Healthcare

Vaccine freedom protesters

Healthcare workers are not backing down, despite media ambivalence.

By Justin Katz | September 6, 2021 |

Healthcare workers (many of whom have no doubt had COVID and are therefore immune) continue to protest Democrat Governor Dan McKee’s mandate that they get vaccinated or lose their jobs.  John DePetro has video. The contrast with mainstream media coverage is striking. DePetro’s headline is “Front line protesters takeover WaterFire.”  The only coverage I see…

Viruses on a cell

Increased obesity is one thing that could make COVID more dangerous for children.

By Justin Katz | September 4, 2021 |

People keep making the claim, so I keep looking for evidence that the Delta variant is harming children more, but every data point I’ve seen has been flawed, explainable, or not applicable.  (Sincerely, if I’m missing something, send it my way.) If we do start seeing worse outcomes for children, however, this finding from a…

A water drop and ripples

Vaccine resistant COVID variants highlight the need to secure our rights now.

By Justin Katz | September 3, 2021 |

At least, that’s my reaction upon seeing this on NewsMax: The World Health Organization says it is monitoring a new vaccine-resistant variant of COVID-19 called “mu” that appears to be rising in Colombia. Even putting aside claims, like that of Dr. Geert Vanden Bossche at the end of the article, that our mass vaccination program is…

Handcuffed resist fists

McKee takes a step toward lockdowns with new “quarantine and isolation executive order.”

By Justin Katz | September 2, 2021 |

Frankly, I intend to ignore Democrat Governor Dan McKee’s latest executive order, issued late yesterday, and make informed decisions for my own health and those with whom I come into contact.  All five of the “whereas” clauses — which are supposed to explain and justify this sort of resolution — are purely generic.  There is…

Hospital beds

Anyone feel like we’re watching the deterioration of our healthcare system?

By Justin Katz | September 1, 2021 |

It’s not an encouraging message when the state government starts sending out warnings to people not to go to emergency rooms unnecessarily.  The advice is always worthwhile, of course, but as the WPRI headline at the link puts it, the context right now ascribes it to “overcrowding” and “staffing shortages.” Naturally, the state Department of…

A water drop and ripples

Polling data guru Nate Silver is right that COVID policy is ridiculous.

By Justin Katz | August 31, 2021 |

On the money:

A water drop and ripples

RI nursing homes are panicking that the vaccine mandate will make their staffing shortages worse.

By Justin Katz | August 31, 2021 |

As we used to say, “no duh.” Gov. Dan McKee’s mandate that all health-care workers be fully vaccinated by Oct. 1 has operators of Rhode Island nursing homes – already enduring staff shortages – worried the requirement may mean hundreds of workers leaving their positions. Fully 75% of the staff are vaccinated (compared with 60% for the state overall), but that’s not good enough for bureaucrats.  Note…

CDC chart of Marin County school outbreak

Studies show we must apply reason to the Delta fearmongering.

By Justin Katz | August 30, 2021 |

This Twitter stream from “epidemiologist & health economist” Eric Feigl-Ding, who lists “health & social justice” as priorities, is going around gaining agreement that we must (as he puts it) “Mandate teacher vaccinations now!”  Replies to his tweets go farther, emphasizing punishment for people who don’t comply. For reference, my opinion is that the benefits…

A water drop and ripples

Why is anybody still listening to the media’s preferred epidemiological experts?

By Justin Katz | August 30, 2021 |

Jon Miltimore contrasts the rhetoric with the reality when the UK opened up earlier this summer, writing for the Foundation for Economic Education: CNN described it as a “huge gamble,” while Labour Party leader Keir Starmer criticized the move as “a reckless free-for-all.” Neil Ferguson, professor of mathematical biology at Imperial College London, said it…

A water drop and ripples

How can a free country force doctors to perform procedures they find morally wrong?

By Justin Katz | August 28, 2021 |

Matt Hadro reports for the Catholic News Agency: The Catholic Medical Association has joined a lawsuit against a Biden administration rule that it says tramples the conscience rights of doctors opposed to gender-transitioning procedures. In May, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a notice effectively reinstating the “transgender mandate,” requiring doctors to perform…