Mitigation

Worldwide (Map) 
June 23, 2022: 541,213,610 confirmed infections; 6,323,900 deaths
June 24, 2021: 179,530,600 confirmed infections; 3,890,200 deaths
June 25, 2020:     9,409,000 confirmed infections; 482,190 deaths

US (Map) 
June 23, 2022: 86.636.310 confirmed infections; 1,014,850 deaths
June 24, 2021: 33,578,000 confirmed infections; 603,000 deaths
June 25, 2020:   2,381,540 infections; 121,980 deaths

SA (Coronavirus portal) 
June 23, 2022: 3,986,900 confirmed infections; 101,650 deaths
June 24, 2021: 1,861,100 confirmed infections; 59,260 deaths
June 25, 2020:    111,800 confirmed infections; 2,205 deaths

Posts from:
June 23, 2021, “Moon rising” 
June 23, 2020, “Silver linings” 

News blues

Moderna and Pfizer vaccines now available for children older than 6 months >> 

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Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 appear to escape antibody responses among both people who had previous Covid-19 infection and those who have been fully vaccinated and boosted, according to new data from researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, of Harvard Medical School.
However, Covid-19 vaccination is still expected to provide substantial protection against severe disease, and vaccine makers are working on updated shots that might elicit a stronger immune response against the variants.

Findings include, alas, that ‘COVID-19 still has the capacity to mutate further’ >> 

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On war

Ukrainian High School Grads Pose For Heartbreaking Photos In War-Torn Homeland >> 

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The Lincoln Project:
Lady Ruby  (1:45 mins)
Clear and present danger  (0:35 mins)
Last week in the Republican Party - June 21, 2022  (2:05 mins)

Healthy planet, anyone?

The week in wildlife – in pictures >> 

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The year 2020 was the hottest ever in the US city of Phoenix, in the state of Arizona. Imagine, 53 days topping 110 F (43 C) - the hottest, driest and deadliest summer on record. During that time, more than 200 people died from extreme heat – a jump of 60% in heat related deaths.
Heat mitigation - focused on trees and infrastructure, led by an urban forester - is now the name of the game for Phoenix city planners. This, however, is easier said than done.

Phoenix… published a tree master plan in 2010, pledging to increase canopy cover to 25% by 2030 (from an estimated 11% to 13% at the time). The city is not on track to meet that goal, and the target may eventually be revised to reflect the city’s broader sustainability and equity goals such as targeting under-shaded neighborhoods and public transit routes where people walk and wait.
David Hondula, the recently appointed director of Phoenix’s heat response and mitigation office, said, “Trees are an important part of the plan which residents have been asking for for years, but they aren’t a cure-all for the city. But if we could have 30% of a 20-min walking path shaded, it would provide health protection for most summer days”.

Read more >> 

Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

I love Oakland, a human-sized city. It has a mix of lovely old buildings, from “gridiron” to art deco and much in between. It is also trying to address congestion and the often negative influence of an influx of wealthy tech companies, yet maintain its humanity and address the socio-economic “diversity.”
Here are pix of one set of bicycle-ride programs, from Cycles of Change, to Bike Share, to Bike Share for All….

Bicycles ready for riders.
A rider pays a small fee, unlocks a bike, and rides.

The payment system works like any
parking lot or public transit payment system. 

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Solstice 2022! 

SF Bay Area:
Sunrise: 5:47am
Sunset: 8:34pm

KZN, South Africa:
Sunrise: 6:53am
Sunset: 5:09pm