As the T-Rump readies himself to pardon the annual turkey this near-midday Tuesday here in California’s Central Valley, the real story of the holiday season is rolling hard — ‘US Covid-19 cases could reach 20 million by Inauguration Day on Jan. 20, according to a new modeling forecast from Washington University in St. Louis.‘

Meanwhile, from John Hopkins University, the US (as of this morning) has 12,481,115 cases of COVID-19 with 258,665 deaths. And yesterday we topped/shattered records for the number of virus patients hospitalized with more than 85,700, and it’s been a surge-and-a-half — two weeks ago there 61,964 people in hospital beds, which broke a record set in April, and everyday the last 14 days have set records, though, right now we’re more than 38-percent higher than Nov. 13.
Even with vaccines on the close horizon, there’s no real end in sight.

And once again, another most-horrible graph (h/t BJ):

The US and Germany have announced plans to begin COVID vaccinations in their countries as early as December.#GraphicTruth from @gzeromedia on the trajectory of cases in the US vs the EU. https://t.co/ot6rbYcY0W

— ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) November 24, 2020

We suck at getting a handle on this virus, and the main, linchpin reason is the shithead T-Rump and his murderous-psychopathic tendencies, though,  that’s another nasty story to ponder later. The T-Rump legacy is awash in genocide.

However, the COVID numbers are scary-huge, and are earthquaking all over the country. And here in California we been slapped hard in a pretty-short time frame after seemingly finding a handle on the virus during the summer. A report this morning via The Washington Post:

In California, the speed of the new surge has taken nearly everyone by surprise.
The state does not have the worst numbers in the nation but it is perhaps the most whiplashed, enduring two previous cycles of spikes and recovery only to fall into a third.

The number of new daily cases statewide has doubled in just the past two weeks, and there are signs that more people are ending up in the hospital than during previous surges.
The state had never reported more than 13,000 daily cases until last week, when it did so three times.

Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has pushed 41 of the state’s 58 counties, accounting for 94-percent of the state’s population, back into the most restrictive regulatory tier, required masks outside the home, and imposed an overnight curfew.
The number is likely to rise this week, when San Francisco is expected to be returned to near-shutdown status.
…
Several public officials have expressed dismay at the rapid rise of infections in a state where, at least along its thickly populated and more liberal coast, mask-wearing has become habitual.
Among all the explanations, one cuts across demographic lines, just as the virus is doing this time around.

People are tired.

“We’ve done floods, we’ve experienced earthquakes, we’ve experienced fires,” said Alfredo Pedroza, a Napa County supervisor and native.
“This is a community that can withstand emergencies. But I think the duration of this pandemic is really taxing people.”
…
The Wildcat Vintage Clothing Store is empty except for Thea Witsil, the owner behind the protective plexiglass and counter.
Patrons must use hand sanitizer before entering and wear a mask, which Witsil has been making for months from vintage cloth.

She is not surprised by the spike.

“I mean, people are idiots,” Witsil said.
“Wear a mask, wash your hands — I mean, these are basic concepts people seem to be struggling with.”

Witsil has been in business here for 21 years and feels “like I’ve seen it all and lived through it all.”

“But this has been unlike any other event,” she said.

Where I live in Merced County is also spiking hard. Although, Newsom announced a limited curfew last week to supplment a shift of virus-fighting opening categories, enforcement of it will be spotty — Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke and his department will not enforce the curfew.
Even as the virus runs rampant (Merced Sun-Star last night): Since Friday, Merced County has reported 402 new infections. That includes 86 cases Saturday, 181 Sunday and 135 Monday. A total of 11,388 county residents have now tested positive for COVID-19.
And we’ve had 179 residents die.

Onwards…

(Illustration out front found here)