<46% area ER and urgent care visits were adults (age 18-44) for flu symptoms. Influenza A is the dominant strain. ------- Total Hospitalized: 9394*, ⬆️53 from 9341 (2/9)
ICU: 3470, ⬆️24 from 3446 (2/9)
Intubated: 1757, ⬆️11 from 1746 (2/9)
Deceased while hospitalized: 2928, ⬆️24 from 2904 (2/9)
*Hospitalized excludes deaths ------- Total Deaths: 3525, ⬆️16 from 3509 (2/9) (2240 with underlying medical conditions) Not mutually exclusive conditions:
Hypertension 1426⬆️
Immunocompromised 113
Chronic Heart Disease 685⬆️
Chronic Liver Disease 75⬆️
Chronic Kidney Disease 482⬆️
Diabetes 1052⬆️
Neurologic/Neurodevelopmental 273⬆️
Chronic Lung Disease 533⬆️
Historically Healthy 217
Other 830⬆️
------- Positive Results Age Range Breakdown:
0-4 4614⬆️13 2.10%
5-17 20958⬆️73 9.52%
18-24 27920⬆️72 12.70%
25-49 100820⬆️240 45.80%
50-64 42512⬆️120 19.30%
65+ 23328⬆️84 10.60%
Unknown 52 0.02%
MIS-C Cases 48⬆️2 ------- School Cases (2/10) Total: 836; Past 2wks: 80
Staff 458; 34
Students 378; 46
Public: 463; 36
Staff 321; 23
Students 142; 13
Private: 373; 44
Staff 137; 11
Students 236; 33
------- Hospitalized Age Range Breakdown:
0-4 69 0.60%
5-17 131⬆️2 1.10%
18-24 284⬆️3 2.30%
25-49 2898⬆️9 23.50%
50-64 3398⬆️18 27.60%
65+ 5540⬆️45 45.00%
Unknown 2 0.00%
------- Deaths Age Range Breakdown:
0-4 0 0.00%
5-17 3 0.10%
18-24 6 0.20%
25-49 234⬆️1 6.60%
50-64 678⬆️4 19.20%
65+ 2604⬆️11 73.90%
Test result average turnaround time is 24- to 48-hours with UMC/SNHD sites. CVS is averaging 2 to 3+ days. ------- Expect weekend delay in case reports. "Daily case counts reflect newly reported cases and may represent cases that were tested in the preceding days, which could significantly impact the count on days when a relatively large number of laboratory reports arrive in one day." SNHD confirmed they are not counting COVID-19 antibody positives into their COVID-19 positive case counts. Majority of information is pulled from Southern Nevada Health District's COVID-19 dashboard and historical reports. Our positives are under 1000/day, our recovery rate remains high (90+% range), our hospitalizations remain steady (under 500). SNHD dashboard has new "Place of Possible Exposure" tab, listing cumulative and last 30 days cases in establishments. Top 10 Places of Possible Exposure (Last 30 days)
Other (3643)
Food establishment (2178)
Work (1599)
Grocery store (1534)
Hotel/Motel (1120)
Medical Facility (1120)
Casino (824)
School (383)
Air travel (312)
General store/shop (271)
Nevada Hospital Association 2/8 report states: Hospitalizations improved over the weekend. Case counts are below last week's peak. All trajectories are in decline. Hospital capacity are within capable occupancy rates. PPE, supplies, and equipment are in good conditions. Majority of hospitalized CV19+ are in the 50+ age groups. Protect our vulnerable and continue to practice good hygiene habits, including wearing a mask to prevent asymptomatic spread as mandated by Governor Sisolak (onus is on businesses, which we want to keep open, but Metro will not enforce it; OSHA is responsible for mask enforcement by fining the business). To report a non-compliant business through the state, call (702) 486-9020. Doctors are doing convalescent plasma therapy treatments and are seeking plasma donors to help those in need. One plasma donation can help five patients. Blood donors can get the antibodies testing done for free through Vitalant. 54 therapeutics are still underway to treat COVID-19 worldwide. US FDA emergency use authorized treatments are: Remdesivir, Dexamethaaone, Regeneron's antibody cocktail (REGEN-COV2), and Eli Lilly's antibody treatment: baricitinib - a combination of Veklury and the JAK inhibitor Olumiant. Nevada is approved for the 24-hour test procedure. FDA approved a 30-minute and a 5-minute testing procedures. UNLV provides the main walk-in COVID-19 testing services. The first at-home testing kit was FDA approved on 5/15/2020. If you live within a 1-mile range of the Wal-Mart on Craig Rd, you qualify for a drone-delivered test kit to your front or back door. This is while supplies last, if anyone has info that they stopped providing this, let me know. Some testing sites require an appointment; some may need to be scheduled by your primary care physician or another authorized provider. City Serve coordinates testing sites throughout the valley. Testing is only on Saturdays. Schedule a no-cost test here: https://cityservelv.org/ UMC, E7 Health and local laboratories are able to conduct FDA approved antibodies testing. Cost is normally $149+, but your insurance may reimburse you for the test. Check your coverage first. Vitalant/Universal Blood Services will do a free antibody test for any eligible donors. UMC is able to process 4,000 tests per day. It is encouraged for anyone to be tested. Symptoms are no longer required. Appointment is preferred, walk-up testing is available. UMC's testing sites are inside Stan Fulton Building and Cashman Field Center. They can do 1,200 tests per day, Tues-Sat 8am to 4pm. No symptoms, insurance, or citizenship required for testing; starting 1/11 requesting insurance coverage. Schedule an appointment online through UMC's website (www.umcsn.com). Sites are walk-in, appointment or walk-up. Both sites now use the self-nasal swab test kits. Families can be tested as one household together. UMC's COVID-19 test guidelines:
After positive test, no follow-up test is needed after 7-day isolation period asymptomatic; or 10-day with symptoms and no fever after 24 hours.
If employer requires a negative test in order for employee to return to work, then employer provides the test
Guidelines are to save test kits for those exhibiting symptoms. See all testing locations on the SNHD website. All CVS pharmacy drive-thru locations can also testing, no cost should be associated. Validate with your insurance. If no insurance, there should be no charge. Requires an appointment. FDA officially grants emergency-use authorization of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine (12/11/2020). Distribution of vaccine began (12/14/2020). The first vaccine was tested 3/16/2020. More than 160 vaccine prototypes are being tested. Clinical trials of the vaccine were administered. Phase 1 & 2 of trial vaccines completed with positive antibody results. Phase 3 clinical trials started with 30k volunteers; test size of 3k vaccine trials in the UK have completed. Africa started their vaccine trials on 06/24/2020. Of the 100+ vaccines submitted, 22 have made the cut to go through testing and final FDA approval phases (5/15/2020 briefing). The front runner vaccine conducted human trails (Phase 3 aka final stage). AstraZeneca has prepared to produce 2 billion doses. Pfizer claims their vaccine is more than 95% effective. Moderna vaccine claims about 94.5% effective. Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is 70% to 90% effective based on dosage program (single dose versus duo dose). US government has been working with four vaccine manufacturers who have completed final phases of vaccine trials, all prepared for massive vaccine output. Vaccine distribution has been revised two "lanes" for vaccination: Healthcare front line/essential workers and general population, with emphasis on health conditions. NV CV19 vaccine playbook v3.pdf To sign up for vaccine notification when you're eligible: NV CV19 Vaccine Interest Form. More info on where to get the vaccine. Total doses administered: 366,333 (2/10)
1st dose stage: 291,370
2nd dose stage: 73,088
Total doses received to distribute: 521,200 Source Cashman Center and Las Vegas Convention Center are prepared to become vaccine mega centers, to distribute 40k to 45k shots per week (about 4k per day per site). Regional vaccine pop-up sites will be throughout the valley to provide access to those wanting the vaccine. Visit SNHD site for eligibility and to book your appointment online. Seniors who need assistance scheduling for their COVID-19 vaccine, call 1-800-401-0946, 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week. Las Vegas Convention Center will be the main 2nd dose distribution center starting Tues., Feb. 2nd. Open Tues-Sat, Central Hall, for both Moderna & Pfizer. If you didn't receive a notification to get your 2nd dose, call (702) 759-0850 to make your 2nd dose appointment. UMC's vaccine mega center will be at Encore, near the parking lot of their convention center area. They are prepared to distribute hundred per day according to the state guidelines. Appointment is required. North Las Vegas residents 70 and older can visit VaxNLV.com to fill out a simple intake form to enroll for vaccinations. Enrollment for these seniors will be open until Friday evening. Immediately after, the City will begin pre-enrollment for the general public. Seniors ages 70 or older who would like a vaccine may also call (702) 342-8417 for additional assistance, though wait times may be significantly longer than using the online, mobile-friendly platform. Remain mindful to give our medical community the ability to focus on those in need of their expertise to survive and combat the virus. For Nevada COVID-19 metrics, with historical spreadsheet and graph data, visit: The Nevada Independent Coronavirus Tracking or check out the link in our side bar.
Gov. Wolf, Sec. of Health Announce New Protective Mitigation Efforts to Put Pennsylvania on Pause through Early January
https://www.governor.pa.gov/newsroom/gov-wolf-sec-of-health-announce-new-protective-mitigation-efforts-to-put-pennsylvania-on-pause-through-early-january/ As COVID-19 cases continue to rise, Governor Tom Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine today implored Pennsylvanians to take the next three weeks and stand united against the virus by adhering to existing mitigation orders and stricter efforts announced today. “Today I am announcing additional, temporary COVID-19 protective mitigation measures in the commonwealth,” said Gov. Wolf. “With these measures in place, we hope to accomplish three goals: First, stop the devastating spread of COVID-19 in the commonwealth. Second, keep our hospitals and health care workers from becoming overwhelmed. And third, help Pennsylvanians get through the holiday season – and closer to a widely available vaccine – as safely as possible. This is a bridge to a better future in Pennsylvania.” The new, limited-time mitigation orders take effect at 12:01 a.m. on December 12, and remain in effect until 8 a.m. on January 4, 2021. “Each of the last two days we have reported the highest number of deaths since the beginning of the pandemic,” Dr. Rachel Levine said. “In the past week, we have reported close to 1,100 new deaths from COVID-19 across Pennsylvania. The virus continues to strain our health care systems and the dramatic rise in cases among all age groups, including among school-age children, is alarming. Since the start of the pandemic, there have been more than 37,500 cases among children age 5 to 18, yet 9,500 of those cases occurred in the past two weeks.” The Order provisions outlined here are accompanied by supportive data used in part to make these decisions. The data provides a sampling of research that supports why limiting gatherings, reducing occupancy, and temporarily suspending some activities, among other efforts, are considered vital to stopping the spread of COVID-19. Two recent studies, one by Yale University and one by Stanford University, substantiate more than one of these mitigation efforts. Links to the full studies and additional data and research can be found on the Department of Health’s data page, here. Limited-Time Mitigation efforts announced today include: In-Person Dining and Alcohol Sales
All in-person indoor dining at businesses in the retail food services industry, including, but not limited to, bars, restaurants, breweries, wineries, distilleries, social clubs, and private catered events is prohibited.
Outdoor dining, take-out food service, and take-out alcohol sales are permitted and may continue, subject to any limitations or restrictions imposed by Pennsylvania law, or this or any other Order issued by the Sec. of Health or by the governor.
Multiple studies have found indoor dining to drive case increases and fatalities. A study by JP Morgan analyzed credit card spending of more than 30 million Chase cardholders and Johns Hopkins University’s case tracker and found that higher restaurant spending in a state predicted a rise in new infections there three weeks later. Additionally, research from Stanford University found that restaurants accounted for a significant amount of new infections while research from Yale University found that closing restaurants reduced fatality rates. Indoor Gatherings and Events
Indoor gatherings and events of more than 10 persons are prohibited.
Churches, synagogues, temples, mosques, and other places of congregate worship are specifically excluded from the limitations set forth above during religious services, these institutions are strongly encouraged to find alternative methods for worship, as in person gatherings pose a significant risk to participants at this time. While this an incredibly difficult recommendation to make, particularly at this time of year, faith leaders must carefully weigh the health risks to their congregants given the immense amount of community spread of COVID-19.
A new study from Stanford University and published in the journal, nature, used cellphone data collected from 10 U.S. cities from March to May to demonstrate that restaurants, gyms, cafes, churches and other crowded indoor venues accounted for some 8 in 10 new infections in the early months of the U.S. coronavirus epidemic. Outdoor Gatherings and Events
Outdoor gatherings and events of more than 50 persons are prohibited.
According to a Yale University study, limiting outdoor gatherings was among consistent policies found to reduce fatality rates. The CDC states that medium-sized outdoor gatherings carry a higher risk of COVID-19 spread, even with social distancing. CDC notes that the more people an individual interacts with at a gathering and the longer that interaction lasts, the higher the potential risk of becoming infected with COVID-19 and COVID-19 spreading, and that the higher the level of community transmission in the area that the gathering is being held, the higher the risk of COVID-19 spreading during a gathering. Capacity Limits for Businesses
All in-person businesses serving the public may only operate at up to 50% of the maximum capacity stated on the applicable certificate of occupancy, except as limited by existing orders to a smaller capacity limit.
The same Stanford University study that collected cellphone data also noted that limiting indoor capacity can reduce COVID-19 transmissions. Gyms and Fitness Facilities
Indoor operations at gyms and fitness facilities are prohibited.
Outdoor facilities and outdoor classes can continue, but all participants must wear face coverings in accordance with the Sec. of Health’s Updated Order Requiring Universal Face Coverings, including any subsequent amendments, and practice physical distancing requirements.
According to a Yale University study, closing businesses like gyms was among consistent policies found to reduce fatality rates. Entertainment Industry
All in-person businesses in the entertainment industry serving the public within a building or indoor defined area, including, but not limited to, theaters, concert venues, museums, movie theaters, arcades, casinos, bowling alleys, private clubs, and all other similar entertainment, recreational or social facilities, are prohibited from operation.
The CDC puts movie theaters and other indoor settings on its list of higher-risk activities for contracting COVID-19. In-Person Extracurricular School Activities
Voluntary activities sponsored or approved by a school entity’s governing body or administration are suspended, but these extracurricular activities may be held virtually. This includes, but is not limited to, attendance at or participation in activities such musical ensembles, school plays, student council, clubs, and school dances.
Our top priority is stopping the spread of this virus so students and teachers can return to their classrooms as soon as possible. Data from the Department of Health notes that one-quarter of the cases of COVID among school-age children have occurred within the past two weeks, increasing the need to keep children safe outside of school so that they can return to classrooms. K-12 School Sports and Youth Sports
All sports at K-12 public schools, nonpublic schools, private schools and club, travel, recreational, intermural, and intramural sports are paused.
The Pennsylvania Principals Association is recommending a delay to the start of the winter sports season. The surge in cases among school-age children increases the risk that asymptomatic participants will spread the virus at a game or practice, in the locker room, while traveling to and from events, or at team meals, parties or other gatherings. Professional and Collegiate Sports
Professional or collegiate sports activities may continue in accordance with guidance from the CDC and the Department of Health.
Spectators may not attend such sports activities in person.
The CDC warns large gatherings create a high risk of COVID-19 spreading. “We know that COVID-19 thrives in places where people gather together,” Gov. Wolf said. “Therefore, these mitigation measures target high-risk environments and activities and aim to reduce the spread of this devastating virus.” According to Yale University research, mitigation measures such as mandatory mask requirements, and gym and restaurant closures are policies that most consistently predict lower four- to six-week-ahead fatality growth. “The work we do now to slow the spread of COVID-19 is not only crucial to keeping our fellow Pennsylvanians safe and healthy,” Gov. Wolf said. “It will help all of us get back to normal, and back to all of the things we’ve missed, faster. And it means more Pennsylvanians will be alive to celebrate that brighter future. This year, we show our love for our families and friends by celebrating safely and protecting one another.” Gov. Wolf Limited-Time Mitigation OrderSec. Levine Limited-Time Mitigation Order Frequently Asked Questions Gov. Wolf Amended Mitigation, Enforcement, and Immunity Order edited to add a TL;DR visual: https://preview.redd.it/szqfy8kmxf461.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d140dfd06ce3bc91e14528c86eb100ec139bd698
29 influenza-associated hospitalizations and 2 deaths. <41% area ER and urgent care visits were adults (age 18-44) for flu symptoms. Influenza A is the dominant strain. ------- Total Hospitalized: 9474*, ⬆️47 from 9427 (2/11)
ICU: 3516, ⬆️12 from 3504 (2/11)
Intubated: 1784, ⬆️4 from 1780 (2/11)
Deceased while hospitalized: 2975, ⬆️15 from 2960 (2/11)
*Hospitalized excludes deaths ------- Total Deaths: 3600, ⬆️23 from 3577 (2/10) (2282 with underlying medical conditions) Not mutually exclusive conditions:
Hypertension 1456⬆️
Immunocompromised 117
Chronic Heart Disease 696⬆️
Chronic Liver Disease 75
Chronic Kidney Disease 494⬆️
Diabetes 1072⬆️
Neurologic/Neurodevelopmental 282⬆️
Chronic Lung Disease 540⬆️
Historically Healthy 225⬆️
Other 844⬆️
------- Positive Results Age Range Breakdown:
0-4 4631⬆️8 2.09%
5-17 21064⬆️59 9.52%
18-24 28032⬆️57 12.70%
25-49 101233⬆️203 45.80%
50-64 42717⬆️99 19.30%
65+ 23488⬆️80 10.60%
Unknown 50⬇️1 0.02%
MIS-C Cases 48 ------- School Cases (2/12) Total: 839; Past 2wks: 71
Staff 456; 26
Students 383; 45
Public: 463; 31
Staff 321; 18
Students 142; 13
Private: 376; 40
Staff 135; 8
Students 241; 32
------- Hospitalized Age Range Breakdown:
0-4 70⬆️1 0.60%
5-17 132⬆️1 1.10%
18-24 285 2.30%
25-49 2921⬆️12 23.50%
50-64 3423⬆️9 27.60%
65+ 5616⬆️39 45.10%
Unknown 2 0.00%
------- Deaths Age Range Breakdown:
0-4 0 0.00%
5-17 3⬇️1 0.10%
18-24 7⬆️1 0.20%
25-49 239⬆️3 6.60%
50-64 690⬆️3 19.20%
65+ 2661⬆️17 73.90%
Test result average turnaround time is 24- to 48-hours with UMC/SNHD sites. CVS is averaging 2 to 3+ days. ------- "Daily case counts reflect newly reported cases and may represent cases that were tested in the preceding days, which could significantly impact the count on days when a relatively large number of laboratory reports arrive in one day." SNHD confirmed they are not counting COVID-19 antibody positives into their COVID-19 positive case counts. Majority of information is pulled from Southern Nevada Health District's COVID-19 dashboard and historical reports. Our positives are under 1000/day, our recovery rate remains high (90+% range), our hospitalizations remain steady (under 500). SNHD dashboard has new "Place of Possible Exposure" tab, listing cumulative and last 30 days cases in establishments. Top 10 Places of Possible Exposure (Last 30 days) (2/12)
Other (3806)
Food establishment (2295)
Work (1679)
Grocery store (1606)
Hotel/Motel (1165)
Medical Facility (1111)
Casino (856)
School (399)
Air travel (321)
General store/shop (298)
Nevada Hospital Association 2/8 report states: Hospitalizations improved over the weekend. Case counts are below last week's peak. All trajectories are in decline. Hospital capacity are within capable occupancy rates. PPE, supplies, and equipment are in good conditions. Majority of hospitalized CV19+ are in the 50+ age groups. Protect our vulnerable and continue to practice good hygiene habits, including wearing a mask to prevent asymptomatic spread as mandated by Governor Sisolak (onus is on businesses, which we want to keep open, but Metro will not enforce it; OSHA is responsible for mask enforcement by fining the business). To report a non-compliant business through the state, call (702) 486-9020. Doctors are doing convalescent plasma therapy treatments and are seeking plasma donors to help those in need. One plasma donation can help five patients. Blood donors can get the antibodies testing done for free through Vitalant. 54 therapeutics are still underway to treat COVID-19 worldwide. US FDA emergency use authorized treatments are: Remdesivir, Dexamethaaone, Regeneron's antibody cocktail (REGEN-COV2), and Eli Lilly's antibody treatment: baricitinib - a combination of Veklury and the JAK inhibitor Olumiant. Nevada is approved for the 24-hour test procedure. FDA approved a 30-minute and a 5-minute testing procedures. UNLV provides the main walk-in COVID-19 testing services. The first at-home testing kit was FDA approved on 5/15/2020. If you live within a 1-mile range of the Wal-Mart on Craig Rd, you qualify for a drone-delivered test kit to your front or back door. This is while supplies last, if anyone has info that they stopped providing this, let me know. Some testing sites require an appointment; some may need to be scheduled by your primary care physician or another authorized provider. City Serve coordinates testing sites throughout the valley. Testing is only on Saturdays. Schedule a no-cost test here: https://cityservelv.org/ UMC, E7 Health and local laboratories are able to conduct FDA approved antibodies testing. Cost is normally $149+, but your insurance may reimburse you for the test. Check your coverage first. Vitalant/Universal Blood Services will do a free antibody test for any eligible donors. UMC is able to process 4,000 tests per day. It is encouraged for anyone to be tested. Symptoms are no longer required. Appointment is preferred, walk-up testing is available. UMC's testing sites are inside Stan Fulton Building and Cashman Field Center. They can do 1,200 tests per day, Tues-Sat 8am to 4pm. No symptoms, insurance, or citizenship required for testing; starting 1/11 requesting insurance coverage. Schedule an appointment online through UMC's website (www.umcsn.com). Sites are walk-in, appointment or walk-up. Both sites now use the self-nasal swab test kits. Families can be tested as one household together. UMC's COVID-19 test guidelines:
After positive test, no follow-up test is needed after 7-day isolation period asymptomatic; or 10-day with symptoms and no fever after 24 hours.
If employer requires a negative test in order for employee to return to work, then employer provides the test
Guidelines are to save test kits for those exhibiting symptoms. See all testing locations on the SNHD website. All CVS pharmacy drive-thru locations can also testing, no cost should be associated. Validate with your insurance. If no insurance, there should be no charge. Requires an appointment. FDA officially grants emergency-use authorization of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine (12/11/2020). Distribution of vaccine began (12/14/2020). The first vaccine was tested 3/16/2020. More than 160 vaccine prototypes are being tested. Clinical trials of the vaccine were administered. Phase 1 & 2 of trial vaccines completed with positive antibody results. Phase 3 clinical trials started with 30k volunteers; test size of 3k vaccine trials in the UK have completed. Africa started their vaccine trials on 06/24/2020. Of the 100+ vaccines submitted, 22 have made the cut to go through testing and final FDA approval phases (5/15/2020 briefing). The front runner vaccine conducted human trails (Phase 3 aka final stage). AstraZeneca has prepared to produce 2 billion doses. Pfizer claims their vaccine is more than 95% effective. Moderna vaccine claims about 94.5% effective. Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is 70% to 90% effective based on dosage program (single dose versus duo dose). US government has been working with four vaccine manufacturers who have completed final phases of vaccine trials, all prepared for massive vaccine output. Vaccine distribution has been revised two "lanes" for vaccination: Healthcare front line/essential workers and general population, with emphasis on health conditions. NV CV19 vaccine playbook v3.pdf To sign up for vaccine notification when you're eligible: NV CV19 Vaccine Interest Form. More info on where to get the vaccine. Total doses administered: 394,172 (2/12)
1st dose stage: 308,611
2nd dose stage: 83,485
Total doses received to distribute: 533,800 Source Cashman Center and Las Vegas Convention Center are prepared to become vaccine mega centers, to distribute 40k to 45k shots per week (about 4k per day per site). Regional vaccine pop-up sites will be throughout the valley to provide access to those wanting the vaccine. Visit SNHD site for eligibility and to book your appointment online. Seniors who need assistance scheduling for their COVID-19 vaccine, call 1-800-401-0946, 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week. Las Vegas Convention Center will be the main 2nd dose distribution center starting Tues., Feb. 2nd. Open Tues-Sat, Central Hall, for both Moderna & Pfizer. If you didn't receive a notification to get your 2nd dose, call (702) 759-0850 to make your 2nd dose appointment. UMC's vaccine mega center will be at Encore, near the parking lot of their convention center area. They are prepared to distribute hundred per day according to the state guidelines. Appointment is required. North Las Vegas residents 70 and older can visit VaxNLV.com to fill out a simple intake form to enroll for vaccinations. Enrollment for these seniors will be open until Friday evening. Immediately after, the City will begin pre-enrollment for the general public. Seniors ages 70 or older who would like a vaccine may also call (702) 342-8417 for additional assistance, though wait times may be significantly longer than using the online, mobile-friendly platform. Remain mindful to give our medical community the ability to focus on those in need of their expertise to survive and combat the virus. For Nevada COVID-19 metrics, with historical spreadsheet and graph data, visit: The Nevada Independent Coronavirus Tracking or check out the link in our side bar.
------- Current # COVID-19 in ICU: 200 (2/9) ⬆️2 from 198 (2/9) # COVID-19 on ventilator: 135 (2/9) ⬆️5 from 130 (2/9) # Staffed ICU beds inventory: 772 (2/10) # Staffed inpatient beds inventory: 5174 (2/10) ⬇️5 from 5179 (2/9) % Staffed beds occupied: 79% (2/10) ⬆️2 from 77% (2/9) # Licensed inpatient beds inventory: 4686 (2/10) % Licensed beds occupied: 87% (2/9) ⬆️1 from 86% (2/9) # Ventilators available: 547 (2/10) # Ventilators in use: 406 (2/10) # Ventilators inventory: 953 (2/10) Source (mid-Feb becomes weekly, every Thurs): https://nvha.net ------- SNHD reports 94.7% (209,090, ⬆️721 from 208,369 (2/10)) of cases have recovered. ------- SNHD weekly flu snapshot (1/24 thru 1/30): Age / Deaths / Hospitalized
0-4 0 1
5-17 0 0
18-24 0 1
25-49 0 3
50-64 0 7
65+ 2 14
Total 2 26
2019 Ref. 36 1070 Cases: 1073
<46% area ER and urgent care visits were adults (age 18-44) for flu symptoms. Influenza A is the dominant strain. ------- Total Hospitalized: 9427*, ⬆️33 from 9394 (2/10)
ICU: 3504, ⬆️34 from 3470 (2/10)
Intubated: 1780, ⬆️23 from 1757 (2/10)
Deceased while hospitalized: 2960, ⬆️32 from 2928 (2/10)
*Hospitalized excludes deaths ------- Total Deaths: 3525, ⬆️16 from 3525 (2/10) (2273 with underlying medical conditions) Not mutually exclusive conditions:
Hypertension 1451⬆️
Immunocompromised 117⬆️
Chronic Heart Disease 695⬆️
Chronic Liver Disease 75
Chronic Kidney Disease 492⬆️
Diabetes 1067⬆️
Neurologic/Neurodevelopmental 279⬆️
Chronic Lung Disease 538⬆️
Historically Healthy 222⬆️
Other 837⬆️
------- Positive Results Age Range Breakdown:
0-4 4623⬆️9 2.09%
5-17 21005⬆️47 9.52%
18-24 27975⬆️55 12.70%
25-49 101030⬆️210 45.80%
50-64 42618⬆️106 19.30%
65+ 23408⬆️80 10.60%
Unknown 51⬇️1 0.02%
MIS-C Cases 48 ------- School Cases (2/11) Total: 839; Past 2wks: 76
Staff 456; 29
Students 383; 47
Public: 463; 33
Staff 321; 20
Students 142; 13
Private: 376; 43
Staff 135; 9
Students 241; 34
------- Hospitalized Age Range Breakdown:
0-4 69 0.60%
5-17 131 1.10%
18-24 285⬆️1 2.30%
25-49 2909⬆️11 23.50%
50-64 3414⬆️16 27.60%
65+ 5577⬆️37 45.00%
Unknown 2 0.00%
------- Deaths Age Range Breakdown:
0-4 0 0.00%
5-17 4⬆️1 0.10%
18-24 6 0.20%
25-49 236⬆️2 6.60%
50-64 687⬆️9 19.20%
65+ 2644⬆️40 73.90%
Test result average turnaround time is 24- to 48-hours with UMC/SNHD sites. CVS is averaging 2 to 3+ days. ------- "Daily case counts reflect newly reported cases and may represent cases that were tested in the preceding days, which could significantly impact the count on days when a relatively large number of laboratory reports arrive in one day." SNHD confirmed they are not counting COVID-19 antibody positives into their COVID-19 positive case counts. Majority of information is pulled from Southern Nevada Health District's COVID-19 dashboard and historical reports. Our positives are under 1000/day, our recovery rate remains high (90+% range), our hospitalizations remain steady (under 500). SNHD dashboard has new "Place of Possible Exposure" tab, listing cumulative and last 30 days cases in establishments. Top 10 Places of Possible Exposure (Last 30 days)
Other (3698)
Food establishment (2213)
Work (1618)
Grocery store (1540)
Hotel/Motel (1131)
Medical Facility (1102)
Casino (837)
School (390)
Air travel (320)
General store/shop (291)
Nevada Hospital Association 2/8 report states: Hospitalizations improved over the weekend. Case counts are below last week's peak. All trajectories are in decline. Hospital capacity are within capable occupancy rates. PPE, supplies, and equipment are in good conditions. Majority of hospitalized CV19+ are in the 50+ age groups. Protect our vulnerable and continue to practice good hygiene habits, including wearing a mask to prevent asymptomatic spread as mandated by Governor Sisolak (onus is on businesses, which we want to keep open, but Metro will not enforce it; OSHA is responsible for mask enforcement by fining the business). To report a non-compliant business through the state, call (702) 486-9020. Doctors are doing convalescent plasma therapy treatments and are seeking plasma donors to help those in need. One plasma donation can help five patients. Blood donors can get the antibodies testing done for free through Vitalant. 54 therapeutics are still underway to treat COVID-19 worldwide. US FDA emergency use authorized treatments are: Remdesivir, Dexamethaaone, Regeneron's antibody cocktail (REGEN-COV2), and Eli Lilly's antibody treatment: baricitinib - a combination of Veklury and the JAK inhibitor Olumiant. Nevada is approved for the 24-hour test procedure. FDA approved a 30-minute and a 5-minute testing procedures. UNLV provides the main walk-in COVID-19 testing services. The first at-home testing kit was FDA approved on 5/15/2020. If you live within a 1-mile range of the Wal-Mart on Craig Rd, you qualify for a drone-delivered test kit to your front or back door. This is while supplies last, if anyone has info that they stopped providing this, let me know. Some testing sites require an appointment; some may need to be scheduled by your primary care physician or another authorized provider. City Serve coordinates testing sites throughout the valley. Testing is only on Saturdays. Schedule a no-cost test here: https://cityservelv.org/ UMC, E7 Health and local laboratories are able to conduct FDA approved antibodies testing. Cost is normally $149+, but your insurance may reimburse you for the test. Check your coverage first. Vitalant/Universal Blood Services will do a free antibody test for any eligible donors. UMC is able to process 4,000 tests per day. It is encouraged for anyone to be tested. Symptoms are no longer required. Appointment is preferred, walk-up testing is available. UMC's testing sites are inside Stan Fulton Building and Cashman Field Center. They can do 1,200 tests per day, Tues-Sat 8am to 4pm. No symptoms, insurance, or citizenship required for testing; starting 1/11 requesting insurance coverage. Schedule an appointment online through UMC's website (www.umcsn.com). Sites are walk-in, appointment or walk-up. Both sites now use the self-nasal swab test kits. Families can be tested as one household together. UMC's COVID-19 test guidelines:
After positive test, no follow-up test is needed after 7-day isolation period asymptomatic; or 10-day with symptoms and no fever after 24 hours.
If employer requires a negative test in order for employee to return to work, then employer provides the test
Guidelines are to save test kits for those exhibiting symptoms. See all testing locations on the SNHD website. All CVS pharmacy drive-thru locations can also testing, no cost should be associated. Validate with your insurance. If no insurance, there should be no charge. Requires an appointment. FDA officially grants emergency-use authorization of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine (12/11/2020). Distribution of vaccine began (12/14/2020). The first vaccine was tested 3/16/2020. More than 160 vaccine prototypes are being tested. Clinical trials of the vaccine were administered. Phase 1 & 2 of trial vaccines completed with positive antibody results. Phase 3 clinical trials started with 30k volunteers; test size of 3k vaccine trials in the UK have completed. Africa started their vaccine trials on 06/24/2020. Of the 100+ vaccines submitted, 22 have made the cut to go through testing and final FDA approval phases (5/15/2020 briefing). The front runner vaccine conducted human trails (Phase 3 aka final stage). AstraZeneca has prepared to produce 2 billion doses. Pfizer claims their vaccine is more than 95% effective. Moderna vaccine claims about 94.5% effective. Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is 70% to 90% effective based on dosage program (single dose versus duo dose). US government has been working with four vaccine manufacturers who have completed final phases of vaccine trials, all prepared for massive vaccine output. Vaccine distribution has been revised two "lanes" for vaccination: Healthcare front line/essential workers and general population, with emphasis on health conditions. NV CV19 vaccine playbook v3.pdf To sign up for vaccine notification when you're eligible: NV CV19 Vaccine Interest Form. More info on where to get the vaccine. Total doses administered: 379,077 (2/11)
1st dose stage: 299,502
2nd dose stage: 77,555
Total doses received to distribute: 533,800 Source Cashman Center and Las Vegas Convention Center are prepared to become vaccine mega centers, to distribute 40k to 45k shots per week (about 4k per day per site). Regional vaccine pop-up sites will be throughout the valley to provide access to those wanting the vaccine. Visit SNHD site for eligibility and to book your appointment online. Seniors who need assistance scheduling for their COVID-19 vaccine, call 1-800-401-0946, 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week. Las Vegas Convention Center will be the main 2nd dose distribution center starting Tues., Feb. 2nd. Open Tues-Sat, Central Hall, for both Moderna & Pfizer. If you didn't receive a notification to get your 2nd dose, call (702) 759-0850 to make your 2nd dose appointment. UMC's vaccine mega center will be at Encore, near the parking lot of their convention center area. They are prepared to distribute hundred per day according to the state guidelines. Appointment is required. North Las Vegas residents 70 and older can visit VaxNLV.com to fill out a simple intake form to enroll for vaccinations. Enrollment for these seniors will be open until Friday evening. Immediately after, the City will begin pre-enrollment for the general public. Seniors ages 70 or older who would like a vaccine may also call (702) 342-8417 for additional assistance, though wait times may be significantly longer than using the online, mobile-friendly platform. Remain mindful to give our medical community the ability to focus on those in need of their expertise to survive and combat the virus. For Nevada COVID-19 metrics, with historical spreadsheet and graph data, visit: The Nevada Independent Coronavirus Tracking or check out the link in our side bar.
A goodbye letter for the anti-President. Written by Michael D’Antonio.
I thoroughly appreciated reading this opinion piece. So much so that I’ve linked it and am pasting the article here as well. A goodbye letter for the anti-President Dear Donald, When we first met in 2014, I was a year into research for the biography I was writing about you. I knew about your stern father, your exile to military school at a tender age and your tendency to spin dramatic fantasies. I knew that you considered life a battle for survival and humans to be "vicious" by nature.* In your Trump Tower stronghold, you were attended by aides who looked like soap opera stars and surrounded by ego-boosting emblems: a wall of framed magazine covers, each featuring your face; a boxer's championship belt given to settle a debt; a stack of clippings delivered with a note that read, "Dad, FYI -- All great press. Ivanka." These totems of greatness, which I haven't seen in the quarters of other super-rich Americans, made me think of you as desperately, and perhaps dangerously, insecure.* In five interviews that lasted about 10 hours total, you would heighten my fear that despite a life spent in unending luxury and privilege, no amount of wealth and power would move you off the life-is-warfare view. Even worse, you told me that you might run for president because Twitter fans said you should (I wasn't surprised by your ambition and, given your celebrity, I thought you might win). Then, as we stood to inspect a framed letter you had received from the disgraced Richard Nixon, you said his only problem was that he had left office for the good of the country. In your view, he should have stayed and fought. *You ran for president and you won. And as you visited upon the country more pain than Nixon ever did, you fought on. Unrelenting in your aggression, lies and cruelty, you presided over four years of chaos and conflict provoked by your words and deeds. Though impeached, you escaped conviction and stayed in office to redouble your commitment to ego-driven chaos. As you refused to mount a serious federal response, the Covid-19 death toll surpassed 400,000. Defeated in your bid for reelection, you spun lies that created an alternative reality so powerful that hundreds of your followers formed a mob that carried out a bloody attack on the United States Capitol. Many there intended to overturn the election, which you had repeatedly claimed was invalid due to fraud that in fact had not occurred.* In the attack, which was televised by news networks and livestreamed on social media, five people -- including one Capitol police officer -- would die. A DC Metro Police officer, who had been Tasered several times, heard one of your followers say, "Kill him with his own gun." Although Congress reconvened after the mob was driven out, you stand disgraced as the only president in US history to be impeached twice, and all I can think is that you had finally made your narcissistic nightmare of a constant battle against vicious enemies come true for us all. Your dangerous narcissism was not widely noted when I interviewed you, but it seemed, to me, to be the hallmark of your personality. I consulted experts and learned that this grandiosity was likely a defense mechanism against a fear of shame and rejection. I came to believe this fear was installed by your father, who, when you were a child, demanded you be a "killer" and a "king." When you failed to meet his expectations and became a troublemaker, he exiled you to military school, at age 13. Talk about a scarring experience. The title of my book, "Never Enough," pointed to your endless drive to prove your superiority, which, ironically, led to bankruptcies, divorces and legal defeats. It's likely these failures provoked the same sense of shame and humiliation that you must have felt as a rejected child. You once told me you hated to reflect on the past, but in refusing to do this, you were bound to repeat your mistakes. No matter how much you achieved, it was never enough. And so, you went too far. (For more on this see what your psychologist niece, Mary Trump, wrote in her 2020 book, "Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man.") As President, your weaknesses posed terrible threats to the country. Your many failures at running businesses such as casinos or the airline Trump Shuttle showed that you were not a nimble thinker capable of leading complex operations. The Covid-19 pandemic has only made this glaring incompetence crystal clear -- and despite your efforts to deflect the blame, the country's death toll speaks for itself. More than 400,000 people have died from Covid-19 in the United States -- more than any other country in the world, according to Johns Hopkins University. Having seen your inability to recognize others as human beings, I have not been shocked by your indifference to the deaths of your fellow citizens. Nor have I been surprised by your encouragement of violence. Violence was what I always expected from your presidency. I just didn't know what form it would take. The power of your methods was obvious during your 2016 campaign, when you lied in a way that separated your most ardent followers from reality itself. You promoted many of your old conspiracy theories about 9/11 and climate change and added new ones on the fly. (When an attendee asked -- after first stating as fact that Obama was Muslim and not American -- about the wildly untrue idea that Muslims were running secret training camps in the United States to kill people, you refused to shoot down his claims, promising instead to "look at that." You also whipped people into a frenzy of hatred by describing opponents, critics and the free press as enemies. I recalled reading how your first wife, Ivana, had said you kept a book of Hitler's speeches near your bed. You once corrected a reporter, telling her it was "Mein Kampf" instead (though Marty Davis, who gave Trump the book, told Vanity Fair it was a book of speeches). For four years in office, you functioned as a kind of anti-President, inflaming rather than calming passions and attacking rather than negotiating, all while demanding adoration from your Cabinet and constant attention from the media. Having ordered aides to think of each day as an episode in a TV show before you even took office, you tried to gin up as much drama as possible. As President, you used the authority of your office to spread baseless claims about voter fraud, former President Barack Obama and even of a friendship between former President Bill Clinton and Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sexual predator who was your Palm Beach neighbor and friend, to name a few. Many of your followers abandoned reason and dove headfirst into the QAnon conspiracy theory movement, which reveres you as a savior and regards the government and much of the news media as evil. Many of those who attacked the Capitol brandished Q symbols along with Trump flags, Jesus banners and the Confederate stars and bars -- a mix of powerful symbols that shows the breadth of your influence. Before the attack, you were among many who called for a big crowd of protesters to stop the Congress from affirming your election defeat. After your lawyer Rudy Giuliani, your namesake son ginned up the crowd, and they heard you call for them to march on the Capitol. "You have to show strength," you said, "and you have to be strong." You promised to go with them but chose instead to view the destruction on TV. I wondered if you understood that the violence that unfolded was real, and not something made for television. Did you order Cokes as you watched? Did you eat popcorn? I can imagine you snacking because you have played with violence, both real and imagined, for so long that you must be inured you to it. It all started back in the 1970s when you began employing armed guards-chauffeurs, for no apparent reason. I think it was because you enjoyed the sense of menace they added to your presence. During your 2016 campaign one of your security guards roughed-up a picketer outside Trump Tower in New York, while another physically forced reporter Jorge Ramos out of a news conference in 2015. At one rally you told followers, "If you see somebody getting ready to throw a tomato, knock the crap out of them." When a loud protester disrupted one of your other campaign rallies, you said, "I'd like to punch him in the face." Your tough guy image was embraced by followers who traded memes in which you were drawn to look like a superhero or shown brandishing weapons Rambo-style. Your avatar punched out a figure labeled with the CNN logo. Add this to the bigotry you expressed in words and images, which you shared with millions of people on Twitter, and a combustible mix was created. (Remember posting an image of Hillary Clinton, along with a Star of David set against dollar bills, brandishing her the "most corrupt candidate ever?"). The atmosphere of bigotry you helped create exploded in Charlottesville in 2017 as men chanted "Jews will not replace us" before a White supremacist murdered a counterprotester by running her down with his car. Heather Heyer was one of the first civilians to die in this charged political context during your presidency. It did not change your behavior. Instead, you declared there were "very fine people on both sides." By delaying your condemnation of her attackers and resisting efforts to remove monuments to those who fought against the United States to preserve slavery, you sent clear signals about your views on race and violence. With Charlottesville, questions about your bigotry grew louder. You made your stance clear when you reportedly said Haitian immigrants "all have AIDS" (though the White House denied it), and that people were entering the US from "shithole" countries. Add your vicious comments about Black athletes calling out police brutality, your penchant for slamming individual Black women, and your fearmongering about low-income housing, and everyone understood your perspective. Three years into your presidency, 65% of Black Americans said it's "a bad time to be a Black person" in the United States, according to a Washington Post/Ipsos poll. It would have been bad enough if your bigotry had been confined to words, but you enshrined it in policy by restricting refugees from entering this country. This led to a sharp decline, from about 85,000 refugees admitted to the United States in 2016 to about 12,000 in 2020. If the "huddled masses yearning to breathe free" didn't get the message, then they could consider the way you cozied up to strongmen, the likes of which many of them were fleeing. From Kim Jong Un of North Korea to Russian President Vladimir Putin, you showed a consistent admiration for dictators who jail and kill their critics. Along our border with Mexico, you began separating children from parents who arrived seeking asylum. By May 2019, six children had died in federal custody. In June of that year, Americans were shocked by the photo of a father and child who had drowned attempting to cross the Rio Grande. In December, a surveillance video obtained by ProPublica showed a 16-year-old Guatemalan boy was left alone in his Border Patrol cell in Texas for hours before he died on the floor, of complications from the flu. How many minors died in Border Patrol custody during the four years prior to your administration? Zero, per FactCheck.org. The deaths were just one measure of the suffering your harsh policies inflicted on asylum-seeking families. New data from June 2019 reveals there were around 5,500 known cases of children, from infants to teens, being separated from their parents and placed in facilities ranging from foster family homes to cells made out of chain link fencing. Amid all this pain, it seemed you still weren't satisfied. You asked about building anti-immigrant moats to be stocked with alligators. You wondered whether soldiers could shoot immigrants who threw rocks. Those ideas were nixed, but the crisis continues. Because of inept recording-keeping, your administration has not been able locate the parents of at least 545 children, according to court documents from last October. Refugee families, stuck in limbo while waiting for asylum in the United States, are still filling squalid camps on the Mexican side of the border, many of them fearing for their lives -- particularly in the midst of a global pandemic. You got away with cruelty in part because you conditioned many Americans to believe that brown-skinned, undocumented immigrants constituted a criminal horde that required a draconian response. You promised to build a "beautiful" concrete border wall along 1,000 miles of the frontier and force Mexico to pay for it. Only about 452 miles of tall steel fence has been completed as of January 5, 2021, according to a Customs and Border Patrol Report, and instead of the $8 billion you estimated for 1,000 miles, $18 billion dollars have already been devoted to the work because -- surprise! -- Mexico is not paying for it. Hyping the wall was just one example of the exaggerations, false claims and lies that came out of your mouth in such a torrent it was nearly impossible for anyone to react properly. You combined this strategy with denigrating the media as "enemies of the people" and purveyors of "fake news" with such consistency that facts seemed to lose their power. You added an Orwellian flourish when you said, "What you're seeing and what you're reading is not what's happening." What has been the effect on journalists? Threats became a part of our daily lives and the lives of our family members. (One of your followers found my wife's business phone number and called to say that he had located our address and to suggest we be careful.) A "press freedom tracker" run by the Committee to Protect Journalists and the Freedom of the Press Foundation has counted 421 attacks on journalists during your time in office. Far worse than the impact on journalists is your effect on Americans' ability to agree upon an established set of facts as they consider critical issues. You are not solely to blame for this problem. However, you have both contributed to it and exploited it. You have made more than 30,000 false or misleading claims, according to The Washington Post, which have landed with the authority that comes with the presidential seal. The easy way out for someone mired in disinformation is to pick a person to believe and go all in. Many of those who doubled down on their support for you found a sense of belonging amid the slogans, regalia and fervent rallies. They felt they were right. Those who disagreed were not fellow citizens but enemies who, some concluded, should be defeated by violent means. The loyalty of your followers meant that ordinary politicians feared provoking the ire of your base. When it came to light that you were trying to coerce Ukraine's President into helping your reelection effort, you were impeached for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. But this fear helped keep the Republican-controlled Senate in line, and you were acquitted. Afterward, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine defended her vote to acquit you, saying you had learned "a big lesson." What you learned, it seemed, was that you could get away with anything. Even before you were elected, you claimed you could "stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody," and not lose voters. Shortly after the impeachment trial wrapped up, you proceeded to mislead the American people about the novel coronavirus. You downplayed the dangers of the virus so that the vibrant economy, the main bragging point of your presidency, would continue to hum. In late February, at a White House coronavirus task force briefing, you said "It's a little like the regular flu that we have flu shots for." But you told journalist Bob Woodward weeks before that the coronavirus was "more deadly than your -- you know, your, even your strenuous flus." Nevertheless, you declined to organize a true national response and undermined public health officials who urged everyone to wear face masks. You also held mass rallies where people were infected. On May 8, when the death toll was more than 77,000, you continued this charade, insisting, "This is going to go away without a vaccine." To say that people died as a result of your posture is not mere speculation. Families have told stories of those who followed your lead, got sick and died. Harvard epidemiologists estimate that thousands have died as a result of your example. Today the Covid-19 pandemic continues to ravage the country. The death toll is now roughly equivalent to a 9/11 each day -- but many of your acolytes, even in Congress, still refuse to protect themselves and others with facemasks. Meanwhile, millions are turning to food banks. Mass evictions loom. When I consider the hungry, the infected, the traumatized and the deceased and hold in my mind the images of the deadly mob at the Capitol, I hear your voice summoning the worst in my fellow citizens. With those words you truly established yourself as the anti-President, a distinction that cancels any claim you might make to the respect normally accorded the office. When we met you told me to call you "Don," as if we were friends. You also invited me to examine your hair. I didn't do either because I sensed that you wanted to establish a bond that you would eventually try to corrupt. This was confirmed when you hinted that my book could make me rich if I abandoned my professional duty and wrote it to your liking. Thankfully, enough Americans recognized your immorality and incompetence and lack of human feeling so profound that the suffering and death so much a part of your presidency didn't appear to affect you at all. They chose Joe Biden in November, making you truly accountable for perhaps the first time in your life. After four years of your chaos, what's left is a wounded country grieving for its dead and for its innocence. But we will recover, and you now face criminal and legal threats in state courts, along with the harsh judgment of history. As you desperately summon the remains of your following for comfort and fundraising, your disgrace is growing with the mounting evidence that your words motivated the mob that attacked the United States Capitol. This incitement may be the single worst thing a president has ever done, and it will define you for centuries to come.
Gov. Wolf, Sec. of Health Announce New Protective Mitigation Efforts to Put Pennsylvania on Pause through Early January
Gov. Wolf Limited-Time Mitigation Order Sec. Levine Limited-Time Mitigation Order As COVID-19 cases continue to rise, Governor Tom Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine today implored Pennsylvanians to take the next three weeks and stand united against the virus by adhering to existing mitigation orders and stricter efforts announced today. “Today I am announcing additional, temporary COVID-19 protective mitigation measures in the commonwealth,” said Gov. Wolf. “With these measures in place, we hope to accomplish three goals: First, stop the devastating spread of COVID-19 in the commonwealth. Second, keep our hospitals and health care workers from becoming overwhelmed. And third, help Pennsylvanians get through the holiday season – and closer to a widely available vaccine – as safely as possible. This is a bridge to a better future in Pennsylvania.” The new, limited-time mitigation orders take effect at 12:01 a.m. on December 12, and remain in effect until 8 a.m. on January 4, 2021. “Each of the last two days we have reported the highest number of deaths since the beginning of the pandemic,” Dr. Rachel Levine said. “In the past week, we have reported close to 1,100 new deaths from COVID-19 across Pennsylvania. The virus continues to strain our health care systems and the dramatic rise in cases among all age groups, including among school-age children, is alarming. Since the start of the pandemic, there have been more than 37,500 cases among children age 5 to 18, yet 9,500 of those cases occurred in the past two weeks.” The Order provisions outlined here are accompanied by supportive data used in part to make these decisions. The data provides a sampling of research that supports why limiting gatherings, reducing occupancy, and temporarily suspending some activities, among other efforts, are considered vital to stopping the spread of COVID-19. Two recent studies, one by Yale University and one by Stanford University, substantiate more than one of these mitigation efforts. Links to the full studies and additional data and research can be found on the Department of Health’s data page, here. Limited-Time Mitigation efforts announced today include: In-Person Dining and Alcohol Sales All in-person indoor dining at businesses in the retail food services industry, including, but not limited to, bars, restaurants, breweries, wineries, distilleries, social clubs, and private catered events is prohibited. Outdoor dining, take-out food service, and take-out alcohol sales are permitted and may continue, subject to any limitations or restrictions imposed by Pennsylvania law, or this or any other Order issued by the Sec. of Health or by the governor. Multiple studies have found indoor dining to drive case increases and fatalities. A study by JP Morgan analyzed credit card spending of more than 30 million Chase cardholders and Johns Hopkins University’s case tracker and found that higher restaurant spending in a state predicted a rise in new infections there three weeks later. Additionally, Research from Stanford University found that restaurants accounted for a significant amount of new infections while research from Yale University found that closing restaurants reduced fatality rates. Indoor Gatherings and Events Indoor gatherings and events of more than 10 persons are prohibited. Churches, synagogues, temples, mosques, and other places of congregate worship are specifically excluded from the limitations set forth above during religious services, these institutions are strongly encouraged to find alternative methods for worship, as in person gatherings pose a significant risk to participants at this time. While this an incredibly difficult recommendation to make, particularly at this time of year, faith leaders must carefully weigh the health risks to their congregants given the immense amount of community spread of COVID-19. A new study from Stanford University and published in the journal, nature, used cellphone data collected from 10 U.S. cities from March to May to demonstrate that restaurants, gyms, cafes, churches and other crowded indoor venues accounted for some 8 in 10 new infections in the early months of the U.S. coronavirus epidemic. Outdoor Gatherings and Events Outdoor gatherings and events of more than 50 persons are prohibited. According to a Yale University study, limiting outdoor gatherings was among consistent policies found to reduce fatality rates. The CDC states that medium-sized outdoor gatherings carry a higher risk of COVID-19 spread, even with social distancing. CDC notes that the more people an individual interacts with at a gathering and the longer that interaction lasts, the higher the potential risk of becoming infected with COVID-19 and COVID-19 spreading, and that the higher the level of community transmission in the area that the gathering is being held, the higher the risk of COVID-19 spreading during a gathering. Capacity Limits for Businesses All in-person businesses serving the public may only operate at up to 50% of the maximum capacity stated on the applicable certificate of occupancy, except as limited by existing orders to a smaller capacity limit. The same Stanford University study that collected cellphone data also noted that limiting indoor capacity can reduce COVID-19 transmissions. Gyms and Fitness Facilities Indoor operations at gyms and fitness facilities are prohibited. Outdoor facilities and outdoor classes can continue, but all participants must wear face coverings in accordance with the Sec. of Health’s Updated Order Requiring Universal Face Coverings, including any subsequent amendments, and practice physical distancing requirements. According to a Yale University study, closing businesses like gyms was among consistent policies found to reduce fatality rates. Entertainment Industry All in-person businesses in the entertainment industry serving the public within a building or indoor defined area, including, but not limited to, theaters, concert venues, museums, movie theaters, arcades, casinos, bowling alleys, private clubs, and all other similar entertainment, recreational or social facilities, are prohibited from operation. The CDC puts movie theaters and other indoor settings on its list of higher-risk activities for contracting COVID-19. In-Person Extracurricular School Activities Voluntary activities sponsored or approved by a school entity’s governing body or administration are suspended, but these extracurricular activities may be held virtually. This includes, but is not limited to, attendance at or participation in activities such musical ensembles, school plays, student council, clubs, and school dances. Our top priority is stopping the spread of this virus so students and teachers can return to their classrooms as soon as possible. Data from the Department of Health notes that one-quarter of the cases of COVID among school-age children have occurred within the past two weeks, increasing the need to keep children safe outside of school so that they can return to classrooms. K-12 School Sports and Youth Sports All sports at K-12 public schools, nonpublic schools, private schools and club, travel, recreational, intermural, and intramural sports are paused. The Pennsylvania Principals Association is recommending a delay to the start of the winter sports season. The surge in cases among school-age children increases the risk that asymptomatic participants will spread the virus at a game or practice, in the locker room, while traveling to and from events, or at team meals, parties or other gatherings. Professional and Collegiate Sports Professional or collegiate sports activities may continue in accordance with guidance from the CDC and the Department of Health. Spectators may not attend such sports activities in person. The CDC warns large gatherings create a high risk of COVID-19 spreading. “We know that COVID-19 thrives in places where people gather together,” Gov. Wolf said. “Therefore, these mitigation measures target high-risk environments and activities and aim to reduce the spread of this devastating virus.” According to Yale University research, mitigation measures such as mandatory mask requirements, and gym and restaurant closures are policies that most consistently predict lower four- to six-week-ahead fatality growth. “The work we do now to slow the spread of COVID-19 is not only crucial to keeping our fellow Pennsylvanians safe and healthy,” Gov. Wolf said. “It will help all of us get back to normal, and back to all of the things we’ve missed, faster. And it means more Pennsylvanians will be alive to celebrate that brighter future. This year, we show our love for our families and friends by celebrating safely and protecting one another.” Frequently Asked Questions Gov. Wolf Amended Mitigation, Enforcement, and Immunity Order edit: links
COVID-19 has now infected more than 215,956 people. There have been 8,757 confirmed deaths and 84,080 confirmed recoveries attributed to the virus.
Recent Updates Note: These are the updates from the last 48-72 hours. MARCH 18 -
United States: President Trump signed into law a coronavirus relief package, which provides free coronavirus testing and ensures paid emergency leave for those who are infected or caring for a family member with the illness. The bill also provides additional Medicaid funding, food assistance and unemployment benefits. The "third phase" coronavirus response bill is expected to pass later this week. Read more here.
United States: President Trump announced that home foreclosures and evictions will be suspended “until the end of April.” Read more here. He also invoked the Defense Production Act, which gives the government the authority to control the production and distribution of scarce materials deemed "essential to the national defense." In his executive order, Trump specifically cites protective equipment (presumably face masks) and ventilators as meeting the criteria in this provision. Read more here.
United States: Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart and Ben McAdams become first members of Congress to test positive for coronavirus. Read more here.
United States: King County in Washington State is building a 200-bed field hospital on Shoreline soccer field amid coronavirus outbreak. Read more here.
United States: The New York Stock Exchange said starting March 23, it will temporarily close its historic trading floor and move fully to electronic trading. This is the first time the physical trading floor of the Big Board has ever shut independently while electronic trading continues. Read more here.
United States and Canada: US President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have agreed to close the US-Canada border to all non-essential travel in an attempt to curb the spread of coronavirus. Trade will not be affected. Read more here.
Canada: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced a massive $82-billion aid package to help Canadians and businesses cope with the global COVID-19 pandemic, including income supports, wage subsidies and tax deferrals. The package includes $27 billion in direct supports and another $55 billion to help business liquidity through tax deferrals. Read more here.
Japan’s Hokkaido, the nation’s prefecture with the highest number of coronavirus infections, will end its state of emergency over the epidemic on Thursday. Read more here.
Europe: The European Central Bank launched an extra emergency bond-buying program worth 750 billion euros ($820 billion) in the latest attempt to calm markets and protect a euro-area economy struggling to cope with the coronavirus epidemic. Read more here.
France: French police handed out over 4,000 fines Wednesday to people found violating an order to stay at home, on the first full day of a lockdown aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus in the country. Read more here.
Portugal’s President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa declared a state of emergency to combat the coronavirus pandemic. The new measures allow Prime Minister António Costa's government to restrict movement of people, temporarily suspend the right of workers in vital sectors — such as health, civil protection, security and defense — to strike, and ban protests and social or religious meetings Read more here.
Brazil: Davi Alcolumbre, the head of Brazil's Senate, became the latest high-level political figure to test positive for coronavirus on Wednesday. Read more here.
Chilean president Sebastian Pinera declared a 90-day state of catastrophe Wednesday to address the spread of COVID-19 in the country, which has 238 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus. By law, a state of catastrophe puts the armed forces in charge of public order and security and enables military control of the movement of people and goods. Military officials will be able to issue direct instructions to public employees and local governments and establish measures deemed necessary to maintain public order, including curfews. Read more here.
Africa: Sub-Saharan Africa records first coronavirus death. Read more here.
Europe: This year's Eurovision Song Contest has been canceled in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, organizers confirmed on Wednesday, marking the first time that the much-loved competition has ever been scrapped. Read more here.
Australian airline Qantas and its subsidiary Jetstar will suspend scheduled international flights from late March until at least the end of May due to the coronavirus crisis. In a statement posted on its website Thursday, Qantas Group announced that 60% of its domestic flights would also be cut, and two-thirds of its 30,000 employees would be temporarily stood down. Read the announcement here.
RyanAir, Europe’s biggest low-cost carrier, said it expected “most if not all” flights to be grounded, apart from a small number to maintain connections between the UK and Ireland. Read more here.
MARCH 17 -
United States: A plan developed by the federal government to combat the coronavirus reportedly projects the pandemic will last 18 months or more and could feature multiple “waves.” Read more here.
United States: Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin raised the possibility with Republican senators that U.S. unemployment could rise to 20% without government intervention because of the impact of the coronavirus. Mnuchin discussed the scenario with the lawmakers on Tuesday as he proposed an economic stimulus of $1 trillion or more. Read more here.
United States: Treasury and IRS to delay tax payment deadline by 90 days. Read more here.
United States: The U.S. military is preparing Naval hospital ships for deployment, and is looking to open its labs to help test civilians for coronavirus. The Pentagon also plans to distribute equipment. Read more here.
United States: White House requests and additional $45.8 billion in emergency funding due to coronavirus. The request comes on top of the $8.3 billion in emergency funding passed by Congress just two weeks ago and underscores just how dramatically financial demands at federal agencies have grown in a matter of days. Read more here.
United States: Schools are likely to be closed for the rest of this school year according to Governor Newsom of California. Ohio's governor has made similar statements. Read more here.
United States: Are Hospitals Near Me Ready for Coronavirus? Here Are Nine Different Scenarios. | There is a tool in the article that allows you to see your area's hospital capacity. See the interactive tool here.
EU: Leaders of European Union countries have agreed to close the EU’s external borders to most people from other countries for 30 days in a new effort to slow the coronavirus pandemic. Movement within European Union member nations will be still be allowed. Read more here.
Spain: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced a package of measures worth a total 200 billion euros ($219 billion), between loans, credit guarantees, benefits and direct aid, to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus epidemic on the economy. The package represents about 20% of the country’s gross domestic product; 117 billion euros for the package will come from the government, with the rest to come from private companies. Read more here.
Scotland: No new jury trials will take place in Scotland for the foreseeable future due to coronavirus. Read more here.
Bolivia will close its borders to non-residents and suspend all international flights to combat the spread of coronavirus. The measure will remain in place until March 31. Read more here.
Australia declares emergency, warns coronavirus crisis could last six months. Read more here.
Euro 2020 has been postponed by one year until 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic. Read more here.
MARCH 16 -
A Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating an investigational vaccine designed to protect against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has begun at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (KPWHRI) in Seattle. Read more here.
The European Union will ban all nonessential travel into the bloc for at least 30 days. Read more here.
France has instituted a lockdown and will deploy 100,000 police to enforce the lockdown and fixed checkpoints will be set up across the country. Under the new measures, soldiers would help transport the sick to hospitals with spare capacity and a military hospital with 30 intensive care beds would be set up in the eastern region of Alsace, where one of the largest infection clusters has broken out. Macron also announced he was postponing the second round of local elections on Sunday. Read more here.
United States: President Trump held a press conference today, where he said that the U.S. may be able to get the new coronavirus outbreak under control by July or August at the earliest. He also said his administration may look at lockdowns for “certain areas” or “hot spots” in the nation, but said he wasn’t considering a full national lockdown. Watch the press conference here and/or read about it here.
United States: The Department of Health and Human Services experienced suspicious cyberactivity Sunday night related to its coronavirus response. The suspicious activity HHS was not a hack but it may have been a distributed denial of service -- or DDOS -- attack. Read more here.
United States: Six Bay Area counties announced “shelter in place” orders for all residents on Monday — the strictest measure of its kind yet in the continental United States — directing everyone to stay inside their homes and away from others as much as possible for the next three weeks. The directive begins at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday and involves San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Marin, Contra Costa and Alameda counties — a combined population of more than 6.7 million. Read more here.
United States: New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut institute regional rules that ban gatherings of over 50, and close casinos, gyms, and theaters. Read more here.
United States: The Ohio primary has been postponed. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) announced late Monday that his administration will order that polls be closed on Tuesday due to a health emergency. Read more here.
United States: Dow Plummets Nearly 3,000 Points as Virus Fears Spread. Read more here.
Canada is closing its borders to noncitizens because of the coronavirus pandemic. U.S. citizens are exempt from the ban “for the moment." Read more here.
Israel is preparing to open four hotels across the country as quarantines sites for confirmed cases of coronavirus, Minister of Defense Naftali Bennett announced Monday night. The hotels will be used to treat people exhibiting mild symptoms of the virus. Read more here.
Finland closes schools, declares state of emergency over coronavirus. Daycare centres are to stay open but parents were asked to keep their kids home if possible. Read more here.
Sudan’s ruling sovereign council closed all airports, ports and land crossings and declared a public health emergency on Monday over fears about the spread of coronavirus. Read more here.
Idris Elba has tested positive for coronavirus along with several other celebrities. See Idris' tweet here.
Amazon will hire 100,000 warehouse and delivery workers in the United States to deal with a surge in online orders, as many consumers have turned to the web to meet their needs during the coronavirus outbreak. Read more here.
The Peace Corps is telling its volunteers around the world that it is suspending all operations globally and evacuating all volunteers in light of the spread of the new coronavirus. Read more here.
United States: The College Board has cancelled the May SATs. Read more here.
I thought I would share my methodology for choosing SPACs for people starting out. Note that I am not endorsing any of the SPACs I mention here; the point of this article to help YOU find SPACs that YOU believe in. How I Use SPACs My goal with SPACs is to park cash in the current low interest rate environment and beat the performance of short-term treasuries over time (where my cash would normally be parked). I usually invest in SPACs near NAV, so if I need to pull out cash, my losses will be limited or non-existent. If the SPAC announces a target and I do not like the company, I immediately sell the position and reinvest with the next SPAC on my list. The upside of investing in SPACs is the opportunity to get in early on a top-class company (rare) going public. If you are using this strategy to invest in SPACs and to hold your cash, then it is better to diversify your holdings, so if you need to sell a position to raise cash, you will not be overly exposed to one SPAC falling precipitously for whatever reason. For reference, I hold 10 SPACs. Before researching, it helps to have a general idea on what areas you want to focus on (e.g., entertainment, technology, EV’s, healthcare). How to Research SPACs These are the three things I focus on when researching a SPACs strategy and management team: · Strong, relevant operational experience. Operational experience will not only imply good network connections in the specific industry, but it will lead to better management post-merger. Having operational experience helps convince a prospective company to jump on board with the SPAC sponsors, since it implies the SPAC sponsors will have relevant knowledge and advice to help a business improve vs purely giving generic management consulting advice. Examples: LEAP, RTP, ACND, RBAC, QELL, VGAC, etc. · Well-rounded management with extensive applicable M&A experience implying an extensive network of contacts. Wall Street and Silicon Valley are both incestuous and that is why it is good to target management teams with at least one person that ostensibly has extensive contacts in the investment industry. This will help not only in getting a merger done but can also help any time after the merger is announced or completed, as that person(s) can use his/her group of contacts to make future mergers or get additional funding. Examples: PSTH, AGCU, PACE, APSG, etc. · SPAC-related deal making experience. If management has led a successful SPAC merger before, the odds of it happening again are high because they are familiar with the process. This can also be a negative if it looks like the sponsor is churning companies for monetary gain, thus some research is important. Examples: FIII, PRPB, CCIV, WPF, GRSV, IPOD-F, etc. I notably left out university background, because schooling in itself tells us nothing. My prime focus is on business success, not schooling. Some of the sharpest and most successful business leaders did not go to the “top” schools. The main advantage of universities, especially business schools, is expanding networks, and if the university compliments later work experience, then that helps in supporting a positive outlook. SPAC Research Steps These are the steps I would recommend to start your research:
Start with spactrack.net
This wonderful website is without question the best place to start your search for SPACs nowadays. If you are looking for SPACs without announced targets, you can filter by “Searching.” Virtually every column in the table is useful, but if you are new, you can focus on “Target Focus” and “Prominent Leadership.” “Underwriter(s)” can also be telling, because big name investment banks like Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse, UBS, JP Morgan, Jefferies, Barclays, Citigroup and Goldman Sachs will usually be involved with credible management teams. Wall Street has a better handle than most on who is reputable. 2) For the SPACs you are interested in, click on the SEC Filings links, or google the SEC filings. Review the S-1 document. At a bare minimum you should read the “Summary” section of the S-1 to get an idea of what the SPACs mission is and what could make the SPAC unique directly from the mouth of the sponsors. Reading the Summary will not take long and is one of the best windows into seeing whether the SPAC sponsors are aligned with what you are searching for. There will usually be a section on the management of the SPAC and what makes their experience applicable and useful to a facilitating a successful merger with a great company. I am focusing on management teams, but it’s usually a good idea to review the subsections about Dilution, Principal Shareholders, and Description of Securities to get an idea of how many warrants there are, the potential impact to the share price in the future due to dilution, how warrants will be redeemed, etc., but a lot of this is repetitive between SPACs and people on this sub usually do a good job of identifying when something is “different” (e.g., with PSTH and LEAP). 3) Review the SPAC website. Spactrack.net does not always have the website, but a quick Google search can get what you want. If there is no website for the SPAC, search the capital firm that is sponsoring the SPAC and see if it has a website. These websites give more descriptions on the firms’ mission and the background of their management. 4) Do google searches of the individual members of management and look the teams up on LinkedIn. Researching the team’s background might expose you to something the S-1 or SPAC websites did not cover. You might find every member of management spent the first five years of their career in management consulting and none of the members have applicable operations experience. Or you might find that one of the directors has extensive M&A experience while another has extensive, focused operational experience in the area of interest the SPAC is targeting, yielding some useful synergies between the team members. 5) Review relevant news articles about the SPAC via a Google search. Most SPACs have a short article on Barrons, spacinsider.com, reuters, businesswire, and renaissancecapital that can be quickly skimmed. They do not always write the same thing, and you can pick up something useful from one of these sites. Other research that some claim is useful: · Review websites that shed light on who is acquiring shares (e.g., hedge funds, retail, institutions). Personally, I find this information ambiguous. · Review trading volume using yahoo finance, or your broker’s volume/price tracker. Goal of Research With everything, you are trying to craft a story on why you think a management team is qualified to find a company you believe in (or that will be popular), and each piece of information will add clarity to that story. Plus, all this information is free. The people on this sub, or any social media site are going to be biased to what they are invested in, so you should use your own judgement. Personally, I only want to park my money with people I believe are credible, and with teams who have a business objective that aligns with a focus area I want to be a part of. My biggest position is in PSTH because Ackman seems to be using SPACs as a vehicle to bolster his industry reputation vs monetary gain which means he care more about long-term performance, which cannot be said for all these SPAC sponsors. There are other examples of management teams I believe are primarily using SPACs to bolster their reputations, but I am speculating based on my research. Disclaimer Reasons to take all of this with a grain of salt:
The market is a casino
Some SPAC teams like VTIQ (NKLA) and SHLL (HYLN) did not have great management in my opinion, but found companies that were well received by the retail market
Sometimes a management team takes a complete left turn to what is described in their S-1; prominent recent examples include IPOC, NOVS, and most of the SPACs that shifted to EV-related companies
Current market conditions are leading to higher company valuations that imply limited upside even for great companies without continuously perfect operational success (e.g., over several quarters or even years)
Because of the last point, I will probably shift my cash out of SPACs and back to short-term treasury funds after some time, as we start to see most SPACs stay near NAV post-merger announcement. For now, I use my engagement in the SPAC world to keep track of new companies worth cursorily monitoring for the next couple of years. TL;DR summary: go to spactrack.net, read S-1’s and do simple google searches to find SPACs you believe in
FortuneJack Bitcoin Casino 50 free spins no deposit bonus
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FortuneJack Casino Review
The site is laid out fairly well with a few areas we’d like to see improvement. We did dock some points for the fact of how “heavy” the site is on Bitcoin. If you don’t have a firm understanding of Bitcoin and the exchange rates, you will have to do a lot of calculations to know how much certain limits or bonuses are. A lot of Bitcoin only sites will have some real dollar guides on the site to help you out. That being said, you can learn it all within a few minutes. As Bitcoin grows in popularity, the number of Bitcoin casinos and online gaming sites continues to grow as well. Established in 2014 by the Nexus Group, FortuneJack can still be considered one of the newer players on the market with a lot to offer. While some sites that offer Bitcoin offer other forms of currency, FortuneJack is only a Bitcoin site. This doesn’t mean you can’t use other methods to fund your account; you’ll just need to fund them into a Bitcoin wallet and then deposit onto the site. If you’re unfamiliar with Bitcoin, it brings a whole host of benefits and advantages not just to online gaming but to pretty much anything that you do on the internet. It allows you to protect your identity, banking details, as well as provides a cheaper and more efficient way to move money. We’ve put together this guide to Bitcoin for you if you’re interested in finding out more about how it all works.
Rating Breakdown
For a Bitcoin-only site, Fortune Jack is a pretty solid choice. The reason we docked a few points is that it is solely a Bitcoin site with no other banking options and the setup of the site is heavy in Bitcoin meaning that you won’t see anything in US dollars or Pounds or Euros. Everything is listed in Bitcoins which may be a little confusing at first if you’re new to the currency. Overall, the site was good, but not great, but does have quite a bit of room to grow.
FortuneJack Game Variety
The site has a lot of different gaming options from about nine different providers. We know how many providers they have because they strangely have their games separated by providers instead of alphabetically or by type. They had no branded games that we saw, but still a lot of great options from a lot of great providers. The quality of their non-slot casino-style games was extremely high and definitely needs to be brought to your attention. If you’re a roulette, video poker, or blackjack player, you’re really going to love this site.
FortuneJack Banking
This may be a bit more of a harsh rating due to the fact that the casino is a Bitcoin-only site, but it’s what we decided on. If we were looking at it as only filling the Bitcoin niche, it would be a 5/5, but since we’re looking at it in comparison to other sites, it would have been nice to see a lot more options on top of just the Bitcoin. The Bitcoin options seem up to par and nothing special to report there except that it looks to be good to go.
FortuneJack Bonuses
The site had quite a few welcome and deposit bonuses as well as a rake race style competition that run weekly. There was a little confusion on how much or how little you need to deposit to get the deposit bonuses, but you should be able to easily contact support and get it clarified if you need any clarification. The site also makes mention of some other bonuses including free spins but does not have any details posted. This may be an error, or they may only have these additional bonuses seasonally.
FortuneJack Customer Service
The site has a contact form and email support listed which is nice, but they did not have any form of live chat or telephone support. Without a ton of testing, it’s hard to tell if these are adequate or not. They could be great if they respond extremely quickly or could be terrible and an easy way for them to ignore you.
User Interface
As FortuneJack is probably fairly new to you (as it was to us), we wanted to take some time and dig through the site and see what they were all about. As always with our reviews, our main goal is to provide you with an accurate and brutally honest picture of what the site has to offer, the benefits, and more importantly, any problems or areas of improvement that we see need to be addressed. We’re not here to put out a feel-good piece about every site we review. We’re here to give you an accurate count of the site from our experts and equip you to make an informed decision whether or not a site is worth your time or is a good fit for you to play at. >>Click Here For Exclusive Bonus<<
First Glance
The very first thing we noticed when coming to FortuneJack is that they are very heavy on the Bitcoin. What does this mean? Well, a lot of sites will convert Bitcoins into a more standard currency when they write things on the site to make things a little easier for those new to Bitcoin to understand. FortuneJack doesn’t seem to do this and has everything written out in Bitcoins. For example, some sites (even being Bitcoin) might list their jackpot amount as $2 million, but FortuneJack has their major jackpot listed as 1855.99352835 Bitcoins. These are going to be the exact same amount, but they’re just presented differently. Does this mean you’ll win any less if you hit the jackpot? Of course not, but it may just take an additional learning curve for you to realize the amounts of a few things. Most likely, this will involve making a few extra calculations when you first start playing at the site, but will probably be something you eventually get accustomed to. Additionally, on our first pass through the site, we noticed the quality of all the games look to be high. We didn’t see any branded style games, but they do have a lot of games from at least nine different providers. They had a ton of slot games to choose from, and their table/card game selection did look to be higher than with most other sites in the industry. These included a lot of variations or similar games that could be a big perk if you’re picky about what you like to play. In regards to the layout, it initially looked fairly clean and well laid out, though, after a little more digging we saw some things we think they could improve on to make navigation and finding your favorite games a bit easier. They had multiple ways to access the list of games that threw us for a loop the first time we saw it. Games are also separated by type and then by the provider. Separation by the game type is great, but to be honest with you, we have no idea what providers make our favorite games, so that sort of organization seems a bit pointless to the casual player. We’ll cover this in depth in the sections below. FortuneJack also had no sportsbook which really isn’t a negative as sites that usually focus on one area instead of trying to be a one-stop shop do a better job in that area of focus. Again, we said usually, but at first glance, this looks like it might be the case with FortuneJack. Overall at first glance, things look clean, and we’re fairly excited to dig deeper into everything we initially saw and hopefully some things we haven’t seen yet. We’re anticipating a fairly positive overall experience based on first glance, but you can never judge a book by its cover.
Slots
Let’s start with the positives. Game selection was huge, like considerably more games than most of the other sites we’ve taken a look at recently. The games looked to be of varying quality from the run of the mill games to some pretty sweet looking selections to choose from. We didn’t see any branded games (games named after famous shows or movies) which would have been nice and was a bit expected with so many different options. The reasoning for so many game options is because unlike a lot of online gaming sites, FortuneJack purchased games from a ton of different providers. They had games from Endorphina, Softswiss, Igrosoft, Tomhorn, Amatic, Playson, Pragmatic Play, Microgaming, and Gameart. Now, while we’ve heard of a lot of these companies, we don’t really expect you to be too familiar with them which makes this next bit a little strange to us. There are two separate menu locations for slots, one that opens up the options on the homepage and then one that takes you to a dedicated page with a slots header at the top. Both of these slot sections have the games organized by their creator company. While this is great if you know the exact game you are looking for and for some reason know what company created it, but for the rest of us, it doesn’t really help a whole lot. Let’s say Cool Diamond II is one of your favorite games. If you’re like the rest of us, you would probably want to look under the alphabetical listing of games to see if that one exists on the site or use a search function to find it. Unfortunately, the only way to find it on FortuneJack is to know that the game is made by Amatic and click on their tab or sift through every single game until you locate it. UPDATE: We completely missed this on our first several passes through the site, and that’s not a fault of our own. There is a search function on both menus to help you find the game you are looking for. On the homepage menu, it’s labeled on the right-hand side of the screen. If you click the dedicated slot games tab from the top, though, it is not labeled on that page but is just a black, gray area. The only way we found it was by clicking around on the page for a while and noticing a cursor to type popped up. Regardless, we’d like to see a different way of organizing the games (maybe alphabetically or by style) instead of by parent company. We’d also like to see more attention drawn to the search functions, especially on the dedicated slot games tab. One other perk we would like to mention before giving you the complete list of games offered is that all of the games at FortuneJack are available to be played for free without creating an account. This is great for testing out the different games and seeing if they have ones that you’re going to enjoy playing for real. Here is the complete list of games offered by FortuneJack. As much as we’re annoyed by how they organized the games by the creator, we’re going to do it the same way here. That way if you see the one you like on this list, you’ll be able to locate it quickly when you go to the site. We’ve also gone ahead and alphabetized the games which they are not at FortuneJack. >>Click Here For Exclusive Bonus<<
Casino Games
Immediately we saw some positives and areas for improvement for the casino section, or sections, of FortuneJack. The reason we say sections is because the organization is a little haywire with the games. Again, they have two menu locations for the games, and in both spots, they’re separated into different categories. We’ll do our best to walk you through what they have to offer. Regarding quality, all of the games look to be of good quality with nothing glaringly bad sticking out. Their table style games did seem to be of higher quality than most other sites we’ve looked at where they always seem to gloss over them and skimp on quality. This is definitely a positive if you like playing table style casino games.
Live Dealers
This is the first casino-style game tab in the first menu from the home page. On the homepage, they are all listed together, but if you access it through the dedicated page from the very top menu, they’re separated by the provider.
Roulette
This tab was only available on the homepage menu and not on the dedicated games page. It’s important to point out that the quality of the games here looks to be a lot higher than what we’ve seen from other sites in the past including some of the industry giants.
Poker
The poker section was available on both menus except if you tried to access the game list from the dedicated page from the very top menu, you can’t see any of the games without logging in. If you use the secondary menu on the homepage a little further down, you can see all the games listed without logging in. You aren’t able to play any of them, but the options are there to at least see them and be able to judge quality as well based on the posted graphics. We were again impressed with the quality of these games especially graphically speaking.
Blackjack
As we mentioned earlier, FortuneJack has a lot of different game variations where other sites only have a few of the more mainstream versions. This is especially true in the blackjack section where they have a ton of different options of high-quality games to play. Blackjack games can be seen from the secondary menu, but there is no tab on the main menu at the top of the page that directs to dedicated pages. If you can’t tell already, we are a bit annoyed by the multiple menus with some stuff being on both and some only being on one or the other.
Provably Fair
This may be a new term to you as it was to us as well. Provably fair is a new way that casinos are actually letting you take part in the randomization and shuffling of cards. They allow you to provide some “instructions” to reshuffle the cards after they have. Basically, the casino shuffler uses random numbers to generate a random shuffle, but sometimes people worry these random numbers aren’t that random. What provably fair allows you to do is supply your own random number either manually or automatically generated by your computer. This random number is used in the shuffling algorithm. This ensures that you are getting a completely random shuffle and it’s impossible for the casino to be cheating you. In a brick and mortar casino setting, this would be equivalent to letting you cut the cards after the dealer has shuffled. This is an insanely simplified definition of what it is, but it should get the gist of it across. It’s basically designed for the completely untrusting who don’t trust online casinos or the third party auditors that keep them in line. Personally, we just trust the safety measures and third-party auditing, but for the skeptical ones of the bunch, this may be perfect for you. As we’ve been talking about, there is a menu across the top that sends you to dedicated pages for some sections and then a menu further down the homepage that showcases everything on the homepage. Everything above we were doing from the homepage menu because it was much more user-friendly and showed us a lot more without the need to create an account. Just for completeness, here are the different sections included under the Games tab from the top level menu that sends you to dedicated pages. If any of that confused you at all, you can understand our mild frustration with the layout. It’s also worth noting that there is a Dice tab at the top menu that doesn’t take you anywhere. Maybe they are in the works of building that out or just forgot to link it somewhere. >>Click Here For Exclusive Bonus<<
Banking Options
All banking on FortuneJack is done through Bitcoin. While some Bitcoin sites will offer other options, FortuneJack is keeping it simple with Bitcoin only. We weren’t able to locate any limits or restrictions but would assume there probably aren’t any due to the nature of Bitcoin. We did make sure to read through the Terms and Conditions section of the site and found nothing about limits or fees or anything like that there. We’d assume everything is a go with them, but you may want to check with support first just to be more informed. FortuneJack will accept any Bitcoin wallet, but they have a special partnership and recommend using BitGo. Honestly, you don’t have to use this one specifically, and it’s completely up to you which wallet you use. We recommended several in the intro section of this review for you to check out.
Bonus Promotions
Welcome Bonus
FortuneJack offers a 130% welcome bonus on first-time deposits with a maximum bonus of 0.5 Bitcoins (BTC). They also had a secondary welcome bonus available that looked to only be good for larger deposits. It was 130% as well for deposits with a minimum of 0.777 BTC and a maximum bonus of 1.0 BTC.
Monthly Deposit Bonus
FortuneJack has a monthly deposit bonus of 100% up to 1 Bitcoin
Additional Bonuses
They talk about a few other bonus offerings but without a lot of details. They mention that they give away free spins but don’t really talk about how those are dispersed or how you earn them. They also mention having a loyalty program, but we couldn’t find anything about it with details. We’d highly recommend contacting support when you start playing here to make sure that they are giving you every bonus possible and that you’re taking full advantage of everything they have.
Jack’s Race
The site also has weekly leaderboard races for players to compete to win their share of 5 Bitcoins per week. Players will receive points for playing games and the more they play, the more points they will earn. The top 50 players each week will win their share of 5 Bitcoins with the top prize being 1 full Bitcoin. >>Click Here For Exclusive Bonus<<
Customer Service
Customer service options at FortuneJack were ok with a slight lean towards subpar. They have a contact us form and an email list for you to reach out which is great, though, they don’t list a time frame that you should expect a response. There are no live chat options, social media, or phone numbers for you to use to get in touch with them. Maybe they have the greatest contact form and email support under the sun, but they sure aren’t advertising that if it’s the case.
Conclusion
Overall, FortuneJack is a middle of the road casino for us. The magnitude of the slot offerings and the ease of Bitcoin are huge perks as well as the quality of their casino-style games. The layout was a little annoying but not anything to make us not want to play there. We would like to see some more explanations of their VIP programs and also some more customer service options or at least guarantees of response times listed. Banking is pretty straightforward with Bitcoin being the only option. This can be viewed as a positive or negative depending on your willingness to use Bitcoin. It does look to be a new currency that is starting to get firmly rooted with mainstream companies all over the world which is a big positive. FortuneJack does list everything in terms of Bitcoins, so you will need to have a very basic understanding of them to use the site. The guide we posted at the beginning of this review should be plenty of knowledge for you. The bottom line is it’s a cool option for Bitcoin and a definite win for players that like a lot of slot options and quality casino-style games. For everyone else, it’s a middle of the road casino that will come down to personal preference whether you want to play there or not. >>Click Here For Exclusive Bonus<<
What A Day: Crash in Toomey by Sarah Lazarus & Crooked Media (12/18/20)
"Lindsey’s been a personal disappointment." - Joe Biden, in the words of so many before him What a year! We'll be on hiatus until Monday, January 4. Safe and happy holidays, and see you around the inbox in 2021.
Night Of The Living Fed
Say what you will about Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, but it takes a special kind of work ethic to spend the weekend before Christmas holding up coronavirus relief for nefarious political reasons, while taking just one quick break to get a vaccine in short supply. Sorry, not work ethic—what’s the phrase?—moral bankruptcy.
A final relief agreement remains elusive after Senate Republicans, led by Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA), decided to hold billions of dollars hostage to a late-announced demand that would cut off Federal Reserve lending programs created by the CARES Act. That’s for no purpose other than to hamstring the Biden administration, and it’s a big ol’ non-starter. As incoming NEC Director Brian Deese said in a statement: “Congress’s good faith effort to deliver immediate relief should not be delayed by provisions that could put our future financial stability at risk.”
And yet, here we are! Lawmakers have until midnight on Friday to approve an extension of federal funding (and the attached stimulus package), which does not appear likely. Thanks to Toomey’s last-minute, godawful proposal, the House has passed another stopgap spending bill and the Senate is expected to do so shortly, in order to avoid a government shutdown while negotiations continue into the weekend. Republicans: Burning the Midnight Oil to Deny You Aid Unless It Screws Over Joe Biden Somehow™.
It bears repeating that the deal Republicans are obstructing is one they’ve already hacked into an insulting sliver of what it could and should be. Where Democrats have demanded $1,200 direct payments, the restoration of $600 weekly unemployment insurance, retroactive benefits, and funding for state and local governments, Republicans have winnowed that down to $600 checks (“it’s nine months of rent, Michael, what could it cost? $10?”), $300 unemployment benefits that will end earlier as a “compromise” for those checks, and a wet raspberry to be blown in the direction of the millions of people who could lose their jobs when state and local governments have to find additional budget cuts.
In their mad scramble back to Austerity Mode, Republicans have held off calls for larger direct payments from (checks notes) Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) and (squints at notes, dons bifocals) President Donald Trump.
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) shot down Hawley’s bill to provide $1,200 direct payments, citing the national deficit, which he remembered this morning upon waking from a peaceful four-year slumber in a distant forest. Sending hungry families $1,200 checks would be “mortgaging our children's future,” said Johnson, who voted for a $741 billion defense budget last week. The Washington Post reported that White House aides stepped in on Thursday to stop Trump from calling for $2,000 checks, out of fear it would blow up negotiations. We’re sick of saying this all the time, but out of respect for the presidency, it seems like we should listen to what Mr. Trump has to say.
While Republicans waste time on attempted sabotage, millions of people are in for the bleakest Christmas since Melania was at the top of her decorating game. The Labor Department reported on Thursday that new unemployment claims rose to 885,000, up 23,000 from the previous week and the highest weekly total since September. Nearly 13 million Americans are behind on their rent or mortgage, according to the latest Census survey, and just under 27.4 million adults reported suffering from food scarcity. If Ron Johnson’s so concerned about our children’s future, wait ‘til he hears about their present.
The embarrassing stimulus package that Senate Republicans will eventually, begrudgingly agree to is only on the table because they worry they’ll lose both Georgia Senate runoffs next month if they don’t pass something. Imagine what relief efforts will look like if Mitch McConnell is still in power in the new year without his majority at stake, then grab a shift to help Georgia voters send him packing.
Look No Further Than The Crooked Media
Unholier Than Thou just released a very special episode with Crooked Media alum Brittany Packnett Cunningham. Phill and Brittany discuss the idea of Jesus Christ in the modern context as a social justice warrior. With Christmas fast approaching, the discussion around the identity (as a brown man, inmate, undocumented immigrant, etc.) of the holiday’s namesake is more relevant than ever. Take a listen, and make sure to subscribe to Unholier Than Thouwherever you get your podcasts →
Under The Radar
Here, we got you a little Christmas grift: Jared Kusher helped create a shell company that funneled millions of dollars in campaign funding to Trump family members. American Made Media Consultants Corporation, whose creation Kushner approved, has spent approximately half of the Trump campaign’s $1.26 billion in total funds since 2019. The company allowed the Trump campaign to shield details of its spending, and while earlier reporting pinned the whole scheme on former Trump Campaign Manager Brad Parscale, we now know that the family was directly involved: Lara Trump was AMMC’s president, Vice President Mike Pence’s nephew was (fittingly) veep, and Trump campaign CFO Sean Dollman was treasurer and secretary. Nothing a last-minute blanket pardon won’t clear up!
The extensive Russian hack of federal networks that the president has yet to acknowledge keeps getting more alarming. At least six government departments were breached in an operation that went undetected for eight months. DHS’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency warned that malware-infused software updates from SolarWinds may not have been hackers’ only access point to government networks, and restoring security to those networks may take months. It’s still unclear how many total agencies were affected or what data may have been stolen. Anyway, remember three decades ago, in 2018, when the Trump administration eliminated the cybersecurity coordinator role on the NSC, and then spent 2019 bullying a whole bunch of cybersecurity experts out of the government? Seems like that might be worth a second look.
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Is That Hope I Feel?
The FDA has authorized Moderna's coronavirus vaccine. Nearly 76,000 new voters, a majority of them under the age of 35, have registered in Georgia since the November election. A federal judge has rejected a lawsuit from Sens. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) and David Purdue (R-GA) aiming to get those new voters’ ballots thrown out. More than 1.1 million people in four countries have received their first coronavirus vaccine shots, according to a Bloomberg vaccine tracker that’s deeply soothing to stare at. Look at you. Thank you. Keep it going.
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