tourism Sector

UK government unlikely to relax 14-day self-isolation requirement for returning travelers while COVID-19 infections constinue to spike.

Derision, Disbelief After Iowa Meatpacking Plant Where Hundreds Caught Coronavirus Fined Just $957

Iowa regulators issuer their first deriory $957 fine against a meatpacking plant that was the site of one of Iowa’s first COVID-19 hotspots.

NYT Report: 9 of Every 10 Restaurants and Bars in N.Y.C. Can’t Pay Full Rent

While the NYT reports 9 out of 10 bars and resturants cannot make full rent, the city dithers about real solutions to eliminitaig evictions.

Signs of an ‘October Vaccine Surprise’ Alarm Career Scientists

Some scientists fear Trump will try to approve an “October surprise” vaccine before it’s fully tested and ready to be distributed. Yikes.

CDC Flip-Flops on Paradigm Shift to SARS-COV-2 Transmission via Aerosols

Why did the CDC guidance on Covid transmission through aerosols get pulled?

Pity the Poor College Frosh: “Definitely Weird”

More than half of all U.S.colleges have either opted for in-person instruction, or a hybrid model blending in-person and on-line.