“If anything, the 95 percent number understates the effectiveness, because it counts anyone who came down with a mild case of Covid-19 as a failure. But turning Covid into a typical flu — as the vaccines evidently did for most of the remaining 5 percent — is actually a success. Of the 32,000 people who received the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine in a research trial, do you want to guess how many contracted a severe Covid case? One.” NYT: Why the vaccine news is better than you may think.

+ But the virus news may be worse than you ever imagined. California has become the first state to top 3 million cases. So many people have died in Los Angeles County that officials have temporarily suspended air-quality regulations that limit the number of cremations.

+ And while we’re racing to get the vaccines out faster, the virus is mutating and variants are spreading like crazy. James Hamblin: The Coronavirus Is Evolving Before Our Eyes.

+ The crash landing of Operation Warp Speed. “Born as a second Manhattan Project, the Trump administration vaccine program actually achieved most of its goals – until distribution problems marred its success.” (Lesson: Never let a Manhattan Project be run by a guy from Queens.)