Surviving Yucatan

Updated 2/17/2025 … Original August 19, 2022:
The US Social Security system requires all people receiving Social Security benefits who are living abroad*, who have a foreign address, to file a form SSA–7162 every year in July or August. Fortunately, SSA Form 7162 is a simple form that certifies our current address, and certifies that the SS benefits recipient is still alive.

https://www.ssa.gov/foreign/ssa7162ocrsm.pdf

Note that you can use a pdf-filler program to type in your official foreign address into the second row of boxes:




Here is another version:
https://uploads.mwp.mprod.getusinfo.com/uploads/sites/52/2022/02/ssa-7162-REVISED.pdf

Notice how this version of the form 7162 shows where to type in your Name, Address and Social Security number.

*Who is required to file?
All people receiving Social Security benefits, who have foreign addresses registered with the SSA are required to file. It does not matter if your check is deposited in the USA or to a foreign bank account, because it’s all about the mailing address you have on file with the SSA.

*2022 Updates:
The SSA typically mails the forms out in May each year, with a 60 day due date for returning the form after the day your receive it … Yet the program was suspended due to COVID mailing problems, and this year, the notices were not sent out until June 2022, A follow up notice is sent in October and December if the completed questionnaire has not been received.

https://es.usembassy.gov/foreign-enforcement-questionnaire/

* * * * * * *
For USA-nians on Social Security living abroad. who have not received their notice in the mail, just download the SSA’s pdf form for SSA–7162, 
https://www.ssa.gov/foreign/ssa7162ocrsm.pdf

print a copy, complete the form, and mail it back to the USA using registered Mexican mail, to:

Social Security Administration
P.O. Box 7162
Wikes Barre, PA 18767-7162
USA

2024 UPDATE to Where You Send/Deliver Your Form:
Prior the Biden Presidency, SSA offices were better staffed and SSA benefit recipients living abroad could simply drop off their annual SSA-7162 filings at any SSA office. Under last year’s Biden short-staffing issues, the SSA interoffice mail service stopped working, and SSA systems stopped reliably delivering our SSA-7162’s to WILKES BARRE, PA, causing some people’s benefits to be inappropriately suspended … So be sure to mail your form to the WILKES BARRE, PA SSA office.

SSA Official Due Dates for Filing in 2022:
Per the SSA: “The Social Security Administration will resume mailing the forms SSA-7161 and SSA-7162 in late June 2022.”

https://form-ssa-ocr-7162.pdffiller.com/ and

https://www.ssa.gov/foreign/

~ We personally received our SSA 2022 notices with our form SSA-7162’s on July 17, 2022 here in Merida, Yucatan … and DESPITE WHAT SOME INTERNET POSTERS SAY, the form clear says:

“Then, complete your report and return it to the Social Security Administration, P.O. Box 7162, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, 18767-7162, U.S.A. in the enclosed envelope within 60 days from the day you receive it. “

https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/DownloadDocument?objectID=7143601

NOTE to READERS:
There are multiple legitimate workable ways to get your SS Form into the US Postal Service mail, to get to the SS Wilkes Barre office well before the SS’s Dec. 15 deadline.

NOTE to READERS:
There are multiple legitimate workable ways to get your SS Form into the US Postal Service mail, to get to the SS Wilkes Barre office before the Dec. 15 SS deadline.

1. You can use very expensive DHL or Fed Ex to get your USPS stampled letter to the SS, delivered to a friend or family member in the USA – and trust them to make a special trip, STAND IN LINE at a US Post Office … to send it by Registered or Certified mail.

2. Go into any Mexi-Post office and mail the letter to the SS Wilkes Barre address, using REGISTERED / CERTIFIED Mexi-Post mail. … This service works VERY WELL … and is cheap … and takes about 2 weeks … and while Mexi-Post delivery of things coming INTO Mexico (or to your house), instead Mexi-Post of OUT-GOING registered/certified mail TO the USA works well – and Mexi-Post’s outgoing mail goes straight to the USPS. 😉

AND the US Government accepts the Mexi-Post certified reception dates – as proof that you mailed it by certified mail.

AND the US Government accepts the Mexi-Post certified reception dates – as proof that you mailed it by certified mail.

3. Use a trusted human here, to personally mule your mail to the USA, and to put your application into the US Mail with plenty of time for delivery … Costs about 50 cents. Yucatan Mule Connection works well.
.
BECAUSE we each have a 60 DAY GRACE PERIOD for mailing in your Form 7162 … it’s hard to see why expensive Fed Ex or DHL is needed

… unless a person screws around from July until December … and then expensive DHL to a friend or family member becomes necessary … and for them to mail the Form 7162 by USPS Express Mail delivery before Dec. 15 …
???




Why explain all of this?
There are a number of official sounding reports & posts on expat social-media forums claiming that we must file the forms every May, or supposedly risk losing our benefits.

Fortunately, the SSA’s official announcements clearly explain the actual US Govt. policies.

Happy Trails

Read On … MacDuff !

August 16, 2022:
If your Yucatan license plate has a green stripe and a pyramid at the top, it’s high-time to get new plates.

If your plate looks like the plate above, the Yucatan police have already “temporarily arrested” (temporarily detained & fined) over 3,200 drivers for driving on expired plates like these with the pyramid.

Per this morning’s Diario de Yucatan report (amd Google Translate):
“As of September 1 OCTOBER 1, any car, bus, truck, motorcycle or trailer that circulates with expired license plates will be subject to an infraction and will be transferred to the corralón based on the current Traffic Law.

For this reason, the state police personnel, located at the speed, breathalyzer and security checkpoints , will continue to hold for a few moments the vehicles that circulate with expired license plates to make the exhortation to their drivers.”


Per this week’s new changes (Aug 30) as of OCTOBER 1, any car, bus, truck, motorcycle or trailer that circulates with expired license plates will be subject to an infraction and will be transferred to the corralón based on the current Traffic Law.

Diario de Yucatan, Aug. 16, 2022
“MÉRIDA.- The Ministry of Public Security (SSP) reports that it has made more than 3,200 temporary arrests to drivers of vehicles circulating with expired license plates, this in order to urge them to comply with the 2022 replacement process, which expires next August 31 next .

The SSP in Yucatan reiterates to the public that the operation will continue to invite the guides to exchange plates, since the police corporation previously warned that there will be no more extensions. As of September 1, OCTOBER 1 any car, bus, truck, motorcycle or trailer that circulates with expired license plates will be subject to an infraction and will be transferred to the corralón based on the current Traffic Law .

For this reason, the state police personnel, located at the speed, breathalyzer, polarized and security checkpoints , will continue to hold for a few moments the vehicles that circulate with expired license plates to make the exhortation to their drivers…. “

IF however your plate does not have a green stripe & pyramid at the top, looking like the plate below, then your plate is good until at least Dec. 31, 2022:

The process for getting new Yucatan plates can be renewed in person at SSP modules – requiring 3 hrs to 6 hrs of waiting in line …. or go online at the SSP website, including paying with a credit card at OXXO, and then getting a special appointment to go to the State of Yucatan’s new modulo on the North West corner of Siglo X. These special appointments for people who are prepaid and pre-approved are sailing through the onsite-process and walking out with new plates in less than 15 minutes onsite … or you can go to the SSP office behind Costco in Merida – who send you to the Siglo XXI … going through a process that takes 4 – 5 hrs of waiting (behind the online pre-approved people who prepaid)

Also note that past SSP procedures have been altered due to COVID:
Vehicles with 2020 plates, now officially they expire on December 31, 2022, yet we can extend the expiration date to December 2024, as long as we file for the 2023 and 2024 extensions, NOW.

Here are official details:

Details at
https://adeudovehicular.mx/yucatan-consultar-tenencia/?fbclid=IwAR3k6CyS5lmLGOKXmQhKisHAvLkw4nXJ1lQlFWmLSEdr-S3mJasGmm6viTg

Costos

• Automóviles y Camionetas:*
  $1,775.00
• Servicio Público:
  $2,019.00
• Arrendadoras:
  $1,667.00

• Demostración:
  $3,875.00
• Motocicletas: *
  $592.00
• Remolque:
  $1,028.00

Pagar refrendo en módulos de atención.

Requisitos

• Identificación oficial
• Comprobante de domicilio
• Póliza de seguro vigente

• Tarjeta de circulación
• Placas vencidas
  

Happy Trails.

Read On … MacDuff !

August 15, 2022 COVID Update:
We are now back to just under 500 new COVID cases in Yucatan State.
This likely means it’s safe to get back to ordinary life when out of doors, yet wearing masks when indoors with strangers.

* * * * * * *

Get educated … Stay informed … Stay healthy …

Dr. Steven M. Fry

Ph.D. in Chemistry, Public Health, & Laboratory Measurement Science.

Read On … MacDuff !

July 29, 2022 COVID Updates:
It has been a very busy past 3 days in COVID scientific news reporting, with no less than 5 critical updates. Summary:

~ As many as 1 in 5 Americans are now experiencing long COVID, as even asymptomatic COVID patients and COVID patients with only mild symptoms are experiencing troubling levels of long COVID problems.

~ The FDA & CDC have cancelled this summer’s COVID booster campaigns, asking people under age 60 to instead wait until this Fall’s anticipated release of new COVID vaccines that are targeted to work on Omicron BA.5

~ The US Govt just announced it is buying 66 million doses of Moderna’s new “Bivalent COVID-19 Booster”, that targets Omicron BA.5. Moderna’s “Bivalent” COVID booster is now scheduled to come out this Fall.

~ Because so many 10’s of millions of Americans are experiencing long COVID symptoms, CDC & FDA and top independent epidemiologists are saying that taking anti-viral drugs even with mild COVID infections may be the best option for stopping long COVID.

~ Because neither the vaccines nor the boosters are working well to stop BA.5 & BA.6 transmissions, the best solutions right now are wearing tight-fitting medical-grade N95 masks (or better) & Socially Distancing by at least 8 ft when eating and drinking with masks off.

Yucatan’s Twist:
Because almost all cases documented here in our current big COVID wave are from the earlier-arriving COVID Omicron BA.2.12.1 variant, with very few documented Omicron BA.5 cases, we can likely expect another 6 – 8 weeks of too high numbers of new COVID cases as Omicron BA.5 arrives & spreads here, because the Omicron BA.5 is highly infectious (a likely 16 additional people infected by each new case) and because the current COVID vaccines & boosters are not stopping BA.5 in the recent 6 – 8 week BA.5 waves in Gr. Britain & the USA.

USA’s COVID Summer 2022 Booster Campaigns Cancelled:
The US Government has officially cancelled their planned summer booster campaigns, because even the best current vaccination & boosters are not working to stop COVID BA.5 & BA.6 transmissions. CDC officials are cautioning people under age 60 to NOT get boosted now, and to instead wait until this Fall when the new vaccines for Omicron BA.5 come out.

The CDC & DOD have just this morning announced that Moderna’s “Bivalent COVID-19 Vaccine Booster” is working well against Omicron BA.5 in trials, so they have just signed contracts for 66 million doses of Moderna’s new “Bivalent COVID Booster”.

Further, study after study for the past year are showing long COVID patients who had only mild symptoms are too consistently showing long-term elevated T-Cell levels that cause ongoing significant inflammation. These nasty long COVID effects are being caused by even asymptomatic & very mild COVID infections. This means ANY COVID INFECTION is too often harmimg people.

Long COVID Problems are Worse than Expected:
Finally, because BA.5 & BA.6 have unusually high R0 values of 16 – 18 (where one patient infects 16 – 18 other people), top epidemiologists are saying that taking antiviral drugs to reduce T-Cell levels is the best current option for people with even with mild active COVID infections and for people with long COVID.

https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1010359 and

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2022.886431/full and

https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2022/07/29/biden-harris-administration-secures-66-million-doses-modernas-variant-specific-covid-19-vaccine-booster-for-potential-use-in-fall-winter-2022.html

Because having a prior COVID infection is providing very little protection from getting the current COVID strain (Omicron BA2+), and because having vaccinations provides only some protection from serious COVID symptoms & hospitalization … top Epidimiologists are saying we really MUST return to wearing tight fitting medical grade N95 or better masks and using 8 feet of social distancing inside buildings to reduce our inhaled COVID aerosol loads from infected people talking.

Ongoing Scientific Factual Conclusions:
Except for protection by wearing tight-fitting masks & Socially Distancing, unfortunately Omicron COVID is rewriting most of what non-scientist Medical Doctors have been telling people the past 2 years. Example: Many so-called ‘experts’ previously told us that COVID would supposedly mutate to milder & milder, supposedly less contagious strains. This has proven to be absolutely false. … ‘Expert’ Medical Doctors (who are not scientists) also told us that having a prior infection would protect us, which has proven to be asolutely false, especially with the most recent Omicron BA.2, BA.2.12.1, and BA.5 and BA.6 variants.

**Remember that ‘expert’ Medical Doctors on TV (who are not scientists) told us to “Wash your hands & use hand sanitizer”, actions which provide and provided absolutely no protection from COVID, because COVID is only transmitted by inhaling invisible fine aerosols from people talking or singing.

Remember how ‘expert’ Medical Doctors on TV (who are not scientists) mistakenly told us to “Wear your cloth masks.” for 2 full years from July 2020 – July 2022, even though the last 40 yrs of scientific testing shows that cloth masks leak horribly, providing almost no protection from inhaled viruses. The ‘expert’ non-scientist Medical Doctors unfortunately ignored that it is proven that it takes at least 12 layers of cloth to equal just one layer of N95 material … And yes, Medical Doctors ignored all these known proven facts on these things, even though they were published in the first month of COVID back in March, 2020:

https://yucalandia.com/2020/03/30/how-to-keep-yourself-safe-from-covid-19-sars-cov-2/

Remember how ‘expert’ Medical Doctors (who are not scientists) told us to “Disinfect EVERYTHING” back in 2020 … which provides absolutely no protection from COVID, because the only way to stop COVID transmissions is to inhale only very small amounts COVID’s highly-infectious invisible fine aerosols.

Because COVID’s invisible fine aerosols persist indoors by floating around infectious for 4 to 6 HOURS AFTER a COVID infected person talks, sings, or wheezes, then either fine high quality tight masks, or diluting out the aerosols by Social Distancing, breezes or fans are the only real solutions to not getting infected.

* * * * * * *

Get educated … Stay informed … Stay healthy …

Dr. Steven M. Fry

Ph.D. in Chemistry, Public Health, & Laboratory Measurement Science.

Coming to a clinic near you, this Fall or Winter
… COVID boosters designed to stop Omicron BA.5 !

Read On … MacDuff !

July 17, 2022 COVID Update for Yucatan, Mexico:
The latest COVID wave may have peaked in Yucatan. After 12 prior consecutive weeks of significantly increasing Omicron 2.12.1 COVID cases, last week’s PCR confirmed COVID cases across Yucatan finally stabilized at 4160 cases versus 4148 cases the prior week.

Yucatan’s 4160 PCR-confirmed COVID cases is still troubling for 2 reasons. We saw 11 COVID deaths last week, along with the likely over 50,000 actual cases of COVID, likely means 1 Yucatecan out of 45 had active COVID infections => We still need to keep masking-up with N95 or better quality masks, and we need to Socially Distance by 8 ft or more when out in public places with masks-off for eating and drinking.

Still, seeing our COVID cases level-off for even a week is a relief, because it points to us having a slight pause in the prior 12 weeks of large increases due to Omicron BA.2.12.1 – giving us ‘a breather’ until the NEXT COVID WAVE of Omicron BA.5 & BA.6 arrives from the USA & Gr. Britain. … So, we likely can expect another 6 weeks of wearing good masks & Socially Distancing – because the vaccines, boosters, and prior COVID infections give NO PROTECTION from catching the current Omicron BA.2.12.1 … BA.5 … & BA.6 variants.


July 11, 2022 COVID Update:
We are now in our 12’th consecutive week of increasing Omicron 2.12.1 COVID cases, with another 30% increase in Yucatan’s PCR-confirmed COVID cases last week. The latest 4148 new PCR-test confirmed COVID cases last week is very troubling, because only a small fraction of COVID infected people here get tested by the expensive PCR test (1 in 12 likely). Because of the severe undertesting rates, we likely currently have over 50,000 actual cases a week. This corresponds to 1 COVID infected Yucatecan out of 45 Yucatecans whose highly infectious invisible COVID aerosols from talking, linger infectious in indoor spaces for 4 to 6 hours after the sick person talks without an N95 mask.

Neither a prior COVID infection nor being vaccinated nor boosted gives any protection from getting the current COVID strain in Yucatan (Omicron BA.2.12.1). Next, because having vaccinations provide only some protection from serious COVID symptoms & hospitalization caused by the current BA.2.12.1 COVID strain in Yucatan … we really MUST return to wearing tight fitting medical grade N95 or better masks and using 8 feet of social distancing inside buildings when eating with masks off, or use fans & 6 ft of distance to dilute out our inhaled COVID aerosol loads from infected people talking with masks off. … and NO, cloth masks do NOT work and they provide basically NO protection.

And yes, Virginia … If this latest 12 week long peak looks troubling, realize that it is only going to get worse this coming 3 months, because the even nastier strains of Omicron BA.5 & BA.6 that are currently ravaging the USA, have NOT YET gotten here to Yucatan.

This is very important, because vaccines, nor boosters, or having even a prior Omicron infection (like having COVID last January) GIVE NO PROTECTION from transmitting the future COMING waves of Omicron BA.5 and Omicron BA.6. Despite media reports & reassuring words from the White House, prior vaccinations & boosters are NOT EFFECTIVELY PROTECTING PEOPLE from BA.5 hospitalizations in many parts of the USA (as reported on NPR this morning).

https://www.npr.org/2022/07/11/1110804098/the-dominant-ba-5-subvariant-is-leading-a-wave-of-covid-reinfections

Omicron BA.5 is now the dominant strain in the USA as 50% of new USA infections are causing US HOSPITALIZATIONS to spike wickedly by up to 30% in parts of America this past week, even for patients who were vaccinated & boosted or who had prior COVID infections (even last January’s Omicron infections). … Sadly, naive Medical Doctors (non-scientists) & TV talking head ‘experts’ (non-scientists) are now mistakenly claiming that because COVID deaths have not been spiking *yet*, that the current COVID BA.5 must magically not be risky … yet talented scientists instead point out that the spikes of past COVID deaths have LAGGED the prior spikes of COVID infections by typically 7 weeks. This means we really will not know the real COVID BA.5 death rates for at least 6 more weeks, which is why we again, still cannot rely on Medical Doctors nor TV Talking Head ‘experts’ for accurate timely useful advice.

and no, Virginia … There is no current evidence that BA.5 or BA.6 are here in Yucatan yet:
This means that there are likely new worse COVID waves on the way, that are ONLY stopped by GOOD tight fitting MEDICAL MASKS of N95 quality or Social Distancing when out in public. … This means NO MORE CRAPPY CLOTH MASKS that leak dangerous amounts of invisible aerosols from people talking … Further, when you have your N95 mask off to eat or drink in public, KEEP YOUR DISTANCE (8 ft) … or take advantage of breezes or fans paired with at least 6 ft of Social Distancing, to keep yourself from inhaling risky amounts the highly infectious INVISIBLE AEROSOLS from people talking or singing.

Why?
The vaccines & boosters are NOT working well enough to keep us out of the hospital from the coming BA.5 and BA.6 variants. Forewarned is fore-armed: BA.5 & BA.6 are not here yet, so we likely will see the current COVID wave’s surge last until September or October – being stopped only by good masks & Social Distancing … as new future cases of BA.5 & BA.6 will likely add to our current BA.2.12.1 cases.

Added Reasons Why the Latest COVID Infections in Yucatan Are So NEW and Scary:
Check out Yucatan Bill’s new plot of COVID waves top see how nasty Omicron is & how different it is from previous COVID waves:

Notice how the earlier waves of COVID are barely noticeable in this plot, because their R0 values were relatively small – especially compared to Measles R0’s of 16 to 18.

e.g. The original COVID strain had an R0 of about 4 … Alpha had an R0 of just 1.1 … Delta had an R0 of 1.5 … Omicron variants are now up at R0’s of 16 – 18 (these are the highest levels for viral transmission rates, equal to measles) … where a COVID infected patient early in the wave infects 16 to 18 people.

Why Care?
Notice that VACCINES DO NOT WORK to stop Omicron transmission … Only tight-fitting N95 grade masks (or better) work, or Social Distancing of 8 ft. out in public indoor spaces … or fans briskly blowing fresh air between people to dilute out people’s invisible, HIGHLY INFECTIOUS aersols from TALKING or SINGING work to protect us … and long-COVID consequences are now harming over 21 million Americans.

These scientific facts about N95 or better masks & 8 ft of Social Distancing are the ONLY guaranteed solutions to stopping COVID’s spread, and they were proven, known & reported effective by good scientists at the beginning of the COVID pandemic, published in March 2020, the first month of the COVID pandemic.

Realize, that talking head ‘experts’ on TV and Medical Doctors are not trained scientists, and realize that Medical Doctors like Dr. Faucci & Dr. Wallensky are not scientists, and have ignored the critical COVID scientific facts for years.

See Details Here on Staying Safe from COVID (Mar. 2020):

https://yucalandia.com/2020/03/30/how-to-keep-yourself-safe-from-covid-19-sars-cov-2/

So … Having even a prior Omicron infection (like in January) GIVES NO PROTECTION from transmitting Yucatan’s current Omicron BA.2.12.1 … and having vaccines & boosters are not protecting Americans from COVID BA.5 hospitalizations. … So, it’s time to MASK-UP again … and time to go back to 8 ft of Social Distancing when eating or drinking without masks in public.


~ Stay well, Stay informed, Stay safe. ~

Dr. Steven Michael Fry
Ph.D. Chemistry, Public Health & Environment, & Laboratory Measurement Science

Read on, MacDuff …

June 20, 2022 COVID Update:
We are now in our 9’th consecutive week of increasing Omicron COVID cases, with an 83% increase the past week in Yucatan, which adds to the 75% increase a week ago, which added to a 75% increase three weeks ago. The latest 1789 new confirmed COVID cases is very troubling, because only a small fraction of COVID infected people here get tested (1 in 12?), we likely have over 21,000 cases a week. This corresponds to 1 COVID infected Yucatecan out of 107 total.

Because having a prior COVID infection is providing no protection from getting the current COVID strain (Omicron BA2+), and because having vaccinations provides only some protection from serious COVID symptoms & hospitalization … we really MUST return to wearing tight fitting medical grade N95 or better masks and using 8 feet of social distancing inside buildings to reduce our inhaled COVID aerosol loads from infected people talking.

June 14, 2022 Update:
After 8 consecutive weeks of increasing COVID cases in Yucatan, we are now solidly in our 4’th wave of COVID, as we passed 1,000 confirmed COVID cases this past week. Because only a small fraction of COVID infected people here get tested (1 in 12?), we likely have over 12,000 cases a week. This corresponds to 1 COVID infected Yucatecan out of 190 total.

This current 1 in 200 Yucatecans with COVID is troubling enough that it means it’s time to go back to masking-up with tight fitting N-95 masks or better, and maintaining 8 ft of social distancing when out in public indoor spaces. It turns out that having a prior COVID infection … or being vaccinated & boosted … provides almost no protection from getting this new wave of Omicron BA.2.12.1 … But being vaccinated & boosted does reduce our chances of having a serious infection or hospitalization, and most Omicron BA.2.12.1 infections give only short durations of mild symptoms.

Why Wear Tight-Masks & Socially Distance?
Even though most Omicron cases are mild, note that even the current mild COVID infections are still causing permanent lung damage, kidney damage, brain damage, vascular damage, and nervous system damage in even “mild” cases. … So, even though you’ve been vaccinated & boosted, or have had a prior COVID infection, the risks of getting a mild Omicron infection accompanied by shocking long-COVID effects meana we really should start publicly masking-up & Socially Distancing again to avoid the wicked long-COVID effects … because ONLY tight medical grade masks (N95 or better) and Socially distancing by 8 ft indoors sufficiently reduce our inhaling the invisible highly-infectious fine aerosols to safe levels, invisible aerosols from people talking or singing.

Scientific Factual Conclusions:
Except for protection by wearing tight-fitting masks & Socially Distancing, unfortunately Omicron COVID is rewriting most of what non-scientist Medical Doctors have been telling people. Many so-called ‘experts’ told us that COVID would supposedly mutate to milder & milder, supposedly less contagious strains. This has proven to be absolutely false. … ‘Expert’ Medical Doctors (who are not scientists) also told us that having a prior infection would protect us, which has proven to be asolutely false.

**… ‘Expert’ Medical Doctors (who are not scientists) told us to “Wash your hands & use hand sanitizer”, actions which provide absolutely no protection from COVID, because COVID is only transmitted by inhaling invisible fine aerosols from people talking or singing.

… ‘Expert’ Medical Doctors (who are not scientists) mistakenly told us to “Wear your cloth masks.” for 2 full years, even though the last 40 yrs of scientific testing shows that cloth masks leak horribly, providing almost no protection from inhaled viruses. Non-Scientist Medical Doctors ignored that it takes at least 12 layers of cloth to equal just one layer of N95 material … And yes, Medical Doctors ignored all the known facts on these things, even though they were published in the first month of COVID back in March, 2020:

https://yucalandia.com/2020/03/30/how-to-keep-yourself-safe-from-covid-19-sars-cov-2/

… ‘Expert’ Medical Doctors (who are not scientists) told us to “Disinfect EVERYTHING” … which provides absolutely no protection from COVID, because the only way to stop COVID transmissions to to inhale only very small amounts COVID’s highly-infectious invisible fine aerosols. Because COVID’s invisible fine aerosols persist indoors by floating around infectious for 4 to 6 HOURS AFTER a COVID infected person talks, sings, or wheezes, then either fine high quality tight masks, or diluting out the aerosols by Social Distancing, breezes or fans are the only real solutions to not getting infected.

* * * * * * *

Get educated … Stay informed … Stay healthy …

Dr. Steven M. Fry

Ph.D. in Chemistry, Public Health, & Laboratory Measurement Science.

Read On … MacDuff !

May 28, 2022:
Yucatan lost one of its brightest lights yesterday, with the passing of Sidney Hollander.

Our world of expats here is now a bit poorer, somewhat less entertaining, and a whole lot less colorful.

Sid was a good friend, loving husband of Feli Pamplona, storyteller of the first order, a beloved teacher of gifted students, champion arguer, and the best in the world at the Maya Calendars for 2 generations.

Anyone who’s gone to Merida’s Museo Maya and gotten their birth date converted to Maya dates, has been touched by Sid, as he programmed that delightful tool to print our Maya birth dates. Others experienced his hearty laugh, commanding booming voice & rapier wit at the Merida Mens Club. Yet others much enjoyed his courses teaching the Maya Calendars & his generous hospitality, as scholars & students alike came to Yucatan from across the USA & Canada for decades to experience his 2 day Maya Calendar seminars at his beautiful quinta outside Merida.

Sid’s passing is major milemarker for many of us here in Yucatan, Merida, and across the Maya archeological world, as he has loved us & loved Yucatan since first coming here in 1968, as a part of Umacinta River trips. Sid really was one of a kind … part of a generation of first rate Maya scholars that included his contemporaries of the dear Herr Professor Doctor Peter Schmidt (Director of Archeology at Chichen Itza), Linda Schele, David Stuart & his parents, Willie Folan (Director of Archeology at Kalakmul), Rafael Cobos, Patricia & Rodrigo Martin, and too many dear acquaintances to be mentioned.

As the premier Maya Calendar expert to INAH, Sid worked onsite at Chichen Itza through the 1990’s, and continued as their Maya Calendar guy for another decade into the 2,000’s. In addition to writing the world standard “Bars & Dots” computer program in the 1980’s, (still in use today by scholars world-wide). On a personal level, Sid generously used his connections & roots to enrich the lives of more than a few of his good friends, as he was welcome through the back door of all the top Yucatec Mayan sites, as he opened up opportunities for many of us to go behind-the-ropes & behind-the-scenes at Chichen Itza, Mayapan, Uxmal, Dzibilchaltun, Kabah, Sayil & Labna.

Yet others will remember Sid from his Merida Insider days, as a good friend of Mexico Bob, EJ Albright, Yucatan Bill, and a host of other real characters. Some will even remember his generosity, love of dinners & love of Christmas parties as he regularly opened his home to total strangers he met on the internet – as THE Jewish guy who made THE BEST roast pork & held THE BEST Christmas fests.

We miss you & your stories, dear friend, beloved teacher, loving husband, father & grandfather.
Our lives are richer for having known you …

Adios, amigo

… Shalom …

… Descansa en Paz …


Your friend,
Steve

Read On … MacDuff !

April 12, 2024 Update
Each SAT Módulo now uses both a walk-up (daily) system and their web platform.

If the platform allows you to make an appointment, initially, you get options for days and times. (Inscription)

If the platform forces you into the EFILA (electronic waiting line) – then you do not get an option of day or time. You need to check your email twice a day everyday including weekends. You have 24 hours to accept the appt or you drop out, and need to start over.

If you are forced to use the EFILA for an eFirma (fiel) appt and you DO NOT accept the appt they offered, your current wait time is 30 days to reschedule.

Remember, if you arrive more than 10 minutes late for your scheduled appointment at SAT, the computer boots you out and you will typically have to wait 3 to 30 days to reschedule your appointment.


May 9, 2022 Update
The Tax Administration Service (SAT) reported yesterday that the entry into force of the Digital Tax Receipt by Internet (CFDI) 4.0 will be on January 1, 2023, instead of July 1, 2022. This means we will continue to get the 3.3 e-factura’s until then.

“Individuals and legal entities that today use the new billing version 4.0 , we ask you to continue with it in order to socialize its use. On the other hand, those who still do not use it are invited to continue with the transition process during the rest of the year”, per SAT’s latest public statement.

May 20, 2022:
All foreigners in Mexico on Residente Temporal & Resident Permanente visas, and anyone over age 18 with a CURP, face 3 new requiremnts by July 1’st, 2022 (January 1, 2023). These Jan 2022 changes to Mexican law will require foreign residents to:

1. Get RFC numbers (Registro Federal de Contribuyentes) from SAT-Hacienda to register as a taxpayer-resident in Mexico, and then

2. Get a “Constancia de Situacion Fiscal” document from SAT-Hacienda, as proof of Tax – Fiscal registration with SAT, and

3. That “Constancia de Situacion Fiscal” document will be necessary at some point** to be an electricity (CFE), water, or internet customer in Mexico. Further, any buying or selling of a car or house or property will also require having an RFC and the Constancia de Situacion Fiscal document.

Sources:
https://www.gob.mx/sat/prensa/el-sat-informa-que-no-habra-sancion-para-los-jovenes-mayores-de-18-anos-que-no-se-inscriban-al-rfc-001-2022?idiom=es
and
Código Fiscal de la Federación, artículo 27 … also see the Mexican DOF.
https://www.sat.gob.mx/normatividad/54967/leyes-fiscales &
https://www.sat.gob.mx/aplicacion/53027/genera-tu-constancia-de-situacion-fiscal

Background: Why, Where & When
Last Jan.3, 2022 SAT made what looked like minor changes to Articulo 27 of the Federal Fiscal Code requiring all adults (18 & over) to get an RFC. The purposes were to cut down on identity theft and increase tax compliance-collection by requiring people who already have RFCs to get new current Constancias de Situacion Fiscal (to prove who they are & that they have current valid RFCs), and by requiring all adult residents of Mexico to get a valid RFC. The old RFC application procedures were riddled with identity theft problems from strangers creating RFC’s online without having a formal account with password & personal ID confirmation. Under the new 2022 system, people without RFCs have to register in person to confirm their identity (Note SAT does not accept foreign passports as an ID), and those with RFCs need to create an online account with SAT and establish a password, to be able to print out the new official Constancia de Situacion Fiscal document needed to buy or sell a house or car, or to set up a CFE or internet, or water department account.

Sidelights:
First (1) … Many people in Mexico think they have an RFC, while they actually don’t. There was over a decade when local branches of Mexican banks just made up RFCs for their clients who had no actual official RFC from SAT-Hacienda, just to allow the bank to open an account for the person. Those old bank-issued RFCs are not valid for anything – so, unless you personally went into a SAT-Hacienda office and got your RFC, instead know that the bank-issued RFC is likely worthless & that you still need to go get an official RFC from SAT.

1.a. … Still, this is Mexico: Some foreigners actually have RFCs that they were unaware of, because some banks, car dealers & some Notarios successfully created valid RFCs for their customers when the foreigner bought or sold a home, bought a car, or started a bank account, without your knowledge or approval => which WAS part of the problem of Identity Theft, because people created RFCs without the foreigner’s knowledge. So … Some foreigners are finding that when they apply for an RFC now, that the SAT system kicks them out of the online queue, because they already have an RFC. These people with RFC’s then need to create an official online account with SAT, and establish a password – to be allowed to print out their current Constancia de Situacion Fiscal document needed to buy-sell a property, car, or start a CFE, internet or water dept. account.

Second … Unfortunately, these actions directed heavily at identity thieves, fat cats & big criminals, also flow down over the rest of us, who are living simple lives, uncomplicated by money laundering, gun-running, & drug smuggling. These new requirements are partly being driven by the USA’s ongoing War on Drugs & USA’s War on Money laundering – pressuring Mexico to address these problems, which then flows down onto the rest of us, just like the USA’s 2009-2010 new laws on foreign bank accounts & the 2009-2010’s new laws driving US banks to cut off accounts by 2017 for Americans living abroad. … These changes also come form Mexico trying to increase tax compliance, by requiring all Mexicans over age 18 to now be registered at SAT with RFC numbers.

**Third … These new requirements come at a peculiarly difficult time, because the SAT-Hacienda systems for creating new RFC accounts are working very poorly these past months – so the systems are so jammed up with millions of Mexican applying for RFCs, that it may take until Oct – to Dec to get it all sorted out, and working smoothly. In the meantime, if you do not have to buy or sell a home, a property, a car, or start a CFE or internet account, then you can likely wait a few months till SAT gets their systems sorted out. In the meantime, online waiting lists are 2,500 to 6,000 people long – yet possibly 10 appointments per day are available at SAT offices of you arrive early enough (6:00 AM) & wait a few hours.

Notice that it’s a new requirement for ALL Mexicans over age 18 … so, the SAT-Hacienda appointment systems are backed up over 4 months with new applications, from Mexicans …. 4 months just to issue an appointment date … It’s not just gringos … and … It may take 6 months to work-off the current backlog of Mexican applicants.

Fourth … In theory, every CFE office processes 10 (?) or 15 applicants over age 60 to get their RFC, awarded by being in line early enough (5:30 AM?) to be one of that day’s special 10 or 15. We know 2 people who have done this in the past 2 weeks … but as happens in Mexico, we offer no promises that this will work for you. YMMV … Best of Luck!

International Context: … (Is Mexico so much worse than othre countries)
It’s just like how Obama-Biden cut IRS funding, resulting in 26 million unopened tax returns in 2021, still unopened by April 2022 … so the US IRS is now burning-shredding millions of unopened returns that are more than 3 yrs old. … Fortunately, Mexico is not shredding nor burning our SAT-Hacienda tax applications … yet they are at least 4 months behind in being able to issue appointments at most SAT locations.

So, unless you need to buy-sell a house, now, or open a CFE account, or open a new internet service account NOW … you will likely be OK waiting the 4 – 6 months in a “fila virtual” (virtual line, online) waiting to get your email notifying of your appointment with SAT-Hacienda (details below).

* * * * *
How to Register for an RFC Appointment with SAT-Hacienda:
SAT’s current system for registering for an RFC requires the foreigner to register online to get an appointment to come in to an SAT-Hacienda office, to both register, get ID fotos & supply fingerprints.

SAT Online Appointement Website:
https://citas.sat.gob.mx/

When online at the SAT portal, we request an appointment ( “Registrar Cita ” ), and then choose the option as an individual taxpayer ( “Persona Fisica ” ), and then enter your CURP number. Also note that you will need to take an official copy of your CURP document to your SAT appointment – so keep it handy when you get it out to register online for your SAT RFC appointment.

The next parts of the online SAT RFC appointment request process are straightforward:
On the next page after entering your CURP, you select the service you want (RFC appointment), & choose the state you whant to appy in.

NOTE: … Our local Merida SAT-Hacienda office has been taking 2 – 4 months to issue appointments, so many people who need to buy or sell a house, property, or car have been making their appontments at either Campeche’s or Chetumal’s (Q. Roo) SAT-Hacienda offices.

After you select the state you want to apply in, you will either be given the option to choose a date on a calendar, or you will face a notice that says no appointments are available at this time – which is why many foreigners in Yucatan are jumping to Campeche or Chetumal (Q. roo), but even those appointments are filling up now.

If you face the “no appointments available” option, you will then have the option to choose to enter a virtual line – queue (“fila virtual“), which gets you in to the system, but the last 3 months of internet reports by foreigners show that you may not get a notice for an appointment for another 4 months. Applying for a spot in the fila virtual, and then entering your email, enables SAT to send you an alpha-numerical “token” that is used to join the virtual line.

At that point, you sit and wait, and moniter your email for a notice from SAT notifying you of your appointment date. As you go in for your appointment, you’ll need a short list of documents. The current SAT website lists:
~ A valid migratory document (your Residente visa card);
~ A comprabante, (proof of address), like a bank statement, CFE electric bill, or copy of your rental agreement-contract.
~ Your passport

Note … Assorted internet reports describe that many SAT officies are also requiring that you show a copy of your CURP document, even though this is not reported on the SAT website.

Recent internet reports also describe that you should bring a USB memory stick, for SAT to download a personal digital signature “firma digital” for future use. At that point SAT takes your ID foto, takes your finger prints (all at no charge). Finally, recent inteernet reports say that the process takes about 40 minutes.

Final Note: As these new requirements come online, there will be consequences from the new legal requirements: People who want to sign up for internet services, for water services, for CFE accounts … or to buy or sell a house, property or car, will have to provide both their RFC number, and their Constancia de Situacion Fiscal document.

…
We will continue to update this article as the situations evolve.

Stay informed … Stay healthy … Stay safe …

Dr. Steven M. Fry

Ph.D. in Chemistry, Public Health, & Laboratory Measurement Science.

Read On … MacDuff !

March 6, 2022 Update:
“Green” is go, as our COVID casecase numbers fall back to just 404 official new COVID cases last week. Historically, typical low weeks of COVID cases since May, 2020 have fallen to around 400 confirmed cases a week, so, we’re back to having just 1 Yucatecan with COVID in 475 total Yucatecans you meet in a week.

This current 1 in 475 … Yucatecans with COVID is low enough to go out and enjoy life here, while maintaining modest protections. (vaccinated & boosted or prior COVID infection + good mask when inside around people talking.

Hospitalizations look really good! … Just 19 official cases in public hospitals is part of the previous trend of falling for 6 straight weeks …. 178 … 156 … 117 … 66 … 44 … and now just 19 COVID hospitalizations (in public hospitals) this week

COVID Deaths Rates Fell Again to Just 19 COVID deaths. … Death rates have been falling from 78 … 77 … 77 … 70 … 42 … to 19.

Finally, like hospitalizations, the deaths were again excessively coming from UNVACCINATED people.

* * * * * * *

It sure is nice to report better COVID numbers.! 😉

Still … Keep wearing tight-fitting medical grade masks & Socially Distancing by 8 ft when masks are off for eating & drinking indoors.

Stay informed … Stay healthy … Stay safe …

Dr. Steven M. Fry

Ph.D. in Chemistry, Public Health, & Laboratory Measurement Science.

Read On … MacDuff !

Feb 27, 2022 Update:
Despite the politician’s “Green” rating for COVID in Yucatan, our COVID case numbers, hospitalizations & COVID deaths are still a problem.Feb 27, 2022 Update:

Though much improved, Yucatan’s COVID numbers still tell a troubling story, currently ending with a too high 1,774 govt-confirmed COVID cases this past week … 1,774 govt.-confirmed COVID cases corresponds to each of us encountering 1 COVID infected Yucatecan out of 110 people.

Our current 1 in 110 … 1,177 Yucatecans with COVID is much lower than previous weeks falling case number of 2,052 … 3,283 … 6,398 … 7,526 … which is really good news … Yet our typical low COVID numbers were just 87 – 400 cases a week in the past.

Medical Doctors & good Scientists are saying we should still keep wearing our masks & socially distancing, esp. when inside, until our numbers fall back down 4X times lower, back to 400 cases a week. … Saying it another way, because of long-COVID risks, Yucatan would still be rated RED, if we used the same Medical-Scientific standards of last year. … Politicians simply see the world differently than Scientists & Doctors.

Hospitalizations look really good! … Just 44 official cases in public hospitals is part of the previous trend of falling for 5 straight weeks …. 178 … 156 … 117 … 66 … and 44 COVID hospitalizations (in public hospitals) this week

COVID Deaths Rates Fell Again to Just 42 COVID deaths. … Death rates have been falling from 78 … 77 … 77 … 70 … to 42.

For historical context, Yucatan’s last 5 weeks of COVID deaths are still below previous COVID-outbreaks’ 100+ peaks, likely due to less Delta COVID and more Omicron COVID. … Omicron is killing people here … yet it appears to be killing 23% fewer people than the Delta version.

Finally, like hospitalizations, the deaths were again excessively coming from UNVACCINATED people.

* * * * * * *

It sure is nice to report better COVID numbers.! 😉

Still … Keep wearing tight-fitting medical grade masks & Socially Distancing by 8 ft when masks are off for eating & drinking indoors

Stay informed … Stay healthy … Stay safe …

Dr. Steven M. Fry

Ph.D. in Chemistry, Public Health, & Laboratory Measurement Science.

Read On … MacDuff !

Feb 21, 2022:

The Truth About Us and Where We Came From

Just a catchy title?

The last 12 yrs of tons of the latest genomic research of ancient human** DNA from across Europe, Russia, Africa, the Levant & Asia has blown the long-closed doors off the temples of most people’s beliefs about where we come from … where we came from … and radically changed what we know about race … and what we know about the peoples from whom we actually descended … Yet, most modern people seem to have heard almost nothing about this last decade of recent factual scientific updates on Europeans’ actual DNA-based genetic roots.

In a rather large twists of fate, for example, it turns out that many Iberian (Spanish & Portuguese & Catalonian) people are genetically different from the Germans, British & northern French peoples => due to the Iberians being a primarily a mixture of Out-of-Africa Black-skinned hunter-gatherers, +plus Black-skinned farmers from the Levant (Anatolia-Turkey, Jordan, Israel) along with some genetic contributions from Central Asian Steppe people … where Central Asian Steppe people (called Yamnayans) were Central Asian nomads who had horses & wheels, heavy-metal weapons, herds … and apparently a lot of attitude => replacing 40% of the Iberian males during a period of less than 300 years … but that’s just the tip of the rapidly-melting European iceberg … because todays “white” Northern Europeans’ DNA mostly comes from Central Asian Yamnayans & Central Asian people from just north of the Black Sea, and eastern Urals Russia… which makes today’s Northern Europeans genetically fairly different from Iberians.

Meanwhile it turns out that the modern Brits, Germans, French, Czechs, Hungarians, Scandinavians & Dutch have NOT lived there “the same way for 10,000’s of years” … but instead, before 6,000 years ago, ancient Northern Europeans were a race of VERY dark-skinned peoples, as dark as today’s Africans, who were a mixture of Out-of-Africa (Black) Hunter-Gatherer people migrating up out of Africa, through the Levant … coming to Britain, German, Holland, Scandinavia, Czechoslovakia, Balkans, Hungary & No. France  about 55,000 yrs ago,  who then mixed with NEANDERTHALS from 49,000-54,000 yrs ago … who extinguished (“replaced”) the Neanderthals by 45,000 yrs ago, even though the Neanderthals had lived there successfully for the full 350,000 previous years ….

These out-of-Africa black-skinned hunter-gatherer peoples of Europe dominated Europe for the next 31,000 years, until yet additional waves of very-dark-skinned Levant farmers started moving out of Anatolia (modern day Turkey), Jordan, Euphrates & Israel, and into Europe 9,000 yrs. ago. These “Fertile Crescent” Levant farmers brought grain cultivation (shifting us to a plant-based diet), bread-making, and BEER. Yet, notice that these early modern-Human (Homo sapiens), early northern Europeans & Central Europeans WERE WITHOUT the blue eyes, blond hair, and light skin that some modern people imagine for their ancestors…

It turns out that our supposedly ‘typical European” light skin did not appear until about 3,500 – 4,000 years ago, which is only relatively recentlyintroduced in our European DNA history. Light skin only appears during the end of the period of ancient Europeans shifting from heavily meat-based diets, to the plant-based diets of the Levant – Anatolian farmers, bakers, & brewers. Because of the change to a plant-based diet, our Vitamin D levels dropped, and people with light-skin fared better in our overcast lower-UV-dose European climates – causing a gradual shift from being as dark skinned as Africans (5,000 yrs ago), to becoming lighter skinned by JUST 3,000 – 4,000 yrs ago.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666979X2300174X?via%3Dihub

Then sometime between 7,500 – 40,000 yrs ago, the same NORTH EURASIANS who populated North America (a North Asian group who went extinct long ago – a group of humans who no longer exist except through their now far-off – greatly displaced – genetic progeny) …  also simultaneously moved both into North America, and moved WEST – into Northern Russia, Scandinavia, Germany, Holland, No. France & Britain … mixing with the local Out-of-Africa Hunter Gatherers … making those Northern European peoples a unique mix of African, Levant, local hunter-gatherers, and ancient NORTH ASIANS … as many “white” French people today are closer to Native Americans genetically than they are to Sardinians … but all of these “pure Northern European White people” … at that point are still not today’s imagined blond-haired blue eyed “Caucasians” …

= = = =
The next big wave of people coming into “Western Europe” were very-talented, olive-skinned (or slightly darker) expert-grass-breeders … aka FARMERS from The Levant: Anatolia (Turkey) down through the Jordanian & Israeli areas … between 4000 – 5500 years ago … bringing their barley, wheat, beer & bread …

So, it isn’t until North Eurasian (Central Russia) … blond haired Hunter-Gatherer (Mammoth hunting) people from north of the Steppes – from modern-day Middle Russia & Eastern Russia (esp. the Urals & Taiga) who come into Northern Europe … that blond hair & blue eyes become “a thing” … But even then … the mythological “pure racial identity of White Europeans” … it took blue eyed people from north of the Black Sea to bring blue eyes to No. Europe about 8,500 years ago.

Still, even by 8,500 yrs ago, our current version of Europeans did not exist … and does not really come into being until …

… wait for it …

until about 5,000 years ago.

5,000 yrs ago the very aggressive Steppe people mentioned above, (Yamnayans – Central Asian Horse-Nomads) with their wheels, heavy metal weapons & horses & herds … ROCKED & ROLLED through Central Europe, Germany, Scandinavia, France & Gr. Britain – replacing much of the local previous darker-skinned farmers & hunter-gatherer peoples … as the very aggressive Yamnayan Horse-Nomad Steppe people genetically “took over” – genetically conquored Northern Europe in just a short 300 – 500 years … generally with as much as 90% replacement of local No. & Central European population (male) genes, replaced by Yamnayans between just the 500 yr period from 4,500 – 5000 yrs ago.

This means there is NO CAUCASIAN genetic history for today’s “White” northern Europeans …. none … Instead, we’re heavily Central Asian Steppe Nomad (Yamnayan) horse-people**, mixed with heavy doses of ancient NORTHERN Asian people (who no longer exist) … plus some blond-haired blue-eyed hunter-gatherers from eastern Russia – aka Northern Eurasia … mixed with dark skinned Levant farmers (from Anatolia-Turkey, Jordan & Israel) … and out-of-Africa Black people who became the first hunter-gathers of France, Iberia, Germany, Scandanavia & Great Britain.

= = = = = = =
**But notice … This picture is missing some big cultural pieces … as to why all the European languages (aka Indo-European languages) are so inter-related. … It turns out that that Indo-European language quirk too, comes from those nasty aggressive Central Asian Steppe Nomad horse-people (Yamnayans), with their horses, wagons, heavy metal weapons, herds and plundering ways … dispersing their Yamnayan language from Northern India, all the way to Norway, Germany & Spain (Iberia)….

Yet, with all the mixing of genetics, mixing of religions & cultures (Beaker Culture & Corded Culture with Levant Farmer Culture, with local Western Europe (African root) Hunter-Gatherer Culture (literally as Santa Claus, mistletoe Christmas trees, & Christmas culture) with a big dash of North Asian culture & Middle Russian cultures (both being hunker-down to survive the cold cultures) … Yet, this beautiful mix of peoples from Africa … North Asia … Russia … Anatolia (Turkey) … and many many Neanderthals …

ultimately pacified those nasty aggressive Yamnayan Central Asian Steppe Nomad warriors … to get them to settle down … to farm … to brew beer … make bread … and make babies

… as scads of ancient 5,000 yr old Y chromosome data proves those aggressive nasty horse-riding, Yamnayan men “out-competed” the local guys for time with the local gals (5000 yrs ago) 90% of the time … much the same way 300 – 500 yrs ago the Spaniards out-competed the local guys in Colombia & Venezuela 90% of the time, for time with the local gals … 😦

So … all the dopey skin-heads … arrogant White French … and arrogant Dutchmen … and arrogant Germans, stubborn Polacks, and “pure Scandanavians” … neo-Nazis … and ultra-nationalist Facists of all flavors … are all WRONG …

Science proves that Northern European White People & Central European White people are (as proven so-far) the most genetically mixed people on the planet !!!

~ which I personally find absolutely delightful !!! ~

= = = = = = =

Finally,
When you think “White American” or “White European”…

Can you say … Hooray for Diversity! …

Can you say… No one is pure …

Can you say … “Heinz 57” … “mutt” … “chucho” (Spanish) … “malix” (Maya) are what No. European White people are ???

😉

= = = =

The main source of all this fun fun fun Science is a 2020 youtube video (below) and a 2018 genetics book called “Who We Are and How We Got Here” that draws on the ground-breaking revolutionary science of Ancient DNA …

Ancient DNA science is wonderfully, radically, overturning centuries of previous orthodoxies … just as the microscope’s & telescope’s appearance overturned centuries of religious & racist clap-trap.

😉

General Source:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-vHByC14bc

Dr. Steven M. Fry
Ph.D. in Chemistry, Public Health, & Laboratory Measurement Science.


= = = =
After-thoughts:
**If you enjoyed any of this, and if our Northern European genetic history & cultural roots intrigue you, I welcome you to read a short companion piece, about what was going on with ancient humans 300,000 yrs ago, in what we call today’s modern Germany … where it turns out there were no less than at least 5 different species of “humans” simultaneously living in “Germany” … (aka not just the simple “Homo neanderhalensis & Homo sapiens” skewed view of things), here:

https://yucalandia.com/2023/12/07/early-germans-crafted-killed-with-boomerangs-300000-yrs-ago/




Thank you for giving credit to Yucalandia.com, if you use any of this material.

Read-on, MacDuff …

Feb 20, 2022:
Questions have been popping up on gringo forums about how the 2022 “personal fiscal solvency” requirements have increased by roughly 20% for 2022, for foreigners applying for Residente visas to come to Mexico. That means it’s time to summarize the actual fiscal amounts that the different US & Canadian city’s Mexican Consulates require for people to qualify for a Residente visa.

Sure, many gringo FaceBook posts & gringo blogs are reporting a single specific magical “universal” $$ amount, but reality is different from those oversimplifications:

Also note that there are complicating factors of whether your local Mexican Consulate allows only pensions-retirement income & only old retired people to apply for a Permanent Residency visa (Residente Permanente), or whether anyone with enough monthly income or enough savings can also qualify for a Residente Permanente visa. Some Consulates are helpful & friendly on these key matters (Denver, Laredo, Portland, et al), while others (like the Mexican Consulates in California) have local very restrictive policies not found in our Mexican laws.


Next: Because EACH of the local Mexican Consulates can set their own local quirky variations to the rules, some city’s Mexican Consulates artificially allow only old retired people to qualify for Residente Permanente visas, while others follow Mexican law and allow anyone to qualify for a Residente Permanente visa.

As described in our main article on Immigrating to Mexico, we have accumulated a list of which Mexican Consulates follow Mexican law (allowing anyone to apply), versus the Mexican Consulates who create their own local additional requirements not specified in Mexican law, like how the Mexican Consulates across California are some of the most difficult to work with & most restrictive.
https://yucalandia.com/answers-to-common-questions/new-rules-and-procedures-for-immigration-visiting-and-staying-in-mexico/

Recent first person internet reports show that the Mexican Consulates in Laredo TX, Phoenix AZ and Las Vegas, NV are very lenient approving Residente Temporal visas for Americans with as little as $1,340.00 USD per month in income.   The Mexican Consulate in Houston has been reported as being very difficult to work with.  

Note that all the Mex. Consulates in California have added very stringent extra requirements that Residente Permanente visa applicants must use ONLY documented** Social Security deposits to meet the “Personal Fiscal Solvency” requirements … (the same applies to the Consulates in Dallas, Houston, Boston and others, all with difficult*Consular officers) … In contrast,  the Mex. Consulates in Laredo, Phoenix, Portland OR, Detroit, Chicago, Little Rock et al   have been very lenient in accepting monthly deposits … or savings account balances … that are NOT exclusively “retirement pension income” …   and Yes, Virginia … the individual Consulates do not always post the secret extra-requirements …  so check the list of … “Who’s naughty”   and “Who’s nice”

and go Consulate shopping… 😉

= = = = = = =
Finally, there’s also a somewhat submerged mess in the Consulates “Personal Fiscal Solvency Requirements”, due to some Consulates using the Mexican Minimum Wage standard (Salario Diario Minimo) versus the Mexican Govenrment’s new standard of UMA’s, where
UMA for 2022 = $96.22 pesos …. and  Minimum Wage (MW) for 2022 = $172.87 pesos

* Family Unit applications are those whereby the applicant has specific family ties or roots in Mexico.

In conclusion, all of this specific current iformation about the differing $$ requirements & differing rules at each of the Consulates is just part of a bigger richer pictuire of how to immigrate to Mexico – whose details can be found in our main article on Immigration to Mexico at:

https://yucalandia.com/answers-to-common-questions/new-rules-and-procedures-for-immigration-visiting-and-staying-in-mexico/

Happy Trails !

Read-on, MacDuff …



Read On … MacDuff !

Feb 14, 2022:
Yucatan State offers us all a special Valentine.

All adults are now invited to come in and get vaccinated or boosted, regardless of whether we have previously not been or have been vaccinated.

Because study after study are showing that people with prior COVID infections, and previously vaccinated people are showing low (insufficient) COVID antibody levels, they are offering to vaccinate any adult who comes in, with “no questions asked” … important because we are still experiencing an unnecessary 78 COVID deaths a week here … as we are still experiencing the 4’th worst COVID week ever.**

=> Keep wearing your tight-fitting N95 or better masks … Throw away your 40% – 70% leaky cloth masks … Keep Socially Distancing by 8 feet when indoors with masks off to eat or drink …


How to Get Your Latest COVID Vaccine Jab:
If you already have a CURP number, register ahead of time on the Mex. Government’s vaccination website.
https://mivacuna.salud.gob.mx/index.php


Here’s the most recent (Nov) Yucatan State Gob. posting of the 3 “permanent vaccination sites” that are open for people to come get vaccinated or boosted:

COVID Cases, Hospitalizations: & Deaths in Yucatan:
**As of last week, we are still in the Yucatan’s 4’th worst week of COVID, which is a blessing, because we just previously had the 3 worst prior weeks of COVID.

3,285 confirmed COVID cases, 117 COVID public-hospitalizations, and 78 COVID deaths last week is still very troubling** … yet these numbers also show we are likely coming off COVID’s worst peak ever in Yucatan . … Still, COVID is causing almost 60% of all Yucatan public hospitalizations (58%) , which is the same as the previous week, and 34% of the public hospital ICU beds were COVID-19 patients, slightly down from 38% from the previous week … Yet COVID death rates were basically the same this past week at 78 compared to the previous week’s COVID 77 deaths.

For historical context, Yucatan’s COVID death rates are still below previous COVID-outbreaks’ 100+ peaks, likely due to less Delta COVID and more Omicron COVID. … Omicron is killing people here … yet it appears to be killing 23% fewer people than the Delta version. If Omicron were as deadly as Delta, we would normally expect over 100 deaths last week, if the infections were all Delta. Next, note that this is very likely NOT a “testing-effect”, because we are still seeing consistent COVID-positive results rates at 78% this week versus 79% the previous week.

Finally, like hospitalizations, the deaths were again excessively coming from UNVACCINATED people, which proves the wisdom of Yucatan State opening up vaccinations & boosting to all adults.

Previous COVID infections supposedly giving protections from Omicron exposed as a myth – anti-vaxxers hoax:
Finally, it has become clear that having a prior COVID infection IS NOT GIVING PROTECTION from Omicron infections, as people who recently had Delta infections ARE GETTING OMICRON infections, too many with NASTY lung thrombosis, hospitalized due to coughing up blood … along with other Omicron patients getting nasty brain, liver, & kidney thrombosis => which are PRIMARY CAUSES of COVID deaths.

So … The whole set of some people’s claims that somehow “COVID ~magically~ might not kill people“, continues to be exposed as a big anti-vaxxer’s, anti-COVID hoax … along with unvaccinated people being the vast majorities of serious injury, hospitalizations and deaths.

Vaccinations & boosting give good protection from Omicron hospitalization & death, even though Omicron is still infecting vaccinated people … Finally, because COVID infects both vaccinated & people who have had prior COVID infections …

Keep wearing tight-fitting medical grade masks & Socially Distancing by 8 ft when masks are off for eating & drinking indoors.

Stay informed … Stay healthy … Stay safe …

Dr. Steven M. Fry
Ph.D. in Chemistry, Public Health, & Laboratory Measurement Science.

Read-on, MacDuff …



Read On … MacDuff !

Feb 20, 2022 Update:
Yucatan’s COVID numbers still tell quite a troubling story, currently ending with a too high 2,052 confirmed COVID cases this past week … This is improved from the awful 3,283 the previous week, but last weeks 2,052 cases was still the 6’th worst week ever for Yucatan … where our previous baseline for quiet months was between just 100 – 400 cases a week in Yucatan.

Here’s the latest trend, falling from our wicked-high (worst ever) peak 4 weeks ago:
7,526 … 6,398 … 3,283 … 2,052 …

The last 2 month’s two strings of numbers of COVID cases in Yucatan tells two stories:
first rising since Dec 15’s 84 cases … then Dec 22 @ 481 … 1,463 … 2,952 … 5,425 … 7,526

… peaking at 7256 case level 4 weeks ago, then falling: 7,526 … 6,398 … 3,283 … 2,052

Notice that this past week,we are no where even close to our lower previous baseline months of just 100 – 400 cases per week.

Because 2,052 COVID Cases were reported this past week for Yucatan, we are still experiencing SIGNIFICANT COVID RISKS, with our 6’th worst week of COVID ever, despite the rather odd Federal reports this week that Yucatan was somehow magically “Green” ???. Yet, this was the second consecutive significant decrease in weekly cases, which gives significant hope that we are past the peak.


COVID Hospitalizations:
By the numbers …. 178 … 156 … 117 … and now just 66 COVID hospitalizations (in public hospitals) also shows we officially past the peak. … Still, COVID is causing almost 35% of all Yucatan public hospitalizations, which is improved, but still troubling


COVID Deaths:
Death rates for COVID-19 have consistently lagged as much as 3-4 weeks behind COVID cases and COVID hospitalizations, so it is no surprise that death rates were still quite high at 70 deaths, versus the previous 2 weeks at 78 & 77 COVID deaths 77.

For historical context, Yucatan’s last 3 weeks of COVID deaths are still below previous COVID-outbreaks’ 100+ peaks, likely due to less Delta COVID and more Omicron COVID. … Omicron is killing people here … yet it appears to be killing 23% fewer people than the Delta version. If Omicron were as deadly as Delta, we would normally expect over 100 deaths last week, if the infections were all Delta. Next, note that this is very likely NOT a “testing-effect”, because we are still seeing consistent COVID-positive results rates at 78% this week versus 79% the previous week.

Finally, like hospitalizations, the deaths were again excessively coming from UNVACCINATED people.

Previous COVID infections supposedly giving protections from Omicron exposed as a myth – anti-vaxxers hoax:
Finally, it has become clear that having a prior COVID infection IS NOT GIVING PROTECTION from Omicron infections, as people who recently had Delta infections ARE GETTING OMICRON infections, too many with NASTY lung thrombosis, hospitalized due to coughing up blood … along with other Omicron patients getting nasty brain, liver, & kidney thrombosis => which are PRIMARY CAUSES of COVID deaths.

So … The whole set of some people’s claims that somehow “COVID ~magically~ might not kill people“, continues to be exposed as a big anti-vaxxer’s, anti-COVID hoax … along with unvaccinated people being the vast majorities of serious injury, hospitalizations and deaths.

Vaccinations & boosting give good protection from Omicron hospitalization & death, even though Omicron is still infecting vaccinated people … Finally, because COVID infects both vaccinated & people who have had prior COVID infections …

Feb 13, 2022 Update:
Yucatan’s COVID numbers tell a story, currently ending with 3,283 this week.

84 … 481 … 1,463 … 2,952 … 5,425 … 7,526

then
7,526 … 6,398 … 3,283

These two strings of numbers of confirmed COVID cases in Yucatan tell two stories:
first rising since Dec 15, and then falling to yesterday Feb 12, 2022’s … “3,283”.

3,283 COVID Cases were reported this past week for Yucatan, so we are still experiencing the 4’th worst week of COVID ever. Yet, this was the second consecutive significant decrease in weekly cases, which gives significant hope that we are past the peak.

COVID Hospitalizations:
By the numbers …. 178, 156, and now 117 COVID hospitalizations also shows we are likely past the peak. … Still, COVID is causing almost 60% of all Yucatan public hospitalizations (58%) , which is the same as the previous week. … There is a little more good news in Yucatan’s Hospital reports:
34% of the public hospital ICU beds were COVID-19 patients, slightly down from 38% from last week.

COVID Deaths:
Death rates for COVID-19 have consistently lagged as much as 3-4 weeks behind COVID cases and COVID hospitalizations, so it is no surprise that death rates were basically the same this past week at 78 compared to the previous week’s COVID 77 deaths.

For historical context, Yucatan’s COVID death rates are still below previous COVID-outbreaks’ 100+ peaks, likely due to less Delta COVID and more Omicron COVID. … Omicron is killing people here … yet it appears to be killing 23% fewer people than the Delta version. If Omicron were as deadly as Delta, we would normally expect over 100 deaths last week, if the infections were all Delta. Next, note that this is very likely NOT a “testing-effect”, because we are still seeing consistent COVID-positive results rates at 78% this week versus 79% the previous week.

Finally, like hospitalizations, the deaths were again excessively coming from UNVACCINATED people.

Keep wearing tight-fitting medical grade masks & Socially Distancing by 8 ft when masks are off for eating & drinking indoors.

Stay informed … Stay healthy … Stay safe …

Dr. Steven M. Fry
Ph.D. in Chemistry, Public Health, & Laboratory Measurement Science.

Read-on, MacDuff …



Read On … MacDuff !

Feb. 1, 2022
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Stay informed … Stay healthy … Stay safe …

Dr. Steven M. Fry
Ph.D. in Chemistry, Public Health, & Laboratory Measurement Science.

Read On … MacDuff !

Feb 6, 2022 Update:
6,398 COVID Cases reported this past week in Yucatan, so we are still experiencing the 2’nd worst week of COVID ever. Fortunately, this was the first decrease in weekly cases for the past 6 previous weeks of increases (with a 15% drop), which gives a little hope that we may be past the peak(?).

Hospitalizations also dropped slightly from 178 ICU patients last week, decreasing 12% to 156 Yucatecans hospitalized in public hospital ICUs.

Death rates are also a bit lower, as the COVID infections are shifting to more Omicron & less Delta variants, with 77 COVID deaths this week. Omicron is killing people here, yet it appears to be killing 23% fewer people than the Delta version, where we would normally expect 100 deaths last week, if the infections were all Delta. This is very likely NOT a “testing-effect”, because we are still seeing COVID-positive results rates at 79% last week, as compared to 83% positive tests the previous Jan 30 ending week.

Predictably & hospitalizations, the deaths were excessively coming from UNVACCINATED people.

Previous COVID infections supposedly giving protections from Omicron exposed as a myth –
anti-vaxxers hoax:
Finally, it has become clear that having a prior COVID infection IS NOT GIVING PROTECTION from Omicron infections, as people who recently had Delta infections ARE GETTING OMICRON infections, with NASTY lung thrombosis, hospitalized due to coughing up blood … along with other Omicron patients getting nasty brain, liver, & kidney thrombosis => which are PRIMARY CAUSES of COVID deaths.

So … The whole set of some people’s claims that somehow “COVID magically might not kill people”, continues to be exposed as a big anti-vaxxer’s, anti-COVID hoax … along with unvaccinated people being the vast majorities of serious injury, hospitalizations and deaths.

Because vaccinations & boosting give good protection from Omicron hospitalization & death, Omicron is still infecting vaccinated people … so keep wearing tight-fitting medical grade masks & Socially Distancing by 8 ft (when masks are off for eating & drinking indoors),

Stay informed … Stay healthy … Stay safe …

Dr. Steven M. Fry
Ph.D. in Chemistry, Public Health, & Laboratory Measurement Science.




Jan 30, 2022

The latest facts say it’s time to continue to be vigilant across Yucatan. We had a troubling 38% increase in COVID cases this past week (Sunday 1/23 – Sat 1/29), as COVID hospitalizations are also peaking to record levels this past Wednesday.

Because most people who get COVID do not get tested & their cases are not reported to the Government, there were likely just over 90,000 COVID cases across Yucatan this past week. This means that 1 in every 25 Yucatecans you meet in a week have an active COVID infection => a very troubling number.

Conclusions? … We must continue to be diligent in wearing tight-fitting masks**, continue Socially Distancing of 8 ft indoors with masks-off (to eat & drink), and maintain 6 ft of distancing when there are breezes or a fan … diluting out the highly-infectious invisible fine aerosols from people talking.

**We must also THROW AWAY all cloth masks right now, because they leak a disastrous 40% – 70%, which puts both the wearer and other people at risk.

Progress of the latest COVID wave of cases:
According to official Yucatan reports of weekly COVID cases going back to Dec 15’th, beginning with a low low 84 cases, then 481 , then 1,463, then 2,952, … 5,425, and now 7,526 cases this past week.

COVID hospitalizations are overwhelming our hospitals, with record-breaking hospitalizations this past week, peaking at 202 ICU hospitalizations in our public hospitals on Wednesday … And sadly, COVID deaths for Yucatan now total 6603, with 57 newly reported deaths for this past week.

Delta variant is still our dominant strain:
Over the past weeks, the Omicron variant has produced 18% just of the official COVID-19 variants, with Delta still being the dominant strain.

The increase in the COVID wave is slowing:
The weekly percentage increases in this recent big continuing wave of COVID cases have been: 345%, 204%, 101%, 84%, and now 38% => so the rate of increase is not as wicked, but a 38% INCREASE is still troubling

Location of COVID cases:
Merida has the largest total cumulative number of weekly cases in Yucatan with 60,422 total official COVID cases. Within Merida, the largest number of cases have been in Zona Norte at 14,798. On a colonia basis, Colonia Centro has the most with 5,558 cases.

The Yucatan Beach (Gulf Coast of Yucatan from Chuburna to Telchac Puerto) had 208 new COVID-19 cases this week, down from 302 last week. This was the third highest number of cases for any week of the pandemic.

So … BE VIGILANT … COVID cases are still rising substantially here (38% more this week) …

Keep wearing only tight-fitting medical grade masks (KF94 or KN95, or N95) … Keep Socially distancing by 8 ft with masks off indoors …. and THROW AWAY your cloth masks, because they leak a disastrous 40%-70%.

Stay informed … Stay healthy … Stay safe …

Dr. Steven M. Fry
Ph.D. in Chemistry, Public Health, & Laboratory Measurement Science.

Read On … MacDuff !

Jan 23, 2022

84, then 481, then 1,463, then 2,952, and now 5,478 …*

Next: 1 out of 31**

… Finally, What to do about the worst spike ever.***

*That’s the sequence of WEEKLY official Yucatan Govt. confirmed COVID cases, starting with 84 for the week ending Dec. 15, then 481, then 1,463, then 2,952, and now 5,478 for the week ending Jan 22, 2022.

This sequence of “official” confirmed weekly COVID cases for Yucatan is a bit intimidating … because it says we have not yet seen the peak of Yucatan cases.

Next, sadly … according to Yucatan’s Dept of Health test reports, the big majority of the new cases this past month have been DELTA … not Omicron – as Yucatan’s hospitals are overflowing with COVID patients, as even Clinica de Merida is turning sick patients away.

Now consider the number of COVID cases that are not ever tested & not reported. Using scientifically accepted methods, (see link below), the latest data indicates that Yucatan is under-reporting COVID cases by an artificial factor of 12X overall fewer “reported” COVID cases, than the actual number of COVID cases.

This means that instead of Yucatan’s 6,000 “official” new COVID cases last week, there were likely just over 70,000 actual Yucatan COVID cases … which has overwhelmed the hospitals.


**1 out of 31 Yucatecans with COVID:
70,000 likely actual COVID cases last week means that out of a population of 2.2 million Yucatecans … 1 out of every 31 Yucatecans you meet … likely have COVID.


***Yucatan is going through it’s worst COVID spike ever.
This shocking reality reinforces the last 2 yrs of top scientist’s advice that we must throw away all the cloth masks now … and continue instead to wear only tight-fitting medical grade N95 or better masks when outside our homes … and keep at least 8 feet of Social distancing around others when you have your masks off for drinking or eating.

We GOT THIS ! … BEAT COVID NOW !

Get vaccinated … Get Boosted … Wear your masks, every time

… and Socially Distance by 8 ft when indoors with masks off.

** “Fully Vaccinated” means:

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2021/01/study-us-covid-cases-deaths-far-higher-reported?fbclid=IwAR2VkC1yzn0BfbVvjGcYLQT4a3pcMZ5vhmm0piPJIcmnwAaHgURo6iv16Ng

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/us/covid-cases.html

Get educated, Stay informed, Stay healthy, Stay safe,

Dr. Steven M. Fry

Ph.D. Analytical Chemistry, Aerosol Science, Measurement Science, Public Health & Environment

Read On … MacDuff !

Jan 2, 2022

I’m writing this morning’s report with a bit of sadness, because COVID cases are spiking up again in Merida & Yucatan, as a result of all the snow-birds returning and the recent Christmas season …  +plus a sprinking (13) of Omicron cases.

The COVID case data is in for the most recent Friday (Dec 25’th) – Saturday (Jan 2)  period … and the trends look bad. …  Overall … Delta COVID cases increased a shocking 345% increase this past week … hitting 481 cases for the week for the State of Yucatan, with the vast majority of cases happening in Merida.

For comparison … Just two weeks ago we had the lowest-ever 83 cases for the entire week.
In contrast, yesterday (Saturday) alone we had same number of 176 cases as the previous 2 weeks total combined. Overall, Yucatan’s case numbers are STILL RELATIVELY LOW … for now .., which means you would have to encounter 4800 Yucatecans in a week, to find one with an active COVID infection.

Still, this past weeks’ increases of 78% more hospital COVID treatments and over 4X more positive case rates (35% of Yucatecans tested had COVID) – makes it time to re-evaluate going out & about without masks to eat in public.** For everyone’s benefit, the big increases in the 3 big data points (345% more cases, 4X more positives, & 78% more COVID hospital treatments) are very strong proofs that there is a huge surge of COVID cases looming for January & February. The COVID case numbers are still CURRENTLY VERY LOW – at safe levels.

Specifically, because 97% of COVID cases are infectious for 7 days, the weekly case reports are significant:
There were 481 new cases for this past week … yet each day brought significantly larger numbers than the previous day, giving us the largest weekly % increase for for the entire pandemic. Only two weeks ago we had only 83 cases for the entire week, yet, yesterday, Saturday alone had 176 new cases.

Conclusions:
~ This current previous week’s case TOTAL numbers were still relatively VERY LOW – 481 cases per week – where 400 cases a week have been our typical low-levels here in Yucatan.

~ The current rate of 1 Yucatecan COVID case per 4,800 Yucatecans is still stunningly low compared to the USA & Canada . .

~ In addition to the near 400% increase in new COVID-19 cases this past week, COVID hospital treatments of patients spiked by 78% in public hospitals.

~ COVID hospitalizations (overnight stays) in public hospitals increased 48% from 23 cases on Saturday Jan 25’th…. to 34 cases on Saturday (Jan 1).

~ COVID-19 testing showed quite low 8.1% rates of positive tests just two weeks ago. Yet, this week’s percentage of positive cases spiked over 4X to 35%.

Again … These last 5 big data points are very strong indicators that there is a huge surge looming for January – even without Omicron –

Stay informed … Stay healthy … Stay safe …

Best Wishes for Better New Year,
Dr. Steven M. Fry
Ph.D. in Chemistry, Public Health and Laboratory Measurement Science


Readers interested in scientific Omicron COVID specifics are encouraged to see:
https://yucalandia.com/2021/12/15/omicron-covid-updates/

Read On … MacDuff !

Dec 12, 2021

With all the breaking COVID news that’s been announced this past week, it’s been challenging to keep track of how to best keep ourselves, families & friends safe from COVID, especially as the Omicron variant is exploding in a number of countries, so we offer about 7 different pieces of significant COVID news below:

First: The latest COVID news out of Oxford University is slightly troubling, but it has 2 silver-linings
~ Oxford University scientists (creators of the Astrazeneca vaccine) have recently announced that neither Pfizer nor Astrazeneca are performing well against Omicron transmissions. This means that the COVID-antibodies that vaccinated people’s immunes systems created due to Moderna, Pfizer & Astrazeneca vaccinations, are NOT working well against preventing Omicron infections, yet, people who have been recently boosted are showing much lower numbers of hospitalizations, much lower death rates, and much shorter, less-intense bouts of Omicron (typically just 3 – 5 days of symptoms for vaccinated & boosted patients).

https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2021-12-13-vaccines-shown-induce-lower-levels-neutralising-antibodies-against-omicron-0

~ The Omicron variant has more mutations than any other previous COVID-causing virus, with 50 total overall mutations, and more troubling, 32 mutations in the Coronavirus’s Spike protein. This is significant, because Omicron’s the mutations in the Coronavirus Spike protein have apparently made Omicron somewhat invisible to the m-RNA based vaccines (Moderna & Pfizer), because the m-RNA vaccines have a built-in Achilles Heel that they only target a tiny tiny slivers of the Coronavirus that causes COVID.

Background Scientific Context:
The m-RNA molecule vehicle of the Moderna & Pfizer vaccines, is so small that the m-RNA vaccines (Moderna & Pfizer) can only deliver a tiny viral payload delivered to our bodies – making them like a Vespa … versus a big Mac truck. The tiny viral payload limits of m-RNA vaccines mean they can deliver only tiny snippets of just tiny parts of the Coronavirus … 17 snipppets for Pfizer, and a different 11 snippets for Moderna … versus Astrazeneca’s & Sinovac’s HUGE viral payload that carried by AZ’s & Sinovac’s big robust Adenovirus vaccine vehicles that can deliver either BIG CHUNKS of the Coronavirus Spike protein (Astrazeneca’s approach), and big enough to deliver the WHOLE VIRUS (Sinovac’s approach) for our body to make lots of different COVID-antibodies to the various parts of the Coronavirus.

Next … Notice that none of the non-scientist Medical Doctor ‘experts’ we see on TV, talk about the differences between all the different kinds of different antibodies our bodies make to each of the different COVID vaccines => differing levels of protection depending on which vaccine you get, because the AS SEEN ON TV Medical Doctor ”experts’ are not scientists, so Medical Doctors simply do not have enough scientific training to understand what’s going on.

Keeping it simple: There is NOT just one flavor of COVID antibodies. Out in the human population, there are a huge variety of COVID antibodies that can be made by our bodies’ immune systems. … Example: There is one suite of COVID-antibodies that our bodies make when we get a natural COVID infection – a very broad suite that depends on which COVID variant (strain) we get. … Then, there’s a whole different highly-targeted yet very-small suite of COVID-antibodies our bodies can make if we get an m-RNA vaccine (like Pfizer or Moderna) … Next, there’s yet a different slighly broader suite of COVID-antibodies that our bodies make to the slightly larger pieces of Spike protein in the Astrazeneca vaccine … Finally, there’s an even bigger broader suite of COVID antibodies our bodies make to the Sinovac vaccine – including COVID antibodies to the Spike protein and the N-Capsid proteins of Coronaviruses.

Notice that the extremely narrow range of highly-targeted COVID antibodies our bodies make when we get an m-RNA vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna) is simultaneously a benefit when the Pfizer or Moderna antibodies actually fit-match the Coronavirus you are exposed to …. but that same highly-targeted group of a tiny number of antibodies then can be a HUGE problem when the Coronavirus mutates at any of the very few tiny viral segments that Moderna chose & that Pfizer chose (all corporate secrets) … When the Omicron variant’s 32 new mutations make it INVISIBLE to the m-RNA vaccine’s extremely narrow range of COVID-antibodies – or invisible to Astrazeneca’s smaller number of antibodies, then Moderna & Pfizer & Astrazeneca just do not work well to stop Omicron transmission.

Specifically, Moderna’s vaccine only has 11 tiny slivers (tiny snippets) of the very large Spike protein, and Pfizer has only 17 tiny slivers (tiny snippets) of the very large Spike protein. … Because Omicron has 32 different mutations of the Spike protein, the CEO of Moderna openly said that they expect the Moderna vaccine to “underperform significantly” … Where (as reported above) it is now proven that Moderna, Pfizer & Astrazeneca are NOT working to stop Omicron’s transmission.

What does this all mean?
It means getting a 3’rd shot boosters of the Moderna or the Pfizer vaccines work well against Delta variant … but… the 3’rd shot booster of Moderna for patients who had 2 prior Moderna shots, and the 3’rd shot booster of Pfizer for patients who had 2 prior Pfizer doses are not working against Omicron.


Fortunately, there is some good news in all of this:
People who have had prior natural COVID infections, or a recent Sinovac dose are showing lower transmission rates for the Omicron variant – because our bodies make a broader suite of COVID-antibodies when exposed to the whole virus, and people who have been both vaccinated & boosted are showing far lower rates of serious COVID disease from Omicron, and far lower rates of hospitalization & death.

This is why Sinovac chose adenovirus vehicles for their vaccines, because the adenovirus vehicles carry & deliver HUGE viral payloads. By delivering a BIG payload of a WIDE range of Coronavirus proteins, Sinovac patients & patients who get natural COVID infections produce MUCH BROADER immune system protections, because our bodies make a much much bigger variety of COVID antibodies, because the adenovirus-vehicle vaccines bring in so much more viral material to train our immune systems.

More Good News:
Oxford University scientists (creators of the Astrazeneca vaccine) have recently announced that people’s normal (ordinary – typical) immune system’s Killer T-Cell response to Omicron is doing very well at preventing serious Omicron infections – which means we still get Omicron infections …. but we likely are NOT hospitalized, because whether vaccinated or not, our immune systems Killer T-Cell systems are working well against Omicron for most patients. … Yet, as always, immuno-comprimised people need to be careful.


Even More Good News:
If you don’t want to catch Omicron COVID, or Delta COVID, it is well proven that wearing a tight-fitting medical grade mask (N95, N97 or N99) stops COVID transmissions, because COVID is transmitted by us inhaling the invisible infectious fine aerosols from people talking or singing.

Next, if you take your mask off in public to eat or drink, it still works to be at least 8 feet from other people, especially when out of doors, where even gentle breezes disperse to safe levels the fine invisible aerosols from people talking. If indoors with masks off, as little as 6 ft can work IF you have strategically-place fans blowing fresh air between people, to disperse the talking-generated invisible fine COVID aerosols to safe levels.


Even MORE SUPERB News:
Ironically, when Omicron rapidly infects so many people who have not had vaccinations – (hopefully) causing only minimal harm to people … it gives those people broad natural immunity to new future COVID infections. Yet, remember that getting vaccinated has greatly helped people from getting the more-harmful previous strains of COVID – even if their vaccinations do not protec them now.

Finally, notice that the possibility of a Pfizer or Moderna patient then getting an Omicron infection might be a SUPERB thing. The best studies of people who previously got the combination of a natural COVID infection (creating one suite of COVID antibodies), paired with then getting an m-RNA vaccine (creating a DIFFERENT suite of COVID antibodies) … has been giving those people near “super immunity” to future COVID infections.

Why? The combinations of our broad range of COVID-antibodies from the natural infection +plus the m-RNA vaccine’s triggering us to produce highly-targeted COVID-antibodies, together creates such a WIDE VARIETY of COVID-antibodies in these individuals – that they have incredibly better overall protection from any future new COVID variant infections than either a natural infection or a vaccination can give alone.

So, inspite of the recent news of our vaccines poor performance at stopping Omicron, the overall picture looks surprisingly good – unless you are seriously immuno-compromised.

Final 3’rd Booster Update for People in Mexico:
Every announcement we have heard is that the 3’rd shot boosters are planned to be Astrazeneca in Mexico … and even better: Yucatan has a plan to start vaccinating people over age 60 with the 3’rd booster starting Dec. 16 – Dec. 21’st. If you want a COVID booster sign up with your CURP at the vaccination registration-compliance website:
https://mivacuna.salud.gob.mx/index.php

See the schedule below

FINALLY: The Latest COVID News for Yucatan:
For all the people doing holiday travel or coming to Yucatan, let’s help keep Yucatan & Yucatecans safe!

Here’s the progression of COVID cases here across Yucatan (per week) since Sept 11, 2021

2012 Cases for the week of Sept 11 … 1958 Cases (Sept 18) … then 1901 … 1819 … 1615 … 1457 … 862 … 710 … 398 … 339 … 287 … 267 … 187 … and just 146 cases this past week …

Notice the trend?
You would have to encounter roughly 15,700 Yucatecans in a week to meet one with COVID right now.
Notice how it actually works when almost all people wear masks and socially distance?😉

Be a part of the solution:Snowbirds …. PLEASE … ISOLATE YOURSELVES .. when you arrive.

Self-Quarantine for at least SIX (6) DAYS after you arrive … to not bring COVID here.
and double mask when going through the very-contaminated USA & British airports … and double-mask during the entire flight(s).

Yes … Come enjoy life here in Yucatan, but … Stay safe …

Happy Travels!

Get educated, Stay informed, Stay healthy, Stay safe,

Dr. Steven M. Fry

Ph.D. Analytical Chemistry, Aerosol Science, Measurement Science, Public Health & Environment

Read On … MacDuff !

Nov 8, 2021

Hopefully all people flying into the USA are both fully vaccinated** and carrying US approved proof of COVID vaccinations.

If not, know that the rules have changed for people unable to prove COVID vaccinations, shortening the time for COVID testing to no more than just 1 day before entering the USA.

“The viral test must be conducted on a sample taken no more than 1 day before the flight’s departure from a foreign country if you do not show proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19.“

per the current CDC rules

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/testing-international-air-travelers.html

• ” Fully vaccinated**: The viral test must be conducted on a sample taken no more than 3 days before the flight’s departure from a foreign country if you show proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19. “
  
  Finally:
• ” If you recently recovered from COVID-19, you may instead travel with documentation of recovery from COVID-19 (i.e., your positive COVID-19 viral test result on a sample taken no more than 90 days before the flight’s departure from a foreign country and a letter from a licensed healthcare provider or a public health official stating that you were cleared to travel).

** “Fully Vaccinated” means:

” Individuals are considered fully vaccinated:

~ 2 weeks (14 days) after your dose of an accepted single-dose COVID-19 vaccine;

~ 2 weeks (14 days) after your second dose of an accepted 2-dose series COVID-19 vaccine;

~ 2 weeks (14 days) after you received the full series of an “active” (not placebo) COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S.-based AstraZeneca or Novavax COVID-19 vaccine trials; or

~ 2 weeks (14 days) after you received 2 doses of any “mix-and-match” combination of accepted COVID-19 vaccines administered at least 17 days apart. “

https://www.dhs.gov/news/2021/10/29/frequently-asked-questions-guidance-travelers-enter-us?fbclid=IwAR0VF9UnremZ8ZmjimC3-tdAL-jl7kNNdW51dODFEDyptqxKovUIK2Tk-AI

Get educated, Stay informed, Stay healthy, Stay safe,

Dr. Steven M. Fry

Ph.D. Analytical Chemistry, Aerosol Science, Measurement Science, Public Health & Environment

Read On … MacDuff !