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Greetings!

Before the numbers and the news, let us tell you when the next issues will arrive and ask you to briefly join the curating staff. Rebecca makes with her Canadian husband and two daughters a first time in two years visit to the Toronto grandparents (fingers crossed as to test results). Jerry returns to road warrior with a red eye east and a rapid site visit with meet and greet on a hospital project. That is all to say that there will be a joint Christmas and New Year's issue, someday between the two Holidays. If you have the time and want to particiapte, please write a note to us at jerry@thepcos.com  or rebecca@thepcos.com and tell us what your favorite article and/or pod was. We will also take your favorite book and what music got you through a better yet still troubling year.
One more item, before the data:
We wish you a joyous, safe, and healthy holiday. 
Best Wishes for 2022.  
–the Revitalize crew and our partner firms
As the penultimate 2021 issue, we preface our numbers with a solemn note that tragically we have over 120,000 new cases a day, over 1,200 deaths and the death toll will hit 800,000 in the next few days. Post the vaccine, many of these deaths and hospitalizations could for the most part been avoided if those patients had been vacinated.

Now to the data: On Dec. 15, 2021 in the U.S., the seven-day daily average number of new cases is 121,687 , which is an increase of 46 percent, with a total of 50,201,298 cases. The seven-day daily average number of new hospitalizations was 67,274; the 14-day change in hospitalization was an increase of 22 percent. On Dec. 15 in the U.S. the seven-day daily average number of new deaths was 1,285, the 14-day change in new deaths was an increase of 40 percent, and the U.S. death total has reached 798,945. Seventy two percent of the U.S. population over the age of 12 is fully vaccinated, 83 percent have had one jab, 95 percent of the population who are over 65 have had at least one jab. 
 
The New York Times “State of the virus” updated for Dec. 14:
  • The country is averaging about 120,000 cases a day as Midwestern and Northeastern states struggle to contain surges.
  • About 800,000 coronavirus deaths have been reported nationwide since the start of the pandemic. Americans 65 and older account for about three-quarters of those deaths.
  • New Hampshire and Rhode Island lead the country in recent cases per capita. Infection rates continue to increase rapidly in both those states.
  • Hospitals in the Midwest are straining to treat an influx of coronavirus patients. Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio have the highest coronavirus hospitalization rates in the nation.
  • The Delta variant remains the dominant force in the United States. It is not yet known how the Omicron variant, which is gaining a foothold in Washington State and other parts of the country, might affect those trends in the coming weeks.
  • About 61 percent of Americans are fully vaccinated. Around two million doses are being administered each day, a figure that includes booster shots.
 
This week's issue offers The New York Times' summary comparative data from Dec. 15, 2021 for Canada, U.K., France, Italy, Spain, and Germany. Please go to The New York Times' International Covid Maps page for country data. 

  • An average of 4,366 cases per day were reported in Canada in the last week. Cases have increased by 51 percent from the average two weeks ago. Deaths have increased by 8 percent.
  • An average of 53,172 cases per day were reported in United Kingdom in the last week. Cases have increased by 26 percent from the average two weeks ago. Deaths have decreased by 4 percent.
  • An average of 49,528 cases per day were reported in France in the last week. Cases have increased by 54 percent from the average two weeks ago. Deaths have increased by 84 percent.
  • An average of 17,795 cases per day were reported in Italy in the last week. Cases have increased by 44 percent from the average two weeks ago. Deaths have increased by 33 percent.
  • An average of 19,908 cases per day were reported in Spain in the last week. Cases have increased by 129 percent from the average two weeks ago. Deaths have increased by 64 percent.
  • An average of 45,903 cases per day were reported in Germany in the last week. Cases have decreased by 21 percent from the average two weeks ago. Deaths have increased by 30 percent.
 
Our quartet of articles on “where we are and where we are going” starts with The New York Times' "From mandates to masks, how some big companies are adjusting to Omicron." We then link you to the Boston Globe for a great summary article "A never ending battle? A rocky journey as US enters third year fighting Covid." The Globe reports: “Many remain unvaccinated, rapid tests are hard to find, and a new report says the country is unprepared for future emergencies.” The third in our quartet of articles on where we are is from NPR, please listen to or read: "Pro-Trump counties now have far higher Covid death rates. Misinformation is to blame." The final article in the quartet is from The Atlantic: "We know a lot more about Omicron now – Here's how to think about all the emerging data."

Oh those kids, but not to include our are covered in The Atlantic in "Gen Z is done with the Pandemic." Reporter Christian Paz tells us that “Though the specter of a new variant hangs over the holidays, young people have no plans to lock themselves down again.”

Shifting to good news is the article from Reuters: "Pfizer Says Covid-19 pill near 90 percent effective in final analysis."

A bit of interactive science and medicine is available in a must go to link to The New York Times’ "The Coronavirus in a tiny drop."
Our Sociologist who hangs with the business reporters on our team brought us and we hope you hit the link to The Atlantic’s Ed Zitron’s "Why managers fear a remote-work future."

Andy Slavitt provides us with a most timely and brilliant explainer podcast in the must listen recent episode of In the Bubble : Preparing for the Omicron Wave (with Trevor Bedford). The podcast teaser tells us “he [Andy] explores the cutting-edge science of this new variant with computational biologist and MacArthur "Genius Grant" winner Trevor Bedford. Andy and Trevor cover Omicron's possible origins, the latest on how our current vaccines are holding up to it, and when he expects an Omicron wave to hit the United States. We're learning more about Omicron every single day, and no one's better at explaining what we know and what it means than Trevor.” This is a must listen!

As we pack and wrap presents, from Culver City and many places across the country and world this is Revitalize for Dec. 16, 2021. Happy Holidays!
Revitalize: The week in health-care news you need
From mandates to masks, how some big companies are adjusting to Omicron.

A never ending battle? A rocky journey as US enters third year fighting Covid. Many remain unvaccinated, rapid tests are hard to find, and a new report says the country is unprepared for future emergencies.
 
Pro-Trump counties now have far higher Covid death rates. Misinformation is to blame.

We know a lot more about Omicron now. Here's how to think about all the emerging data.

Gen Z Is Done With the Pandemic
Though the specter of a new variant hangs over the holidays, young people have no plans to lock themselves down again.
Pfizer says Covid-19 pill near 90 percent effective in final analysis. An average of 17,795 cases per day were reported in Italy in the last week. Cases have increased by 44 percent from the average two weeks ago. Deaths have increased by 33 percent.
 
The Coronavirus in a tiny drop.
 
Why managers fear a remote-work future. Like it or not, the way we work has already evolved.

Andy begins with his guide to navigating the holidays now that Omicron is in our lives. Then he explores the cutting-edge science of this new variant with computational biologist and MacArthur "Genius Grant" winner Trevor Bedford. They cover Omicron's possible origins, the latest on how our current vaccines are holding up to it, and when he expects an Omicron wave to hit the United States.
Jerry Seelig, CEO
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