June 2021: Pandemic Month 16

Globally

Number of new cases of COVID-19 worldwide
from January to June, 2021, by day

Globally, in the past week, the number of new COVID-19 cases remained similar to the previous week, and the number of new deaths continued to decrease, with over 2.6 million new cases and 57 000 new deaths reported globally. This is the lowest weekly mortality figure since those recorded in early November 2020. Nevertheless, COVID-19 incidence remains very high, with an average of over 370 000 cases reported each day over the past week. The cumulative number of cases reported globally now exceeds now 180 million and the number of global deaths is almost 4 million.

All Regions, with the exception of the African Region, reported a decline in the number of new deaths in the past week.

United States

The United States is still the country with the highest number of confirmed cases and deaths. This is entirely due to the moronic #Trumpsters' refusing to get vaccinated and subsequently dying…but not before infecting others. An updated issue brief examines COVID-19's effect on mortality rates, and finds that as of June 2021, COVID-19 has fallen to number seven on the list of the top ten leading causes of death in the U.S. As recently as January 2021, COVID was the number one leading cause of death, with an average of 3,136 people dying daily. Amid widespread availability of vaccines, that number has fallen to an average of 300 daily deaths in June 2021—and virtually all of those are nonvaccinated. As of June 30, 2021, about 66% of adults in the U.S. have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose.

Hawaii

I spent the month in Arizona, where no one wears masks and new cases are soaring. Here in Hawaii, cases are few but everyone is still required to wear masks indoors or in crowds, wxcept when eating. Our statewide vaccination rate is near 60%, and only vaccinated people are allowed in the state without quarantine.

My Grandson, The Ninja

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 6/2/2021		Page Views: 626
Topics: #Coronavirus #Arizona #Dominic
Visiting my littlest grandkids.

I arrived in Arizona 3 days ago and I'm just starting to get over the jetlag. So I'm still mostly hanging around my daughter's house, which of course means being able to watch my grandkids. I especially love how close they are. Sure, they fight—and little Dominic can definitely hold his own against his older sister—but most of the time they are adorably close they are to each other.

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Cats That Aren't Mine

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 6/3/2021		Page Views: 657
Topics: #Coronavirus #Arizona #Cats
Visiting my grandkids' pets.

I'm staying with my daughter, Jenny, during my Arizona visit. And she has three cats. Two of which she had years ago when she and Zachary (my oldest grandchild) still lived with me; and one who is newer.

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My Pedicure

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 6/7/2021		Page Views: 654
Topics: #Coronavirus #Arizona #Pedicure #Dominic #Gianna
YOU get a pedicure. And YOU get a pedicure. EVERYONE gets a pedicure!.

Ever since last October, I've been having a problem walking. Specifically, my Achilles tendons—in both legs—have been getting and staying inflamed for some unknown reason. What's more, last February, I tore or ruptured my left Achilles tendon completely, which shifted the location of the tendon in my calf muscle. As it happens, I also tore my bicep tendon some years back, and it felt exactly the same. If it is the same, I shouild regain the use of my foot in a few more months (and it has been improving, slowly.) But my other ankle is getting worse. Plus, I have thick calluses from spending so much time in the past 16 months outside barefoot.

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More Pool Time

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 6/13/2021		Page Views: 699
Topics: #Coronavirus #Arizona #Pool #Dominic #Gianna
My official position as grandpa is watching kids in the pool.

This really is a nice neighborhood for kids. My littlest grandkids, Gianna and Dominic, have friends who live within a few doors of their house. And the neighborhood is somewhat secluded, so it's a pretty safe place for them to be. Of course, swimming pools are a potential danger. But the neighbors know that the kids are not permitted in the pool area without an adult present. And today, that adult was me.

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Ionic Footbaths

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 6/15/2021		Page Views: 681
Topics: #Coronavirus #Arizona #Health #IonicFootBath
Some feet just have to be celebrated.

Michael, my (only surviving) ex, has always been all about health and nutrition, with a special emphasis on alternative modes of healing. So, a couple of years ago, he purchased an ionic foot bath kit. This device is claimed to draw toxins from the body through the soles of the feet, using a mild electric current and slightly salted water. I've been doing one every day for about a week now.

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Portraits of Young People

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 6/16/2021		Page Views: 653
Topics: #Coronavirus #Arizona #Dominic #Gianna
Some faces just have to be celebrated.

To say my grandkids, 4-year-old Dominic and 6-year-old Gianna, are tech-savvy would be understaing the case. So, when Gianna showed up at my bedroom door to tell me she'de lost her tooth, I took a photo and then decided to "artify"it.

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Full Moon

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 6/23/2021		Page Views: 653
Topics: #Coronavirus #Arizona #Moon
Somewhere, out there, beaneath the pale moonlight…

As I've previously remarked, my daughter, Jenny's, back yard is peaceful and calm, a lovely place to sit and toke or think or both. And tonight is just a few hours shy of the official Full Moon, so here are a couple of shots I got tonight.

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My Friends, The Cats

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 6/24/2021		Page Views: 659
Topics: #Coronavirus #Arizona #Cats
It's always nice to know one isn't alone.

Most days I've been here I've been more or less alone, as other family members work or are at school or gymnastics or whatever. However, I do have company, in the persons of three cats who live here. Two of them used to live with me so we aren't complete strangers. Let's meet them.

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Rendering Found!

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 6/25/2021		Page Views: 648
Topics: #Coronavirus #Arizona #Computer #Music
I located a long-lost friend I thought had died: My old computer.

I've always said I have a memory like a steel sieve. But I was so certain that I had packed my primary desktop computer, named Rendering (because I used it for rendering videos and other CPU-intensive purposes; when I built it, it was a pretty hot box), in a carton I cleverly labeled, "Rendering", with instructions that it was to be shipped to Maui in the first batch of boxes. But it never arrived.

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Safe In Hawaii

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 6/29/2021		Page Views: 846
Topics: #Coronavirus #Arizona #Maui
It's been a wonderful month's visit, but it's time to go home.

All good things must come to an end, and that also applies to vacations, I've been visiting some of my kids in Arizona for the past month, but I miss my husband, our dogs, and our home. I also miss clean air and moderate temperatures. So, it's time. And today is the day.

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