VERI PERI: Color for 2020

                               From Worldometer (new  COVID-19 deaths yesterday):

        DAY  USA  WORLD   Brazil    India    South Africa

June     9    1093     4732         1185        246       82

July    22     1205     7128         1293      1120     572

Aug    12     1504     6556        1242        835     130

Sept     9     1208      6222       1136       1168       82

Oct     21     1225      6849         571        703       85

Nov    25       2304    12025        620        518      118

Dec    30       3880    14748       1224       299      465

Jan     14       4142    15512       1151        189     712              

Feb      3       4005    14265       1209       107      398

Mar     2        1989     9490        1726       110      194

April   6          906     11787         4211       631       37

May    4         853     13667         3025     3786      59 

June   1         287    10637         2346      3205       95

 July   7          251      8440        1595        817      411

Aug    4          656    10120        1118         532     423 

Sept  22       2228     9326          839        279      124

        29         2190      8859         643        309      108

Oct    6         2102       8255         543        315       59

        19        2005      7528         401        160        80 

        27        1594      8671         433        734        62 

Nov   3         1436      7830        186        458        23

        24        1594      8270         176        396        22 

Dec    1        1633      8475        266         477       28

          8        1324      7894         231        159       36

        16        1690      8233         227        343       54

Summary:

• Wow, the highest number of new deaths in the U.S. in two months.  Russia had 1142 new deaths as #2 and Poland #3 with 669.
• We also had 136,590 new cases.  #2 was the UK with 78,610 and #3 France with 65,713.
• However, in terms of per million population:
• New deaths
• USA  5.1
• Russia  7.8
• Poland  17.6
• New cases
• USA  409
• UK  1149
• France  1003
• 
  Thinking of going to Europe on a river cruise, or maybe in March for the Dutch tulips?  Don't.  Europe is now the pandemic epicenter.  Of course, the middle of March is still three months away, and Crystal river cruises from Amsterdam are available for about 50% off in April.  The Netherlands yesterday had the following numbers:
• New deaths/million  2.4  (lower than the U.S.)
• New cases/million  792  (much higher than the U.S., and growing)

From the New York Times this morning:  South Africa had 26,389 new cases yesterday, so the exponential rise is continuing:

According to Dr. Muge Cevik of the University of St. Andrews:

One reason that Omicron seems to spread so quickly is that it causes more cases among the vaccinated than earlier variants, although they are likely to be mild. “There will be a lot of breakthrough cases,” Dr. Jennifer Lighter (left), an epidemiologist at N.Y.U. Langone Health, told me:  The only thing I am sure of is that Omicron will spread so quickly through the population, making it likely impossible to contain even with the most stringent measures and giving us very little time over the next few weeks. So get your vaccines and boosters!

About 15% of adult Americans remain unvaccinated.  More and more evidence is beginning to appear, though, that Omicron is less likely to cause serious illness.  One study showed that Omicron replicated itself less efficiently than Delta inside the lungs.

Cancellations and postponements are increasing:

• Broadway shows:  Hamilton, Harry Potter, Tina, Mrs. Doubtfire, Ain't Too Proud and Freestyle Love Supreme.
• Events on college campuses.
• Schools are more and more returning to online teaching.

• 
  Professional sports are postponing games.  So far the Las Vegas Raiders at Cleveland Browns NFL game tomorrow is still scheduled to go.  Browns have at least 8 players with a positive test.  Important for me because I selected the Raiders defense for the first week of the ESPN Fantasy playoffs.  No game, no points.

Now to more important things.  The Pantone Color of the Year for 2022 is Very Peri, a periwinkle blue, supposedly to inspire confidence and curiosity.  From Conde Nast Traveler, Veri Peri can be found in Icelandic lupines, Johannesburg Jacarandas, French lavender and the Grand Sand Dunes of Colorado:

From the Huffington Post, Veri Peri attire.  Some were more provocative.  Above, a Camila Coelho Paulina Top, reduced from $138 to $97.

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Typhoon Rai (interesting that my hurricane section uses a color close to Veri Peri) made landfall over Mindanao as a Category 4 and will continue to Vietnam as a Category 2.  However, there will be a northward turn, heading toward Hainan, then Hong Kong:

Why are we still getting major ocean storms and tornadoes in December?  Turns out that the most severe tornadoes in the U.S. occur in December and January.  But hurricanes don't form in cold winter seas.  The West/South Pacific does not get as cold as the Atlantic and West Pacific.  Yet, a Category 4 on December 17 is unusual.

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