The four ways the pandemic could end
THE BIG STORY
The pandemic will likely end in one of these four ways
As of this week, vaccines are now available to every adult in America. Around 80 million people are already fully vaccinated, and President Joe Biden said that the US has already reached his goal of 200 million shots in the first 100 days of his administration, eight days early.
This is welcome news. But now comes the hard part. The benchmark for a successful vaccination campaign has long been considered to be "herd immunity," the term for having enough people vaccinated to keep sick ones from sparking outbreaks. That number might be as high as 80% of people fully vaccinated.
There are a few ways to go from here. One possibility is for vaccines to return the US to close to normal life. This is obviously the one many people are holding their breath for.
Another possibility is that mass vaccinations might defang, if not entirely defeat the virus — under this scenario, the death rate from COVID-19 drops drastically, because vaccines prevent severe and fatal illness, but outbreaks continue, largely among pockets of unvaccinated people.
The other two ways are more grim. Read Dan Vergano's breakdown of what could come next. BuzzFeed News STAYING ON TOP OF THIS
Joe Biden will announce a new emissions goal to reposition the US as a global climate leader
After several years of absence from the global stage, President Biden will announce that the US is returning to ambitious plans on the climate change front.
The president is doing so with a bold goal. He will announce today that the US is targeting at least a 50% drop in greenhouse gas emissions this decade compared to 2005 levels, reasserting the country as a global climate leader and pushing others to step up on the first day of a climate summit with 40 world leaders.
It's a big step from the largest historical emitter. The Obama administration previously pledged that the US would cut 26-28% of emissions by 2025, compared to 2005 levels. SNAPSHOTS
The Justice Department will investigate policing in Minneapolis after George Floyd's murder. One day after a jury found former city police officer Derek Chauvin guilty of murdering George Floyd, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced that the Justice Department is launching a federal investigation into policing practices in Minneapolis.
"We did it": The bystanders who testified against Derek Chauvin reacted to his guilty verdict. Several of the onlookers broke down crying on the stand when they recalled feeling helpless at being unable to help George Floyd. This week, they cried again, this time with relief and vindication when a jury found Chauvin guilty on all charges.
Neo-Nazis and white supremacists are coding their language on Telegram to recruit more people. MAGA and QAnon adherents are "veering very quickly into some of the most intense stuff out there, stuff [that's been circulating] on hardcore neo-Nazi groups for years," one expert said.
Young Vietnamese Americans say their parents are falling prey to conspiracy theories. Doubt around vaccines and conspiracy theories have left young Vietnamese Americans scared for their parents' safety. They're begging social media companies to pay attention. A SHORT-LIVED BLESSING
Johnson & Johnson's vaccine was immunizing homeless people. Then it was put on pause.
The majority of US vaccinations have been either Pfizer or Moderna shots. But unlike those two vaccines, which feature two-dose regimens, Johnson & Johnson's vaccine is a one-and-done deal. It's also much easier to store and transport.
Those characteristics made the J&J shot ideal for immunizing people who are hesitant or are hard to track down a month after the first dose.
But last week, the use of J&J ground to a halt. Reports of half a dozen vaccinated people developing highly unusual blood clots, one of them fatal, led federal regulators to recommend pausing the shot and to all 50 states following suit.
For healthcare providers struggling to find people at the margins — including those living on the streets, moving through shelters, or otherwise lacking a permanent address — J&J's vaccine was a short-lived blessing.
In its absence, they say, some of the most at-risk people in the US aren't getting another type of shot. People receive food after a COVID-19 vaccination at the LA Mission shelter for homeless people in February. Lucy Nicholson / Reuters UNTIL IT'S NOT POLITICAL Lizzo said learning to love her body was "literal survival" for her after sharing that unedited naked pic
If you follow Lizzo on Instagram, you know she drops the occasional nude photo on her feed. Now, the singer is opening up about why she posts the photos.
I hope you find it easy to connect to other people today, Elamin 📝 This letter was edited and brought to you by Elamin Abdelmahmoud and BuzzFeed News. You can always reach us here.
👉 Your support of BuzzFeed's journalism does not constitute a charitable donation, and your contribution is not eligible for a tax-deduction. This is part of an effort to explore a deeper relationship with our most active supporters. BuzzFeed, Inc. |
Post a Comment