Coronavirus daily update: Tuesday, Dec. 29

So close…

We are so close to the end of the year, so close to Biden’s swearing in, so close to that sweet, sweet stimmy that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell seems intent on holding up.

I swear, one of these days that guy is gonna find himself on the wrong end of a can of Twisted Tea. Metaphorically speaking, of course.

And the coronavirus vaccine, which should have been injected in about 20 million red-blooded American arms by now, has come more slowly out of the gate than anticipated. We’ve administered about 2.1 million thus far. At this rate, herd immunity in this country will take 10 years.

It will get better.

And what are we gonna do about these guys?

Meanwhile, the numbers march on through the long winter.

The numbers

• In North Carolina, 3,563 new ones today, which doesn’t seem all that bad anymore. 524,279 total.
  • New statewide recovery numbers won’t hit until next week, and that countywide alert system seems to have been forgotten. But we’re at 6,574 deaths, which is only 13 more than yesterday.
  • Positive test rate has dropped almost a full point to 13.5 percent.
• 413 more in Guilford, for 21,396. 11 new deaths today for 301.
  • 3,794 active cases, 221 hospitalized.
• 130 new ones in Forsyth, making 20,077. 221 deaths.
  • 2,750 current cases.

A diversion

So “The Mandalorian” is, of course, awesome, but we can’t drop those episodes here, or even pass off our Disney+ password. Instead I’ll delve into the rich catalog of Star Wars fan films. This one, “Darth Maul: Apprentice,” is regarded as one of the best.

Program notes

• Tonight we have “Comedy,” by Pierre Charles Trémolières in 1736. It’s not all that funny. Thanks to the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s public-domain collection.
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