Back by popular demand! We never intended to become a "news blog," but we found ourselves among the first Western publications to raise the alarm about COVID-19 back in January 2020, when mainstream media seemed to be falling behind. It felt like a natural time to wrap things up at the start of the new year, but your enthusiasm for our content was so strong that we decided to bring it back. Expect bi-weekly updates on news relevant to preppers—no politics, no bias, just the facts.
January was a wild month. The U.S. experienced the January 6th insurrection, an event that shook the nation and sparked countless debates. There’s so much to unpack, so here’s a deep dive from investigative journalists at ProPublica. Take what you will from it. Meanwhile, the National Guard is expected to keep 7,000 troops stationed at the Capitol through mid-March.
Then there was the GameStop saga. Reddit users banded together to buy massive amounts of GameStop stock (GME), taking down a billion-dollar hedge fund in the process. The big players, including Robinhood, tried to stop the surge by limiting retail purchases, but the Redditors still managed to come out on top. AMC, a company nearly destroyed by pandemic restrictions, has also seen a surprising rebound thanks to this wave of retail support.
For all preppers, one often-overlooked preparation is building non-retirement savings. An emergency fund can protect households from unexpected financial shocks. Each year, 25% of U.S. households face sudden income drops. A recent study on Family Financial Health highlights the importance of having even small amounts saved—whether it's hundreds or tens of thousands of dollars.
Globally, over 103.5 million people have tested positive for COVID-19, with more than 19.8 million cases added in just one month. Over 2.2 million deaths have been recorded worldwide. In the U.S., there are over 26.7 million confirmed cases, with 6.3 million added in the past month alone. More than 452,000 Americans have died from the virus, and January alone saw over 100,000 deaths. While daily case numbers have dropped slightly—from a winter peak of 250,000 to around 107,000 in the last 24 hours—the U.S. still leads the world in both case growth and death tolls.
The CDC predicts over 62,000 more deaths in the next three weeks. Given the staggering number of deaths in January, their model seems to be underestimating the situation. Although we're currently seeing a decline from the peak, a fourth wave is definitely possible.
In California, residents can now sign up for vaccine eligibility alerts, though access remains a major issue. Protesters at Dodger Stadium forced the shutdown of one of the state’s largest vaccination sites, raising concerns about vaccine waste and public safety. As Laurie Garrett put it: “It’s bad enough for individuals to refuse vaccines for themselves. But forcing a mass vax site to shut down, knowing it means vaccines may go to waste, is criminal.â€
New variants continue to challenge vaccine efforts. Dr. Anthony Fauci has warned that mutations require vaccine makers to stay ahead, emphasizing the need for rapid global vaccination. Novovax’s vaccine, for example, shows reduced effectiveness against the South African B.1.351 variant. To counter these threats, the focus remains on vaccinating as many people as possible, while companies like Moderna are already working on updated versions targeting key mutations.
Moderna is exploring the possibility of additional booster shots to combat emerging variants. Some experts suggest that people might eventually receive three doses of mRNA vaccines. This could reshape how we approach immunization in the future.
The B.1.351 variant is already present in several U.S. states, and another concerning strain from Brazil has also been detected. Meanwhile, supply chain issues persist. Shipping container costs have doubled, and goods are becoming more expensive. Container ships are stuck in port due to bottlenecks, adding to the strain on global trade.
Johnson & Johnson has now approved its single-dose COVID-19 vaccine, which is 66% effective. While not as strong as some others, its simplicity makes it a valuable tool in the fight against the virus.
Finally, China claims anal swabs are more accurate for detecting COVID-19 than oral swabs. I’ll stick with my mouth thank you.
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