All-In E40: A Bestie gets COVID, Delta breakthrough, Billionaire Space Race & more
Episode 40 • 7/16/2021
David Sacks' Breakthrough COVID Case
- David Sacks revealed he contracted COVID despite being fully vaccinated with Pfizer
- Got infected outdoors at Matsuhisa restaurant in LA from another vaccinated person
- Had mild symptoms: low-grade fever (99.9°F), occasional dry cough, sinus congestion
- His 11-year-old daughter also contracted it, but wife and 13-year-old got vaccinated immediately after exposure and avoided infection
- The reveal that Sacks got COVID
Delta Variant Discussion
- Delta variant is 60% more transmissible than Alpha variant, which was 60% more transmissible than original strain
- Israel data shows Pfizer effectiveness dropped from 95% to 64% against Delta
- Discussion of vaccine efficacy decline
- Strong consensus that unvaccinated people will likely get Delta variant
- Debate about need for booster shots around 6-month mark
- 99% of current hospitalizations are unvaccinated people
Space Race & Billionaire Criticism
- Group praised Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic flight achievement
- Criticized "professional whiner class" who complained about billionaires in space
- Chamath discusses getting emotional watching the launch
- Condemned Blue Origin's "classless" tweets criticizing Virgin's flight altitude
- Praised Elon Musk's gracious support of Branson compared to Bezos' competitive stance
- Discussed potential of space tourism and broader industry implications
- Compared current space industry moment to 15th century maritime exploration
Economic Implications of Delta
- Concern about psychological effects of breakthrough cases on economic recovery
- Discussion of whether people will self-impose lockdowns
- Worry about politicians potentially reimposing restrictions
- Friedberg's concerns about economic impact
The episode concluded with light banter about upcoming travel plans and dietary habits among the besties.