Coronavirus, week 31: How badly will we be screwed?

There's enough material this week for a separate post, but nothing long or major. Just some updates on how bad the U.S. is likely to be hit for the rest of this calendar year.

That starts with Anthony Fauci noting, and drug and vaccine maker Pfizer essentially conceding, there will be NO VACCINE THIS YEAR. Period. Get that in your heads, TrumpTrain, Lincoln Project, The Resistance, Greens, Communist, apolitical or other. Related? There will be NO widespread availability until May or later, when the winter/spring COVID surge on top of flu surge is (presumably) over.

SocraticGadfly provided some updates on coronavirus-related boycotts and semi-boycotts of stores, in light of lack of local, semi-rural/exurban store mask enforcement of corporate rules, corporate PR or PR by silence, and related issues.

DosCentavos posts Dr. Varon's answer as to why COVID numbers are increasing: Stupidity.

Per the above, Anthony Fauci is warning about "a whole lot of pain," and saying that unlike eight months ago, it will be rural areas, already 'bleeding out," if one will, that will face the most trouble. That's especially true for colder-weather rural areas. Hard to travel to a hospital 30-50 miles away in snow and ice if your county has no medical center.

And, rural America? It's harder to have "mask fatigue" when mask resistance and non-compliance has been higher there all along. Stop worrying and per Dr. Stranglove, Learn to Love the Mask. The alleged fatigue issue? You're being snowflakes. Let's also not forget that rural areas are, on average, older and sicker — prime candidates for COVID deaths.

Not totally rural, contra the LA Times, but Lubbock is challenging the Dakotas for worst inspection spot, and Tech is the worst university here in Tex-ass. It's made worse by the university not policing frat and other parties.

Half a million dead, says Dr. Jonathan Reiner. 300,000 by the end of this year would be no surprise in my book. Half a million by the end of February? Possible.

We all know that winter means more isolation inside with family. Household spread of coronavirus is both common and quick. Kids, do NOT listen to Trump and try to apply interior heat and light to siblings.

Regeneron has stopped a trial on sick patients over safety concerns. Paging Donald Trump ...

Globally? French President Macron expects his nation's fall wave to be worse than the spring.