Monthly Archives: July 2021

Playing On Top Japanese Online Casino Games and Blackjack – CL Charlotte

Posted: July 16, 2021 at 1:05 pm

-All Dates- Today Tomorrow This Weekend This Week -------------------- Friday, July 16 Saturday, July 17 Sunday, July 18 Monday, July 19 Tuesday, July 20 Wednesday, July 21 Thursday, July 22 Friday, July 23 Saturday, July 24 Sunday, July 25 Monday, July 26 Tuesday, July 27 Wednesday, July 28 Thursday, July 29 Friday, July 30 Saturday, July 31 Sunday, August 1 Monday, August 2 Tuesday, August 3 Wednesday, August 4 Thursday, August 5 Friday, August 6 Saturday, August 7 Sunday, August 8 Monday, August 9 Tuesday, August 10 Wednesday, August 11 Thursday, August 12 Friday, August 13 Saturday, August 14 Sunday, August 15 -All Event Categories- ARTS AGENDA Classical Music Comedy Film Museums Readings & Signings Spoken Word Theater/Dance/Performance Art Visual Arts COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS Benefits & Fundraisers Clubs & Organizations Family Festivals/Events Gay & Lesbian Health & Fitness Holiday Lectures, Classes & Seminars Nightlife Sex & Love Singles Sports & Recreation Support Groups Volunteers/Public Life FOOD & DRINK Culinary Wine/Cocktails MUSIC EVENTS Blues/Roots/International Classical/Jazz/Smooth Country/Folk DJ/Electronic General Hip-Hop/Soul/R&B Pop/Rock

-All Dates- Today Tomorrow This Weekend This Week -------------------- Friday, July 16 Saturday, July 17 Sunday, July 18 Monday, July 19 Tuesday, July 20 Wednesday, July 21 Thursday, July 22 Friday, July 23 Saturday, July 24 Sunday, July 25 Monday, July 26 Tuesday, July 27 Wednesday, July 28 Thursday, July 29 Friday, July 30 Saturday, July 31 Sunday, August 1 Monday, August 2 Tuesday, August 3 Wednesday, August 4 Thursday, August 5 Friday, August 6 Saturday, August 7 Sunday, August 8 Monday, August 9 Tuesday, August 10 Wednesday, August 11 Thursday, August 12 Friday, August 13 Saturday, August 14 Sunday, August 15 -All Neighborhoods- NORTH CHARLOTTE Concord/Kannapolis Cornelius Dilworth Huntersville NoDa North End Northlake University Davidson Mooresville SOUTH CHARLOTTE Ballantyne Madison Park/Montford Matthews SouthPark Myers Park South End Pineville/Hwy 51 Steele Creek South Charlotte Cotswold CENTRAL CHARLOTTE General Charlotte Area Midtown Uptown EAST SIDE East Charlotte Elizabeth Plaza Midwood WEST CHARLOTTE Beatties Ford Road Corridor FreeMore West Gastonia Westside SOUTH CAROLINA Fort Mill Rock Hill OUTSIDE CHARLOTTE Outside Charlotte

See the original post here:

Playing On Top Japanese Online Casino Games and Blackjack - CL Charlotte

Posted in Blackjack | Comments Off on Playing On Top Japanese Online Casino Games and Blackjack – CL Charlotte

Travel: Get two islands for the price of one when visiting Sint Maarten/Saint Martin – Florida Today

Posted: at 1:05 pm

Luxury and nature await on St. Maarten

Maria Sonnenberg| For FLORIDA TODAY

Support local journalism: Find offers for new subscribers at floridatoday.com/subscribe.

It is hard to resist the charms of Sint Maarten/Saint Martin, a little gem of an island that welcomes visitors with hotels that will knock your socks off, if not your swimsuit.

Where else can you visit two distinct but equally beguiling countries in the span of an hour? The smallest land mass with two countries, St. Maarten offers a delightful mlange of cultures and cuisine.

Now is a perfect time to visit, before the cruise ships ramp back up and the crowds descend on picture-postcard Philipsburg and Marigot, the town centers on the Dutch and French sides respectively.

Lush mountains, 37 idyllic beaches, European culture, Caribbean flair, duty-free shopping and epicurean experiences how can you not love the "Friendly Island"?

Four years ago, Hurricane Irma damaged 90 percent of the islands buildings, leveling a third of them, but resilient St. Maarten emerged phoenix-like with even posher accommodations for its guests. A case in point is the luxurious and unique Morgan Resort & Spa. It's located within walking distance of the islands legendary Maho Beach, where part of the experience is watching the jets from around the world glide onto the runaway at Princess Juliana Airport at heights so low it seems you can touch these metal birds.

The Morgan, unveiled just this past June, shimmers in white and blue, a resort seemingly transported from the shores of Santorini. The luxury boutique hotel with 124 ultra-contemporary guestrooms and suites encircles what at first looks like the ultimate beach, complete with swaying palms, gently undulating shoreline and crystal aquamarine waters.

Wait, its not a beach at all, but rather a double-infinity pool overlooking the Caribbean Sea. It mimics all the good of the real thing, minus the sand and the sharks.

With a swim-up bar with blackjack table and a waterfall, slide and grotto cave, it is tempting not to venture beyond, particularly since overlooking the pool is a set of stylishly appointed cabanas with killer views of activity at Maho Beach, plus the intimate Salt Restaurant, helmed by executive chef David Seeman and Top Chef competitor Ron Duprat, expert on Afro-Caribbean cuisine.

Enjoy bold flavors such as the Caribbean paella for dinner and the Caribbean Benedict with lobster for breakfast. Rum flights featuring locally crafted rums complement the dining experience.

Should you decide to venture out of the Morgan enclave, a casino awaits a few steps away from the resort's gated entrance. Mullet Bay, rich with snorkeling possibilities, is a 20-minute walk, mostly along the shore.

A stay on the island should include a tour of island highlights. Swing by charming Oyster Pond with a picturesque marina on the French side of the island. Feed foliage to the resident iguanas. Follow Coralita Road along the coast to the lookout where St. Barth and Tintamarre Islands loom nearby.

Naturists will definitely stop at clothing-optional Orient Beach, a must-do destination for world-trotting nudists.

On the way to Marigot, swing by little Grand Case, small in size but huge in flavor as the Culinary Capital of the Caribbean. In Marigot, known for its seaside open-air market, French cafes beckon with croissants and caf au lait.

Loop back to Philipsburg, where along Front Street you will find pastel-colored buildings, a quirky courthouse and an abundance of jewelry stores, souvenir shops and luxury brand clothing stores.

More: Travel: As cruise ships resume sailing, here's what it's like aboard Windstar's Star Breeze

More: Travel: Want an alpine getaway without leaving the U.S.? Try Chelan, Washington

The Boardwalk, usually a beehive of tourists, is still empty as it awaits the return of the cruise ships. The wide promenade by the sea offers a crescent beach, views of yachts, a plethora of shops and restaurants, plus bars such as the eclectic Blue Bitch, known as the place to cool down while youre in heat.

More adventure awaits the next day. Sailing catamarans such as Spellbound take visitors to Divi Bay, where tropical fish dart around a sunken sub, helicopter and cannon. Ginger, the canine first mate of Spellbound and a pooch known to climb a rope ladder, will welcome you aboard.

Rhino Safari Excursions go for the adrenaline with self-piloted two-person Rhino Rider watercraft. The guided tour offers views of multi-million-dollar villas and mega yachts as it wends its way to Marigot before heading to secluded beaches and Grand Case.

At Creole Rock on the French side, visitors can snorkel amidst the wild reef.

For a mountain experience, Rockland Estate offer the Souliga Sky Explorer, a chair lift that leisurely ascends 2,997 feet to the top of St. Maartens highest peak at 1,125 feet. Here you can witness spectacular 360-degree views of Saba, St. Barth, St. Eustatius, Anguilla, and, of course, St. Maarten.

Return via the Sky Explorer or go for the rush of the Flying Dutchman, the worlds steepest and fastest zip line.

2020 was an extremely challenging year for all the Caribbean islands, but the sun is shining again in St. Maarten as tourists are lured by the water and the food and new hotels like The Morgan.

We welcome guests as they enjoy a vacation like no other, said Stewart Weiner, COO of Morgan.

St-maarten.com

Themorganresort.com

Rainforestadventure.com

Rhinotours.com

Stmaartencharters.com

Sonnenberg is a Melbourne-based travel and lifestyles writer.

Support local journalism: Find offers for new subscribers at floridatoday.com/subscribe.

See more here:

Travel: Get two islands for the price of one when visiting Sint Maarten/Saint Martin - Florida Today

Posted in Blackjack | Comments Off on Travel: Get two islands for the price of one when visiting Sint Maarten/Saint Martin – Florida Today

Handgun Sales to Young People Are Protected by Second Amendment, Court Rules – The Wall Street Journal

Posted: at 1:04 pm

A divided federal appeals court on Tuesday held that the federal government may not bar federally licensed gun dealers from selling handguns to law-abiding citizens under 21 years old, potentially setting up the issue for the U.S. Supreme Court to decide.

The 2-1 decision by the Richmond, Va-.based Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals marked the first time that such a high-level court so explicitly extended the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms to younger adults. The disagreement foreshadows a potential Supreme Court review.

Despite the weighty interest in reducing crime and violence, we refuse to relegate either the Second Amendment or 18- to 20-year-olds to a second-class status, wrote Circuit Judge Julius N. Richardson, who was appointed by former Republican President Donald Trump.

The plaintiffs were two adults under 21 from Albemarle County, Va., who were prevented from buying handguns from a licensed dealer, including a 19-year-old woman who wanted protection from an abusive ex-boyfriend.

In 2018, they filed suit challenging a federal law that limits federally licensed gun dealers from selling handguns and their ammunition to people under 21. Congress first enacted the restriction in the late 1960s, responding to a surge of violent crime committed by young people.

See the original post here:
Handgun Sales to Young People Are Protected by Second Amendment, Court Rules - The Wall Street Journal

Posted in Second Amendment | Comments Off on Handgun Sales to Young People Are Protected by Second Amendment, Court Rules – The Wall Street Journal

Attentive AI that boosts accuracy and consistency – Cambridge Network

Posted: at 1:04 pm

ThoughtRiver writes:

We all know that accuracy is essential for legal professionals. Assessing risk and determining what is and is not acceptable to the business requires precision. Misunderstanding or misinterpreting obligations can be disastrous to the reputation of both the business and the lawyer.

Accuracy also necessitates consistency. The whole purpose of a risk playbook is to allow the organisation to operate within strict parameters and thus retain as much control as possible over third-party obligations. If the playbook is not applied consistently to all contracts then it serves little purpose.

That is not to say that what the business deems as acceptable will not change over time. As the business evolves so will its assessment of risk; and as new suppliers and customers are brought in, its standard terms of operation may change to reflect new commercial agreements.

However, these changes will be part of a conscious evolution, carefully monitored and controlled by senior lawyers and management and not left to the whims of individuals.

Arguably the biggest risk when it comes to accuracy is the human factor. For example:

Two lawyers have different interpretations of the same wording, of the playbook, or even how to de-risk a particular issue.

The different form of legalese in a contract leads to lawyers having a different understanding of the actual terms being defined.

One lawyer is more junior than a colleague and has less experience in a particular subject matter.

The same lawyer interprets the same wording in different ways on different days. Perhaps they are overworked and pushed for time, or tired or stressed, meaning that something that would usually be spotted is missed on this occasion.

While the business sets a high bar for lawyers, we have to remember that they are only human and therefore subject to the same inconsistencies as the rest of us mere mortals.

Using artificial intelligence (AI) to automate part of the contracting process is one way to address and improve accuracy. AI is particularly useful when conducting an initial contract review, guiding human lawyers to the areas of a contract that need their involvement while ensuring that they do not need to waste time reading parts of the contract that pose no risk. Many users of ThoughtRiver for example describe the platform as a second pair of eyes.

This time-saving efficiency cannot be underestimated. Until recently, there has been no way for a lawyer to understand the risks contained within a contract without having to read the entire document. With AI entrusted with the first pass, this time-consuming task is removed or at least greatly reduced.

So how does the AI in ThoughtRivers contract acceleration platform ensure consistency and accuracy? Lets take a deeper dive.

Accuracy can be measured as a combination of precision and recall.

PrecisionPrecision is measured by asking: of all the risks the platform has identified and flagged as needing further investigation, how many of them are true (ie, pose actual risk in their current state)?

RecallRecall is measured by asking: of all the risks within the contract, how many has the platform identified? In other words, how many have been captured, and how many have been overlooked?

The crucial thing to consider when discussing the merits of AI is that it is not 100% infallible and we will never claim that it is. Anyone who does is selling snake oil. AI delivers predictions based on how it has been trained, and how it interprets the world around it. In many ways this is no different to the factors that human lawyers use when coming to their own conclusions about the best course of action to take.

In ThoughtRivers case, this acknowledgement of imperfection and the need for caution when reviewing a contract manifests through a deliberate design to err on the side of delivering false positives over false negatives.

A false positiveis when ThoughtRivers issue list a digital list detailing all issues that need to be resolved before the contract is acceptable advises a human lawyer that there may be a risk worthy of attention, but upon closer inspection the human lawyer decides that there is in fact no risk to the business so simply dismisses the issue from the list. It is similar to when predictive text guesses what you are typing and you simply ignore or dismiss the suggestion because it is wrong, but you do not turn the predictive text function off because it is correct more often than not and thus saves you significant time.

Conversely,a false negativeis when the lawyer is told erroneously that there are no risks to be found within the contract when, in fact, there are.

It is easy to see how false negatives are more worrisome. You cannot manage what you do not know, and you cannot mitigate risks that you do not know exist.

Just like you and your legal team, we train our AI to also err on the side of caution and to check, check, and check again. That is why when we tune our AI, we prefer the system to flag something for the reviewers attention when it is not sure, rather than not. Not only is this how your lawyers manage risk, but it is also how your business wants you to manage risk. It is always better to be safe than sorry.

And just like your lawyers, ThoughtRiver learns with experience. Our AI analyses each new contract and compares it against a digitised risk playbook as well as your existing signed contracts.

This means that while ThoughtRiver can see that wording within a contract is technically classed as risky according to the playbook, the platforms AI can see that it has regularly been approved by the companys lawyers. It will therefore still flag the wording as posing a potential risk, but also surface this information for the lawyer to make a quick and informed decision themselves. ThoughtRiver provides the right information at the right time, and delivers it with context.

So why use AI if it operates in the same way as human lawyers? Simply put, AI can undoubtedly work faster, with greater consistency and accuracy for longer than any human. When you couple this rapid first pass review to create a digital issues list with the advanced decision-making capabilities of a human lawyer you get a beautiful synergy, and accelerated contracting. The legal team can complete necessary but tedious contract reviews at speed, improving deal velocity and ensuring that contracting momentum is not lost.

The principles applied to the work it is undertaking is exactly the same as a human would apply, and it will complete that work in a fraction of the time.

This means that in-house lawyers have more time and freedom to focus efforts on higher-value tasks. Crucially, they always retain full control over risk management:

A bias towards false positives ensures human lawyers also have the final say.

The decisions taken by AI are determined by how it is trained, which means it will develop a bespoke understanding of risk according to your specific needs.

AI constantly learns with each new contract, so is influenced by how human lawyers manage risk.

This also means that first-pass contract reviews can be delegated to non-lawyers, such as colleagues in sales or procurement. Theoretically anyone can initiate the review, safe in the knowledge that AI trained to understand risk specific to your business will act as a reassuring safety net.

Read more:
Attentive AI that boosts accuracy and consistency - Cambridge Network

Posted in Conscious Evolution | Comments Off on Attentive AI that boosts accuracy and consistency – Cambridge Network

NRA-ILA Files Opening Brief in Second Amendment Case Before the Supreme Court – NRA ILA

Posted: at 1:04 pm

NRA-ILA filed the opening brief in the Supreme Court case challenging New Yorks restrictive concealed-carry-licensing regime. The case provides the Supreme Court with the opportunity to finally affirm what most statesand common sensetell us: the Second Amendment protects a fundamental, individual right to bear arms for self-defense outside of the home.

For too long, New York has rationed the right to keep and bear arms to a select, chosen few within favored classes. But the Second Amendment guarantees the right of the people to keep and bear arms, not the right of a privileged few.

Despite skyrocketing crime within the Empire State, New York shamefully presumes the peoples unworthiness to defend their own lives and liberty where danger most often exists: outside the home. Those who dare to exercise their Second Amendment rights without first obtaining New Yorks blessing are automatically deemed felons. No other component of the Bill of Rights is treated this wayyet. Thus, the importance of this case and NRA-ILAs opening brief.

As indicated in the brief, NRA-ILA wholeheartedly agrees with the Justices who find it extremely improbable that the Framers understood the Second Amendment to protect little more than carrying a gun from the bedroom to the kitchen. NRA-ILA extends its sincerest thanks to its counsel at Kirkland & Ellis and the Court for its decision to accept this important case.

The case is captioned New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen.

Please stay tuned towww.nraila.orgfor future updates on NRA-ILAs ongoing efforts to defend your constitutional rights.

Originally posted here:
NRA-ILA Files Opening Brief in Second Amendment Case Before the Supreme Court - NRA ILA

Posted in Second Amendment | Comments Off on NRA-ILA Files Opening Brief in Second Amendment Case Before the Supreme Court – NRA ILA

Evers vetoes ‘Second Amendment sanctuary’ bill and measure to delay redistricting local election maps – Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Posted: at 1:04 pm

MADISON - Gov. Tony Evers vetoed two bills Friday that would have allowed local governments to delay drawing new district lines and attempted to prevent federal gun laws from being enforced in Wisconsin.

Evers vetoed a bill that would have allowed city councils and county boards to delay drawing new district lines until after the spring 2022 election. Supporters of the measure pointed to delays in U.S. Census Bureau data that local governments use to draw new districts.

Democrats feared that the bill could set a precedent that would allow delays in redistricting for the state Legislature and Congress where the political stakes are higher.

In his veto message, Evers objected to the way Republicans sought to address the issue of delayed data. He said delays would result in "malapportioned maps" that wouldviolate the one person, one vote principle.

Evers also vetoed a constitutionally questionable measure that would have exempted Wisconsin gun owners from federal firearms laws and required gun manufacturers in the state to include a "Made in Wisconsin" stamp.

Similar measures have been found unconstitutional in other states because state laws cannot override federal ones.

Evers, who has supported strictergun laws, questioned the bill's legal standing and called for "constructive conversations" on gun safety.

Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal.

Originally posted here:
Evers vetoes 'Second Amendment sanctuary' bill and measure to delay redistricting local election maps - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Posted in Second Amendment | Comments Off on Evers vetoes ‘Second Amendment sanctuary’ bill and measure to delay redistricting local election maps – Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Unequal Justice: Don’t Count on the Supreme Court to Curb Gun Violence – Progressive.org

Posted: at 1:04 pm

The United States is locked and loaded. This nation has more guns than people and, not surprisingly, an appalling level of gun violence.

The gun homicide rate in the United States is nearly eight times higher than the rate in Canada, and a whopping 100 times higher than in Britain. This year is shaping up to be particularly horrific. As of July 10, the United States had recorded more than 23,200 deaths from firearms, counting both suicides and unlawful killings, according to the Washington, D.C.-based Gun Violence Archive. We also have had more than 340 mass shootings (defined as an event involving four or more victims).

Its worth remembering, as we prepare for the onslaught, that the Supreme Court wasnt always a friendly venue for the NRA and the gun-rights lobby.

In any sane democracy, one might expect the highest court in the land to step in and do something to uphold sensible gun-control regulations when given the opportunity. But in fact, our Supreme Court is poised to do just the opposite in a case it will hear next fall.

The case is New York State Pistol Association v. Corlett. It was brought by two individuals and the state affiliate of the National Rifle Association to overturn a New York law that places strict limits on the issuance of concealed weapons permits.

Under New Yorks regulatory scheme, people seeking such permits are required to demonstrate a special need for protectionproper cause in the words of the statuteto qualify. The NRA contends the law violates the Second Amendment. It wants even more guns on our streets and in our communities.

After losing in the lower courts, the plaintiffs appealed to the Supreme Court, where they are considered likely to prevail. With the addition of three Trump appointeesNeil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrettconservatives now hold a solid 6-3 majority on our most powerful judicial body. No longer constrained by the need for caution and compromise, they are set to dramatically extend gun rights under the Second Amendment.

Should the New York statute be declared unconstitutional, similar measures in California, New Jersey, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and elsewhere could also fall, with dire and deadly consequences for public safety.

Its worth remembering, as we prepare for the onslaught, that the Supreme Court wasnt always a friendly venue for the NRA and the gun-rights lobby. To the contrary, prior to the courts landmark 2008 ruling in District of Columbia v. Heller, the great weight of academic scholarship as well as the courts 1939 decision inUnited States v. Miller had construed the Second Amendment, in keeping with theactual debates of the Constitutional Convention, as protecting gun ownership only in connection with service in long-since antiquated state militias.

Heller stood the prior consensus on its head, courtesy of the controversial 5-4 majority opinion in the case authored by the conservative fanatic Antonin Scalia. Scalias perspective emerged victorious, but not without an intense struggle inside the court. As Justice John Paul Stevens, joined by three of his colleagues, wrote in dissent:

The Second Amendment was adopted to protect the right of the people of each of the several States to maintain a well-regulated militia. It was a response to concerns raised during the ratification of the Constitution that the power of Congress to disarm the state militias and create a national standing army posed an intolerable threat to the sovereignty of the several States. Neither the text of the Amendment nor the arguments advanced by its proponents evidenced the slightest interest in limiting any legislatures authority to regulate private civilian uses of firearms.

In 2010, the court issued another 5-4 decision in McDonald v. Chicago, which extended Heller, holding that the individual right to bear arms is incorporated by the Fourteenth Amendments due process clause and is therefore applicable to the states and local governments. The Second Amendment, as interpreted by Scalia, thus became the law of the land. The amendment has since been elevated in rightwing circles to the status of holy writ.

Both Scalia and Stevens have since passed, but the clashing views they espoused on the Second Amendment have endured, even as the United States careens from one blood-stained catastrophe to the next, from the March 16 spa shootings in Atlanta, Georgia, which claimed eight lives; to the May 26 slayings in San Jose, California, in which ten people died; and the July 4 incident in Toledo, Ohio, in which one person was killed and eleven others were wounded.

Although Heller and McDonald were the products of extreme rightwing judicial activism, they were technically limited in scope, as they dealt with the right to keep guns in the home. Ever since those cases were decided, however, gun-rights groups have worked to bring a new test case to the Supreme Court to extend the right to bear arms beyond the home.They almost succeeded last year in another case from New York, but that appeal was ultimately dismissed.

Now, they have another vehicle in Corlett, which could well remove the last remaining judicial guardrails on the Second Amendment.

Woe to us all if that happens.

Visit link:
Unequal Justice: Don't Count on the Supreme Court to Curb Gun Violence - Progressive.org

Posted in Second Amendment | Comments Off on Unequal Justice: Don’t Count on the Supreme Court to Curb Gun Violence – Progressive.org

As COVID-19 surges again, what experts say about the millions of unvaccinated – ABC News

Posted: at 1:03 pm

As Americans start packing bars and live venues once again in the age of mass COVID-19 vaccination -- with many abandoning masks and social distancing measures -- a concerning reality check is taking place.

Health officials and front-line workers, particularly in pockets of the country with relatively low vaccination rates, are again warning the public that they are seeing an influx of unvaccinated patients who are becoming severely ill.

"This is the absolute worst that I've ever seen it," Emily McMichael, a nurse at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Missouri, told ABC News.

Nationally, more than 17,000 patients are currently receiving care around the country, the highest number in over a month, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The average number of new COVID-19 hospital admissions has also increased dramatically -- to nearly 2,800 admissions a day -- up by 35.8% in the last week.

And the distribution is fairly widespread: over a dozen states have seen significant increases in the number of patients coming into their hospitals in need of care, including Arkansas, which has seen a 76.4% increase in hospital admissions over the last two weeks, and Florida, with a nearly 90% increase.

Experts say the outlook for the country is mixed -- while there won't likely be a nationwide wave like spring 2020 or last winter, there is the possibility of regional surges in unvaccinated areas. And that spread can pose some dangers to the vaccinated population, specifically those who are vulnerable and in the possible creation of new variants that can mitigate or evade vaccines.

'Nasty' delta variant

Although there are still significantly fewer patients receiving care than the peak in January, when 125,000 patients were hospitalized, experts warn the uptick is concerning, particularly as the delta variant continues to spread rapidly across the U.S.

The highly infectious COVID-19 strain, which the nation's top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci called "nasty," is now estimated to account for more than 57% of new cases nationwide. At the end of May, the variant was estimated to account for just over 3% of new cases.

People walk through Times Square, July 13, 2021, in New York.

Although it is still unknown whether the delta variant is more deadly than other variants, experts say it is more dangerous, given how quickly it spreads between people, thus, causing a greater number of infections, and therefore more illnesses and deaths overall.

This rapid spread has caused cases to increase in nearly every state in the country, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, with the national case average doubling in the last three weeks.

However, given the variation in vaccination levels from state to state and even community to community, its effects have varied widely.

"The impact of the more transmissible delta variant will not be felt in a uniform way across the country. Major pockets of unvaccinated people will continue to be the main hosts that will allow this virus to circulate," said John Brownstein, Ph.D., the chief innovation officer at Boston Children's Hospital and an ABC News contributor.

"While vaccines will likely prevent a major national wave, tens of millions of Americans with no prior immunity still remain susceptible to the delta variant," he added.

Communities with fewer vaccinations see significantly higher case rates

A new ABC analysis has found that over the past week, states that have fully vaccinated less than 50% of their total population have reported a weekly average coronavirus case rate that is three times higher than in states that have fully vaccinated more than half of their residents.

States that have fully vaccinated more than half of their residents reported an average of 15.1 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people over the last week, compared to an average of 45.1 cases per 100,000 people in states that have vaccinated less than half of their residents.

The 14 states with the highest case rates all have fully vaccinated less than half their total population, and 10 out of the 11 states with the lowest case rates have fully vaccinated more than half of their total population, with the exception being South Dakota.

"In unvaccinated communities where you have increased mobility and reduced mask use and social distancing, we will continue to witness surges and unfortunately unnecessary hospitalizations and deaths," Brownstein said.

With nearly 90% of Americans 65 years and older vaccinated with at least one dose, young Americans appear to be driving this recent increase. According to CDC data, 18- to 24-year-olds currently have the nation's highest new case rate, with only 41.6% of the age group fully vaccinated.

The widespread national impact

For now, experts say they do not foresee a nationwide surge.

"It's likely that COVID-19 is now moving into a phase where it's a regional problem and not a systemic problem for the country, because of the differential in vaccinations. Fully vaccinated areas are going to see a very blunted impact of delta," said Dr. Amesh Adalja, senior scholar at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.

Dr. Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at the Georgetown Center for Global Health Science and Security, concurred, telling ABC News that "a surge in Missouri probably doesn't mean much for states with high vaccination rates in terms of hospitalizations."

People gather at a restaurant, as slot machines are seen reflected in the glass, during the celebratory grand opening of Resorts World Las Vegas hotel and casino, June 24, 2021, in Las Vegas.

However, large regional surges in areas of low vaccination could spark major problems for states with fewer health care resources, making the focus on hospital capacity urgent, the experts said.

But surges in under-vaccinated areas can pose a broader nationwide risk for those who are fully vaccinated but remain vulnerable.

"Uncontrolled transmission and population mobility means additional breakthrough infections in vulnerable populations, regardless of whether they happen to be in a state that has good vaccination coverage," Brownstein said.

This is why some local health departments are again considering reinstating restrictions, in the hope of containing infections. On Tuesday, the Chicago Department of Public Health announced that unvaccinated travelers from Arkansas and Missouri, which have both recently experienced significant COVID-19 resurgences, will have to either quarantine for 10 days or present a negative COVID-19 test result.

In Los Angeles County, the nation's largest, officials on Thursday reinstated a mandatory indoor mask mandate -- regardless of vaccination status.

People gather along Main Street to watch fireworks while celebrating Independence Day, July 4, 2021, in Sweetwater, Tenn.

Brownstein also stressed the critical importance of containing the virus, because "unmitigated transmission further increases the probability that a variant with vaccine-evading properties might emerge."

Although Rasmussen believes that it is unlikely that we will see the emergence of a variant that will fully evade vaccines, it is possible a new variant could reduce effectiveness enough to be problematic. In such a case, she said, boosters would become necessary.

Ultimately, said Adalja, "I think it has to be made very clear to people that the delta variant is a disease of the unvaccinated. The breakthrough infections that are occurring in vaccinated people are very, very rare, and not usually clinically significant."

See original here:

As COVID-19 surges again, what experts say about the millions of unvaccinated - ABC News

Posted in Covid-19 | Comments Off on As COVID-19 surges again, what experts say about the millions of unvaccinated – ABC News

Athens area COVID-19 update: Oconee leads in vaccinated %, Barrow has most new infections – Online Athens

Posted: at 1:03 pm

Half of Oconee County residents are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 while 39% of Clarke County residents are fully vaccinated.

In Clarke County, approximately 48,700 residents have received the COVID-19 vaccine or 39%, according to data from the Georgia Department of Public Health. Multiple COVID-19 vaccines require two doses, and DPH reports that 42% of residents have at least one dose.

The Oconee County population is halfway vaccinated, at exactly 50% of residents or a total of 19,200 people as of data from July 14. The percentage of residents with at least one dose sits at 54%.

Madison, Oglethorpe, and Jackson counties are all at 34% fully vaccinated and 37% of residents with at least one dose. Barrow County residents are 31% fully vaccinated and 34% of residents have at least one dose.

More: 'Delta variant appears to be gaining': Georgia, South Carolina see surge in COVID-19 cases

More: Georgia set to cut off federal COVID-19 benefits for unemployed on Saturday

Statewide, 39% of Georgia residents are fully vaccinated and 44% have at least one dose.

In Clarke County, most of the age groups are over the average of 39% fully vaccinated and 42% partially vaccinated. Approximately 44% of residents in the age group 25to 34 years old have received at least one dose, and as the age groups increase, so does that percentage.

There are three age groups that are fallbelow the overall county vaccine rate:the 10-14 age group at 12% with at least one dose of the vaccine, the 15-19 age group at 15% with at least one dose, and the 20-24 age group at 18% with at least one dose.

In the last two weeks, Clarke County has reported74 cases of COVID-19. In the last two weeks, Barrow County had 58 cases, Jackson County had 49 cases, Oconee County had 17 cases reported, Madison County had 10 cases, and Oglethorpe County had 5 cases.

DPH also scales the data and reports the number of cases per 100,000 residents and using this metric, Barrow County had the highest rate equal to 67 cases per 100,000 residents.

Jackson County had a rate equal to 66 cases per 100,000 residents, Clarke had 57 cases per 100,000 residents, Oconee had 41 cases per 100,000 residents, and Madison County had 33 cases per 100,000 residents. There was no data reported for Oglethorpe County.

Statewide, there were 6,208 cases reported during the last two weeks and the case rate per 100,000 residents was equal to 57 cases.

See the original post:

Athens area COVID-19 update: Oconee leads in vaccinated %, Barrow has most new infections - Online Athens

Posted in Covid-19 | Comments Off on Athens area COVID-19 update: Oconee leads in vaccinated %, Barrow has most new infections – Online Athens

COVID-19: What you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic on 16 July – World Economic Forum

Posted: at 1:03 pm

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 have passed 188.9 million globally, according to Johns Hopkins University. The number of confirmed deaths stands at more than 4.06 million. More than 3.54 billion vaccination doses have been administered globally, according to Our World in Data.

India reported 38,949 new coronavirus cases over the past 24 hours on Friday, health ministry data showed, taking the nationwide tally above 31 million.

Hungary will offer the option of taking a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine from 1 August and will make coronavirus vaccines mandatory for all healthcare workers, Prime Minister Viktor Orban told state radio on Friday.

Los Angeles County will reimpose its mask mandate this weekend in the latest sign that public health officials are struggling with an alarming rise in coronavirus cases tied to the highly contagious Delta variant.

The Philippines has recorded the country's first locally acquired cases of the more infectious Delta variant, prompting authorities to reimpose stricter coronavirus measures in some areas.

Many countries are experiencing a consistent rise in COVID-19 cases, caused by the spread of the Delta variant.

Image: Our World in Data

Further information is needed to discover more about the origins of COVID-19, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said.

A WHO-led team spent four weeks in and around the city of Wuhan, China, with Chinese researchers and said in a joint report in March 2021 that the virus had probably been transmitted from bats to humans through another animal. It said that "introduction through a laboratory incident was considered to be an extremely unlikely pathway".

But speaking in a press conference on Thursday, Tedros said that investigations into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic in China were being hampered by the lack of raw data on the first days of spread there.

"We ask China to be transparent and open and to cooperate," he said. "We owe it to the millions who suffered and the millions who died to know what happened."

China has called the theory that the virus may have escaped from a Wuhan laboratory "absurd" and said that "politicizing" the issue will hamper investigations.

Tedros will brief the WHO's 194 member states on Friday regarding a proposed second phase of study, the WHO's top emergency expert Mike Ryan said.

"We look forward to working with our Chinese counterparts on that process and the director-general will outline measures to member states at a meeting tomorrow, on Friday," he told reporters.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

Here is the original post:

COVID-19: What you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic on 16 July - World Economic Forum

Posted in Covid-19 | Comments Off on COVID-19: What you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic on 16 July – World Economic Forum