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December 17, 2021

Top Stock Market News For Today December 17

Stock Market Futures Extend Losses As Central Bank Tightens Monetary Policies

Stock market futures appear to be dipping further after yesterday’s sell-off of growth names. The current activity is likely a continuation of investors’ reaction to the Fed’s policy announcement this week. In brief, the Federal Reserve is pulling back on its pandemic-era easy-money policies. This involves tapering its bond purchasing program and a possible interest rate hike down the line. As a result, investors appear to be rotating out of high-growth names. Among the main sectors affected by this would be tech stocks. This is evident as the tech-heavy Nasdaq was down by as much as 2.5{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} during intraday trading yesterday.

Weighing in on all of this is FS Investments chief market strategist Troy Gayeski. He said, “The thing investors have to understand is, we’re going through a major transition in monetary policy”. Gayeski went on to elaborate, “The Fed has been running emergency policies arguably far longer than they should have been, and as that money supply growth slows down as they ease off the balance sheet expansion and ultimately hike next year, one would at least expect more volatility in markets. And that’s really what we’ve been seeing the last month.”

If all that wasn’t enough, investors have no shortage of exciting stock market news to consider today as well. As of 7:38 a.m. ET, the Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq futures are trading lower by 0.25{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}, 0.47{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}, and 0.94{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} respectively.

Rivian Shares Fall On Wide Earnings Miss

Among the companies turning heads at the tail-end of this earnings season is electric vehicle (EV) industry newcomer Rivian (NASDAQ: RIVN). This would be the case given the company’s explosive initial public offering (IPO) back in early November. However, the company’s first quarterly earnings since going public fell short on several fronts.

Namely, Rivian posted a loss per share of $12.21 on revenue of about $1 million from its first customer deliveries of 11 R1T EVs. On one hand, the company missed consensus earnings estimates by $5.53 and revenue projections by $0.03 million. As a result, the company’s shares are sliding by over 9{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} in pre-market trading, placing RIVN stock below the $100 mark.

By and large, the numbers may not seem all that inviting at face value. However, a loss is expected given the company’s current focus on expanding its operations. After all, it is looking to compete with major names in the industry that already have substantial head-starts. In fact, Rivian also revealed plans to build its second U.S. production plant. The company is looking to begin construction by the summer of 2022. By Rivian’s estimates, it will have an annual production capacity of about 400,000 units. On top of that, the company also notes that it currently has over 71 thousand pre-orders for its EVs. Regardless of where you stand on Rivian’s prospects, RIVN stock will likely be in focus in the stock market today.

FedEx Back On Track To Deliver On Original Fiscal Year 2022 Profit Goals

In other earnings-related news, FedEx (NYSE: FDX) posted solid figures in its latest quarterly earnings release after yesterday’s closing bell. In detail, the company reported an earnings per share of $4.83 on revenue of $23.5 billion for the quarter. For comparison, this is versus estimates of $4.28 and $22.4 billion respectively.

Providing an overview of the quarter is executive VP and CFO Michael Lenz. Lenz said, “FedEx operating income grew in our second quarter, driven by strong revenue growth and effective management of our cost and expected labor availability challenges.” While the company’s earnings per share were unchanged year-over-year, he also notes that FedEx paid “significantly higher” taxes this year.

Notably, a key highlight of the company’s earnings call would be the update to its fiscal 2022 profit outlook. Thanks to the current momentum in its business, FedEx is reinstating its initial estimates after lowering them in September. For the fiscal year, the company is now expecting an annual earnings per share between $20.50 to $21.50. At the same time, FedEx also announced a $5 billion share repurchase program as well. With FedEx seemingly kicking into high gear across the board, I could see investors watching FDX stock now.

Goldman Sachs Sees ‘Solid Demand’ For Apple’s iPhones In China

Elsewhere, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) received a positive update from analysts over at Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS). In essence, the firm recently highlighted Apple’s improving iPhone supply in general. According to analyst Rod Hall, this is evident from better lead times for iPhones across “all major geographies”. He added that 13 weeks since launching, lead times for the iPhone 13 Pro models are down by 6 to 7 days in the U.K. In China, lead times also improved by 8 days. Not to mention, Hall also highlights that there is “solid demand” in China while Europe is seeing “slightly weaker” demand.

That’s not all, the analyst also pointed out that there is a notable increase in Macbook orders in China, the U.S., and part of Europe. Hall argued that this could be “suggesting supply is not keeping up with the demand”.

Across the board, it seems that Apple’s vast array of cutting-edge tech remains in demand this holiday season. With consumers looking to spend their saved-up discretionary funds, this comes as no surprise. As such, AAPL stock could be a top stock to watch for some investors now, even as it trades around record levels.

Churchill SPAC Looking To Bring India’s Byju Via $48 Billion Deal

Churchill Capital VII (NYSE: CVII), a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), is making waves in the stock market as well. Accordingly, this would be thanks to news about its plans to take Indian online education company Byju public. According to Bloomberg, should things go as planned, the company would have a valuation of about $48 billion. Given the sheer scale of the deal, it is no wonder that some consider Byju among India’s most valuable startups.

Overall, the report suggests that among all the SPAC partners Byju has talked to, Churchill Capital has “made the most progress” yet. In terms of the timeline, a deal could potentially be set as soon as next month. For the uninitiated, Churchill Capital brought EV firm Lucid Group (NASDAQ: LCID) public earlier this year. Given the generally positive reception to LCID stock, investors could be keeping CVII stock in view now.

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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

December 17, 2021

College football schedule: What bowl games are on today? Times, TV channels for Dec. 17-18

The college football postseason is officially upon us.

A record 84 teams were bowl-eligible this season, and thanks to the creation of the Frisco Classic they’re all postseason-bound. This is the first time every team that finished 6-6 or better is in a bowl. The 2021-22 bowl season is historic for other reasons as well. Cincinnati became the first Group of 5 school to make the College Football Playoff while Michigan will be making its first appearance in the CFP.

MORE: Full list of players skipping bowl games to prepare for 2022 NFL Draft

Bowl season will also be a chance for some of the nation’s top overlooked players, such as Western Kentucky’s Bailey Zappe, to finally gain exposure and national prominence. With big-name players such as Kenny Pickett and Kenneth Walker opting out of New Year’s Six bowls, more emphasis will be placed on smaller bowls as they’ve become more compelling matchups.

BENDER: Picks, predictions for all bowl games in 2021-22

Beyond that, winning seasons are on the line, NCAA records on the line and reversals of fortune are at stake.

The College Football Playoff won’t be contested until the end of December and early January; in the meantime, you can get your college football fix with dozens of other bowls, starting this weekend.

MORE: Watch college football games live with fuboTV (7-day free trial)

College football schedule: What games are on today?

The full schedule for Friday and Saturday’s college football bowl games, plus final scores and how to watch every game live.

Friday, Dec. 17

Bowl	Matchup	Time (ET)	TV channel
Bahamas Bowl	Middle Tennessee vs. Toledo	Noon	ESPN, fuboTV
Cure Bowl	Northern Illinois vs. Coastal Carolina	6 p.m.	ESPN2, fuboTV

Middle Tennessee vs. Toledo

This is the second appearance in the Bahamas Bowl for both squads in the seven editions of the game. Middle Tennessee is coming off a 6-6 regular season without a signature win, but it is playing in its first bowl game since 2018. The Blue Raiders’ six defensive touchdowns lead the nation. Toledo went 7-5, with four of the losses coming by three points or fewer and all to bowl-eligible teams, including to then-No. 8 Notre Dame. The Rockets have won four of their last five and three in a row heading into the game. They have committed just six turnovers all season.

Northern Illinois vs. Coastal Carolina

Northern Illinois has one of the best stories in college football this year. The Huskies went from 0-6 last season to 9-4 and a MAC conference title this season. They’re led by alum Thomas Hammock and propelled by one of the nation’s top running games, which averaged 234.2 yards per game and more than 5 yards per carry, good for fifth in the nation. The Chanticleers, who were ranked for much of the season, finished 10-2 after close losses to Georgia State and Appalachian State. The Chants are one of the nation’s most prolific offensive teams; they’re sixth in the nation in scoring offense and seventh in total offense.

Saturday, Dec. 18

Bowl	Matchup	Time (ET)	TV channel
Boca Raton Bowl	Western Kentucky vs. Appalachian State	11 a.m.	ESPN, fuboTV
New Mexico Bowl	UTEP vs. Fresno State	2:15 p.m.	ESPN, fuboTV
Independence Bowl	UAB vs. No. 13 BYU	3:30 p.m.	ABC, fuboTV
Lending Tree Bowl	Eastern Michigan vs. Liberty	5:45 p.m.	ESPN, fuboTV
LA Bowl	Utah State vs. Oregon State	7:30 p.m.	ABC, fuboTV
New Orleans Bowl	No. 23 Louisiana vs. Marshall	9:15 p.m.	ESPN, fuboTV

Western Kentucky vs. Appalachian State

Western Kentucky probably has the two best players in the country you’ve never heard of. Quarterback QB Bailey Zappe is four touchdowns away from breaking Joe Burrow’s single-season mark; he conveniently averages four passing touchdowns per game. Most of his passes are to wide receiver Jerreth Sterns, the nation’s second-best pass catcher. App State is coming off an appearance in the Sun Belt title game, where it lost to Louisiana for the second time this season. The Mountaineers do have a ranked win; they upset then-No. 14 Coastal Carolina.

UTEP vs. Fresno State

UTEP is bowl-eligible for the first time since 2014 thanks to a turnaround orchestrated by coach Dana Dimel. The Miners started 6-1 but finished 1-4. One thing they have going for them is that they’re one of the top teams in the country at defending on third down, ranking ninth. Fresno State got a major boost when quarterback Jake Haener, one of the top passers in the Mountain West, withdrew from the transfer portal and returned to the Bulldogs. It also got Jeff Tedford to return as head coach, giving it a superb offensive mind at the helm. The Bulldogs have the ninth-best passing attack in the nation and rank in the top 20 in several other key offensive categories.

UAB vs. No. 13 BYU

The Blazers have been bowl-eligible every year since returning to the FBS from a two-year hiatus in 2017. This year, they finished 8-4, the fourth time in five years coach Bill Clark has reached the eight-win milestone. A win Saturday would be their first in a bowl since 2018. BYU had one of the best seasons with seemingly one of the least just outcomes. The Cougars went 10-2 with two separate five-game winning streaks. They beat five Pac-12 teams, including ranked Utah and Arizona State. Kalani Sitake’s squad probably would have had a compelling case for a New Year’s Six bowl had it been ranked a spot or two higher, which it seemingly should have been.

Eastern Michigan vs. Liberty

One of the more surprising teams in the MAC this year, the 7-5 Eagles are going bowling for the third time in four years. Chris Creighton’s squad was the most disciplined in the nation, with the fewest penalties and fewest penalty yards. That could be the key to Eastern Michigan reaching eight wins, something the program last did in 1987. Liberty boasts one of the nation’s top quarterbacks in Mailk Willis, who is widely projected to be a first-round NFL Draft pick, but defense has been the Flames’ calling card this year. They rank 11th in the nation in total defense and in the top 20 in sacks. Liberty is a year removed from the best season in program history. It will move from independent to Conference USA in 2023.

Utah State vs. Oregon State

Another team with a great story is Utah State and its coach, Blake Anderson. Anderson built Arkansas State into a Sun Belt power before stepping down following the death of his wife. In his first season in Logan, the Aggies went 10-3 and won the Mountain West title while ranking in the top 20 in total offense and registering the third-most tackles for loss in the nation. Oregon State enjoyed a renaissance at 7-5, the Beavers’ first winning season since 2013 when Mike Riley was the coach. The Beavers went 5-4 in Pac-12 play while having the nation’s 12th-best ground game and ranking sixth in third-down conversion percentage.

No. 23 Louisiana vs. Marshall

The Ragin’ Cajuns have been one of, if not the top power in the Sun Belt for the past several years. They easily won the conference title this year and are ranked inside the top 25 for the second year in a row. Their efforts under Billy Napier impressed a lot of people, including a few at Florida. Last month, Napier left Lafayette to take the UF job. Louisiana ranked No. 11 nationally in scoring defense and had the second-best turnover margin. Marshall, led by first-year coach Charles Huff, went 5-3 in C-USA play and 7-5 overall. The Thundering Herd had the ninth-best red zone defense and the 12th-most sacks to go with the 10th-highest total offense in the country and a 34 points-per-game scoring average. They will be seeking their first bowl win since 2018.

How to watch, live stream college football games

The first slate of bowl games will be broadcast live on national TV, with games appearing on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC. Live streaming options include WatchESPN or fuboTV, which offers a seven-day free trial.

December 17, 2021

Long COVID: Is autoimmunity to blame?

Someone with their eyes closed wearing a mask with neon signs behind — A new study looks at autoimmunity and its theoretical role in long COVID. VICTOR TORRES/Stocksy

One step in our body’s immune response to the SARS-CoV-2 virus may potentially inhibit our ability to fight SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Antibodies that the body produces after the initial immune response may also bind the same target cells as the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
This might perhaps explain why individuals experience long COVID symptoms months after infection.
Vaccine-produced neutralizing antibodies may also elicit these second-line antibodies, resulting in the rare, serious side effects of COVID-19 vaccines.

A group of researchers recently hypothesized that complex immune responses to the SARS-CoV-2 virus might explain the long-term effects of COVID-19.

They also suggest these immunologic mechanisms may contribute to the rare, serious side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine.

In a recent New England Journal of Medicine article, co-authors Dr. William J. Murphy and Dr. Dan L. Longo explain how autoimmunity may be the mechanism causing these two distinct complications of the worldwide SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

When our bodies are exposed to a virus — or any infection — it recognizes proteins and other molecules on the invading virus as “not us.” Scientists refer to this as an antigen.

We then ramp up our immune systems to attack that antigen. Therefore, we try to neutralize infectious invaders, such as the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Once we use our antibodies to attack the invading viral protein, parts of these neutralizing antibody-antigen complexes can also be viewed as “not us” by our bodies. We can also form secondary antibodies, called anti-idiotype antibodies.

What is the purpose of anti-idiotype antibodies? After the initial benefits of first-line immunity, our body has natural processes to try to flatten our response to challenges. These processes are known as downregulation.

Anti-idiotype antibody production is one of our body’s methods of achieving downregulation. However, the presence of anti-idiotype antibodies can have unexpected negative effects.

Firstly, they can neutralize our infection-fighting first-responder antibodies, so they interfere with our body’s ability to fight the infection if it persists.

Secondly, they can mimic the original invading organism and bind to our cells in the same way. This instigates the same symptoms as the infection or causes an immune-cell attack on our healthy cells.

Drs. Murphy and Longo report that this mimicking behavior by anti-idiotype antibodies has been demonstrated already in models, such as viral diarrhea in bovine animals.

For Medical News Today, Dr. Murphy elaborated:

“This concept of anti-idiotype antibodies mediating effects and limiting efficacy could have a profound impact in understanding how to increase effectiveness and duration of protective antibody responses,” he explained. It might also help us “determine if patients are at risk, based on their anti-idiotype responses or allow for therapeutic interventions to be developed.”

The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein on the surface of the virus binds to angiotensin converting enzyme 2 receptors (ACE2) on our cells.

ACE2 receptors are present on many cells throughout the body, including within the lung, heart, kidneys, nerves, and brain. So, any protein, including a virus protein, binding these receptors can profoundly affect our health.

Once bound to the cell, the spike protein allows the virus to enter it. But, the spike proteins’ negative effects do not stop at simply finding a gateway.

By binding the ACE2 receptors, the spike protein can suppress healthy cell function and stimulate the release of inflammatory proteins called cytokines.

Regardless of whether we produce first-line antibodies from the vaccine or a SARS-CoV-2 infection, anti-idiotype antibodies have the potential to produce the same symptoms and side effects as infection with the SARS-CoV-2 infection. They achieve this by binding to the ACE2 receptor.

Dr. Murphy clarified for MNT:

“The vast majority of research on both SARS-CoV-2 infection responses and vaccines solely centers on the protective antibody and T cell responses. There needs to be much more investment in basic research on the immunoregulatory pathways that both can limit responses and duration, but also on their ability to mediate off-target effects.”

“Given the strong dependency on the population for vaccines and the need for boosting, along with the emergence of viral variants, it is imperative that more research be directed to understanding the mechanisms involved using preclinical models, which simply has not been adequately done.”

Dr. Murphy elaborated further: “Despite being put forth by Nobel Laureate Niels Jerne in 1974 as a means for antibody regulation, research in this area of anti-idiotype antibodies has tapered considerably and is not usually in the conversation of antibody responses. This article brings the concept back to the forefront as a possible explanation for the myriad of effects observed with both SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccine responses.”

Researchers Dr. Claudia Nold-Petry and Prof. Marcel Nold from Monash University in Australia also spoke with MNT. They discussed the potential role of anti-idiotype antibodies in complications associated with both COVID-19 vaccines and the disease:

“Confirmation of the presented hypotheses by basic research (as per the suggestions in the article) would represent a welcome advance in the understanding of the adverse events of vaccines and COVID-19 itself — including of SARS-CoV-2 variants, some of which may induce more and more problematic anti-idiotype antibodies than others!”

Regarding the medical implications of this research, Dr. Nold-Petry and Prof. Nold told MNT:

“Vaccines and antibody-based therapies could be screened for induction of anti-idiotype antibodies in preclinical tests, and modifications could be made to minimize such indications, as required.”

“Patients could be screened for anti-idiotype antibodies following vaccination or administration of antibody-based therapies, and an alternative vaccine could be selected if they were detected.”

Dr. Murphy added that these findings could provide many benefits, particularly “in understanding how to increase effectiveness and duration of protective antibody responses as well as potentially allowing for means to determine if patients are at risk based on their anti-idiotype response or allow for therapeutic interventions to be developed.”

“This article presents a hypothesis on a mechanism that could be at play,” he noted. “The research now needs to be done to ascertain if indeed this is occurring. A recent publication demonstrating the existence of anti-ACE2 anti-idiotypic antibodies in SARS-CoV-2 patients would appear to support this can indeed be a major factor.”

December 17, 2021

Fashion house Chanel hires Indian-born Leena Nair as CEO

NEW DELHI — The luxury fashion house Chanel has chosen Leena Nair, an industry outsider from India and longtime executive at Unilever, to be its new CEO.

Analysts say her hiring signals how the brand is accounting for changing consumer awareness of the industry’s environmental impact and the importance of diverse hires.

Nair said on Twitter that she was “humbled and honored to be appointed the Global Chief Executive Officer of @CHANEL, an iconic and admired company.”

The news made a huge splash Wednesday in India, Nair’s birthplace, where she received scores of congratulations and compliments to her announcement, one calling her a “serial glass-ceiling breaker.”

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The appointment is full of “historic firsts,” said Abhay Gupta, CEO and founder of consultancy group Luxury Connect in India.

“I am elated. This is the first time an Indian is heading a global luxury brand, that too an Indian woman, and it’s the first time a fashion industry outsider has been picked,” he said.

People of Indian origin are at the helm of a number of global tech, finance and other companies, but the same can’t be said for luxury brands. Gupta, who also runs a school for luxury management, said his students would be “inspired” by the news.

“It’s very encouraging and motivating, especially since we haven’t seen this before. Coming from a non-luxury background, I expect she’ll bring fresh perspective — it’s a sign that things are changing,” he said.

While Nair, 52, is not a part of the Paris fashion scene, Chanel has a wide range of products in addition to its high fashion designs, including eyeglasses, watches and makeup.

Nair is succeeding billionaire co-owner and chairman of privately held Chanel, Alain Wertheimer, as CEO. A grandson of Chanel co-founder Pierre Wertheimer, he remains as global executive chairman of the fashion house.

In a press announcement, Chanel said Nair’s hiring “will further ensure long-term success as a private company.” Nair is due to step into her new role in January and she’ll be based in London.

British consumer goods giant Unilever describes Nair as its first woman, first Asian and youngest chief human resources officer. She joined Unilever in 1992 in India and advanced up the ranks, spending time at the company’s factories early on.

Nair’s appointment is “a welcome change from the kind of formulaic model of the executives that tend to run major luxury brands,” said Imran Amed, founder and CEO of the Business of Fashion, an influential industry news website.

While it’s not uncommon for fashion brands to tap people from consumer goods companies for senior jobs, they usually come from marketing departments because of their expertise in managing brands — a luxury fashion company’s most important asset.

But Chanel’s decision to hire Nair, with her lengthy background in human resources, underscores the company’s efforts to adapt to evolving consumer and workplace attitudes toward sustainability and diversity, Amed said.

Nair has “really been focused on these kinds of topics during her time at Unilever,” Amed said. “I think that that signals a really important challenge for Chanel as it seeks to modernize its corporate culture.”

Her appointment is seen back home as a sign of the rising stature of Indian business leaders. It’s also a milestone for women, because so few of them head up big luxury brands, Amed said.

In her social media posts, Nair has described India-born former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi as a friend and mentor. Nair herself recently was awarded the Great British Businesswoman Role Model of the Year award.

But she is not the first woman to be CEO of Chanel. Earlier, Francoise Montenay and American Maureen Chiquet held that role. And of course, the co-founder of Maison de Chanel was a woman, the late Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel.

December 17, 2021

CDC recommends Pfizer and Moderna vaccines over Johnson & Johnson due to rare blood clotting issue

Dr. Janette Nesheiwat on Johnson & Johnson vaccine

The CDC now recommends that Americans take the mRNA vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna instead of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine due to rare but serious blood clots.

The agency’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices unanimously voted on Thursday to give a preferential recommendation to Moderna and Pfizer’s shots.

“More than 200 million Americans have completed their primary vaccine series, providing protection against COVID-19, preventing millions of cases and hospitalizations, and saving over a million lives,” CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said in a statement. “Today’s updated recommendation emphasizes CDC’s commitment to provide real-time scientific information to the American public.”

The CDC temporarily halted Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine in April while scientists investigated the blood clots, which are known as “thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome.”

Syringes filled with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are shown, Thursday, May 13, 2021, at a mobile vaccination site at the Greater Bethel Church in Miami. ((AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee))

Regulators eventually decided that the benefits of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine outweighed the risks, but the FDA released new data this week showing that more cases have occurred in the summer and fall.

Women between the ages of 30 and 49 are most affected by the blood clotting issue at a rate of about 1 in 100,000 shots.

Health officials have confirmed 54 cases of the blood clots, nine of which have been fatal, CDC official Dr. Isaac See said Thursday. Two more deaths are suspected to be related to the blood clotting issue.

SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES IMPACTING PHARMACIES: WHAT TO KNOW

A CDC official told FOX Business that individuals who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine should still receive a booster dose two months after their initial vaccine.

If an individual received a Johnson & Johnson shot for their primary dose and then a booster of any vaccine, then they do not need to be re-vaccinated with an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, according to the official.

Michelle Falgout, a registered nurse, administers a dose of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to Kerri Houston at a Florida Department of Health in a Pinellas County vaccination event held at the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Flori

Symptoms of blood clots – including severe headaches, abdominal pain, back pain, and nausea – usually occur 6 to 14 days after receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, according to the American Society of Hematology.

Only about 16 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine have been administered in the United States, compared to about 470 million doses of the vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna.

COVID-19 VACCINE EFFECTIVENESS WILL LIKELY DROP AGAINST OMICRON VARIANT, MODERNA CEO SAYS

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is a viral vector vaccine, meaning that it replaces a small piece of the genetic instructions in a harmless adenovirus with genetic instructions for the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. When the vaccine is injected, our cells recognize that the spike protein isn’t supposed to be there and produce antibodies to fight it.

Liesl Eibschutz, a medical student from Dartmouth University, loads a syringe with Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine before giving it to people on the first day that people ages 16 and up can receive the vaccine at Kedren Health on Thursday, April 15, 2021 in

AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine, which was produced in the United Kingdom, is also a viral vector vaccine and has led to similar blood clotting issues.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS

Several other countries have already recommended mRNA vaccines over the viral vector vaccines, or set age limits for the Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca vaccines.

COVID-19 itself can also cause blood clots. The risk of developing cerebral venous thrombosis or portal vein thrombosis is “significantly increased after COVID-19,” according to a University of Oxford study in April.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

December 16, 2021

LIBRARY NEWS: Hot Chocolate, Public Health Session Today

The hot chocolate is ready, so we hope you’ll come to your library today, Thursday, December 16, from 4-6pm to celebrate winter with us. While you sip, join in the fun with seasonal crafts.

And earlier today, from noon-1pm, is the next free public health session with representatives from San Juan Basin Public Health at the library discussing the dangers of radon gas in your home and distributing free radon test kits. The geology of Southwest Colorado leads to an increased risk of radon gas in our community so this is an important topic for us to understand. In fact, radon exposure is the leading cause of lung cancer, even in people who have never smoked. Take advantage of the expertise of the staff at SJBPH to attend this latest event in their public health series at your library.

Holiday closures
Your library will be closed beginning at noon on December 24 and also on Christmas Day, December 25.

Library hours
Most of our programs are happening in person. Also, our hours have returned to pre-COVID levels – and even more on weekdays:
Monday, Wednesday and Friday open 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Tuesdays and Thursdays open 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Saturdays open 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
For those uncomfortable coming into the building, curbside service continues. Phone 264-2209 when you are in the parking lot so staff can bring the items out for you. If you put a hold on something, please wait for your usual alert (email, phone call or text) before coming to pick it up.

Family storytimes
Wednesdays from 10-11 a.m. join us for free in-person children’s stories, games and plenty of reasons to get up and move. Saturday’s all-ages Discovery Times continue on Facebook at 2:30 p.m. with games, art ideas, science experiments, history and more.

Dungeons & Dragons
Join us Tuesday, December 21 from 4-6 p.m. for our ongoing Dungeons & Dragons game free for teens and young adults on Google Meet every other Tuesday. Contact claire@pagosalibrary.org to learn how to join. If you don’t have internet access, contact us anyway – we may be able to accommodate you in the library.

Writing challenge
A new all-ages writing challenge will be posted December 20 on the library’s Facebook page. We hope you will challenge your creativity by participating in this free all-ages activity.

Adult education
Our free PALS (Pagosa Adult Learning Services) session take place on Thursdays from 5:30-8 p.m. when Mark helps with high school equivalency, GED, college prep, financial aid, tutoring and more.

Books on CD
“The Becoming” by Nora Roberts is a new epic of love and war among gods and humans. “Go Tell the Bees That I am Gone” by Diana Gabaldon is the latest in the epic Outlander historical fantasy series. “Flying Angels” by Danielle Steel features six young flight nurses after Pearl Harbor. “The Wolf” by J.R. Ward is a Black Dagger Brotherhood paranormal romance. “Never” by Ken Follett is an international political drama.

Mysteries, suspense and thrillers
“Fear No Evil” by James Patterson is an Alex Cross thriller. “Autopsy” by Patricia Cornwall is a Dr. Kay Scarpetta mystery. “The Left-Handed Twin” by Thomas Perry is a Jane Whitefield mystery. “A Christmas Legacy” by Anne Perry centers on an elderly grandmother who the family thinks isn’t dying fast enough.

Other novels
“Well Matched” by Jen DeLuca is a Renaissance Faire rom-com. “Tales from the Café” by Toshikazu Kawaguchi follows four customers who hope to time travel from a Japanese café. “Just Haven’t Met You Yet” by Sophie Cousens begins when a reporter on a business trip picks up the wrong suitcase at the airport. “Fight Night” by Miriam Toews is a darkly humorous story about three generations of women via letters that will never be sent. “Lesser Evil” by Timothy Zahn is the conclusion of the Star Wars: Thrawn Ascendacy trilogy.

Library story collection
“Libraryland,” edited by Ben Bizzle and Sue Considine, is a collection of inspiring first-hand stories spotlighting the countless ways library staff make a difference for their communities.

Biographies and memoirs
“I’m Possible” by Richard Antoine White is the memoir of a musician successfully navigating racial and socioeconomic disparities. “The Correspondents” by Judith Mackrell documents the lives of six remarkable female journalists. “Medicine Woman” by Lynn V. Andrews is an autobiographical account of a woman’s search for identity in a Native American culture. “The Jesus I Know” by Kathy Lee Gifford shares the stories of people in various stages of knowing and experiencing Jesus in their spiritual journeys. “The Young H.G. Wells” by Claire Tomalin shows how his first 40 years shaped the life of the father of science fiction.

Other nonfiction
“They Knew” by James Gustave Speth outlines what the author believes to be the U.S. Federal Government’s 50-year role in causing the climate crisis. “Republican Rescue” by Chris Christie explains how he believes the Republican Party can recapture glory and win elections. “Killers on the Mountain” by Wayne Smart is a first-aid guide by this EMT on handling snake bites, avalanches, altitude illness, hypothermia and more. “SDA: Board Member Manual” is a reference guide for special districts. “Justice on the Brink” by Pulitzer Prize-winner Linda Greenhouse offers insight into the Supreme Court over the past 12 months.

Downloadable e-books and audiobooks
We have a wide variety of downloadable e-books and audio books for all ages – children, tweens, teens and adults – in cloudLibrary. The items in cloudLibrary are purchased separately from physical items, so the books available are different – and it continues to use the consortium’s contributions as well as those that we bought. Select AspenCat Union Catalog when setting up cloudLibrary for use. Email or phone us at 970-264-2209 if you need our help setting up this service on your device.

Donations
Many thanks to Mary Perouty and Susan Mercer for their generous monetary donations and to Jill Porterfield and our anonymous donors for their materials donations. Please put your materials donations into the dropbox at the library – not at City Market, which is reserved for returns.

Library foundation
Please consider a tax-deductible donation to the Ruby M. Sisson Memorial Library Foundation to support and enhance your library by raising funds for information resources, programs, services and facilities. Mail checks to P.O. Box 2045, Pagosa Springs, CO 81147 or call Cindi Galabota at 970-264-2209.

Quotable Quote
“By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.” Confucius, Chinese philosopher.

Website
For more information on library books, services and programs – and to reserve books, e-books, books on CD and DVDs from the comfort of your home – please visit our website at https://pagosalibrary.org.

Carole Howard & Library Staff

The Ruby Sisson Memorial Library has been located at 811 San Juan Street (corner of S. 8th and Hwy 160) since 1989. The library is overseen by the Upper San Juan Library District, a tax-funded special district in Archuleta County.