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Yesterday's reporting:



Wisconsin:

Speaking of the UK... Here's what I've been reading:

https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/12/21/1015315/the-uk-is-spooking-everyone-with-its-new-covid-19-strain-heres-what-scientists-know/
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-new-strain-uk-what-we-know/
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/12/what-is-the-new-covid-19-strain-that-shut-down-england-u-k.html
https://time.com/5923758/new-covid-strain-uk/

The tl;dr version:

• It is a more significant mutation than most others seen, with several more genetic locations changed compared to previous mutations. Critically, many of these mutations are on the spike protein, which is what the vaccine works against. 
• At this time it appears to be more transmissible than previous strains, perhaps by a significant amount. Which is why people are locking down travel from the UK right now.
• At this time there is no indication it is either more or less deadly than previous strains. 
• There is concern that some of the mutations may have been an evolutionary response to antiviral drugs, helping the virus to avoid immune response. Not enough is really known about it yet to be sure. 
• The relevant epidemiologists interviewed said that it is highly likely that existing vaccines will likely still protect against this, despite the fact that it has mutated on the spike protein. Obviously, the more mutations you see, the more likely it will escape protection, but the vaccine is believed to be rather robust. 

IMHO, this is one reason [on top of so many others] that "natural herd immunity" was a bad idea. Viruses mutate, and the more hosts and the wider the spread is, the more opportunity they have to mutate. Avoiding spread as much as possible until a vaccine can be developed ensures that you only have one monster to fight. If it's allowed to spread too long, unchecked, you might realize you've got three or four different monsters that all require different vaccines by the time you're done. Hopefully that hasn't happened here. 

Possibly because it first emerged in September so it's almost certainly here?

And Europe locking down the UK might just be sour grapes over Brexit?

Yes to both.

It was here in late October/early November. The China travel ban was widely criticized at the time by many.

Interesting history of mRNA usage in medicine, specifically the vaccines:

https://www.statnews.com/2020/11/10/the-story-of-mrna-how-a-once-dismissed-idea-became-a-leading-technology-in-the-covid-vaccine-race/

Let me underline the part that matters.  And I'll nix the part that has nothing to do with the point being made.  Stop mimicking the talking heads on the extremist "news entertainment" networks, please.

and just what is your point

ok it was here before we banned travel from China so what

again what is your point