Kent Sepkowitz is a CNN medical analyst and a physician and infection control expert at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. The views expressed in this commentary are his own. View more opinion at CNN. (CNN) The United States Covid-19 vaccination program is gaining steam. As of Tuesday, more than 40 million people have received the first dose, representing about 13% of the country. At the same time, national rates of new infection have decreased , presenting a real opportunity to control the pandemic. Dr. Kent Sepkowitz With this progress, though, has come no small amount of consternation. A new set of daunting questions has arisen, the product of an increasing number of vaccines and vaccinees. Reasonably enough, people now want to know the specific dos and don'ts of daily living for the vaccinated and the unvaccinated. The nub is this: are we re-approaching the glory days of before this pandemic began or is the lockdown … [Read more...] about I got vaccinated. What now?
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British Government Begins Focusing on How to Pay for Pandemic
The British government this week will become the first European government to explain to voters the high fiscal costs of the coronavirus pandemic. Rishi Sunak, chancellor of the exchequer, said he will highlight Tuesday some difficult home truths about the consequences for public spending and tax rates. Neighboring governments are lagging Britain in vaccine rollout and are still focused on the immediate public health crisis. But, analysts say, they are also starting to think about a post-pandemic road map for how to reduce record levels of public debt. Although European Union leaders say “the risks of doing too little outweigh the risks of doing too much” when it comes to fiscal and monetary policy, they are not thinking along the same lines as Britain when it comes to taxes. Sunak said Sunday the time has come to “level with people” about the problems facing the economy. On Wednesday, he will present in the House of Commons the annual government budget and is expected to … [Read more...] about British Government Begins Focusing on How to Pay for Pandemic
To outpace China on technology, the US needs a ‘full-stack’ strategy
From the COVID-19 pandemic and a deeply struggling economy to the critical need for racial justice and immediate action on climate change, President Biden Joe Biden Biden offers support to union organizing efforts Senate Democrats nix 'Plan B' on minimum wage hike Kavanaugh dismays conservatives by dodging pro-Trump election lawsuits MORE now confronts one of the most daunting inheritances of any U.S. president in at least a century. His administration also faces a looming strategic challenge: whether the United States and its allies and partners will be able to find common cause in accelerating the development of next-generation technologies. If the United States and its democratic partners develop and deploy next wave technologies first, they will generate significant strategic advantages and strengthen their position in rule-setting forums. In turn, this will enable them to help craft norms and regulations for emerging technologies that are reflective of … [Read more...] about To outpace China on technology, the US needs a ‘full-stack’ strategy
Italy Holds Netherlands, E.U. ‘Responsible’ for Fate of Migrant Vessel
ROME — Italian interior minister Matteo Salvini said Sunday he will hold the Netherlands and the European Union (E.U.) responsible for the renegade NGO vessel Sea-Watch carrying 42 African migrants in the Mediterranean Sea. “I have written to my corresponding Dutch minister. I am amazed that they are turning a blind eye to a boat that is flying their flag, being used by a German NGO, which has been floating in the open sea for 11 days,” Salvini said on social media, “We will hold the Dutch government and the European Union — absent and distant as usual — responsible for anything that happens to the women and men aboard the Sea-Watch ,” he said. Italy has allowed a total of eleven of the migrants aboard the Sea-Watch to disembark, including two pregnant women, but denied permission for the vessel to dock in Italy. This leaves 42 people still on board the ship. Mr. Salvini, who is also deputy prime minister and head of the League party, has steadily risen in … [Read more...] about Italy Holds Netherlands, E.U. ‘Responsible’ for Fate of Migrant Vessel
Why labeling domestic extremists ‘terrorists’ could backfire
As the Biden administration considers options to respond to the growing threat of violent domestic extremism demonstrated during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, several key issues are emerging. Recent proposals have focused on how best to label groups like those that participated in the attack. But this does not address the underlying causes of the extremism that drove the violence. Congress has understandably been hesitant to enact a statutory framework to allow for the designation of domestic terrorist organizations or for the prosecution of domestic terrorism due to a variety of constitutional and law enforcement concerns. Although the FBI and Department of Justice (DOJ) continue to build and prosecute cases against individuals responsible for the attack on the Capitol , comprehensive solutions that could prevent further incidents have not been well developed. Unaddressed political, economic and social grievances could leave open the possibility of similar attacks. Some … [Read more...] about Why labeling domestic extremists ‘terrorists’ could backfire
