Over the past few months, we’ve made considerable progress in defeating covid-19… 45% of Americans (148 million people) are now vaccinated with at least 1 dose. In the most vulnerable age group (65+, which has seen >80% of covid-19 deaths), we’re at 85%. If we add in those who have been infected with covid-19 (but […]
Last month I outlined the data pointing to the beginning of the end of covid-19. Since then, I’m happy to report that some incredible progress has been made… Covid-19 hospitalizations in the US have declined 40 days in a row, down over 57% from their peak on January 6. At 56,159, hospitalizations are now back […]
I’ve been waiting to write this post since the pandemic began a year ago. The ups and downs have been many over that time as the virus has moved in waves throughout the world. Here in the US, the first wave would hit the northeast the hardest. The second wave would hit the south and […]
Let’s run through some questions and answers to parse out where we are with the virus and where we may be headed… 1) Is the prevalence of the virus rising or falling? In the US as a whole, it is rising. New cases continue to hit new highs, averaging 209,951 per day over the past […]
Let’s run through some questions and answers to parse out where we are with the virus and where we may be headed… 1) Is the prevalence of the virus rising or falling? In the US as a whole, it is rising. We are now past the data interruptions from Thanksgiving and new cases continue to […]
Let’s run through some questions and answers to parse out where we are with the virus and where we may be headed… 1) Is the prevalence of the virus rising or falling? In the US as a whole, it is rising. We are moving past the data interruptions from Thanksgiving and new cases continue to […]
On March 16, the Volatility Index (VIX) closed at 82.69, a record high. All of the news that day was bad news and it seemed like that would never end. I wrote a post at the time… “When all news is bad news it can seem as if it will be that way forever. But […]
The third wave of COVID-19 in the US continues, with an acceleration in recent weeks. Let’s take a closer look at what that means through a series of questions and answers… When did the 3rd wave begin? New cases started trending higher again in mid-September after falling for the two months prior. They hit their […]
The third wave of COVID-19 in the US is here. Let’s take a closer look at what that means through a series of questions and answers… When did the 3rd wave begin? New cases started trending higher again in mid-September after falling for the two months prior. They hit their highest level ever this weekend […]
It has become commonplace to compare covid-19 outcomes in one country to another. By now you’re all familiar with the arguments… “Country A did better. Country B did worse. Country A and their leaders should be praised; Country B and their leaders should be condemned.” Lost in these simplistic conclusions are the many important factors […]
July was a tough month for COVID-19 in the US, with both infections and deaths moving significantly higher. But there are some positive signs that indicate we may be turning the corner. Let’s take a closer look… 1) New Cases Trending Lower New cases in the US peaked on July 23 at a 7-day average […]
Talk of a “second wave” of COVID-19 in the US has begun. Why? Let’s take a closer look through a series of questions and answers… What’s going on with new cases? New daily cases in the US hit their highest level ever yesterday (38,672), surpassing the prior high from April 25 (36,006). But I thought […]
There’s been a lot of confusing reports lately on COVID-19. Some are saying the worst is over while others are saying a second wave is coming that will be worse than the first. Let’s run through some questions and answers to parse out where we are with the virus and where we may be headed… […]
As Americans celebrate Memorial Day this weekend, we honor all those who served and paid the ultimate price in the name of freedom. This year, we find ourselves fighting a different kind of war. It’s most certainly a world war, but one very different from the last. From its start in 1939 to its end […]
Surreal. In driving through Manhattan a few weeks ago, that’s the only way I could possibly describe it. Stores closed. Streets empty. Sounds of silence. Even the crossroads of the world, Times Square, was desolate. As a lifelong New Yorker, it felt like a dream. A dream that has now lasted for nearly 2 months. […]
Italy. No country has been hit harder by this virus. The bad news there has been unrelenting, day after day, week after week. It almost seemed as if it would never end. But alas, there is a glimmer of hope. I’ve been tracking the number of new COVID-19 cases in Italy, and over the past […]
Test, test, test. That has become the mantra in battling the novel coronavirus. The more testing we do, the more information we have, and the better decisions we can make about the best way to move forward. This is a sensible strategy, but only testing the sickest among us is giving us incomplete information, and […]
Hope “Hope is the thing with feathersThat perches in the soulAnd sings the tune without the wordsAnd never stops at all.” – Emily Dickinson One month ago, Wuhan and the Hubei Provence were the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak. In the past week, new reported cases there have moved down to zero. In broader China, […]
I’m interrupting your regularly scheduled programming of the coming apocalypse to bring you some encouraging news… The world is not coming to an end – not by a long shot. We are figuring this thing out, and faster than anyone could have ever predicted. In South Korea, they have been testing 20,000 people per day […]
The Volatility Index (VIX), also known as the “fear index,” ended today at 82.69. Since its inception in 1990 it has never had a higher close. When was the previous record? November 20, 2008. In the midst of the Global Financial Crisis, after the Lehman Bankruptcy, and 11 months into the worst recession since the […]