It's Those Pesky White Supremacists Again

You don't need to "raise questions about the ideology" of the New Orleans terrorist -- all you have to do is look at the trail of destroyed bodies in the street. I love how every time these Islamic terrorist attacks take place, there's an immediate rush to declare that it's not terrorism. Ever since September 11 and even before, political correctness has been more important to the authorities than preventing these murderous attacks. And the terrorists see America's weakness and take full advantage.

It's a shame that Biden didn't warn Netanyahu to be on the lookout for white supremacists on October 7. After all, ISIS, Al Qaeda and Hamas simply cannot compare to what he considers "the most dangerous terrorist threat". 

If you're still worried about "offending Muslims", forget it, because they're certainly not worried about offending us.

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From The Algemeiner

Imam at New Orleans Terrorist’s Local Mosque Says Jews ‘Like to Take Control of the Economy’

"Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the man who according to law enforcement perpetrated the New Year’s Day terrorist attack in New Orleans, lived in Houston near a mosque led by a radical imam who preached that Nazi leader Adolf Hitler killed Jews because “they like to take control of the economy.”

"The connection has raised questions about the ideology of Jabbar, a US Army veteran who pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist group. The FBI revealed on Thursday that Jabbar acted alone and that on the morning of the truck ramming attack, in which at least 14 people were killed and dozens more were injured, he posted several videos on social media saying he supported ISIS. An ISIS flag was also found on the trailer hitch of the rented vehicle involved in the New Orleans attack. In one of his recordings, Jabbar revealed that he initially intended to hurt his friends and family, but changed plans because he wanted to bring attention to the “war between believers and the disbelievers.”

"Amid heightened concern about the threat of Islamist terrorism, observers are noting that Jabbar may have been radicalized at Masjid Bilal, a mosque in the northern Houston community where he lived. According to footage published by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) on Thursday, Imam Eiad Soudan, leader of the Masjid Bilal mosque in Houston, told congregants in November 2023 that Jews seek to “control the economy” across the world and that Hitler perpetrated the Holocaust to mitigate Jewish economic power. Soudan also argued that Europe only supports Israel as a means to prevent Jews from migrating into their countries."

Freaking Out Over Masks Instead of Worrying About a Quad-demic

What never fails to amaze me is that Americans seem to freak out more over the thought of wearing a mask again than over the thought of all these viruses at once!  

I've gratefully been wearing masks since 2020, and that's not about to change any time soon.

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From the UK Daily Mail 1/2/25:

Face mask mandates return in multiple states as doctors warn of 'quad-demic' of four viral infections

A quadruple-whammy of viruses are hitting the US as millions go back to work after the holidays, data shows.

Official figures reveal that infections cause by flu, Covid, RSV (a respiratory illness that causes the cold) and norovirus (sometimes called the stomach flu) all started to surge over the Christmas period, when families gathered to celebrate.

And experts say figures will only continue to rise over the coming weeks as the US heads into the peak period of its annual flu season.

Data shows that norovirus cases are at their highest level for this time of year since 2012, while RSV hospitalizations are up nearly 40 percent in two weeks.

An estimated 3.1million people have been sickened by the flu so far this season, while 37,000 have been hospitalized and 1,500 have died. And the number of states with 'very high' levels of the disease has quadrupled in a week to eight.

There have also been an estimated 2.5 to 4.4million Covid cases between October 1 and December 7, estimates suggest, including 72,000 to 120,000 hospitalizations and 8,200 to 13,000 deaths.

The surge in infections is prompting a return of mask mandates in some states, with a hospital system in Wisconsin this week becoming the latest to reinstate them.

Hospitals in parts of California, Illinois, Indiana and New Jersey have also brought back the rules for staff and visitors. Officials in New York City are urging people to consider wearing a face mask on public transport.

The above map shows flu activity levels by state in the week to December 21 last year. A total of eight states had 'very high' levels of the virus

The above shows detections of flu cases by week in the US, indicating that the number continues to rise

Experts say the surge in winter infections is being driven by increased mixing over the holiday period, and also by travel on public transport and airplanes.

The issue is compounded by the fact that people's immune systems were weakened during Covid lockdowns and work-from-home rules, leaving some at greater risk of more severe illness.

Dr Joe Bresee, an infectious diseases expert who spent two decades at the CDC, told DailyMail.com: 'What we are seeing now is an increasing amount of respiratory disease and norovirus that is really all over the US.

'It is what we see most years and we will probably see increasing amounts over the next few weeks as well.'

The expert, who also works for The Task Force for Global Health, added: 'For each of these four viruses, we will see increases through January and then they will peak sometime in January or early February. But the peaks will be slightly different depending on where you live in the US.'

Dr Todd Rice, a professor of medicine in Tennessee, told a local provider: 'Being indoors and around a lot of people can lead to more viral spread.

'[Cases] will probably stay high for another week or two.'

The eight states with very high levels of flu are: Louisiana, Washington, Tennessee, Alabama, California, Idaho, New Mexico and Mississippi.

Data also shows that for RSV, an estimated 22,000 to 45,000 people have been hospitalized with the disease since October, while 980 to 2,300 have died.

Its hospitalization rate was up nearly 40 percent to 1.8 per 100,000 in the week to December 7, the latest available — compared to 1.3 in the week to November 23.

The above shows norovirus detections by week in the US. The number of outbreaks was at its highest level in the first week of December for that week since 2012

Covid detections are also rising. The above shows the proportion of Covid tests that are detecting the virus

The above shows that RSV hospitalizations per 100,000 people have risen nearly 40 percent in two weeks

For norovirus, data shows there were more than 90 outbreaks recorded in the first week of December — triple the 30 recorded two weeks previously.

It was also the most outbreaks recorded at this time of year for any year since 2012.

The unusual surge in norovirus cases may in part be linked to an outbreak in Los Angeles, with at least 80 people sickened after eating raw oysters tainted with norovirus at a restaurant. 

Dr Bresee told DailyMail.com previously: '[Cases] will go up as people get back on planes and travel for this holiday season. Any airplane right now certainly has people with viruses on board.

'And we do tend to see big peaks just after the winter holidays as people have traveled, got infected, and then gone back to school.'

Flu, Covid and RSV are all spread primarily via respiratory droplets that are released into the air when someone coughs, sneezes or even talks.

But norovirus, on the other hand, is spread via contact with surfaces that have been touched by someone who is already sick.

Experts say that norovirus cases can spike at any time of year, but that they tend to surge during the cold months because people are spending more time indoors.

Symptoms of flu, Covid and RSV include a fever, cough, shortness of breath and blocked nose.

Norovirus, on the other hand, is a gastrointestinal illness and causes symptoms including vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, stomach cramps and body aches.

Each can be treated using anti-viral drugs, as well as painkillers to ease discomfort from symptoms. 

Doctors urge those who believe they are suffering from a serious infection to visit the ER.

Wisconsin's Aurora Health Care system — which treats 1.2million patients a year — is among the latest to bring back mask mandates for its units.

It says that visitors will now need to mask up 'when in contact with patients or in congregate areas, including patient rooms and other areas designated by signage'.

It follows hospital systems in other states like New Jersey, where its largest hospital system RWJBarnabas Health — which sees three million patients a year — has also reinstated its mask mandate.

In guidance posted online, the hospital system also said that visitors would now be expected to 'wear an appropriate face mask' and 'maintain physical distance'.

It added: 'We will offer you a new mask for source control or may ask you to replace your own mask with a hospital-supplied mask.'

The Rush University Medical Center, Rush Copley Medical Center and Rush Oak Park Hospital in Illinois, have also all started requiring face masks for staff and visitors.

And In Indiana, Union Health has asked visitors to wear face masks due to an uptick in respiratory viruses. 

To avoid getting sick, the CDC recommends getting the annual flu vaccination and staying up to date on Covid and RSV vaccines.

Flu and Covid shots are recommended for those aged six months and older, while the RSV vaccine is available for those who are 75 years old and above.

It also recommends other actions to help limit the spread of viruses including frequent handwashing, covering coughs and sneezes and staying at home when sick.

The US is now well into its flu season, which lasts from December to February every year.

Biden's Latest Anti-Trump Sabotage

That spiteful Joe Biden is doing everything he can to make Trump's presidency as difficult as possible.  There ought to be a law to prevent this sort of deliberate sabotage from happening in the future. Here's the latest news:

Biden Moves to Foil Trump, Permanently Ban Offshore Drilling in Some U.S. Waters

"Departing President Joe Biden is expected to permanently ban new oil and gas drilling in large sections of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, in a move designed to foil the ambitions of President-elect Donald Trump to make the U.S. entirely self-sufficient in energy supplies.

"The New York Times reports Biden intends to invoke an obscure provision of a 1953 law, the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, that would give him wide latitude to withdraw federal waters from future oil and gas leasing and choke off the prospect of any further exploration for the essential energy supplies.

"The outlet made the claim via attribution to unnamed sources. The NYT spelt out exactly what is at stake for both men behind an order that could come as soon as Monday:

"The ban would be a significant victory for environmental advocates who have long argued that new drilling is inconsistent with the need to sharply reduce greenhouse gas emissions from burning oil and gas that are dangerously warming the planet. The year that just ended was the hottest in recorded history.

"The move would also cement Mr. Biden’s legacy on climate change as he prepares to leave the White House after a single term. President-elect Donald J. Trump has pledged to reverse virtually every law and regulation aimed at curbing carbon dioxide emissions, and to make it easier for companies to produce and burn more coal, oil and gas.

"The NYT report added further detail by noting while section 12(a) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act gives a president wide leeway to bar drilling, it does not include language that would allow Trump or any future president to revoke a ban.

"The intended ban was first reported by Bloomberg.

"The move comes after Trump’s transition transition team is reportedly drafting a wide-ranging energy package to roll out within days of him taking office on Jan. 20 that would approve export permits for new liquefied natural gas projects and increase oil drilling off the U.S. coast and on federal lands.

"Karoline Leavitt, Trump’s White House incoming press secretary, accused the Biden administration of waging a “war on American energy.”

“When he takes office, President Trump will make America energy-dominant again, protect our energy jobs, and bring down the cost of living for working families,” Leavitt said in a statement to the NYT."

Your Local Epidemiologist Newsletter 1-3-25

Here's the latest newsletter from Dr Katelyn Jetelina:

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The Dose (January 3)

Respiratory season is getting ugly, Covid vaccines are effective, Costco eggs, and H5N1, backyard flocks and bird feeders.

Katelyn Jetelina

Jan 03, 2025

Happy New Year! We’re back to it after some much-needed time off. Here’s the public health news you can use this week.

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Fall respiratory weather report: High and increasing

It’s getting ugly out there, folks. The number of people going to the doctor for a cough or fever (defined as an “influenza-like illness” or ILI) is well above epidemic levels at this point. The sickest communities are in the West and South, but the entire map below will soon be lit up red.

Levels of ILI; Source: CDC; Annotated by YLE

The “big three”—flu, Covid–19, and RSV—are increasing quickly. Flu is causing the most burden on healthcare systems, but Covid-19 wastewater is increasing fast, which means hospitalizations and deaths will soon follow.

Wastewater viral activity. Source: CDC

Norovirus—think nausea, vomiting, diarrhea—continues to have quite the season, with the number of positive tests and outbreaks abnormally high. Norovirus spreads through contaminated surfaces, so as always, wash those hands. Unfortunately, this virus is one of the hardest viruses to kill, so a quick dose of hand sanitizer doesn’t work. Bleach-based products on surfaces are the best.

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Fall Covid-19 vaccine provides additional protection

The first data on the effectiveness of this fall’s 2024-2025 Covid-19 vaccine is in, and it’s looking good!

A preprint was released on patients at a Veterans Affairs hospital. Scientists tallied the number of people who did (and did not) have Covid-19 from September- November 2024 and whether they got this fall’s Covid-19 vaccine (specifically the Pfizer 2024-2025 KP.2 formula). Among 44,598 infections, the Covid-19 vaccine reduces:

• Hospitalizations by 68%

• Emergency department and urgent care visits by 57%, and

• Outpatient visits by 56%

The vaccine worked best for those over 65 years old. This study is very preliminary (it only covered two months with little Covid-19 transmission), but the findings aren’t surprising—they are generally consistent with what scientists have found in previous years.

It’s easy to wonder if we’ve had enough Covid-19 boosters by now, but as the virus mutates, vaccines—like flu vaccines every year—provide additional protection to our immune systems.

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H5N1, severe disease, backyard flocks, and birdfeeders

A Louisiana resident is in the hospital after contracting H5N1 from their backyard flock. This case had the same H5N1 strain as a teenager in Canada who was fighting for their life last month. (A recent NEJM case study described how severely sick this teenager was: intubation for 3 weeks, temporary support to the heart and lungs called ECMO, plasma exchange, 3 antiviral medications, and more.) The H5N1 strain involved in both severe cases—called D1.1—is found among birds and differs from the strain circulating among cows (B3.13).

If you have a backyard flock, you should take precautions to reduce the risk of spreading disease:

1. Keep your flock contained: isolate your birds from visitors and other birds.

2. Prevent germs from spreading by cleaning shoes, tools, and equipment.

3. Reduce the risk of transmission by avoiding sharing tools and equipment with neighbors.

4. Know the warning signs of infectious bird diseases among the flock, including fatigue, abnormal drop in egg production, swelling or discoloration of the eyelids/comb/wattles/shanks, stumbling or falling down, diarrhea, or unexplained death.

If one of your birds is sick or dies unexpectedly:

1. Avoid contact with the sick or dead bird. Assume other birds in the flock and their enclosures, droppings, feeders, and water sources are also infectious. (If you can’t avoid contact completely, take steps to protect yourself.)

2. If possible, isolate the bird from other animals and pets. (Don’t let your dog near it.)

3. Immediately report sick or dead birds to your state veterinarian or the U.S. Department of Agriculture (1-866-536-7593).

What about bird feeders? Birds that gather at feeders (like cardinals, sparrows, and bluebirds) do not typically carry H5N1. The USDA does not recommend removing backyard bird feeders for H5N1 prevention unless you also care for poultry. The less contact between wild birds and poultry (by removing sources of food, water, and shelter), the better.

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Beware of salmonella linked to some Costco eggs

FDA set the highest safety alert—a Class I recall—for some Costco eggs, distributed to Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Handsome Brooke Farms Kirkland brand of organic pasture-raised eggs is linked to possible Salmonella exposure.

Class I designations are reserved for products with the highest possible health risk, meaning there’s a “reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.” There are no recorded human cases yet, but let’s keep it that way—spread the word and throw these eggs out if you have them in your fridge.

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So… what’ll be “healthy” in 2025?

‘Tis the season of New Year's resolutions! According to a recent AP poll, most resolutions this year focus on health, exercise, and diet.

Fifty percent of people aim to eat healthier, but what’s really considered healthy these days? Well, just in time for the new year, FDA updated the definition to align with the latest science. (The last time this definition was updated for food labeling requirements was in 1994!)

Starting in February 25, 2025, if a company wants to claim their new food is “healthy” on a package, they must meet two requirements:

1. The food must contain a certain amount of one of the five food groups (fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins, dairy).

2. The food cannot exceed added sugar, sodium, or saturated fat limits based on the food and its customarily consumed amounts.

The changes remove limitations on total fat and cholesterol and the required provisions of vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron, protein, and fiber—things that could simply be added to foods.

Basically, this updated definition aims to focus on more nutrient-dense foods, emphasizing food groups (and the overall nutrition profile) rather than individual nutrients in isolation. While this is progress in the right direction, it’s imperfect. For example, full-fat plain yogurt cannot be “healthy” under this guidance, but low-fat flavored yogurt with some added sugar could be.

What’s next? Reporting food as “healthy” is voluntary. Foods already on the market must comply by February 2028.

In the meantime, FDA is developing a “healthy” symbol that could be used for front-of-package labeling. While only time and research will tell how effective these labeling strategies are, it’s a step in the right direction, updating considerably outdated nutrition guidance, encouraging industry to reformulate foods, and making it easier for the public to make healthier choices.

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Bottom line

You’re all caught up for the beginning of the year! Have a wonderful weekend.

Love, the YLE team

Your Local Epidemiologist (YLE) reaches more than 295,000 people in over 132 countries with one goal: “translate” the ever-evolving public health science so that people feel well-equipped to make evidence-based decisions. This newsletter is free to everyone, thanks to the generous support of fellow YLE community members.

A COVID Story That Will Leave You Shaking Your Head

I found the first three paragraphs alone so infuriating that I just skimmed the rest of it.  Evidently, Joni Kerns and others haven't learned much from the last five years, and I sure hope her customers get vaccinated before they stop at Dairy Queen.

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Dead family, lost friends: How the coronavirus changed one small town

 

USA Today, 1/1/2025

"QUINTER, Kan. ‒ Joni Kerns coughed behind her surgical mask as she greeted a customer at the Dairy Queen she has owned here for 25 years.

"Kerns is suffering through her sixth bout of COVID-19, this time caught, she thinks, on a bucket-list trip to Las Vegas.

"Surviving so far," she said. "Still among the living."

"Nationwide, the pandemic sparked furious battles over masks, social distancing, school and business closures, and vaccine mandates.

"In rural Quinter, as elsewhere across the country, the months after COVID-19's arrival ignited a still-simmering battle over the proper role of government in managing public health, fomented distrust between longtime neighbors and weakened community bonds. People stopped speaking to each other. Some refused to patronize a restaurant that tried to enforce mask rules, and it closed for lack of customers. Health care workers quit in frustration and fear.

"Five years after the coronavirus began spreading around the world, it is still shaping how Americans live, work, eat and connect with neighbors. The virus was first flagged for international attention on Jan. 1, 2020.

"Kerns said COVID-19 worsened her diabetes and her husband's hearing and led to heart problems for her daughter.

"Still, she stopped getting vaccinated after the initial round. Right now, she also has the flu ‒ she said she'll get that vaccine next time, but not one for COVID-19, even though she knows the risk of long COVID, with its brain fog, breathlessness and other lingering symptoms.

"I just feel that God's in control here. If he says it’s my time, it's my time," she said, coughing again.

Sparking anger, fracturing community

"For a time in late 2020, Quinter's surrounding Gove County had the nation's highest death rate from COVID-19, driven in large part by an outbreak of deaths in the community's nursing home. In a span of days, 17 elderly residents died out of a population of just 2,600.

"Statewide, about 10,000 Kansans and more than 1.2 million Americans died from the virus, according to federal health officials. About 3.5% of Americans have symptoms that linger more than 3 months after COVID-19 infections, according to a study in December.

"For the first few months of the pandemic, residents in places like Quinter told themselves the worst would pass them by. The nearest big city, Denver, is about 250 miles west, and Kansas City is 300 miles to the east. But Interstate 70 runs along Quinter's bottom edge, and Kerns' Dairy Queen is a popular stop for travelers.

"And although Quinter has a small grocery store and a Dollar General, residents who want anything from Walmart or other stores have to make a 50-mile drive east or west.

"No one is exactly sure how and when the coronavirus first arrived in Quinter, but by early November 2020, it was killing nursing home residents, among them the town's unofficial historian and a longtime community volunteer. Experts had predicted elderly people with preexisting conditions would be most at risk. And like many rural communities, the residents of Gove County are on average older, poorer and sicker than their urban counterparts.

In a community small enough for people to know which of their neighbors are taking weight loss drugs, what car everyone drives, and what they're probably going to order for takeout at Melanie's Kitchen Asian Cuisine, it's hard to avoid running into one another.

"People are still angry," said Undersheriff Mike Haase. "I know there's relationships that were ruined because of choices made during COVID."

"Haase is still coping with the loss of longtime Gove County Sheriff Allan Weber, who died in December 2020 in a Denver hospital after a two-month battle with COVID-19. During the pandemic, Haase was one of a core group of community leaders who ran the county's Emergency Operations Center. He remains frustrated that efforts to protect community health spiraled into vicious political battles when people were dying.

“I lost some pretty good friends and a damn good boss," Haase said.

"In August 2020, just before deaths began, Gove County leaders ordered everyone to wear masks in public, then backtracked two weeks later after a series of angry confrontations with their constituents.

"Around the same time, someone anonymously reported the county's COVID-19 information Facebook page as "fake news," and it was temporarily taken offline just as public officials were trying to warn residents of the danger. A high school teacher who offered extra credit to students who got vaccinated was nearly fired.

"Local officials say the problems were exacerbated by then-President Donald Trump's inconsistent messaging about the effectiveness of masks, the danger posed by the infection and even the wisdom of being vaccinated, though he had funded the vaccine's development. Trump won Gove County with 88% of the vote in 2020 and 2024.

"Like many small communities, Gove County is far more conservative than America as a whole, in part because of the presence of the Dunkard Brethren, a Protestant faith from Germany. Members of that church wear plain, anachronistic clothing, including bonnets and long dresses for women, and reject having television in their homes.

Rural America at a crossroads

"Keith Orejel, a history professor and expert on rural America, said research indicates that the coronavirus may ultimately be seen as a "particularly cruel capstone" to the struggles faced by communities like Quinter, where the paved roads of the small downtown quickly run out into dirt roads cutting through corn and sorghum fields.

"The number of people living in rural areas nationally has been slowly declining, he said, as jobs increasingly shift to urban areas. Orajel, a professor at Wilmington College in Ohio, said COVID-19 sparked a small bump in rural populations as people who could work remotely online moved to small towns, but he predicted that would ultimately reverse.

"COVID-19 was particularly dangerous to the fabric of small towns, he said, because social distancing restrictions interrupted long-standing patterns of volunteerism and community connections. He said the generally older residents who participated in things like the Elks club or planning commission meetings ‒ the lifeblood of small towns ‒ found themselves socially isolated and in general just stopped participating.

"Once you get out of volunteerism, it's really hard to get back," Orajel said. "Those were trends that have been impacting rural communities forever, and especially in the last couple decades, and it’s very, very likely that COVID aggravated that."

"Haase, the undersheriff, sees the loss of that community daily. In addition to working as one of a handful of law enforcement officers, Haase also runs the local ambulance service and struggles to find neighbors willing to volunteer. That's a problem, he said, because Gove County has seen more drug overdoses since the pandemic hit.

"He said he also has seen an increase in mental health struggles, and, from his position as a deputy, a loss in respect for law enforcement and government in general.

"There are people who I know don't like me, and I'm still going to help them," he said. "You're not really looking at a popularity contest. You're looking at trying to save the most lives possible."

"One of the Quinter institutions most battered by the pandemic is the Gove County Medical Center, a small complex of low buildings on the town's west side. It's the area's single-largest employer, with about 160 workers. And because it also ran the nursing home, it has remained a flashpoint of both hope and frustration within the community.

"Hospital administrators in summer 2023 closed down the nursing home, arguing that federal care reimbursements weren't keeping pace with costs, which put the hospital's overall finances at risk. By closing the 29-resident unit, the hospital stabilized its budget, said Gove County Medical Center CEO Conner Fiscarelli.

"Many Gove County residents are bitter because the closure meant their aging parents were transferred to facilities 50 miles away. And some are mad because they believe the hospital's decision to use outside staffing agencies to supplement local workers is what brought COVID-19 into the facility in the first place.

"Nationally, more than 770 nursing homes have closed since 2020, displacing nearly 30,000 residents, according to a report in August by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living.

"Despite the frustration some Gove County residents express over the loss of the nursing home, 56% of voters this fall extended an existing sales tax supporting the hospital. Fiscarelli said he still sees strong turnout for hospital-organized events, which tells him Quinter's community fabric remains strong.

"Industries like health care and schools, that’s what keep small communities going," Fiscarelli said. "We're here to support them and they're here to support us, and that’s the best thing we can ask for in a small community."

Looking ahead

"Kerns, the Dairy Queen owner, is among those frustrated by how the hospital managed the nursing home closure. But she also acknowledges just how hard it is to find workers. Her restaurant often has to close when no one is available to work, she said, and she hopes to sell it soon and retire.

"She's frustrated no one from Quinter wanted to buy the restaurant, and she marks that reticence down to the same loss of community that she believes spread with COVID-19. Unlike in years past, there are multiple homes for sale in the small gridded downtown, along with many empty commercial buildings along Main Street.

"She worries about the future of her hometown after the pandemic, about the relationships that were forever altered, and the lingering economic struggles.

"Nobody wants to put in the effort it takes," she said.  "COVID really changed us. It really did."

All They Were Doing Was Celebrating New Year's Eve

Joe Biden is in office for a little over two more weeks. He had better ensure the safety of all Americans until then, so other families are spared this kind of unbearable grief and shock. Nobody should lose a loved one in such a horrific way. All they were doing was celebrating New Year's Eve, until a terrorist decided to destroy their lives.

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This is from ABC News:

'So beautiful and full of life': What we know about the victims of the New Orleans attack. The attack occurred on Bourbon Street during New Year's Day celebrations.

"A young mother teaching her son to read. A former college football player "on top of the world" living in New York City. An 18-year-old aspiring nurse. A father of two remembered as the "life of the party."

Family members and friends have begun identifying the 15 people who died in the truck-ramming attack early Wednesday morning on Bourbon Street in New Orleans.

The suspect, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, was allegedly "hell-bent" on killing as many people as possible when he steered a pickup truck around barricades and plowed into a crowd of people ringing in the New Year, according to New Orleans Superintendent of Police Anne Kirkpatrick.

Here's what we know about the victims so far:

Kareem Badawi

Kareem Badawi was identified as one of the victims killed in Wednesday's attack in a statement from the Episcopal School of Baton Rouge, from which he graduated last year.

A fellow alumnus was critically injured and is hospitalized, the school said.

Badawi was attending the University of Alabama, according to a statement from the university president.

Tiger Bech, 27

Tiger Bech's death was confirmed to ABC News by his mother, Michelle Bech.

Michelle Bech said her son, 27, played football at Princeton University and moved to New York City after graduating in 2021 to work for Seaport Global, a capital markets firm.

She told ABC News that her son lived life to the fullest and was "on top of the world."

She said her son was in Louisiana for a long weekend of hunting and fishing, two of his favorite activities, with college friends from Princeton. He was scheduled to fly back to New York City Wednesday afternoon.

His younger brother, Jack Bech, is a wide receiver for Texas Christian University Football. Michelle Bech said Tiger Bech frequently flew down from New York City over the past two years to attend his brother's games.

In a statement to ABC News, Princeton's football coach Bob Surace described Tiger Bech as "a ferocious competitor with endless energy, a beloved teammate and a caring friend."

Nikyra Cheyenne Dedeaux, 18

Nikyra Cheyenne Dedeaux's death was confirmed to ABC News by her mother, Melissa Dedeaux.

Melissa Dedeaux remembered her 18-year-old daughter as a kind and outgoing young woman who was excited to attend nursing school this year.

"She was a sweet person. She was outgoing, she was very loved," said Melissa Dedeaux, who said goodbye to her daughter for the final time Tuesday night.

Melissa Dedeaux said she begged her daughter not to go to Bourbon Street for New Years' Eve like she had done the year prior.

Melissa Dedeaux said she was worried about the danger of the area, and she needed her daughter to pick her up from her overnight shift at work at 7:30 a.m.

When another family member picked her up from work, she said she sensed something was wrong. She said her brother-in-law broke the news to her once she got home.

Melissa Dedeaux said she hopes others remember her daughter as a kind person.

"She was a good person, and even though she was loved by many, it can happen to anybody," she said.

Hubert Gauthreaux, 21

Huber Gauthreaux, 21, was identified as a victim in Wednesday's attack in a statement from the Archbishop Shaw High School in Marrero, Louisiana, from which he graduated in 2021.

"It is with great sorrow that we share that alum Hubert Gauthreaux, Class of 2021, was tragically killed in the senseless act of violence that occurred early this morning in the French Quarter," a statement from the school said. "He was 21 years old."

Reggie Hunter, 37

Reggie Hunter's death was confirmed by his first cousin, Shirell Jackson.

"He did not deserve this," she told ABC News' Diane Macedo. "It's senseless; it's cruel. ...I wish none of this had ever happened."

Jackson said Hunter, 37, leaves behind two sons, 11-year-old Landon Hunter and 18-month-old Christian Hunter. She described her cousin as the "life of the party" with a big heart who was funny, loving and caring.

"This is hurting all of us differently and on so many levels," she said. "We were expecting so much life to live with our cousin … Just a beautiful person who did not deserve this and had so much more life to live."

Nicole Perez, 27

Nicole Perez, 27 was confirmed as one of the victims by Kimberly Usher-Fall, her employer and family friend.

Usher-Fall said Perez had recently been promoted to a manager at one of her stores and she was really excited about the position.

She said Perez brought her 4-year-old son, Melo (Melvin), with her to work and she was helping him learn how to read.

"She was a great mother," Usher-Fall told ABC News' Diane Macedo. "She just was a really exciting little young lady and she was getting herself together."

Usher-Fall said Perez was out with her friends for New Year's Eve when she was struck by the truck. She was taken to University Hospital but succumbed to her injuries.

Usher-Fall has previously shared the news of Perez's passing Wednesday morning on a GoFundMe page.

"She was so beautiful and full of life. Her son Melo is now without his momma, and we are without our friend and dedicated employee. I'm hoping to get some help for her burial expenses and to help her son with expenses he will need to transition into a new living situation."

Matthew Tenedorio, 25

The death of Matthew Tenedorio, 25, was confirmed to ABC News by his parents, Louis and Cathy Tenedorio.

Tenedorio worked as a fiber optics and video professional at the Superdome and Smoothie King Center, according to his parents, who said they felt he had a boundless future.

Cathy Tenedorio described her son as the "life of the room" whose warmth and humor was treasured by his friends. Asked what she would miss about her son, she answered, "Everything. His beautiful face, laugh. 'I love you mom.' You know he was just a wonderful son."

The Tenedorios last saw their son at dinner on New Year's Eve before he departed for a night out with friends on Bourbon Street.

They both qualms about him staying out late on New Year's Eve.

"But all I did was just hug him and tell him, 'I love you. Happy New Year. Please text me when you get home.' And that text never came," Cathy Tenedorio said.

The Tenedorios began trying to contact their son Wednesday morning, attempting to piece together his last steps by asking his friends. They described a scene of chaos and carnage that caused the group to split up. By the time the shooting stopped, they couldn't find Matthew, his parents said.

"By noon, I had a good idea that something terrible happened to my son," Louis said.

Louis and Cathy recounted calling hospitals and reporting their son missing and then eventually going to a family reunification center at the University Medical Center hospital.

"I heard parents screaming and crying this afternoon. It just broke my heart," Cathy Tenedorio said, describing the agony of waiting to learn their son's fate. "

It's Been 5 Years Since COVID Began

This is from Canada, but it might as well be describing what Americans had to go through as well.

From CBC News 12-31-24

WHO marks 5 years since COVID-19 came on its radar — it became the worst pandemic in a century; Over 7 million deaths recorded worldwide, according to WHO data, but officials say toll likely far higher

"On Dec. 31, 2019, the World Health Organization first learned about what ended up becoming the worst pandemic in over a century.

"That day, WHO's office in China picked up a media statement by the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission from their website on cases of what it called "viral pneumonia."

"The virus that might have seemed innocuous at the time ended up shaping our lives and our world in the weeks, months and years that unfolded, and came to be known as the COVID-19 pandemic.

"As we mark this milestone, let's take a moment to honour the lives changed and lost, recognize those who are suffering from COVID-19 and long COVID, express gratitude to the health workers who sacrificed so much to care for us, and commit to learning from COVID-19 to build a healthier tomorrow," WHO said in a statement marking the five-year anniversary.

"More than seven million deaths have been recorded worldwide, with more than 55,000 of those deaths in Canada, according to WHO data, though officials have said the worldwide death toll is likely far higher. 

"And though WHO has said the emergency phase of COVID-19 is over, they also note the virus continues to spread widely across the globe, endangering people's lives. 

"The COVID-19 pandemic will also always be a permanent reminder of the potential for new viruses to emerge with devastating consequences.

"In its statement, WHO also called on China to share data and access to understand the origins of COVID-19. "Without transparency, sharing and co-operation among countries, the world cannot adequately prevent and prepare for future epidemics and pandemics."

"Many experts believe the virus was transmitted naturally from animals to humans, but suspicions continue to persist that it escaped from a laboratory in Wuhan.

1st cases, deaths, lockdowns and social distancing

"Canada reported its first "presumptive" case of COVID-19 on Jan. 25, 2020. The patient was a man in his 50s who had just days earlier returned to Toronto from Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak at the time. 

"On Sunday, March 8, 2020, Canada recorded its first death attributed to COVID. B.C. health officials confirmed that a man in his 80s with underlying health conditions had died after becoming infected with the illness at the Lynn Valley Care Centre in North Vancouver. 

"The alarming rise in cases, deaths and the number of affected countries, led WHO to characterize COVID-19 as a pandemic on March 11, 2020.

"We have rung the alarm bell loud and clear," it said.

"Soon, the dreaded words lockdown, quarantine and social distancing became all too real.

"Getting together with loved ones and eating at restaurants or going to the movies became a thing of the past, replaced by "the new normal."

"Masks became fashion statements. People hosted Zoom parties. As schools and offices closed to prevent the spread of the virus, working from home and online classes were suddenly possibilities. Everyone tried their hand at baking. People banged pots and pans every day to celebrate front-line health-care workers. Sneezing and coughing in public felt like a crime. The list of changes was endless.

"Meanwhile, the scientific and medical research community was studying the coronavirus and urgently working to develop vaccines. Less than nine months after the pandemic was declared, Health Canada approved Pfizer's vaccine against the virus in early December 2020, with approval for Moderna's vaccine following later that month.

"After a slow start to Canada's vaccine rollout, the country quickly rose to the top in terms of first doses, with more than 64 per cent of Canadians having rolled up their sleeves by June 2021. 

An end to emergency phase

"Finally, after what felt like a lifetime, WHO declared an end to the global emergency status for COVID-19 in May 2023, more than three years after the pandemic had been declared.

"Borders opened up, families reunited, businesses slowly started crawling back from pandemic-induced slumps and hugging and socializing became common again.

"Almost seven million people have died during the pandemic, "but we know the toll is several times higher — at least 20 million," WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at the time.

"Throughout the pandemic, the coronavirus evolved into different variants including Alpha, Beta, Delta and Omicron, highlighting the critical importance of the vaccines. But over time, uptake has slowed. By December 2023, federal figures showed just 15 per cent of Canada's population aged five and up had received an updated vaccine. 

"And while SARS-CoV-2 is now a familiar threat, the virus isn't strictly seasonal. It still circulates year-round, humming in the background.

"New vaccines continue to be rolled out at pharmacies, but public health officials say the country's focus is now on encouraging those who most need protection to get the updated vaccines to help protect against currently circulating variants.

Are we better prepared for the next pandemic?

"At a recent news conference, Ghebreyesus was asked if the world is any better prepared for the next possible pandemic. "The answer is yes and no," he said. 

"The bird flu situation has been escalating in the U.S., with California officials declaring a state of emergency earlier this month. Infections in dairy cows have been increasing and causing sporadic illnesses in people in the U.S.

"That raises new questions about the virus, which has spread for years in wild birds, commercial poultry and many mammal species. The virus, also known as Type A H5N1, was detected for the first time in U.S. dairy cattle in March.

"Flu watchers say they'll continue to keep a close eye on the pandemic potential of the H5N1 strain in 2025. The virus continues to spread among U.S. dairy cattle and decimate Canadian poultry. 

"If the next pandemic arrived today, the world would still face some of the same weaknesses and vulnerabilities that gave COVID-19 a foothold five years ago, Ghebreyesus explains.

"But the world has also learned many of the painful lessons the pandemic taught us and has taken significant steps to strengthen its defences against future epidemics and pandemics," he said."

Terrorist Attack in New Orleans

 

At least the CNN headline below didn't read "car kills ten" this time. The Fox News headline states "Ten dead and dozens injured after driver plows car into crowd on Bourbon Street, suspect dead.  The truck used in the attack crossed the border into the U.S. days ago" 

If this was Tren de Aragua, known to be attacking the border crossings in a desperate attempt to infiltrate our country before Trump's inauguration, then both part-time president Biden and Mayorkas have more blood on his hands. And if this was Islamic terrorism, we should have been more prepared. Let's see how quickly the media rushes to downplay this evil attack.

Remember the terrorist threat chart, above? Why hasn't that been used during Biden's disappearing presidency? Probably for the same reason that illegal aliens haven't been vetted: this administration has been more concerned with political correctness than with protecting its citizens! All the welcome signs are in place for terror attacks: a spineless president; no focus on terrorism; the ignoring of radical Islam on college campuses; and a weak country. What could possibly go wrong?

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From CNN: At least 10 killed in New Orleans after driver intentionally rams into crowd on Bourbon Street 

• At least 10 people were killed and 35 injured when a driver rammed a pickup truck into a crowd during New Year’s celebrations on Bourbon Street in New Orleans early on Wednesday morning. A law enforcement official told CNN the suspect is dead.

• The driver’s actions were “very intentional,” said police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick. “This man was trying to run over as many people as he possibly could.” The man also shot at police officers, hitting two, who are in stable condition, Kirkpatrick said. The FBI is investigating it as an “act of terrorism.”

• Federal law enforcement agents are also checking on possible improvised explosives at the scene. Video from CNN affiliate WDSU showed a law enforcement robot being used to examine the underside of the vehicle.

• The attack in the popular French Quarter happened just hours before the city is expected to host The Sugar Bowl less than a mile away. The annual college football game draws fans from all over the country, with the University of Georgia set to take on Notre Dame tonight.