The President's Daily Brief - April 25th, 2022. New Data on COVID in Children. New Solutions to U.S. Inflation.

Episode Date: April 25, 2022

It’s April 25th. You’re listening to the President’s Daily Brief. I’m your host and former CIA Officer Bryan Dean Wright. Your morning intel starts now. Your first brief this morning, COVID and kids. A new headline says you should be worried about children getting sick with the virus. But a closer look at the data tells a different story. Your second brief, Inflation. It’s hurting all us terribly. But if you’re looking for good news on this front — and maybe a new job — you’ll want to listen to this brief. And, as always, I’m keeping an eye out for developing stories. Put these two on your radar. There’s a new COVID outbreak in Beijing. Finally, did you end up on a no-fly list because you were unable or unwilling to wear a mask on a plane during the pandemic? I’ve got an important update for you. All up next on the President’s Daily Brief. ------ Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of the President's Daily Brief. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's April 25th, you're listening to the President's Daily Brief. I'm your host and former CIA officer Brian Dean Wright. Your morning intel starts now. Before we start a quick reminder to those new to the show, the brief you're about to hear is in the same spirit of the actual President's Daily Brief, which is a top secret summary of the most critical events of the past 24 hours, all delivered to the President each morning by the nation's spymasters. And so, ladies and gentlemen, I am your spy, and this is your brief.

Here's what we're going to be talking about today. First up, COVID and kids. A new headline says you should be worried about children getting sick with the virus. But a closer look at the data tells a very different story. I'll explain. Your second brief, inflation, it's hurting all of us terribly. But if you're looking for a good news story on this front, and maybe even a new job, you'll want to listen to this brief. And as always, I'm keeping an eye out for developing stories, put these two on your radar. There is a new COVID outbreak in Beijing this morning. It adds to a much bigger one in Shanghai. I'll give you the latest. Finally, did you end up on a no-fly list because you were unable or unwilling to wear a mask on a plane during the pandemic?

I've got an important update for you, if so. All up next on the president's daily brief. Your first piece of Intel this morning. Over the weekend, you probably saw headlines regarding a fresh study. This went out from the CDC on COVID and kids. Most of the headlines that you probably saw were panicked, saying that the Omicron variant had high. hospitalized more kids from COVID than any other. One doctor was frantically quoted as saying, COVID-19 is still an issue for kids. The doctor's name is Emily Volk, who's president of the

College of American Pathologists. She went on to say that, quote, the assumptions that we had early on that children would not be severely affected by the virus, all that needs to be reconsidered with this new data. All right. So what does the actual data say? Not the headlines, not the panicked doctors, the data. First, the data found about 400 hospitalizations in 14 states over a number of months. To compare those 400 poor kiddos with COVID each year, the flu hospitalizes up to 26,000 children. Let me say that again. 400 kids hospitalized with COVID versus up to 26,000 kids hospitalized from the flu. Meanwhile, the study also acknowledged that most of the kids hospitalized from COVID were obese or had obesity-related conditions like diabetes. In other words, the data from this study and others show that 99% of kids who get COVID recover without a hospital visit or any complications.

Moreover, the kids who do get very sick were already very sick to begin with. All right, so the headlines were outrageous once again, and the data just doesn't support the panic once again. But this study does flag something that we should talk about, obese kids. It's an issue that this country has not discussed, not sufficiently, and certainly not from Tony Fauci or the CDC, and not from any of our politicians. But you deserve the data, and you deserve the truth. America's kids are growing more obese with each passing year. Just about 20% of our kids are considered obese than 20%. That puts almost a quarter of America's children at heightened risk for all kinds of illnesses to include COVID. So why is that exactly? Well, bigger bodies,

more obese bodies are susceptible to disease, and it all comes down to the immune system. When you're obese, your immune system doesn't work as well. One of the main reasons is that obesity causes chronic inflammation, and that in turn impairs the immune system. So no matter your age, if you're notably overweight, you're going to struggle more so than a thinner person. But this 20% figure of obesity amongst America's children hide some important differences. Obesity amongst Hispanic kids is at 25%.

Black children, 24%. white kids around 16% and Asian children were at a low of 9%. That's all CDC data, by the way. It's perhaps awkward or politically incorrect to highlight these differences. But they're important because they suggest that different communities for lots of different reasons are struggling with obesity. And we need to be honest about that. And that gets to my counsel to you this morning.

And it's why this issue would absolutely be included in the actual President's Daily Breasties. at the White House. We have to get this public issue right. If the nation's future is quite literally weighted down with sickness, it will be impossible for us to rise against COVID or a whole host of enemies. So let's talk about solutions, and these are the ones that I would recommend to the president. First, our nation's public health officials need to stop using panic and instead set the record straight. We do not have a COVID problem amongst our children. we have an obesity problem, and that makes them susceptible to all kinds of illnesses. Second, our nation's media needs to be scolded again and again for spreading fear and panic

about COVID and kids. It's a real issue, yes, but largely one driven by obese children. The media needs to get this right. Finally, data show that obese kids are mostly raised by obese parents. There's just no polite way to say that. And the data on adult obesity largely fits what we see in kids. About 45% of American adults are obese with black women the most and Asian folks the least. That means we have an opportunity to encourage all of us, regardless of skin color, regardless of class, to challenge each other to get healthy. Look, I have family members who struggle with obesity, and based on the data, I bet you do too. And that means we got to get out of this thing together.

No shame, no guilt, just a mission to make America strong. There are lots of ways to do that, having a battle buddy walk around with you and work out with you, to hold you accountable. That's one of the best. Cutting out sodas and beer, those are big two. You all know this, but you also know that it's hard. And I will share with you that I was in an accident a number of years ago and in a wheelchair for a period of time. And I started putting on weight. and so I had to make tough food choices and I had to find creative ways to exercise,

mostly through a hell of a lot of pain. What drove me to do all of that to keep myself healthy was a piece of advice that one of my doctors gave me before one of my many surgeries. He said, strong people are harder to kill, so get strong. And that, folks, is where I will leave this brief on COVID and kids. It wasn't a lecture, not for you or maybe. America's kids, but just some advice from somebody who's been there. Own it all.

Pay off your home, travel for life, drive a Ferrari. In celebration of the world premiere of the Monopoly Big Board Buckslot Machine by Aristocrat Gaming, Yamava Resort and Casino at San Manuel is giving one person a $1.6 million dream package. The biggest prize in Yamava's history. Club Serrano members can earn daily instant prizes and secure a spot in the finale May 29th. Don't pass go and own it all. Only at Yamava, celebrating its 40th anniversary.

You win? Details at Yamaha. of I.com must be 21-20. Please gamble responsibly. Monopoly is a trademark of Hasbro. Hasbro is not a sponsor of this promotion. Excema is unpredictable. But you can flare less with ebbglis. A once-monthly treatment for moderate to disappear eczema. After an initial four-month or longer dosing phase, about four in 10 people taking ebbglis, achieved itch relief and clear or almost clear skin at 16 weeks. And most of those people maintain skin that's still more clear at one year with monthly dosing. Ebglis, LBrikizumab LBKZ, a 250 milligram per 2 milliliter injection is a prescription medicine used to treat adults and children 12 years of age and older who weigh at least 88 pounds or 40 kilograms with moderate to severe eczema. Also called atopic dermatitis that is not well controlled with prescription therapies used on the skin or topicals or who cannot use topical topical therapyropos.

Ebbglis can be used with or without topical corticosteroids. Don't use if you're allergic to Ebbglis. Allergic reactions can occur that can be severe. Eye problems can occur. Tell your doctor if you have new or worsening eye problems. You should not receive a live vaccine when treated with Ebbglis. Before starting Ebbglis, tell your doctor if you have a parasitic infection. Ask your doctor about Ebbglis.com or call 1800 lilyrx or 1,800 545-9709.

Your second brief this morning, inflation. You all know the numbers. They're absolutely awful. The prices for everything are going up about 8% year over year. And the data are showing what you're probably experiencing every time you pick up your paycheck. That is that your salary isn't keeping pace. If you feel that way, you're not alone. About 71% of Americans said recently that they feel their paycheck is not able to keep up with inflation.

So in desperation, many of us are falling back on an old nemesis, credit cards. Data show that we're putting those extra inflation expenses on credit cards at a fast clip. And that's going to add up to about an extra $5,000 this year on average. Now, given the high interest rates on all those cards, a lot of families are going to end up paying thousands more. by the time that original principle is paid off. So let's talk about some good news. First, a recent survey showed a considerable drop in the number of jobs that require a four-year

degree. In 2017, 51% of jobs required that college degree. By last year, the number is down to 44%. In other words, you don't have to have a college degree in life to be successful. And even more better news. In the place of those degree requirements, companies are offering paid appropriations. apprenticeships. There are some big names offering this path right now. AT&T, Dell, Google, Hilton, Ernst & Young, IBM, Intel, just name a handful. Of notable interest this morning is Walmart,

and a recent move they made to attract truckers. There is such a demand for long-haul truckers that Walmart is offering up to $87,000 in someone's first year and upwards of $110,000 in their second year. They're even offering interested applicants the chance to get a CDL if they don't have one. That's the license needed by truckers to drive a big rig, by the way. The American Trucking Association says that these kinds of offerings are growing and can include five-figure sign-on bonuses and full benefits. For what it's worth, I have friends who are taking this route. They don't plan on doing it forever, being truckers, but they want to do it for a few years to tighten up

their finances, and their families know there will be sacrifices. But if you're getting pinched, it's nice to know that there are options. And now you have a few more options this morning to fight back. Kayak gets my flight, hotel, and rental car right. So I can tune out travel advice that's just plain wrong. Bro, Skycoin, way better than points. Never fly during a Scorpio full moon. Just tell the manager you'll sue.

Instant room upgrade. Stop taking bad travel advice. Start comparing hundreds of sites with kayak and get your trip. Right. Kayak. Got that right. This is a Bose moment. It's 10 blocks from the train to your apartment door. 10 basic, boring city blocks until... The beat drops in Bose clarity. Streetlights become spotlights as you strut down the sidewalk, your own personal runway.

With Bose, you get every note, every baseline, every detail, just as you should. Those 10 blocks, they could be the best part of your day. Your life deserves music. Your music deserves Bose. Find your perfect product at Bose.com. As always, I'm watching a few other stories this morning. I'd recommend putting these two on your radar. First, an outbreak at America's factory, that is China, is getting worse, and that could affect your pocketbook.

China's capital city of Beijing is joining its sister city of Shanghai in an unwelcome development, a new COVID outbreak. Authorities in Beijing are calling the situation urgent and grim, though exact numbers of dead or sick or unreliable. What we do know is that there are cases across multiple districts in the capital and involve students, tour groups, and a number of white-collar workers. People who test positive are put under control management, that is a regime term, which usually means locked inside of their apartment buildings or otherwise cordoned off. Not surprisingly, there's panicked buying this morning throughout Beijing. Lines are snaking around blocks for fear that they, too, will be locked down without sufficient food or medicine, as people have been in Shanghai in past weeks.

The reason for this outbreak can be blamed on one major factor, China's zero COVID policy. Rather than acknowledge that this virus is endemic, that is, we are all going to get it at some point, the communist regime is still fixated on ensuring virtually no one gets the virus. And should someone test positive, they institute these awful measures like welding people inside their homes. For those who listened to the PDB last week, Shanghai is experiencing these same horrible containment efforts and have been for many weeks. As a quick update, we're getting reports that even more companies are adopting this closed-loop system that we talked about in Shanghai, which means that workers are forcibly being locked behind factory doors in order to keep their jobs. They live

and they sleep at the factories. Some American companies, like General Motors, have adopted this closed-loop system. Meanwhile, ships are trying to ferry goods from China, but they're having a hard time doing it. They are stacking up outside many Chinese cities. The number of waiting vessels, by the way, is up 20% in Shanghai. The bottom line, folks, years ago, the world turned China into our collective factory. And once again, that is biting us in the backside. This latest outbreak will make the supply chain worse, and inflation will be pushed even a bit higher. But one thing is also clear. It's not that the virus is causing this profound latest drama. It's actually government authorities who are responding. They have a zero COVID policy, and that's driving this disaster.

By the way, if that overzealous government response sounds eerily familiar to American listeners, it should. I'll keep you posted. Second, and speaking of overreaction by authorities, some Americans were placed on a no-fly list during the pandemic if they were unable or unwilling to wear a mask on a plane. United Airlines added 1,000 people to their naughty list, dealt to about 2,000 Alaska around 1700. Each of these airlines and most of the remaining U.S. carriers are now reconsidering that decision to block passengers from flight.

United, for example, said it would consider reinstatements on a case-by-case basis using a, quote, thoughtful approach. The exact plan for each airline is still being worked out, obviously, but the general guidance to affected passengers was this. Reach out to customer service agents and begin the process of getting back on the no longer naughty list. My words, not theirs, by the way.

Ladies and gentlemen, that concludes your morning intel. A quick note of thanks before I let you go. On Saturday, I gave you a special brief on fake news. I asked you then to email me about whether you like the topic and the PDB in general. And boy, did some of y'all right. I'm working on responses to all of those, emails and sending a response directly to each of you. It's not too late, by the way, if you'd like to

reach out. Always welcome the feedback. The email, as always, is PDB at thefirsttv.com. And naturally, what would a podcast be without a shameless plug for you to share it with others? I have no shame. The President's Daily Brief is on all podcasts like Apple and Spotify. Please do subscribe, and follow or tell a friend or two. I would be much of And as always, folks, I remind you of why we are here, talking about our country and our world. It's the creed of every good spy and every smart American. It's from John, Chapter 8, verse 32. And you shall know the truth.

And the truth shall make you free. Today. Starting a business can seem like a daunting task, unless you have a partner like Shopify. They have the tools you need to start and grow your business, from designing, a website to marketing to selling and beyond, Shopify can help with everything you need. There's a reason millions of companies like Mattel, Heinz, and all birds continue to trust and use them. With Shopify on your side, turn your big business idea into... Sign up for your $1 per month trial at Shopify.com slash special offer.