The Daily Valet. - 2/18/21, Thursday
✔️ U.S. Life Expectancy Drops Sharply
Thursday, February 18th Edition
I recently switched to black KN95 masks, and gotta say, I like both the look and feel.
Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf
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Today’s Big Story
U.S. Life Expectancy Drops Sharply
Overall, it was the biggest decline since World War II
Life expectancy in the United States dropped by one full year (to 77.8 years) during the first half of 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic caused its first wave of deaths, health officials reported early this morning.
According to the Washington Post, it’s a staggering decline that reflects the toll of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as a rise in deaths from drug overdoses, heart attacks and diseases that accompanied the outbreak.
Americans can now expect to live as long as they did in 2006, according to the provisional data released by the National Center for Health Statistics, a part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “This is a huge decline,” said Robert Anderson, who oversees the numbers for the CDC. “You have to go back to World War II, the 1940s, to find a decline like this.”
Black and Latino Americans were hit harder than Whites, reflecting the racial disparities of the pandemic. Life expectancy of the Black population declined by 2.7 years in the first half of 2020—chipping away two decades’ worth of gains. The life expectancy gap between Black and white Americans, which had been narrowing, is now at six years, the widest it has been since 1998.
Life expectancy dropped 1.9 years for Hispanics, to 79.9, and 0.8 years for white people, to just shy of 78. The preliminary report didn’t analyze trends for Asian or Native Americans. As a group, Hispanics in the U.S. have had the most longevity and still do.
Life expectancy is the most basic measure of the health of a population, and the stark decline over such a short period of time is highly unusual and a signal of deep distress. And this is the first time the CDC has reported on life expectancy from early, partial records—more death certificates from that period are likely still to come. According to the Wall Street Journal, 2020 was America’s deadliest year, with deaths topping three million for the first time ever.
↦ FYI: This is all happening against a backdrop of declining life expectancy that had only briefly recovered from the drug epidemic.
Should We Be Worried About Fake Masks?
The short answer is ... probably.
The Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday announced that it seized more than 11 million counterfeit 3M N95 respirator masks that were destined for frontline health-care workers, reports the Associated Press.
The raids were conducted as part of Operation Stolen Promise, which was launched in April by Homeland Security and partners across the government and private sector to investigate COVID-related fraud.
Unfortunately, it puts us all in a precarious position: A year into the pandemic, we're now being encouraged to double-mask or wear heavy-duty medical masks that remain a challenge to purchase online. The N95 remains the gold standard for pandemic protection because of its tight fit and 95% efficiency in filtering airborne particles. Then there's the KN95 from China, which offers the same filtration rate and is a bit more comfortable.
But the demand was so intense that a gray market sprang up for them and according to the New York Times, counterfeiters continue to flood the market, even on trusted sites like Amazon—so you've got to be sure you're buying from a reputable source. Is it worth the trouble? Definitely. For your safety and the comfort that comes with not having to double up masks.
↦ Dig Deeper: Everything you need to know about upgrading your mask and what to look for.
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Serena Stopped
Naomi Osaka takes down Serena Williams to advance to Aussie Open final
Serena Williams came within reach of a record-tying 24th Grand Slam singles title, playing well enough Thursday to get to the closing days of a major tournament. But Williams couldn't quite get it done, reports ESPN, as she was defeated 6-3, 6-4 by Naomi Osaka in the Australian Open semifinals.
Osaka, who also beat Williams in the chaotic 2018 US Open final, reached her fourth major title match and stretched her winning streak to 20 matches by claiming the last eight points. “I don't know if there's any little kids out here today, but I was a little kid watching her play,” Osaka, 23, said about Williams, 39, “and just to be on the court playing against her, for me, is a dream.” (Great recognizes great, right?)
Spectators were back in the stands at Rod Laver Arena on Thursday after they were barred from attending the tournament for five days during a local lockdown. About 7,000 people were allowed into the stadium for Williams-Osaka, roughly half of capacity.
As Williams walked off the court, she paused and put her hand on her chest while thousands of spectators rose to applaud. Was this, Williams was asked at a news conference after the defeat, her way of saying goodbye? “If I ever say farewell,” she replied with a smile, “I wouldn’t tell anyone.”
↦ Up Next: Osaka will face 22nd-seeded American Jennifer Brady for the championship.
The End Of Fake Japanese Whisky
The industry announces sweeping new regulations
It’s been an open secret among cocktail connoisseurs for years that not all whiskies labeled as “Japanese Whisky” are actually 100% Japanese. The country has no legal standards that define “Japanese Whisky” in the same way that Scottish law defines Scotch or U.S. laws define Bourbon.
Unfortunately, that has allowed Japanese spirits companies to import whisky from Scotland, Canada, and other countries for surreptitious blending. But now, the Japan Spirits & Liqueurs Makers Association has stepped in to establish a basic standard for “Japanese Whisky.”
Unlike in other countries, these new regulations aren’t legally binding but they are a strong show of force from the industry, and will likely lead to significant change. According to Forbes, the regulations also come down hard on any brands that would like to evoke Japanese imagery and names on their labels for a booze that doesn’t meet the requirements.
The Whisky Exchange, the world’s largest online retailer of the brown stuff, followed the news by announcing that it will soon recategorize the products it sells as ‘Japanese whisky’.
↦ Meanwhile: The next great Japanese whisky is here, and bonus, it’s affordable.
In Other News
Other Things We’re Talking About Today
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Morning Motto
Keep going ... no matter what comes your way.
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