“British virus variant surging through the U.S., study says.
The coronavirus variant that shut down much of the United Kingdom is spreading rapidly across the United States, outcompeting other strains and doubling its prevalence among confirmed infections every week and a half, according to new research made public Sunday. The spread of the variant, officially known as B.1.1.7, and the threat of other mutant strains of the virus, have added urgency to the effort to vaccinate as many people as possible as quickly as possible. The variant is more contagious than earlier forms of the coronavirus and may also be more lethal. A forecast issued last month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that showed the variant becoming dominant in the United States by late March.” Washington Post

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“After Super Bowl, football fans flood Tampa bars and streets, despite public health warnings. Police officers got knocked down as intoxicated patrons poured out of the bars by the thousands. Throughout Tampa this weekend, hordes of football fans crammed into bars, clogged up streets and chanted — many without masks, despite dire warnings from public health experts that the Super Bowl could become a superspreader event.” Washington Post
Update in 2 or 3 weeks…
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My photo above reflects our weather for the 3rd straight day. A little snow, cloudy skies, more ice; frigid temperatures in the low single digits. Even colder weather is also on the way. This bitter cold is supposed to last for around 10 days. So – for a change - I don’t mind staying indoors at home; like we have been most all this Winter. Literally hundreds of car wrecks have happened today out on our local roads. The above is not a major snow event, but it is definitely a major weather event. COVID testing and vaccination centers have been closed down for now.