Category Archives: Uncategorized

As if I had predicted it in my blog yesterday, a new paper just published suggested that the immune response to coronaviruses could be very long lasted, as long as 17 years. This peer reviewed publication in the prestigious scientific journal Nature  looked at cellular immune responses in three groups of individuals who had been infected withContinue reading “How long will COVID-19 immunity last? How about 17 years!”

I’m in a particularly unpleasant mood tonight because once again media reports are throwing out the idea that immunity to coronavirus is transient and won’t last long enough to protect the population. This is a recurrent theme that seems to come out almost every week, either based on some single patient whose doctor reports aContinue reading “Immunity does not disappear after COVID-19 infection!”

The Moderna SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (identified as mRNA-1273) has received much notoriety as it was one of the first to begin testing. In addition, there was a fair amount of criticism when several of the company’s senior corporate officers and investors sold stock in the company soon after a rise in the stock’s value due toContinue reading “We finally get to see the data about the Moderna SARS-CoV-2 vaccine.”

Looking at today’s numbers, it is pretty clear what has happened in the nation as a whole and in Florida, Texas, and Arizona. While deaths are now rising in all three states, the infection rate has started to drop in Arizona. Since this was the first state where deaths rose (which has to be aboutContinue reading “A quick update about the southern states where COVID-19 has increased.”

Last night one of my friends gave me a votive candle with Dr. Tony Fauci’s picture on it. She said it was to give me inspiration for my blog. Little did I know that I would be using it so soon.  Anthony S. Fauci, MD is one of the foremost immunologists in the country (heContinue reading “Saint Anthony of Bethesda”

Houston is a new epicenter in COVID-19 infections. While the number of infections in Texas has been increasing progressively, those numbers have overwhelmingly come from a limited number of urban areas with Houston leading the way. There are a number of parallels between what is happening in Houston now and what happened in New YorkContinue reading “What is happening in Houston?”

I’ve received a number of comments lately suggesting that I should weigh in on the failures of various politicians in the COVID-19 response. One also suggested that by not specifically calling out the blunders of the executive branch I was in fact condoning them.  I wish to remind everyone that the focus of this blogContinue reading “Why this blog won’t discuss politics.”

One of my colleagues at the University of Michigan suggested that I was the “most upbeat person she knew on the COVID-19 pandemic.” I appreciated but was surprised by this comment. While I try to be evenhanded and base all of my blog posts on available data, politics and opinion have so remarkably penetrated theContinue reading “Six items that bring out my COVID-19 pessimism.”

It is always interesting to look at statistics and try to interpret trends. Today, Johns Hopkins published the following numbers for US COVID infections and deaths. Deaths continue to fall, but interestingly at a time when most are touting the rise in infections, Hopkins’ figures show an 18% drop. This seems to fly in theContinue reading “US COVID numbers for July 7th; a complex story.”

Several of my followers asked if I would repost my July 4th blog. I am happy to do it and appreciate all of the positive comments. Jim Baker In respect for the 4th of July, I will provide what I believe is the most valuable message about this pandemic. It is simply that this pandemic will comeContinue reading “My July 4th message; this pandemic will end.”