[ExI] sturgis rally again

[spike at rainier66.com]

-----Original Message-----
From: spike at rainier66.com <spike at rainier66.com> 

>...friends who just returned last night from that bike rally in
Sturgis...spike


We know it is a well-known pattern with virii: they hit humanity, slay a
bunch of proles, it mutates, the mutant strain competes with the original,
both strains cause production of similar antibodies, so they compete with
each other in a sense.  The strains which leave the host alive longer have a
competitive advantage.  Result: the newer strains are more catchy but less
deadly.

The data from Santa Clara County has been so puzzling until we realize the
locals might be catching a mutant strain.  For the past several months, the
county has been averaging about 200 new cases a day, with an average of just
below 1 fatality a day.  

Earlier in the pandemic the fatality rate was a lot higher.

Perhaps we prevented overwhelming the medical system at first, until a
mutant came along which really isn't that different in lethality from the
regular flu.  If so, we don't need to keep stuff shut down anymore.  If that
explanation is right, we would expect to see a lot of new cases from the
Sturgis rally but not a huge number of fatalities.  

I keep hearing of this D614G.  Might this be the one which explains why the
Santa Clara county covid fatality rate remains at about half a percent over
the last three months?  Have we covid hipsters among us who might offer
insights please?

spike