Austria Anti-Vax Lockdown

Posted on by Thor

Europe has become the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak. Austria has ordered a lockdown for any residents who have not received the COVID-19 vaccine. The lockdown affects about 2 million people in the Alpine country of 8.9 million, the APA news agency reported. It doesn’t apply to children under 12 because they cannot yet officially get vaccinated.

The lockdown will initially last for 10 days and police will go on patrol to check people outside to make sure they are vaccinated, Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg said, adding that additional forces will be assigned to the patrols.

Unvaccinated people can be fined up to 1,450 euros ($1,660) if they violate the lockdown.

“It’s our job as the government of Austria to protect the people,” Schallenberg told reporters in Vienna on Sunday. “Therefore we decided that starting Monday (November 21, 2021) … there will be a lockdown for the unvaccinated.”

Austria has one of the lowest vaccination rates in Western Europe: shamefully, only around 65% of the total population is fully vaccinated. The United States only has 58% of the population vaccinated. In recent weeks, Austria has faced a worrying rise in infections. Authorities reported 11,552 new cases on Sunday; a week ago there were 8,554 new daily infections. The United States had over 23,000 new cases on the same day and the cases are rising here as well.

There was a last-minute rush at vaccination centers in Upper Austria on the eve of the new restrictions.

But critics have questioned whether the move is constitutional. The far-right Freedom Party has said it will create a group of second-class citizens.

Pre-Pandemic Paint Out Party

Posted on by Thor

The 13th Annual Winter Park Paint Out and 60th Anniversary Celebration presented by Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens, Winter Park FL ran from October 10 to 16, 2021. The museum, sculpture gardens, and gallery were free to the public during the week-long event. Twenty-five professionally-acclaimed plein air artists painted at the Polasek Museum and locations nearby with art lovers invited watch the artists at work, view their recently completed paintings in the gallery, and attend free painting demonstrations. Artwork created during the Winter Park Paint Out was available for purchase with half of the proceeds going to support the preservation, maintenance, and operation of the museum and gardens.

The week long event usually ends with an outdoor tent event. This years event had a flapper theme. This sketch done in 2019 shows City Commissioner Patty Sheehan just before she went home for the night. I deeply respect Patty who is  true patron of the arts and an artist herself who works diligently to make Orlando a better place o live every day.

I didn’t attend any of the Paint Out events this year because, well, there is a pandemic.

Anti-Vax Detox

Posted on by Thor

Forbes reported that anti-vaxers are recommending bathing in Borax after a vaccination to “detox the vax.” The suggested bath included baking soda and Epsom salts to remove the “radiation,” Bentonite clay to pull out the “poison,” and, yes, one cup of borax to “take nanotechnologies out of you.” Please note that this is pure insanity.

Bathing does NOT “undo” the effects of the Covid-19 vaccine. Getting vaccinated does not require a detox follow up. A bath is not going to clear away the fictional harms imagined by the misinformation guru.

The vaccine is injected into the Deltoid muscle. It is therefor inside the body not on the skin. The helps your cells to produce spike proteins. The presence of the spike proteins then shows your immune system what to build defenses against. No amount of bathing will remove the spike proteins from inside your body. These spike proteins naturally degrade and leave your body soon after they’ve done their thing.

With businesses, schools, and other locations requiring Covid-19 vaccinations some anti vaxers are getting the jab to keep their jobs. Just look at the newscasters at  FOX News as an example. Now there is no harm in bathing in baking soda, Epsom salts, or bentonite clay. Borax however is a different story. It consists of a combo of boron, sodium, and oxygen typically serves as a household cleaner or a laundry detergent booster. Borax can irritate your skin and be harmful if inhaled, leading to nose, throat, or lung damage, or, if swallowed, lead to nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Too much exposure to borax can result in damage to your reproductive organs, shock, or liver failure. This is why the FDA doesn’t allow borax in any food products in the U.S. DO NOT bath in BORAX.

Other misinformation has  have suggested things like cupping, making small incisions in your skin, and injecting yourself with other poisons. Bleach like Borax is intended as a cleaning agent. Ignore these medieval witch doctors.

Vendetta

Posted on by Thor

Kyle Rittenhouse who killed three protestors in Kenosha, Wisconsin with a borrowed AK 47 assault rifle cried in court.The judge then coddled the crying NRA poster child, offering a break.

White supremacists are encouraged to take justice into their own hands in this county. The judge in Rittenhouse’s trial insisted that those who were gunned down could not be called victims by prosecutors.  They could however be called arsonists, and rioters by the defense.

The case will test the distinction between self-defense and vigilante killings.

The Western United states is seeing a spike in COVID-19 cases as the south’s numbers drop. States such as Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico have seen a massive jump in cases per 100,000 people. California, Utah and Nevada are seeing a slight increase in case numbers, too.

The West is in a battle with COVID-19 just ahead of the winter months. Colorado has been fighting its worst coronavirus wave in a year, leading to overwhelmed hospitals that are turning away patients, according to The New York Times.

Viking Breakthrough

Posted on by Thor

Vikings lineman Dakota Dozier was hospitalized November 9, 2021 due to a breakthrough infection of COVID-19. Five players have been isolated on the team’s COVID list. Coach Mike Zimmer said 29 people were identified as close contacts and are being retested daily.

Dozier is the second of at least three positive cases among players on the Vikings team since last week. Linebacker Ryan Connelly and tackle Timon Parris, were isolated on November 8, 2021, joining safety Harrison Smith, center Garrett Bradbury and Dozier on the COVID list.

When a reporter asked if Dozier’s hospitalization was due to receiving a vaccine or to the virus itself, coach Zimmer confirmed the player had a COVID-19 infection and was experiencing difficulty breathing at the time he was admitted to the ER. “I’m not a doctor, but it was, like, COVID pneumonia or something. He had a hard time breathing,” Zimmer said.

According to the NFL, vaccinated players are tested for the virus once every week but have the option of being tested more often, while unvaccinated players are expected to get a COVID-19 test every day. Individuals who are identified as close contacts with someone who tested positive for the virus are also expected to be tested every day “as appropriate,” according to the league’s guidelines.

German COVID-19 Surge

Posted on by Thor

BBC News reported that Germany is experiencing it’s 4th COVID-19 surge. One of Germany’s top virologists has warned that a further 100,000 people will die from Covid-19 if nothing’s done to halt an aggressive fourth wave.

On November 10, 2021 the country registered its highest rate of infection since the pandemic began, with almost 40,000 cases in a day. Doctors in the intensive care COVID-19 ward at Leipzig University Hospital warn this fourth wave could be the worst yet.

The state of Saxony has the highest seven-day infection rate in Germany at 459 cases per 100,000 people. The national rate is 232. It also has the lowest take-up of vaccine with just  57% of the population vaccinated. At the start of this week, Saxony banned unvaccinated people from bars, restaurants, public events and sport and leisure facilities. At least several other states are expected to follow suit.

Sixteen million Germans over the age of 12 have not been fully vaccinated. The German government has admitted it’s unlikely to persuade many of those people now. Germany’s anti-vaxxers are furious. Several thousand protested last weekend in Leipzig.

Stop the Squeal

Posted on by Thor

Children aged 5-11 years old, are now eligible to get the COVID -19 vaccine shot in America. The 6 year old Big Bird from Sesame Street helped children get over their fears of getting a vaccine shot on a CNN special. Texas Republican Sasquatch Ted Cruz accused Big Bird of pushing “Government propaganda…for your 5 year old!” after the Muppet tweeted about getting the shot in his wing.

Big Bird wants your kids to get a vaccine that will not only protect them from a virus that has killed more than 750,000 Americans but also keep them from unintentionally spreading it to parents and grandparents who may well be more susceptible to more serious infections even if they are vaccinated. Covid-19 was the 6th leading cause of death among kids aged 5 to 14 in September 20211. Same was true in August 2021.

Attacking Big Bird is pure virtue-signaling by Cruz. But more important is is just plain dump. It is so sad that this is the state of politics in America. CNNs Jim Acosta came up with the great phrase “Stop the squeal” mostly for the former presidents lies, but also for the meaningless virtue signaling of the GOP.

COVID-19 Air

Posted on by Thor

The U.S. lifted restrictions November 8, 2021 on travel from 33 countries, including the U.K., (9,333,891 COVID cases) South Africa, (2,924,072 COVID cases) Brazil, (21,886,077 COVID cases) Mexico, (3,827,596 COVID cases) Canada, (1,735,017 COVID cases) and most of Europe. In Europe there is a surge in COVID-19  infections, alarming health officials and sparking fears that the continent could be engulfed by a new wave of the pandemic this winter.

Travelers must show proof of vaccination and a negative COVID-19 test. I am certain that Florida‘s Governor Ron DeathSantis will take issue with these vaccination passports and will fight these airlines insisting every unvaccinated person in the world should  be allowed into the state. He has already been fighting tooth and nail with the cruise industry. But he lost that lawsuit.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (CDC) the U.S. will accept travelers who have been fully vaccinated with any of the vaccines approved for emergency use by the World Health Organization, (WHO) not just those in use in the U.S. That means that the AstraZeneca vaccine, widely used in Canada, will be accepted. Though vaccinations are required, there are exemptions for travelers under age 18 and passengers from countries with low vaccination availability. In other words, if the country hasn’t vaccinated many people, then hey, come on in anyway, and don’t bother taking any precautions because this is “Merica.”

COVID Smash

Posted on by Thor

The news November 3, 2021 that Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was secretly unvaccinated rocked the sports world earlier this week. On August 26, 2021 the QB was asked directly by a reporter if he was vaccinated.  He claimed he had been immunized. In his mind he probably felt he wasn’t lying because you can be sure he has been immunized against genital warts. All people ages 9 to 45 can get the HPV vaccine to protect against genital warts.

This QB lied and has been violated the NFL safely protocols. The NFL’s COVID protocol handbook states,  “All players and staff who are not fully vaccinated must wear masks (surgical masks are preferred; gaiters and masks with valves or vents are prohibited) at all times when inside the Club facility.”

He was on the sidelines in street clothes during a preseason game without a mask, he has given indoor press conferences without wearing a mask, and, he didn’t bother wearing a mask at a Packers Halloween party. You might think that was the one time he might consider covering his face.

Rabid fans support the frightened player since he must suffer from a supreme case of  Trypanophobia which is is an extreme fear of injections or hypodermic needles. Children are especially afraid of needles. This kid is “furious” that his vaccination status was “leaked.”

The Packers should be subject to punishment. But hey there is money to be made packing fans into the stadiums during a pandemic. The QB might be fined one game check.  He earns an annual salary of $33,500,000. Oh my.

COVID-19 Pet Heart Infamation

Posted on by Thor

Web MD reported that a veterinary clinic in the United Kingdom found that COVID-19 can infect dogs and cats resulting a swollen heart condition known as myocarditis.

The study was small, but it found that dogs and cats can be infected with the Alpha variant of COVID-19. Many of the owners of these pets had respiratory symptoms several weeks before their pets became ill and had tested positive for COVID-19.

The study followed the cases of four cats and two dogs who had severe myocarditis. Luckily, most of the pets rebounded. All improved after treatment except one cat who relapsed had to be put to sleep.

Cases of myocarditis had increased at the clinic and the vets realized that the owners had reported being infected by COVID-19 prior to bringing in their pets for treatment. “It is quite compelling that there was an infection in the household and then a few weeks later, clinical signs appear in our pets,” Dr. Luca Ferasin said. “The big difference was that while the owners were experiencing respiratory signs with fever and typical signs of COVID, our pets were presented primarily with a heart disease.”

The symptoms presented very much the same, with dogs and cats that were depressed, lethargic, and they lost their appetite. 1.5 % of pets at eh clinic had heart inflammation Prior to December of 2020. Between  December and March of 2021 12.5 % of the pets had the condition. None of the animals had traditional symptoms of COVID-19 like difficulty breathing.

As a precaution, Ferasin advised pet owners who get infected with Covid-19 to avoid contact with their pets, just as they would with other humans.