than Americans were killed in combat in WWII (291,577). IHME current
projection for Inauguration Day with aggressive vaccine rollout is
420,677 deaths. That will exceed the total American deaths in WWII.
With full mask use the total is only 411,677. BTW IHME projections have
been consistently low.
Trump continues to undercut efforts to increase mask use. As did the MN
Senate Republican caucus in their November party which appears to have
been the infection point for Sen. Jerry Relph who just dies of
complications of Covid19.
On a better note, although US Senate Republicans continue to block
addition financial relief to distressed and suffering families, in
Minnesota, Republican Senators, DFL House Members and Gov. Walz came
together to pass a $217 million relief package for businesses and the
unemployed. Good for them, putting people above party!
Best of all, MPR News reports: "Will Santa still be able to visit me in
coronavirus's season?" asked 6-year-old Paxton from Geneva, Ill., during
a CNN-Sesame Street town hall
<https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/19/us/sesame-street-cnn-town-hall-holiday-coronavirus-trnd/index.html>
Saturday. "What if he can't go to anyone's house, or near his reindeer?"
Luckily for children everywhere, the nation's top infectious disease
specialist is on the case. "I took care of that for you, because I was
worried that you'd all be upset," Dr. Anthony Fauci responded
<https://twitter.com/CNN/status/1340318450527432704?s=20> "So what I
did a little while ago: I took a trip up there to the North Pole, I went
there and I vaccinated Santa Claus myself.
"I measured his level of immunity, and he is good to go," Fauci added.
"He can come down the chimney, he can leave the presents, he can leave,
and you have nothing to worry about."