Quote for today…

Mister Rogers did not adequately prepare me for the people in my neighborhood. -Unknown

Welcome to “Thursday Numbers!” In case you are a first-time visitor, this is the weekly column where I look at the numbers in the news (in descending order) and provide commentary sometimes sprinkled with sarcasm and humor.

This week’s topics include national, state, and local coronavirus numbers, unemployment claims, the debt limit, TWW poll results, extinction, and the end of the world must be near!

695,123

That is how many people have died in the United States from coronavirus, according to the latest data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. There have been 43,350,990 cases across the country so far. The first death in the USA was reported on February 29, 2020. (Johns Hopkins)

Last week the death total was 681,222.

486,897

That is how many Montanans have been fully immunized for COVID-19. That is just 53% of the eligible population. (Source)

Last week the number of fully immunized Montanans was 481,526.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Montana’s estimated population in July 2019 was 1,068,778.

Find COVID-19 Vaccines Near You by clicking HERE.

362,000

In the week ending September 25, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial unemployment claims was 362,000, an increase of 11,000 from the previous week’s unrevised level of 351,000. The 4-week moving average was 340,000, an increase of 4,250 from the previous week’s unrevised average of 335,750. (DOL)

Note: On Thursdays, this column is published right after 6:30 a.m. (Montana time), so I can post the latest unemployment numbers.

2,000

Montana’s experience with the COVID-19 pandemic passed a grim milestone Wednesday, with state public health officials reporting the 2,000th Montana death attributed to the virus. The marker came the same day the state’s pandemic statistics dashboard recorded Montana’s millionth COVID-19 vaccine dose, which was administered Tuesday. Fifty-three percent of Montanans 12 and older are now considered fully vaccinated against the virus, compared to 65% of people nationally. (MTFP)

I’ve always thought Montanans were a little slow… 🙂

153

That is how many positive COVID cases were reported in the Great Falls Public Schools for the week ending September 24, 2021. (Source)

Last week the positive COVID cases numbered 161.

Mask up, Montana!

80

That’s how many times the debt limit has been raised or suspended since 1960. It was suspended three times during the Trump administration. (AP)

Politics seems to be getting in the way this time.

59

This week’s poll question asked, “Do you think the Federal Government will shut down in October?”

Here are the results:

NO: 59%
YES: 25%
UNDECIDED: 16%

Thanks to all who participated!

49

The Cascade County (Great Falls, MT) City-County Health Department reports that as of Wednesday only 49% of eligible individuals in the county are vaccinated. (Source)

The freedom to not get vaccinated or wear a mask is killing us…

23

Death’s come knocking a last time for the splendid ivory-billed woodpecker and 22 more birds, fish, and other species: The U.S. government on Wednesday declared them extinct. (AP)

Sad deal…

1

Dollar Tree embedded in its very name what it stands for: Behind these doors, everything can be had for just $1. The mantra to which the Chesapeake, Virginia, company has held true for decades will now be only mostly true. After expanding nationwide from only a handful of stores in Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia, Dollar Tree is breaking the mold and will sell items in some locations that exceed the tantalizing $1 grab-n-go price. (AP)

We must be nearing the end of the world…

## GET VACCINATED – WEAR A MASK ##