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The source of a repeat infection is a mutated form of the virus. In one case the viral genome belonged to a different strain of the coronavirus the second time. Mutations are the likely cause of the new infections in Netherlands, Belgium, and Hong Kong.

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As German schools reopen few countries can match Germany's robust effort to do speedy testing and contact tracing to limit the spread of the virus.

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The new low cost Abbott test is about the size of a credit card and can be adminstered in a doctor's or school nurse's office. Test results are given in 15 minutes. Abbott says 97% of positive cases are detected. Plans are to increase production to 50 million in October from tens of millions shipped in September. It sees this test as the kind of test that can help schools and offices reopen. It is called the Binax Ag Card. 

It searches for virus proteins and is intended for use within 7 days of coronavirus symptoms. It involves a nasal swab given by a health care worker or nurse.

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Mr. Trump has decisively changed the Republican party. Most Republicans support Mr. Trump personally, less the Republican party. Mr. Lindsey Graham, a senator from South Carolina, says of the Republican party before Trump that it had become a bit staid, that we looked like the banker next door who may foreclose on your house. Mr. Romney epitomized that in his view. Gone are the views on deficits, on wars, and on imports and transfer of technology to China as being acceptable.  Five years from 2015 when Mr. Trump came into prominence with his new style taking on the establishments of both parties with a fierce disdain for convention, both the Bushes and the Obamas and Clintons, the Republican party is completely transformed. Registered Republicans are now 60% non college educated in 2020 compared to 50% non college educated in 2016. The Trump policies on trade putting American workers first and America first have a resounding popularity with this audience- this should be no surprise after decades of job losses and factories shipped overseas under the previous administrations for 2 decades. Most of these workers are not college educated and are white and had enjoyed a good standard of living with a high school education in American factories till the shift of American manufacturing to China destroyed good paying jobs and impoverished the American working class.  Only 30% of college educated people are registered Republicans in 2020 compared to 40% in 2016. Overwhelmingly about 90% of registered Republicans are white.  They are majority male and older but there is a significant about 40% female and 40% young population under 40 years of age. This might resemble the party put together by Missouri Congressman Harry Truman as he led the Democratic Party in 1948 with a majority of non college educated Democrats, fighting for American workers and America first in the cold war with Russia. Truman also had a rough Missouri farm language and accent comparable to Mr. Trump's rough style and language disdainful of the old establishment and new tech establishment. Both were heavily disliked by the media and both did not let this bother them in any way. Both liked facing large crowds as Truman showed in campaigning by train across the country and Trump has shown in campaign rallies run in his own way. ...

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People have to take charge of their own lives by eating healthy food and lots of fruits and vegetables, to reduce obesity in this pandemic. Studies show that people with obesity were twice as likely to end up in hospital, and 74% more likely to end up in intensive care. Efforts to rid our diets of sugary drinks and junk or processed foods need to be escalated, and exercize, walking, cycling, other activity need to be made part of our daily activity. This needs to be taken up as a fight for life, a war against decades of neglect and reckless behaviour in eating habits.  Even vaccines will not work well when body mass index BMI is over 30. Obesity has reached unbelievable and scary levels - 66% in the UK, U.S., high in the Middle East, and increasing all over the world. Added risk is high smoking levels in China and India. Coca Cola takes the place of water in parts of Mexico where obesity is high and Mexico has suffered from high coronavirus cases. ...

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A one page resolution takes the place of the Republican party platform for 2020 in the U.S. It says "the party has and will continue to enthusiastically support the president's America-first agenda."

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People say it is very strange. Argentine soccer player Messi sends his transfer request to Barcelona last night with a scribbled note sent over a fax machine. The faxed message says he wishes to exercize a clause in his contract allowing him to leave for free with immediate effect. 

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Efforts to make it possible for Princess Akiko, 19 years old, the only child of Emperor Naruhito 60 years, to succeed her father. Japan has never had a female as Queen, in the manner of Queen Elizabeth in England.

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Glen McGrath the fast bowler from Australia with 563 wickets the previous record for fast bowler in cricket compares Anderson of England to Sachin Tendulkar in India. The only other bowlers in this league are Anil Kumble and Shane Warne. Stuart Broad who got his 500th wicket in Test cricket says Anderson, 38 years, has got better with age and has always inspired him.

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CDC has given no explanation for its new guidelines that say testing for coronavirus needs to be done only for those with symptoms, not for those exposed to someone within 6 feet who has symptoms. About half of all new cases are from people who are exposed to people with symptoms but have not yet developed symptoms. One of the reasons the virus spread quickly in February is CDC failure in developing of its own test on February 9 and policy that did not let private labs and labs of teaching hospitals develop their own tests and use them for another 3 crucial weeks.  CDC and Health and Human Services Department errors in February, combined with the stalling of an American team for 3 weeks by China to enter Wuhan in January,  have combined to let the coronavirus spread to the wider population. Once it spreads to a wider population the strategy of test and trace cannot be implemented the way it was first in South Korea and Taiwan, and later in Germany. ...

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Steep drops in economic activity and loss of so many jobs is the reason why total lockdowns are not the best solution as seen from the experience gained by August. Selective lockdowns are now being applied across France, Germany and Britain in specific areas. About 400 million jobs have been lost, 13 million in the U.S.  Hospitals overwhelmed in northern Italy by March is what made the total lockdowns necessary.  These steps for total lockdown were made with very little known about the pandemic and the need to protect hospital and health systems. These decisions at that time are not questioned today. It is that now  with some treatments found, a vaccine close to being introduced, hospital system protocols established, health ministries and departments organized to respond quickly, and the public awareness at high levels,  it is now possible to impose these selective lockdowns effectively and quickly. As the WSJ now says the CDC had botched the initial development and distribution of tests in February- see WSJ analysis and our Lyrarc links of how 3 crucial weeks were lost in Feb with failure of the CDC and HHS in testing- making test and contact trace strategy window to be missed. China had not cooperated in letting a U.S. team quickly in the early days of February creating more uncertainty and risk. In that situation total lockdown suddenly became the reality to avoid a catastrophe. Today a carefully applied selective application of solutions can be done and is seen as the right way to protect jobs and livelihoods of people. ...

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After the outbreaks in July Florida, the Carolinas, Arizona, and other states in the southern U.S. imposed some form of mask mandates either locally or at the state level. This combined with the restrictions on gatherings and reversal of opening of restaurants and bars, other places of gatherings, have helped slow the spread and reduce cases. Even though the cases are still high there is a levelling off in late August, says this report in the NYT, with graphs in color showing trends.

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Mr. Trump appears strong on the economy issue says this report in the NYT. About 9 million jobs were added in April, May and June after loss of 20 million jobs in March and April in the U.S. The Republican base of white voters is less affected by the loss of jobs- only one of five Republicans had the perception that they would lose their job. There is confidence about the economy in this base as small business and workers see conditions improving.