CoViD-19: When Will Pfizer Request Adolescent EUA? | WHO Addresses AstraZeneca Vax | DisneyWorld Dude In Deep DooDoo | CA Drought | Photos: San Diego Zoo |

Polar Bear at San Diego Zoo (Taken 4.7.21)

There's a problem with messaging. This is true in all aspects of life, not just COVID-19 messaging. People have a tendency to hear the first thing you say and tune out the rest. This is why the jackhole who occupied the White House for the last four years was so effective with his minions. He spoke in hooky three word phrases and his message could permeate among the masses whether we liked it or not and whether anything he said was true or not, which almost always it was not. 

Now we're in this position where San Diego County has moved to the Orange Tier, even though we barely slid under the new metrics with 5.8 cases per 100k (6.0 could've put us right back into the Red Tier for a week and we could've had to reset the three consecutive weeks in Orange). The governor made his announcements about reopening and the people rejoiced, but without anyone paying real attention to all the qualifying information: we will have to continue wearing masks in public, numbers have to stay low, our health care systems need not be challenged. I think about my rant from the other night (after the Zoo photos) and the jackholes grandstanding on Monday's press conference about events and wonder how these hypocrites responded to the news. 

I finally watched Governor Newsom's briefing from Tuesday and it is pretty exciting that we have that June 15th target for moving beyond the blueprint. I believe more and more that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine will be submitted for EUA for kids 12-15 by the end of April. It got me curious about how quickly the approval took before, so I found the original press release from when Pfizer submitted (November 20) and the FDA's press release when it was granted emergency use authorization (December 11) and they were exactly 3 weeks apart. That make me optimistic and hopeful that we could see kids starting to be vaccinated by the end of May. I'll do the regular data post tonight when all the information is out, I just wanted to make sure I covered all the things in the inbox. Stay diligent, and be safe out there. 

• COVID-19:
• Pfizer-Biontech FDA Approval Process
• Pfizer and BioNTech to Submit Emergency Use Authorization Request Today to the U.S. FDA for COVID-19 Vaccine - November 20, 2020 
• FDA Takes Key Action in Fight Against COVID-19 By Issuing Emergency Use Authorization for First COVID-19 Vaccine. Action Follows Thorough Evaluation of Available Safety, Effectiveness, and Manufacturing Quality Information by FDA Career Scientists, Input from Independent Experts - December 11, 2020
• Pfizer-BioNTech Announce Positive Topline Results of Pivotal COVID-19 Vaccine Study in Adolescents - March 31, 2021
• The CDC’s $1.75 billion sequencing boom may be throwing money at the wrong problem. Experts say trying to stop covid variants without better data is “insanely difficult.” - MIT Pandemic Technology Project (4.5.21)
• Vaccinated and eager for normal life, Californians are venturing out - LA Times/Stars and Stripes (4.6.21)
• Estimates and Projections of COVID-19 and Parental Death in the US - JAMA (4.5.21)
  As of February 2021, 37 ,300 children aged 0 to 17 years had lost at least 1 parent due to COVID-19, three-quarters of whom were adolescents.
• CDC updates guidance on cleaning surfaces based on ‘low’ risk for transmission - Healio (4.6.21)
  “Disinfection is only recommended in indoor settings — schools and homes — where there has been a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 within the last 24 hours,” Walensky said. “Also, in most cases, fogging, fumigation and wide-area electrostatic spraying is not recommended as a primary method of disinfection and has several safety risks to consider.”
• In rare instances, AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine linked to blood clots, regulators say - STAT News (4.7.21)
• Interim statement of the COVID-19 subcommittee of the WHO Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety - WHO (April 2021)
• Politics:
• FEMA POLICY: COVID-19 Funeral Assistance - FEMA 
• News:
• "Today is National Beer Day and to celebrate the City launched a new website to provide local breweries with market information and resources to support and grow their businesses. It also features an interactive map with 110 operating breweries, brew pubs and tasting stores within our city limits. San Diego is proud of our craft beer cluster and to be one of America’s best beer cities." - Mayor Todd Gloria Facebook
• I'm sure by now you've seen the video of this dude getting kicked out of DisneyWorld for refusing to get his temperature checked. After that, a Baton Rouge TV station, WBRZ, did a deep dive into the guys business finances. I've been really interested in this tool that ProPublica put together where you can look up businesses that received PPP funds. And sure enough, this guy's company was on there. Naturally, I sent an email to the author of the news article sharing that Coastal Bridge got $4.6M in PPP loans, got a Thank You, and sure enough, the station made it their top story the next day.
• BR contractor behind on his bills said he spent $15k on vacation this year; see video of his Disney World arrest - WBRZ (4.5.21)
• Coastal Bridge PPP Funds
• Defaulted contractor received millions in federal COVID aid despite laying off majority of company - WBRZ (4.6.21)
• Other Reading:
• California reports third-driest year on record - AccuWeather (4.7.21)

U.S. COVID-19 Deaths Are At a Six-Month Low (Source: Statista)

San Diego Zoo Photos (Taken 4.6.21 and 4.7.21)