Also on today’s menu:
The Deer Are All Right
Choosing Sides
A state senate bill that would have required all carriers offering health insurance policies to employers to provide a wellness financial incentive to those who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 at the time of enrollment was watered down to say they “may provide” the incentive.
Senators on February 3 passed the amended bill whose provisions are similar to the premium breaks offered for getting the flu shot, and Senate Bill 319 now goes to the Senate Finance Committee before being referred to the House of Representatives for review.
Senator Bob Giuda (R-Warren) called the bill “irresponsible,” claiming there is no scientific evidence to support vaccinations.
Over the last year, experts said there have been a number of anecdotal stories about “long haulers” getting better after receiving the vaccine, but they have also heard the opposite.
“There’s a small number of patients that feel like the vaccine has cured them of their illness, although that’s not persistent in all cases, either,” Dr. Jesse Greiner, medical director of the Post-COVID-19 Recovery Clinic at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, Canada, told Global News in December.
“It’s difficult to say because there’s still so much that we don’t understand about how long COVID works,” he said.
The Deer Are All Right
Monday’s discussion about deer in the front yard elicited a response from Susan Duncan of Bristol: “We have had deer tracts at the back feeders, too. It’s one of the wonderful benefits of Sugar Hill and the inhabitants who grace it.”
Those of us with apple trees on our property, or whose bird feeders attract squirrels as well as feathered friends, enjoy watching the wildlife that appears, but New Hampshire Fish and Game issued a statement on February 3 warning against intentionally feeding deer.
“Although people may feel badly for deer and want to help, the Fish and Game Department would like to remind the public to never feed deer as it may actually harm them,” said Deer Project Leader Becky Fuda.
The deer are all right, even in the winter. Deer have developed several adaptations to help them survive severe winters, which means they do not need supplemental food. Deer have a highly insulative winter coat to keep them warm, they store large amounts of body fat to use as energy reserves, they will voluntarily reduce both their food intake and daily activity to conserve energy, and most importantly, they migrate to specialized habitats known as deer yards.
Choosing Sides
As the United States sends troops to Eastern Europe and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization considers expansion to countries bordering Russia, China joined Russia in proclaiming a deep strategic alliance to balance what they portray as the malign global influence of the United States. Reuters reports that China President Xi Jinping played host to Russia’s Vladimir Putin on the opening day of the Beijing Winter Olympics today, saying their new relationship was superior to any political or military alliance of the Cold War era.
China joined Russia in calling for an end to NATO enlargement and supported its demand for security guarantees from the West — issues at the heart of Moscow’s confrontation with the United States and its allies over Ukraine. The U.S. has dismissed those concerns.
Russia voiced its support for China’s stance that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, and opposition to any form of independence for the island.
Moscow and Beijing also voiced their opposition to the AUKUS alliance between Australia, Britain, and the United States, saying it increased the danger of an arms race in the region.
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