California issued shelter in-place orders on Tue Mar 17, 2020. I have been logging the highlights and lowlights. Aug was the slowest month in years. Aug was another month I spent more days out of the house. COVID-19 politics were the headlines.
Thur Aug 6. The Senate Homeland Security And Government Affairs Committee voted along party lines to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt. Fauci refused to testify about the US Government response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The referral was sent to the Justice Department. The department decides whether to charge Fauci with federal contempt charges. The maximum sentence is one year in prison.
Sun Aug 9. Shopped at Nob Hill. Ate lunch at Mitsuwa.
Mon Aug 10. Senators Ron Johnson (R-WN) and Rand Paul (R-KY) released texts from Fauci's former government phone regarding vaccine safety for pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fauci said there was no risk for pregnant women at any trimester. However, he said there could be miscarriages in the first trimester after the second dose. Pregnant women were not included in vaccine trials.
Thur Aug 13. Wasterwater data showed COVID-19 rates were increasing in the Bay Area. Positive test rates were increasing. A new variant was discovered called Cicada. The Cicada showed more mutations.
Ran errands at Toyota-Stevens Creek and Lucky first thing in the morning.
Sun Aug 16. Shopped at Nob Hill.
Mon Aug 17. The Center For Disease Control (CDC) reported COVID-19 cases increased in the USA. The overall activity was low nationwide. The rates were increasing rapidly. The concentration was the Southern and Western states; in particular, Texas and California.
The XFG.1.1 was the dominant strain accounting for 22%-40% of all cases in Jul 2026. 15% of the cases were the BA.3.2 or Cicada variant.
Wed Aug 19. Former senior adviser at the National Institute Of Allergy And Infectious Diseases David Morens pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to hide federal records during the COVID-19 pandemic. Morens was a senior adviser from 2006 to 2022. The records were related to coronavirus grant funding and the COVID-19 virus origins.
Fri Aug 21. Shopped at Costco. More people wore masks.
Sat Aug 22. Family lunch at Peking Delight.
Mon Aug 24. Dropped off my car at S&K Auto Services for repairs. Shopped at Costco Business Center.
Tue Aug 25. Picked up my car at S&K Auto Services for repairs. Visited the library. Got gas at Chevron.
Wed Aug 26. Car maintenance at Firestone.
Thur Aug 27. The Food And Drug Administration (FDA) approved the latest COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer and Bio N Tech. The mRNA vaccine targets the LP.8.1 strain. The vaccine is for adults 65 and older. The vaccine is also for people ages 5 to 64 with an underlying condition.
The FDA also approved the latest Moderna mRNA vaccine Spikevax. The vaccine is for adults 65 and older. The vaccine is also for people ages 6 months to 64 with an underlying condition. The mNexspike vaccine is approved for adults 65 and older. The vaccine is also for people age 12 to 64 with an underlying condition. The two Moderna targets the XFG subvariant of the JN.1 strain.
And the FDA approved the Novavax vaccine Nuvaxovid. The vaccine is a protein-based vaccine targeting the JN.1 strain. The vaccine is for adults 65 and older. The vaccine is also for people age 12 to 64 with an underlying condition.
All vaccines are available in Sept 2026.
The CDC said the XFG.1.1 was the dominate strain as of early Jul 2026.
Fri Aug 28. Ran errands at Tai Pan Dim Sum, Lion Market, and Smart & Final first thing in the morning. The afternoon errands were Bank Of America and Target. I was the only customer wearing a mask.
