How British Scientists Found the More Infectious Coronavirus Variant – New York Times

Back in March, researchers decided to routinely record the genetic sequences of the virus they found, giving them a powerful tool for tracking mutations.

Another coronavirus variant linked to growing share of cases, several large outbreaks, in California – Washington Post

A coronavirus variant first identified in Denmark has ripped through Northern California — including outbreaks at nursing homes, jails and a hospital in the San Jose area — prompting state and local officials to investigate whether it may be more transmissible.

Covid Lockdowns Are Spreading a Year After China Shocked World – Bloomberg

A year after the lockdown imposed in the Chinese city of Wuhan shocked the world, the tactic is turning out to be an enduring tool for quelling the coronavirus almost everywhere.

Five Countries, Five Experiences of the Pandemic – The New Yorker

Rana grew up in Rajamunda, a village of fewer than a thousand people in the northeastern Indian state of Odisha, which faces the Bay of Bengal. A migrant worker, he dropped out of school when he was in tenth grade to help support his family—his parents, a brother who also dropped out, and a sister who received only a fifth-grade education. Odisha’s farming revolves around its brief rainy season. Unable to find work in the off months, Rana travelled with his brother to Mumbai in December of 2019. They were hired as construction workers. After buying food and clothes, they managed to send half of their wages—about five hundred rupees a day, or seven U.S. dollars, each—back home.

Fauci Warns Of ‘Ominous’ New Covid-19 Strains, Says Biden Can Achieve Aggressive Goal Of Vaccinating 100 Million In 100 Days – Forbes

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, expressed confidence in President-elect Joe Biden’s plan to vaccinate 100 million Americans during his first 100 days in office and added that the aggressive vaccination effort is one of the “easiest ways” to avoid the negative effects of new, more contagious strains of the virus that are emerging in the United States and across the world.

Portugal’s health system on brink of collapse as COVID-19 cases surge – Reuters

Portugal’s public health system is on the verge of collapsing as hospitals in the areas worst-affected by a worrying surge in coronavirus cases are quickly running out of intensive care beds to treat COVID-19 patients.

1 person dies every 6 minutes: How L.A. became the nation’s largest coronavirus hot spot – NBC

In Los Angeles County, 10 people on average test positive for the coronavirus every minute. Every six minutes, someone dies from Covid-19, according to county public health data.

China reports a few new cases of COVID-19 – ABC News

China on Sunday reported 109 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, two-thirds of them in a northern province that abuts Beijing, and no deaths.

Vaccine Headlines

3 Questions And The Emerging Answers About COVID-19 Vaccine Protection – NPR

As the COVID-19 vaccine rolls out, three big questions loom. First, can someone who has been vaccinated still spread the disease? Second, will the vaccine remain effective as the virus itself evolves? And third, how long will the vaccine’s protection last?

Inside the B.1.1.7 Coronavirus Variant – New York Times

At the heart of each coronavirus is its genome, a twisted strand of nearly 30,000 “letters” of RNA. These genetic instructions force infected human cells to assemble up to 29 kinds of proteins that help the coronavirus multiply and spread.

Calif Urges Stop on 1 Vaccine Batch After Allergic Reactions in San Diego – NBC San Diego

On Wednesday, six health care workers who were given the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at San Diego’s “Vaccination Super Station” experienced allergic reactions

What to Know About Vaccine-Linked Deaths, Allergies – Bloomberg

Like all new drugs, the vaccines that have been authorized to protect against Covid-19 come with some safety concerns and side effects. Many people who’ve received the first two Western shots deployed, one from Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE, and another from Moderna Inc., have experienced fever, headache and pain at the site of the injection.

Clinical Considerations

Acute Brain Dysfunction Prolonged in COVID-19 ICU Patients – MedPageToday

Acute brain dysfunction — coma or delirium — occurred frequently and was prolonged in critically ill COVID-19 patients, a large multicenter cohort study showed.

SARS-CoV-2 in neurons may damage brain tissue – Medical News Today

A recent three-pronged study concludes that SARS-CoV-2 may infect nerve cells and impede blood flow in the central nervous system.

Coping in 2020 (and probably most of 2021)