Thursday, October 21st, 2021
Next Vaccine Rollout, New Bitcoin Record & Spanx Sold
All the news you need in about 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by Policygenius.com and kiwico.com (Listen for the discount code)
Story Summaries
All the news stories mentioned in today's episode are listed with links below, so you can spend as much -- or as little -- time as you want to peruse the latest happenings...
FDA Booster Shot Decisions
As expected, the FDA authorized COVID-19 booster shots for both the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. For the Moderna one, health officials gave the go-ahead for a third shot for seniors and other people who are considered high risk six months after they got their second shot. That’s the same group of people who got cleared to get a Pfizer booster shot. For the J&J booster, the FDA says anyone who got the single-dose option originally, no matter how old they are, can get a second dose at least two months after their first. The FDA also decided anyone eligible for an extra dose can get a brand different from the one they got the first time.
Read More: AP, CNN, NY Times, WaPo, FDA
WH Vaccine Plan for Kids
The White House is rolling out plans to get young kids vaccinated against Covid-19. Five to 11-year-olds are expected to get the OK in the coming weeks. Instead of mass vaccination sites, the Biden administration wants most kids to be able to get their shots at doctors’ offices, pharmacies, community clinics, and schools. It’s ready to spend federal dollars to set up sites and get the word out. Officials say they have 15 million kids’ shots ready to be shipped. They’re different from adult shots since the doses are smaller. The needles and the vials will be smaller, too, so they can be stored more easily.
Read More: WaPo, USA Today, WSJ, CNBC, White House, AAP
Parkland Gunman Pleaded Guilty
The gunman who killed 17 people at a Parkland, Florida school is now formally taking responsibility for his actions. He pleaded guilty to the mass shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School back in 2018. He also spoke directly to the families of his victims who were in the courtroom with him this week. He said he was sorry for what he did, and if he were to get a second chance, he would help others. In January 2022, a jury will decide whether he gets the death penalty or life in prison.
Read More: Miami Herald, ABC News, NPR, CBS News
Parkland Victims’ Families Reach Settlement
This week, people who survived that shooting, and the families of the ones who didn’t, reached a settlement with the Broward County school district. $25 million will go to 52 families of people killed, hurt, or traumatized in the shooting. That settles most of the lawsuits that alleged the school district was negligent. So far, the school district hasn’t commented, but a lawyer representing some of the families said it gives them a bit of justice.
Read More: CNN, WaPo, WSJ, NPR
CA Expands Drought Emergency
The entire state of California is now under a drought emergency. Gov. Gavin Newsom expanded the emergency proclamation this week to cover all 58 counties in the state. The governor says California is dealing with its worst drought since the late 1800s because it’s extremely hot and dry. The two largest reservoirs in the country, Lake Mead and Lake Powell, both in California, are at record low levels. Now, Newsom is asking people to voluntarily conserve water as much as possible. Certain water districts are starting to launch drought websites, and they’re airing ads to promote conservation.
Read More: LA Times, CNN, The Hill, USA Today, Gov. Newsom
Bitcoin’s New High
The world’s largest cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, hit a new record high, surging past $66,000 yesterday. That’s because there’s excitement surrounding the first U.S.-based ETF linked to the cryptocurrency launching on the New York Stock Exchange. ETF (exchange-traded fund) is a type of security that can be bought or sold like a regular stock but doesn’t invest directly in Bitcoin. Instead, the ETF tracks the performance of the futures tied to the cryptocurrency. This new Bitcoin-focused fund now has the approval of the SEC, but it warns Bitcoin futures can be just as risky and volatile as Bitcoin itself.
Read More: WSJ, CNBC, CNN, AP
Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Onions
A salmonella outbreak is now being linked to fresh, whole red, white, and yellow onions. They came from Mexico and were sent to grocery stores and restaurants around the U.S. at the end of August. Since then, nearly 700 people have reported getting sick in 37 states, and more than a hundred of them had to go to the hospital. The CDC says if you have onions at home and don’t know where they’re from, throw them away, and wash any container they’ve touched. Salmonella can cause stomach virus-like symptoms. Most people recover after about a week.
Read More: Fox Business, NPR, MarketWatch, CDC
NFL Settlement
After months of closed-door negotiations, the NFL and lawyers for thousands of former NFL players have reached an agreement in the $1 billion class-action settlement of concussion claims from 2015. The settlement brought to light what’s known as ‘race-norming,’ when doctors assume Black former players start with lower cognitive functioning when compared to white players. This new joint agreement stops the use of race norms or race demographics and allows Black retirees to get their tests re-scored or get a new round of cognitive testing. The new joint agreement still needs to be approved and finalized by a judge.
Read More: ABC News, AP, NY Times
Netflix Walkout, Response
Dozens of Netflix employees walked off the job in protest of a popular standup comedy special. They say Dave Chappelle’s latest work includes comments that could promote bigotry against transgender people. They joined other protesters rallying outside a Netflix office-studio complex in LA. Some counter-protesters showed up too, saying one group of people shouldn’t be able to shape entertainment and silence free speech. For now, Netflix’s CEO says there are no plans to remove the special from the platform, and he wants to keep supporting “artistic freedom.”
Read More: Variety, WSJ, AP, Reuters
Blackstone Buys Spanx
Private equity giant Blackstone is buying a majority stake in Spanx, becoming the first outsider to put money into the shapewear company. The deal values Spanx at $1.2 billion. The company’s CEO, Sara Blakely, founded the company in 2000 with just $5,000, which she earned from selling fax machines. Now, Blakely will keep a big stake in the company and will continue to oversee operations. But, this deal will help Spanx strengthen its online business and expand globally. The new board of directors will be all women.
Read More: Barron’s, WSJ, Reuters, Blackstone
Orionid Meteor Shower
NASA says it’s considered to be one of the most beautiful meteor showers of the year, with shooting stars known for their brightness and speed. The Orionid meteor shower is set to peak early this morning. In the right conditions, between midnight and dawn, you might be able to look up and see 10 or 20 shooting stars per hour. However, there’s extra brightness in the sky from the full moon that could make it harder to see the meteors. Because of that, experts say not to expect the show to be quite as spectacular as it has been in the past.
Read More: CNN, NY Times, Space.Com, USA Today
Thing to Know Thursday: Natural Immunity
Natural immunity refers to people who recover from Covid-19 and subsequently develop some protection against being infected again. More researchers are acknowledging it can be pretty powerful protection. But, there’s still no consensus on how powerful that natural immunity truly is, how long it may last, and how it may vary from person to person. While we wait on more conclusive data, the issue has become political and has been taken to court because of vaccine mandates. So far, no employer or government has made an exception for people who have already been infected and recovered.
Read More: Stat News, USA Today, NY Times