The worldwide pandemic has already caused 205 million cases and over 16 million deaths.

  One of the resurgent hotspots in the US is Florida, where nearly 18,000 new cases were reported yesterday, by far the most of any state. The Department of Health and Human Services says it is sending 200 ventilators and 100 nasal breathing machines to Florida to help treat 14,000 people in the hospital with Covid-19 and related illnesses.

 Asked about the shipment on Tuesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis said he doubted whether that happened and Florida would not have asked for the shipment. “I would honestly doubt that that’s true, but I’ll look,” he said. “I have not had any requests across my desk. I haven’t been notified of that.”

  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that pregnant and breastfeeding women get vaccinated against Covid-19. They say in particular that the vaccine does not present a danger of miscarriage.

  In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered that all teachers in public and private schools must be vaccinated or face weekly testing.

  Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul is calling the seven day suspension imposed on him by YouTube a “badge of honor.” The website removed his video in which he claimed most masks don’t prevent spread of the coronavirus.

  Paul, who’s a doctor, said in a three-minute video that “most of the masks you get over the counter don’t work. They don’t prevent infection.” He also said, “Trying to shape human behavior isn’t the same as following the actual science, which tells us that cloth masks don’t work.”

  This is a case in which the thought police may be guilty of false arrest. He’s got a right to his opinion and he may not be wrong.

Next Up: New York Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul made her first appearance yesterday as the state’s governor-to-be. She has not been part of the inner circle of the disgraced and resigned Gov. Andrew Cuomo. She said anyone involved in the Cuomo scandal will be out the door and, “At the end of my term, whenever it ends, no one will ever describe my administration as a toxic work environment.”

Head Count: The Census Bureau is expected to release data today that is likely to set off a monumental redistricting battle that could swing control of the House of Representatives in the practice known as gerrymandering. Some Republican-leaning states are gaining seats and Republican-led state legislatures can be expected to draw tortured district lines to give themselves the advantage in elections. 

Conspiracy Theory: A Santa Barbara, California surfing instructor who drove his two children to Mexico and killed them told the FBI that his belief in the QAnon conspiracy theory made him do it. Matthew Coleman told investigators he shot his kids with a  spear fishing gun.

  An FBI agent wrote in her report that “M. Coleman stated that he believed his children were going to grow into monsters so he had to kill them.” She wrote, “M. Coleman explained that he was enlightened by QAnon and Illuminati conspiracy theories and was receiving visions and signs revealing that his wife, A.C., possessed serpent DNA and had passed it on to his children.”

Double Jeopardy: The game show “Jeopardy!” announced that it would have two hosts to succeed the late long-running Alex Trebek. Mike Richards, the show’s executive producer will do the daily job and Mayim Bialik, the actress known for her roles in “The Big Bang Theory” and “Blossom” will do specials and a new college championship tournament.

The Spin Rack: Democratic senators Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona voted for the $3.5 billion budget blueprint but say it needs to be trimmed to win their ultimate votes. If just one of them votes “no” it could stop the bill. — Former Atlanta US Attorney Byung J. Pak told congressional investigators yesterday that he abruptly resigned on January 4^th because President Trump intended to fire him for refusing to say that widespread voter fraud had been found in Georgia. Pak is not the only official who says Trump ordered them to say there was voter fraud even though none was found. — The parents of 337 migrant children separated at the border under the Trump presidency still have not been found, according to a court filing. — Hundreds of residents of a 137-unit Miami condominium building were forced to evacuate Monday after city officials determined the structure was unsafe. — Women who thought New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is sexy are described in the NY Post tabloid as “Cuomosexuals.”

The Price of Fame: Former Trump lawyer, New York mayor, and federal prosecutor Rudy Giuliani is now offering himself as a spokesman and personal pitchman/messenger on the website Cameo.

  It’s a platform on which has-beens and used-to-be stars can make a few dollars off their faded fame. Larry Wilcox from the cop show “Chips”, $50, Barry Williams from “The Brady Bunch,” $140, and James Picken Jr., whose character on Grey’s Anatomy died, $300. It’s like the dollar ninety-eight beauty contest.

  Rudy is offering himself at $199, which probably wouldn’t pay the income tax on his hourly as a lawyer. He might really need the money. He’s being sued for defamation by Dominion Voting Systems and his law license has been suspended.

  Now Rudy is doing the internet version of holding out a coffee can on the sidewalk.

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