Hope you didn’t sell everything you own to go into the mask business. Data released by the CDC shows Covid levels have dropped enough that more than 90% of Americans can go without masks. The data shows nearly everyone in the country lives in an area with low to medium risk, though that data came out after the CDC tweaked how it measures risk. The new CDC guidance applies to everyone — including school kids and the unvaccinated. It does not, for whatever reason, apply to air travel, trains, or public transit.Yes, Omicron was reported as milder than the Delta variant, but that doesn’t mean it’s no big deal. Japanese scientists say it’s at least 40% more lethal than seasonal flu. The case fatality rate of Omicron in Japan was about 0.13%, while the flu typically has a 0.006% to 0.09% death rate. They say more study is needed once all the restrictions are lifted. If you have arthritis, it’s rare you feel lucky but when it comes to the pandemic, you may have been. Baricitinib is an oral drug commonly taken for rheumatoid arthritis, and an expansive study out of Oxford shows it reduced hospitalized COVID-19 patients’ risk of dying by 13%. Scientists and doctors welcomed the addition of the pill to the few treatments already shown to help treat severe COVID, especially since the drug comes in generic versions low- and middle-income countries can afford.A couple of good news items for kids. The European Medicines Agency has authorized Moderna's vaccine for children aged six to 11, in addition to recommending boosters of Pfizer's vaccine for those aged 12 and up. And a new study has found Pfizer’s vaccine is 91% effective at protecting young people ages 12 to 18 against infection for at least four months after their second shot.You may want to dust off the luggage as well. Rules requiring people to show a Covid-19 vaccine passport to access venues will be lifted in France March 14 and face masks will no longer be needed indoors except for on public transport. And vaccinated travelers to Italy will no longer have to test before entering the country. Unvaccinated travelers must still show proof of a negative test before entering. And once in country everyone must still get a “Super Green Pass” to stay at hotels, take trains, or eat at restaurants. In the United States, cases were down 55%, deaths are down 26%, and hospitalizations are down 43% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 14.  The five areas that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Arkansas, Maine, West Virginia, Tennessee, and the Northern Mariana Islands. There are 25,724,877 active cases in the United States.The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands. Nome Census Area, AK. Bennington, VT. Linn, MO. Roanoke, VA. Pike, KY. Twin Falls, ID. Perry, KY. Fayette, AL. and Jerome, ID.There have been 956,262 deaths in the U.S. recorded as COVID-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Rhode Island at 80.7%, Vermont at 80.1%, and Maine at 78.4%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 50.3%, Wyoming at 50.6%, and Mississippi at 51%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 65%.Globally, cases were down 25% and deaths down 27% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 25. There are 61,379,411 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: Germany 202,338. South Korea 198,802. Vietnam 118,790. Russia 93,026. And Japan 71,570. There have been 5,982,566 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for March 3rd, 2022.The US has a new plan for COVID. The White House said it's time for America to stop letting the coronavirus “dictate how we live.” Part of the new plan is a new “test to treat” program to provide free antiviral pills at pharmacies for anyone who tests positive. The plan also seeks to get ready for potential new variants and give employers and schools what they need to stay open.If you want them, you can get more free COVID tests from the government. The key there is “if you want them.” So far, a great many Americans have not shown much interest, which is why about half of the available supply is still available. Starting next week, you can order another group of tests at Covidtest.gov. The previous limit was four tests per residential address.Australia is now fully open to vaccinated travelers. Western Australia, which covers about a third of the country, became the last state to lift border restrictions today. This came four months after Sydney started a staggered reopening of quarantine-free travel. Western Australia was having good luck with contact tracing and isolation until the Omicron variant came along. Now they’re reporting more than 1,000 new infections a day.Germany is also putting out the welcome mat again, removing all the countries currently on its list of “high-risk areas.” The list will now only include places where high infection rates are linked to more virulent variants than Omicron. Visitors will still have to show proof of vaccination or a negative test.Even if the pandemic is over, it’s not over for those suffering with long COVID. And a new small study from the National Institutes of Health says many of the symptoms people are suffering from may be driven, in part, by long-term nerve damage. 59% had peripheral neuropathy, which is damage to the nerves that connect the brain to the outside world. Symptoms include weakness, fatigue, sensory changes, and pain in the hands and feet. The researchers don’t sound totally confident, saying the study was of a very small and "biased data set" since the patients studied were already believed to have a neurological condition.In the United States, cases were down 58%, deaths are down 18%, and hospitalizations are down 44% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 14.  The five areas that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Tennessee. There are 25,845,090 active cases in the United States.The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands. Nome Census Area, AK. Manassas Park, VA. Fayette, AL. Perry, KY. Elmore, ID. Ada, ID. Morgan, KY. Gooding, ID. And Bennington, VT. There have been 954,512 deaths in the U.S. recorded as COVID-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Rhode Island at 80.7%, Vermont at 80.1%, and Maine at 78.4%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 50.3%, Wyoming at 50.6%, and Mississippi at 50.9%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 65%.Globally, cases were down 27% and deaths down 19% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 25. There are 61,540,184 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: South Korea 219,237. Germany 198,457. Vietnam 110,301. Russia 97,455. And Japan 61,843. There have been 5,972,440 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The CDC estimates there have been 140 million Covid-19 infections in the US, that’s almost double the 74.3 million cases that have been reported as of January 31 and 43% of the country. The new number comes from antibody seroprevalence surveys, in which blood samples submitted to labs for unrelated reasons are tested for antibodies triggered by infection, not by vaccination. Wisconsin has the highest seroprevalence, with an estimated 56.1% of its population infected. A tragic statistic from an updated modeling study in The Lancet shows that the number of children around the world affected by COVID-associated orphanhood and caregiver death is estimated to have gone up dramatically. From around 2.7 million in April 2021 to 5.2 million in October 2021. That’s the equivalent of one child orphaned every six seconds. The loss of a parent is linked to greater risk of dropping out of school, lower self-esteem, suicide, violence, sexual abuse, and developing anxiety, depression, and substance abuse problems. In England, one less thing to argue about. Mandatory Covid vaccinations for health and social care workers will be scrapped March 15. That policy met fierce resistance from some workers, and critics warned firing those not in compliance would worsen the serious staffing crisis in health and care services. But the damage is done; many have left their jobs, and some left the field altogether. If you want to go to Hawaii, you can say aloha unmasked and you don’t have to hula six feet apart anymore. The state is lifting its strict entry requirements March 26. Travelers won’t have to show proof of a vaccine or negative test to bypass a mandatory quarantine. And that five-day quarantine is going away, too. However, for now, Hawaii is keeping its indoor mask mandate. But it’s Hawaii…go outside. We’ve heard there wasn’t much risk of this, but researchers now think they’ve documented the first deer-to-human transmission of COVID. The culprit was a white-tailed deer in Ontario. It was found to have a new and highly divergent lineage of the coronavirus, and they found a person that had similar samples. Available data indicates it's unlikely the variant doesn’t respond to vaccines, but maybe don’t take any white-tailed deer onto public transportation or a cruise.  In the United States, cases were down 59%, deaths are down 23%, and hospitalizations are down 44% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 14.  The five areas that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Ohio, Maine, Tennessee, West Virginia, and the Northern Mariana Islands.  There are 25,989,717 active cases in the United States.The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands. Manassas Park, VA. Nome Census Area, AK. Fayette, AL. Perry, KY. Morgan, KY. Elmore, ID. Aroostook, ME. Bennington, VT. And Ada, ID.There have been 952,629 deaths in the U.S. recorded as COVID-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Rhode Island at 80.7%, Vermont at 80.1%, and Maine at 78.3%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 50.2%, Wyoming at 50.6%, and Mississippi at 50.9%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 64.9%.Globally, cases were down 30% and deaths down 20% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 25. There are 61,832,820 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: Germany 150,565. South Korea 138,993. Vietnam 98,762. Russia 97,333. And France 79,794. There have been 5,964,226 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Looks like Americans were definitely ready for the pandemic to be done. A new AP poll shows fewer people now than in January are worried they’ll get infected, only 24%. Of those who say they still worry, about two-thirds are fully vaccinated while only 40% are unvaccinated. Most Americans think the virus will stick around as a mild illness. Public support for masking requirements has also gone down, but Americans are still more likely to favor than oppose mask mandates, 50% to 28%. They’re still worrying in Hong Kong after another record 34,466 new infections yesterday and deaths continuing to climb. Now, authorities have begun assessing the possibility of locking down the entire city. It remains to be seen whether that would be done through legislation or some other way, but just the rumor of a lockdown sent shoppers racing to supermarket shelves to stock up.Pfizer’s had a pretty good effectiveness record, but it turns out in kids, not so much. Data from the NY State Department of Health shows for kids 5 to 11, effectiveness waned quickly during the Omicron surge. It still protected against severe disease, though. Within one month, effectiveness against infection fell from 68% to 12% in that young age group.Schoolkids in California, Oregon and Washington won’t have to wear masks anymore. The three Democratic governors of those states made a joint announcement to that effect yesterday. Those states have had some of the strictest safety measures during the pandemic and that included masking up 7.5 million school-age children. The change begins March 12 and applies to all kids regardless of vaccination status. COVID not scary enough for you? How about learning COVID tests can kill you? Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Centers Drug and Poison Information Center say those home test kits contain sodium azide. And they’re getting a surge of calls about poisonings from it. New York and Texas are also sounding the alarm. The chemical is mainly used in car airbags and to kill bugs. Ingesting it can cause low blood pressure, dizziness, headaches, and heart palpitations. Large amounts of it can lead to respiratory failure and death. Of course, you’re not supposed to ingest anything from COVID tests but somehow people manage to do so. In the United States, cases were down 62%, deaths are down 24%, and hospitalizations are down 44% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 14.  The five areas that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Ohio, West Virginia, Maine, Tennessee, and the Northern Mariana Islands.  There are 26,171,931 active cases in the United States.The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Manassas Park, VA. Nome Census Area, AK. Perry, KY. Elmore, ID. Fayette, AL. Linn, MO. Morgan, KY. Ada, ID. Aroostook, ME. And Gooding, ID. There have been 950,472 deaths in the U.S. recorded as COVID-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Rhode Island at 80.8%, Vermont at 80%, and Maine at 78.9%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Wyoming at 50.4%, Alabama at 50.5%, and Mississippi at 50.8%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 64.9%.Globally, cases were down 34% and deaths down 19% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 25. There are 62,674,400 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: South Korea 139,615. Russia 106,920. Germany 95,396. Turkey 64,275. And Japan 63,703. There have been 5,955,552 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Here’s how we’re doing. COVID is continuing to subside around the world with a weekly 16% decrease in deaths and 15% decrease in cases since Omicron first showed up. However, Asia's infections rose 4% and deaths were only down 0.9% with South Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam and Hong Kong setting daily records last week. In fact, Hong Kong recorded 26,026 cases after never going above 100 every day until this year. New Zealand is also hitting five digits in cases for the first time.The FDA revised the emergency use authorization for Evusheld, a monoclonal antibody against Covid for immunocompromised people and those who can’t be vaccinated for medical reasons. They now say you need twice the dose that’s been being given. Those who already got the drug are being told to go back and get another injection as soon as possible. The agency said protection against symptomatic disease may not last as long as was shown in clinical trials since that was before the Omicron sub-variants emerged.What perfect timing! Face coverings are now optional for the US President's State of the Union address tomorrow. Congress is lifting its mask requirement on the House floor after the CDC eased guidelines last week. DC is now considered low risk based on the new metrics of what’s happening in area hospitals. Of course, anyone who wants to can still mask up while listening to the speech.Things continue to loosen up in New York too. The statewide masking requirement in schools will be lifted by March 2. And New York City’s Mayor is thinking about lifting vaccine mandates on restaurants, bars, and theaters by early next week. A mask mandate on the city's approximately 1 million schoolchildren could also be lifted. Again, any parent who wants to keep their kid masked can keep them masked. Oh boy, free (meaning paid for by taxpayers) COVID tests for everyone! But it’s turning out to be one of the few free things that isn’t wanted. Nearly half of the 500 million free tests still haven’t been claimed. On day one there were over 45 million orders. After that, not so much. Less than 100,000 orders a day are coming in. Critics say the program would have been immensely helpful before the pandemic was largely over. In the United States, cases were down 63%, deaths are down 24%, and hospitalizations are down 44% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Ohio, West Virginia, Maine, Tennessee, and Missouri.  There are 26,401,648 active cases in the United States.The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Manassas Park, VA. Nome Census Area, AK. Perry, KY. Elmore, ID. Fayette, AL. Linn, MO. Morgan, KY. Aroostook, ME. Ada, ID. And Gooding, ID. There have been 948,398 deaths in the U.S. recorded as COVID-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Rhode Island at 80.6%, Vermont at 80.1%, and Maine at 78.3%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 50.2%, Wyoming at 50.6%, and Mississippi at 50.9%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 64.9%.Globally, cases were down 36% and deaths down 20% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 25. There are 63,676,869 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: South Korea 163,558. Russia 116,093. Germany 95,241. Vietnam 86,990. And Japan 69,661. There have been 5,948,460 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for February 25th, 2022.We’re starting to learn a little more about the so-called stealth Omicron or BA2 variant. It’s now causing more than a third of new Omicron cases around the world. It’s been found in more than 80 countries and all 50 US states. It’s called stealth because it can’t quickly be differentiated from Delta using a certain PCR test. Early research suggests it spreads 30% faster than Omicron and can sicken people even if they've already had an Omicron infection. Vaccines still appear effective against it.We could have another change coming from the CDC today. They’re expected to significantly loosen federal mask-wearing guidelines, meaning most of us will no longer be advised to wear masks in indoor public settings. The metrics driving the decision are hospitalizations and local hospital capacity.As we attempt to put COVID behind us, many of us who survived an infection are left with questions about exactly what it did to us. For example, a new study found in the year after contracting COVID, patients are at an increased risk for developing 20 cardiac problems. Those include stroke, heart attack, myocarditis and irregular heart rhythms. The researchers estimate COVID infections have led to 3 million cases of heart disease in the US alone.  We always like to reassure those of you who are worried the big pharma companies not making enough money off of COVID vaccines. For Moderna, sales brought in $6.9 billion in the fourth quarter of 2021, and the company has signed purchase agreements for about $19 billion in sales for 2022 with options for an additional $3 billion to cover any updated boosters they’re developing. So they’re okay.And there’s apparently another culprit being called out for spreading COVID and vaccine misinformation. It’s people who do yoga. Some practitioners have been alarmed at the spread of anti-vaccination views in and around classes. One influencer who studies the practice said it’s nothing new, there’s a constant sense in yoga world that “I know better than doctors and the system.”In the United States, cases were down 65%, deaths are down 27%, and hospitalizations are down 43% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Maine, West Virginia, Ohio, Missouri, and Arizona.  There are 26,814,308 active cases in the United States.The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Manassas Park, VA. Nome Census Area, AK. Perry, KY. Elmore, ID. Linn, MO. Morgan, KY. Houston, MN. Ada, ID. Aroostook, ME. And Gooding, ID. There have been 944,828 deaths in the U.S. recorded as COVID-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Rhode Island at 80.5%, Vermont at 80.1%, and Maine at 78.3%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 50.1%, Wyoming at 50.5%, and Mississippi at 50.8%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 64.8%.Globally, cases were down 36% and deaths down 17% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 25. There are 65,116,099 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: Germany 218,431. South Korea 170,006. Russia 132,998. Brazil 95,493. And Turkey 79,708. There have been 5,927,592 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for February 24th, 2022. The US full vaccination rate is still quite a way from even 70%, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to get any better. Demand has all but collapsed, especially in states that weren’t so hot on it to begin with. The average number of Americans getting their first shot is down to the lowest point since December 2020. Incentive programs didn’t really work, and government and employer mandates are being challenged in every way they can be challenged. If you felt like crap the day after getting your second vaccine shot, it may be because the experts gave you some bad advice. US health officials now say some people really need to wait up to eight weeks between the first and second doses. For the rest of us who already got it, we were told to get it in three to four weeks. Not only does the longer interval help avoid side effects, the CDC says it also provides more lasting protection.  A new report says the government in the UK is getting increasingly certain the pandemic did in fact result from a lab leak in Wuhan, China. In fact, it is now the official view. You’ll remember that theory was rapidly dismissed by world governments and its proponents derided by health experts early in the pandemic. Many still call even trying to find out how the pandemic happened a distraction. Better late than never? The French pharmaceuticals giant Sanofi said its Covid vaccine, developed with GlaxoSmithKline, delivered positive results after nearly a year of delays and now they’ll seek FDA authorization in the US. The results weren’t just positive. Tests indicated a 100% effectiveness against severe Covid and hospitalization. It doesn’t use mRNA technology; it’s based on recombinant protein tech like Novavax’s vaccine.  If you start seeing smiling faces on employees of Target, that’s because the store will no longer require its staff or shoppers to wear masks inside its stores. They will keep the one hour each week on Tuesdays when vulnerable guests can shop safely.  In the United States, cases were down 66%, deaths are down 26%, and hospitalizations are down 43% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Maine, Arizona, West Virginia, Tennessee, and Ohio.  There are 26,952,312 active cases in the United States. The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Manassas Park, VA. Nome Census Area, AK. Pointe Coupee, LA. Perry, KY. Houston, MN. Big Horn, MT. Elmore, ID. Morgan, KY. Glacier, MT. And Aroostook, ME.  There have been 941,889 deaths in the U.S. recorded as COVID-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Rhode Island at 80.5%, Vermont at 80.1%, and Maine at 78.2%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 50.1%, Wyoming at 50.5%, and Mississippi at 50.7%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 64.8%. Globally, cases were down 36% and deaths down 15% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 25.  There are 65,659,102 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: Germany 219,859. South Korea 171,448. Russia 137,642. Brazil 133,626. And Turkey 86,600.  There have been 5,916,526 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for February 23rd, 2022.Hong Kong is going to test its entire population of 7.5 million people three times for COVID in March. To get that done, testing capacity will be boosted to 1 million a day or more. The city’s reported about 5,000 new infections since February 15 and the healthcare system is buckling. A lockdown of the entire city, something that’s been done a few times in mainland China, is not currently being considered.Amidst criticism of vaccine inequities, donations of the vaccine to Africa were well-intentioned, but the Africa CDC has a message for the do-gooders. Stop it. They want all donations paused until the third or fourth quarter of this year. They say the problem isn’t a supply shortage, it’s logistics challenges combined with vaccine hesitancy. As a result, there’s a lot of vaccine just going to waste.  Lots of numbers are falling, like case rates, death rates, hospitalizations, COVID restrictions, etc., but there’s something else that has absolutely plummeted in demand. PCR tests. The CDC says nationwide demand for a COVID-19 PCR test has dropped 63% since early January. You could attribute part of that to the government mailing out free rapid tests but, PCR tests are a different, and proposedly more accurate way to find out if you’re infected or not.Cruise lines, one right after the other, have been dropping their mask mandates. Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, and Virgin have either already stopped requiring masks in most indoor settings or will start next month. MSC Cruises and Disney have not made that decision yet. The new goal is making sure passengers are fully vaccinated and boosted.Throughout the pandemic, most of us have been amazed at what we didn’t know. And even now in February of 2022, it’s amazing what we still don’t know. On that list of still unknowns is how many booster shots we’ll need, how long immunity from vaccines lasts, are there more dangerous variants coming, why does COVID make some people seriously ill and give people long COVID while other people shrug it off, and where did COVID-19 come from? Science has no answers for these questions so you can continue to argue about them amongst yourselves. In the United States, cases were down 65%, deaths are down 19%, and hospitalizations are down 43% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Tennessee, Maine, Mississippi, West Virginia, and Oklahoma. There are 27,107,363 active cases in the United States.The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Manassas Park, VA. Marengo, AL. Pointe Coupee, LA. Attala, MS. Big Horn, MT. Perry, KY. Glacier, MT. Elmore, ID. And Washington, TN.There have been 938,938 deaths in the U.S. recorded as COVID-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Rhode Island at 80.3%, Vermont at 80%, and Maine at 78.2%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 50%, Wyoming at 50.5%, and Mississippi at 50.7%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 64.7%.Globally, cases were down 34% and deaths down 16% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 25. There are 66,265,532 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: Germany 158,507. Russia 135,172. Brazil 101,285. South Korea 99,550. And France 97,382. There have been 5,904,723 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for February 22nd, 2022.If you want something to worry about, you can continue to worry about the Omicron variant BA2, because it’s spreading about 30% more easily than the first Omicron, which as we recall spread pretty darn fast. Infectious disease experts are keeping a close eye on it because they assumed it would take off in the US like it has in Europe. So far that hasn't happened, but it’s steadily spreading even as the Omicron surge keeps dissipating. Britain is scrapping the self-isolation rules starting Thursday to jump start the country's economy. People who test positive will no longer have to self-isolate for a minimum five days. That doesn’t apply to Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, which set their own regulations. The reasoning is that COVID isn’t going to suddenly disappear and waiting for that would restrict the liberties of the British people for a long time to come.Even as we report falling case numbers, there’s still an average 2,200 people dying with COVID in the US daily. So who are these people? Doctors say it’s still mainly unvaccinated people, most of whom are in their 30s and 40s, who had no underlying health issues. A smaller percentage of deaths are among fully vaccinated (and boosted) people who are either older or have preexisting conditions.We’re all eager to put the pandemic behind us, or at least beside us. But the Cleveland Clinic says it’s too soon to give the coronavirus endemic status. Doctors say they don’t know if it’s going to settle as a seasonal respiratory virus like the other coronaviruses or mutate and come back as something worse. It’s a game of wait and see. They say right now, the precautions people take will most likely be based on their personal comfort levels. You may have heard it before, the place you’re most likely to get sick is in a hospital. And it was thought that hospitals were an outstanding place to catch COVID as well. But a study has shown that the rates of acquiring COVID during a hospital stay were actually quite low, with only about 1.8% of patients contracting it during their stay at the highest peak of cases in December 2020.In the United States, cases were down 65%, deaths are down 15%, and hospitalizations are down 42% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Tennessee, Maine, West Virginia, Mississippi, and Oklahoma. There are 27,255,881 active cases in the United States.The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Marengo, AL. Manassas Park, VA. Pointe Coupee, LA. Attala, MS. Big Horn, MT. Perry, KY. Estill, KY. Floyd, KY. And Butler, KY. There have been 935,970 deaths in the U.S. recorded as COVID-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Rhode Island at 80.3%, Vermont at 80%, and Maine at 78.2%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 50%, Wyoming at 50.5%, and Mississippi at 50.7%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 64.7%.Globally, cases were down 38% and deaths down 7% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 25. There are 67,132,248 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: Russia 152,337. Germany 111,824. South Korea 95,347. Turkey 85,026. And Japan 72,861. There have been 5,889,937 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UK government announced those with COVID won't be legally required to self-isolate starting this week. That’s part of the plan for “living with COVID” that will also probably see testing scaled back. The Prime Minister said, “We’ve reached a stage where we think you can shift the balance away from state mandation in favor of encouraging personal responsibility.” Of course, some of the government’s scientific advisers are saying it’s a risky move.Israel announced it’s going to allow unvaccinated tourists to enter the country starting next month. But vaccinated or not, visitors will have to take a PCR test before flying and after landing. Israel has mostly restricted the entry of foreign tourists for the past two years and shut it down altogether late last year with the arrival of Omicron. Requirements for weekly testing of school children will also be halted in the coming weeks.The CDC is coming under fire for holding back vitally important coronavirus data. The New York Times reports there’s an eyebrow-raising quantity of data that was either never released, released only recently, was partially released, or was released with limited access. For example, they’ve had data on hospitalizations for Covid across the U.S. for over a year, broken down by age, race, and vaccination status. Most of that data has never been seen.Now that the mRNA vaccine cat is out of the bag, what else can the technology be used for? Moderna has announced three of their next targets for it. The herpes simplex virus, the varicella-zoster virus, and a novel cancer vaccine. That gets added to some they’d already announced, including HIV, influenza, cytomegalovirus, and the Epstein-Barr virus.Further proof that COVID can get to anyone, Queen Elizabeth II has tested positive. And that’s a big deal not only because she’s a reigning monarch, but because she’s 95-years-old. However, so far, her symptoms have been mild and cold-like. She’s even continuing some light duties at Windsor this week. The Queen is fully vaccinated. In the United States, cases were down 65%, deaths are down 13%, and hospitalizations are down 41% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Tennessee, the third most fully vaccinated state of Maine, West Virginia, Mississippi, and Arkansas. There are 27,454,250 active cases in the United States.The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Marengo, AL. Manassas Park, VA. Pointe Coupee, LA. Attala, MS. Big Horn, MT. Perry, KY. Estill, KY. Floyd, KY. And Butler, KY. There have been 935,331 deaths in the U.S. recorded as COVID-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Rhode Island at 80.3%, Vermont at 80%, and Maine at 78.2%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama becoming the last state to be under the halfway mark at 50%, Wyoming at 50.5%, and Mississippi at 50.7%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 64.7%.Globally, cases were down 38% and deaths down 6% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 25. There are 68,568,289 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: Russia 170,699. South Korea 104,828. Germany 104,131. Japan 77,153. And Turkey 70,355. There have been 5,886,362 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for February 18th, 2022.One influential model estimates 73% of Americans are, for now, immune to Omicron, and that could rise to 80% by mid-March. The coronavirus is still dangerous and tens of millions remain vulnerable. But at this point, experts say at least most immune systems have seen the coronavirus before and won’t be as vulnerable. California is moving on. It became the first state to formally shift to an “endemic” approach to the coronavirus with a plan that emphasizes prevention and quick reaction to outbreaks rather than mandated masking and business shutdowns. A disease reaches endemic status when the virus still exists but becomes manageable as immunity builds.Is the White House aware of what stage of the pandemic we’re in and that several states are dropping mask mandates? The administration says it’s now going to focus on making sure kid-sized masks are distributed to pharmacies and community health centers. Regular masks don’t always fit little faces well. The CDC does recommend kids 2-years old and up who aren’t vaccinated stay masked in indoor public spaces.You’ll notice the vaccination rates we’ve been reporting have been pretty much stuck. But now that we have some hindsight, what arguments did work in terms of convincing skeptics to get the shots? A Harvard Business School study says altruistic messages like protecting others or the economy worked better than self-protection messages. The study found mixed results at best for vaccine mandates making a difference.It was accused of being a super spreader event, but was it? The CDC has concluded that just because a person tested positive for Omicron after attending an anime convention in New York City late last year, it wasn’t a super spreader event. They credit vaccinations and good airflow at the convention center. Plus, a lot of cosplay going on, so it was a place you were going to find a lot of masks anyway. In the United States, cases were down 68%, deaths are down 13%, and hospitalizations are down 39% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Mississippi, West Virginia, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Idaho. There are 27,940,922 active cases in the United States.The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Attala, MS. Big Horn, MT. Floyd, KY. Perry, KY. Marengo, AL. Butler, KY. Estill, KY. Clay, KY. And Letcher, KY. There have been 931,505 deaths in the U.S. recorded as COVID-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Rhode Island at 80.1%, Vermont at 79.9%, and Maine at 78.1%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 49.9%, Wyoming at 50.3%, and Mississippi at 50.6%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 64.5%.Globally, cases were down 35% and deaths down 1% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 25. There are 70,345,679 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: Germany 227,613. Russia 180,622. Brazil 129,266. The United States 103,377. And South Korea 93,127. There have been 5,861,456 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for February 17th, 2022.Encouraging signs all over the world. Germany announced plans to end most of the country's restrictions by March 20. They believe infections have reached their peak so there’s a three-step plan that will roll the restrictions back. In Switzerland, they will end health checks for incoming travelers and the need for COVID passes and masks to enter places like shops, restaurants, and cultural venues. And in Austria they’ll end most restrictions March 5, though masks will still be required in some places.In other places, things aren’t going as well. Despite a “zero-COVID” policy, Hong Kong continues to get hit hard, stressing hospitals. China's leader said it was Hong Kong’s local government's "overriding task" to get control of the situation, and he reminded Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Chinese Communist Party leaders have a high level of concern.It doesn’t appear to be causing significant damage, but it sure is spreading. The World Health Organization says the Omicron sub-variant BA.2 accounted for 21.5% of all new Omicron cases worldwide in the first week of February. In the U.S., the prevalence of BA.2 has tripled from January 29 to February 5 but still makes up a very small proportion of new cases.The CDC lowered its travel warning for cruise ships from its highest level where it’s been for seven weeks. At the beginning of that time, the CDC said travelers should avoid cruises no matter what their vaccination status. They still recommend being fully vaccinated and wearing quality masks indoors and in crowded outdoor areas. Remember your kooky friend who said you should fight COVID with vitamin D? Maybe not that kooky. A study shows people who were deficient in vitamin D were 14 times more likely to have a severe or critical case of COVID. And mortality for deficient patients was 25.6% compared to 2.3% for those with sufficient vitamin D. In the United States, cases were down 68%, deaths are down 13%, and hospitalizations are down 38% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Mississippi, West Virginia, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Idaho. There are 28,011,618 active cases in the United States.The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Attala, MS. Big Horn, MT. Floyd, KY. Perry, KY. Marengo, AL. Butler, KY. Estill, KY. Clay, KY. And Letcher, KY. There have been 928,490 deaths in the U.S. recorded as COVID-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Rhode Island at 80.1%, Vermont at 79.9%, and Maine at 78.1%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 49.9%, Wyoming at 50.3%, and Mississippi at 50.6%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 64.5%.Globally, cases were down 37% and deaths down 3% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 25. There are 70,786,115 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: Germany 234,886. Russia 179,284. Brazil 147,252. The United States 114,668. And France 98,735. There have been 5,849,513 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for February 16th, 2022.The head of the World Health Organization's Europe office said their attention is turning to growing rates of infection in Eastern Europe, where six countries — including Russia and Ukraine — have seen a doubling of cases over the last two weeks. The concern is that vaccination rates have lagged in Eastern Europe. In the United States, it doesn’t look like people are buying into the need for a booster. The pace of people getting booster shots has dropped to the lowest it’s ever been. Of the 64% of the US that’s fully vaccinated, only 28% have gone on to get a booster. People who got the one dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine are especially slow to get a second dose. Part of that may be because of the performance of the first rounds of vaccines. The CDC released data from a study showing the efficacy rate of mRNA vaccines waned after as soon as four months. However, it was quickly pointed out that the vaccines were key in reducing serious illness and death, and that the data only underscores the need for a booster shot. As health experts try to get kids vaccinated at younger and younger ages, how about unborn fetuses? Turns out if mom got a dose, then the baby did too. New research shows babies whose mothers were fully vaccinated with Moderna or Pfizer during pregnancy had a 61% lower risk of being hospitalized with COVID in their first six months of life.Whether the pandemic is over or not, the government spending machine clearly is not. The White House is telling Congress it needs $30 billion more dollars of taxpayer money to keep fighting COVID. Congress has already approved $5.8 trillion to battle the pandemic in a series of major bills across the last two administrations, and it’s estimated 90% of that money has been spent.In the United States, cases were down 66%, deaths are down 6%, and hospitalizations are down 36% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Mississippi, West Virginia, Arkansas, Virginia, and Delaware. There are 28,114,769 active cases in the United States.The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Scott, TN. Unicoi, TN. Attala, MS. Big Horn, MT. Overton, TN. Perry, KY. Floyd, KY. McNairy, TN. And Cannon, TN. There have been 925,438 deaths in the U.S. recorded as COVID-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Rhode Island and Vermont at 79.9%, and Maine at 78%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 49.9%, Wyoming at 50.3%, and Mississippi at 50.5%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 64.4%.Globally, cases were down 32% and deaths up 11% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 25. There are 71,379,697 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: Germany 177,515. Russia 166,631. France 142,253. Brazil 123,827. And the United States 94,818. There have been 5,836,409 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for February 15th, 2022.New York City fired 1,430 workers who didn’t comply with the city's vaccine mandate. Hundreds more got the shots after being notified they were getting fired. Of the fired workers, about 64% worked for the education department. Hong Kong’s going to offer vaccines to kids as young as 3. Previously, the age limit was 5. Schools extended a suspension of in-class teaching for two weeks to March 6. Additionally, only vaccinated people will be allowed in shopping malls and supermarkets, and churches, hair salons and other businesses have been ordered to close. Hong Kong has fully vaccinated 73% of its eligible population, not including children.Deltacron. It’s real, but how dangerous is it? UK health officials confirmed they’re monitoring the combination of Delta and Omicron and think it evolved in a Brit who caught both variants at the same time. Originally, the combo was dismissed, but UK health officials see it as a legitimate threat.Heartburn is no fun, but a new study says if you’re on a heartburn medication, that could have helped ease COVID symptoms. Famotidine, the main ingredient in Pepcid, saw symptoms like breathing difficulties, abdominal pain, and changes to smell and taste resolve faster for those who were taking it. The lead in the study said it’s not an anti-viral drug, but it can prevent inflammation.In New Zealand, the latest weapon to harass vaccine mandate protesters is Barry Manilow. Hundreds descended on the parliament building so police blasted a 15-minute loop of some of the more upbeat Manilow songs like Copacabana. It wasn’t all Barry. They blasted the Macarena as well. The new tactic was tried when turning sprinklers on them didn’t work. They just dug trenches and made drainpipes.In the United States, cases were down 67%, deaths are down 3%, and hospitalizations are down 35% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Mississippi, Virginia, West Virginia, Kansas, and Arkansas. There are 28,381,019 active cases in the United States.The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Scott, TN. Unicoi, TN. Overton, TN. Estill, KY. McNairy, TN. Cannon, TN. Fentress, TN. Perry, KY. And Macon, TN. There have been 922,474 deaths in the U.S. recorded as COVID-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Rhode Island at 79.9%, Vermont at 79.8%, with Maine at 78%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 49.9%, Wyoming at 50.3%, and Mississippi at 50.5%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 64.4%.Globally, cases were down 30% and deaths up 13% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 25. There are 72,267,291 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: Russia 180,456. Germany 127,449. Japan 80,234. The United States 79,155. And Turkey 76,632. There have been 5,825,680 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A study published in Nature Medicine found U.S. veterans who survived Covid were more likely to have suffered some type of cardiovascular problem within the next year. And that’s even if their infections were mild. That included a 52% greater likelihood of suffering a stroke, a 63% higher likelihood of a heart attack, a 72% higher likelihood of heart failure, and a 71% higher likelihood to have a-fib. A bill in California would mandate that all businesses make not just their employees, but also all their independent contractors get vaccinated. New employees would have to get at least one dose before they can start work and the second within 45 days of being on the job. The mandate would stay in place unless the CDC comes out and says COVID vaccinations aren’t needed anymore.The FDA has granted emergency use authorization for bebtelovimab, a new monoclonal antibody designed to reduce risk of hospitalization and death from COVID. Just weeks ago, the FDA halted use of previously authorized antibody treatments when research revealed them to be ineffective against Omicron. Only those over 12 with mild to moderate symptoms in the early stages of COVID can get the new treatment.A plan to expand Covid vaccinations to all kids five to 11 in the UK has been delayed because the government and the vaccinations watchdog can’t seem to agree on it. A decision is expected to be made February 21. Word has it the recommendation would expand vaccinations to children of that age group, but by way of a “non-urgent” offer to parents since the health risks to those kids is small.If you’re unvaccinated and don’t feel welcome anywhere, we have a place for you. It’s Paraguay! People have created a colony in its poorest region as a refuge from "socialist trends worldwide,” which apparently include mandatory vaccinations. It was actually founded back in 2016 but is enjoying quite the influx of joiners. In the United States, cases were down 67%, deaths are down 3%, and hospitalizations are down 34% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Mississippi, Virginia, West Virginia, Kansas, and Arkansas. There are 28,545,272 active cases in the United States.The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Scott, TN. Unicoi, TN. Overton, TN. Estill, KY. McNairy, TN. Cannon, TN. Fentress, TN. Perry, KY. And Macon, TN. There have been 919,640 deaths in the U.S. recorded as COVID-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Rhode Island and Vermont are tied at 79.8%, with Maine at 78%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 49.8%, Wyoming at 50.3%, and Mississippi at 50.5%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 64.4%.Globally, cases were down 31% and deaths up 12% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 25. There are 73,613,802 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: Russia 197,949. Germany 108,216. France 86,562. Turkey 73,787. And Japan 67,506. There have been 5,815,219 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If the pandemic is ending, it doesn’t feel much like it in Russia. The country reported nearly 200,000 new cases in yet another record. Of course, vaccination rates there are low, Omicron is prevalent, and there aren’t that many restrictions. The bright side, while infections have soared, daily fatalities in the last few weeks have remained steady.The World Health Organization says Africa is moving to the “control phase” of the pandemic and increased vaccination rates should help the continent live with the disease. Of course, only 11% of Africa's adult population has been vaccinated due partially to inequities in vaccine access. The World Bank estimates the pandemic pushed up to 40 million people into extreme poverty in Africa.We’ve heard about the first responders, but what about the last responders? We’re talking about mental health professionals. Experts who are now swamped with people seeking help, say many are struggling with the emotional and societal changes we’ve been through and they’re having trouble adapting to a “new normal.” Words that frequently come up are “disconnected,” “lost,” and “malaise.”  Chinese scientists say they have developed a new coronavirus test that’s as accurate as a PCR test and gives results within four minutes. They usually take several hours. A sensor uses microelectronics to analyze genetic material from swabs, making it fast, easy, sensitive, and portable. The researchers said their results were a perfect match with PCR tests. All 33 cases were accurately detected, and none of the 54 people in the negative group got false positives.Sure you have your own problems but we know you’re worried about the ability for millionaire celebrities to celebrate themselves conveniently. The 2022 Academy Awards will not be requiring proof of vaccination for attendees. They will be asked to show a negative PCR or rapid test on the day of the ceremony, maybe even on the red carpet.In the United States, cases were down 63%, deaths are up 4%, and hospitalizations are down 30% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Virginia, Mississippi, Ohio, Kansas, and South Carolina. There are 28,677,716 active cases in the United States.The areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Montana and Oregon 5%. And Idaho 1%. The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Scott, TN. Unicoi, TN. Wayne, MS. Monterey, CA. Estill, KY. Overton, TN. Tippah, MS. Perry, KY. And Imperial, CA.There have been 915,431 deaths in the U.S. recorded as COVID-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Rhode Island and Vermont are now tied at 79.7%, with Maine at 77.9%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 49.8%, Wyoming at 50%, and Mississippi at 50.4%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 64.2%.Globally, cases were down 28% and deaths up 20% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 25. There are 74,441,569 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: Germany 247,128. Russia 197,076. The United States 179,237. Brazil 165,359. And France 153,025. There have been 5,788,579 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If this guy finally says it, you know it must be true. Dr. Anthony Fauci said the U.S. is exiting the “full-blown” pandemic phase of the COVID crisis. He said things that limit COVID-19, including vaccinations, medical treatments, and prior infection, will alter the situation significantly in the coming months. He also very uncharacteristically said decisions will increasingly be made at local levels and there’ll be more people making their own decisions on how they want to deal with the virus. New York’s Governor announced the state will end a mandate requiring face coverings in most indoor public settings. They will, however, keep masking rules in place for schools. Since December 10, masks have been required for grocery stores, shops, and offices. Other Democratic governors have taken similar steps recently.   The CDC says if the Pfizer vaccine gets emergency use authorization for children 6 months to 5 years old, the plan is to initially roll out about 10 million doses, but they’ve secured enough for all 18 million kids in this age group. It’s specially formulated for them. What remains to be seen is the willingness of parents to get their kids of that age vaccinated. So far, the uptake on vaccinations for kids age 5 to 12 has been modest.  The South African doctor who discovered the Omicron strain isn’t impressed with how she was treated. She says she was pressured into describing the variant as more dangerous than it really is. Right out of the gate, she reported mild symptoms for those in her country. But she says she was told by scientists and politicians all over the world that her description was wrong, and she should stop using the word mild.  She’s not alone. A Pew Research study shows Americans are increasingly critical of how elected and public health officials handled the pandemic. 60% now say they’ve felt confused by the inconsistent recommendations. 49% say the CDC is doing a fair or poor job. And positive ratings of public health officials like Anthony Fauci have plunged 10 points since August. 60% think the President has done a fair or poor job on COVID.  In the United States, cases were down 63%, deaths are up 4%, and hospitalizations are down 29% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Virginia, Mississippi, Ohio, Kansas, and South Carolina.  There are 28,671,117 active cases in the United States. The areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Montana and Oregon 5%. West Virginia 2%. And Idaho 1%.  The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Scott, TN. Unicoi, TN. Wayne, MS. Monterey, CA. Estill, KY. Overton, TN. Tippah, MS. Perry, KY. And Imperial, CA. There have been 912,208 deaths in the U.S. recorded as COVID-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 79.7%, Rhode Island at 79.6%, and Maine at 77.8%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 49.7%, Wyoming at 50%, and Mississippi at 50.4%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 64.2%. Globally, cases were down 26% and deaths up 23% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 25.  There are 74,155,482 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: Germany 238,410. The United States 227,458. Brazil 183,533. Russia 183,103. And Turkey 108,563.  There have been 5,775,363 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The World Health Organization expects the even more transmissible version of Omicron, BA.2, to increase in circulation around the world. What’s not clear is whether or not it can reinfect people who caught an earlier version of Omicron. The agency is currently tracking four different versions of Omicron. Most states in the U.S. have confirmed the presence of BA.2, though it’s circulating at a low level with 460 cases confirmed so far.It's been reported Johnson & Johnson shut down production in the only plant making usable batches of its vaccine late last year. It’s in the Dutch city of Lieden. The stoppage is temporary but should last a few months. It’s unclear why the company did it, but the New York Times reports the facility has turned its attention to making another vaccine for an unrelated virus.Turns out it can be done. The Air Force became the second military service to approve religious exemptions to the mandatory vaccine, granting requests from nine airmen to avoid the shots. Don’t get excited, that’s nine out of more than 6,400 requests. The Marines have granted three religious exemptions so far, while the Army and Navy haven’t approved a single one.32 athletes at the Beijing Olympics are now in isolation facilities after testing positive. They’ve got to stay there for seven days. Organizers acknowledge isolation is difficult and there is the possibility they’ll miss competitions after years of training. So far, there have been 393 positive cases inside the Olympic bubble. If you lay awake at night worrying if Pfizer is making enough money, let us put your mind at ease. It will generate record-high revenue in 2022, expecting to sell $32 billion worth of its COVID shots and $22 billion worth of its COVID pill. And that’s just for those two products. And yet, the company missed its fourth quarter revenue target, sending the stock down more than 5.7%.In the United States, cases were down 62%, deaths are up 25%, and hospitalizations are down 27% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Mississippi, Virginia, Ohio, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania. There are 28,795,422 active cases in the United States.The five areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Wyoming 15%. Montana 13%. Idaho and West Virginia 11%. And Oregon 8%. The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Whitman, WA. Adair, OK. Craig, OK. Tippah, MS. Wayne, MS. Bethel Census Area, AK. Okmulgee, OK. Cherokee, OK. And Scott, TN. There have been 908,816 deaths in the U.S. recorded as COVID-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 79.6%, Rhode Island at 79.4%, and Maine at 77.7%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 49.7%, Wyoming at 50%, and Mississippi at 50.3%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 64.1%.Globally, cases were down 22% and deaths up 23% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 25. There are 73,928,908 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: Germany 212,724. The United States 179,169. Brazil 171,483. Russia 165,643. And Turkey 111,096. There have been 5,762,582 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A story of mixed metrics. Yes, the Omicron wave has receded significantly in the US over the past few weeks. But more people are dying every day than died during the peak of Delta last summer. 2,400 people have died every day over the past seven days even though cases are a third of what they were three weeks ago. As we’ve explained before, the reason is the sheer number of people infected with Omicron meeting the unvaccinated population. The CDC says unvaccinated adults have a 68-times-higher risk of dying from Covid than boosted adults.There are claims out on the always reliable Internet that in fact, most of the world is still unvaccinated. But data from the University of Oxford's Our World in Data project show more than 60% of the world’s population have gotten at least one dose. 52.1% are fully vaccinated. The UAE and Portugal are most vaccinated at more than 90%, while Chad, Haiti, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Burundi have less than 1% of people fully vaccinated. The governors of four states announced plans to lift statewide mask requirements in schools by the end of February or March. Those states are Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, and Oregon. All indicated a need for acceptance that the virus is here to stay and there must be a path back to normalcy for kids.  California is keeping its mask mandates for schools in place, but California is not extending its statewide indoor mask mandate. That means people who are vaccinated can show off their mouths starting February 15, the unvaccinated cannot. Los Angeles County, however, has its own stricter mask mandate in place that it will apparently keep in place no matter what the state does.Also in California, lawmakers passed legislation giving most workers up to two weeks of COVID supplemental paid sick leave. The idea is to fix it so infected people don’t have to come to work and put everyone else at risk. The policy allows workers at businesses of 26 or more employees to take paid time off not just to recover from COVID, but to care for a sick family member, go get vaccinated, recover from immunization side effects, or care for a child who can’t go to school because of closures or quarantines.In the United States, cases were down 57%, deaths are up 18%, and hospitalizations are down 24% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Mississippi, South Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, and Guam. There are 29,145,580 active cases in the United States.The five areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Wyoming 25%. Montana and West Virginia 16%. And Idaho and Oregon 11%.The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Whitman, WA. Adair, OK. Craig, OK. Okmulgee, OK. Cherokee, OK. Bethel Census Area, AK. Scott, TN. Mayes, OK. And Imperial, CA.There have been 905,542 deaths in the U.S. recorded as COVID-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 79.6%, Rhode Island at 79.4%, and Maine at 77.7%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 49.6%, Wyoming at 50%, and Mississippi at 50.3%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 64.1%.Globally, cases were down 13% and deaths up 34% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 25. There are 74,687,082 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: Russia 171,905. The United States 156,487. Germany 138,867. Turkey 96,514. And Japan 92,865. There have been 5,749,275 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The adapt as you learn process continues. The CDC is now considering new changes to vaccine guidance that’d lengthen how much time should pass between doses, and they’re doing this to lower the risk of heart inflammation for immunocompromised people. They generally don’t respond as well to vaccines, and they’re the only ones right now advised to get four vaccine shots. What’s happening with the pandemic in the US? One way to gauge is to see what’s going on in New York City. Over 15 days, they’ve seen a decline of more than 60% in infection rates and new cases. Citywide transmission is now on the verge of falling below “very high” levels. Even the number of unvaccinated residents getting COVID has fallen significantly in recent weeks. 43.6% of all fully vaccinated city residents have gotten boosted.But there’s another way to detect infection rates nationwide to see what’s going on and it’s the closest thing we have to involuntary mass testing. That, of course, is wastewater testing. And now there’s a new online portal where you can check to see how your city is doing. Actually, the map only tracks 232 sites, but you can still tell what areas are trending. For instance, lots of COVID-in-waste levels going up now are in Ohio. You should be able to find the site by searching CDC Covid wastewater surveillance. Sadly, not everyone or everything will survive the pandemic. Among the casualties is the oldest pub in Britain, which has been open since 793 AD. The pub, called Ye Olde Fighting Cocks, tried everything to stay open. The owners and staff are said to be devastated and heartbroken. A statement read, “The past two years have been unprecedented for the hospitality industry and have defeated all of us who’ve been trying our hardest to ensure this pub could continue into the future."In the United States, cases were down 57%, deaths are up 18%, and hospitalizations are down 23% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Mississippi, South Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, and Guam. There are 29,093,003 active cases in the United States.The five areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Wyoming 27%. Montana and West Virginia 17%. And Idaho and Oregon 12%.The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Whitman, WA. Adair, OK. Craig, OK. Okmulgee, OK. Cherokee, OK. Bethel Census Area, AK. Scott, TN. Mayes, OK. And Imperial, CA.There have now been over 900,000 deaths in the U.S. recorded as COVID-related, at 902,624.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 79.5%, Rhode Island at 79.4%, and Maine at 77.7%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 49.6%, Wyoming at 50%, and Mississippi at 50.3%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 64.1%.Globally, cases were down 14% and deaths up 32% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 25. There are now over 75 million active cases around the world, at 75,380,616.The five countries with the most new cases: Russia 180,071. France 155,439. Germany 114,424. Japan 105,817. And the Netherlands 94,884. There have been 5,738,938 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sweden has joined European nations removing coronavirus restrictions. The Prime Minister said, “It’s time to open Sweden again.” And apparently that will happen February 9. People can go to restaurants with no limits on occupancy or operating hours, and requirements for vaccine certificates and masks on public transportation will also be gone. Russia is considering loosening some restrictions too, even though they’re facing a record-breaking surge of infections.If you’re on Medicare Part B, you’ve got free COVID tests coming, which you’ll be able to get over the counter. Medicare will cover up to eight free tests every month, starting in early spring. That actually only now matches what private insurers have been required to provide to people on their plans, so the government is playing a bit of catchup. Again, people you may have been calling whack jobs for two years may have been right. Israeli scientists have gathered the most convincing evidence to date that upping levels of vitamin D does help protect COVID patients from serious illness or death. They say they can even predict how people will do if infected based just on their age and vitamin D levels. Vitamin D deficiency is endemic across the Middle East, including in Israel, where nearly four in five people are low on it.  The Olympics are putting the spotlight on China, which for two years has been trying to keep the spotlight off of it, at least when it comes to the origins of the novel coronavirus. A group of international scientists is again calling for a "comprehensive international investigation" into COVID’s origins. That’s 20 scientists from the U.S., U.K., Germany, New Zealand, France, Australia, India, and Japan. They want a new spirit of "openness and mutual trust" as the games commence.It'd be easy to make fun of the Mayor of Los Angeles, except we’ve all probably done what he did. Or at least thought about it. He posed for pictures at SoFi Stadium during the NFC Championship game without a mask. HIV-positive Magic Johnson is standing there with him. Naturally the criticism started flying and the Mayor’s response was that he was holding his breath, so there was zero risk. In the United States, cases were down 49%, deaths are up 35%, and hospitalizations are down 16% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Mississippi, Arizona, Ohio, Connecticut, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania. There are 28,915,847 active cases in the United States.The five areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Alaska 47%. Wyoming 42%. Idaho 36%. And West Virginia and Montana 30%.The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Whitman, WA. Adair, OK. Franklin, WA. Craig, OK. Santa Cruz, AZ. Clay, KY. Okmulgee, OK. Taylor, FL. And Carbon, WY.There have been at least 896,557 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 79.5%, Rhode Island at 79.1%, and Maine at 77.6%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 49.5%, Wyoming at 49.9%, and Mississippi at 50.2%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 63.9%.Globally, cases were up 2% and deaths up 40% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 25. There are 74,925,987 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: Brazil 286,050. France 274,352. The United States 255,994. Germany 240,218. And Russia 155,768. There have been 5,710,285 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The U.S. Army will immediately start discharging soldiers who’ve refused to get the mandatory COVID vaccine. How many are possibly getting kicked out? 3,300 service members. The Army’s actually the last military service to outline its discharge policy. 3,000 soldiers have already been issued official written reprimands, which means they could be among the first to go.History will establish what we got right and wrong in the pandemic. And a new report out of Johns Hopkins says the lockdowns recommended and promoted so heavily by experts like Dr. Anthony Fauci, which imposed enormous costs on economies, finances, education, and mental health, weren’t really necessary. The verdict from the new meta-analysis of dozens of different studies is lockdowns should be rejected out of hand as a pandemic policy. Lockdowns in the U.S. and across Europe reduced COVID mortality by a mere 0.2% on average.Pfizer wants the FDA to authorize their vaccine for kids six months to five years old. But will parents get them vaccinated? Looking at what they’ve done with kids 5-11 says probably not. Only 30.5% of children 5-11 have gotten at least one dose and only 21.8% are fully vaccinated. A Kaiser poll recently found 52% of parents of kids that age are opposed to or unsure about vaccinating them, with 24% saying they “definitely won’t” vaccinate them.  France says it will start administering Pfizer’s coronavirus antiviral drug this week. That’s the first pill for treating COVID that’s been approved in the EU. And why not? France is still reporting among the world's highest per-capita daily infections. The drug, Paxlovid, will be available in pharmacies starting Friday. How hard is it to get teachers back in the classroom? So hard that in New Mexico, 78 members of the National Guard have been called in to serve as substitutes. They get a few hours of training and a background check before being assigned. Most of them say they don’t feel prepared, but they are at least willing to show up. And they show up in uniform so perhaps conduct has improved a little. In the United States, cases were down 44%, deaths are up 39%, and hospitalizations are down 14% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Arizona, Mississippi, Ohio, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. There are 28,852,070 active cases in the United States.The five areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Alaska 57%. Wyoming 52%. Idaho 41%. Montana 36%. And West Virginia 32%. The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Franklin, WA. Pontotoc, OK. Murray, OK. Whitman, WA. Santa Cruz, AZ. Johnson, IL. Clay, KY. Mercer, KY. And Benton, WA.There have been at least 894,211 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 79.4%, Rhode Island at 79.1%, and Maine at 77.6%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 49.5%, Wyoming at 49.9%, and Mississippi at 50.1%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 63.8%.Globally, cases were down 1% and deaths up 36% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 25. There are 74,214,657 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: France 315,363. The United States 302,177. Germany 223,322. Brazil 188,552. And India 164,593. There have been 5,699,331 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Pfizer’s mind, there is no such thing as too young. It’s asked the FDA to expand the use of their vaccine to most kids under 5 years old. Data’s being submitted on a rolling basis to fast-track approval of what will eventually be a three-dose vaccine for kids six months through 4 years old. Children are at much lower risk of developing severe illness from Covid, but their hospitalizations have increased during the recent surge.The march to normalcy continues. Denmark scrapped most pandemic restrictions and no longer considers COVID “a socially critical disease.” There’s not a heavy burden on the health system and Denmark has a high vaccination rate. Norway is easing most measures. Limits on guests at private gatherings, a curb on alcohol service in bars and restaurants, and testing at the border have all been removed. And South Africa announced sweeping changes to many of the remaining regulations. Pretty much anyone without symptoms can live life as normal. Just checking in to see how people feel, a recent Monmouth poll asked if people agree with the statement “It’s time we accept Covid is here to stay, and we need to get on with our lives.” 70% agreed with that while 28% disagreed. Republicans and Independents felt that way at 89% and 71% respectively. But Democrats aren’t so sure. 51% of them disagreed with the statement. China might be hosting the COVID games instead of the Olympic Games. More and more athletes and team officials have tested positive. Since January 23, 200 tested positive, with a positive test rate of 2.9% for athletes and team officials. Everybody testing positive is placed in isolation, with Olympic officials monitoring symptoms, test results and contact tracing.In the United States, cases were down 42%, deaths are up 30%, and hospitalizations are down 11% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Ohio, Indiana, Arizona, Pennsylvania, and New Mexico. There are 28,955,249 active cases in the United States.The five areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Alaska 63%. Wyoming 56%. Idaho 43%. Montana 40%. And Oregon 35%. The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Franklin, WA. Pontotoc, OK. Santa Cruz, AZ. Murray, OK. Whitman, WA. Mercer, KY. Muhlenberg, KY. Hopkins, KY. And Madison, ID.There have been at least 890,528 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 79.4%, Rhode Island at 79%, and Maine at 77.5%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 49.5%, Wyoming at 49.8%, and Mississippi at 50%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 63.8%.Globally, cases were up 4% and deaths up 32% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 25. There are now over 74 million active cases around the world, at 74,587,209.The five countries with the most new cases: France 416,896. The United States 264,693. Germany 183,434. Brazil 171,028. And India 158,576. There have been 5,685,521 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The FDA granted full approval to Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine, a shot that's already been given to tens of millions of Americans since its emergency authorization over a year ago. This means the FDA has completed the same rigorous, time-consuming review as dozens of other long-established vaccines. Theoretically, this means those who aren’t taking the vaccine because it’s too early and hasn’t been properly vetted, have one less argument to make.  Tokyo has launched a mass booster shot drive at a temporary center run by the military to counter surging infections. Japan had only provided boosters to 2.7% of the population even though demand is intense. Reservation slots were filled within 9 minutes. The center will boost about 720 people a day. So far, the BA.2 subvariant of Omicron is nothing to panic about. But it does look like it’s substantially more transmissible than the first Omicron, and we’ve already seen how transmissible that has been. In South Africa, which first reported the original, BA.2 levels are increasing but overall infections are decreasing. What experts do say is BA.2 might prolong the Omicron wave in some places. New Orleans is set to become the nation's first major school district to mandate COVID vaccinations for kids 5 and up. But it’s not much of a mandate. State regulations will allow parents to easily opt out. No student is going to get kicked out and waivers are easy to get.   If Omicron is so much less severe, why are so many people still dying? This week, Australia suffered its deadliest day of the pandemic so far, nearly 100 dead. In the US, Omicron is claiming around 2,200 lives a day – higher than the Delta variant. The reason is deaths lag behind surges in case numbers. And since Omicron is spreading faster and infecting far more people, more of the unvaccinated and at risk have been infected, and the outcome for them is not always so good. In the United States, cases were down 35%, deaths are up 28%, and hospitalizations are down 8% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Ohio, Connecticut, Indiana, Arizona, and Pennsylvania.  There are now over 29 million active cases in the United States, at 29,069,889. The five areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Alaska 69%. Wyoming 66%. Idaho 55%. Montana 52%. And Arkansas 39%.  The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Whitman, WA. Franklin, WA. Pontotoc, OK. Crawford, IL. Murray, OK. Randolph, IL. Hopkins, KY. Kings, CA. And Morgan, KY.  There have been at least 886,668 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 79.4%, Rhode Island at 78.9%, and Maine at 77.5%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 49.4%, Wyoming at 49.8%, and Mississippi at 50%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 63.8%. Globally, cases were up 12% and deaths up 30% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 25.  There are now 73,158,005 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 274,266. India 164,271. Russia 124,070. Germany 119,696. And Brazil 102,616.  There have been 5,672,129 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s just one city, but it’s a big one. The number of new cases in New York has fallen by more than half in a week according to the Governor’s office. The statewide positivity rate dropped to 5.73% Friday. Hospitalizations dropped from over 10,000 a week ago to 7,675 Friday.Russia's in the news a lot these days, but not for COVID. Regardless, their daily count of new infections surged to more than 121,000 yesterday. That’s an eightfold increase from the beginning of the month. The number of new infections over the past 24 hours was at an all-time high. And Russia’s total fatality count is by far the largest in Europe.A statement out of the Emergency Committee of the World Health Organization has modified its stand that bans on international travel are effective. Now they don’t think they provide any added value and only contribute to countries’ economic and social stress. It recommends not requiring proof of vaccination for international travel, if for no other reason due to the inequitable distribution of vaccines. The CDC, however, continues to be blind to the failure of travel bans and released yet more countries they warn Americans not to travel to. The list includes such popular destinations as Jamaica, St. Barts, St. Martin, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Fiji, Peru, and the UAE. The US has far more new cases per capita than many of these countries, which challenges the logic of the guidance, yet it is consistent with a hyperfocus on shutting down the travel and hospitality industry. Time for the “just don’t do this” story of the week. Owners of a Washington state bar held a “catch the virus” promotion. Employees quit, bands cancelled, and bar then tried to say it was all just a bad joke. Regardless, there were threats to burn down the pirate-themed bar, oddly in keeping with the theme, so one employee was held responsible and has been fired. In the United States, cases were down 33%, deaths are up 29%, and hospitalizations are down 5% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Ohio, Arizona, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Indiana. There are 28,732,901 active cases in the United States.The five areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Alaska 76%. Wyoming 74%. Montana 67%. Idaho 55%. And Arkansas 44%. The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Whitman, WA. Franklin, WA. Pontotoc, OK. Santa Cruz, AZ. Crawford, IL. Murray, OK. Randolph, IL. Hopkins, KY. And Kings, CA.There have been at least 884,260 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 79.3%, Rhode Island at 78.9%, and Maine at 77.5%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 49.4%, Wyoming at 49.8%, and Mississippi at 50%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 63.6%.Globally, cases were up 13% and deaths up 29% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 25. There are now over 73 million active cases around the world, at 73,081,557.The five countries with the most new cases: France 249,448. India 173,162. Russia 121,228. Germany 109,029. And Italy 104,065. There have been 5,662,721 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The European Medicines Agency has recommended Pfizer's coronavirus antiviral drug be authorized for use in the European Union. That’s the first time the agency’s recommended a pill for COVID. They said approving Paxlovid could help the infected avoid more serious disease and hospitalization. The drug’s been cleared in the U.S. and Britain, but the problem is supplies are extremely limited.School districts continue to struggle with what the proper policies should be. Orange County Public Schools in Florida have made it clear to parents who worry about their child being exposed to COVID and want to keep them home, that it will no longer allow excused absences for COVID concerns. The district said managing assignments for large numbers of absent students is a strain on the teachers. It’s brought up a question of medical ethics. A Boston hospital is defending itself after a man's family says he was denied a new, much needed heart for not getting vaccinated. The 31-year-old father of two has atrial fibrillation, which has also been cited as a vaccine side effect, thus his concern. There are more than 100,000 candidates on waitlists for organ transplants and about half on waiting lists won’t get an organ within five years.Did you get your free at home rapid tests yet? If you did, here’s some tips to make sure they’re accurate. You can’t expose them to extreme hot or cold temperatures. You have to read and follow the instructions, because they were developed for use in medical settings by trained personnel. And you have to read the results at just the right time. Waiting too soon could give you a false-negative. Waiting too late could give you a false-positive. And lastly, don’t believe them. If you tested negative but you’re feeling sicker than you ever have, seek medical attention.  Does the public think the pandemic is over? An Associated Press poll shows only 15% will consider it over only when COVID is largely eliminated. 83% think it’s over when it’s mostly a mild illness. 59% think it’s essential they personally be vaccinated to safely participate in public activities. But only 37% of parents think it’s essential their kids are vaccinated before they return to normal. And only 47% of Americans think it’s essential they get a booster.In the United States, cases were down 21%, deaths are up 34%, and hospitalizations are up 5% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Ohio, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Illinois. There are now over 28 million active cases in the United States, at 28,178,981.The five areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Montana 97%. Wyoming 90%. Alaska 70%. Alabama 62%. And Oregon 54%. The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Whitman, WA. Franklin, WA. Pontotoc, OK. Crawford, IL. Maverick, TX. Wyoming, WV. Colbert, AL. Lanier, GA. And Uvalde, TX. There have been at least 878,421 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 79.2%, Rhode Island at 78.6%, and Maine at 77.4%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 49.3%, Wyoming at 49.7%, and Mississippi at 49.9%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 63.5%.Globally, cases were up 16% and deaths up 25% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 25. There are now over 71 million active cases around the world, at 71,437,312.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 497,351. France 392,168. India 248,697. Brazil 228,972. And Germany 189,363. There have been 5,636,042 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The World Health Organization said there were 21 million new cases last week and that’s the highest weekly number of the entire pandemic. However, despite that, the number of deaths was mostly unchanged. It also said the rate of increase appears to be slowing, with only half of regions reporting an increase. The biggest increase was seen in the Middle East. The restrictions have begun to fall away. Starting today in England, face coverings are no longer required anywhere in the country and a legal requirement for COVID passes to get into public venues has been scrapped. Austria will end its lockdown for unvaccinated residents Monday, one day before its vaccine mandate takes effect. And Denmark will no longer categorize COVID as a "socially critical disease" starting February 1.Yesterday we told you about Pfizer and BioNTech starting a clinical trial to evaluate a new vaccine specific to Omicron. Today it’s Moderna. Their study will enroll about 600 people who will get a dose of the experimental Omicron-matched version.Omicron doesn’t seem to care if you’ve had a case of COVID before or not. A new study out of England has found around two thirds of Omicron cases have been reinfections. It was thought a prior infection might offer some protection, but it looks like that’s not the case with Omicron. U.K. health officials estimate the risk of reinfection with Omicron is 5.4x greater than it is with Delta.Americans know what they’re supposed to do, they just don’t do it. A new Harris poll shows more Americans do believe N95 and KN95 masks are more effective against COVID than surgical or cloth masks. But they aren’t wearing them. The White House is rolling out 400 million free N95 masks, hoping to change that. Only 29% wear the higher-grade masks.In the United States, cases were down 14%, deaths are up 35%, and hospitalizations are up 9% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Ohio, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. There are 27,856,405 active cases in the United States.The five areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Montana 101%. Alaska 88%. Wyoming 85%. Alabama 68%. And Idaho 57%. The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Uvalde, TX. Nome Census Area, AK. Crawford, IL. Maverick, TX. Douglas, IL. Wyoming, WV. Colbert (KAHL-bert), AL. Santa Cruz, AZ. Newberry, SC. And Dimmit, TX. There have been at least 876,060 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 79.2%, Rhode Island at 78.5%, and Maine at 77.3%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 49.2%, Wyoming at 49.6%, and Mississippi at 49.9%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 63.5%.Globally, cases were up 30% and deaths up 27% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since January 17. There are now over 69 million active cases around the world, at 69,915,639.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 533,313. France 428,008. India 284,469. Brazil 219,878. And Germany 188,759. There have been 5,625,803 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The U.S. administration has thrown in the towel, withdrawing its rule requiring workers at big companies get vaccinated or face regular testing. The rule would have impacted more than 80 million U.S. workers and was to go into effect January 4. The Supreme Court halted the plan saying the Occupational Safety and Health Administration overstepped its authority.The battle over facemasks in schools rages on in New York. An appeals judge restored the mask mandate one day after a judge in a lower court ruled the state lacked the constitutional authority to order people to wear face coverings. The governor's office is appealing the decision.Pfizer and BioNTech have started a clinical trial to evaluate a new vaccine specific to Omicron. Current vaccines protect against serious illness and death, but Omicron has had no problem breaking through the vaccines to spread itself. The study will include as many as 1,420 participants.Whether or not they work or add extra protection, most health officials say they do, America isn’t so hot on getting booster shots. The CDC says only 40% of fully vaccinated Americans have gotten a booster. And the average number of booster shots given per day has plunged from 1 million in early December to about 490,000 as of last week. Some analysts blame confusion amongst a sea of changing recommendations and guidance.If you watch the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games from your couch, you’ll be as close to the action as the sports commentators you’re listening to. NBC Sports isn’t sending any of its announcing teams to China. They’ll be calling the action from Stamford, CT. In the United States, cases were down 14%, deaths are up 35%, and hospitalizations are up 9% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Ohio, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. There are 27,434,325 active cases in the United States.The five areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Montana 98%. Alaska 90%. Wyoming 87%. Alabama 67%. And Arkansas and Oregon 56%. The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Uvalde, TX. Nome Census Area, AK. Crawford, IL. Maverick, TX. Douglas, IL. Wyoming, WV. Colbert, AL. Santa Cruz, AZ. Newberry, SC. And Dimmit, TX. There have been at least 871,937 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 79.1%, Rhode Island at 78.4%, and Maine at 77.2%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 49.2%, Wyoming at 49.6%, and Mississippi at 49.8%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 63.4%.Globally, cases were up 26% and deaths up 24% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since January 17. There are now over 68 million active cases around the world, at 68,965,937.The five countries with the most new cases: France 501,635. The United States 443,072. India 283,540. Brazil 199,126. And Italy 186,740. There have been 5,614,043 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The head of the World Health Organization says it’s a mistake to think Omicron is the last variant that will emerge. And as sorta proof, a sub-lineage of Omicron, BA.2, is under formal investigation by the UK Health Security Agency. 426 cases in the UK so far, and it’s been spotted in the United States. It’s called “stealth Omicron” because it can’t be distinguished from other variants using PCR tests. So far, they feel current vaccinations work well against it. If you’re wondering how often you need to clean the house, and yourself, Japanese scientists have found Omicron can survive longer than earlier strains on plastic surfaces and human skin. They say Omicron has a high "environmental stability" and that’s what has helped it replace Delta as the dominant variant. It lasts about eight days on plastic, and 21.1 hours on skin.The FDA is revoking emergency use status for COVID antibody drugs from Regeneron and Eli Lilly. The agency says the two don't work against Omicron. The drugs were bought by the federal government and have been administered to millions of Americans. Alternate therapies from Pfizer, Merck, and GlaxoSmithKline are still okay but are in short supply.We will continue using the term here in our report, but the CDC is trying to pivot the language from being “fully vaccinated” to being “up to date” with vaccination against COVID. Being up to date means you’ve gotten all the recommended shots at the intervals recommended. Which would make you fully vaccinated. But if it’s time to have a booster and you haven’t gotten it, you are not up to date, with no apparent repercussions for that yet.  The damage done by COVID goes well beyond matters of health, both physical and mental. High school graduation rates dipped in at least 20 states after the first full school year that was disrupted by the pandemic. That would end nearly two decades of nationwide progress toward getting more students graduated. Some states loosened standards, but the rate dropped anyway.In the United States, cases were up 2%, deaths are up 39%, and hospitalizations are up 18% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Ohio, Alaska, New York, Connecticut, and Tennessee. There are now over 27 million active cases in the United States, at 27,238,138.The five areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Alaska and Montana 93%. Wyoming 83%. Alabama 81%. And the U.S. Virgin Islands 79%. The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Waukesha, WI. Dane, WI. Uvalde, TX. Nome Census Area, AK. Maverick, TX. Santa Cruz, AZ. Dimmit, TX. Randolph, IL. Kodiak Island Borough, AK. And Wyoming, WV. There have been at least 868,494 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 79.1%, Rhode Island at 78.4%, and Maine at 77.2%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 49.2%, Wyoming at 49.6%, and Mississippi at 49.8%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 63.4%.Globally, cases were up 34% and deaths up 23% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since January 17. There are now over 67 million active cases around the world, at 67,479,089.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 465,154. India 255,874. France 108,481. Spain 101,810. And Germany 90,962. There have been 5,603,837 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

So with things winding down for the moment, just how many more boosters are we going to need? The CEO of Pfizer says a once a year shot should eventually do the trick, and that would, for any number of reasons, be preferable to a booster shot needed every four months. He said Pfizer could be ready to file for approval of a redesigned vaccine to fight Omicron, and mass produce it, as soon as March. But in Israel, they’re a fan of boosters. Their Health Ministry said a fourth dose given to people over 60 made them 3x more resistant to serious illness than triple-vaccinated people in the same age group. In fact, Israel’s green pass is no longer considered a viable indicator of protection because it only shows three shots.  Students in the Los Angeles Unified School District were already required to stay masked throughout the school day but now many parents are being told, “your kid’s mask isn’t good enough.” Students are now prohibited from wearing cloth masks. They must wear "well-fitting, non-cloth masks with a nose wire" both indoors and outdoors.  You’ve heard people say it. “Everybody’s just gonna have to get it.” Well, if that’s true, how close are we to every American having had COVID? Turns out not even a little bit close. Only one in five have been infected since the pandemic began. That number is likely much higher because of bad data and unreported cases, but it’d still be a long way from “everybody got it.” You’re probably going to love me after I tell you this. New research shows red wine could help make you more resistant to Covid. Apparently, those who drink more than five glasses a week had a 17% lower risk. White wine drinkers who have one to four glasses a week had an 8% lower risk. Sorry beer drinkers, you have an almost 28% higher chance of getting Covid, no matter how much you drink. In the United States, cases were up 2%, deaths are up 39%, and hospitalizations are up 19% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Ohio, Alaska, New York, Connecticut, and Tennessee.  There are now over 26 million active cases in the United States, at 26,671,065. The five areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Montana 91%. Alaska 86%. Wyoming 82%. Alabama 81%. And the U.S. Virgin Islands 78%.  The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Waukesha, WI. Dane, WI. Uvalde, TX. Nome Census Area, AK. Maverick, TX. Santa Cruz, AZ. Dimmit, TX. Randolph, IL. Kodiak Island Borough, AK. And Wyoming, WV.  There have been at least 866,540 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 79%, Rhode Island at 78.3%, and Maine at 77.2%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 49%, Wyoming at 49.6%, and Mississippi at 49.8%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 63.2%. Globally, cases were up 32% and deaths up 21% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since January 17.  There are now over 66 million active cases around the world, at 66,958,038. The five countries with the most new cases: India 306,064. France 301,614. The United States 197,374. Italy 138,860. And Brazil 84,230.  There have been 5,595,967 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Spain is planning a different approach to future surges of infection. It won’t be treated as an emergency, it’ll be seen as an illness that’s here to stay. Portugal and Britain are taking similar steps. “Learning to live with the vaccine” used to be a philosophy attacked as anti-science and irresponsible government, but the tune is changing. The World Health Organization actually has no criteria for declaring COVID an endemic disease.Here’s another thing that used to be attacked with regularity that now people are seeing differently, the idea of immunity of natural infection. California and New York health officials say those who were infected were better protected against the Delta variant than those who were vaccinated alone. The results do not apply to Omicron and the advice is still to get fully vaccinated. After two months, attempts in the U.S. to get children age 5-11 vaccinated hasn’t been going well. The number of first doses remains far below its early peak. There was a slight uptick in December, but then the number dropped again. Only 18.8% of kids in that age group are fully vaccinated.With hospitals packed and stressed, when should you go there and when should you not add to the problem? Health experts say if you just have a cough, sore throat, fever, muscle aches — and you can keep fluids down and breathe okay, stay home, and treat it as you would a bad cold. If you’re short of breath during exertion, have severe chest pain or swelling of a limb, head to the ER. They add it’s very handy to have a fingertip pulse oximeter at home so you can check your blood oxygen levels.The virus is horrible, but we continue to be our own worst enemy. An American Airlines flight took off from Miami, headed for London. But a woman in her 40’s refused to wear a mask as required. The airline wasn’t kidding about that rule, so it turned around and was back on the ground in Miami 90 minutes later. 128 other passengers paid the price for the woman’s behavior, and now she’s on the airline’s no-fly list. In the United States, cases were up 29%, deaths are up 48%, and hospitalizations are up 42% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Alaska, Michigan, Tennessee, New York, and Maryland. There are now 25,613,160 active cases in the United States.The five areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Alabama 114%. Puerto Rico 111%. California 101%. The U.S. Virgin Islands 100%. And Mississippi 94%.  The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: West Feliciana, LA. Waukesha, WI. Uvalde, TX. Newberry, SC. Dane, WI. Teton, WY. Douglas, IL. Brown, WI. Tom Green, TX. And Kodiak Island Borough, AK.There have been at least 860,146 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 78.9%, Rhode Island at 78.1%, and Maine at 77%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Wyoming at 48.5%, Alabama at 48.9%, and Mississippi at 49.6%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 63.1%.Globally, cases were up 55% and deaths up 20% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending flat since January 17. There are now over 61 million active cases around the world, at 61,143,321.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 692,320. France 425,183. India 344,859. Italy 188,797. And Brazil 168,060. There have been 5,573,134 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Now you’ll start to hear stories about the quest to return to normalcy. In the U.K., masks will no longer be mandatory in public places and COVID passports won’t be required for large events. Why? They’re seeing infections level off. Scientists there believe the Omicron surge “has now peaked nationally.” The Prime Minister also said hospital admissions and patients in ICU are stabilizing or falling.Starbucks is no longer requiring its U.S. workers to be vaccinated. That reverses a plan it announced just earlier this month. They said they’re doing it because of the Supreme Court ruling rejecting the White House’s plan to require vaccines or regular COVID testing at companies with more than 100 workers. General Electric also suspended its vaccine mandate last week.New York City's surge of cases looks like it’s falling as fast as it rose. After new cases increased 26-fold in one month, they’ve now fallen 57% over the last week according to ABC News. Hospitalizations are declining, and the number of wastewater samples that spotted the virus have also plunged.More evidence that booster shots probably don’t do much in the way of stopping transmission. A study of breakthrough Omicron cases in South Africa, where the variant emerged early on, demonstrated Omicron’s ability to evade immunity generated by even the most powerful vaccine boosters. Researchers still say the vaccines protect against severe illness, but that it might not be a good idea to rely on vaccines alone in the pandemic fight.  Amidst all this good news, the CDC remains at virtual war with the travel and hospitality industry anyway. Tuesday, they advised against travel to 22 more nations and territories, including Israel, Australia, Egypt, Argentina, the Bahamas, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, Turks and Caicos, and Saint Lucia. In fact, there are now over 100 countries and territories total on their “Level 4” don’t-go-there list. In the United States, cases were up 38%, deaths are up 43%, and hospitalizations are up 47% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Tennessee, Maryland, Michigan, New York, and Indiana. There are now over 25 million active cases in the United States, at 25,035,097.The five areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Puerto Rico 126%. Alabama 121%. California 110%. The U.S. Virgin Islands 103%. And Louisiana 102%.  The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: West Feliciana, LA. Waukesha, WI. Newberry, SC. Dane, WI. Tom Green, TX. Teton, WY. Uvalde, TX. Milwaukee, WI. Kodiak Island Borough, AK. And Covington, MS.There have been at least 857,674 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 78.6%, Rhode Island at 77.9%, and Maine at 76.8%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Wyoming at 48.2%, Alabama at 48.4%, and Mississippi at 49.1%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 63%.Globally, cases were up 66% and deaths up 19% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 16. There are now over 60 million active cases around the world, at 60,920,589.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 710,928. France 436,167. India 315,158. Brazil 205,310. And Italy 192,320.  There have been 5,563,818 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The U.S. quietly launched its website for Americans to request free at-home COVID tests a day early. It’s COVIDTests.gov and the order form is run by the U.S. Postal Service. You can get four at-home tests per residential address. The White House said, “tests will typically ship within 7- 12 days of ordering” and they are anticipating a “bug or two.”The World Health Organization’s chief scientist says there is no evidence that healthy children and adolescents need booster doses of COVID vaccine. But that train has already left the station in many countries. Israel is boosting kids as young as 12, and the U.S. FDA has authorized third doses of Pfizer for kids 12 to 15. Last week Germany became the latest country to recommend that all children 12 to 17 get a booster. Hungary has done the same. If you felt awful after getting vaccinated, a new analysis says you may have been faking it. The study has concluded up to three-fourths of adverse events can be attributed to the opposite of the placebo effect. With placebos, people think they feel better even if they were given a sugar pill instead of a real drug. But this time, people who took a placebo thinking it was the real vaccine reported feeling negative side effects from it. Should you try to catch Omicron to get it over with? The director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia gives us five reasons not to. 1, It's not a bad cold. It's still a potentially life-threatening disease. 2, You could get long Covid. 3, You could stress the healthcare system. 4, the kid population is still fairly vulnerable, and you could infect them. And 5) It’s stupid to catch a disease on purpose. And yes, he says, so were chicken pox parties in the old days. Chinese-ruled Hong Kong ordered the killing of 2,000 hamsters yesterday after 11 of them tested positive. There is no evidence domestic animals can infect humans. People who bought hamsters after Dec. 22 are being ordered to hand over their pet for culling.In the United States, taking into account many states did not report statistics Monday, cases were up 62%, deaths are up 54%, and hospitalizations are up 54% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are New Mexico, Maryland, Indiana, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. There are now over 24 million active cases in the United States, at 24,488,337.The five areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Puerto Rico 143%. Alabama 134%. The U.S. Virgin Islands 130%. And Louisiana and California 120%.  The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: West Feliciana, LA. Waukesha, WI. Teton, WY. Dane, WI. Covington, MS. Tom Green, TX. Greensville, VA. Milwaukee, WI. Kodiak Island Borough, AK. And Yazoo, MS.There have been at least 853,951 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 78.5%, Rhode Island at 77.8%, and Maine at 76.8%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Wyoming at 48.2%, Alabama at 48.4%, and Mississippi at 49.1%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 62.8%.Globally, cases were up 81% and deaths up 18% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 16. There are now over 58 million active cases around the world, at 58,938,768.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 546,714. France 464,769. India 277,740. Italy 228,179. And Brazil 132,254. There have been 5,553,993 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brace yourself, here’s a story about how more vaccine shots may not always be the answer. An Israeli hospital’s preliminary research suggests a fourth dose of vaccine adds only limited defense against Omicron. That makes things a little tricky politically because Israel just started giving people over age 60 fourth shots.  The US Surgeon General says don’t get too enamored of the good news you’ve been hearing. He says the Omicron wave started later in some parts of the country, so we shouldn't be looking for a peak in those places, and the next few weeks will be tough. He says the problem is we’re running out of healthcare workforce and the crush of COVID patients is still expected to get substantially higher.  Even where there are still doctors on the job, the stress on the system means those doctors are starting to get worn out and make mistakes. That’s what’s happening in England. A survey shows 25% of doctors in the NHS are so tired that their ability to treat patients has become impaired. In at least seven cases, patients were actually harmed. Brace yourself again, an honest admission from a government bureaucrat. The Director of the CDC told the Wall Street Journal the messaging and communication around the pandemic should have been clearer. She said, "I think what I have not conveyed is the uncertainty in a lot of these situations."  Going to the Winter Olympics in Beijing? No you’re not. Tickets won’t be sold to the general public in response to the pandemic. However, if you’re a friend of Communist Chinese authorities, you might still have tickets distributed to you. But even then, you have to be a resident of China's mainland and in compliance with COVID countermeasures. In the United States, cases were up 98%, deaths are up 57%, and hospitalizations are up 61% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Indiana, New Mexico, Michigan, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.  There are 23,591,203 active cases in the United States. The five areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Puerto Rico 159%. The U.S. Virgin Islands 151%. Alabama 144%. Louisiana 141%. And Florida 129%.   The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: West Feliciana, LA. Pitkin, CO. Teton, WY. Greensville, VA. Covington, MS. Tom Green, TX. Uvalde, TX. Kodiak Island Borough, AK. Rolette, ND. And Yazoo, MS. There have been at least 851,449 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 78.5%, Rhode Island at 77.8%, and Maine at 76.8%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Wyoming at 48.2%, Alabama at 48.4%, and Mississippi at 49.1%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 62.8%. Globally, cases were up 102% and deaths up 17% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15.  There are now over 56 million active cases around the world, at 56,773,810. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 389,553. India 222,579. Spain 110,489. Argentina 102,458. And France 102,144.  There have been 5,544,691 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US Department of Health and Human Services extended the Covid public health emergency for another 90 days. This will allow many public health protections and financial aid programs to keep going at least another three months. And states have been promised 60 days’ notice prior to any expiration of the emergency status in the future. This is the eighth extension.France approved a law 215-58 that will ban unvaccinated citizens from all restaurants, sports arenas and other venues, essentially making them persona non grata. And that’s 9% of all French adults being reduced to second class status. Previously, the unvaccinated could get into establishments by showing a recent negative test, but no longer. There will also be increased penalties for fake passes.The White House plans to buy and give out 1 billion rapid tests. But did they check with manufacturers and distributors to see if that’s even possible? They say it is, and the manufacturers say they can do it, but tests have been hard for the public to find. Research from Health Catalysts Group says the US has an estimated capacity of only 260 million tests this month, which is why critics say adding 1 billion more to demand will only crush the pipeline.Speaking of hard-to-find tests, what do you do if your job requires that you get tested on a regular basis in order to show up, do your job and get paid? But you can’t find any? No one seems to have an answer for them, and the problem is hitting essential workers who can’t work from home – often people of color – particularly hard. The result is lost wages even though the worker may not even have COVID.Has the Army found a super-vaccine? There’s talk they’ve developed a universal COVID vaccine that could successfully combat all variants. They’ve been working on it at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research for a year. In December, the Army announced its pan-coronavirus vaccine had completed Phase 1 of human trials with positive results. As opposed to mRNA vaccines, this one does use part of the actual COVID virus, but a harmless part. It also has less restrictive storage and handling requirements than current vaccines. In the United States, cases were up 98% down from 159% Friday, deaths are up 57%, and hospitalizations are up 61% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since December 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Indiana, New Mexico, Michigan, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. There are now over 23 million active cases in the United States, at 23,031,325.The five areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Puerto Rico 157%. The U.S. Virgin Islands 153%. Louisiana 142%. Alabama 140%. And Florida 131%.  The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: West Feliciana, LA. Pitkin, CO. Teton, WY. Greensville, VA. Covington, MS. Tom Green, TX. Uvalde, TX. Kodiak Island Borough, AK. Rolette, ND. And Yazoo, MS.There have been at least 850,605 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 78.5%, Rhode Island at 77.8%, and Maine at 76.8%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Wyoming at 48.2%, Alabama at 48.4%, and Mississippi at 49.1%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 62.8%.Globally, cases were up 98% and deaths up 16% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15. There are now over 55 million active cases around the world, at 55,784,748.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 287,973. France 278,129. India 257,063. Italy 149,512. And Australia 87,457. There have been 5,539,067 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The highest court in the land has ruled against the White House’s requirement that large businesses require employees to get a vaccine or test regularly and wear a mask on the job. And enforce all that. The good news for the White House is the court is allowing it to proceed with vaccine mandates for most healthcare workers.  Looks like supply chain problems also apply to COVID drugs. Two brand-new pills anticipated to be an effective tool against the pandemic are in short supply. As such, they aren’t playing much of a role during this Omicron surge. Production is still being ramped up and the pills take five to eight months to manufacture. Doctors say they’re needed now, because two antibody drugs that were once the go-to treatments don’t work as well against Omicron. The U.S. President announced the government will double to 1 billion the rapid, at-home COVID-19 tests to be distributed courtesy of taxpayers, often called “free,” along with “high-quality masks.” Also, starting next week, 1,000 military medical personnel will deploy across the country to help overwhelmed medical facilities ease staff shortages. Speaking of the military, it’s getting smaller. The Army just relieved six active-duty commanders, including two battalion commanders, and issued 2,994 general officer written reprimands to soldiers for refusing to take the vaccine. They’re waiting on guidance now on kicking them out of the service. The Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines have so far granted zero religious exemptions.  Like it or not, a national digital vaccine card is happening in America. The SMART Health Card is voluntary, for now, and has your information in a QR code. More states and companies have signed on and the card is widely available from more than 400 sources. The next step is getting more public places like venues, bars, restaurants, theaters, amusement parks, etc. to require the card so it soon becomes not that voluntary.  In the United States, cases were up 159%, deaths are up 51%, and hospitalizations are up 82% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since December 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Indiana, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Maryland.  There are now over 21 million active cases in the United States, at 21,455,773. The five areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: The U.S. Virgin Islands 467%. Puerto Rico 293%, Louisiana 276%. Florida 241%. And Alabama 186%.   The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Teton, WY. Miami-Dade, FL. Greensville, VA. Pitkin, CO. Summit, UT. Tom Green, TX. Providence, RI. Rolette, ND. New York City, NY. And Logan, IL. There have been at least 846,459 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 78.3%, Rhode Island at 77.5%, and Maine at 76.5%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Wyoming at 48%, Alabama at 48.2%, and Mississippi at 48.8%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 62.7%. Globally, cases were up 132% and deaths up 10% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15.  There are now over 51 million active cases around the world, at 51,329,047. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 806,493. France 305,322. India 253,496. Italy 184,615. And Spain 159,161.  There have been 5,520,282 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A report says around 458 local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement officers died in the line of duty in 2021, an increase of 55% and the most since 1930. 301 of those were Covid-related, making that the leading cause of death. That was also true in 2020 when at least 182 officers died of the virus.You’ll notice that even as the vaccines open up to new, younger groups of people, the vaccination numbers in our daily report don’t seem to move very much. Authorities are starting to worry about alarmingly low vaccination rates in U.S. kids 5 to 11. As of Tuesday, just over 17% were fully vaccinated, more than two months after shots became available to that age group. More good news coming out of wastewater. This time it’s Boston’s. COVID samples from that city’s wastewater are trending sharply downward, suggesting the region is past the peak of the Omicron wave. The average number of coronavirus RNA copies per milliliter has dropped by over 40% in recent days. However, levels are still higher than levels found during previous surges.Remember the Delta variant? You should because it’s still very much around and doing the damage it’s always done. The Director of the CDC said most reported Covid deaths in the U.S. are still from Delta, not Omicron. Officials are monitoring deaths over the next several weeks to measure the impact of Omicron on mortality.People in the public eye are still learning that others are watching what they do throughout this pandemic. The U.K. Prime Minister apologized after admitting he attended a “bring your own booze” Downing Street garden party in May of 2020. He said he thought it was a work event at the time. Office employees were invited “to make the most of the lovely weather and have some socially distanced drinks in the garden” at a time when large outdoor gatherings were banned.In the United States, cases were up 159%, deaths are up 51%, and hospitalizations are up 79% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since December 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Indiana, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Maryland. There are now over 20 million active cases in the United States, at 20,672,722.The five areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: The U.S. Virgin Islands 466%. Puerto Rico 286%, Louisiana 268%. Florida 235%. And Alabama 177%.  The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Teton, WY. Miami-Dade, FL. Greensville, VA. Pitkin, CO. Summit, UT. Tom Green, TX. Providence, RI. Rolette, ND. New York City, NY. And Logan, IL.There have been at least 843,624 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 78.3%, Rhode Island at 77.3%, and Maine at 76.5%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Wyoming at 48%, Alabama at 48.1%, and Mississippi at 48.8%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 62.6%.Globally, cases were up 145% and deaths up 2% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15. There are now over 49 million active cases around the world, at 49,193,972.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 814,494. France 361,719. India 241,976. Italy 196,224. And Spain 179,125. There have been 5,510,327 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Reinforcing just how lucky we are that Omicron is mostly mild, the World Health Organization says the variant is on track to infect more than half of all Europeans. The organization added they don’t think it should be viewed as a flu-like endemic illness yet either. The acting head of the FDA said most Americans will get COVID.Quebec is going to start charging adults who won’t get vaccinated a financial penalty. That’s the first time a government in Canada has taken this step. The amount of the penalty hasn’t been decided yet, but it’s said it will be “significant.” They aren’t calling it a fine, they’re calling it a “health contribution.”There might be something to that ventilation argument to fight COVID. Some researchers in the U.K. found the airborne infectivity rate goes down fairly quickly after being released into the air. 50 to 60% within seconds, and after 10 minutes, only 10% of the virus remained infectious. They say as the viral particles leave our wet, carbon dioxide-rich lungs, they dry out, and the loss of carbon dioxide increases the pH dropping infectivity. And a new study by Japanese researchers shows peak viral loads in people infected with Omicron, and thus the peak of contagiousness, happens 3 to 6 days after the onset of symptoms. This adds fuel to the criticism fire against the CDC’s revised recommendation that self-isolation time should be 5 days, not 10. In the testing, viral levels were still fairly high in almost all patients between 7 and 9 days.The TSA is reporting 3,694 employees with active Covid infections. That’s about 7% of total screeners. The week before Omicron was first identified in the US, there were 275 cases. The surge in cases at the agency is a 1,243% increase since Thanksgiving. Over 96% of TSA employees are currently fully vaccinated. In the United States, cases were up 204%, deaths are up 36%, and hospitalizations are up 83% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since December 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Indiana, Delaware, Wyoming, New Mexico, and Pennsylvania.There are now over 19 million active cases in the United States, at 19,885,128.The five areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: The U.S. Virgin Islands 836%. Puerto Rico 389%, Louisiana 341%. Florida 278%. And Washington, DC 195%.  The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Teton, WY. Miami-Dade, FL. Pitkin, CO. New York City, NY. Summit, UT. Passaic, NJ. Nantucket, MA. Cass, IL. Hampden, MA. And Nassau, NY. There have been at least 842,139 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 78.2%, Rhode Island at 77.3%, and Maine at 76.4%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Wyoming at 47.9%, Alabama at 48.1%, and Mississippi at 48.8%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 62.6%.Globally, cases were up 177% and deaths up 3% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15. There are now over 46 million active cases around the world, at 46,919,390.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 672,872. France 368,149. Italy 220,532. India 185,112. And Spain 134,942. There have now been over five and a half million deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide, at 5,503,822.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Free tests are coming for American citizens, perhaps just in time for you to not need them. Starting Saturday, private health insurers must cover up to eight home COVID tests per month for people on their plans. Everyone else can submit receipts for reimbursement. This depends on your ability to find COVID tests. Later this month, the government is launching a website to start making 500 million at-home tests available via mail. We all kinda figured out this was true, but it’s still a little shocking to hear the Director of the CDC admit it. She said for the first time on CNN the vaccines are no longer effective at preventing transmission of the virus. And not just Omicron, for Delta as well. She said the vaccines are doing very well however protecting against serious illness and death.A new reason to bless people who sneeze. An Imperial College London Study found that high levels of T-cells from the common cold can protect against COVID. A reminder…the common cold is a coronavirus. The findings could lead to more effective vaccines. The study did not say how long protection from these T-cells lasts.Hospitals around the U.S. are letting more and more nurses and other workers currently infected with the coronavirus stay on the job. That’s if they have only mild symptoms, or none. It’s a way to cope with staffing shortages. That doesn’t completely go against the CDC, which says asymptomatic health care workers can go back to work after seven days, but it can be sooner if there are staffing shortages. Is the Deltacron variant real or a myth like the Loch Ness Monster? Our apologies if you believe in Nessie. Health experts are leaning on the side of dismissing reports of a fusion of Delta and Omicron, saying it’s probably just an error during genetic sequencing, specifically, the "lab contamination of Omicron fragments in a Delta specimen."In the United States, cases were up 216%, deaths are up 17%, and hospitalizations are up 83% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since December 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Delaware, Wyoming, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Michigan.There are 18,945,427 active cases in the United States.The five areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: The U.S. Virgin Islands 858%. Puerto Rico 429%, Louisiana 364%. Florida 300%. And Washington, DC 221%.  The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Miami-Dade, FL. Teton, WY. New York City, NY. Pitkin, CO. Nassau, NY. Passaic, NJ. Summit, UT. Essex, NJ. Florida, PR. And Rockland, N.Y. There have been at least 839,372 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 77.9%, Rhode Island at 77.3%, and Maine at 76.8%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Wyoming at 47.7%, Mississippi at 48%, and Alabama at 48.2%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 62.5%.Globally, cases were up 222% and deaths down 1% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15. There are now over 44 million active cases around the world, at 44,476,625.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 565,042. France 296,097. India 180,438. Italy 155,659. And the U.K. 141,438. There have been at least 5,493,864 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

COVID cases might be beginning to slow down. Looking just at New York, for the first time since mid-December, hospitalizations decreased by almost 100 patients Saturday. The daily percentage of new positive cases declined slightly for the third day in a row. This mirrors the trajectory in South Africa, which was a large spike, followed by a steep decline. No steep decline yet in the U.S. but the numbers look promising. The director of the CDC clarified the number of COVID hospitalizations among children. Yes, they’re rising during this surge, but it’s still not nearly the levels seen for older Americans. She also said there are actually about 3,500 children with COVID being treated in hospitals, correcting misinformation from a Supreme Court justice that there are 100,000.Omicron is mostly mild, but it is not risk-free. Israel is seeing its first case of heart inflammation linked to an Omicron infection. A 43-year-old man who was fully vaccinated and boosted was infected and is being treated for myocarditis in intensive care. Other variants have been known to cause it and in very rare cases, it’s shown up in young men after getting an mRNA vaccine.In one of the most cooperative vaccine states, California, uptake of booster shots isn’t very impressive. In some counties it’s as low as 23%. The state average is 38% but some high population counties including Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, San Diego, and San Bernadino are all lagging well behind that number. If you’re having trouble finding a COVID test, try China. It began mass testing of all, that’s right all, 14 million residents of the city of Tianjin. This after 20 people tested positive. The city is near Beijing where the Winter Olympics start February 4. Testing will get done in just two days. In the United States, cases were up 215%, deaths are up 16%, and hospitalizations are up 80% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since December 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Delaware, Wyoming, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Michigan.There are now over 18 million active cases in the United States, at 18,146,166.The five areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: The U.S. Virgin Islands 785%. Puerto Rico 399%, Louisiana 364%. Florida 292%. And Washington, DC 216%.  The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Miami-Dade, FL. Teton, WY. New York City, NY. Pitkin, CO. Nassau, NY. Passaic, NJ. Summit, UT. Essex, NJ. Florida, PR. And Rockland, NY. There have been at least 837,594 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 77.8%, Rhode Island at 77.2%, and Maine at 76.7%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Wyoming at 47.6%, Mississippi at 48%, and Alabama at 48.2%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 62.4%.Globally, cases were up 213% and deaths down 2% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15. There are now over 42 million active cases around the world, at 42,848,957.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 308,616. France 296,097. India 180,438. Italy 155,659. And the U.K. 141,472. There have been at least 5,488,375 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for January 7th, 2022.As with previous variants, Omicron is sidelining people we really need. More than 800 Los Angeles city police and fire personnel have been sidelined, which is adding to 911 response times. There’s also the absent health care workers and teachers. One in six of San Francisco's 3,600 teachers were out Thursday. Administrators and substitutes are stepping in but there’s not enough teachers for every classroom.Japan has asked U.S. military members stationed there to stay on their bases. It’s not clear if a base curfew will be issued. Some officials are blaming them for the alarming rise of cases in Okinawa and Iwakuni where Americans have a large presence.Africa's top public health official said severe lockdowns aren’t the best way to contain COVID anymore. He praised South Africa for not locking down when responding to the Omicron outbreak, saying, “We’re very encouraged with what we saw in South Africa during this period where they look at the data in terms of severity of infections.” Less than 10% of Africa's population has been fully vaccinated.Three popular tourist destinations are now requiring visitors not just have proof of full vaccination, but boosters as well. On Maui, you’ll need one to dine inside or work out at a gym. France has a booster requirement for all tourists 18 and up. And the Netherlands announced the only vaccine certificates they’ll accept are those that show a booster dose on it. And if you’re going to Hong Kong, you aren’t going to Disneyland most of this month. It’ll be closed from January 7 to the 20th. The park said the closure was "required by the government and health authorities in line with prevention efforts taking place across Hong Kong." This marks the fourth time the park has been closed during the pandemic.In the United States, cases were up 247%, deaths are down 3%, and hospitalizations are up 58% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since December 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Wyoming, Ohio, Michigan, Arizona, and Maine.There are now over 16 million active cases in the United States, at 16,619,075.The five areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Puerto Rico 619%, the U.S. Virgin Islands 508%. Louisiana 345%. Florida 284%. And Washington, DC 263%.  The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Miami-Dade, FL. Pitkin, CO. Essex, NJ. New York City, NY. Nassau, NY. Teton, WY. Summit, CO. Passaic, NJ. Vega Baja, PR. And Union, NJ.There have been at least 833,957 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 77.8%, Rhode Island at 76.9%, and Maine at 76.1%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Wyoming at 47.7%, Alabama at 47.9%, and Mississippi at 48.7%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 62.3%.Globally, cases were up 157% and deaths down 14% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15. There are now over 37 million active cases around the world, at 37,811,837.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 751,512. France 261,481. Italy 219,441. The U.K. 179,756. And India 114,484. There have been at least 5,471,856 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

So what’s really going on at hospitals? We hear Omicron is mild yet hospitalizations are so high systems are breaking. Mostly, the pain is from staff shortages, a combination of self-imposed shortages due to vaccine mandates and staff home sick with Omicron. ERs are getting crushed with people trying to just get tested for COVID. And two-thirds of patients in some places, test positive while in the hospital for something else. Hospitals are saying COVID patients aren’t as sick as in previous surges, ICUs aren’t as full, and ventilators aren’t needed as much.In Chicago it’s a win for teachers and additional losses for students and their parents. Classes were cancelled for a second day after failure to satisfy the teacher’s union around safety protocols. The union wants remote learning, but Chicago’s public school leaders say that didn’t work and schools can safely stay open with protocols in place.It certainly won’t help boost booster getting, but U.S. health officials said they are not changing the definition of “fully vaccinated” to include boosters. They’re just urging Americans to stay “up to date” on their protection by getting booster shots. That means federal vaccination mandates for travel or employment won't require a booster.The number of Omicron breakthrough infections no longer supports the notion this is a pandemic of the unvaccinated, but France’s President went on the attack anyway. Using French vulgarity, Emmanuel Macron said his strategy is to keep pressuring the unvaccinated. Lawmakers are currently debating whether or not to ban the unvaccinated from leisure activities like eating out.And the Grammy goes to…we’ll have to wait til later to find out. The 64th annual industry self-celebration event is postponed due to Omicron. It was going to be January 31, now there’s no telling when it will happen. Also, the famed Sundance Film Festival is moving all its in-person events in Utah online.In the United States, cases were up 254%, deaths are down 3%, and hospitalizations are up 51% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since December 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Wyoming, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire.There are 15,951,678 active cases in the United States.The five areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Puerto Rico 613%, Louisiana 336%, the U.S. Virgin Islands 314%. Florida 264%. And Washington, DC 258%.  The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Pitkin, CO. Miami-Dade, FL. Essex, NJ. Summit, CO. New York City, NY. Nassau, NY. Vega Baja, PR. Putnam, NY. Teton, WY. And Passaic, NJ.There have been at least 832,115 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 77.5%, Rhode Island at 76.8%, and Maine at 76.5%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Wyoming at 47.5%, Mississippi at 47.9%, and Alabama at 48%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 62.2%.Globally, cases were up 156% and deaths down 11% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15. There are now over 35 million active cases around the world, at 35,993,713.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 704,661. France 332,252. The U.K. 194,747. Italy 189,109. And Spain 137,180. There have been at least 5,464,589 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The U.S. added more than 1 million people to its case count Monday that encompasses a surge in infections over the holidays. It doesn’t really count as a single day record since much of the reporting was delayed and came in all at once. But on the other hand, many are testing at home and don’t report to authorities, which means the numbers are probably being underestimated if anything. The CDC says Omicron now makes up around 95.4% of new cases. Speaking of those at home tests, you may not be able to find any. But if you do, expect to pay more. Walmart, Kroger and Amazon had been selling them "at cost" as part of a deal with the White House. Now the kits will go up to $23.99 for a package of two. And most places still have limits on how many you can buy. Things are getting very rough for residents of the Chinese city of Xi'an who are under a strict zero tolerance coronavirus lockdown. Business owners are suffering and many of the 13 million residents have started having trouble finding food as they are largely confined to their homes. And now another city, Yuzhou, has been placed under a similar lockdown after three asymptomatic cases were discovered.You have enough problems without your body attacking itself, but a new study of 177 health care workers indicates those who recover from even mild cases often have elevated autoantibody levels that can cause the body to mistakenly attack itself months later. Gender also appears to make a difference, with males carrying the risk of autoimmune activation after symptomatic COVID, and females carrying the risk after asymptomatic exposure.Add this to the list of things that no, you can’t do that. A teacher in New York was arrested New Year's Eve for allegedly giving a vaccine injection at her house to a 17-year-old boy. And no, his mother did not give her permission. While the teacher was a science teacher, she was in no way authorized to administer vaccines.In the United States, cases were up 254%, deaths are down 3%, and hospitalizations are up 43% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since December 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Wyoming, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire.There are now over 15 million active cases in the United States, at 15,288,098.The five areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Puerto Rico 615%, the Virgin Islands 342%, Louisiana 315%, Washington, DC 243%, and Florida 225%.  The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Pitkin, CO. Miami-Dade, FL. Essex, NJ. Summit, CO. New York City, NY. Nassau, NY. Vega Baja, PR. Putnam, NY. Teton, WY. And Passaic, NJ.There have been at least 830,068 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 77.5%, Rhode Island at 76.8%, and Maine at 76.4%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Wyoming at 47.4%, Mississippi at 47.9%, and Alabama at 48%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 61.9%.Globally, cases were up 146% and deaths down 14% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15. There are now over 33 million active cases around the world, at 33,999,521.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 567,696. France 271,686. The U.K. 218,724. Italy 170,844. And Spain 117,775. There have been at least 5,456,350 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Another Covid variant has reportedly been found in France. The mutant strain has 46 mutations. About 12 cases have been spotted near Marseille, with the first linked to travel to Cameroon. But there’s little sign it’s outcompeting the dominant Omicron variant, which now makes up more than 60% of cases in France, and the strain has not spread rapidly since its discovery December 10.It's a little chaotic out there as schools and workplaces try to figure out what to do now that the holidays are over. For workplaces, the problem is so many people out sick with COVID they simply can’t open or get the work done. For schools it’s the now familiar debate between in person and remote learning. Some schools are doing neither because too many teachers and substitutes are sick. It’s booster time for kids as young as 12. The FDA approved Pfizer’s booster for that age whereas before, it was only available to those 16 and above. Now a CDC panel has to decide later this week whether or not to recommend the boosters but when has the CDC ever not recommended vaccine shots? Kids should be able to get the booster as early as five months after their last dose.We can argue as to whether or not they’re essential personnel, but COVID has a lot of people in Congress sick as well. It’s been recommended they go to a “maximal telework posture.” The seven-day average rate of infection at the Capitol's testing center went from less than 1% to more than 13%. Breakthrough cases have not led to any deaths or hospitalizations among lawmakers or their staff.If you think your Starbucks barista is more essential than Congress, the company’s U.S. workers must now be fully vaccinated by February 9 or face weekly testing, and hopefully they’ll get the names right on the tests. Starbucks’ 228,000 U.S. employees must disclose their vaccination status by January 10. In the United States, cases were up 238%, deaths are down 3%, and hospitalizations are up 41% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since December 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Arizona.There are now over 14 million active cases in the United States, at 14,517,726.The five areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Puerto Rico 617%, Louisiana 313%, Washington, DC 252%, the Virgin Islands 235%, and Florida 222%.  The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Miami-Dade, FL. Pitkin, CO. Summit, CO. Essex, NJ. New York City, NY. Nassau, NY. Vega Baja, PR. Baltimore, MD. Charles, MD. And Prince George’s MD.There have been at least 827,726 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 77.4%, Rhode Island at 76.5%, and Maine at 75.8%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Wyoming at 47.5%, Alabama at 47.6%, and Mississippi at 48.1%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 61.9%.Globally, cases were up 127% and deaths down 14% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15. There are now over 32 million active cases around the world, at 32,130,741.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 408,874. The U.K. 157,758. Spain 93,190. Italy 68,052. And France 67,461. There have been at least 5,448,758 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Top federal health officials in the U.S. are now looking to add a negative test along with its five-day isolation restrictions for Americans who test positive but have no symptoms. You keeping up with all this? The CDC is adding the test not because of science, but due to pushback on its new recommendations of last week that isolation be shortened from 10 days to five.Does anyone want to be in charge anymore? The US President said recently he doesn’t believe there’s a federal answer to COVID and the states should handle it. Now the Governor of Colorado is saying there won’t be any state restrictions and local municipalities should handle it. The state has had a nearly 250% increase in infections over the last two weeks. It may not be the most pleasant way to measure COVID but unlike at home tests, it sure is readily available, and more reliable. Health departments are increasingly using sewage samples for some coronavirus data that helps them better prepare. And bonus, you can also measure things like obesity, opioids, even polio. Coronavirus levels in those sewage samples across the country are higher now than at any point in the pandemic. Well now we’re just making up words. It’s been confirmed you can catch COVID and the flu at the same time, and that’s being called “flurona.” A pregnant woman in Israel is believed to be the world's first case of flurona. Her symptoms are mild, but the message from health officials is…get COVID vaccines, get a COVID booster, and get the flu shot too. You know how to discredit conspiracy theories? Don’t do exactly what the conspiracy theory says is going to happen. A tech start-up has a microchip that’s to be implanted in people’s arms so they can be scanned for their vaccination status. The managing director says he hears the criticism, but the technology is here to stay, like it or not.In the United States, cases were up 202%, deaths are down 4%, and hospitalizations are up 30% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since December 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Michigan, Tennessee, Ohio, New Hampshire, and Arizona.There are now over 13 million active cases in the United States, at 13,751,707.The five areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Puerto Rico 495%, Louisiana 249%, Washington, DC 236%, the Virgin Islands 194%, and Florida 182%.  The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Miami-Dade, FL. Summit, CO. Essex, NJ. New York City, NY. Pitkin, CO. Nassau, NY. San Juan, PR. Bayamon, PR. Baltimore, MD. And Carolina, PR.There have been at least 826,060 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 77.4%, Rhode Island at 76.5%, and Maine at 75.8%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Wyoming unchanged at 47.5%, Alabama unchanged at 47.6%, and Mississippi unchanged at 48.1%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is unchanged at 61.9%.Globally, cases were up 121% and deaths down 11% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15. There are now over 30 million active cases around the world, at 30,639,261.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 185,122. The U.K. 137,583. Italy 61,046. France 58,432. And Canada 35,127.There have been at least 5,443,453 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lots of concern about the number of children being hospitalized with COVID, and most of them aren’t vaccinated. The CDC says during the week of Dec. 22-28, an average 378 children 17 and under were admitted daily with the coronavirus, a 66% increase from the prior week. While it’s not being reported whether these cases are Delta or Omicron, the kids do seem less sick than those who came in during the Delta surge. As expected, Israel has approved dose number four the vaccine for the most vulnerable, becoming one of the first countries to do so. The Health Ministry said it will watch the data to see if the fourth shot needs to be expanded out to even more people.Germany is dropping the requirement that travelers from Britain quarantine and provide negative COVID tests January 4. And in South Africa, they’ve lifted a midnight to 4 a.m. curfew, saying they believe the country’s passed the peak of its Omicron-driven fourth wave of the virus. South Africa’s currently at the lowest of its five-stage COVID alert levels.Good news for you Johnson & Johnson recipients, two reports have shown those who get booster doses of that vaccine are well protected against severe disease and hospitalization from Omicron. One study showed vaccine effectiveness against hospitalization at 85% post booster. The other showed the vaccine stimulates a strong immune response from T-cells, which protect you even if the virus isn’t completely blocked.If you think you can avoid the coronavirus by isolating yourself, try this on for size. Two-thirds of researchers in a remote station in Antarctica caught it even though they were fully vaccinated, PCR tested before arriving, and miles from civilization. So good luck with that isolation thing. In the United States, cases were up 153%, deaths are down 7%, and hospitalizations are up 14% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since December 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Michigan, Tennessee, New Mexico, Arizona, and Pennsylvania.There are 12,933,384 active cases in the United States.The five areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Puerto Rico 335%, Washington DC 168%, Louisiana 118%, Florida 104%, and Hawaii 101%.  The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Pitkin, CO. Summit, CO. Essex, NJ. Eagle, CO. New York City, NY. Nassau, NY. San Juan, PR. Washington, DC. Miami-Dade, FL. And Guaynabo, PR.There have been at least 824,277 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont unchanged at 77.3%, Rhode Island at 76.3%, and Maine unchanged at 75.7%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Wyoming at 47.5%, Alabama unchanged at 47.6%, and Mississippi unchanged at 48.1%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is unchanged at 61.9%.Globally, cases were up 68% and deaths down 12% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15. There are now over 28 million active cases around the world, at 28,254,090.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 565,987 – over a half million new cases in just one day. France 206,243. The U.K. 189,213. Spain 161,688. And Italy 126,888. There have been at least 5,428,687 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for December 30th, 2021.Whoops. Germany’s health minister said their infection rate is likely two to three times higher than the statistics that have been reported. He said there’s a shortfall in staff that becomes particularly noticeable over holiday periods at local health offices, and that’s a key part of Germany's reporting chain.France is taking the record-breaking surge seriously, increasing the pressure on the unvaccinated. The plan is to banish them from, well, society. Restaurants, cinemas, theaters, museums, and sports arenas, inter-regional trains and buses, and domestic flights. More than 4 million adults there remain unvaccinated, including more than 1 million who are over 65.Will France’s strategy work? Let’s look at China, which has a zero-tolerance policy toward the virus and a population that’s in virtual total compliance. Cases rose for the fourth day in a row in the city of Xi’an, where 13 million people have been living under a comprehensive lockdown.And again, all this over a variant that is by nearly all reporting, mild, with symptoms akin to allergies. The CDC Director said COVID deaths and hospitalizations are comparatively low given how fast and broad Omicron has spread. And Dr. Anthony Fauci agrees.Let’s check in with those unvaccinated folks and get the latest on why they aren’t getting it. A new Census Bureau poll shows most, nearly half, are worried about potential side effects. Not trusting the vaccines and not trusting the government were also among the top reasons. And, being the Census Bureau, they broke down the demographics of the unvaccinated. 75% are under age 50. The unvaccinated also tend to have lower levels of education, be single, and African-American. In the United States, while cases were up 153% and breaking records, deaths are down 7%, and hospitalizations are up 11% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since December 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Michigan, Tennessee, New Mexico, Arizona, and Pennsylvania.There are now over 12 million active cases in the United States, at 12,404,303.The five areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Puerto Rico 275%, Washington DC 141%, Louisiana 96%, Hawaii 86%, and Florida 83%.  The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Pitkin, CO. Summit, CO. Essex, NJ. Eagle, CO. New York City, NY. Nassau, NY. San Juan, PR. Washington, DC. Miami-Dade, FL. And Guaynabo, PR.There have been at least 822,892 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont unchanged at 77.3%, Rhode Island at 76.2%, and Maine at 75.7%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Wyoming at 47.4%, Alabama at 47.6%, and Mississippi unchanged at 48.1%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 61.9%.Globally, cases were up 62% and deaths down 14% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15. There are now over 27 million active cases around the world, at 27,048,801.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 465,670. France 208,099. The U.K. 183,037. Spain 100,760. And Italy 98,030. There have been at least 5,421,557 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US Tuesday broke the previous record for most daily cases as infections accelerate. And most experts are saying Omicron is going to make for a very difficult January. One CNN medical analyst thinks the US could see half a million cases a day sometime over the next week to 10 days. The rate of booster doses has actually fallen in recent weeks. Only 32.7% of the U.S.’s fully vaccinated population is boosted. As it often has, the new CDC guidance around isolating and quarantining has left many Americans confused and many medical experts critical. They want to know why let people leave isolation without getting tested in the middle of a wintertime spike in cases. They think the answer might be pressure from the private sector. Speaking of the CDC, it’s revised down its estimates for how many US infection are caused by Omicron. Revised it down by a lot. They now say it accounts for about 59% of all cases, not 73% like it said previously. Want some more good news? Another leading immunologist in the UK says Omicron is “not the same disease we were seeing a year ago” and high Covid death rates in the UK are “now history.” A small CDC study shows people who had Covid and later get reinfected with Omicron appear to experience fewer symptoms. And a special envoy for the World Health Organization says that in pandemics, the expected pattern is the virus becomes more transmissible but less serious, and Omicron might be a step toward our relatively safe coexistence with the virus. If you’re having trouble finding a rapid test to see if you have Omicron, don’t stress too much about it. The FDA says that when it comes to detecting the new variant, they’re more likely to give you a false negative anyway. So how do you know if you have a cold, the flu, or COVID? An attending physician at Children's National Hospital tells CNN the early signs are alike for all three. Flu symptoms include fever, fatigue, body aches, sore throat, shortness of breath and vomiting or diarrhea.Covid-19 infection can be distinguished by headaches and a dry cough. Maybe loss of taste and smell though that’s not common with Omicron. Night sweats are more common with Omicron. The best way to determine if it might be COVID is to factor in possible exposure you’ve had.  In the United States cases were up 105%, deaths are down 5%, and hospitalizations are up 6% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since December 14. The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Alaska, New Mexico, Michigan, Arizona, and Ohio.There are 11,981,273 active cases in the United States.The five areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Puerto Rico 225%, Washington DC 111%, New Jersey and Louisiana 60%, and Florida 57%.  The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Pitkin, CO. Summit, CO. Essex, NJ. Hopkins, TX. Eagle, CO. Washington, DC. Miami-Dade, FL. San Juan, PR. Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands. And New York City, NY. There have been at least 820,708 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 77.3%, Rhode Island at 76.1%, and Maine at 75.6%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Wyoming at 47.3%, Alabama at 47.5%, and Mississippi at 48.1%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 61.8%.Globally, cases were up 48% and deaths down 11% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15. There are 25,972,119 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 312,939. France 179,807. The U.K. 129,471. Spain 99,671. And Italy 78,313. There have been at least 5,413,846 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The CDC shortened its isolation and quarantine recommendations for Americans based on data that if you’re infected, you’re most contagious two days before and three days after symptoms show up. If you’re infected, regardless of vaccination status, when you test positive you should isolate for five days, instead of the previously recommended 10. After that, if you have no symptoms, you can go back to normal but wear a mask everywhere — even at home around others — at least five more days. If you were in close contact with an infected person but haven’t tested positive yourself and aren’t fully vaccinated, you should quarantine 10 days at least. If you’ve had your booster, you can skip quarantine if you wear masks in all settings at least 10 days.About those masks. If you’re wearing those blue surgical cloth kind, they’re now saying that’s not good enough. They reportedly don’t provide enough protection against Delta and especially Omicron. So you might run into places that require you have an N95 mask, which is great news for N95 mask companies because they run about $2 each. Why is COVID testing such a mess? An anonymous insider at an Australia pathology unit gives us one inside look at why it takes so long to process PCR tests, and their account has been verified by healthcare experts and other healthcare workers in pathology. It’s the largely meaningless and unsuccessful travel restrictions. With negative tests required for interstate travel, it’s crushing the system with high demand. The equipment used isn’t meant for this kind of volume, and people are being worked inhumanely and quitting. Testing clinics have been relying on batch testing which lumps a lot of tests together and only separates them out if there’s a positive. But now there’s too many positives to make that work.Have anxiety and depression about getting vaccinated? Then what you need is a vaccination! New research claims COVID vaccinations help alleviate anxiety and depression by a whopping 30%! In the United States cases were up 105%, deaths are down 5%, and hospitalizations are up 6% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since December 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Alaska, New Mexico, Michigan, Arizona, and Ohio.There are 11,700,527 active cases in the United States.The five areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Puerto Rico 225%, Washington DC 111%, New Jersey and Louisiana 60%, and Florida 57%.  The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Pitkin, CO. Summit, CO. Essex, NJ. Hopkins, TX. Eagle, CO. Washington, DC. Miami-Dade, FL. San Juan, PR. Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands. And New York City, NY. There have been at least 818,370 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 76.9%, Rhode Island unchanged at 75.9%, and Maine at 75.5%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Idaho unchanged at 45.8%, and Alabama and Wyoming at 47.3%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is unchanged at 61.7%.Globally, cases were up 35% and deaths down 12% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15. There are once again over 25 million active cases around the world, at 25,437,273.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 213,050. The U.K. 98,515. Spain 53,654. Italy 30,810. And France 30,383. There have been at least 5,406,197 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for December 27th, 2021.New extreme restrictions in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, mostly effecting the hospitality and leisure industry. Each nation’s rules are different, but all feature limits on the size of gatherings, social distancing requirements, and tougher rules for pubs, restaurants and venues. Examples, in Wales even outdoor events are capped at 50 people, and in Northern Ireland, nightclubs must shut down, and all indoor standing events are banned.One large city after another is either cancelling or downsizing their New Year’s Eve celebrations. Times Square will be scaled back with everyone vaccinated, masked, and distanced. Athens, Greece, and Berlin, Frankfurt, and Munich Germany have canceled firework celebrations. Also, cancellations in London, New Delhi, Paris, and Rome. However, the party’s still on in Vegas. It was a holiday nightmare as flight cancellations in the U.S. approached 2,400 for the Christmas weekend as Omicron cases triggered air-crew shortages. The situation improved a bit Sunday. Travel experts say disruptions could extend into the New Year’s holiday weekend. All of this over a variant that by the vast majority of accounts is mild, akin to allergies. But that doesn’t mean there haven’t been a few deaths from Omicron. New South Wales recorded its first such death, also believed to be the first in Australia. However, it was a fully vaccinated man in his 80s who was infected at an aged care facility and who had underlying health conditions.So now where do we stand with vaccine hesitancy? Polling shows the percentage of US adults refusing to get the shot pretty much hasn’t moved since the vaccine rolled out, but the share of those who were hesitant about it went down from 31% in January to 18% in March. The numbers are going in the other direction for parents of kids 5 to 11 who definitely won’t vaccinate their child. That went up from 24% in September to 30% in October.  In the United States cases were up 83%, deaths are up 3%, and hospitalizations are up 8% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since December 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Alaska, New Mexico, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Arizona.  There are once again over 11 million active cases in the United States, at 11,353,552.The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Washington DC 82%, New Jersey 55%, Hawaii 54%, Florida 47%, and Connecticut 40%.  The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Essex, NJ. Hopkins, TX. San Juan, PR. Miami-Dade, FL. Cuyahoga, OH. Guaynabo, PR. Naranjito, PR. Bayamon, PR. Nassau, NY. And New York City, NY. There have been at least 816,610 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 76.8%, Rhode Island at 75.9%, and Maine at 75.3%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Idaho at 45.8%, Wyoming at 47.2%, and Alabama at 47.3%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 61.7%.Globally, cases were up 20% and deaths down 12% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15. There are once again over 24 million active cases around the world, at 24,556,333.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 96,384. France 27,697. Italy 24,883. Russia 23,721. And Turkey 20,138. There have been at least 5,399,891 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Remember all those healthcare workers the government wanted fired if they didn’t get vaccinated? Turns out they now realize that created a real problem. With the Omicron wave coming and hospitals understaffed, federal officials loosened the rules that health care workers have to stay out of work 10 days if they test positive. They can now get back it after seven days if they test negative and don't have symptoms. Yesterday we told you about the Pfizer at home treatment pill getting approved to fight COVID, now they’ve authorized a second pill. This time it’s Merck’s molnupiravir. But it’s been made clear Pfizer’s Paxlovid is preferred because Merck's pill’s ability to head off severe COVID is much smaller than initially announced and the label will warn of serious safety issues, including the potential for birth defects.China put a city of 13 million people into lockdown, part of the country’s “zero tolerance” policy just weeks before it’s set to host the Winter Olympics. In the northeastern city of Xi’an, one person from each household will be allowed out every two days to get necessities. Everyone else stays home around the clock. People who were in hotels at the time became stuck there.If you have a fake vaccine card in New York, you’re no longer a clever scamp, you’re a criminal. The governor signed legislation criminalizing fake Covid vaccination cards. The new law makes the falsification of cards a misdemeanor and creates a new felony of "computer tampering in the third degree for intentional entering, alteration or destruction of 'computer material' regarding COVID-19 vaccine provisions." We leave you with the frequently asked question of the week, so is everybody going to get COVID sooner or later? The experts say not necessarily. You’ll probably be exposed, but whether or not you get infected and what it does to you still depends on public policy and how you behave. Bottom line, even if you’re fully vaccinated, mentally prepare to test positive at some point. But no need to get overly alarmed when, or if, you do. In the United States cases were up 38%, deaths are up 6%, and hospitalizations are up 11% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since December 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Alaska, Michigan, New Mexico, Arizona, and Maine.  There are 10,989,003 active cases in the United States.The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Washington DC 64%, Connecticut 58%, New Jersey 56%, Maryland 53%, and North Carolina 41%.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Hopkins, TX. Cuyahoga, OH. Tompkins, NY. Pike, IL. Franklin, PA. Washington DC. Adams, PA. Lake, OH. Essex, NJ. And Winona, MN. There have been at least 813,991 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 76.8%, Rhode Island at 75.9%, and Maine at 75.3%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Idaho unchanged at 46%, Wyoming at 47.2%, and Alabama at 47.3%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 61.7%.Globally, cases were up 16% and deaths down 10% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15. There are 23,950,299 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 236,519. The U.K. 106,122. France 84,272. Spain 60,041. And Germany 45,848. There have been at least 5,384,260 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for December 23rd, 2021. How about a little good news for the holidays? Modeling by scientists in Scotland predicted 47 Omicron patients should have been hospitalized by December 19 if infection patterns were the same as Delta. So far, there have been 15 admissions. There’s more. The first UK data of its kind shows Omicron appears to have a 20%-25% reduced chance of a hospital visit and at least a 40% lower risk of being admitted overnight. There’s more. A new analysis by the University of Washington shows the Omicron surge will peak in a massive wave of infections by the end of January but produce far fewer severe illnesses for most people. There’s more. South Africa's seen a noticeable drop in new cases in recent days, signaling the Omicron surge has already passed its peak. And Omicron appears to have caused milder disease there with significantly less hospitalizations, patients requiring oxygen, and deaths. The World Health Organization continues to be very displeased with how countries like the United States are pushing boosters. The White House recently announced a redoubling of efforts to get more boosters in more arms. The WHO Director General warned such efforts in rich countries risks prolonging the global pandemic fight. He correctly points out most hospitalizations and deaths are still from unvaccinated people, not unboosted people. The FDA authorized the first pill against COVID, a Pfizer drug you can take at home to head off the worst effects of the virus. The pill, Paxlovid, is a faster way to treat early infections, however supplies will be extremely limited at first. All previously authorized COVID drugs require an IV or injection. Nobody in the U.S. can feel special anymore, Omicron has now been confirmed in all 50 states, and that happened about three weeks after it was first detected in the country. And the message to stop traveling just isn’t sticking. Nearly 2 million people passed through TSA checkpoints Tuesday. That’s about the same number from the same day in pre-pandemic 2019. In the United States cases were up 27%, deaths are up 4%, and hospitalizations are up 13% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since December 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Michigan, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Arizona, and Maine.   There are 10,769,803 active cases in the United States. The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Washington DC 66%, Connecticut 64%, New Jersey 58%, Maryland 53%, and North Carolina and Rhode Island 49%.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Hopkins, TX. Tompkins, NY. Cuyahoga, OH. Pike, IL. Winona, MN. Rains, TX. Monroe WV. Greene, IL. Lake, OH. And Washington, DC. There have been at least 812,069 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 76.6%, Rhode Island at 75.7%, and Maine at 75.1%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Idaho at 46%, Wyoming at 47%, and Alabama at 47.2%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 61.6%.Globally, cases were up 11% and deaths down 10% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15. There are 23,521,962 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 232,383. The U.K. 106,122. France 84,272. Spain 60,041. And Germany 45,848. There have been at least 5,376,422 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for December 22nd, 2021. The World Health Organization’s top official in Europe urged governments to get ready for a “significant surge” in cases due to Omicron, already dominant in several countries. And making the assumption it will be as severe as Delta, the official said it will push already stretched health systems further to the brink. Deaths in the region are 40% higher than a year ago, but no one can or will say if these extra deaths are from Omicron or other variants. The U.S. announced new steps to fight the Omicron wave. 500 million free rapid tests for Americans, increased support for hospitals, and redoubling vaccination and boosting efforts. For the free tests, you’ll use a new government website to order them, and they’ll be delivered by the U.S. mail. While government websites and the U.S. mail do have their critics, that’s a shift from earlier when Americans were told to buy hard-to-find tests then get reimbursed by their insurer.  And it’s a good thing those tests are going to be free. Because several major pharmacies are saying we’re going to limit how many you can buy. For instance, Walgreens will let you get four at a time. There’s been a huge surge in demand because of Omicron and the holidays and travel restrictions and oh yeah, because the government keeps telling us to get tested.  Israel is rolling out a fourth, that’s right a fourth, dose of the Pfizer vaccine for people 60 and older, medical workers and people with suppressed immune systems. And they’re to get it just four months after getting the third dose, formerly known as a booster. Is it necessary? One health expert said, "We don't really have data yet on the level of immunity like we did when we decided on the third dose.” If you thought there’d be a baby boom as a result of the previous lockdowns and working from home in the U.S., think again. The country’s population growth dipped to its lowest rate ever during the first year of the pandemic. From July 2020 to July 2021, the nation grew 0.1%. In the United States cases were up 29%, deaths are up 4%, and hospitalizations are up 12% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since December 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Michigan, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Arizona, and Maine.   There are 10,621,626 active cases in the United States.The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Connecticut 60%, Washington, DC 57%, New Jersey 54%, and North Carolina and Maryland 49%. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Hopkins, TX. Tompkins, NY. Cuyahoga, OH. Pike, IL. Winona, MN. Rains, TX. Monroe WV. Greene, IL. Lake, OH. And Washington, DC. There have been at least 810,045 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 76.6%, Rhode Island at 75.7%, and Maine unchanged at 75.1%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Idaho unchanged at 45.8%, Wyoming unchanged at 47%, and Alabama unchanged at 47.2%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 61.5%.Globally, cases were up 10% and deaths down 12% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15. There are 23,176,213 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 181,264. The U.K. 90,629. France 72,832. Spain 49,823. And Germany 35,049. There have been at least 5,368,422 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for December 21st, 2021. Moderna said a booster of its vaccine looks like it protects against Omicron in lab testing and this current version of the shot can still be a "first line of defense against Omicron." With Omicron spreading as fast as it is, the company didn’t see where there would be time to develop an Omicron-specific vaccine.  A win for Novavax. The EU gave the go ahead to its vaccine for use in the 27-nation bloc, making it the fifth approved COVID vaccine. It’s two-doses and right now it’s only for people 18 and older. If you don’t like new things, this is a protein vaccine that uses older technology that’s been around for years. Novavax is currently testing how its vaccine holds up against Omicron.  Few are denying Omicron is a rapid spreader, highly contagious. In very short order, it’s become the dominant version of the coronavirus in the U.S., accounting for 73% of new infections last week. That’s almost a six-fold increase in Omicron's share. Consider that you only started hearing about it as recently as November 26. The President of the United States was at risk of joining our celebrity infections list. He was exposed to a staff member who recently tested positive, around them for about half an hour on Air Force One going from Philadelphia to South Carolina. The staff member was fully vaccinated and boosted. The president took an antigen test Sunday and a PCR test Monday, and both were negative. It’s been two years. How are scientists and health officials in the U.S. doing at gathering accurate and timely data that help inform policy? Terrible. Politico talked to more than a dozen state and federal officials involved in case tracking, whose comments ranged from it being “particularly galling” to “a horrible job” to “it’s embarrassing.” In fact, since other Western countries do it significantly better, the US administration has relied on international sources for the last eight months.  In the United States cases were up 21%, deaths are up 9%, and hospitalizations are up 16% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since December 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Michigan, Arizona, Alaska, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.   There are 10,511,784 active cases in the United States. The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Connecticut 71%, Washington, DC 66%, Rhode Island 61%, New Jersey 60%, and North Carolina 54%.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Thompkins, NY. Pike, IL. Cuyahoga, OH. Winona, MN. Clay, IL. Pope, MN. Fayette, IN. Greene, IL. Piatt, IL. And Jefferson, IN. There have been at least 807,945 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 76.5%, Rhode Island at 75.6%, and Maine unchanged at 75.1%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Idaho unchanged at 45.8%, Wyoming unchanged at 47%, and Alabama unchanged at 47.2%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 61.4%.Globally, cases were up 4% and deaths down 10% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15. There are once again over 23 million active cases around the world, at 23,058,341.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 143,530. The U.K. 91,743. Russia 27,022. Spain 26,568. And Germany 21,710. There have been at least 5,360,383 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for December 20th, 2021.How long will we have to wear masks on airplanes? How about forever? As in never again will we be able to fly without our face being covered. That’s what Dr. Anthony Fauci said on Meet the Press. He can’t see the end of mask wearing on planes ever, regardless of air purification systems touted by airline CEOs. The Netherlands began a full lockdown that will last through January 14. The Prime Minister ordered most essential stores, as well as restaurants, hairdressers, gyms, museums and other public places to shut down. The public is urged to stay home, and households can only have two guests at a time.Israel believes it can keep Omicron out if it can keep Americans out. Travel between the U.S. and Israel will be banned starting December 22. The U.S. joins Belgium, Canada, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Morocco, Portugal, Switzerland and Turkey as being perceived threats to Israel.Time for the celebrity infection report. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker announced they’ve tested positive for COVID-19, despite being fully vaccinated. Booker had also gotten a booster. Both are experiencing only mild symptoms and credit the vaccines. Also, Queen guitarist Brian May tested positive despite being fully vaccinated and what he called being “hermit-like.” May said he had two horrendous days.Yes, it’s just a TV show but it is indicative of how serious New York City is getting about the Omicron wave. Saturday Night Live lost the live audience, the musical guest, and much of its cast and crew for its final episode of the season this past Saturday. Apparently, there was an in-house outbreak that included four actors. Others were fearful to come to the studio.In the United States cases were up 21%, deaths are up 9%, and hospitalizations are up 16% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since December 14.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Michigan, Arizona, Alaska, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.  There are 10,398,516 active cases in the United States.The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Connecticut 69%, Washington, DC 62%, Rhode Island 61%, New Jersey 57%, and North Carolina 54%. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Thompkins, NY. Pike, IL. Cuyahoga, OH. Winona, MN. Clay, IL. Pope, MN. Fayette, IN. Greene, IL. Piatt, IL. And Jefferson, IN.There have been at least 806,439 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 76.3%, Rhode Island at 75.5%, and Maine at 75.1%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Idaho unchanged at 45.8%, Wyoming at 47%, and Alabama at 47.2%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 61.2%.Globally, cases were up 4% and deaths down 11% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15. There are 22,963,723 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The U.K. 82,886. The United States 66,751. France 48,473. Russia 27,967. And Italy 24,259.There have been at least 5,354,224 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for December 17th, 2021. After the meeting we told you about yesterday, the CDC has come out and said most Americans should get Pfizer or Moderna instead of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The advisers said a blood clotting problem has caused nine confirmed deaths after J&J vaccinations — while the other top vaccines don't have that risk and appear more effective. J&J will stay on the market because the condition is rare, but it is no longer considered a one dose vaccine.  You may as well accept that Omicron is everywhere, even in places that have had almost no cases of clinical infection. Take Orange County, Florida for example, home of Disney World and Universal. Wastewater testing shows Omicron is already the dominant strain of COVID-19 in the county. In fact, it represented almost 100% of the strains in the wastewater samples. It’s become almost comically naïve, thinking travel restrictions will slow or stop the Omicron variant. But countries have to do something and travel is an attractive target. France is sharply restricting travel to and from Britain, putting limits on reasons for traveling and requiring 48-hour isolation on arrival. And Sweden will make citizens from its fellow Nordic countries show a vaccination certificate when entering starting next week. We hear health care systems expressing grave worry about their ability to care for people. And here’s just one example of such a situation. Hospitals in England are 94% full right now and four out of five critical care beds are occupied. And this is before the expected massive influx of patients from Omicron. Yeah, yeah, humans and all that. But what you really might want to know is can your pet get COVID? Well, the answer is yes, and they’d probably get it from you. However, it’s unlikely they’d get seriously ill, and the risk of them spreading it to other people is low. Still, as much comfort as they may provide, the CDC says if you’re infected you should stay away from your pet.  In the United States cases were up 40%, deaths are up 34%, and hospitalizations are up 21% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending flat since December 7.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Montana, Michigan, Arizona, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.   There are 10,204,336 active cases in the United States. The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Connecticut 82%, New Jersey 67%, Rhode Island and North Carolina 65%, and Washington DC 59%.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Pike, IL. Piatt, IL. Thompkins, NY. Franklin, ME. Aroostook, ME. Piscataquis, ME. Jefferson, IN. Edgar, IL. Clay, IL. And Roosevelt, NM. There have been at least 803,633 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 75.6%, Rhode Island at 75.1%, and Maine at 74.5%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Idaho at 45.8%, Wyoming at 46.7%, and Alabama at 47%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 61.1%.Globally, cases were up 8% and deaths up 1% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15. There are 22,569,787 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 144,871. The U.K. 88,376. France 60,866. Germany 53,057. And Spain 28,900.There have been at least 5,335,758 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for December 16th, 2021.The Los Angeles school district is the latest in California to delay forcing thousands of unvaccinated students to return to distance learning. Officials decided enforcement would disrupt the education of about 27,000 unvaccinated students, overwhelm the independent study program which already has staff shortages, and risk losing teachers.A federal appeals court panel lifted a nationwide ban against the vaccine mandate for health care workers but did block the requirement in about half the states. It’s not clear if the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid is going to continue suspension of the rule for all states or go ahead with a patchwork of policies. Plus, the court itself said it looks like mandate opponents will prevail as the case moves through the courts. We hear about poorer nations having trouble accessing vaccines but guess who’s running short. Germany. The Federal Health Minister says they’re facing a shortage in the first quarter of 2022, right when Omicron will probably be wreaking havoc. Did you get the Johnson & Johnson vaccine? CDC advisers are revisiting the benefits and risks of it today. They’ll hear presentations about thrombosis and TTS, a rare, serious type of blood clotting that’s been linked to J&J, but not Pfizer or Moderna. The CDC Director wouldn’t say if she still believes the benefits outweigh the risks.Omicron is a rapid spreader. In the U.S., the percentage of cases caused by it jumped seven times in one week. But why? What makes it spread so fast? Preliminary data tells us Omicron multiplies about 70 times faster in our respiratory tract tissue than Delta does, then reaches higher levels in the tissue 48 hours after infection. This focus on the respiratory tract, instead of deep in the lungs, may suggest Omicron could cause less severe disease but scientists say it’s still too soon to conclude that. In the United States cases were up 40%, deaths are up 34%, and hospitalizations are up 20% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since November 29.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Montana, Michigan, Arizona, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.  There are 10,124,028 active cases in the United States.The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Connecticut 77%, New Jersey 65%, Rhode Island 63%, North Carolina 62%, and Washington DC 55%. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Pike, IL. Piatt, IL. Thompkins, NY. Franklin, ME. Aroostook, ME. Piscataquis, ME. Jefferson, IN. Edgar, IL. Clay, IL. And Roosevelt, NM.There have been at least 802,502 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 75.6%, Rhode Island at 75.1%, and Maine at 74.5%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Idaho unchanged at 45.8%, Wyoming at 46.7%, and Alabama at 47%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 61%.Globally, cases were up 6% and deaths down 2% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15. There are 22,348,772 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 136,590. The U.K. 78,610. France 65,713. Germany 55,650. And Russia 28,363.There have been at least 5,329,000 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for December 15th, 2021. Just one month after it was first detected in South Africa the CDC says Omicron now makes up about 3% of cases in the U.S. Delta still dominates at 97% of all Covid cases analyzed, but Omicron is gaining ground. It’s getting cloudier when the U.S. even had its first Omicron case. But the CDC confirmed Omicron in a symptomatic patient back on November 15.  No matter the variant, the virus seems to spread with relative ease and here’s one possible reason why. New published research shows more than 40% of those who tested positive didn’t have symptoms. For those under 20, the number is more than 60%. That means the virus had plenty of time and plenty of opportunity to spread undetected and untested.  Africa is experiencing its fastest surge in cases this year, up 83%. And while we often hear about African nations not getting fair access to vaccines, Nigeria had one million doses that expired and were thrown out. And they aren’t going to accept any more vaccines with short shelf lives. Nigeria is Africa’s most populous nation.  Italy is now requiring any unvaccinated visitor from another EU country to quarantine for five days after arriving. Those visitors from EU countries must get a negative test within 24 hours of arrival, and non-EU citizens who aren’t vaccinated have to quarantine 10 days. It’s also expanding the vaccine mandate to school personnel, law enforcement, the military and anyone working in a health care setting.  But in the U.K., they’re removing all 11 African nations from its red list just 16 days after it was reintroduced. But not because things are going well. The Health Secretary said Omicron has now spread so far the rules really no longer serve the purpose of COVID-19 prevention.  In the United States cases were up 47%, deaths are up 40%, and hospitalizations are up 21% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since November 29.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Michigan, Montana, Arizona, Kentucky, and Wisconsin.   There are 10,075,594 active cases in the United States. The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Connecticut 72%, New Jersey 66%, North Carolina 63%, Washington DC 59%, and Massachusetts and Delaware 54%.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Allen, KS. Seward, KS. Pike, IL. Piatt, IL. Aroostook, ME. Piscataquis, ME. Fulton, PA. Clay, IL. Jefferson, IN. And Mason, IL. There have been at least 800,343 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 75.2%, Rhode Island at 74.8%, and Maine at 74.1%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Idaho at 45.8%, Wyoming at 46.4%, and Alabama at 46.9%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 60.9%. Globally, cases were up 6% and deaths down 1% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15.  There are 22,157,993 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 108,566. France 63,405. The U.K. 59,610. Germany 40,795. And Russia 28,343. There have been at least 5,320,236 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for December 14th, 2021. US health officials say Omicron does appear able to evade some of the immune protection of antibodies induced by vaccines but…preliminary data shows a booster raises protection high enough that it does well against the variant. Almost 80% of confirmed Omicron cases in the US are fully vaccinated. But about a third also had a booster. Omicron is now in 30 states. The masks are back on in California. A rule has returned requiring people to wear masks indoors starting Wednesday through at least January 15. The per capita rate of new cases in California has jumped 47% in two weeks. As in the past, the state was unclear how the mandate would be enforced.  Turns out they weren’t kidding. The Air Force discharged 27 people for refusing to get the vaccine, making them the first service members to be removed for disobeying the mandate. November 2 was the deadline, and more than 1,000 airmen have refused the shot, and more than 4,700 are seeking a religious exemption.  The Supreme Court, and once you go there, there’s nowhere else to go, declined to block New York's vaccine mandate for health care workers, which does not allow for religious exemptions. Some health care workers sued the state saying the mandate violated their religious freedoms, but the highest court effectively said there are no religious freedoms in this matter. A new AP poll shows Americans are worried about the Omicron variant, but not worried enough to do much about it. In fact, fewer say they’re regularly wearing masks or isolating compared to the first of the year. 36% are very or extremely worried they or a family member will be infected, that’s up from 25% in late October. 55% of those who are unvaccinated say they have little or no worry.  In the United States cases were up 49%, deaths are up 40%, and hospitalizations are up 22% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since November 29.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Michigan, Wyoming, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Arizona.   There are once again over 10 million active cases in the United States, at 10,044,267. The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Connecticut 77%, New Jersey 64%, Delaware and Washington DC 61%, and North Carolina 59%.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Allen, KS. Seward, KS. Waseca, MN. Edgar, IL. Piatt, IL. Pike, IL. Jefferson, IN. Clay, IL. Vermilion, IL. And Fulton, PA.  There have been at least 798,710 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 75.2%, Rhode Island at 74.8%, and Maine unchanged at 74.1%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Idaho unchanged at 45.7%, Wyoming unchanged at 46.4%, and Alabama at 46.9%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 60.8%. Globally, cases were up 6% and deaths down 2% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15.  There are 22,083,874 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 95,343. The U.K. 54,661. Russia 29,558. Germany 28,804. And Turkey 18,796. There have been at least 5,311,574 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for December 13th, 2021.While our Johns Hopkins number is not quite there yet, and with more deaths in 2021 than in 2020, the United States has now reportedly reached over 800,000 coronavirus-related deaths. Ahead is a potential surge in cases due to winter and the highly transmissible, but by all reports milder, Omicron variant. The new death toll is more than the entire population of North Dakota. It took 111 days for U.S. deaths to jump from 600,000 to 700,000, but the next 100,000 deaths took only 73 days. The death rate in the US was more than three times higher than Canada and 11 times more than Japan. There are the health costs of COVID, and then there’s the long-term economic tragedy. The World Health Organization and World Bank reports that more than half a billion people globally were pushed into extreme poverty in 2021 due to healthcare costs during the pandemic. The Director of the CDC says the pandemic and mask requirements won’t last forever. The main signs they’re looking for are when hospitals are no longer filled with COVID patients and daily deaths start to plummet. As for mask mandates like the one in New York City, the Director said, “Masks are for now, they’re not forever. We have to find a way to be done with them.” Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned Britain faces a “tidal wave” of infections from Omicron and announced a huge increase in booster vaccinations to defend against it. Everyone 18 and older can get a third shot by the end of this month. It’s believed Omicron cases are doubling every two to three days in Britain. Were you nervous about getting one vaccine shot? Or the second one? Did you wonder if the booster shot would be too much? Well how about 10 COVID vaccine shots in one sitting? New Zealand health authorities are checking out claims a man did just that, taking shots for other people for money. A vaccinologist said other than intense side effects, the man isn’t likely to be seriously harmed. In the United States cases were up 40%, deaths are up 31%, and hospitalizations are up 23% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since November 29.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Kentucky, Michigan, Wyoming, West Virginia, and Montana.  There are 9,979,825 active cases in the United States. The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Connecticut 81%, Delaware 71%, Rhode Island 67%, and Massachusetts 64%. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Waseca, MN. Seward, KS. Allen, KS. Edgar, IL. Vermilion, IL. Aroostook, ME. Piatt, IL. Fayette, IN. Sullivan, NH. And Clay, IL. There have been at least 797,346 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 74.9%, Rhode Island at 74.7%, and Maine at 74.1%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Idaho at 45.7%, Wyoming at 46.4%, and Alabama at 46.8%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 60.5%. Globally, cases were up 9% and deaths up 9% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15. There are once again over 22 million active cases around the world, at 22,006,487. The five countries with the most new cases: The U.K. 48,854. France 43,848. The United States 38,784. South Africa 37,875. And Russia 29,929. There have been at least 5,305,655 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast.     Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for December 10th, 2021. The number of COVID deaths in the US has been horrific, but researchers are again saying those deaths have been vastly undercounted. Especially among Native, Hispanic and Black Americans. New data at the county level for 2020 and January through October of this year gives more detail than ever, including where someone died, what other causes of death were on the death certificate, and whether a body was autopsied. Looking at the new data, public health experts say the true death toll is at least 20% higher than the official tally. That means the number of Americans who have died from the virus could be close to 1 million. The FDA gave emergency authorization for 16- and 17-year-olds to get Pfizer’s booster once they're six months beyond their last dose. The CDC followed up hours later with a strong recommendation encouraging those teens to get the shot as soon as possible. Being an anti-vaxxer in Austria is getting expensive. There are now plans to impose fines of nearly $4,000 on anyone who flouts the vaccine mandate coming in February to all residents 14 and over. It’s the first European country to implement a general vaccine mandate.  If your problem with the vaccine is that it’s not natural enough, how about a plant-based one? GlaxoSmithKline seems to have one that in tests has been shown to be 71% effective at protecting against COVID. Here’s where the irony kicks in. GlaxoSmithKline’s partner is Medicago, a subsidiary of Philip Morris, the cigarette people. And the plant being used is a close relative of tobacco.   A new survey from the Public Religion Research Institute shows only 10% of Americans believe getting a COVID vaccine conflicts with their religious beliefs. 59% even say too many people are using religious beliefs as an excuse. 60% say there’s no valid religious reason to refuse a vaccine. They’re a bit more divided on whether religious exemptions should be allowed at all.  In the United States cases were up 27%, deaths are up 12%, and hospitalizations are up 20% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since November 29.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Kentucky, Michigan, West Virginia, Wyoming, and Tennessee.   There are 9,841,074 active cases in the United States. The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Connecticut 73%, Rhode Island 70%, Delaware 66%, Massachusetts 54%, and Illinois and New Jersey 51%.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Waseca, MN. Seward, KS. Allen, KS. Fayette, IN. Vermilion, IL. Bennington, VT. Fountain, IN. Benton, MN. Sullivan, NH. And Piatt, IL. There have been at least 794,647 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 74.4%, Rhode Island at 74.1%, and Maine at 73.5%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Wyoming at 46.3%, Alabama unchanged at 46.6%, and Mississippi unchanged at 47.4%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 60.4%. Globally, cases were up 8% and deaths were flat over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15.  There are 21,695,681 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 110,894. France 56,854. The U.K. 50,867. Russia 30,209. And Poland 27,458. There have been at least 5,286,786 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for December 9th, 2021. Starting off with a little reassurance. Cases of Omicron have been reported by 21 countries in the EU. All of them have been either asymptomatic or mild with no deaths reported thus far. And the head of the CDC said out of the 42 known cases of Omicron in the U.S., only one has been hospitalized. In South Africa, reports are that even those who are landing in the ER are there for unrelated reasons but test positive during ER admission. The connection from the very start between severe COVID and obesity has been largely played down and left unmentioned out of fear of political correctness. But the connection is real. Patients who were overweight were more likely to develop severe COVID and more likely to die. Now the New York Times reports researchers have found the virus directly infects fat cells and certain immune cells within body fat, prompting a damaging defensive response. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced tighter restrictions, urging people to again work from home and mandating COVID passes to get into nightclubs and large events. Also, starting Friday, the mask mandate will be widened to most indoor public places including theaters. They say the tighter restrictions will buy time to get more boosters in more arms. Another milestone, the number of Americans fully vaccinated against COVID has hit 200 million. But that’s against the backdrop of rising cases, especially in highly vaccinated New England states. Deaths are running close to 1,600 a day on average, that’s back to what they were in October. Total U.S. deaths could hit 800,000 in a matter of days. Around the world, the strategy is to exclude and isolate the unvaccinated. But one small school district in California is saying that’s exactly what we want. It’s setting up a separate in-person instructional program just for its unvaccinated students. As you would expect, the state doesn’t like that. The intent is to prevent unvaccinated students from losing face-to-face instruction when the state’s K-12 vaccine mandate—the only one of its kind in the nation—goes into effect. In the United States cases were up 27%, deaths are up 13%, and hospitalizations are up 19% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since November 29.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Montana, Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Michigan.  There are 9,792,640 active cases in the United States. The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Connecticut 69%, Delaware 66%, Rhode Island 65%, Massachusetts 50%, and Illinois and Indiana 49%. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Waseca, MN. Fayette, IN. Allen, KS. Bennington, VT. Vermilion, IL. Sullivan, NH. Socorro, NM. Rush, IN. Powell, KY. And Neosho, KS. There have been at least 793,225 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 74.2%, Rhode Island at 73.9%, and Maine at 73.3%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Wyoming at 46.2%, Alabama at 46.6%, and Mississippi at 47.4%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 60.1%. Globally, cases were up 10% and deaths were flat over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15. There are 21,505,711 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 127,411. Germany 68,832. France 61,340. The U.K. 51,342. And Russia 30,752. There have been at least 5,278,923 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for December 8th, 2021. The World Health Organization's office for Europe said kids 5 to 14 now account for the highest infection rates in the region. Overall cases and deaths have more than doubled in the last two months in the 53-country region, and the Omicron variant has been seen in 21 of those 53 countries. Early data out of South Africa suggests the Pfizer vaccine appears to be less effective against Omicron. Researchers found there was about a fortyfold reduction in vaccine-induced antibodies that could neutralize the new variant. That means Omicron seems more skilled at evading the antibodies generated by Pfizer than the beta variant, which only saw a threefold reduction.  More home COVID testing is good right? The US administration is even talking about reimbursing home test kit purchases. But is it? Some health officials are pointing out that tests taken at home, regardless of whether they’re positive or negative, never get reported and that is going to make tracking COVID data, which was already a challenge, even harder.  Speaking of testing, the FDA says the Omicron variant may be more successful at evading tests for it. There are three kinds of tests, serology or blood antibodies, antigen, and PCR. If there are enough mutations in a variant, Omicron has 32 of them, that could generate more false negatives. Here’s the latest thing people are saying can help with COVID, seaweed. Well, actually sea lettuce. Lab experiments show an extract of this algae could be beneficial in the pandemic fight. Other studies of other edible seaweed have shown promise but this one has been tested specifically as an antiviral treatment against certain viruses. Scientists say more seaweed tests are needed to be sure.  In the United States cases were up 28%, deaths are up 13%, and hospitalizations are up 18% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since November 29.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Wyoming, Montana, West Virginia, Michigan, and Kentucky.   There are 9,715,064 active cases in the United States. The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Delaware 62%, Connecticut 60%, Rhode Island 53%, and Indiana and Massachusetts 49%. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Fayette, IN. Bennington, VT. Allen, KS. Waseca, MN. Vermilion, IL. Socorro, NM. Sullivan, NH. Rush, IN. Neosho, KS. And Valencia, NM. There have been at least 791,514 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 74%, Rhode Island at 73.7%, and Maine unchanged at 72.9%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Wyoming unchanged at 46%, Alabama unchanged at 46.5%, and Mississippi unchanged at 47.1%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 60%. Globally, cases were up 10% and deaths were flat over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15.  There are 21,338,368 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 107,642. France 59,019. Germany 51,512. The U.K. 45,691. And Russia 31,096. There have been at least 5,270,558 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for December 7th, 2021. The Mayor of New York City announced that all private employers, big and small, must now require their workers to get vaccinated, the most sweeping mandate of any big city or state in the U.S. And you must get the injection, there is no testing alternative. That will add about 184,000 businesses, including mom and pops, to those placed under previous mandates,  The European Union's drugs agency recommended approval of an anti-inflammatory medicine to treat adults hospitalized with severe COVID. Now it has to be confirmed by the EU executive commission. The drug is RoActemra from Roche, currently used to treat arthritis. It works by tamping down the protein interleukin-6, often found in excess in COVID patients. In Spain, Christmas festivities at one hospital are suspected of infecting dozens of hospital staff. 170 people attended the Christmas dinner in a restaurant last weekend. And afterwards, 68 staff, including ICU nurses and doctors, tested positive. All took antigen tests before the event and were negative, and all of the infected staff were fully vaccinated. As always, there’s not nearly as much of a war on COVID going on as there is a war on travel. The CDC has put five places in Europe on its list of "very high" travel risk destinations, including one of the very biggest for tourism, France. Also included on the list were Cyprus, Liechtenstein, and Portugal. So will New Yorkers be mad about these new business vaccine mandates? Not if this Morning Consult poll is to be believed. It shows broad approval by Americans for strict measures to control COVID, as long it doesn’t cause businesses and services to shut down. The most commonly supported measures are better ventilation and enforcing social distancing. But masking and vaccine mandates also get the support of a comfortable majority, as in almost 70%. In the United States cases were up 19%, deaths are up 5%, and hospitalizations are up 18% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since November 29.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Wyoming, Montana, Kentucky, Michigan, and West Virginia.   There are 9,666,139 active cases in the United States. The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Delaware 63%, Connecticut 61%, Rhode Island 56%, Indiana 50%, and Massachusetts 48%. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Allen, KS. Bennington, VT. Koochiching, MN. Sullivan, NH. Jackson, IA. Benton, MN. Waseca, MN. Mille Lacs, MN. St. Clair, MI. And Socorro, NM.  There have been at least 789,742 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 73.8%, Rhode Island at 73.5%, and Maine unchanged at 72.9%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Wyoming unchanged at 46%, Alabama at 46.5%, and Mississippi unchanged at 47.1%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 59.9%. Globally, cases were up 15% and deaths were up 3% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15.  There are 21,181,006 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 88,380. The U.K. 51,459. Germany 39,330. Russia 32,136. And Hungary 22,699.  There have been at least 5,262,134 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for December 6th, 2021.At least 12 U.S. states have now identified Omicron cases, but US health officials remain more concerned about Delta. It’s accounting for 99.9% of all new infections and those infections are going up. Results from studies to gauge the severity and transmissibility of Omicron are expected in a few weeks. Cases of Omicron remain mild but that is not true of Delta. In Brussels, Belgium, police turned water cannons and tear gas on protesters against the tightening of COVID restrictions that aim to counter a surge of coronavirus infections. Thousands participated after the government tightened rules for the third week in a row. But an avalanche of new cases has strained the country’s health services.The company’s President says Moderna could have a vaccine booster shot that targets the Omicron variant ready for authorization by March. Although the drumbeat of messaging has been that the existing vaccines protect fine against Omicron, he told the Financial Times he thinks the existing vaccines will be less effective against it than they’ve been against Delta and they’ve already started work on a new booster.A new analysis in The American Journal of Cardiology has revealed a possible link between the vaccines and elevated risk of Myopericarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle. The CDC had almost 2,000 reports of the condition just in 2021 in people who got the vaccine. This is mostly happening in men 25 to 44, but most cases with clinical symptoms seem to resolve within six days.Speaking of men and COVID, a study out of Colorado State suggests men spread coronavirus particles more frequently than women or children. The study was originally to see how the performing arts could safely return to the stage. After doing things like making subjects sing “Happy Birthday” over and over, they learned singing spreads more virus than instruments, adults emit more particles than kids, people who talk loud emit more virus, and men emit more than women, theoretically because they have bigger lungs. In the United States cases were up 19%, deaths are up 5%, and hospitalizations are up 18% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since November 29.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Wyoming, Montana, Kentucky, Michigan, and West Virginia.  There are 9,637,520 active cases in the United States.The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Delaware 62%, Connecticut 60%, Rhode Island 55%, Indiana 49%, and Illinois 45%.The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Allen, KS. Bennington, VT. Koochiching, MN. Sullivan, NH. Jackson, IA. Benton, MN. Waseca, MN. Mille Lacs, MN. St. Clair, MI. And Socorro, NM. There have been at least 788,363 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 73.5%, Rhode Island at 73.3%, and Maine at 72.9%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Wyoming at 46%, Alabama at 46.4%, and Mississippi at 47.1%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 59.6%.Globally, cases were up 13% and deaths were up 2% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15. There are once again over 21 million active cases around the world, at 21,146,420.The five countries with the most new cases: The U.K. 43,992. France 42,252. Germany 35,983. The United States 35,065. And Russia 32,602. There have been at least 5,255,544 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for December 3rd, 2021. As expected, the US administration rolled out some measures to fight COVID and the new Omicron variant into winter. All in-bound international passengers must test within 24 hours of departure, and masks will be required on all planes and public transportation through March 18. Also, businesses will be urged expedite worker vaccine and testing mandates, and Americans with private health insurance can get reimbursed for at-home COVID tests. Those without private insurance can get tests through health centers and rural clinics. Tracking the Omicron variant’s spread, it’s in five US states now, including California, New York, Hawaii, Colorado, and Minnesota. As for countries we add Spain, Singapore, India, and in Norway at least 50 people were infected in connection to a company Christmas party in an Oslo restaurant. The Omicron studies continue in South Africa, and so far, they’ve found the variant is reinfecting people at 3x the rate of previous strains. Translated, that means it appears immunity from a previous infection won’t help you. However, more evidence is emerging that the existing vaccines still seem to offer protection against serious illness. Your host got his booster shot yesterday and spent all day sick in bed. Your results may vary. However, I was mixing Pfizer and Moderna like a party animal. But here’s some reassuring news. A British study says the mRNA vaccines provide the biggest boost to antibody levels. The study also found boosters also helped generate a broad T-cell response against the Beta and Delta variants. Be cautious when making sports stars your heroes. Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Brown has been suspended three games after violating NFL COVID-19 protocols. And here’s how he violated it. He and two other players bought fake vaccination cards this past summer. They know they did it and are not appealing. And they’re vaccinated now. Really. With reporting affected by the Thanksgiving holiday, in the United States cases were down 1%, deaths are down 10%, and hospitalizations are up 16% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since November 29.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Wyoming, Montana, Michigan, Kentucky, and West Virginia.  There are 9,520,781 active cases in the United States. The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Rhode Island 52%, Indiana 48%, Massachusetts and Delaware 44%, and Connecticut 42%. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Koochiching, MN. Jackson, IA. Bennington, VT. Sullivan, NH. Allen, KS. Neosho, KS. Clinton, IA. Shiawassee, MI. Socorro, NM. And Colfax, NM. There have been at least 785,907 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 72.9%, Rhode Island at 72.6%, and Maine at 72.3%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia at 41.5%, Wyoming at 45.6%, and Alabama at 46.2%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 59.4%. Globally, cases were up 12% and deaths were down 2% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15. There are 20,720,971 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 132,822. Germany 73,486. The U.K. 53,945. France 48,416. And Russia 33,389. There have been at least 5,233,849 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for December 2nd, 2021. The UN Secretary-General has called the travel restrictions being placed by countries like the United States on one region like South Africa not only ineffective, but travel apartheid. The Omicron variant is already in 24 countries around the world, and as it turns out, it appears it didn’t originate in South Africa anyway. The Netherlands had cases a week before two flights arrived from South Africa carrying the virus. Nine cases were linked to a private event in Scotland, days before South Africa announced the existence of the variant. And Nigeria detected its first case in a sample collected weeks before South Africa alerted the world about Omicron. Tracking the Omicron variant’s spread, it’s in the United States now. A fully vaccinated person in the San Francisco area came back from South Africa Nov. 22 and tested positive seven days later. South Korea confirmed the variant in five people linked to international arrivals. And Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates confirmed the first infections in the Persian Gulf region. So far, all symptoms reported have been mild. A reprieve for healthcare workers in ten states who don’t want to take the vaccine. A federal judge blocked the vaccine requirement, saying the agency that issued the rule likely exceeded its authority. That stops the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services from enforcing its healthcare worker mandate until the court can hear legal challenges brought by Missouri, Nebraska, Arkansas, Kansas, Iowa, Wyoming, Alaska, South Dakota, North Dakota and New Hampshire. Well people who don’t like mandates sure aren’t going to like this. The chief of the European Union's executive arm said member nations should consider making vaccinations mandatory, period. The EU-wide vaccination rate stands at 66%. Germany’s new Chancellor, for one, said he’d back a proposal like that. With reporting affected by the Thanksgiving holiday, in the United States cases were down 2%, deaths are down 16%, and hospitalizations are up 15% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since November 23.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Wyoming, Montana, West Virginia, Michigan, and Kentucky. There are 9,449,555 active cases in the United States. The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Rhode Island 51%, Indiana 47%, Massachusetts 43%, New Hampshire 41%, and Michigan 40%.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Koochiching, MO. Nodaway, MO. Shiawassee, MI. Colfax, NM. Sullivan, NH. Jackson, IA. Clay, IL. Neosho, KS. Dunn, WI. And Pope, MN. There have been at least 782,104 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont unchanged at 72.9%, Rhode Island at 72.6%, and Maine at 72.3%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia unchanged at 41.5%, Wyoming at 45.6%, and Alabama at 46.2%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 59.4%. Globally, cases were up 10% and deaths were down 4% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15. There are 20,471,414 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 120,441. Germany 71,887. France 49,610. The U.K. 48,374. And Russia 32,837. There have been at least 5,223,657 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for December 1st, 2021. If you’re a non-US citizen coming into the US, prepare for some tougher testing requirements. And no, it doesn’t matter if you’re vaccinated or unvaccinated. Details should be rolled out tomorrow, but one policy being considered is requiring all air travelers to the U.S. be tested within one day of boarding their flight.  Omicron continues to go worldwide. Japan confirmed its first case, a fully vaccinated Namibian diplomat in his 30s who recently arrived from his country. He initially didn’t have any symptoms but has a fever now. And Brazil reported the first case of Omicron in both that country and Latin America; two travelers arriving from South Africa. France also reported its first case yesterday.  In Greece, they’re really getting tough on older folks. Residents over 60 must get vaccinated or face a $114 fine for every month they don’t. That takes effect January 16, and the fines will be added to citizens’ taxes. About a fourth of the country’s total adult population is unvaccinated. Independent advisers to the FDA narrowly endorsed the first antiviral pill for adults at high risk for Covid-19. Some on the panel worried about the treatment's efficacy and risks to pregnant people. But the vote puts molnupiravir on track for FDA approval. One person who voted yes said, "I'm not sure this is really the one we've been waiting for, but it's the one we've got.”  If you’re looking for a reason to get fired, U.S. employers are here to help you. A national survey in mid-November shows most employers already have or will require employees to get vaccinated. So far, only 3% of employers said their mandates have resulted in a spike in resignations. Half even think mandates will help them recruit workers.  With reporting affected by the Thanksgiving holiday, in the United States cases were down 2%, deaths are down 16%, and hospitalizations are up 9% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since November 23.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Wyoming, Montana, West Virginia, Michigan, and Kentucky.  There are 9,419,966 active cases in the United States. The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Indiana 41%, Massachusetts 40%, New Hampshire 36%. Michigan 34%, and Illinois 30%.   The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Koochiching, MO. Nodaway, MO. Shiawassee, MI. Colfax, NM. Sullivan, NH. Jackson, IA. Clay, IL. Neosho, KS. Dunn, WI. And Pope, MN.  There have been at least 780,140 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 72.9%, Rhode Island at 72.5%, and Maine unchanged at 72.1%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia unchanged at 41.5%, Wyoming at 45.5%, and Alabama at 46.1%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 59.3%. Globally, cases were up 11% and deaths were down 3% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15.  There are 20,281,671 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 106,876. Germany 55,880. France 47,177. The U.K. 39,716. And Russia 32,648. There have been at least 5,214,863 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for November 30th, 2021. No matter how the new Omicron variant turns out, the World Health Organization would like to see more globalization when it comes to pandemics. Specifically, some sort of international accord to prevent, prepare, and respond to future outbreaks. A draft resolution stops short of calling for a treaty or legally binding instrument, but some are saying that’s what’s needed. Scientists are hard at work in South Africa trying to assess how well the vaccines work against Omicron. Right now, it’s still unknown how well it can hide from immune defenses primed by vaccines. They’ll not only test AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, they’ll also use plasma from recovered patients to gauge the risk of reinfection with Omicron after recovering from previous versions of the virus. Officials in New York City reinstated their mask advisory while indoors, that means places like grocery stores, building lobbies and offices, regardless of vaccination status. Masks are still required for public transit, health care settings, schools, and congregate settings like churches. Omicron has not yet been detected in the city, but officials know it’s only a matter of time. They’re all mandated to get vaccinated, but which federal department do you think has the lowest vaccination rate so far? It’s the US Department of Agriculture at 86.1% according the White House. Next comes the Department of Veterans Affairs at 87.8%, and the Department of the Interior at 88.3%. From the “it doesn’t pay to think you’re clever” department, a couple tried to escape the quarantine in the Netherlands after testing positive. But they got caught and are being held in forced isolation at a hospital. The pair fled the hotel where travelers who tested positive were staying after arriving in Amsterdam from South Africa and hopped a plane to Spain. Military police were there to greet them. With reporting affected by the Thanksgiving holiday, in the United States cases were up 3%, deaths are down 10%, and hospitalizations are up 11% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since November 3.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Montana, West Virginia, Oregon, Michigan, and Kentucky.  There are 9,467,489 active cases in the United States. The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: New Hampshire 49%, Massachusetts 47%, Indiana 45%, Michigan 41%, and Illinois 34%.   The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Scurry, TX. Mason, MI. Shiawassee, MI. Nodaway, MO. Houghton, MI. Sullivan, NH. Ionia, MI. Jackson, MI. DeKalb, IN. And Oceana, MI.  There have been at least 776,639 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 72.7%, Rhode Island at 72.2%, and Maine at 72.1%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia at 41.5%, Wyoming at 45.3%, and Alabama at 46%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 59%. Globally, cases were up 14% and deaths were down 3% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15.  There are 20,242,995 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 69,498. The U.K. 42,583. Germany 42,582. Russia 33,860. And Hungary 27,830.  There have been at least 5,199,349 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for November 29th, 2021. A lot of fear is being generated around the new coronavirus variant, now called Omicron. So first some good news or at the very least potential good news. The chair of the South African Medical Association, who was one of the first to notice the new variant, said symptoms appear to mild and treatable at home. Fatigue, body aches and headaches, not even a loss of smell or taste and oxygen levels remain normal. Almost half she treated were unvaccinated, hinting the current vaccines are somewhat effective against it. But even symptoms in the unvaccinated have been mild. And if you think she’s alone or lying, Israel’s chief of public health services says the potential for infection with omicron is “very high,” but vaccinated people become only slightly ill. Speaking of very fast spread and very high infections, Omicron is quickly making its way around the world, unhindered by travel bans and restrictions, a tactic that went into place and was generally unsuccessful in keeping out the original virus and its variants. Omicron has been spotted in South Africa, Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Britain, Israel, Hong Kong, Germany, Austria, and Italy. As mentioned earlier, countries are imposing travel bans amidst the new variant in the hopes that maybe, somehow, this time they’ll work. The United States has done it. Israel is banning the entry of all foreigners. Morocco is suspending all incoming air travel for two weeks. The World Health Organization is urging no, don’t do that because it places a heavy burden on lives and livelihoods, it’s not scientifically based, and it just doesn’t work.  Okay, time to answer the question “Why did the World Health Organization skip a couple of Greek letters when naming the new variant Omicron?” The variant prior to Omicron was Mu, which should be followed by Nu and Xi. Well they didn’t like Nu because it sounds just like the word new. And Xi can’t be used because it’s a common last name in certain countries and the whole point was to not stigmatize any country so…that led to Omicron. If Omicron is your last name, please write your local congressperson. With reporting affected by the Thanksgiving holiday, in the United States cases were up 4%, deaths are down 10%, and hospitalizations are up 12% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since November 3.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Montana, West Virginia, Oregon, Michigan, and Kentucky. There are 9,420,095 active cases in the United States. The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: New Hampshire 51%, Indiana and Massachusetts 43%, Michigan 41%, and Illinois 32%.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Scurry, TX. Mason, MI. Shiawassee, MI. Nodaway, MO. Houghton, MI. Sullivan, NH. Ionia, MI. Jackson, MI. DeKalb, IN. And Oceana, MI. There have been at least 776,639 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 72.7%, Rhode Island at 72.2%, and Maine at 72.1%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia at 41.5%, Wyoming at 45.3%, and Alabama at 46%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 59%. Globally, cases were up 12% and deaths were down 4% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15. There are once again over 20 million active cases around the world, at 20,159,495. The five countries with the most new cases: Germany 38,444. The U.K. 37,681. Russia 33,548. France 31,648. And the Netherlands 22,133. There have been at least 5,199,349 deaths reported as... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for November 26th, 2021. The news we’ve been dreading, another variant of COVID-19 that is more mutated, more contagious, and more capable of evading the vaccines we have thus far. It’s called B.1.1.529 and it’s been identified in South Africa, Hong Kong, and Botswana. Senior scientists describe it as the worst variant they’d seen since the start of the pandemic with 32 mutations in the spike protein. That’s twice as many as in the Delta variant. Because of the new variant, South Africa has been placed under England’s red list travel restrictions. About 500 to 700 people usually go to the UK from South Africa every day. The ban will also cover flights from Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. Scotland says all arrivals from the countries must self-isolate and take two PCR tests, then starting 4am tomorrow, stay at a managed quarantine hotel. And Israel is banning citizens from traveling to southern Africa and barring the entry of foreign travelers from the region. If you’re still arguing with a friend over which is the better vaccine, Pfizer or Moderna, a large scale study out of Hungary says Moderna beats Pfizer in effectiveness. In fact, so does Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine. Moderna was 88.7% effective in protecting against infection vs Pfizer’s 83.3%, and Moderna was 93.6% effective against COVID mortality vs Pfizer’s 90.6%. As expected, the EU authorized Pfizer’s vaccine for use on kids aged 5 to 11 years old. That means shots are coming to millions of elementary school pupils. Of course, at least one country didn't wait for authorization. Vienna, Austria had already started vaccinating 5 to 11-year-olds.  So with cases surging, ICU’s full, and staff vaccine mandates going into place, surely more healthcare workers are getting fully vaccinated, right? At the moment, as much as 30% of healthcare practitioners remain unvaccinated. HCPs working in children’s hospitals had the highest vaccination rates at 77%, followed by short- and long-term care ACHs at 70.1% and 68.8%, respectively. Critical access hospitals had vaccination rates of just 64%. In the United States cases were up 20%, deaths are down 10%, and hospitalizations are up 11% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since November 3.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Montana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Oregon, and Michigan. There are 9,401,200 active cases in the United States. The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: New Hampshire 54%, Michigan 46%, Massachusetts 42%, Indiana 36%, and Illinois and Maine 31%.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Big Horn, MT. Nome Census Area, AK. Scurry, TX. Dodge, MN. Mason, MI. Shiawassee, MI. Bethel Census Area, AK. Crawford, PA. Nodaway, MO. And Goodhue, MN. There have been at least 775,785 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 72.7%, Rhode Island unchanged at 72.2%, and Maine at 72.1%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia unchanged at 41.5%, Wyoming unchanged at 45.3%, and Alabama at 46%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is unchanged at 59%. Globally, cases were up 16% and deaths were down 3% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15. There are 19,855,847 active cases around the world. With U.S. reporting affected by the Thanksgiving holiday, the five countries with the most new cases: Germany 76,132. The U.K. 47,240. Russia 33,796. France 33,464. And Poland 28,128. There have been at least 5,181,949 deaths reported as... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for November 25th, 2021. A human subject is testing a new experimental vaccine. And that human subject is Russian President Vladimir Putin. He’s already fully vaccinated, and he got his booster shot four days ago. But now he’s taken an experimental nasal version of the Sputnik V vaccine. He said so far, he hasn’t experienced any unpleasant effects after taking the nasal vaccine. The U.S. President will require essential, nonresident travelers crossing U.S. land borders, like truck drivers and emergency response officials, to be fully vaccinated starting January 22. That brings the rules for essential travelers in line with rules for leisure travelers that went into place earlier this month. Looking around the world, Slovakia's government approved a two-week national lockdown for both the unvaccinated and vaccinated. People can leave their homes only for limited, specific reasons. The Italian government decided to exclude unvaccinated people from some leisure activities like movies, sporting events, and dining out. Vaccinations were also made mandatory for law enforcement, military and all school employees. Denmark's government is seeking to reintroduce mask mandates in all public places. And Portugal is introducing new pandemic restrictions seven weeks after scrapping almost all of them because of the high vaccination rate. This isn’t going to shock you, but a lot of people don’t follow the public health advice they’re asked to follow. A new survey shows that in England, one in four adults who test positive for COVID do not follow the rules for 10-day self-isolation. And that number is rising, up from 22% who fessed up to that in September.  In the United States cases were up 24%, deaths are down 6%, and hospitalizations are up 9% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since November 3.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Montana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Oregon, and Michigan. There are 9,382,501 active cases in the United States. The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: New Hampshire 55%, Michigan and Massachusetts 45%, and Illinois and Indiana 32%.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Big Horn, MT. Nome Census Area, AK. Scurry, TX. Dodge, MN. Mason, MI. Shiawassee, MI. Bethel Census Area, AK. Venango, PA. Nodaway, MO. And Goodhue, MN.  There have been at least 773,770 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont unchanged at 72.6%, Rhode Island at 72.2%, and Maine at 72%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia unchanged at 41.5%, Wyoming at 45.3%, and Alabama unchanged at 45.8%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 59%. Globally, cases were up 17% and deaths were up 2% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15.  There are 19,654,645 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 103,899. Germany 73,966. The U.K. 43,676. Russia 33,558. And France 32,591.  There have been at least 5,165,169 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for November 24th, 2021. The EU’s version of the FDA said Merck has put in its request to authorize its coronavirus antiviral, the first pill shown to treat COVID-19. They expect a decision to be made on molnupiravir within weeks. Earlier this month, Britain became the first country in the world to OK the drug. It is just speculation and guesswork, but the World Health Organization's Europe office says its projections show the continent could see another 700,000 deaths in the pandemic by next spring. That means it would top 2 million total. The WHO Europe says boosters should be given as a priority to vulnerable populations, but its own international headquarters is still calling for a moratorium on boosters. It's mask on, mask off depending on where in America you live. Health officials in Oregon announced they’re lifting statewide mask requirements in crowded outdoor settings. It was the first state to reimplement an outdoor mask mandate for both vaccinated and unvaccinated residents. But in Denver they’re renewing a mask mandate for indoor public spaces until January 3, even though 76% of Denver residents have gotten at least one vaccine dose. The Governor of Minnesota has called up the National Guard to help long term care facilities as a huge surge in hospitalizations overwhelms the health care system. About 400 members of the Guard have been training as certified nursing assistants and temporary nursing aides. Only 2% of the state’s ICU beds are available. A lot of people are very up front, even proud of the fact they have refused to get vaccinated. But new research shows there are some who are more than happy to lie about it when it’s convenient. Of those who aren’t vaccinated, 28% would consider lying about their status to eat in a restaurant that has a vaccine mandate. It’s a problem for businesses because they’re increasingly held accountable for verifying vaccination status. That’s added to the fact that 18% of consumers say they’re less likely to patronize a business with a mandate. And a New York survey found 67% of restaurants have lost customers due to the city's vaccine mandate. In the United States cases were up 25%, deaths are down 8%, and hospitalizations are up 8% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since November 3.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Montana, Kentucky, Idaho, North Dakota, and West Virginia. There are 9,329,193 active cases in the United States. The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: New Hampshire 56%, Massachusetts 46%, Michigan 44%, Minnesota 32%, and Illinois 31%.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Big Horn, MT. Nome Census Area, AK. Scurry, TX. Dodge, MN. Bethel Census Area, AK. Shiawassee, MI. Mason, MI. Pope, MN. Nodaway, MO. And Dickenson, VA. There have been at least 773,770 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 72.6%, Rhode Island at 72.1%, and Maine unchanged at 71.9%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia unchanged at 41.5%, Wyoming unchanged at 45.2%, and Alabama at 45.8%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 59.2%. Globally, cases were up 16% and deaths were up 2% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15. There are 19,520,364 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 86,016. Germany 54,268. The U.K. 42,484. Russia 33,996. And France 30,454. There have been at least 5,165,169 deaths reported as Covid-related... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for November 23rd, 2021. So you’re thinking about getting a booster shot. But you’re also thinking “how long will this one last?” Well the answer is, I know this is a shock, they don’t know. However, a small study out of Northwestern University is claiming neutralizing antibody levels against COVID decreased 25-fold after a booster compared to 10-fold nine months after getting the original doses. So they think the booster might last longer. Germany and Denmark have been added to the list of places the CDC preferred you didn’t go. In fact, 13 European countries were added to the “avoid travel” list in the past four weeks, which brings the total of countries at Level 4 on the list to 76. Fun fact: based on the CDC’s criteria, America would also be on the list of countries they recommend Americans not travel to.  Right alongside the push to get kids vaccinated just happen to be new reports that more kids than ever are getting infected. The American Academy of Pediatrics says Covid-19 cases in children are up 32% from two weeks ago. In fact, they say kids represent more than a fourth of all new cases for the past week.  Just ahead of Monday’s deadline, a source reports more than 90% of federal workers had gotten at least one dose of vaccine. Again, there is no option offered to get regularly tested instead unless they managed to get a medical or religious exemption. Actually, when you count those exemption requests, more than 95% of federal workers are in compliance. Well we told you about Germany being added to the don’t travel list, and someone who probably agrees with that is Germany’s health minister. He’s saying the rapid rise in cases means it's likely everyone in the country who isn't vaccinated will have caught COVID by the end of winter, and some will be dead. Obviously, many, many health experts say that’s not necessarily true.  In the United States cases were up 29%, deaths are down 9%, and hospitalizations are up 6% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since November 3.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Kentucky, and West Virginia.  There are 9,319,803 active cases in the United States. The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: New Hampshire 59%, Michigan 47%, Massachusetts 41%, Minnesota 37%, and Illinois 32%.   The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Big Horn, MT. Scurry, TX. Bethel Census Area, AK. Dodge, MN. Mason, MI. Shiawassee, MI. San Juan, NM. Roseau, MN. And Jackson, MI.  There have been at least 772,381 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 72.4%, Rhode Island at 72%, and Maine at 71.9%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia at 41.5%, Wyoming at 45.2%, and Alabama at 45.7%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 59.1%. Globally, cases were up 20% and deaths were up 2% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15.  There are 19,404,315 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 74,156. The U.K. 44,917. Germany 40,489. Russia 35,681. And Hungary 27,209.  There have been at least 5,158,635 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for November 22nd, 2021. In many of our minds, the year 2020 stands out as the most difficult where COVID-19 is concerned. However, in the United States, the number of 2021 coronavirus deaths have surpassed the total for 2020. And that is with the nation’s government and public health leaders having access to vaccines. The number will most definitely rise in the remaining weeks of the year.  But the country’s answer is, more vaccine. The FDA and CDC did as expected and expanded eligibility for booster shots to all adults Friday, offering additional protection for all those 18 and above who had their second shot of Pfizer or Moderna at least six months prior. Boosters had already been approved for J&J’s one-dose vaccine, for two months after the primary dose. New and renewed restrictions in several European countries resulted in protests, some of them violent, and some leading to dozens of arrests. These are not small demonstrations, ranging from hundreds of participants in some cities to tens of thousands in Belgium.  Few people are wearing masks, political rallies, concerts, and home gatherings have resumed, and people busily shop in crowded marketplaces. This is in Zimbabwe. And the same is happening across much of Africa, which is less than 6% vaccinated. The World Health Organization says infections have been dropping there since July, and Africa makes up just 3% of the global total of COVID-deaths. The Americas account for 46% of them. So seriously, what is going on? Scientists have absolutely no clue. Some say it’s the continent’s relative youth, some say the populations are more spread out and are outdoors more, some say it’s genetics or past infections with parasitic diseases. For those who still think we should find out how all this happened, US government documents newly released under the Freedom of Information Act show the Wuhan Institute of Virology was studying coronaviruses found in bats from Laos and Yunnan, China in the months before the outbreak. This means the bat origin and lab escape origin theories might both be true. US-funded researchers were sending viral samples from the bats to the lab according to leaked emails between EcoHealth Alliance and US government funders. Records of both genetic sequences were removed from an online database at the Institute in September of 2019. In the United States cases were up 29%, deaths are down 9%, and hospitalizations are up 5% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since November 3.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Wyoming, Montana, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Idaho.  There are 9,336,118 active cases in the United States. The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: New Hampshire 61%, Michigan 45%, Massachusetts 39%, Minnesota 37%, and Illinois 31%.   The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Big Horn, MT. Scurry, TX. Bethel Census Area, AK. Dodge, MN. Mason, MI. Shiawassee, MI. San Juan, NM. Roseau, MN. And Jackson, MI.  There have been at least 771,118 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 72.4%, Rhode Island at 72%, and Maine at 71.9%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia unchanged at 41.5%, Wyoming at 45.2%, and Alabama at 45.7%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is unchanged at 58.9%. Globally, cases were up 18% and deaths were up 1% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15.  There are 19,908,663 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for November 19th, 2021. It’s known for its festive Christmas markets but health officials in Germany say they could be heading for a terrible Christmas. New measures were approved yesterday to rein in record infections and some German states are considering mandatory vaccinations for some professional groups like medical staff. Again, it is good to be Pfizer. The U.S. government will pay the company $5.29 billion for 10 million courses of its potential COVID treatment if regulators authorize it. That’s about $529 per course if you’re doing the math. The President said in a statement the treatments “will be easily accessible and free,” although the taxpayers just paid $5.29 billion. Still, these treatments have been repeatedly called potential game changers.  Unvaccinated Army soldiers are starting to get their marching orders. They will not be allowed to re-enlist or be promoted. This also applies to reservists and National Guardsmen. 28% of the entire U.S. Army is not yet fully vaccinated.  New research shows the pandemic has brought on an "emerging public health concern" of people losing their sense of smell. Like, for a long time. The estimate is between 700,000 and 1.6 million people in the US who had COVID have lost or had a change in their sense of smell that has lasted more than 6 months, and that’s likely an underestimate. They say some may never regain it. Why is the sense of smell lost? Scientists have no idea.  If you don’t like needles or humans, have we got a story for you. A Canadian startup has built a vaccine robot that can dose you in the arm without a needle or any human help. You use an app to register with the robot, prove your identity by holding an ID card in front of its camera, the robot arm retrieves the vaccine and uses a sensor to find your arm, then injects the vaccine using a brief, high-pressure jet of fluid with no needle. If it detects you have COVID at the time, it starts yelling Danger Will Robinson. Okay that last part isn’t true.  In the United States cases were up 23%, deaths are down 13%, and hospitalizations are down 1% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since November 3.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Wyoming, Montana, West Virginia, Idaho, and Kentucky.  There are 9,279,227 active cases in the United States. The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: New Hampshire 45%, Michigan 37%, Minnesota 36%. Rhode Island 32%. And New Mexico 31%.   The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Big Horn, MT. Dodge, MN. San Juan, NM. Scurry, TX. Grant, NM. Mason, MI. Wadena, MN. Roosevelt, MT. And Shiawassee, MI.  There have been at least 768,684 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont unchanged at 72.2%, Rhode Island unchanged at 71.8%, and Maine unchanged at 71.6%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia unchanged at 41.5%, Wyoming unchanged at 45%, and Alabama at 45.6%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is unchanged at 58.9%. Globally, cases were up 15% and deaths were flat over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15.  There are 19,646,839 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 99,146. Germany 64,164. The U.K. 46,807. Russia 37,374. And Poland 24,882.   There have been at least 5,131,160 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for November 18th, 2021. The US administration was counting on making businesses their enforcers for vaccination mandates. But the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is suspending said enforcement as ordered by the courts. OSHA had originally given employers with more than 100 employees until January 4 to comply under threat of thousands of dollars in fines. U.S. taxpayers are paying drugmakers billions of dollars to scale up domestic production, but not for the U.S. It’s to ship out to other countries that have had poor access to vaccines. The U.S. has been criticized by the World Health Organization for moving ahead with booster shots when many countries have not had enough initial doses. Looks like we might have to re-set our list of which states are most fully vaccinated, because they might change the meaning of fully vaccinated. The U.S. is considering that and several European nations are already moving toward not counting you as fully vaccinated unless you’ve had a second shot of J&J or a third shot of Pfizer and Moderna. For example, by December 15, anyone over 65 in France needs a booster to revalidate their vaccination pass. And in Austria, full vaccination status expires after nine months from your last dose.  How is the child vaccination effort going? The White House says about 10% of eligible kids aged 5 to 11 have gotten a dose of Pfizer since it was approved for them. That was about two weeks ago. It's more than three times faster than the adult vaccination rate when they first became available. Do you ever wonder if other people have been worrying about the same things you’ve been worrying about during the pandemic? A 19-country study of global helplines has revealed what most people have had anxiety over. Mostly, it’s been fear of infection, loneliness, and concerns about overall physical health. Calls about relationship and money problems, as well as suicide-related issues were less prevalent than before the pandemic. The researchers were struck by how the worries were the same across nations.  In the United States cases were up 23%, deaths are down 13%, and hospitalizations are down 3% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since November 3.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Wyoming, Montana, West Virginia, Idaho, and Kentucky.  There are 9,239,157 active cases in the United States. The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: New Hampshire 38%, Michigan 35%, Minnesota 34%. Rhode Island 30%. And Illinois and New Mexico 28%.   The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Big Horn, MT. Dodge, MN. San Juan, NM. Scurry, TX. Grant, NM. Mason, MI. Wadena, MN. Roosevelt, MT. And Shiawassee, MI.  There have been at least 767,432 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 72.2%, Rhode Island at 71.8%, and Maine at 71.6%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia at 41.5%, Wyoming at 45%, and Alabama unchanged at 45.5%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 58.9%. Globally, cases were up 15% and deaths were flat over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15.  There are 19,470,876 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 104,702. Germany 60,753. The U.K. 38,263. Russia 36,626. And Poland 24,239.   There have been at least 5,122,852 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for November 17th, 2021. Why is Europe struggling so much? We may have at least a partial answer. A new variant has been detected in several countries there that has some mutations scientists haven’t seen before. It’s called B.1.X and it’s been found in France, the UK, Switzerland, Scotland, and Italy. It’s not known yet if the mutation means it’s as or any more dangerous than Delta.  Yesterday we told you that some states and cities are not waiting on the FDA or CDC and are administering boosters to all adults 18 and over. And here they are. Arkansas, West Virginia, New York City, Colorado, California, and New Mexico. So far, about 15% of those who are fully vaccinated have also gotten a booster shot. Things are not going well in Russia at all, but yesterday it announced it will resume allowing air travel to Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Costa Rica, and Mongolia starting Dec. 1. Remaining restrictions will also be lifted on flights to Cuba, Mexico, and Qatar. In all, Russia’s resumed flights with over 60 countries. Cases and deaths there are at record highs with a full vaccination rate at less than 40%. A second set of states has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the administration's vaccine mandate for health care workers in the US. This one is on behalf of 12 states, added to a previous suit involving 10 states. The new ones are Louisiana, Montana, Arizona, Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah, and West Virginia. If standing outside in the freezing cold for hours packed in with a throng of people is your thing, good news for you. Times Square will be open for celebrations this New Year’s Eve, though only the vaccinated will be allowed access to the area. In 2021 there was a virtual ball-dropping celebration only. In the United States cases were up 18%, deaths are down 15%, and hospitalizations are down 4% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since November 3.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Wyoming, Montana, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Idaho.  There are 9,235,181 active cases in the United States. The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: New Hampshire 32%, Minnesota and Michigan 31%, New Mexico 29%, and Rhode Island 28%.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Scotts Bluff, NE. Nome Census Area, AK. Dodge, MN. Big Horn, MT. San Juan, NM. Bethel Census Area, AK. Scurry, TX. Wadena, MN. Goodhue, MN. And Grant, NM. There have been at least 765,762 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 72.1%, Rhode Island unchanged at 71.7%, and Maine at 71.5%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia unchanged at 41.2%, Wyoming unchanged at 44.8%, and Alabama unchanged at 45.5%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is unchanged at 58.8%. Globally, cases were up 13% and deaths were down 3% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15.  There are 19,364,712 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 87,133. Germany 39,985. The U.K. 37,243. Russia 36,818. And Turkey 25,101.   There have been at least 5,114,140 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for November 16th, 2021.A couple of openings to tell you travelers about. India started letting fully vaccinated foreign tourists enter the country on regular commercial flights. Infections are falling and vaccinations rising there. Visitors haven’t been allowed in since March 2020. Or maybe Cambodia’s more to your liking. It reopened its borders to fully vaccinated travelers two weeks earlier than planned and has one of the world's highest rates of immunization. But here’s where not to go, especially if you’re using the CDC as your travel agent. The agency has advised against travel to the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Iceland because of rising cases there. However, they moved some countries to the level one low risk category, including Japan, India, Pakistan, Liberia, Gambia, and Mozambique. Without waiting for authorization from the FDA or a recommendation from the CDC, all adults in New York City are now allowed to get booster shots. Three states, California, Colorado and New Mexico, are also shoving the federal government aside and taking matters into their own hands. COVID sure hurt the melting pot on U.S. college campuses. International student enrollment fell by 15% or 1.1 million students during the 2020-2021 academic year. That’s the biggest drop since the late 1940s. Travel restrictions and delayed visa processing were largely to blame.   Amazon agreed to pay $500,000 and be monitored by California officials to make sure that from now on, it notifies workers within a day about new coronavirus cases. It will also notify local health agencies within 48 hours. The half-million will go to enforce the state’s consumer protection laws. All of this is because of California’s “right-to-know” law that took effect last year.  In the United States cases were up 14%, deaths are down 14%, and hospitalizations are down 7% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since November 3.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Wyoming, Montana, Kentucky, Alaska, and Ohio.  There are 9,237,610 active cases in the United States. The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Rhode Island 34%, Michigan 22%, Minnesota 20%, and New Mexico and South Dakota 15%. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Scotts Bluff, NE. San Juan, NM. Grant, NM. Scurry, TX. Big Horn, MT. Wadena, MN. Bethel Census Area, AK. Otsego, MI. And Washburn, WI.  There have been at least 764,363 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont unchanged at 72%, Rhode Island at 71.7%, and Connecticut and Maine at 71.4%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia at 41.2%, Wyoming unchanged at 44.8%, and Alabama at 45.5%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 58.8%. Globally, cases were up 12% and deaths were down 3% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15.  There are 19,303,850 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 70,823. The U.K. 39,705. Russia 38,420. Germany 30,483. And Turkey 23,852.   There have been at least 5,106,593 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for November 15th, 2021. Austria has locked down…at least for the unvaccinated. We’ve seen it all before, new infections are surging, and ICUs are strained. In fact, Austria has one of Europe's highest infection rates and is the first to reinstate restrictions on daily movements. Austria has one of the lowest vaccination rates in western Europe at 65%, but that’s well above the United States’ 58-59%.  More vaccines are destined for the arms of children. Israel approved giving it to kids 5 to 11. That’s expected to start next week. Australia will likely start administering the shots for kids under 12 in January. They’ve already vaccinated 57.7% of children between 12 and 15. And of course the U.S. approved the vaccine for kids 5 to 11 earlier this month.  A company in England, Emergex, will soon start clinical trials of a second-generation vaccine that’s a skin patch that uses T-cells to kill infected cells. The hope is it can offer longer-lasting immunity than current vaccines. The antibodies in current vaccines stick to the virus and stop it from infecting cells, but T-cells find and destroy infected cells.  A massive real-world study compared how fast three vaccines lose their effectiveness over eight months. The good news is, they found while protection from infection may decline, protection against death seems to hold up. Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose vaccine apparently showed the greatest decline in protection. Moderna performed the best, with Pfizer in the middle.  Can you unvaccinate yourself? Well, the short answer is no. But vaccine “detoxes” are making the rounds on the internet. The pitch is you can get vaccinated to meet mandates, then cleanse yourself of the vaccine by bathing in a mixture of baking soda, Epsom salts, and the cleaning agent borax. Experts say all you’re going to do is irritate your skin and eyes. In the United States cases were up 11%, deaths are down 16%, and hospitalizations are down 8% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since November 3.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Alaska, Wyoming, Kentucky, Montana, and Idaho.  There are 9,214,324 active cases in the United States. The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Rhode Island 31%, Michigan 23%, Minnesota 20%, New Mexico 17%, and South Dakota 16%. The highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Scotts Bluff, NE. Wadena, MN. Humboldt, NV. Grant, NM. San Juan, NM. Scurry, TX. Dodge, MN. Mille Lacs, MN, and Goodhue, MN.  There have been at least 763,092 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 72%, Rhode Island at 71.6%, and Maine at 71.4%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia unchanged at 41.1%, Wyoming at 44.8%, and Alabama at 45.3%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is unchanged at 58.5%. Globally, cases were up 12% and deaths were down 2% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15.  There are once again over 19 million active cases around the world, at 19,231,229. The five countries with the most new cases: Russia 38,823. The U.K. 36,517. Germany 29,048. The United States 24,193. And Turkey 21,624.   There have been at least 5,100,195 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for November 12th, 2021. It is just not looking good in Europe. Germany had a record-high number of daily cases yesterday as new measures are being considered. One of the country's top virologists warns another 100,000 could die in the next few months if the vaccination rate doesn't quickly accelerate. To the south, in Austria, that country’s chancellor is stepping up threats of lockdowns for the unvaccinated as new cases soar. At least one province is definitely taking that step next week. Their rate of new cases is three times that of Germany’s. Russia’s preparing new restrictions that will only allow vaccinated people with QR codes to access most public places, shops, transportation, and restaurants. Fewer than 40% of Russians are fully vaccinated, which combines with lax public attitudes and government’s reluctance to toughen restrictions in making the situation there worse.  Denmark, also headed for at least a limited lockdown. The Dutch public health institute announced the highest daily tally of new cases since the pandemic began, and this is in a country where more than 84% of the adult population is fully vaccinated. A common question being asked now is why, in places like Denmark, and in states like Vermont where vaccination rates are over 70%, are cases and breakouts so bad? It’s a fair question. Most experts claim it’s the start of a seasonal spike in places with cooler weather. Or that vaccines given early in 2020 are waning. Or maybe people are gathering indoors without masks now. You starting to get the idea nobody knows? Either way, the hope is that because of high vaccination rates, these case surges won’t lead to out of control hospitalizations and deaths. In the United States cases were up 7%, deaths are down 13%, and hospitalizations are down 12% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since November 3.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Alaska, Wyoming, Oregon, Kentucky, and Idaho.  There are 9,183,252 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Utah 29%, New Mexico 20%, Arizona and Michigan 15%, and Colorado and Minnesota 14%. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Lincoln, WV. Nome Census Area, AK. Bethel Census Area, AK. Humboldt, NV. Scotts Bluff, NE. Grant, NM. San Juan, NM. Fayette, AL. Carbon, UT. And Wadena, MN. There have been at least 759,636 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont unchanged at 71.8%, Rhode Island at 71.5%, and Connecticut and Maine at 71.2%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia unchanged at 41.1%, Wyoming at 44.6%, and Alabama unchanged at 45.2%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is unchanged at 58.5%. Globally, cases were up 8% and deaths were down 1% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15.  There are 18,982,709 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: Germany 50,377. The United States 43,596. The U.K. 42,408. Russia 40,759. And Turkey 24,898.   There have been at least 5,079,013 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for November 11th, 2021. So far, the White House is very happy with the whole get kids vaccinated thing. They say it’s off to a strong start, but they worry that so was the adult vaccination effort, then it peaked and lost momentum. About 900,000 kids aged 5 to 11 will have gotten their first dose in their first week of eligibility. The World Health Organization gave us some bad news, coronavirus deaths rose by 10% in Europe in the past week. But they also gave us some good news, Europe is the only region in the world where cases and deaths are steadily increasing. WHO's Europe director warned if more actions aren’t taken, the continent could see another 500,000 deaths by February. A coalition of 10 states sued the federal government to try to block a vaccine requirement for health care workers. The suit contends the requirement threatens the jobs of millions of health care workers and could “exacerbate an alarming shortage” in health care fields, particularly in rural areas. Some states are also suing over the mandate that federal contractors’ workers be vaccinated, as well as businesses with more than 100 employees being mandated to make their workers get vaccinated or wear masks and get tested weekly. It's amazing what a difference one little gene can make. In 2020, studies showed there were genetic differences that resulted in higher risk of severe COVID. Now researchers at Oxford have pinpointed one gene, LZTFL1, that’s mostly involved. It’s a gene more common in the ethnic communities that have been hardest hit, and it’s very active in the layer of cells lining the airways and lungs. This unlucky gene reduces lung cells’ ability to repair damaged tissue, and it causes more copies of the two proteins that allow the virus to infect cells to be made. It might be a second blue Christmas in Germany, with its famous Christmas markets potentially being closed for a second holiday season in a row. Soaring cases in Germany are a very real threat to those markets, which would be opening in about a week. 67% of Germans are fully vaccinated, far more than the United States.  In the United States cases were up 7%, deaths are down 13%, and hospitalizations are down 12% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since November 3.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Alaska, Wyoming, Oregon, Kentucky, and Idaho. There are 9,165,878 active cases in the United States. The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Utah 29%, New Mexico 20%, Arizona and Michigan 15%, and Colorado and Minnesota 14%. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Lincoln, WV. Nome Census Area, AK. Bethel Census Area, AK. Humboldt, NV. Scotts Bluff, NE. Grant, NM. San Juan, NM. Fayette, AL. Carbon, UT. And Wadena, MN. There have been at least 758,877 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 71.8%, Rhode Island unchanged at 71.4%, and Maine at 71.2%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia unchanged at 41.1%, Wyoming at 44.5%, and Alabama at 45.2%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 58.5%. Globally, cases were up 10% and deaths were up 1% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15. There are 18,837,281 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 94,376. Germany 45,416. The U.K. 39,329. Russia 38,058. And Turkey 27,259.  There have been at least 5,072,046 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for November 10th, 2021. Pfizer’s ready for booster shots for all adults, but are U.S. regulators? The request is in to allow anyone 18 and older to get boosters of the Pfizer vaccine. Up to now just older Americans and groups especially vulnerable to the virus have had access to dose number three. The FDA says it will move quickly on the expansion if warranted. A big change in Britain. All health care staff who work with the public will now have to be vaccinated starting in April, even if that means thousands of desperately needed healthcare workers might quit their jobs. More than 100,000 health workers are currently unvaccinated there. Quick, do you know how many different COVID vaccines there are now? Well, if you’re just counting the ones approved for emergency use by the World Health Organization, there’s now eight. The latest one is called COVAXIN, and it’s been assessed for quality, safety, and efficacy. It sure is good to be the pharmaceutical company Merck. The U.S. government is going to buy another $1 billion worth of its COVID-19 pill. That’s after a $1.2 billion purchase agreed to in June. The drug, called molnupiravir, has been shown to halve the chances of dying or being hospitalized for those most at risk of severe COVID if given early in the illness. Every desperate incentive to get people vaccinated has been offered so this will come as no surprise. A brothel in Austria is offering a free, uh, “fling” with the prostitute of your choice if you get the shot right there at the bordello. The only drawback is you have to be in the mood on Mondays from 4 to 10pm. One happy customer said, “I would have gotten vaccinated anyway.” Uh huh. In the United States cases were up 5%, deaths are down 15%, and hospitalizations are down 13% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending flat since October 25.  The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Wyoming, Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and West Virginia. There are 9,153,680 active cases in the United States. The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Utah 40%, New Mexico 21%, Arizona 13%, and Colorado and Nebraska 12%. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Lincoln, WV. Nome Census Area, AK. Humboldt, NV. Bethel Census Area, AK. Grant, NM. Wadena, MN. San Juan, NM. Carbon, UT. Roosevelt, MT. And Holt, NE. There have been at least 757,230 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 71.7%, Rhode Island at 71.4%, and Connecticut at 71.1%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia unchanged at 41.1%, Wyoming unchanged at 44.4%, and Alabama at 45.1%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 58.4%. Globally, cases were up 10% and deaths were up 1% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15. There are 18,721,788 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 72,358. Russia 39,160. The U.K. 33,117. Germany 28,986. And Turkey 28,662.  There have been at least 5,063,295 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for November 9th, 2021. Citizens in Russia went back to work yesterday after a mandated, nine-day break to help cope with the surge of cases there. But they’re doing so as the record-breaking surge of infections and deaths continue. In fact, statistics show the work stoppage had no effect on easing cases. Meanwhile Japan reported no daily deaths from COVID Sunday for the first time in 15 months, and infections are rapidly declining there. Japan was hit by several waves, including delta last summer. Cases started falling in September. Experts attribute it to vaccinations, widespread mask wearing, and disinfectant use. Also, Britain had a decline in cases reported between November 2nd and 8th of 16.6% compared with the previous seven days. 57 more people died, meaning that seven-day total was up 8.2%. But declines in the number of deaths usually lag behind declines in cases. Get ready for schools to teach reading, writing, and vaccination. The White House wants local school districts to host clinics that teach parents the benefits of vaccination, then vaccinate the kids. Federal officials are reminding school districts they can tap into billions of dollars in federal coronavirus relief money to stand up these efforts. Yesterday we told you about the great Big Bird controversy. Today another story in the utter silliness column as Northern Ireland's health minister is suing Van Morrison for singing songs critical of the handling of the pandemic there. The “Brown Eyed Girl” singer’s lawyer says “the words used by him related to a matter of public interest and constituted fair comment.” In the United States cases were flat, deaths are down 19%, and hospitalizations are down 13% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending flat since October 25.  The five states that have the most deaths per million are Mississippi, Alabama, New Jersey, Louisiana, and New York. There are 9,166,601 active cases in the United States. The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Utah 38%, New Mexico 20%, Colorado 15%, Nebraska 14%, and Arizona 12%. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Lincoln, WV. Bethel Census Area, AK. Park, MT. Wadena, MN. Grant, NM. Carbon, UT. San Juan, NM. Rolette, ND. And Coos, NH. There have been at least 755,624 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 71.7%, Rhode Island unchanged at 71.3%, and Connecticut at 71.1%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia unchanged at 41.1%, Wyoming unchanged at 44.4%, and Alabama at 45.1%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 58.4%. Globally, cases were up 7% and deaths were flat over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15. There are 18,652,346 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 50,809. Russia 39,400. The U.K. 32,322. Turkey 27,824. And Germany 20,580. There have been at least 5,055,359 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for November 8th, 2021. Things have gotten stricter in Los Angeles. One of the strictest vaccine mandates has gone into effect today. Proof of vaccination is required for entry into a wide variety of businesses. Restaurants, malls, theaters – both live and movie, nail places, hair places, gyms, yoga studios, museums, convention centers, and the list goes on. First offense gets a business a warning, but fines could later run from $1,000 to $5,000. The US is pushing forward with a new air travel policy that will make many foreign would-be visitors ineligible to enter the country. Today, fully vaccinated foreign travelers can enter. But here’s the problem. The vaccines have to have been among those authorized by the FDA or that got an emergency use listing from the World Health Organization. Anyone who got, for example, Russia’s Sputnik vaccine, used in 70 countries worldwide, are out of luck. More support for the old trope that you’re likely to get sick while in a hospital. Federal and state records show that more than 10,000 patients were diagnosed with COVID in a U.S. hospital last year after they were admitted for something else. Plus, about 21% of the patients who got COVID in the hospital from April to September last year died, compared to only 8% of other Medicare patients who died in the hospital during that time of non-COVID issues. Amazingly, Tonga has recorded its first COVID case. In late October, a fully vaccinated passenger from a Christchurch repatriation flight tested positive while in hotel quarantine. Tonga’s enforced quarantine for anyone entering the country since early 2020. All of Tonga is now in lockdown for at least seven days with a curfew.  The vaccine debate has officially reached peak silliness. A purely fictional costumed kids’ character, Big Bird, was vaccinated, which of course cannot be true. He tweeted, "My wing is feeling a little sore, but it'll give my body an extra protective boost that keeps me and others healthy." That was met by criticism from some politicians aimed at the fictional bird costume. So we have people who aren’t real arguing about things that aren’t real. Welcome to COVID in America.   In the United States cases were flat, deaths are down 19%, and hospitalizations are down 13% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending flat since October 25.  The five states that have the most deaths per million are Mississippi, Alabama, New Jersey, Louisiana, and New York. There are 9,228,410 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Utah 39%, New Mexico 20%, Nebraska 15%, Colorado 14%, and Arizona 12%. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Lincoln, WV. Bethel Census Area, AK. Park, MT. Wadena, MN. Grant, NM. Carbon, UT. San Juan, NM. Rolette, ND. And Coos, NH. There have been at least 754,429 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 71.6%, Rhode Island at 71.3%, and Connecticut and Maine at 71%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia at 41.1%, Wyoming at 44.4%, and Alabama at 45%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 58.2%. Globally, cases were up 6% and deaths were down 1% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15.  There are 18,704,978 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: Russia 39,165. The U.K. 30,305. Turkey 25,304. The United States 23,165. And Germany 20,701.  There have been at least... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for November 5th, 2021. As we reported yesterday, over 750,000 American lives have been lost to COVID. No other even in the country’s history, including the four-year-long Civil War, has generated more death and loss. 750,000 is also more than the populations of Vermont, Wyoming, or Alaska, which means we’ve lost the equivalent of an entire state. The World Health Organization is getting increasingly concerned about Europe. The continent has seen a more than 50% jump in cases in the last month. It’s become the epicenter of the pandemic even though there’s plenty of vaccine. Inexplicably, poorer countries with less than 1% of the world's vaccines like Africa and Southeast Asia saw cases fall 9% last week. Britain is first to grant conditional authorization to the first pill shown to successfully treat COVID, manufactured by Merck. It’s for adults 18 and older who’ve tested positive and have at least one risk factor for severe disease like obesity or heart disease. The regime is four pills twice a day for five days. We’re heading into flu season and flu shot season, so you might be wondering, is it safe to get the COVID vaccine and a flu shot at the same time. Well, the World Health Organization says yes, and that when you do, it doesn’t compromise the effectiveness of either. It’s still a major and deadly health issue, but a new poll suggests Americans are just about done with COVID as a political issue. The Reuters poll shows only 12% of U.S. adults rated public health issues as a top national priority. That’s down from 20% in February. What do they care about now? Inflation, economic growth, and supply chain issues that are leaving some shelves noticeably bare. In the United States cases were down 6%, deaths are down 18%, and hospitalizations are down 16% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending flat since October 25.  The five states that have the most deaths per million are Mississippi, Alabama, New Jersey, Louisiana, and New York. There are 9,220,830 active cases in the United States. The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: New Mexico 19%, Vermont 15%, Colorado 14%, Nebraska 11%, and Arizona and New Hampshire 9%. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Park, MT. Grant, NM. Goshen, WY. Wadena, MN. Inyo, CA. Roosevelt, MT. Rolette, ND. San Juan, NM. And Carbon, UT. There have been at least 751,554 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont unchanged at 71.4%, Rhode Island at 71.1%, and Connecticut at 70.9%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia unchanged at 41%, Wyoming at 44.2%, and Alabama at 44.9%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is unchanged at 58.1%. Globally, cases were up 6% and deaths were up 3% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15. There are 18,459,078 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 81,033. Russia 40,217. The U.K. 37,269. Germany 35,662. And Turkey 29,482. There have been at least 5,029,033 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for November 4th, 2021. A new policy for the U.S. puts the burden of vaccination on employers. A temporary emergency rule mandates that businesses that employ 100 or more people make their employees get vaccinated or test them regularly. It’s the first time a federal standard deemed a respiratory virus an occupational hazard outside of health care. Some unknowns remain, such as how employers are supposed to enforce the mandate. There’s concern from England’s deputy chief medical officer that too many people think the pandemic is over. He says there are hard months to come in the winter. He pointed out the current increasing numbers of deaths showed infections are penetrating into older age groups. Colorado is experiencing its worst COVID surge in a year, so its hospitals have been given permission to turn patients away. Many of those hospitals report being at over 90% capacity. From October 3 to yesterday, the state has seen an almost 50% increase in virus hospitalizations.  So many reasons you don’t want to be in charge of a COVID response. In the Philippines, the President said local government officials will be punished if they fall behind their targets for vaccinations. He didn’t say exactly what that punishment would be but did say there’s no reason with supplies in hand vaccinations can’t be ramped up. The Philippines has fully immunized only a little over a third of its population. A COVID related scandal in the NFL. Green Bay Quarterback Aaron Rodgers tested positive and will miss one, maybe two games. The scandal part is he had said he’d been immunized, but apparently that didn’t mean he’d been vaccinated. Rodgers pursued homeopathic treatment to raise his antibody levels and sought an exemption from COVID-19 protocols, which was denied. Critics are saying he’s been less than transparent about his vaccination status.  In the United States cases were down 8%, deaths are down 18%, and hospitalizations are down 16% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending flat since October 25.  There are 9,218,010 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Vermont and New Mexico 18%, Colorado 15%, New Hampshire 14%, and Maine 8%. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Park, MT. Grant, NM. Goshen, WY. Inyo, CA. Carbon, UT. Montrose, CO. Emery, UT. Rolette, ND. And Humboldt, NV.  There have been at least 750,410 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 71.4%, Rhode Island at 71%, and Connecticut at 70.8%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia at 41%, Wyoming at 44.1%, and Alabama at 44.8%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 58.1%. The top five countries that had a 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people; Taiwan up 3%, Jamaica 2%, and The Philippines, Pakistan, and Ukraine 1%.  Globally, cases were up 6% and deaths were up 6% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15.  There are 18,338,443 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 76,526. Russia 39,008. The U.K. 33,699. Turkey 29,796. And Ukraine 19,455.  There have been at least 5,021,129 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for November 3rd, 2021. And now parents have a big decision to make. The Pfizer vaccine was given final clearance by U.S. regulators for children ages 5 to 11. Distribution can begin immediately. And those shots might be administered at doctor’s offices, pharmacies, or even schools. The formula is one-third the dose of the adult shot. Eastern Europe is still the area to watch. Russia's reported record daily infections or deaths almost every day for the last month. A nationwide non-working period runs until at least November 7. Around 35% of that nation is fully vaccinated. Romania reported a record daily number of deaths yesterday with 37% vaccinated. And Bulgaria, where 25% are vaccinated, also had its highest daily pandemic death toll yesterday, as did Croatia. Novavax has a customer for its two-dose vaccine. Indonesia has given the world's first emergency use authorization for it. The Novavax vaccine uses a different technology than the mRNA method other shots use and doesn't require extremely cold storage. The hope is it will be a big player for poorer, developing nations. They said they’d do it, and they did. 9,000 New York City municipal workers were put on unpaid leave after refusing to comply with the city’s vaccine mandate. There is no option for weekly testing. The unvaccinated represent about 9% of the city’s total municipal workers. But 12,000 more unvaccinated workers are waiting on a ruling on their requests for medical or religious exemptions. So the total placed on leave could reach up to 21,000. Another study of white-tailed deer suggests they harbor widespread coronavirus infections. Up to 80% of the Iowa deer population may carry the disease, with a rate of infection effectively 50 times worse than in humans. The good news is, they got it from us, but there’s no evidence to show we can get it from them. Plus, they’re really good at social distancing.  In the United States cases were down 8%, deaths are down 18%, and hospitalizations are down 16% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending flat since October 25.  There are 9,220,239 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: New Mexico 19%, New Hampshire and Colorado 14%, Vermont 13%, and South Dakota and Arizona 5%. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Park, MT. Grant, NM. Goshen, WY. Inyo, CA. Carbon, UT. Montrose, CO. Emery, UT. Rolette, ND. And Humboldt, NV.  There have been at least 748,173 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 71.2%, Rhode Island at 70.9%, and Connecticut at 70.7%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia at 41%, and Wyoming and Idaho at 43.9%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated remains 58%. There were only four countries that had a 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people; Taiwan up 3%, Bangladesh and Oceana 2%, and Indonesia 1%.  Globally, cases were up 2% and deaths were up 3% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15.  There are 18,269,994 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 59,288. Russia 39,008. The U.K. 33,865. Turkey 29,796. And Ukraine 19,455.  There have been at least 5,011,786 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for November 2nd, 2021. Another horrific milestone has been crossed. The global death toll from COVID-19 has now topped 5 million people. This has happened in less than two years, and claimed victims from every corner of the globe, every color, every nationality, in both poor and wealthy nations. In fact the US, EU, Britain and Brazil — all upper-middle- or high-income countries — account for one-eighth of the world’s population but nearly half of all reported deaths. The FDA is delaying their decision on Moderna's vaccine for 12- to 17-year-olds as they study the rare risk of heart inflammation. The company has been told the review could last until January. Moderna argues more than 1.5 million adolescents around the world have gotten its vaccine and the number of heart inflammation reports “does not suggest an increased risk.” We’re hearing more and more about breakthrough infections but what about severe cases and even deaths from those breakthroughs? Figures in England show 4,500 fully vaccinated people died between January and September, most since the start of August. 10,000 additional fatalities were seen among people who’d gotten one jab. Canada’s chief medical officers say the general population doesn’t need booster shots yet. They say they’ll keep watching the situation but right now, there’s no evidence of widespread waning of protection in those who’ve been vaccinated. Despite the advice, some provinces and territories are already administering boosters or plan to. Even though many people are still scared of it, experts have been impressed with the performance of mRNA vaccines and are now contemplating additional future applications of it. For instance, a universal vaccine that would work across all four strains of flu that are always mutating, a vaccine against cancer that teaches the immune system to recognize mutations before they occur, a better vaccine against malaria, which still kills a half a million people annually – mostly babies and children, and a vaccine for HIV that induces antibodies to extinguish HIV before it takes hold. In the United States cases were down 13%, deaths are down 12%, and hospitalizations are down 17% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending flat since October 25.  There are 9,273,656 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: New Hampshire 28%, Vermont 26%, New Mexico 20%, Colorado 17%, and Maine 14%. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Grant, NM. Carbon, UT. Stark, ND. Goshen, WY. Bethel Census Area, AK. Emery, UT. Rolette, ND. Wabasha, MN. And Montezuma, CO. There have been at least 746,977 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 71.2%, Rhode Island at 70.9%, and Connecticut at 70.7%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia at 41%, Wyoming at 43.9%, and Alabama at 44.8%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 58%. Only one country had a 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people; Thailand up 1%. Globally, cases were up 7% and deaths were up 10% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15. There are 18,277,445 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 45,373. Russia 40,993. The U.K. 37,877. Turkey 23,948. And Ukraine 17,430. There have been at least 5,005,401 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for November 1st, 2021. If you think it’s important, for science and public health and safety reasons, to actually know how this COVID-19 pandemic started, you may as well forget it. U.S. intelligence officials said they can’t conclude the origin. They don’t know if it was from an animal, they don’t know if it was from a lab leak, they don’t know if the virus was genetically engineered…nothing. And that’s where they’ll leave it.    The Mayor there says about 91% of New York City’s municipal workers are vaccinated as today’s mandatory deadline hits, a leap up from 83% Friday. The 9% who haven’t will go on unpaid leave starting today, which will create a corresponding shortage of police, fire, and EMS workers. Dramatic reunions at Sydney airport as fully vaccinated Australians were allowed to fly home and stay home for the first time in 583 days. There was a lot to catch up on as countless weddings, funerals, and births had been missed. Wider lockdown restrictions are expected to be lifted for all residents December 1.  A health official there says China’s latest COVID-19 outbreak is developing rapidly. Authorities are being extra vigilant at ports of entry as infections boom in a northeastern border city. That was caused by the virus arriving from abroad. While the rest of the world figures out how to co-exist with COVID, China is maintaining its zero tolerance policy toward it.  Congratulations to the word “Vax,” the Oxford English Dictionary’s word of the year. Last year, the company said it was impossible to sum up 2020 in one word. But this year, they say the shorthand for vaccine “injected itself into the bloodstream of the English language. It’s clear the language of vaccines is changing how we talk – and think – about public health, community and ourselves.” In the United States cases were down 13%, deaths are down 12%, and hospitalizations are down 17% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending flat since October 25.  There are 9,342,326 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: New Hampshire 34%, Vermont 26%, New Mexico and Maine 20%, and Colorado 17%.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Grant, NM. Carbon, UT. Stark, ND. Goshen, WY. Bethel Census Area, AK. Emery, UT. Wabasha, MN. Montezuma, CO. And Inyo, CA.  There have been at least 745,805 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 71.2%, Rhode Island at 70.9%, and Connecticut at 70.7%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia unchanged at 41%, Wyoming at 43.9%, and Alabama at 44.7%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 58%. There were only four countries with a 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people; Ethiopia up 3%, Indonesia 2%, and India and Oceana 1%. Globally, cases were up 8% and deaths were up 8% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15.  There are 18,320,240 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: Russia 40,993. The U.K. 38,009. Turkey 23,948. The United States 19,975. And Ukraine 17,430.  There have been at least 4,999,456 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for October 29th, 2021. As regular listeners probably know, rates of cases, hospitalizations and deaths have gone down significantly in the US since Delta peaked in September. But now health experts have a problem. Complacency and the believe it’s all over. Winter is coming, many kids still can’t get vaccinated, and the holidays mean lots of gatherings. Plus, many believe vaccination rates need be around 80-85% of adults – and we’re a long way from that.  Researchers think a cheap, generic anti-depressant could reduce the risk of severe COVID by almost one third in people at high risk. The drug is fluvoxamine, sold under the brand name Luvox. It’s mostly used to treat obsessive compulsive disorder and depression, but it also lowers inflammatory molecules called cytokines that can be triggered by an infection. It may also reduce blood platelets, which could help with the blood clotting often seen in COVID. A 10-day course costs about four bucks. Approve all the vaccines for kids you want, parents still have to be willing to give it to them and a new Kaiser Family Foundation survey shows most aren’t. At least not right away. Only 27% say they’ll vaccinate their kids as soon as possible. The military has been good at following orders. With the vaccination deadline still ahead for all branches, more than 90% of active-duty troops have gotten at least one dose. For the Navy the rate is more than 99%. If service members refuse, commanders have the options of administrative paperwork, nonjudicial punishment, or court-martial. Yet another side-crisis that’s come out of the pandemic…we’ve forgotten how to drive. The government reports the number of U.S. traffic deaths in the first six months of 2021 was the highest since 2006. 20,160 people, which is 18.4% higher than the first half of last year. Behavioral research from March through June also showed speeding and not wearing seat belts is higher than pre-pandemic days. In the United States cases were down 19%, deaths are down 15%, and hospitalizations are down 19% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 13.  There are 9,355,413 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: New Hampshire 50%, Maine 31%, Vermont 27%, and Alaska and Colorado 18%.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Boundary, ID. Goshen, WY. Humboldt, NV. Carbon, WY. Fergus, MT. Stark, ND. Carbon, UT. Grant, NM. And Emery, UT. There have been at least 743,358 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 71%, Rhode Island at 70.6%, and Connecticut at 70.5%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia unchanged at 41%, Idaho at 43.6%, and Wyoming at 43.7%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 57.5%. The five countries with the largest 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people; Taiwan up 4%, Brazil 2%, and Thailand, South America, and Indonesia 1%. Globally, cases were up 4% and deaths were up 2% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15.  There are 18,117,423 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 78,460. Russia 40,096. The U.K. 39,482. Germany 26,610. And Ukraine 26,071. There have been at least 4,979,902 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for October 28th, 2021. A judge in NY said no, she will not pause a vaccine mandate that starts Friday for city employees. A police union had requested a temporary restraining order. She did however order city officials to appear in court Nov. 12 to defend the vaccine requirement against a union lawsuit. As of Tuesday, 73% of police department personnel had gotten at least one dose, and the fire department’s vaccination rate was 68% as of Wednesday.  Merck said it’s okay with them if other drug makers make its COVID-19 pill. It’s the first pill that’s been shown to treat the condition. The ideas is to help millions of people in poorer countries get access to the drug. And Merck will get no royalties for as long as the World Health Organization says COVID-19 is a global emergency.  The number of new cases there is still pretty bad, but the German parliament isn’t going to extend the “epidemic situation of national scope” status when it expires next month. It will keep certain measures like masking in public places. Leading members said despite the new cases, the situation is different now that about two-thirds of the population has been vaccinated. For some it appears there’s just no such thing as too much vaccine. The CDC updated its guidance for numerous immunocompromised people, saying they can get a booster dose at least six months after their primary vaccinations, which for some would be their fourth shot. In August, the CDC recommended the immunocompromised who got the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine ​​get a third dose, which wasn’t considered a booster.  As Americans argue over the vaccine because they’re so concerned about their health, guess what they’re doing more of. Smoking. For the first time in two decades, cigarette sales went up last year during the pandemic. The timing of the increase suggested cigarettes are among the items people stocked up on, fearing shortages.  In the United States cases were down 23%, deaths are down 17%, and hospitalizations are down 19% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 13.  There are 9,358,631 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: New Hampshire 54%, Maine 32%, Vermont 31%, and Alaska and Colorado 20%.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Goshen, WY. Boundary, ID. Nome Census Area, AK. Humboldt, NV. Stark, ND. Fergus, MT. Carbon, WY. Carbon, UT. Bethel Census Area, AK. And Inyo, CA. There have been at least 741,231 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated were again not updated by NPR so remain: Vermont at 70.9%, Rhode Island at 70.4%, and Connecticut at 70.3%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia at 41%, Idaho at 43.4%, and Wyoming at 43.5%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 57.4%. The five countries with the largest 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people; Taiwan up 4%, and New Zealand, Australia, Thailand, and Romania 1%. Globally, cases were down 1% and deaths were down 2% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since October 22.  There are 18,021,385 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 76,361. The U.K. 43,941. Russia 36,582. Turkey 26,896. And Germany 26,099.  There have been at least 4,971,409 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for October 27th, 2021. As expected, FDA advisors unanimously voted to endorse the Pfizer vaccine for kids five to 11. Federal authorization could come in the next few days. The pediatric version would be equal to a third of an adult dose. The panel said the benefits outweigh the risks that include a rare heart-related side effect seen in teens and young adults. Things continue to look rough in Eastern Europe. The daily number of deaths in Russia hit another high yesterday even as most Russians stayed home from work this week. Ukraine and Bulgaria also reported record daily death tolls. In addition to closures, Russian authorities have strengthened enforcement of mask mandates. Further to the west, the Belgian government has reimposed some restrictions that were relaxed just a few weeks ago as hospitalizations increased 69%. In the U.S., emergency rooms are slammed, but not with COVID patients. A secondary health crisis caused by the pandemic are all the people who put off seeking care for other issues, but who are now coming in even worse off. Many wind up on stretchers lining hallways for hours with plenty of noise and foot traffic going by.  Here’s a story about at least an attempt to return to normalcy. Louisiana is ending its statewide indoor mask mandate after seeing a sharp decline in new infections. However, the Governor is keeping some masking rules in place for the state’s K-12 schools. LSU said it’s keeping its indoor mask mandate no matter what the state says, and New Orleans indicated it also may not follow the Governor’s lead. A report from the American Psychological Association says stress from the pandemic has people struggling to make even small decisions. Almost a third of adults question even basic day-to-day choices like what to eat or wear. It’s especially a problem for parents and Millennials. And there are problems making big decisions too, with 61% saying the pandemic has made them question how they’ve been living their lives.  In the United States cases were down 22%, deaths are down 11%, and hospitalizations are down 19% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 13.  There are 9,362,598 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: New Hampshire 53%, Maine 31%, Vermont 30%, Rhode Island 19%, and Alaska 18%.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Goshen, WY. Boundary, ID. Bethel Census Area, AK. Kodiak Island Borough, AK. Kenai Peninsula Borough, AK. Fergus, MT. Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK.     Humboldt, NV. And Stark, ND.  There have been at least 738,877 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated were not updated so remain: Vermont at 70.9%, Rhode Island at 70.4%, and Connecticut at 70.3%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia at 41%, Idaho at 43.4%, and Wyoming at 43.5%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 57.4%. The five countries with the largest 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people; Taiwan up 4%, Oceana 2%, and South Korea, Ethiopia, and Australia 1%.  Globally, cases were down 1% and deaths were down 2% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since October 22.  There are 17,947,016 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 69,634. The U.K. 40,954. Russia 36,446. Turkey 29,643. And Germany 20,955.  There have been at least 4,962,804 deaths reported as... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for October 26th, 2021. New travel guidance from the US government. Most travelers to the United States are required to be vaccinated, however if you’re from a country that has a shortage of vaccines, you for some reason don’t have to be. Airlines must get contact info on passengers for contact tracing. And starting Nov. 8, all travelers must be tested, even if you’re fully vaccinated, to get on a plane bound for the US.  Moderna says a study in kids 6 to 11 found two doses of their vaccine given 28 days apart produced a strong antibody response. The study was done using a half dose of the adult vaccine. The company will submit the data to regulators in an attempt to win authorization of the vaccine for children in that age range. As with many things, there is no debate about giving children vaccines in China. With 76% of the population fully vaccinated and a zero-tolerance policy toward outbreaks, kids as young as 3 years old will start being vaccinated in at least five provinces. What’s the best way to incentivize people to get vaccinated…you know, other than avoiding going on a ventilator? A study out of North Carolina says it’s cash. Guaranteed cash incentives slowed the decline in vaccine rates by half where offered. Researchers said rewards are especially effective if given immediately after the desired behavior, which is why some vaccine lotteries have not been effective. A little bad news for some of you, and you know who you are. Researchers at the National Institute on Drug Abuse say regular use of marijuana can increase your chances of getting a breakthrough COVID infection. In fact, the study showed cannabis was the only substance that increased the risk based only on the substance and related behaviors. In the United States cases were down 25%, deaths are down 13%, and hospitalizations are down 19% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 13.  There are 9,388,349 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: New Hampshire 54%, Vermont 31%, Maine 28%, Rhode Island 19%, and Colorado and Alaska 16%. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Goshen, WY. Boundary, ID. Humboldt, NV. Bethel Census Area, AK. Carbon, WY. Nome Census Area, AK. Stark, ND. Inyo, CA. Fremont, WY. And Park, MT. There have been at least 737,316 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 70.9%, Rhode Island at 70.4%, and Connecticut at 70.3%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia at 41%, Idaho at 43.4%, and Wyoming at 43.5%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 57.4%. There were only three countries with a 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people; India up 2%, and Oceana and Indonesia 1%. Globally, cases were down 2% and deaths were down 4% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since October 22. There are 17,893,223 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 48,771. Russia 37,930. The U.K. 36,567. Turkey 27,663. And Ukraine 14,634. There have been at least 4,954,274 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for October 25th, 2021. Sure you got one dose of Johnson & Johnson, or two doses of Pfizer or Moderna, but you may soon no longer be considered fully vaccinated. The head of the CDC said it may update its definition of what constitutes full vaccination as initial vaccine effectiveness wanes and booster shots are being promoted. Say what you want about it, but the cottage industry of scaring pregnant women about the vaccines is enjoying success. In September, the CDC urged expecting mothers to get vaccinated because complications from COVID can truly be deadly for mother and baby. Risks include stillbirths, restricted growth, and pre-eclampsia. And yet, two-thirds of America pregnant women think the vaccines are more dangerous than COVID and have not been vaccinated. While things continue to look good in many parts of the world, not so in eastern Europe. The number of infections so far there surpassed 20 million yesterday, and they’re dealing with the worst outbreak since the pandemic started. Less than half of the population in the region have gotten a single vaccine dose. With just 4% of the world's population, eastern Europe accounts for about 20% of all new cases reported globally. A bleak prediction for unvaccinated Covid survivors from a study out of Yale and the University of North Carolina. On average, they should expect to be reinfected with COVID every 16 to 17 months. COVID hasn’t been around long enough, so they studied reinfection in a close viral relative to find out how long natural immunity can be expected to last without any help.  An enterprising fellow in Melbourne came up with a way to help those who want to avoid getting vaccinated but enjoy all the benefits therein. He’s selling a fake arm online. The idea is you put it in a coat sleeve and hide your real arm inside the coat. Helpful instructions are to remember to wince and pretend there's some pain when the needle goes in. It’s not known how many of these have sold, especially since most vaccine shot givers know what a real arm feels like.   In the United States cases were down 25%, deaths are down 13%, and hospitalizations are down 18% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 13.  There are 9,503,806 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: New Hampshire 50%, Vermont 36%, Maine 27%, Rhode Island 19%, and Colorado, Michigan, and Alaska 15%.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Goshen, WY. Boundary, ID. Humboldt, NV. Bethel Census Area, AK. Carbon, WY. Nome Census Area, AK. Stark, ND. Inyo, CA. Fremont, WY. And Park, MT. There have been at least 735,930 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 70.7%, and Connecticut and Rhode Island at 70.1%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia unchanged at 40.9%, Idaho at 43.1%, and Wyoming at 43.3%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 57.2%. The five countries with the highest current infection reproduction rate are Czechia, Hungary, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Poland.  Globally, cases were down 2% and deaths were down 4% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since October 22.  There are 18,015,968 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The U.K. 39,962. Russia 35,660. Turkey 24,792. Ukraine 20,791. And the United States 17,580.  There have been at least 4,947,878 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for October 22nd, 2021. Pfizer says a booster shot of its vaccine boosts prevention of symptomatic cases back up to 95.6%. And this data was compiled when Delta was the prevalent strain. The CDC seems to be booster backers. Yesterday we told you they’ve decided mixing and matching boosters and original vaccines is okay. And, after saying those who got the Pfizer vaccine months ago are already eligible for a booster, they’ve added Moderna and Johnson & Johnson takers to that eligibility. The government says getting first shots to the unvaccinated is still the priority. And so far, the public seems to be open to booster shots, certainly more than the number of people who are still considering getting the initial doses. The CDC reports there are 1.3 times as many boosters administered each day compared with first shots. And the FDA may soon lower the age range on its emergency use authorizations for boosters, depending on safety data. Infections and deaths in Ukraine surged to all-time highs yesterday. Its vaccine inoculations are among the lowest in Europe. With a choice of four vaccines, only about 15% of the population is fully vaccinated. Only Armenia has a lower level. Restrictions are in place for public places and public transport. Our question for today, are new variants of the coronavirus just going to keep emerging? Well, experts at Penn State say yes. But only if the virus can keep finding infectable people, because inside people is where new variants are made. Over half the world is still unvaccinated, so there are plenty of bodies to mutate in. However, these experts say that doesn’t necessarily mean new variants will be more dangerous. Why? It needs to adapt to us in order to spread more widely. Killing us doesn’t help it. Still, emerging variants are closely watched to see if they evade the protection we develop from vaccination and infections. In the United States cases were down 25%, deaths are down 15%, and hospitalizations are down 19% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 13.  There are 9,522,759 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: New Hampshire 33%, Michigan 24%, Colorado and Minnesota 13%, and Wyoming and Montana 6%.   The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Goshen, WY. Bethel Census Area, AK. Stark, ND. Kodiak Island Borough, AK. Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK. Pecos, TX. Inyo, CA. Fremont, WY. Humboldt, NV. And Glacier, MT. There have been at least 733,064 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 70.6%, Connecticut at 70.1%, and Rhode Island at 70%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia at 40.9%, Idaho at 43%, and Wyoming at 43.2%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 57.1%. The five countries with biggest 24-hour increases in the number of fully vaccinated people: Taiwan up 4%. Uzbekistan and India 2%. And Australia and New Zealand 1%. Globally, cases were down 8% and deaths were down 9% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since October 8. There are now under 18 million active cases around the world, at 17,863,755. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 80,835. The U.K. 52,009. Russia 36,339. And Turkey 28,465. There have been at least 4,928,934 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for October 21st, 2021. Sometimes it just doesn’t pay to be the leader of a country during a global pandemic. A leaked document suggests a Brazilian congressional panel is ready to recommend mass homicide charges be brought against President Bolsonaro over how he handled the virus. The charge is he deliberately allowed it to spread in hopes of achieving herd immunity. As we reported yesterday, millions of Russians are under strict new restrictions. In Moscow, all unvaccinated residents over 60, and unvaccinated people with chronic diseases have to lock down at home for four months. Non-working days have also been declared from October 30 to November 7 across Russia. The U.S. released its plan to vaccinate children 5 to 11. They’ll be able to get it at their pediatrician's office, a local pharmacy, or maybe even their school. Authorization to use Pfizer in kids is expected in a few weeks and those will be low dose shots. Moderna won’t give up how to make its vaccine, so the World Health Organization has hired an African startup to hack the formula. Or at least get as close to it as they can. Moderna's patent is public but the way it’s written doesn’t disclose everything. Moderna has said several times they won’t enforce their intellectual property during the pandemic, so it’s safe for the startup to move ahead without much fear of getting sued. They don’t have a choice in whether or not to get vaccinated, they haven’t organized protests against it, and so far, none of them have even said anything about it. 80 animals at the Cincinnati Zoo got two doses of vaccine designed for veterinary use. Handlers worked for weeks to get the animals comfortable with everything they’d see and feel when they got the injections.  In the United States cases were down 22%, deaths are down 14%, and hospitalizations are down 19% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 13.  There are 9,540,596 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: New Hampshire and Michigan 25%, Minnesota 15%, Colorado 14%, and Montana 9%.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Goshen, WY. Stark, ND. Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK. Lake, MT. Bethel Census Area, AK. Hale, AL. Hill, MT. Inyo, CA. Arenac, MI. And Orleans, VT. There have been at least 729,434 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont unchanged at 70.6%, and Connecticut and Rhode Island at 70%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia at 40.9%, Idaho at 43%, and Wyoming at 43.2%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 57.1%. The top five countries with a 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Oceana up 3%. Taiwan, South Korea, and Bangladesh 2%. And Australia 1%. Globally, cases were down 9% and deaths were down 11% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 26. There are 17,805,130 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 71,809. The U.K. 43,540. Russia 33,740. Turkey 30,862. And Romania 18,863. There have been at least 4,918,215 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for October 20th, 2021. Cases are going down worldwide, but in many countries, you certainly wouldn’t know it. For instance, some scientists are calling on the U.K. government to reimpose social restrictions and speed boosters as infection rates, which are Europe’s highest, keep going up. Russia had another daily record of deaths, and the country might declare a nonworking week. Romania hit daily records for infections and deaths…vaccine uptake is very low there. Latvia is going into a nearly monthlong lockdown that includes a curfew, with a vaccination rate that’s among the lowest in the EU. The Czechs just had the highest daily tally since late April. Poland is reporting an increase of almost 85% in new cases compared to the previous week. And New Zealand counted its most new cases of the pandemic Tuesday even as Auckland is in a two-month lockdown. U.S. federal regulators are expected to authorize mixing and matching booster doses this week. The idea is to provide more flexibility and get more boosters into more arms. The FDA is expected to say using the same brand is preferable, especially for Pfizer and Moderna, but studies have found an extra dose of any type revs up antibody levels. Yes, fully vaccinated people can still transmit the virus, but how likely is it that will happen? A new study shows not very likely. Experts at the University of Colorado School of Medicine examined several studies on breakthrough cases and concluded the CDC guidance on transmission from those cases may have been overstated. The study saw definitive proof the infected vaccinated pass along much less virus than the unvaccinated. This could affect guidance on mask requirements in the future. News you don’t want to hear, a newly detected variant that’s an offshoot of Delta appears to be rising in England. You may start hearing about AY.4.2. Now, experts at the University of Cambridge say the two mutations involved should not be of concern because they don’t have that large of an effect on the virus. But it could be 10-15% more transmissible than the original Delta. In the United States cases were down 20%, deaths are down 11%, and hospitalizations are down 19% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 13.  There are 9,584,770 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Michigan 26%, Minnesota 20%, New Hampshire 15%, Colorado 14%, and Montana 10%.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Lake, MT. Goshen, WY. Stark, ND. Hill, MT. Waynesboro, VA. Lewis and Clark, MT. Arenac, MI. Todd, MN. Hale, AL. And Orleans, VT. There have been at least 726,538 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 70.6%, and Connecticut and Rhode Island unchanged at 69.9%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia still unchanged at 40.8%, Idaho unchanged at 42.9%, and Wyoming unchanged at 43%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is unchanged at 57%. The top five countries with a 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Oceana up 3%. Taiwan, South Korea, and Bangladesh 2%. And Australia 1%. Globally, cases were down 8% and deaths were down 12% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 26. There are 17,765,495 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 53,135. The U.K. 49,018. Russia 34,325. Turkey 29,240. And India 12,338. There have been at least 4,909,698 deaths reported as... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for October 19th, 2021. 84-year-old Colin Powell, the retired four-star general who became the country's first Black secretary of state and chairman of the Joints Chiefs of Staff, died from complications of Covid-19. He was fully vaccinated. Powell had a cancer of a type of white blood cell. France's High Authority for Health decided to no longer allow the Moderna vaccine to be injected as a booster dose against Covid-19. Now only Pfizer is used for boosters in those that are eligible. Sweden and Finland had already suspended use of Moderna for those under 30 due to potential heart risks. And Denmark and Norway formally advised against it for people under 18. Iceland suspended it as a booster dose altogether. Japan is suddenly a big coronavirus success story. And if you ask them what they did, they’ll tell you “we have no idea.” Daily cases have plummeted, bars are packed, trains are crowded, and Japan never came anywhere near a lockdown. Some speculate it’s because of a late but fast vaccination campaign, bad weather in August that kept people home, or widespread masking, which was already embraced in that country even pre-pandemic. Thousands of California parents were expected to keep their kids home from school to protest a vaccine mandate. Some teachers were also planning on not showing up to classrooms. Nearly 40% of state employees remain unvaccinated. The question is, if we’re going to get booster shots, why weren’t the vaccine formulas revised to more closely target the Delta variant that’s been the biggest problem? The answer: The FDA okayed Pfizer boosters of the original recipe last month because studies showed it works good enough against Delta and the doses could roll out immediately without manufacturing problems. In the United States cases were down 22%, deaths are down 19%, and hospitalizations are down 18% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 13.  There are 9,675,650 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Michigan 28%, Minnesota 22%. Montana 13%, Colorado 11%. And Pennsylvania and North Dakota 8%.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Goshen, WY. Lake, MT. Stark, ND. Bethel Census Area, AK. Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK. Kenai Peninsula Borough, AK. Nome Census Area, AK. Todd, MN. Hill, MT. And Hale, AL. There have been at least 724,502 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 70.5%, and Connecticut and Rhode Island at 69.9%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia unchanged at 40.8%, Idaho at 42.9%, and Wyoming at 43%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 57%. Only one country had a 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Oceana up 2%. Globally, cases were down 11% and deaths were down 15% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 26. There are 17,863,141 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The U.K. 45,140. Russia 34,303. Turkey 24,114. The United States 17,947. And India 14,289. There have been at least 4,901,756 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for October 18th, 2021. The FDA’s advisory panel voted unanimously to recommend Moderna booster shots for emergency use authorization. That moves millions in the U.S. closer to booster eligibility. The decision now goes to the FDA, which should make a final ruling in a few days. Moderna’s boosters are expected to be a half dose. Almost 1,000 people descended on Times Square Saturday to protest the vaccine and vaccine mandates. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., board chair of Children’s Health Defense, was a main speaker and said, “The vaccine is not safe and effective. We have no business giving this to little children. It is unethical, it is medical malpractice.” YouTube recently censored and banned the Children Health Defense’s channel. Melbourne has spent more time locked down than any city in the world. But that’s about to change. It will lift stay-at-home orders this week. It’s a city of 5 million people, but there have been six lockdowns totaling nearly nine months since March 2020. Cases are still rising there but the double-vaccination rate will hit 70% this week. Russia is still struggling. A record-high number of cases in 24 hours since the start of the pandemic, and 997 deaths. That’s just five fewer than the daily record-high of 1,002 reported just the day before. Authorities blame a slow vaccination campaign. New guidance from the CDC on how you should celebrate the upcoming holidays and stay safe from COVID. It’s not really anything new. Get vaccinated, the unvaccinated should wear masks all the time, the vaccinated should wear masks in public indoor settings, gather outdoors if possible, protect kids 11 years old and younger who can’t get the vaccine yet, and avoid travel if you aren’t fully vaccinated. In the United States cases were down 23%, deaths are down 17%, and hospitalizations are down 18% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 13.  There are 9,677,817 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Michigan 28%, Minnesota 21%. Montana 15%, and Pennsylvania and Colorado 9%.   The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Goshen, WY. Lake, MT. Stark, ND. Bethel Census Area, AK. Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK. Kenai Peninsula Borough, AK. Nome Census Area, AK. Todd, MN. Hill, MT. And Wadena, MN. There have been at least 724,177 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 70.4%, Connecticut at 69.7%, and Rhode Island at 69.6%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia at 40.8%, Idaho at 42.6%, and Wyoming unchanged at 42.7%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 56.7%. There were only four countries with a 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Russia up 3%. And Indonesia, Australia, and Montenegro 1%. Globally, cases were down 13% and deaths were down 17% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 26. There are 17,865,612 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The U.K. 43,275. The United States 33,910. Russia 33,208. Turkey 28,537. And Romania 15,239. There have been at least 4,897,649 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for October 15th, 2021. A major study shows infections among school-aged children in England are “high and rising.” That probably ups the intensity of the debate over kids and vaccines. The reproduction rate of those aged 17 and younger was 1.18, meaning on average every 10 infected young people are passing it on to about 12 others. From the gee I wish we’d known this earlier department, two new international studies show the immune protection from two doses of Pfizer drops off after a mere two months. One study found the drop especially true for men, people 65 and older, and those with immunosuppression. The study also found immunity lasts longer from a vaccination if you’ve already had a natural case of COVID-19. Penn State College of Medicine researchers found more than half of the 236 million people diagnosed with COVID-19 worldwide since December 2019 will experience post-COVID symptoms for up to six months after recovering. These include tiredness, difficulty breathing, chest pain, sore joints and loss of taste or smell. The research team said healthcare officials should get ready for all those survivors who’ll need care for psychological and physical conditions. How do airline passengers feel about vaccine mandates to fly? Well, it’s America, so the answer is, it’s split. That’s according to the travel website Skift’s poll. 45% definitely want a mandate, 23% don’t care either way, and 33% are against it. The older the person, the more likely they are to be in favor of requiring vaccinations to fly. With all the stories of overworked nurses with PTSD and of nurses who are getting fired or quitting because of vaccine mandates, you’d think it wouldn’t be a very alluring occupation right now. But applications to nursing schools are actually rising. Up 5.6% in 2020 according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, and number are also trending up in 2021. The reasons; unprecedented career opportunities, the challenge, and many people have been inspired by healthcare workers over the past couple of years. In the United States cases were down 22%, deaths are down 5%, and hospitalizations are down 21% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 13.  There are 9,702,828 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Michigan 26%, Minnesota 21%. North Dakota 16%, Montana 13%, and Pennsylvania 11%.   The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Bethel Census Area, AK. Stark, ND. Goshen, WY. Kenai Peninsula Borough, AK. Lewis, KY. Lake, MT. Nome Census Area, AK. Rio Grande, CO. Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK. And Whitley, KY. There have been at least 720,482 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont unchanged at 70.3%, Connecticut unchanged at 69.6%, and Rhode Island at 69.5%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia still unchanged at 40.7%, Idaho unchanged at 42.5%, and Wyoming at 42.7%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is unchanged at 56.5%. The five countries with the biggest 24-hour increases in the number of fully vaccinated people: Cambodia, New Zealand, Australia, Thailand, and Oceana all up 2%. Globally, cases were down 14% and deaths were down 15% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 26. There are 17,809,484 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 99,775. The U.K. 42,606. Turkey 31,248. Russia 28,717. And India... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for October 14th, 2021. After a 19-month freeze, the United States will open its land borders with Canada and Mexico to non-essential travel. Fully vaccinated foreign nationals can enter the U.S. for whatever reason starting early November. Travelers will be asked about their vaccination status as part of the standard Customs and Border Protection admissions process, and no testing will be required to enter by land or sea. Despite full steam ahead by the U.S. administration and other countries, the Director General of the World Health Organization called booster shots while initial inoculations lag in some countries is "immoral, unfair, and unjust.” He went on to say, "To start boosters is really the worst we can do as a global community." A federal judge ruled the state of New York can’t impose a vaccine mandate on healthcare workers and not allow their employers to consider religious exemption requests. The judge said the vaccination requirement conflicted with the workers’ federally protected right to seek religious accommodations from their employers. The Governor vowed to fight the decision. At least 24 states have imposed vaccine requirements on workers, usually in healthcare. Boeing told employees they have to be vaccinated and if they don’t, they might get fired. Deadline is December 8 and the company said compliance is a condition of employment. This affects about 125,000 U.S.-based employees. The International Association of Machinists union said it’s their responsibility to defend and advocate for members, but the fact is the membership is polarized on the issue. So can you get a booster from a different vaccine than your original doses? A new NIH study found yes, it’s safe and effective. However, Moderna and Pfizer were found to spark a stronger immune system response than Johnson & Johnson. The study found those that got J&J got stronger antibody levels after getting a Moderna or Pfizer booster, compared to another J&J shot.   In the United States cases were down 21%, deaths are down 4%, and hospitalizations are down 20% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 13.  There are 9,695,293 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Michigan 23%, Minnesota 18%. North Dakota and Pennsylvania 12%. And Montana 10%.    The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Karnes, TX. Bethel Census Area, AK. Lewis, KY. Stark, ND. Kenai Peninsula Borough, AK. Knox, IN. Goshen, WY. Rio Grande, CO. Clay, TX. And Nome Census Area, AK. There have been at least 717,812 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 70.3%, Connecticut at 69.6%, and Rhode Island at 69.4%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia still unchanged at 40.7%, Idaho at 42.5%, and Wyoming at 42.6%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 56.5%. The five countries with biggest 24-hour increases in the number of fully vaccinated people: Taiwan up 5%. And South Korea, New Zealand, Australia, and Oceana 2%. Globally, cases were down 13% and deaths were down 14% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 26. There are 17,774,995 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 84,154. The U.K. 38,076. Turkey 33,860. Russia 28,190. And Romania 16,743. There have been at least 4,870,663 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for October 13th, 2021. The British government didn’t get a very good report card from Parliament on how it handled COVID. A critical report said the country waited too long to impose a lockdown in the early days, and that missed a chance to contain the disease and led to thousands of unnecessary deaths. The delay attributed to a dangerous level of “groupthink” that caused dismissal of more aggressive strategies. The committees did praise the government’s early focus on vaccines and vaccine development. A French study of 22.6 million people over 50 found vaccination reduces the risk of dying or being hospitalized by 90%. It also found vaccines appear to protect against the worst effects of Delta. The study’s authors said, “This means those vaccinated are nine times less at risk of being hospitalized or dying from Covid than those unvaccinated.” Explosive accusations against Prevent Senior, which operates 10 hospitals in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Whistleblowing doctors testified the hospitals enlisted participants to test unproven drugs without proper consent and forced doctors to prescribe unproven drugs touted by Brazil’s President. Some senators say it also looks like the system falsified death certificates to omit COVID as cause of death. The FDA declined to take a stand on whether it should back booster shots of Moderna’s vaccine, mostly because data shows two doses are still enough to protect against severe disease and death in the U.S. They also didn’t take a stand on Pfizer’s booster shots last month and rejected Pfizer’s original plan to distribute boosters to everyone 16 and older. A national poll by NPR find the pandemic put Americans increasingly behind the economic 8-ball. More are experiencing serious financial problems, rent's overdue, evictions are looming, two-thirds of parents say their kids fell behind in school, and one in five households say someone in the home couldn’t get medical care for a serious condition. All this while billions of dollars in government relief money have gone out. 19% of U.S. households report losing all their savings during the pandemic and have no savings to fall back on. Add to that, half of households report at least one person in the home has had serious problems with depression, anxiety, stress or sleep in recent months. In the United States cases were down 24%, deaths are down 10%, and hospitalizations are down 20% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 13.  There are 9,757,409 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Michigan 21%, Minnesota 17%. Pennsylvania 13%. North Dakota 12%. And Montana 9%.   The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Bethel Census Area, AK. Knox, IN. Lewis, KY. Kenai Peninsula Borough, AK. Stark, ND. McCreary, KY. Kodiak Island Borough, AK. Rio Grande, CO. Clay, TX. And Martin, MN. There have been at least 715,413 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated were all unchanged: Vermont at 70.2%, Connecticut at 69.4%, and Rhode Island at 69.3%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states, also unchanged, are West Virginia at 40.7%, and Wyoming and Idaho at 42.4%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 56.4%. The five countries with biggest 24-hour increases in the number of fully vaccinated people: Oceana up 3%. Cambodia, Australia, and Kosovo 2%. And Ukraine 1%. Globally, cases were down 12% and deaths were down 14% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 26. There are... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for October 12th, 2021. Merck asked U.S. regulators yesterday to authorize the pill it has for treating COVID. If they hear what they want to hear from the FDA, and that could happen in a few weeks, that’d be the first pill shown to treat the illness. There are other drugs, but they require an IV or injection. Merck said earlier this month the pill cut hospitalizations and deaths by half among patients with early symptoms. Meanwhile AstraZeneca's antibody cocktail against COVID, already shown to work as a preventative shot in the non-infected, was also shown to save lives and prevent severe disease when used as treatment within a week of first symptoms. Two new studies indicate pregnant women who develop Covid symptoms risk emergency complications and additional problems, and the disease puts their babies at risk. Of the 100 Covid-positive moms who delivered babies between March and September of 2020 at one Texas hospital, 58% of those with symptomatic infections delivered in emergency circumstances. For those with an asymptomatic case, 46% did. It’s a sure way to fight Covid…sue people. A parent in southern Wisconsin has sued their school district after her son got Covid-19 from a classmate. She’s upset the board removed a student mask requirement and other Covid-19 mitigation measures in May. Her son, who was wearing a mask, sat next to a kid who had symptoms and was infected regardless. The suit calls for the district to comply with CDC guidelines. Do you habitually smoke weed? Never mind, you don’t have to tell me. But you should know a study from an arm of the National Institutes of Health says the risk of getting a coronavirus breakthrough infection in the U.S. may be 7.8% higher among those who habitually smoke weed. The risk is also there, but a little lower, for those with tobacco use disorder. In the United States cases were down 19%, deaths are down 2%, and hospitalizations are down 21% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 13.  There are 9,793,733 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Michigan 21%, Minnesota 16%. Pennsylvania 15%. North Dakota 14%. And Montana 10%.   The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Bethel Census Area, AK. Stark, ND. Lewis, KY. Kodiak Island Borough, AK. Whitley, KY. Knox, IN. Clay, TX. Custer, MT. McCreary, MT. And Big Horn, WY. There have been at least 713,770 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 70.2%, Connecticut at 69.4%, and Rhode Island at 69.3%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia at 40.7%, and Wyoming and Idaho at 42.4%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 56.4%. The five countries with biggest 24-hour increases in the number of fully vaccinated people: Oceana, Cambodia up 2%, and Saudi Arabia and India 1%. Globally, cases were down 12% and deaths were down 12% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 26. There are 17,913,065 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The U.K. 34,320. The United States 29,520. Russia 28,647. Turkey 28,370. And India 19,018. There have been at least 4,855,635 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for October 11th, 2021. You might want to send Italy a congratulations. That country announced it’s reached its goal of 80% of the population over 12 being fully vaccinated. That amounts to 43 million people out of 60 million. However, a lot of people hit the streets not to celebrate, but to protest vaccine passports. Many of these gatherings turned into violent riots. A comprehensive CBS News poll shows that most Americans are still worried about the pandemic with winter on the way, and a bit pessimistic in saying things are going to get worse in the coming months, not better. As for parents of young children, it’s split down the middle in terms of will they get their children vaccinated. Masking for kids in school does seem to have majority support. About half feel the information they hear from America’s health leaders has been confusing. The deadline is right around the corner and at the moment, hundreds of thousands of U.S. service members are still unvaccinated. Most of those deadlines are in November and December. Different branches are delivering different levels of compliance. For instance 90% of the active-duty Navy is fully immunized while only 72% of active-duty Marines are.  The news is usually bad enough without getting it completely wrong. The New York Times issued a correction after their health and science reporter said 900,000 children have been hospitalized in the US with Covid-19. Not even a little bit close. The actual figure is a 63,000. The piece also got actions taken by regulators in Sweden and Denmark wrong. Wait, we’re not done. She also got the timing of an FDA meeting on authorizing the Pfizer vaccine for kids wrong. Typically cautious and often a full-on buzzkill about holidays, Dr. Anthony Fauci says don’t worry about trick or treating outdoors this Halloween. While he says we shouldn’t declare premature victory and he still wants more people vaccinated who are eligible, Fauci did note that cases are dropping. Right now, there are about 95,000 new cases a day. Fauci said when it drops to less than 10,000 a day, we can start dropping restrictions like masking indoors...which will make it much easier to bob for apples. In the United States cases were down 20%, deaths are down 14%, and hospitalizations are down 21% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 13.  There are 9,820,727 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Michigan 20%, North Dakota 18%, Pennsylvania 15%. Minnesota 13%. And Montana 8%.   The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Bethel Census Area, AK. Stark, ND. Lewis, KY. Kodiak Island Borough, AK. Whitley, KY. Knox, IN. Clay, TX. Custer, MT. McCreary, MT. And Big Horn, WY. There have been at least 712,993 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont unchanged at 69.8%, Connecticut unchanged at 69.2%, and Rhode Island unchanged at 69%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia unchanged at 40.6%, and Wyoming and Idaho at 42.2%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 56.2%. The five countries with biggest 24-hour increases in the number of fully vaccinated people: St. Lucia and Kosovo up 2%. And Australia, Sri Lanka, and Finland 1%. Globally, cases were down 14% and deaths were down 16% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 5. The number of active cases around the world has now dropped below 18 million, at 17,987,905. The five countries with the most... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for October 8th, 2021. With the number of those killed by COVID having surpassed 700,000, among that number is a bonus tragedy. A study shows the number of children in the U.S. who were made orphans or partial orphans by the pandemic is larger than first believed. More than 120,000 lost a primary guardian or caregiver. Black and Hispanic children have experienced this the most. Finland joined Sweden and Denmark in halting the use of Moderna’s vaccine as a precautionary measure for men born in 1991 and later. This because of concerns about reports of possible rare cardiovascular side effects like myocarditis and pericarditis. Finland will give those young citizens the Pfizer vaccine instead. Is the pandemic leading to diplomacy? The World Health Organization has shipped COVID-19 medical supplies into North Korea. It’s the kind of help that isolated nation rarely accepts. Those supplies are still sitting in quarantine at a seaport, but still. North Korea had severely restricted cross-border traffic and trade for the past two years despite an already crippled economy. We told you yesterday about how police officers are among the most reluctant profession to get vaccinated. Well New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio doesn’t care. He’s considering expanding his mandates on teachers and school employees to police officers, firefighters, and correction officers. The Mayor called them the “other pieces of the puzzle.”  It’s widely considered unethical to refuse to treat someone because they smoke. But a Colorado woman is being denied a kidney transplant unless she gets vaccinated. The 56-year-old may not last long without the surgery and is quite confused that her hospital is so insistent on protecting her from COVID, that they’re willing to watch her die from her kidney condition.  In the United States cases were down 23%, deaths are down 13%, and hospitalizations are down 20% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 13.  There are 9,811,930 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: North Dakota 25%, Pennsylvania and Michigan 14%, Wyoming 11%, and Montana 9%.    The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Kodiak Island Borough, AK. McCreary, KY. Bethel Census Area, AK. Custer, MT. Green, KY. Whitley, KY. Clay, TX. Stark, ND. Morton, ND. And Wadena, MN.  There have been at least 710,173 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont unchanged at 69.8%, Connecticut at 69.2%, and Rhode Island at 69%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia at 40.6%, and Wyoming and Idaho at 42.1%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is unchanged at 56.1%. The five countries with the biggest 24-hour increases in the number of fully vaccinated people: Taiwan up 5%. And New Zealand, South Korea, Australia, and Thailand 2%.  Globally, cases were down 11% and deaths were down 9% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 5.  There are 18,062,833 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 102,090. The U.K. 40,701. Turkey 30,019. Russia 27,550. And Germany 22,403.  There have been at least 4,833,592 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for October 7th, 2021.  As expected, Los Angeles leaders voted 11-2 to enact one of the nation’s strictest vaccine mandates. Vaccination is required for everyone entering bars, restaurants, nail salons, gyms, and indoor sporting events. Everyone needs to be in compliance by November 4. About 69% of the county’s 10 million residents are fully vaccinated. Sweden and Denmark, as a precautionary measure, stopped the use of Moderna's vaccine for people born in 1991 and later after reports of possible rare cardiovascular side effects. These include myocarditis and pericarditis, which involve inflammation of the heart or its lining. For those who ask why we can’t rely on testing alone instead of vaccines, here’s one reason. Australian test kit maker Ellume recalled some at-home tests after learning they were reporting a higher-than-expected number of false positives. The tests went out to U.S. retailers and other distributors from April through August. About 427,000 tests are involved in the recall. Being a police officer is dangerous. But now, not for the reasons you might think. COVID-19 is now killing more law enforcement officers than any other threat they face in the line of duty. The Fraternal Order of Police reports 716 officers have died since March 2020. And vaccine reluctance remains high among them. For instance, in Philadelphia, only 13% of police department employees have provided proof of vaccination. Following the science is fine, but does science really say the bodies of famous celebrities contain more natural immunity to COVID-19 than the rest of us? Many performers and athletes are exempt from New York City’s vaccination mandates, and some local politicians are calling it a “double standard” that’s both “astounding” and “infuriating.” The loophole is entertainers can work unvaccinated in the city as long as they aren’t residents of the city.  In the United States cases were down 24%, deaths are down 12%, and hospitalizations are down 20% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 13.  There are 9,800,155 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: North Dakota 26%, Pennsylvania 16%, Michigan 14%, and Montana and Wyoming 11%.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: McCreary, KY. Kodiak Island Borough, AK. Bethel Census Area, AK. Custer, MT. Green, KY. Morton, ND. Whitley, KY. Wadena, MN. Big Horn, WY. And Stark, ND. There have been at least 707,775 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 69.8%, Connecticut unchanged at 69.1%, and Rhode Island at 68.8%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia again unchanged at 40.5%, and Wyoming and Idaho at 42%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is unchanged at 56%. The 5 countries with the most recent 24-hour increases in the number of fully vaccinated people: Taiwan up 4%. South Korea 3%. And New Zealand, Australia, and Oceana 2%. Globally, cases were down 16% and deaths were down 13% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 27. There are 18,025,977 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 106,455. The U.K. 39,851. Turkey 30,438. Russia 25,133. And India 22,617. There have been at least 4,827,568 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for October 6th, 2021. Amid the nationwide shortage in qualified, experienced healthcare workers, we’re losing them by the thousands due to vaccine mandates. Northwell Health, the largest health care provider in New York state, fired 1,400 of them for non-compliance. In Detroit, around 400 workers left the job at Henry Ford Health System. We’ll see if the same thing happens with teachers. The vaccine mandate for teachers and staff took effect Monday in New York City's million-plus-student public school system. Unvaccinated employees will be placed on unpaid leave and substitutes brought in to take their place. And there is no test-out option. A similar mandate goes into effect in L.A. October 15. There’s a problem with COVID-19 tests. Demand has made the price skyrocket and made availability an issue. Much of that demand is coming from employers who’ve been made responsible for making sure their workers are COVID-free. Test makers are scaling up production, but it will take time to catch up.  Just how much worse was Delta than the original version of the coronavirus? A new study out of Canada has put a number on it. Saying Delta causes more serious disease and is associated with increased risk of death, researchers found a 108% increased risk for hospitalization, 235% increased risk for ICU admission, and 133% increased risk for death compared to the original. It’s hard to imagine anyone making Mike Tyson do anything. But the world-famous boxer said that while he has been vaccinated, it’s not because he wanted to. He told USA TODAY, “I didn’t do it willingly. I was pretty much beaten into submission to do this because I travel internationally. And if I don’t travel, we don’t eat.” In the United States cases were down 24%, deaths are down 12%, and hospitalizations are down 20% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 13.  There are currently 9,774,391 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: North Dakota 27%, Pennsylvania 16%, Michigan and Wyoming 13%, and Montana 11%.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: McCreary, KY. Kodiak Island Borough, AK. Bethel Census Area, AK. Custer, MT. Green, KY. Morton, ND. Whitley, KY. Wadena, MN. Big Horn, WY. And Stark, ND. There have been at least 705,116 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 69.7%, Connecticut at 69.1%, and Maine unchanged at 68.7%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia unchanged at 40.5%, Wyoming unchanged at 41.7%, and Idaho at 42%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 56%. There were only 4 countries with recent 24-hour increases in the number of fully vaccinated people: Taiwan up 7%. Oceana 2%. And El Salvador and India 1%. Globally, cases were down 20% and deaths were down 17% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 27. There are currently 18,040,210 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 94,811. The U.K. 33,869. Turkey 29,802. Russia 25,110. And Brazil 20,528. There have been at least 4,816,009 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for October 5th, 2021. They had a dream, they gave it a shot, but it didn’t work out. New Zealand has admitted it will not be able to completely get rid of the coronavirus. They’ve had a zero-tolerance approach from the beginning with strict lockdowns and aggressive contact tracing. In a country of 5 million, only 27 virus deaths have been reported. But a delta outbreak has made the government realize they’re going to have to ease lockdown restrictions, even though COVID is still around. The EU’s drug regulator gave its backing to giving booster shots of Pfizer to everyone 18 and older, saying doses “may be considered at least 6 months after the second dose.” They also support a third dose of Pfizer or Moderna for those with severely weakened immune systems at least 28 days after their second shot. Johnson & Johnson is reportedly going to ask the FDA this week to authorize a booster of its vaccine. A meeting of the agency’s expert advisory committee will happen on the 15th to discuss the matter. Over 15 million Americans have gotten the one dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The company says a second shot about two months after the first increased effectiveness to 94%. In another head spinning reversal, the CDC quickly removed the guidance for holiday safety that they put out a couple of days prior, saying it was old information posted in error. That explains a lot as the guidance was as severe and restrictive as for the holidays of 2020. The organization said it will be sharing updated guidance soon. Is the pandemic pushing the world into the automation revolution? Last year’s grape harvest in Italy was so bad for Mirko Cappelli’s Tuscan vineyard because he couldn’t get workers that this year, he spent $98,000 on a grape-picking robot. And he’s not alone. Vintners have been slow to adopt automation because of worry it might damage the grapes. Some European regions even ban machine harvesting. But the tide seems to be shifting out of necessity, despite a few sour grapes.  In the United States cases were down 24%, deaths are down 12%, and hospitalizations are down 20% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 13.  There are 9,802,566 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: North Dakota 26%, Pennsylvania 17%, and Michigan, Montana, and Wyoming 13%.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Kodiak Island Borough, AK. DeWitt, TX. Bethel Census Area, AK. Custer, MT. McCreary, KY. Green, KY. Morton, ND. Big Horn, WY. Stark, ND. And Wadena, MN. There have been at least 703,278 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 69.6%, Connecticut at 69%, and Maine at 68.7%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia at 40.5%, Wyoming at 41.7%, and Idaho at 41.9%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 55.9%. The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: There were only three with increases. Panama, South America, and Oceana all up 2%.  Globally, cases were down 19% and deaths were down 15% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 27.  There are 18,115,500 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 72,947. The U.K. 35,077. Turkey 28,810. Russia 25,781. And India 16,762.  There have been at least 4,808,399 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for October 4th, 2021. More pressure on vaccinated citizens in Israel to go ahead and get their booster shot. Only those who do will be eligible for the "green pass" needed to get into restaurants, gyms, and other venues. They started giving boosters to everyone 12 and up at the end of August. For some unexplained reason, places like museums and libraries are exempt from the green pass requirement. Still a rough go of it in Russia. That country yesterday reported a record daily death toll from COVID for the fifth time in a week. 890 more deaths and the number of new infections in the past day was the second highest of the year. Overall, Russia has Europe's highest death toll, nearly 210,000 people. Happy holidays from your friends at the CDC. They issued new guidelines for how you should decrease the risk of infection or transmission during the upcoming holiday season. They suggest outdoor or virtual celebrations only, staying 6 feet away from each other, wearing a mask at all times if unvaccinated, putting fans in open windows to keep air circulating, and no traveling unless fully vaccinated and masked on public transportation. Kinda makes you feel all warm inside.  Another story about just how determined anti-vaxxers are to avoid vaccines at all costs. A woman recounted on Twitter how her 52-year-old unvaccinated husband wound up in ICU with a ventilator and ECMO from severe COVID. He needed a blood transfusion, but she wouldn’t allow it for fear he’d get vaccinated blood. Well, he died, but she says it wasn’t because he was unvaccinated. It’s hard to believe since many of us are surrounded by them every day, but COVID has created a clown shortage. It’s particularly bad in Northern Ireland because many circus clowns went back to their home countries after the initial lockdown. Others found work in countries with more relaxed restrictions. Big recruiting drives for new clowns are underway but applicants have big shoes to fill. I said they have big shoes to fill.  In the United States cases were down 27%, deaths are down 6%, and hospitalizations are down 17% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 13.  There are 9,860,357 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: North Dakota 21%, Pennsylvania 19%, Montana 17%, Maine 16%,and West Virginia 13%.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Kodiak Island Borough, AK. Green, KY. McCreary, KY. Waynesboro, VA. Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK. Fairbanks North Star Borough, AK. Bethel Census Area, AK. Custer, MT. Lewis, WV. And Harlan, KY.  The number of deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related has crossed over 700,000, at at least 701,169. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 69.5%, Connecticut at 68.7%, and Maine unchanged at 68.5%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia still unchanged at 40.4%, and Wyoming and Idaho at 41.6%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 55.6%. The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: South Korea up 2%. And Finland, Argentina, Australia, and Azerbaijan 1%.  Globally, cases were down 18% and deaths were down 11% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 27.  There are 18,321,109 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The U.K. 30,439. Turkey 27,351. The United States 26,933. Russia 25,769. And India 21,684.  The number of deaths reported as... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for October 1st, 2021. Time to get your vaccine. We’re not talking about your COVID vaccine although you’re supposed to get that too. It’s also flu shot time. And yes, health experts are very worried that there’s plenty of vaccine fatigue out there which could result in an atypical drop in the number of people getting their flu shots. It also could be a hard sell because flu cases are at historically low levels, at least partly because of the pandemic.  You might think the vast majority of Americans are of one mind and in favor of vaccine mandates, but an AP poll shows that’s not the case. In fact, as we so often are these days, the country is split almost 50/50 on the issue. 51% approve, 34% disapprove and 14% haven’t formed an opinion yet. Even 23% of people who have been vaccinated are against mandates. As for how mandates by employers are working, United Airlines say of the employees facing firing for not accepting the vaccine shots, almost half eventually submitted. That leaves only about 320 employees to fire. Delta’s trying another tactic, charging unvaccinated workers an extra $200 a month on their health plans. We thought we’d go ahead and answer this question before you ask it. Are you considered fully vaccinated so you can work and travel and go shopping if you do not get a booster shot? The CDC says yes, you're fully vaccinated two weeks after getting a second dose of Pfizer or Moderna or one dose of Johnson & Johnson. Boosters are recommended for people 65 and over, long-term care residents, and those 50 to 64 with health problems like diabetes or heart disease if they got their last Pfizer shot at least six months ago. People who got Moderna and J&J aren't even eligible for boosters yet. In the Broadway show, Aladdin sings about a whole new world and that’s obviously what we’re living in. Because that show was cancelled Wednesday when several of the company’s members tested positive. They had just reopened the show the day before.   In the United States cases were down 26%, deaths are up 2%, and hospitalizations are down 17% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 13.  There are 9,875,879 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Maine 21%, Vermont 20%, and Montana, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia 18%.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Kodiak Island Borough, AK. Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK. Fairbanks North Star Borough, AK. Green, KY. Cleburne, AL. Lewis, WV. Kenai Peninsula Borough, AK. Letcher, KY. Whitley, KY. And Waynesboro, VA. There have been at least 697,832 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont unchanged at 69.4%, Connecticut unchanged at 68.6%, and Maine at 68.5%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia still unchanged at 40.4%, and Wyoming and Idaho at 41.5%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 55.5%. The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Taiwan up 4%. Ethiopia 3%. And South Korea, Australia, and Indonesia 2%.  Globally, cases were down 17% and deaths were down 13% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 27.  There are 18,404,118 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 113,922. The U.K. 36,480. Turkey 29,104. Brazil 27,527. And India 27,300.  There have now been at least 4,781,886 deaths reported as Covid-related... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for September 30th, 2021. YouTube had already censored videos containing what they deemed was vaccine misinformation. Now it’s gone an extra step and is censoring any video expressing any opinion about vaccines that suggest there are any possible health consequences to getting vaccinated. The 1996 Communications Decency Act that protects YouTube from liability claims is based on the notion the platform is merely a host and has no editorial role in what does and doesn’t go on the platform.  Fans of mandates will be happy to hear AT&T will mandate vaccines for its employees in the Communications Workers of America union. They’ve got until February 1 to be fully vaccinated. CWA represents about 90,000 AT&T workers, and the company has about 230,000 employees. Not only does the CDC say the vaccines do not negatively affect pregnancies or fertility, it issued its strongest guidance yet yesterday urging pregnant women to be vaccinated. More than a quarter million cases in pregnant women have been reported, 22,000 of whom were hospitalized. 161 pregnant women have died of Covid, with 22 deaths in August alone. Yet less than a third of pregnant women have been vaccinated. A new AP poll shows being vaccinated isn’t giving older Americans much comfort. In fact, they’re far more worried about COVID than their unvaccinated counterparts and despite being vaccinated are more likely to self-isolate. They’re also less likely to rate their quality of life, mental and emotional health, and social activities and relationships as excellent or very good. If you want total control of the population and a zero tolerance COVID policy, China’s showing us what that looks like. A woman was infected, so she went into isolation, leaving food and water for her three pet cats. An official came in and tested the cats, they tested positive, so they killed them all. The CDC says the risk of animals spreading the virus is low, plus the cats were confined to the apartment.   In the United States cases were down 26%, deaths are up 7%, and hospitalizations are down 16% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 13.  There are 9,850,841 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Vermont up 28%, Maine 21%, Montana 20%, Pennsylvania 19%, and West Virginia and North Dakota 18%.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Kodiak Island Borough, AK. Cleburne, AL. Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK. Fairbanks North Star Borough, AK. Green, KY. Whitley, KY. Letcher, KY. Lewis, WV. Kenai Peninsula Borough, AK. And Knox, KY. There have been at least 695,041 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 69.4%, Connecticut at 68.6%, and Maine at 68.4%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia unchanged at 40.4%, Wyoming at 41.4%, and Idaho at 41.5%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 55.8%. The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: The Philippines up 16%. Jamaica 4%. Taiwan 3%. And Oceana and New Zealand 2%.  Globally, cases were down 17% and deaths were down 11% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 27.  There are 18,392,504 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 123,276. The U.K. 36,722. Turkey 29,386. India 23,139. And Russia 22,430.  There have now been at least 4,772,958 deaths reported as Covid-related... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for September 29th, 2021. Pfizer has given the FDA research on the effectiveness of its vaccine in kids 5-11, but those shots may not come until November. First, Pfizer has to file its application, then U.S. regulators and public health officials review and consult with advisory committees. And all that takes time.  Russia reported its highest Covid death toll in a single day yesterday with 852 coronavirus-related deaths in the past 24 hours. The Kremlin acknowledged some regions had seen an increase in cases. Less than 50 million Russians having received a first dose of a vaccine even though the country was first in the world to approve one. We should be cherishing healthcare workers but instead they’re being attacked. So much so that they’ll be issued panic buttons. This has happened in a Branson, Missouri hospital where assaults on workers tripled since the pandemic hit. Pushing the button immediately alerts security. Similar increases in hospital assaults have been reported around the country.  An updated study on what the main reason was people who were previously reluctant to get vaccinated wound up changing their mind from the Kaiser Family Foundation. The top reasons, in order, were, someone they knew personally got sick or died, vaccines were required to participate in a desired activity, concerns about overwhelmed hospitals, the surge of cases due to Delta, and it was required as a condition of employment.  He’s one of the biggest, most well-known celebrities on the planet. So NBA superstar LeBron James might be able to inspire people to get vaccinated. But he won’t. After months of initial reluctance, he confirmed yesterday he did get the vaccine. But he’s not going to tell anyone else to do so, saying, "I don't feel I should get involved in what other people should do for their bodies and livelihoods.” In the United States cases were down 33%, deaths are up 12%, and hospitalizations are down 16% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 13.  There are 9,822,645 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest number of daily deaths per capita are Alabama, Alaska, Florida, South Carolina, and Oklahoma.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK. Cleburne, AL. Kodiak Island Borough, AK. Fairbanks North Star Borough, AK. Lewis, WV. Whitley, KY. Green, KY. Custer, MT. Letcher, KY. And Magoffin, KY. There have been at least 692,511 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated were all unchanged: Vermont at 69.3%, Connecticut at 68.5%, and Maine at 68.2%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia at 40.4%, Wyoming unchanged at 41.2%, and Idaho unchanged at 41.4%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 55.4%. The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: South Korea and Taiwan up 3%. And Oceana, Nepal, and India 2%.   Globally, cases were down 20% and deaths were down 10% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 27.  There are 18,415,997 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 105,633. The U.K. 34,526. Turkey 28,892. India 21,901. And Russia 21,559.  There have now been at least 4,763,415 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for September 28th, 2021. The U.S. President sought to lead by example as he received his booster shot on camera just one workday after the CDC and FDA recommended a third dose of Pfizer. You’re qualified to get one if you have pre-existing medical conditions, high-risk work environments, or are 65 and older. Let’s just say the President qualified. Pfizer started a large study testing its oral antiviral drug to prevent COVID-19 infection among those who’ve been exposed. They’re in a battle with Merck and Roche to get there first. The drug is designed to block a key enzyme needed for the virus to multiply and will be combined with a low dose of an older medication widely used as part of treatment for HIV. A Massachusetts police union announced that not a couple, not a few, but dozens of state troopers have quit over a vaccine mandate for state workers. A judge threw out a lawsuit filed by the State Police Association of Massachusetts that sought to at least delay the mandate. While cases are trending down, for many, the damage has already been done. And we’re not talking about long COVID. A study out of Oxford shows American males experienced the largest loss in life expectancy in 2020, which shaved 2.2 years off their lifespans. Black and Hispanic groups saw the greatest dip in life expectancy. Some scientists are studying a type of antibody derived from llamas as a possible treatment for COVID. Actually any member of the camelid family, like camels, llamas, and alpacas, will do and produce unique antibodies called nanobodies that are robust and bind to specific targets. The llama they’re studying is named Fifi, just so if it works you’ll know who to thank. In the United States cases were down 33%, deaths are up 12%, and hospitalizations are down 16% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 13.  There are 9,840,573 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in per capita hospitalizations over 14 days are Vermont at 35%, Maine 22%, Montana 21%, West Virginia 20%. And Pennsylvania and North Dakota 19%. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AL. Cleburne, AL. Kodiak Island Borough, AK. Fairbanks North Star Borough, AK. Lewis, WV. Whitley, KY. Green, KY. Custer, MT. Letcher, KY. And Magoffin, KY. There have been at least 690,426 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 69.3%, Connecticut at 68.5%, and Maine at 68.2%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia at 40.3%, Wyoming at 41.2%, and Idaho at 41.4%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 55.3%. The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Georgia, Kosovo, Oceana, Bangladesh, and Ethiopia all up 2%.  Globally, cases were down 22% and deaths were down 12% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 27. There are 18,519,283 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 81,550. The U.K. 32,258. India 27,022. Turkey 25,861. And Russia 22,498. There have now been at least 4,755,749 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for September 27th, 2021. Health officials in the U.S. say supply isn’t a problem. There are more than 40 million doses of vaccines available, so that’s enough to give qualified older Americans boosters and the first rounds for young children when the vaccine is approved for them. More than 70 million Americans remain unvaccinated. Breakthrough cases in the vaccinated are still rare but growing less rare. In fact, experts expect them to be even more common in the near future, saying most people will become infected at some point in their lives. But the appeal is still that vaccines will help keep cases from being severe. The CDC’s latest data found unvaccinated people are 10 times more likely to be hospitalized from the virus. So if healthcare workers keep quitting, some of them because of vaccine mandates, who’ll take care of patients? In New York, the possible answer is The National Guard. They’re looking into that, as well as bringing in professionals from other states and countries, and reactivating retired nurses. Some 16% of the state’s hospital staff have not been fully vaccinated. In California, first responders also remain disproportionately reluctant to get vaccinated. Public health officials have identified more than 200 outbreaks at police or fire agencies throughout Los Angeles County since the start of the pandemic. Vaccination rates for LAPD an LAFD employees generally lag behind the 68% of eligible county residents who’ve gotten their shots. Also, lots of vaccine reluctance in the NBA, a league that’s trying to figure out what to do about it. There are 10% or so of players that are still holding out. And that doesn’t make basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar too happy. He says “there’s no room for players” who pass on the vaccine. And as influencers, he says they’re “failing to live up to the responsibilities that come with celebrity.”  In the United States cases were down 18%, deaths are up 23%, and hospitalizations are down 15% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 13.  There are 9,858,405 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in per capita hospitalizations over 14 days are Vermont at 45%, Montana 24%, Maine 23%. West Virginia 21%. And Pennsylvania and North Dakota 20%. Vermont and Maine are among the most fully vaccinated states.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Cleburne, AL. Whitley, KY. Magoffin, KY. Custer, MT. Braxton, WV. Kodiak Island Borough, AK. Lewis, WV. Russell, KY. Big Horn, WY. And Harlan, KY.  There have been at least 688,032 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont unchanged at 69.1%, Connecticut at 68.2%, and Maine at 68%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia still unchanged at 40.2%, Wyoming at 41%, and Idaho at 41.1%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 55%. The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Australia and St. Lucia up 2%, and Azerbaijan, Australia, and Oceana 1%.   Globally, cases were down 16% and deaths were down 10% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 27.  There are 18,614,780 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The U.K. 32,417. India 27,022. Turkey 25,861. The United States 24,343. And Russia 22,498.  There have now been at least 4,747,726 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for September 24th, 2021. A CDC advisory panel recommended a booster shot of the Pfizer vaccine for Americans 65 and older and some adults with underlying medical conditions that put them at risk of severe disease. What it declined to do was recommend boosters for younger adults, including healthcare workers, who live or work in places with high risk of contracting COVID-19. Boy we hope this is true. The creator of the AstraZeneca vaccine says COVID-19 is unlikely to mutate into a deadlier variant and will eventually end up like the common cold. Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert said viruses tend to “become less virulent as they circulate” through the population. She also points out we already live with four different human coronaviruses and this one will become just another. No choice this time. All Team USA athletes and staff will need to be fully vaccinated to compete at the Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Beijing that kick off in February 2022. Proof must be submitted by December 1 and the Olympic Committee added booster shots “may be required in the future.”  England’s Covid travel rules aren’t exactly winning raves. The country is refusing to recognize vaccines administered across Latin America, Africa, and south Asia. Critics call it illogical and discriminatory. Those without recognized vaccines will be considered “not fully vaccinated” and made to quarantine 10 days on arrival from amber list countries. It was a joke. “Hey maybe some people will hold COVID parties to deliberately infect themselves like people used to do for their kids with chicken pox.” But now it’s not a joke, because a group of people in Alberta, Canada actually did it. Well, it worked, several attendees are now in the hospital, some in ICU. The Health Minister said it’s irresponsible and puts the health care system under “unprecedented pressure.” In the United States cases were down 12%, deaths are up 35%, and hospitalizations are down 10% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 13.  There are 9,795,988 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in per capita hospitalizations over 14 days are Vermont at 51%, Idaho 33%, Montana 29%, Ohio 27%, and West Virginia 25%.   The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Andrews, TX. Russell, KY. Lewis, WV. Whitley, KY. Harlan, KY. Knox, KY. Braxton, WV. Perry, KY. Scott, TN. And McCreary, KY.  There have been at least 684,286 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 69.1%, Connecticut at 68.1%, and Maine at 67.9%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia still unchanged at 40.2%, Wyoming at 40.9%, and Idaho at 41%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 54.9%. The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Ethiopia up 24%, the Philippines 22%, Taiwan 6%, and Thailand and Palestine 3%. Globally, cases were down 12% and deaths were down 8% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 27.  There are 18,590,619 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 127,463. The U.K. 36,710. India 31,458. Turkey 27,844. And Brazil 24,611.  There have now been at least 4,727,498 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for September 23rd, 2021.A story for you optimists out there. An analysis by a consortium of researchers advising the CDC indicates the Delta surge looks like it’s peaking. Which means cases and deaths should decline steadily now through the spring as long as there’s not a big winter surge. The analysis was made by combining nine different mathematical models from different research groups. The optimistic model for the next six months also assumes a new and dangerous variant won’t take hold. But the R.1 variant, which originated in Japan, has been identified at a Kentucky nursing home where it infected 45 residents and workers, many of whom were vaccinated. It has mutations that can improve “transmission, replication, and immune suppression.” The FDA gave the okay for extra shots of Pfizer vaccine for seniors and others at high risk. And it’s a little amazing the FDA is functioning as well as it is, because there is no permanent head of that agency. 10 months after the election, the current administration has yet to name one. Public health experts are baffled why this would be the case given the situation we’re in and insiders say staff at the agency is demoralized. The kids are in school, but when it comes to teachers and school staff, there are desperate shortages nationwide. Notes are going to parents saying, “we’re hiring,” Principals are filling in as crossing guards, and of course, schools are moving back to online learning. COVID-19 has triggered a spike in retirements and resignations, for any number of reasons.  Maybe those teachers are home drinking. Even though we hear so many people kvetching about the possible temporary side effects of getting vaccinated, they don’t seem worried about pickling their bodies with alcohol. A new Harris Poll shows nearly 1 in 5 Americans is consuming an unhealthy amount of alcohol. If you don’t know if you’re a heavy drinker or not, it’s defined as two heavy drinking days in a single week at least twice in the previous 30 days. And a "heavy drinking day" is four or more drinks for women and five or more drinks for men. In the United States cases were down 12%, deaths are up 36%, and hospitalizations are down 9% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 13.  There are 9,757,275 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in per capita hospitalizations over 14 days are Vermont at 52%, Idaho 34%, Montana 33%, Ohio 31%, and West Virginia 28%.   The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Andrews, TX. Russell, KY. Knox, KY. Perry, KY. Lewis, WV. Braxton, WV. Whitley, KY. McCreary, KY. Rockcastle, KY. And Scott, TN.  There have been at least 681,111 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont unchanged at 69%, Connecticut at 68%, and Maine at 67.8%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia unchanged at 40.2%, Wyoming at 40.8%, and Idaho at 40.9%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 54.8%. The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Kosovo up 3%, and Brazil, Australia, Oceana, and New Zealand 2%.   Globally, cases were down 16% and deaths were down 13% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 27.  There are 18,574,248 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 133,620. Brazil 36,473. The U.K. 34,460. India 31,957. And Turkey 28,168.   There have now been at least... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for September 22nd, 2021.There are approximately 71 million unvaccinated Americans. And COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. have climbed to an average of more than 1,900 a day for the first time since early March. Many hospitals are full and health care workers demoralized, with patients dying and disbelief about the virus continuing. Dr. William Moss of Johns Hopkins said, “I think this is a failure of society.”Almost 400 Novant Health employees in North Carolina aren’t overworked anymore. They’ve been suspended after failing to comply with the hospital system’s vaccination program. Those who got their first vaccine of Pfizer or Moderna have until October 15 to get the second, or they’re gone too.People who got the Johnson & Johnson booster shot are better protected, and for a longer period of time, according to their own latest trial results. The one-dose vaccine has been found to be 72% protective against severe cases in the U.S. But get a second shot two months later and that protection goes up to 94%.Two big retail groups have asked the Biden administration for at least a 90-day heads up before imposing new rules that’ll require employees at bigger companies to be vaccinated or submit to regular testing. The groups represent brands like Walmart, CVS, Target, and Home Depot and said "there could be as many as 4 million workers who may need to be tested weekly," and they need time and guidance to figure out how that gets done. He’s one of the most famous filmmakers you don’t know, and he has died from COVID. His name is George Holliday. He was actually a plumber in Los Angeles. But it was he who shot the grainy video of four white police officers beating black motorist Rodney King back in 1991, an incident which later sparked massive riots. He was 61 and had been fighting COVID in the hospital for over a month. In the United States cases were up 4%, deaths are up 51%, and hospitalizations are down 8% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 13.  There are 9,715,410 active cases in the United States.With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in per capita hospitalizations over 14 days are Vermont, the number one most vaccinated state in the United States at 44%, Montana 35%, Idaho 34%, Ohio 32%, and West Virginia 30%.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Russell, KY. McCreary, KY. Andrews, TX. Scott, TN. Lewis, WV. Green, KY. Knox, KY. Braxton, WV. Whitley, KY. And Perry, KY. There have been at least 678,405 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 69%, Connecticut at 67.9%, and Maine unchanged at 67.5%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia at 40.2%, Wyoming unchanged at 40.6%, and Idaho unchanged at 40.8%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 54.7%.The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Pakistan, Oceana, Georgia, Bangladesh, and India all up 2%.  Globally, cases were down 9% and deaths were down 7% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 27. There are 18,561,770 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 120,579. The U.K. 31,564. Turkey 29,338. India 27,333. And Russia 19,179.   There have now been at least 4,707,662 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for September 21st, 2021.It is now official, at least according to the numbers from Johns Hopkins, COVID-19 has now killed as many Americans as the 1918-19 Spanish flu. 675,000 Americans died during the 1918 pandemic, in waves that played out over about two years. But back then there were no vaccines. It wasn’t until the 30s researchers even understood influenza was caused by a virus and not a bacterium.Finally, some much needed good news for travel and tourism. The U.S. said it will allow foreigners to fly into the country this fall if they have vaccination proof and a negative COVID-19 test. That replaces a hodgepodge of rules that kept out non-citizens from countries that frankly, are doing better than the U.S. in containing outbreaks.The school mask fight may soon switch to a vaccine for kids fight. Pfizer said its vaccine works for children 5 to 11 and it will seek U.S. authorization for this age group soon. For elementary school-aged kids, Pfizer tested a much lower dose — a third of the amount that’s in each shot given now. But after the second dose, the kids developed coronavirus-fighting antibody levels equal to that of teens and young adults getting regular-strength shots. Pfizer says the kid dosage also proved safe.Someone just got COVID in American Samoa. That’s newsworthy because, it was their very first case. And even then it was a traveler from Hawaii. Believe it or not there are still countries and territories, mostly islands, that have yet to experience one case of COVID, including the Cook Islands, Saint Helena, the Federated States of Micronesia, Tonga, Tuvalu, and the Pitcairn Islands. Mostly the kinds of places where Survivor is filmed.  No special treatment for the president of Brazil. He’s against vaccinations and would not get vaccinated before attending this week's UN General Assembly in New York. Therefore, he was not allowed inside a New York City restaurant and was told he’d have to eat his pizza slice outside. Which he did. In the United States cases were down 8%, deaths are up 29%, and hospitalizations are down 8% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 13.  There are 9,748,413 active cases in the United States.With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest daily number of deaths per capita are Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Idaho, and West Virginia.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Knox, KY. Russell, KY. Scott, TN. Andrews, TX. Rockcastle, KY. Lewis, WV. Powell, KY. Perry, KY. Whitley, KY. And Lincoln, MT. There have been at least 676,059 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 68.9%, Connecticut at 67.7%, and Maine at 67.5%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia at 40.1%, Wyoming at 40.6%, and Idaho at 40.8%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 54.6%.The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Ethiopia up 4%. Kosovo 3%. And Oceana, Thailand, and India 2%.  Globally, cases were down 12% and deaths were down 8% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 27. There are 18,639,928 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 85,913. The U.K. 36,100. Turkey 27,688. India 24,925. And Russia 19,744.   There have now been at least 4,699,187 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for September 20th, 2021.Many are trying to get religious exemptions from the vaccine right now. But religious leaders are saying, we don’t agree with you. Leaders of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America said there’s no exemption for them for religious reasons. The Evangelical Lutheran Church said “there’s no evident basis for religious exemption.” The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York said any priest issuing an exemption letter would be “acting in contradiction” to statements from the Pope. The influential, politically involved Rev. Robert Jeffress of First Baptist megachurch in Dallas said they “are not encouraging members to seek religious exemptions because there’s no credible religious argument against the vaccines. And the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also doesn’t provide religious exemptions for its members. Some good news around hospitalizations in some areas. The LA County Department of Public Health said they had a decrease of close to 100 people from last week’s hospitalization number. And in Florida they had 417 fewer patients from Saturday to Sunday. COVID patients are occupying 15.9% of inpatient beds.A startling statistic out of Alabama. The state had more people die last year during the onset of the pandemic than were born. That means 2020 will be the first year in the history of the state with more deaths than births.They really aren’t talked about much, the sufferers of long COVID. A study published in the CDC Mortality and Morbidity Weekly Report showed about a third of COVID survivors still had health problems two months later. Long Covid can encompass a wide variety of symptoms and there’s not enough research on who might be more likely to suffer from it.Comedian Chris Rock announced he tested positive for Covid-19. The 56-year-old, who was vaccinated with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, wrote, “Trust me you don’t want this.”In the United States cases were down 8%, deaths are up 29%, and hospitalizations are down 8% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 13.  There are 9,705,031 active cases in the United States.With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations over 14 days are Vermont and Montana up 38%, Idaho and Ohio 33%, and West Virginia 31%.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Knox, KY. Russell, KY. Scott, TN. Andrews, TX. Rockcastle, KY. Lewis, WV. Powell, KY. Perry, KY. Whitley, KY. And Lincoln, MT. There have been at least 673,763 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 68.8%, Connecticut at 67.5%, and Maine at 67.2%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia again unchanged at 40%, Wyoming at 40.4%, and Idaho at 40.5%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 54.2%.The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: India up 4%. Kosovo 3%. Australia 2%. And Argentina and Oceana 1%.  Globally, cases were down 14% and deaths were down 10% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 27. There are 18,674,573 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 32,731. India 30,809. The U.K. 29,612. Turkey 26,398. And Russia 20,174.   There have now been at least 4,691,081 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for September 17th, 2021. Idaho public health leaders yesterday expanded health care rationing statewide. Individual hospital systems in Alaska and Montana have also implemented rationing policies. Increases in COVID-19 patients are exhausting medical resources so those resources are allocated to those most likely to survive. A government watchdog says the Department of Homeland Security must improve its COVID-19 response at the U.S.-Mexico border. Customs and Border Patrol says they don’t have the resources to test symptomatic migrants and has been relying on local public health systems and nongovernmental organizations to handle things. No, vaccine refusal is not just an American conservative thing. France's health minister said 3,000 health care workers across the country have been suspended without pay for refusing to get vaccinated. The deadline was September 15. France has recently seen mass demonstrations opposing the government's vaccine policies. We’ll see if that also happens in Italy. A measure was approved yesterday that applies to all public and private-sector workers and will come into force Oct. 15 that deploys Green Pass requirements. Workers face fines of up to $1,700 and employers who don’t check their workers will also be fined. The new Green Pass mandate will affect about 18 million people. But Italy’s full vaccination rate is already a very high 75%. It's one health condition causing another. A new study ties the pandemic to an “alarming” increase in obesity in U.S. children and teenagers. That speeds up a problem that was already happening, but now the increase is called profound. The sad irony being the pandemic seems to be increasing obesity, and in turn obesity puts people at risk for more severe cases of COVID. In the United States cases were down 9%, deaths are up 29%, and hospitalizations are down 5% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 13.  There are 9,597,842 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations over 14 days are Montana up 47%, Ohio 39%, West Virginia 31%, And Idaho and Alaska 29%.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Knox, KY. Monroe, KY. Powell, KY. Perry, KY. Rockcastle, KY. Russell, KY. Humboldt, NV. Wyoming, WV. Whitley, KY. And Lincoln, MT. There have been at least 669,996 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont again unchanged at 68.7%, Connecticut unchanged at 67.3%, and Maine at 67.1%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia unchanged at 40%, Wyoming at 40.3%, and Idaho at 40.4%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 54.1%. The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Taiwan up 16%. Kosovo and Thailand 4%. And Africa and Nepal 3%.  Globally, cases were down 17% and deaths were down 9% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 27. There are 18,671,978 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 151,142. India 34,649. Brazil 34,407. Turkey 28,118. And the U.K. 26,911.  There have now been at least 4,669,300 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for September 15th, 2021.The CDC released a new study that examined hospitalizations and deaths from Covid over more than three months and found the unvaccinated are more than 10 times more likely to be hospitalized and 11 times more likely to die. The study also found that as the delta variant became more widespread, protection against initial infections fell slightly.Russian President Vladimir Putin went into self-isolation after people in his inner circle became infected. He himself has reportedly tested negative and is fully vaccinated with Russia's Sputnik V. And Czech President Milos Zeman was hospitalized yesterday. His predecessor is also undergoing tests at the same hospital.With the newly released US mandates, now the courts get to be health experts, advisors, and policy makers. A federal judge has temporarily blocked the state of New York from forcing medical workers to be vaccinated. This after a group of health care workers sued because the state's mandate does not even allow for religious exemptions.Four US military branches now have deadlines for when active-duty, reserve and National Guard service members must be vaccinated. For the Army it’s December 15, with a National Guard deadline of June 30, 2022. For the Air Force it’s November 2, with Reserve personnel vaccinated by December 2. The Navy deadline is November 28 for active duty and December 28 for Reserves. And for the Marines it’s November 28 with reservists vaccinated by December 28.It’s a pattern that’s getting a lot harder to ignore. A fifth conservative radio talk show host has now died of COVID-19, with all five having died in the last six weeks. The latest was Denver’s Bob Enyart. All publicly opposed and refused to get the vaccine.In the United States cases were up 8%, deaths are up 36%, and hospitalizations are down 2% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since September 12.  There are 9,429,080 active cases in the United States.With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest number of daily deaths per capita are Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Georgia.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Perry, KY. Sequatchie, TN. White, TN. Warren, TN. McMinn, TN. Rockcastle, KY. Clay, KY. Bledsoe, TN. Monroe, TN. And Knox, KY. There have been at least 663,923 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 68.7%, Connecticut at 67.2%, and Massachusetts at 66.9%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Wyoming unchanged at 39.9%, West Virginia at 40%, and Idaho at 40.2%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 53.9%.What age groups are the most fully vaccinated in the United States? According to the Mayo Clinic it’s those 65-74 at 85.5%, then comes 75+ at 79.7%, 50-64 at 71.5%, 40-49 at 62.9%, 25-39 at 53.8%, and 18-24 at 49.6%. In other words, the younger the American, the less likely they are to be vaccinated. Globally, cases were down 11% and deaths were down 9% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 27. There are 18,657,926 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 142,059. Turkey 27,802. India 27,491. The U.K. 26,628. And Iran 22,329.   There have now been at least 4,647,792 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for September 14th, 2021.In a heartbreaking illustration of maxed out hospitals, the staff in one north Alabama hospital contacted 43 others across three states looking for a specialty cardiac ICU bed for patient Ray DeMonia. Most were full with COVID patients, which Ray was not. He wound up in Meridian, Mississippi, about 170 miles away, where he died of a cardiac event shortly after arriving.Looks like Americans are okay with government vaccination mandates. A new Morning Consult/Politico poll shows 58% support them. 62% favor encouraging states to require vaccinations for all school employees; 60% support a mandate for most health care workers with no ability to opt out through regular testing; and 56% support the same rule for most federal workers and contractors.The mantra is the vaccines help keep infections from turning into serious COVID cases. But it does happen. In fact, the Office for National Statistics in England says those who were fully vaccinated accounted for 1.2% of all deaths involving Covid-19 in England so far this year. That number is low and is actually being promoted as proof the vaccines are effective.An international group of scientists including two FDA vaccine reviewers wrote in the science journal Lancet that the average person doesn’t need a booster yet. Their review shows the shots are working well, even against Delta. The White House, which promised to “follow the science,” is continuing to follow a different science and is pressing forward with third shots as soon as later this month. The CDC says Americans should not travel to Afghanistan. Which leads to the obvious response, duh. But it’s not because of that Taliban thing. The country was added to the list of Level 4 high risk areas for COVID. Also added to the list: Belize, Grenada, Mauritius, Saint Kitts and Nevis. Pretty much anyplace tropical and beautiful you’d like to travel to, they say it’s safer for you to stay in the USA, which by the way is now 40th in vaccination rates. In the United States cases were up 8%, deaths are up 36%, and hospitalizations are down 2% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since September 12.  There are 9,396,924 active cases in the United States.With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the biggest increase in hospitalizations per capita: North Dakota 56%, Alaska 43%, Ohio and Montana 42%, And West Virginia 38%. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Perry, KY. Sequatchie, TN. White, TN. Warren, TN. McMinn, TN. Rockcastle, KY. Clay, KY. Bledsoe, TN. Monroe, TN. And Knox, KY. There have been at least 661,537 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 68.6%, Connecticut at 67.1%, and Massachusetts and Maine at 66.8%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Wyoming and West Virginia at 39.9%, and Idaho at 40.1%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 53.8%.The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Africa and Bangladesh up 3%. And Aruba, Panama, and Oceana 2% Globally, cases were down 13% and deaths were down 11% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 27. There are 18,725,144 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 109,432. The U.K. 30,825. Turkey 24,613. India 24,479. And Iran 22,541.   There have now been at least 4,638,578 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for September 13th, 2021.Guess who’s exempt from the US administration’s recently announced vaccine mandates for all federal employees and contractors? Congress, congressional staffs, and those in the federal court system. That’s because only the executive branch of government can be compelled under the executive order. Still, it creates an enormous layer of hypocrisy and suspicion that probably will not help reassure Americans the vaccines are safe and effective. Adding to that, the Speaker of the House said the House can’t make its members get the vaccine, saying quote, “Here’s the thing. We cannot require someone to be vaccinated. That's just not what we can do. It is a matter of privacy to know who is or who isn't.” Which actually underscores the point many anti-vaxxers have been making. Get ready to go to the UK and dance. Authorities in Britain will not require vaccine passports for entry into nightclubs and other crowded events in England after all. That reverses an earlier plan. The Health Minister said they might reconsider if cases rise exponentially again.Not really sure how they plan on talking the babies out of being born, but a hospital in New York plans to stop delivering them later this month because too many maternity workers resigned rather than get the vaccine. A spokesman from the hospital in Lowville said seven of the 30 people who resigned worked in maternity, and seven more are being non-committal about the vaccine. That health system’s full vaccination rate is above average at 73%.Here’s an interesting way to honor first responders around 9/11, threaten them. Mayor Bill de Blasio said they’ll stop paying police and other city workers who aren’t vaccinated. Only 53% of NYPD employees have gotten at least one dose.They aren’t anti-vaxxers with political agendas. But they won’t keep masks on or socially distance. That’s because they’re gorillas. They’re very social creatures like, you know, us. Atlanta's zoo says at least 13 western lowland gorillas tested positive, including 60-year-old Ozzie, the oldest male gorilla in captivity. They’re being treated with monoclonal antibodies. They believe the gorillas got it from a fully vaccinated, asymptomatic employee. In the United States cases were down 7%, deaths are up 27%, and hospitalizations are flat over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 2.  There are 9,303,506 active cases in the United States.With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the biggest increase in hospitalizations per capita: North Dakota 98%, Alaska 39%, Ohio and West Virginia 37%, And Montana and South Dakota 30%. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Perry, KY. White, TN. Clay, KY. Stephens, OK. Whitley, KY. Warren, TN. Russell, KY. Sequatchie, TN. Grayson, KY. And Rockcastle, KY. There have been at least 659,942 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 68.4%, Connecticut at 66.8%, and Massachusetts at 66.6%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 39.6%, Wyoming at 39.7%, and Idaho at 39.8%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 53.4%.The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Sri Lanka, Panama, Argentina, Brazil, and Australia all up 2%.Globally, cases were down 18% and deaths were down 13% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 27. There are 18,788,871 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 35,450. India 31,374.... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for September 10th, 2021.In the U.S., the administration announced new steps, including mandates to tackle the pandemic. Those steps include mandating vaccines for federal workers, contractors and certain health care workers, mandates for employees at companies with 100 or more workers to be vaccinated or tested weekly, and a recommendation large venues require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test. The Los Angeles board of education voted to mandate students 12 and older be vaccinated in order to be allowed to come to school. The Los Angeles Unified School District, which has more than 600,000 mostly Latino students, already tests all students and employees weekly, requires masking indoors and outdoors, and has ordered employees to be vaccinated. If we want to know what happens when you vaccinate even younger kids, we can watch Cuba. That government has begun to vaccinate children as young as two. They are using Cuban vaccines and say it’s safe for young children but have provided little data to outside observers to confirm this. If you think the pandemic hasn’t been confusing enough, throw this into the mix. The CDC changed the definitions of vaccine and vaccinated. The changes mostly involve backing away from the word “immunity” and saying it offers “protection,” so as not to raise expectations. A CDC spokesperson said changing the words of a definition doesn’t change the definition.Here’s some good news considering it’s never healthy to hold it in. Peer-reviewed research has found public toilets pose little risk of catching the virus. No evidence of airborne transmission for pathogens was found there. Yes, there was some risk of aerosolization from flushing and those hand blowers, but nothing that increased the chances of transmission.In the United States cases were down 2%, deaths are up 32%, and hospitalizations are up 3% over 14 days. Keep in mind this week’s statistics are affected by changes in reporting over the Labor Day holiday. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 2.  There are 9,141,650 active cases in the United States.With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the biggest increase in hospitalizations per capita: North Dakota 106%, South Dakota 64%, West Virginia 49%, Alaska 39%, and Virginia and Ohio 38%. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Perry, KY. Rusk, TX. Russell, KY. Taylor, FL. Clay, KY. Dorchester, SC. Nolan, TX. Hendry, FL. Sequatchie, TN. And Monroe, TN. There have been at least 654,576 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont unchanged at 68.3%, Connecticut at 66.7%, and Massachusetts and Maine at 66.5%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 39.5%, and Wyoming and Mississippi at 39.6%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 53.3%.The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Bangladesh up 31%. Vietnam 9%. Thailand 4%. Sri Lanka 3%. And Argentina 2%.Globally, cases were down 11% and deaths were down 9% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 27. There are 18,792,324 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 157,827. India 43,406. The U.K. 38,797. Iran 26,854. And Turkey 23,914.  There have now been at least 4,604,426 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for September 9th, 2021.The World Health Organization is again calling for a moratorium on booster shots, saying rich countries with large supplies should not offer shots through the end of the year so first doses can go to poorer countries. So far that request has been ignored by countries like the United States. The Director General added, “We do not want to see widespread use of boosters for healthy people who are fully vaccinated."Novavax has initiated an early-stage study to test a combined flu and COVID-19 vaccine. The trial will be conducted in Australia. A spokesman said, "Combination of these two vaccines may lead to greater efficiencies and achieve high levels of protection against COVID-19 and influenza with a single regimen.”Some good news for young adult COVID survivors. Research presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress shows the disease doesn’t appear to have affected lung function. Even patients with asthma showed no statistically significant deterioration. The investigators measured the volume of air in the lungs that can be exhaled after a taking the deepest breath possible and a ratio that’s an indicator of narrowed airways. An analysis shows the pace of new vaccinations in rural America increased for the fourth consecutive week last week. Rural counties reported just over 318,000 rural Americans completed their vaccine regimen last week. That’s 9% higher than the number who were newly vaccinated two weeks ago. 39% of the total rural population is completely vaccinated, up 0.7 percentage points from two weeks ago. Another country has decided it’s going to have to learn to live with COVID and is preparing to do just that. South Korea’s working up a plan on returning life to normal by late October, when 80% of adults are expected to be fully vaccinated. The strategy will be implemented in phases.In the United States cases were up 1%, deaths are up 34%, and hospitalizations are up 4% over 14 days. Keep in mind this week’s statistics are affected by changes in reporting over the Labor Day holiday. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are 9,058,897 active cases in the United States.With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the biggest daily volume of deaths per capita: Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, the US Virgin Islands, and South Carolina. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Perry, KY. Rusk, TX. Dorchester, SC. Sequatchie, TN. Monroe, TN. Taylor, FL. Clay, KY. Marion, TN. Richland, LA. And Hendry, FL. There have been at least 652,647 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 68.3%, Connecticut at 66.6%, and Massachusetts at 66.5%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Wyoming unchanged at 39.3%, Alabama at 39.4%, and Mississippi at 39.6%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 53.2%.The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Georgia and Thailand up 4%. And Sri Lanka, Argentina, and Bangladesh 3%.Globally, cases were down 9% and deaths were down 5% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 27. There are 18,876,631 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 115,776. India 38,130. The U.K. 37,326. Iran 27,138. And Turkey 23,638.  There have now been at least 4,594,805 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for September 8th, 2021.Idaho public health leaders have activated “crisis standards of care.” That lets hospitals in the northern part of the state ration health care since there are more patients than they can handle. Residents have been warned they may not get the care they’d normally expect if they need to be hospitalized. Hawaii’s Governor signed an order last week releasing hospitals and health care workers from liability if they must ration health care.Who wouldn’t want “super immunity”? A series of studies has found some people mount an extraordinarily powerful immune response against the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Their bodies produce very high levels of antibodies and make antibodies with great flexibility that can fight off current and future variants. Who’s most likely to achieve such a thing? People who were infected in 2020 then immunized with mRNA vaccines in 2021. Reports say "those people have amazing responses to the vaccine." It's question and answer time. What are the chances you’ll get COVID-19 if you’re fully vaccinated? According to new data reported by the New York Times, it’s 1 in 5,000. What are the chances you’ll be hospitalized from COVID if you’re fully vaccinated? The same report suggests that number is 1 in every 1 million.Malaysia will be the first country to declare Covid-19 an endemic as opposed to a pandemic. This change will happen around the end of October. Covid would be endemic when the virus that causes the disease becomes permanent in the community and keeps circulating among the population. Other endemics include flu, dengue, and malaria.  An ABC News poll asked unvaccinated workers whose employers haven’t imposed a vaccine mandate yet what they’d do if it became mandatory. 16% would get vaccinated, 35% would ask for a medical or religious exemption and 42% would quit. Asked what they’d do if they couldn’t get an exemption, the number who would quit goes up to an astonishing 72%. In the United States cases were flat, deaths are up 34%, and hospitalizations are up 4% over 14 days. Keep in mind this week’s statistics are affected by changes in reporting over the Labor Day holiday. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are once again over 9 million active cases in the United States, at 9,015,387.With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the biggest 14-day increase in hospitalizations: North Dakota up 103%. South Dakota 72%. West Virginia 47%. Maine 38%. And Wyoming and Virginia 37%. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Perry, KY. Rusk, TX. Dorchester, SC. Sequatchie, TN. Monroe, TN. Taylor, FL. Clay, KY. Marion, TN. Richland, LA. And Hendry, FL. There have been at least 650,511 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated was not updated and remain: Vermont at 68.1%, Connecticut at 66.4%, and Massachusetts at 66.3%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 39.1%, Wyoming at 39.3%, and Idaho at 39.5%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 53%.The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Vietnam, Guatemala, and South Korea up 4%. And Pakistan and Morocco 3%.Globally, cases were down 11% and deaths were down 8% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 27. There are 18,888,092 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 114,626. The U.K. 41,088. India 30,184. Iran 27,579. And the Philippines 22,380.  There have now been... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for September 7th, 2021.  Like healthcare workers, they are most at risk. And like many healthcare workers, they are reluctant to get the vaccine. No national statistics show the vaccination rate for America's entire population of first responders, but police and fire departments report figures far below the national rate of adults who have had at least one dose. Increasingly, mandates are putting jobs at risk for refusal to take the shots. You really have to wonder what’s going on behind the scenes. Now, the CDC says masks are no longer required indoors or outdoors in most settings if you’re fully vaccinated. The news came as a shock after a steady drumbeat of guidance that the fully vaccinated can get Covid, spread Covid, and host new variants of Covid. Regardless, the White House is promoting the new guidance on social media. There are reports researchers recently discovered antibodies that can neutralize a range of variants and coronaviruses. This could lead to better post-infection treatments if true. They studied survivors, looking for antibodies that may be resistant to losing their effectiveness against variants and new viruses. One antibody showed a high breadth of effectiveness. Another bound well with all respiratory viruses and prevented COVID-19 infections in animal subjects. How bad is the nursing shortage? Right now, close to 15,000 RN positions are available in North Carolina alone. And there are 5,500 job openings for nursing assistants and LPNs. There’s also a shortage of school nurses. In fact, that was happening even before the pandemic. The CDC says there should be a nurse for every 750 students, but nearly a fourth of all schools in the US don’t have one at all. You want to get tough on people who put others at risk of the virus but, do you want to get communist country tough? Vietnam put a 28-year-old man in jail for five years Monday for breaking quarantine rules. His trial lasted one day. Despite that severity, Vietnam’s outbreak is worsening, with the vast majority of its 13,385 deaths happening in the last few months. In the United States cases were down 12%, deaths are up 31%, and hospitalizations are up 9% over 14 days. But keep in mind that for this and most of today’s statistics, there’s an artificial dip due to lack of reporting over the Labor Day holiday. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are 8,863,957 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the biggest 14-day increase in hospitalizations: North Dakota up 379%. South Dakota 79%. West Virginia 52%. Tennessee 50%. And Maine 42%. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Rusk, TX. Dorchester, SC. Taylor, FL. Russell, KY. Uvalde, TX. Hendry, FL. Butte, SD. Hardee, FL. Pike, OH. And Wayne, MS. There have been at least 649,023 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 68.1%, Connecticut at 66.4%, and Massachusetts at 66.3%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 39.1%, Wyoming at 39.3%, and Idaho at 39.5%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 53%. The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Panama up 3%. And Oceana, Bangladesh, Argentina, and India 2%. Globally, cases were down 16% and deaths were down 10% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 27. There are 18,811,819 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The U.K. 41,192. The United States 39,644. India 30,184. Iran 27,579. And the... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for September 6th, 2021.Full steam ahead in the U.S. with booster shots, even though the EU, the World Health Organization, and even the CDC says it could be premature and possibly unnecessary right now. It’s believed boosters will be available September 20 for Pfizer, with Moderna’s rolling out a couple weeks later. The President said Americans should consider getting a booster 8 months after their second shot.Israel is so bought into boosters they’re actually getting ready to administer fourth doses of the vaccines. Cases are soaring there despite world-leading vaccinations. Their national coronavirus czar said new injections could better protect against new variants of the virus and could be needed every few months. He said, “This is our life from now on.”There's nothing yet to suggest the current vaccines won’t work against the new Mu variant. But as always, science doesn’t seem to know for sure. What is known is it’s already made its way to nearly every state in the U.S. and 39 countries. And it’s been here awhile. It was first detected in Colombia in January. Right now, the variant only accounts for less than 1% of all Covid-19 samples sequenced in the U.S.Some vaccine passport news. They’ll be required in indoor venues in England starting the end of this month. There are critics but the Health Minister said this is the way to keep the economy open. And Japan will issue vaccination certificates starting mid-December. Those are mostly meant for overseas travel via a QR code on smartphones.Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady confirmed he tested positive for Covid-19 in February, soon after the team’s boat parade that celebrated their Super Bowl win. He’s since been vaccinated.In the United States cases were up 8%, deaths are up 55%, and hospitalizations are up 11% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are 8,823,289 active cases in the United States.With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the biggest 14-day increase in hospitalizations: North Dakota up 331%. South Dakota 88%. West Virginia 56%. Maine 53%. And Wyoming and Tennessee 51%. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Russell, KY. Perry, KY. Rusk, TX. Uvalde, TX. Bell, KY. Marion, TN. Clay, KY. Dorchester, SC. Glynn, GA. And Taylor, FL. There have been at least 648,467 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 68%, Connecticut unchanged at 66.2%, and Massachusetts at 66.1%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 38.5%, Alabama at 38.6%, and Wyoming at 39.1%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 52.7%.The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Panama and Kosovo up 3%. And Sri Lanka, Argentina, and Australia 2%.Globally, cases were down 9% and deaths were down 7% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 27. There are 18,924,449 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: India 39,521. The U.K. 37,011. The United States 35,586. Iran 25,870. And Malaysia 20,396.  There have now been at least 4,566,726 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for September 3rd, 2021.The CDC says if you’re not vaccinated, you should cancel any travel plans you might have for the long Labor Day weekend. Holidays have always been worrisome to health officials because they often result in spikes. But this spike would occur on top of the Delta surge. Last year, even without vaccines available, more than 3 million airline passengers were screened over the Labor Day holiday.More than 500,000 children in the US tested positive from August 5 to August 26, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Since kids under 12 can’t get vaccinated, an increasing number of states and school districts are imposing mask mandates. Others are trying to limit exposure among the unvaccinated. A new study of breakthrough infections in the UK finds vaccines not only reduce the risk of severe disease and hospitalization, but they can lower the odds you’ll have long-term symptoms. They found the odds of having symptoms for 28 days or more after a post-vaccination infection were just about cut in half. The European Medicines Agency is joining the World Health Organization in going against the United States where booster shots are concerned. It said there’s no urgent need for booster shots for fully vaccinated people and the emphasis and supply should stay focused on primary vaccinations. If you think people who are against the vaccine aren’t serious, observe how many are willing to give up their careers over it. We’ve seen it in healthcare, law enforcement, fire departments, and now America’s pastime. Longtime Washington Nationals Vice President Bob Boone has chosen to resign rather than comply with orders to vaccinate. Two scouts are also leaving the team for that reason. Boone joined the Nationals in 2005, and as a player was with the Phillies, Cardinals, and Royals.In the United States cases were up 14%, deaths are up 67%, and hospitalizations are up 16% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are 8,650,330 active cases in the United States.With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the biggest 14-day increase in hospitalizations: North Dakota up 304%. South Dakota 105%. Wyoming 65%. And New Hampshire, West Virginia, and Delaware 59%. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Perry, KY. Taylor, FL. Clinton, KY. Marion, TN. Hardee, FL. Bell, KY. Dorchester, SC. Glynn, GA. Bledsoe, TN. And Sequatchie, TN.There have been at least 643,594 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont again unchanged at 67.9%, Connecticut at 66.2%, and Massachusetts at 66%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi and Alabama at 38.4%, and Wyoming at 38.7%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 52.6%.The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Sri Lanka up 6%. Nepal 5%. Vietnam 4%. And South Korea and Argentina 3%.Globally, cases were down 7% and deaths were down 20% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 27. There are 18,803,773 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 177,568. India 45,482. The U.K. 38,154. Iran 30,279. And Brazil 26,497.  There have now been at least 4,550,984 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for September 2nd, 2021.The World Health Organization has another “variant of interest” to watch. It’s being called the Mu variant and there are concerns it may partially evade the immunity developed from past infection or vaccination. The variant has been detected in 39 countries. It was first identified in Colombia in January. A new survey shows most firms are now planning on having vaccine mandates for their workforce, and that will be happening in the next several months. While 21% of firms currently have some vaccine mandate in place, 52% said they’d have one by the fourth quarter of this year.The approach is a good bit different in Florida. The state will start issuing $5,000 fines to businesses, schools and government agencies that require people show proof of vaccination. That will start September 16.The great missing data problem continues. An NPR analysis found that in trying to get more detailed information from the CDC, such as where patients live, whether they were hospitalized or died, demographic details, it comes up that about 1 in 5 known cases — or 7 million people — are completely missing. And about two-thirds of the data present is unusable with fields left blank or marked "Unknown.” Some states have submitted less than one-tenth of their total cases. A 24-year-old woman from Illinois is not quite as slick as she thought she was. She submitted a fake vaccination card to visit Hawaii which didn’t work at all. Mainly because she misspelled Moderna. Also, she lived in Illinois but her make believe shot was taken in Delaware, so that was suspicious. And the hotel she said she’d be staying at had no reservation for her. Having failed at the crime of the century, she was arrested for two misdemeanors and is awaiting a hearing.In the United States cases were up 18%, deaths are up 75%, and hospitalizations are up 17% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are 8,532,849 active cases in the United States.With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the biggest 14-day increase in hospitalizations: South Dakota up 103%. Delaware 70%. Wyoming 67%. New Hampshire 61%. And West Virginia 59%. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Marion, TN. Perry, KY. Taylor, FL. Clinton, KY. Bledsoe, TN. Bell, KY. Lewis, TN. Sequatchie, TN. Hardee, FL. And Glynn, GA. There have been at least 642,004 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont unchanged at 67.9%, And Massachusetts and Connecticut at 66%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi still unchanged at 37.7%, Alabama at 38.3%, and Wyoming at 38.6%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is unchanged at 52.4%.The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Sri Lanka up 7%. Vietnam 4%. And South Korea, South Africa, and Ukraine 3%.Globally, cases were down 5% and deaths were down 4% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 27. There are 18,679,281 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 184,420. India 45,971. The U.K. 35,693. Iran 33,170. And Brazil 26,348.  There have now been at least 4,541,140 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for September 1st, 2021.The EU says it’s now hit its target of fully vaccinating 70% of adults by the end of summer. They’re calling it a great achievement, but the World Health Organization says the pace of vaccinations in the continent now appears to be faltering, and parts of Europe are at risk of fresh outbreaks and new restrictions.As far as Denmark is concerned, COVID is over. That country is set to remove all remaining measures against the spread except for border controls September 10, and the government says its epidemic is "under control." The Netherlands ended most restrictions in June only to see Delta increase case numbers over 500% in one week.If you Moderna people are having a friendly rivalry with your Pfizer friends, you win. A study of Belgian healthcare workers shows Moderna resulted in higher antibody levels than Pfizer. And that was true in infected as well as uninfected participants, across age categories. Policies are supposed to follow the data, but the data consistently shows problems with reliability. This time, newly backfilled data from Tennessee’s department of health reveals the number of coronavirus patients hospitalized to be about 5,100 more than was reported over the past 14 months. That’s a discrepancy of more than 20%.A new Axios poll finds vaccine hesitancy in the United States has been dropping over the past few weeks. 20% said they’re still unlikely to get a vaccine — but that’s the lowest level since the index started tracking opposition. That’s down from a high of 63% in September 2020.In the United States cases were up 12%, deaths are up 91%, and hospitalizations are up 22% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are 8,435,577 active cases in the United States.With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the biggest 14-day increase in hospitalizations per capita: South Dakota up 111%. Delaware 85%. New Hampshire 73%. West Virginia 69%. And Wyoming 66%. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Taylor, FL. Bell, KY. Clay, KY. Clinton, KY. Whitley, KY. Perry, KY. Hardee, FL. Pierce, GA. Cook, GA. And Dodge, GA. There have been at least 640,088 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 67.9%, And Massachusetts and Connecticut at 65.9%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi unchanged at 37.7%, Alabama at 38.1%, and Wyoming unchanged at 38.4%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 52.4%.The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Thailand up 6%. South Korea, Panama, and Vietnam 4%. And Brazil 3%.Globally, cases were down 1% and deaths were flat over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 27. There are 18,642,259 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 156,002. India 43,072. The U.K. 32,181. Iran 31,319. And Brazil 25,586.  There have now been at least 4,517,377 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for August 31st, 2021.Take an area with high concentrations of COVID, with a shortage of ICU beds, patients on ventilators, and challenges keeping health care staff working. Then hit it with a Category 4 hurricane and you have the situation in Louisiana. Hospitals had to evacuate over 160 patients, the storm tore off parts of roofs, and left water leaking down walls to pool on floors. Generators kicked in for electricity and some hospitals used water from private wells. And now new patients have begun showing up with storm-related injuries. As we said yesterday to expect, the EU recommended its 27 nations reinstate restrictions on tourists from the U.S. That reverses advice it gave in June, when the recommendation was to lift restrictions before the summer tourism season. However, the EU has no unified COVID-19 tourism policy, and each government can decide whether or not to close their borders.The last thing we want to report on is a new COVID variant. But a report says a mutation first detected in South Africa, C.1.2, appears to have mutated the most from the original virus, almost double the global mutation rate seen in any other existing variant of concern. Scientists have found 14 mutations in nearly 50% of the variants that had a C.1.2 sequence.In Israel, new daily infections have just climbed to record levels. Around 63% of the population there has been fully vaccinated. In late July, Israel began offering everyone over 60 a booster dose, and that program is being rapidly expanded. Boosters have been available to everyone over 30 since a week ago.A judge in OH has issued an emergency order telling a hospital they have to treat a coronavirus patient with ivermectin. That’s the controversial antiparasitic drug that hasn’t yet been approved by the FDA as a COVID treatment. In fact, some have taken a version of the drug intended for animals and died of overdoses in the process. In the United States cases were up 20%, deaths are up 96%, and hospitalizations are up 24% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are 8,345,850 active cases in the United States.With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the biggest 14-day increase in hospitalizations per capita: South Dakota up 117%. Delaware 89%. New Hampshire 80%. West Virginia 74%. And Maine 73%. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Taylor, FL. Clay, KY. Cook, GA. Pierce, GA. Bell, KY. McIntosh, GA. Hardee, FL. Live Oak, TX. Emanuel, GA. And Crockett, TN. There have been at least 638,676 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 67.8%, And Massachusetts and Connecticut at 65.8%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 37.7%, Alabama at 37.9%, and Wyoming at 38.4%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 52.3%.The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Argentina, Jordan, and Suriname all up 2%. Globally, cases were up 1% and deaths were up 3% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending flat since August 27. There are 18,607,957 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 119,642. Iran 33,780. India 30,251. The U.K. 26,476. And the Philippines 22,366.  There have now been at least 4,508,896 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for August 30th, 2021. A UK study published in Lancet says people who get the Delta variant are more than twice as likely to be hospitalized as those infected with the alpha strain. Early studies of the Delta variant found it was 50% more transmissible than other strains. The study’s author said absent vaccination, Delta outbreaks will keep imposing a huge burden on healthcare. If you’re an American who had plans to travel to the EU for fun, start thinking about new plans. The block of nations is expected to announce today that you are too risky to let in. The U.S. is expected to get pulled from the EU’s “safe” list for non-essential travel after being on that list less than two months. Of course, the U.S. has maintained its ban on all non-essential travel from Europe. Stressed as healthcare workers are, many continue to refuse to set an example. An American Nurses Association survey shows 1 in 8 nurses still aren’t vaccinated and have no plans to get vaccinated. Of those who won’t take the shot, 84% said there’s not enough info about possible long-term effects. Such nurses have started being fired, adding to critical staff shortages. If you’re not scared of COVID maybe you’re afraid of snakes. A new published medical study says getting the virus is not unlike being bitten by a poisonous rattlesnake. An enzyme has been identified in the virus that ravages the body like snake venom and causes severe inflammation. It’s hoped that targeting that enzyme will help with treatments for COVID. Another shortage might be coming right behind the nursing shortage. School board members. Across the nation, many are deciding the position is just not worth it amidst tense, sometimes violent confrontations about masking in schools. Many are being harassed, threatened, and some have even contemplated suicide. Others are quitting over policies they disagree with. In the United States cases were up 20%, deaths are up 95%, and hospitalizations are up 25% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are once again over 8 million active cases in the United States, at 8,184,348. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the biggest 14-day increase in hospitalizations per capita: South Dakota up 104%. New Hampshire 90%. Delaware 77%. Maine 75%. And West Virginia 66%. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Taylor, FL. Clay, KY. Cook, GA. Pierce, GA. Bell, KY. McIntosh, GA. Hardee, FL. Live Oak, TX. Emanuel, GA. And Crockett, TN. There have been at least 637,525 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 67.6%, Massachusetts at 65.6%, and Connecticut at 65.5%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 37%, Mississippi unchanged at 37.3%, and Wyoming unchanged at 38.2%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is at 51.9%. The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Sri Lanka, Australia, and India up 2%. And South Korea and Malaysia 1%. Globally, cases were down 1% and deaths were up 1% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 27. There are 18,589,957 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: India 43,381. The United States 37,262. The U.K. 33,196. Iran 31,516. And Japan 22,748. There have now been at least 4,500,291 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for August 27th, 2021.Kentucky and Texas joined a growing list of states seeing record numbers of hospitalized patients in a surge that’s afflicting more children. Wednesday, both reported more patients in their hospitals than at any other time since the pandemic began. In New Mexico, health officials warned they’re about a week away from rationing health care. And in Idaho, state leaders called on residents to volunteer to help keep medical facilities operating.U.S. health regulators could approve a third booster shot for adults beginning only six months after full vaccination, instead of the previously announced eight-months. Approval of boosters for Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson is expected in mid-September. Pfizer’s already started the application process for approval of its booster shot for those 16 and older, saying it spurs a more than three-fold increase in antibodies. If you’re worried about getting a blood clot from the vaccine, you have a bigger problem. COVID. A new peer-reviewed study out of Oxford shows the risk of rare blood clotting is significantly higher from Covid-19, than from vaccination. Researchers estimated 107 out of 10 million people would be hospitalized or die from low platelet counts within 28 days of getting a first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine, while that number rose to 934 people per 10 million after a positive test for Covid.New research in the journal Nature says around one third of Americans had been infected with Covid-19 by the end of 2020. That’s a number much higher than what official testing detected. The model showed around 103 million Americans had been infected while the CDC data puts the figure at only 20.5 million. How do Americans feel about employers imposing vaccine mandates? Split, as always. A new AP poll shows half are in favor, half aren’t. Same for workplace mask mandates, half in favor, half opposed. The results are a bit different for Black and Hispanic workers, both of whom tend to be more supportive of vaccine and mask mandates.  In the United States cases were up 23%, deaths are up 111%, and hospitalizations are up 32% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are 7,958,077 active cases in the United States.With not all states reporting daily case numbers, the five states with the most new cases: Florida 21,183. Texas 18,112. California 12,622. Georgia 10,823. And North Carolina 8,620. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Cook, GA. Clay, KY. Pierce, GA. Brantley, GA. Dodge, GA. Hancock, MS. Nome Census Area, AK. Glynn, GA. Berrien, GA. And McIntosh, GA. There have been at least 633,479 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont unchanged at 67.5%, Massachusetts at 65.5%, and Connecticut and Maine at 65.3%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 36.8%, Mississippi at 37.3%, and Wyoming at 38.2%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 51.7%.The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Georgia, South Korea, and Ukraine up 4%. And El Salvador and Argentina 3%.  Globally, cases were up 2% and deaths were up 4% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21. There are 18,331,093 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 169,953. India 44,558. The U.K. 38,281. Iran 36,758. And Brazil 31,024.  There have now been at least 4,472,870 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for August 26th, 2021. The international scientists sent to China by the World Health Organization to find the coronavirus’ origin said yesterday, get ready to not be surprised, the search has stalled and the window of opportunity for ever getting to the truth is “closing fast.” And the U.S. intelligence review ordered up by the US proved inconclusive. So the world’s scientists and governments have proven incapable of finding out how this happened so we can help prevent it from happening again.  The new Governor of New York acknowledged on her first day in office the state has had nearly 12,000 more deaths from COVID-19 than her predecessor Andrew Cuomo told the public. She said, “The public deserves an honest picture of what’s happening. Good or bad, they need to know the truth. And that’s how we restore confidence.” Another blow for those who believe the vaccines are more dangerous than getting COVID-19 itself. A study from Israel says an infection carries a far higher risk of heart inflammation than Pfizer’s vaccine. 3 cases of heart inflammation for every 100,000 people vaccinated with Pfizer and 11 per 100,000 in people who had COVID. We’re starting to see more sticks and fewer carrots. Delta is going to charge employees on its company health plan $200 a month extra if they don’t get vaccinated. It says the average hospital stay for the virus costs them $40,000. They’re also stopping extending pay protection to unvaccinated workers who get COVID starting September 30. Oh wait, there are still companies using carrots. Well, hardly carrots. Krispy Kreme has upped the ante and will give two free donuts every day until September 5 to anyone who shows proof of vaccination. Krispy Kreme has given out 2.5 million donuts since March when they started giving people one free donut, and they’ll go back to the one donut deal after September 5 for the rest of the year. In the United States cases were up 23%, deaths are up 111%, and hospitalizations are up 32% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are 7,829,286 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily case numbers, the five states with the most new cases: Florida 26,203. Texas 21,961. California 13,583. Georgia 10,677. And Louisiana 6,619.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Cook, GA. Clay, KY. Pierce, GA. Brantley, GA. Dodge, GA. Hancock, MS. Nome Census Area, AK. Glynn, GA. Berrien, GA. And McIntosh, GA.  There have been at least 632,223 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related. NPR did not update the top and bottom vaccinating states so they remain: 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 67.5%, Massachusetts at 65.4%, and Connecticut and Maine at 65.1%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 36.6%, Mississippi at 36.8%, and Wyoming at 37.9%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 51.5%. The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Georgia up 8%. South Korea 5%. And El Salvador, Morocco, and Suriname 3%.   Globally, cases were flat and deaths were up 1% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21.  There are 18,196,147 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 171,737. India 46,397. Iran 39,983. The U.K. 35,847. And Brazil 30,529.  There have now been at least 4,461,819 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for August 25th, 2021.Back to school didn’t go terribly well. A few weeks in, more and more school districts have given up on in-person learning or switched to hybrid models because of rising infections. More than 80 school districts or charter networks in more than a dozen states have made changes. The US President will be receiving a classified report on the origins of the coronavirus. The review was ordered back in May and involves intelligence agencies rechecking anything that could shed light on this important question. But many intelligence and science experts say don’t get your hopes up, they’re doubtful the report will put the question to rest, and it will be added to the “guess we’ll never know” column.  This news is so disturbing because few other nations have done as well in terms of both vaccinations and now booster shots than Israel. But new daily coronavirus infections in Israel are approaching record levels. The delta variant is pervasive, even amongst the vaccinated. Officials point to this as evidence the initial round of vaccines become less effective over time.Just like Alabama, Arkansas has said that’s it…there are no more ICU beds for COVID patients here. It’s the first time since the beginning of the pandemic the state has been maxed out as Arkansas hit a new record Monday for patients on ventilators.Remember when country music star Reba McEntire said she and her boyfriend had COVID-19? Never mind. She genuinely thought they did but her test was a false positive. They actually had a common respiratory virus, RSV. She learned the truth after getting an antibody test. RSV does copy many of the symptoms of COVID. She said, “It takes the energy plumb out of you.”In the United States cases were up 29%, deaths are up 91%, and hospitalizations are up 39% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are 7,702,120 active cases in the United States.With not all states reporting daily case numbers, the five states with the most new cases: Florida 21,208. Texas 17,403. California 14,583. Georgia 9,186. And Tennessee 5,153. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Cook, GA. Dimmit, TX. Crockett, TN. Wayne, MS. Clarke, MS. Pierce, GA. Clay, KY. Hancock, MS. Berrien, GA. And McIntosh, GA. There have been at least 630,663 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 67.5%, Massachusetts at 65.4%, and Connecticut and Maine unchanged at 65.1%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 36.6%, Mississippi unchanged at 36.8%, and Wyoming unchanged at 37.9%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is unchanged at 51.5%.The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Suriname up 7%. South Korea 6%. Kyrgyzstan 4%. And South Africa and Georgia 3%.  Globally, cases were up 3% and deaths were up 4% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21. There are now once again over 18 million active cases around the world, at 18,046,186.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 147,619. India 51,016. Iran 40,623. Brazil 31,014. And the U.K. 30,838.  There have now been at least 4,450,408 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for August 24th, 2021.As expected, now that the Pfizer vaccine has full FDA approval, the Pentagon will require all service members to get vaccinated. Over the past month, the number of service member deaths from COVID jumped from 25 to 34 – more than a one third increase.The head of the World Health Organization is calling for a 2-month moratorium on booster shots to reduce global vaccine inequality. He says he’s “really disappointed” that many countries struggle to provide first and second doses while rich countries like the United States are moving forward with third doses from stockpiled vaccines.Historically committed as they are, 75 doctors from a hospital in Palm Beach Gardens in South Florida walked out of their shifts to bring attention to how hard the surge has been on facilities and staff. They say 85% of ICU beds in the state are full and urged people to “ignore the nonsense and absurdities you’re hearing at public meetings and recognize the value of what a vaccine will do.”No state should brag about how well they handled the pandemic. Take Oregon. It was held up as an example as it imposed some of the strictest safety measures like mask mandates for indoors and outdoors, limits on gatherings, and restaurant closures. Now the state has more people hospitalized with COVID than ever before. One Chief Medical Officer said the early success may have actually helped the Delta variant because the aggressive measures left many population pockets with no immunity. Six more destinations have been added to the CDC’s highest-risk destinations for travelers. They are Bahamas, Haiti, Kosovo, Lebanon, Morocco, and Sint Maarten. To hit this category a country has to have had more than 500 cases per 100,000 residents in the past 28 days.In the United States cases were up 36%, deaths are up 95%, and hospitalizations are up 43% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are 7,597,700 active cases in the United States.Keeping in mind several states stopped reporting daily case numbers, the five states with the most new cases: Florida 14,621. California 10,136. Texas 8,317. Georgia 6,734. And North Carolina 5,184. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Cook, GA. Nome Census Area, AK. Dimmit, TX. Clarke, MS. George, MS. Hancock, MS. Berrien, GA. Tift, GA. Wayne, MS. And Neshoba, MS.There have been at least 629,390 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 67.4%, Massachusetts at 65.3%, and Connecticut and Maine at 65.1%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 36.3%, Mississippi at 36.8%, and Wyoming at 37.9%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 51.5%.The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Bangladesh up 3%. And Malaysia, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, and Sri Lanka 2%.  Globally, cases were up 4% and deaths were up 4% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21. There are 17,996,230 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 111,134. Iran 38,657. The U.K. 31,914. Japan 22,285. And Russia 19,454.  There have now been at least 4,440,279 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for August 23rd, 2021.By the time you hear this podcast, the Moderna vaccine may have full FDA approval. And that’s going to likely result in many more vaccine mandates from businesses, municipalities, education facilities, venues, etc. Why? Because it removes some of the risk of successful legal challenges. The FDA has been conducting months of additional safety and efficacy data on the vaccines.Not to be forgotten amidst all the talk of vaccines are treatments. Regeneron's antibody cocktail, which has emergency use authorization from the FDA, treats symptoms in patients at high risk of developing severe symptoms. And the demand for it is going way up. In July, orders were for about 25,000 doses per week. Now it's up to 125,000 per week. It’s a mix of two antibodies that bind to the spike protein of the virus, blocking it from infecting healthy cells.The Rev. Jesse Jackson, and his wife, Jacqueline, are hospitalized in Chicago and are reportedly “responding positively to treatments” for COVID-19. Jesse Jackson is 79, and his wife is 77. He has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s. He had been vaccinated. If you think Mississippi has been lax in responding to the pandemic, check this out. A new order went out saying anyone infected must isolate for 10 days or face possible misdemeanor or even felony charges. A misdemeanor would get you a $500 fine, 6 months in prison or both. But since the coronavirus is life-threatening, you could be charged with a felony punishable by a fine of up to $5,000 or 5 years imprisonment, or both.If you’ve ever wondered why people believe in conspiracy theories, one new study says it’s either from fear or for fun. The study published in the British Journal of Psychology says actively participating in a conspiracy give those who feel powerless a feeling they’re taking some kind of action. Or, conspiratorial content was found to elicit “stronger entertainment appraisals and intense emotions.” Meaning conspiracies are exciting and give people a rush. In the United States cases were up 36%, deaths are up 95%, and hospitalizations are up 43% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are 7,427,282 active cases in the United States.Keeping in mind several states stopped reporting daily case numbers, the five states with the most new cases: California 6,222. New York 4,047. Arizona 3,307. Texas 3,271. And Ohio 2,194. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Cook, GA. Nome Census Area, AK. Dimmit, TX. Clarke, MS. George, MS. Hancock, MS. Berrien, GA. Tift, GA. Wayne, MS. And Neshoba, MS.There have been at least 628,499 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 67.2%, Massachusetts unchanged at 65%, and Maine at 64.9%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 35.9%, Mississippi unchanged at 36.2%, and Wyoming at 37.7%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 51.1%.The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Suriname up 6%. Sri Lanka 5%. And Pakistan, Argentina, and Malaysia 3%. Globally, cases were up 3% and deaths were up 2% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21. There are 17,942,283 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: Iran 36,419. The U.K. 32,253. The United States 30,810. Japan 25,492. And India 25,420.  There have now been at least 4,430,758 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for August 20th, 2021.The World Health Organization is making it clear it is not happy with countries like the United States moving on to third booster shots. The Africa director warned such countries “make a mockery of vaccine equity.” Less than 2% of Africa’s population is fully vaccinated.In Alabama, there aren’t any more available ICU beds. The state has run out. In fact there were negative 29 ICU beds available Wednesday night. State health officials say, "We've never been here before." Also, Alabama surpassed Florida as the state with the highest rate of children hospitalized with Covid after the number of kids admitted increased 333% in one week. Needing an ICU bed and being unvaccinated may be a deadly combination if you’re in Texas. Doctors there have been told if ICU bed availability becomes an issue, they can consider vaccination status as part of triage. Doctors have noted unvaccinated patients are suffering worse outcomes. Meaning all other things being equal, vaccinated people are deemed more likely to survive. Washington state joins those expanding vaccine mandates to include all public, charter and private school teachers and staff — and anyone working at state colleges and universities. And there is no weekly testing alternative. Those unvaccinated by Oct. 18 risk losing their jobs. The unvaccinated have an answer for their critics. We didn’t do this, you did. A new YouGov poll shows slightly more unvaccinated Americans blame vaccinated Americans for Delta’s surge than blame themselves. 6% blame themselves, 7% blame the vaccinated. A full one third blame the US administration and the CDC. In the United States cases were up 47%, deaths are up 97%, and hospitalizations are up 56% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are 7,198,006 actives cases in the United States.Keeping in mind several states stopped reporting daily case numbers, the five states with the most new cases: Texas 17,752. Florida 15,402. California 14,019. Georgia 9,836. And North Carolina 7,020. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Neshoba, MS. Cook, GA. Clay, KY. George, MS. Stone, MS. Columbia, FL. Tift, GA. Clarke, MS. Crockett, TN. And Attala, MS.There have been at least 625,153 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont again unchanged at 67.1%, Massachusetts at 65%, and Maine at 64.8%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama unchanged at 35.7%, Mississippi at 36.2%, and Wyoming unchanged at 37.6%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 51%.The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Malawi up 7%. Eswatini 6%. Kyrgyzstan 4%. And Malaysia and Morocco 3%. Globally, cases were up 8% and deaths were up 4% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21. There are 17,652,034 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 154,917. India 37,312. The U.K. 36,572. Brazil 35,991. And Iran 31,266.  There have now been at least 4,401,878 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for August 19th, 2021.As expected, U.S. health officials announced booster shots of Pfizer and Moderna should be available for all U.S. adults starting next month. It is an acknowledgement that the effectiveness of the vaccines could wear off significantly in as little as eight months. Officials said those who got the single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine will also probably need another shot, but they aren’t releasing plans for that yet.Another mandate coming out of the White House yesterday; all nursing home staff will be required to be vaccinated or the facilities they work in could lose Medicare and Medicaid funding. That could also take effect as soon as next month. Hundreds of thousands of nursing home workers are not vaccinated.Why is it so important vaccine booster shots help protect against the Delta variant? Because those cases now make up more than 98.8% of COVID-19 cases in the U.S., according to the CDC. California has become the first state to require people to prove they’ve been vaccinated or have a negative test before they can attend any large indoor event with over 1,000 people. That could be conventions, conferences, expos, sporting events, and concerts. Event organizers will be in charge of enforcement.If you’re supposed to wear a mask in Singapore, you should probably do it. Benjamin Glynn, a 40-year-old Brit living in Singapore for work, was filmed maskless on a public train. He was arrested and found guilty of that plus causing public nuisance and threatening public officials. At first, he was detained at a psychiatric hospital because he said COVID-19 was a hoax. In the United States cases were up 47%, deaths are up 97%, and hospitalizations are up 54% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are once again over 7 million active cases in the United States, at 7,089,424.Keeping in mind several states stopped reporting daily case numbers, the five states with the most new cases: Florida 23,335. Texas 18,434. California 13,023. Georgia 8,014. And Louisiana 6,606. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Neshoba, MS. Cook, GA. Clay, KY. George, MS. Stone, MS. Columbia, FL. Tift, GA. Clarke, MS. Crockett, TN. And Attala, MS.There have been at least 624,209 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont unchanged at 67.1%, Massachusetts unchanged at 64.9%, and Maine at 64.7%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 35.7%, Mississippi at 36.1%, and Wyoming at 37.6%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 50.9%.The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan, Sri Lanka, and South Korea up 5%. And Zimbabwe 4%. Globally, cases were up 5% and deaths were up 1% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21. There are 17,477,559 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 158,127. Brazil 40,693. Iran 39,174. India 35,797. And the U.K. 33,904.  There have now been at least 4,391,153 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for August 18th, 2021.Not all nations are reluctant to lock down, and New Zealand's one of them. The entire nation was put into strict lockdown for at least three days yesterday after discovery of one single case of infection. The Prime Minister said, "We’ve seen what happens elsewhere if we fail to get on top of it. We only get one chance.”Round three. The U.S. government is reportedly about to offer booster shots to all Americans as soon as next month. The recommendation is expected to be that booster shots are needed only eight months after the second dose of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Life for the unvaccinated will start getting a bit tougher to enjoy. People at New York City's restaurants, museums, gyms, pretty much anywhere indoors, had to show proof yesterday of at least partial inoculation. And in Chicago everyone 2 and older, both vaccinated and unvaccinated, must again wear masks when indoors in public starting Friday. In both cities businesses will be held responsible for enforcement. Customs and Border Protection seized thousands of fake vaccine cards in dozens of shipments this fiscal year, including one recently from China to New Orleans. That one was just one of 15 shipments in one night going to several different cities. Officials say they’re so bad, most are very easy to spot. Debate the professional ethics of this amongst yourselves, but a doctor in Mobile, Alabama is refusing to see any more patients who aren’t vaccinated. Dr. Jason Valentine is making the policy effective October 1. He says, “COVID is a miserable way to die and I can’t watch them die like that.”In the United States cases were up 52%, deaths are up 87%, and hospitalizations are up 60% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are 6,966,500 active cases in the United States.Keeping in mind several states stopped reporting daily case numbers, the five states with the most new cases: Florida 21,669. Texas 20,161. California 14,940. Georgia 7,639. And New York 3,834. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Neshoba, MS. Clay, KY. Cook, GA. Columbia, FL. Tift, GA. George, MS. Attala, MS. Crockett, TN. Stone, MS. And Berrien, GA.There have been at least 623,283 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 67.1%, Massachusetts at 64.9%, and Maine unchanged at 64.6%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 35.6%, Mississippi at 35.8%, and Wyoming unchanged again at 37.3%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 50.8%.The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Kyrgyzstan up 5%. Trinidad & Tobago, Africa, and Nepal 4%. And Malaysia 3%. Globally, cases were up 6% and deaths were up 1% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21. There are 17,333,486 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 137,307. Iran 50,228. Brazil 38,218. India 35,201. And France 28,114.  There have now been at least 4,380,611 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for August 17th, 2021. For the first time since February when things were pre-vaccine, the US reported more than 900,000 cases last week. Cases are on the rise in 46 states. Just yesterday the US reported 382 deaths. Australia’s most populous state, New South Wales, reported its worst day of the pandemic yesterday with 478 new infections and seven deaths. Two of the dead had gotten one dose of a two-shot vaccine. The rest were unvaccinated. Australia has one of the slowest vaccine rollouts among wealthy countries. Meanwhile Japan’s state of emergency has been extended through Sept. 12 as cases continue to surge.  The CDC added four places to their list of the highest-risk destinations for travelers. The newcomers are Dominica, the Island of Jersey, Montenegro, and Turkey With half of America rejecting the vaccines, testing for COVID is taking on a renewed sense of importance. And scientists at the National Institutes of Health believe they’ve developed a new, better, cheaper, and faster way to do it. The existing way involves amplifying viral RNA to detectable levels. But the RNA has to be extracted first, which is the time-consuming part. The new way can not only directly test RNA without extraction, it also inactivates the virus, making things safer for lab personnel. The NFL’s Atlanta Falcons may or may not have a conference championship to boast about this year, but they do now have the distinction of being the first team in the league to reach 100% vaccination. The team had the NFL’s first in-season positive COVID test and another COVID shutdown a month after that, but they have clearly turned things around. There is, however, no trophy for this.  In the United States cases were up 64%, deaths are up 113%, and hospitalizations are up 70% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are 6,870,886 active cases in the United States. Keeping in mind several states stopped reporting daily case numbers, the five states with the most new cases: Florida 17,216. California 9,542. Texas 7,985. Georgia 6,480. And Louisiana 4,457. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Neshoba, MS. Stone, MS. Columbia, FL. Wayne, MS. Lafourche, LA. Livingston, LA. Newton, MS. Tift, GA. George, MS. And Ascension, LA. There have been at least 622,292 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 67%, Massachusetts at 64.7%, and Maine at 64.6%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 35.4%, Mississippi at 35.8%, and Wyoming unchanged at 37.3%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 50.7%. The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Trinidad and Tobago up 5%. Kyrgyzstan 4%. And Malaysia, Suriname, and Bangladesh 3%. Globally, cases were up 7% and deaths were up 5% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21. There are 17,228,724 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 103,697. Iran 41,194. The U.K. 28,438. India 24,725. And Thailand 21,157. There have now been at least 4,370,447 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for August 16th, 2021. The director of the National Institutes of Health said the U.S. could decide in a couple of weeks to offer booster shots to Americans this fall. First in line to get them would be health care workers, nursing home residents and other older Americans. It’s been peer reviewed, published in the American Journal of Therapeutics, and is the most comprehensive review of data taken from clinical, in vitro, animal, and real-world studies. The report’s conclusion - ivermectin is an effective prophylaxis and treatment for COVID-19. Statistically significant reduction in mortality, time to recovery and viral clearance in COVID-19 patients. South Africa, Zimbabwe, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Mexico, and India have already approved the drug for use. Afghanistan has fallen to the Taliban, and while that has many implications, there are also implications related to COVID. They have reportedly already started banning the vaccine in certain regions of the country. Regional hospital employees have been warned to stop distributing it and vaccine wards are being closed. The number of children hospitalized for COVID-19 reached an all-time high in the US over the weekend according to the Department of Health and Human Services. Kids now make up 2.4% of those hospitalized with COVID. Texas leads the country in that with 311 pediatric hospitalizations. A 70-year-old hermit lives in a small mountain cave in Serbia. He moved there 20 years ago, sleeps on a bed of hay and lives mostly on foraged mushroom and fish from a nearby creek. He emerged from isolation a year ago to discover the pandemic ravaging the world. And even though he’s an isolated hermit, even he wanted the vaccine immediately. He said he didn’t understand the hesitancy, and that the virus isn’t picky, and it could come to his cave. In the United States cases were up 65%, deaths are up 113%, and hospitalizations are up 69% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are 6,675,581 active cases in the United States. Keeping in mind several states stopped reporting daily case numbers, the five states with the most new cases: California 6,524. Texas 4,627. New York 4,597. Arizona 3,052. And Pennsylvania 1,982. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Neshoba, MS. Stone, MS. Columbia, FL. Wayne, MS. Lafourche, LA. Livingston, LA. Newton, MS. Tift, GA. George, MS. And Ascension, LA. There have been at least 621,605 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 66.8%, Massachusetts at 64.6%, and Maine unchanged at 64.4%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 35.1%, Mississippi at 35.5%, and Wyoming at 37.3%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 50.4%. The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Russia up 5%. Suriname 4%. And Malaysia, Trinidad & Tobago, and Argentina 3%. Globally, cases were up 8% and deaths were up 5% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21. There are once again over 17 million active cases around the world, at 17,160,916. The five countries with the most new cases: Iran 36,736. India 33,221. The United States 30,883. The U.K. 26,750. And Mexico 23,642. There have now been at least 4,361,399 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for August 13th, 2021. The Department of Health and Human Services is the latest federal agency requiring employees who provide care or services for patients be vaccinated. That affects more than 25,000 clinicians, researchers, contractors, trainees, and volunteers. The Supreme Court said yes, universities can impose a vaccine mandate on students and faculty. It declined to block a mandate at Indiana University or provide emergency relief requested by some students who said the mandate violates their constitutional right to bodily integrity under the 14th Amendment. A vaccine sentiment survey by Verywell Health shows 27% of vaccinated respondents said they were previously against getting the vaccine. So the important question is, what was able to change their minds? The top reason—chosen by 40%—was the risk of COVID overtaking the risks of getting vaccinated. Other converts just needed some time to warm up to the idea. Vermont, as you hear almost every day in this podcast, has the highest vaccination rate in the country. Yet cases in the state rose 245% in the past two weeks, according to a Fortune analysis of New York Times data. That’s the highest increase in the country over that period. The state is still among those with the lowest cases per capita. And, of course, the messaging on the vaccines has shifted from it will help you keep from getting infected to it will mitigate the severity of your COVID case. We have gone from anyone who thinks the virus leaked from a lab in China is a conspiratorial nutcase to it’s a “likely hypothesis.” And that characterization comes from the head of the World Health Organization’s investigation. Dr. Peter Embarek said their team was forced to conclude a lab leak was "extremely unlikely" in their official report to avoid conflicts with the Communist Chinese government. In the United States cases were up 86%, deaths are up 75%, and hospitalizations are up 82% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are 6,469,453 active cases in the United States. Keeping in mind several states stopped reporting daily case numbers, the five states with the most new cases: Florida 24,869. Texas 14,182. California 12,063. Georgia 7,016. And North Carolina 5,900. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Neshoba, MS. Dimmit, TX. Lafourche, LA. East Feliciana, LA. Wayne, MS. Tift, GA. Iberia, LA. Terrebonne, LA. Tangipahoa, LA. And Stone, MS. There have been at least 619,098 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont unchanged at 68%, Massachusetts unchanged at 64.5%, and Maine at 64.4%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama unchanged at 35%, Mississippi at 35.4%, and Wyoming at 37.2%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is unchanged at 50.3%. The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Kyrgyzstan up 9%. Nepal and Vietnam 6%. And Trinidad & Tobago and Taiwan 5%. Globally, cases were up 13% and deaths were up 11% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21. There are 16,804,693 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 143,537. India 40,078. Iran 39,049. Brazil 35,891. And the U.K. 33,074. There have now been at least 4,333,370 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for August 12th, 2021. California will become the first state to require all teachers and school staff to be vaccinated or undergo weekly testing. That applies to public and private schools, and it will also apply to school volunteers. California’s two largest teachers’ unions announced their full support. The FDA is expected to in the next day or so authorize vaccine booster shots for the immunocompromised. That’d be a third shot of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Even after authorization, the CDC would advise on whether to use a vaccine booster. A recent study by Johns Hopkins found vaccinated immunocompromised people are 485x more likely to end up in the hospital or die from COVID compared to the general vaccinated population. Your friends who think the vaccines endanger current and future pregnancies aren’t going to like this. The CDC yesterday urged all pregnant women to get the vaccine. Hospitals in various hot spots are seeing disturbing numbers of unvaccinated mothers-to-be seriously ill with the virus. Expectant women run a higher risk of severe illness and pregnancy complications from the virus, but only about 23% have gotten at least one vaccine dose. Research in several states by the Mayo Clinic appears to show Moderna’s vaccine is considerably more effective against the Delta variant than Pfizer’s. While Moderna’s effectiveness was down to 76%, Pfizer’s was down to 42%. The study also found across multiple states, those inoculated with Pfizer were twice as likely to have a breakthrough infection compared to Moderna.If you do wind up in the hospital, you’ll need people to take care of you. But in some hot spots, there’s now a shortage of nurses. Just one example, one person who suffered a heart attack in Louisiana was bounced around to six hospitals before finding an ER that could take him. Hospitals are losing nurses to staffing agencies, hospitals in other states at double or triple the salary, and burnout to the point some will never return to nursing.In the United States cases were up 86%, deaths are up 102%, and hospitalizations are up 85% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are 6,414,400 active cases in the United States. Keeping in mind several states stopped reporting daily case numbers, the five states with the most new cases: Florida 24,753. Texas 16,436. California 12,254. Georgia 6,958. And Louisiana 5,407. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Neshoba, MS. Dimmit, TX. Lafourche, LA. George, MS. Stone, MS. Terrebonne, LA. Iberia, LA. Tangipahoa, LA. Gulf, FL. And Columbia, FL. There have been at least 618,434 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont unchanged at 68%, Massachusetts at 64.5%, and Maine at 64.3%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 35%, Mississippi unchanged at 35.2%, and Wyoming at 37.1%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 50.3%. The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Kyrgyzstan up 10%. Trinidad and Tobago 5%. And Japan, El Salvador, and Nepal 4%. Globally, cases were up 15% and deaths were up 16% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21. There are 16,699,848 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 143,459. India 43,641. Iran 42,541. Brazil 35,788. And France 30,920. There have now been at least 4,322,964 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for August 11th, 2021. New state level data analyzed by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association shows cases among children are rising, with kids accounting for roughly 15% of all newly reported cases across the U.S. for the week ending August 5. Comedian Chris Rock may call it the McDonalds of vaccines, but a trial involving almost 480,000 health workers in South Africa shows the Johnson & Johnson vaccine helps prevent severe disease in those infected with the Delta variant. 71% effective against hospitalization and up to 96% effective against death, with a durability of eight months.  The CDC announced late last month it’d move away from using the PCR test it designed to look for the virus that causes COVID-19. No, it’s not because they don’t work. They got approval from the FDA in July 2020 for a new one that detects coronavirus and flu and RSV. Also, hundreds of new tests have become available, many of which are more efficient for labs to process so more daily testing is possible. When doctors and nurses go on social media with anti-vaccination messages, it’s especially destructive because a new poll finds most Americans have a great deal of trust in doctors, nurses and pharmacists. 70% trust them to do what’s right for them and their families most or all of the time, and that’s true of both Democrats and Republicans, men and women, and white, Black and Hispanic Americans. The catchphrase has been follow the science. But it could be follow the dogs. Yet another test, this one in France, has shown a golden retriever with just a month of training had a 100% COVID detection rate for nursing home patients who were symptomatic and a 94% success rate even in those who were asymptomatic. Not only that, the dog was able to sniff out the virus 48 hours before it’s detectible by a PCR test.   In the United States cases were up 118%, deaths are up 101%, and hospitalizations are up 87% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are 6,291,232 active cases in the United States. Keeping in mind several states stopped reporting daily case numbers, the five states with the most new cases: Texas 16,801. California 12,902. Georgia 6,968. Louisiana 6,088. And Tennessee 3,490.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Neshoba, MS. Dimmit, TX. Lafourche, LA. Iberia, LA. Gulf, FL. Terrebonne, LA. Columbia, FL. Tift, GA. Ascension, LA. And Livingston, LA.  There have been at least 618,108 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 68%, Massachusetts unchanged at 64.4%, and Maine unchanged at 64.2%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 34.9%, Mississippi unchanged at 35.2%, and Wyoming unchanged at 37%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 50.2%. The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Kyrgyzstan up 9%. Vietnam 6%. Nepal 5%. And Taiwan, Cambodia, and Georgia 4%.  Globally, cases were up 19% and deaths were down 4% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21.  There are 16,550,767 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 101,254. Iran 39,139. India 36,316. Brazil 35,245. And Indonesia 32,081.  There have now been at least 4,313,342 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for August 10th, 2021. As anticipated, members of the U.S. military will be required to get the vaccine starting next month. Memos have been distributed to all troops this is necessary to maintain military readiness. The Defense Secretary said that deadline could be accelerated if the vaccine gets final FDA approval or infection rates keep rising. A couple of good bits of news for Moderna. Its vaccine has been granted a provisional authorization in Australia to adults who are at least 18 years old. And in Switzerland, Moderna has been approved for 12- to 17-year-olds. The CDC added seven destinations to their highest risk category for travel, meaning travel to these places should be avoided. Joining the club are Aruba, Eswatini, France, French Polynesia, Iceland, Israel, and Thailand. The CDC continues to recommend against all international travel unless you are fully vaccinated. Meanwhile Canada lifted its prohibition on Americans crossing the border to shop, vacation or visit. The US is however keeping those restrictions in place for Canadians. Healthcare workers may soon have a big decision to make as nearly 1,500 hospitals, about a fourth of all hospitals in the U.S., require all staffers be vaccinated. More are being added every day. At least seven states have laws against vaccine mandates. Some of those exempt health care facilities, but some prohibit employers, including hospitals, from discrimination based on vaccination status, nor do workers have to tell employers their vaccination status. A few judges in Ohio have either ordered defendants to get a vaccine or reduced sentences if the defendant got a vaccine. In the most recent case last week, a judge ordered a 21-year-old who pleaded guilty to possession of a fentanyl-related compound to get a vaccine within two months as one of several conditions to get two years’ probation. The defendant’s attorney did not challenge the order. In the United States cases were up 112%, deaths are up 92%, and hospitalizations are up 90% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are 6,223,361 active cases in the United States. Keeping in mind several states stopped reporting daily case numbers, the five states with the most new cases: Florida 28,317. California 9,976. Texas 6,158. Louisiana 5,515. And North Carolina 3,863. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Neshoba, MS. Gulf, FL. Columbia, FL. Chambers, TX. Lafourche, LA. Terrebonne, LA. Iberia, LA. Jackson, FL. And St. James, LA. There have been at least 617,307 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 67.9%, Massachusetts at 64.4%, and Maine at 64.2%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 34.8%, Mississippi at 35.2%, and Wyoming at 37%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 50.1%. The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Vietnam up 7%. Nepal 6%. Kyrgyzstan 5%. Suriname 4%. And Cambodia, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia 3%. Globally, cases were up 17% and deaths were down 4% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21. There are 16,497,595 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 102,375. Iran 40,808. India 27,429. The U.K. 25,161. And Turkey 23,731. There have now been at least 4,301,576 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for August 9th, 2021.Hospitalizations are reaching all-time highs, especially in parts of the South. Some patients and their doctors are struggling to find hospitals that will take them, even if it’s out of state. Louisiana set a new record for hospitalizations last week. Florida's hospitalizations recently jumped 13% above the previous peak and 60% of the state’s hospitals expect a "critical staffing shortage" by this week. Houston's United Memorial Medical Center says, "We have no beds. Over the last 12 hours, we’ve lost more patients than in the last 5-6 weeks."Among the problems in Florida, pediatric hospitals have become “completely overwhelmed” with young patients battling COVID. Yesterday, Florida reported having the highest number of children — 172 — hospitalized. Sharp rises in admissions involving kids have also been recorded in other states like Arkansas.The head of the U.S.’ second-largest teachers union made her position clear yesterday; vaccines should be required for educators before they go back to the classroom. Randi Weingarten of the American Federation of Teachers said mandates are necessary because kids can’t get vaccinated and are getting COVID.  Evidence out of Israel indicates even boosters won’t stop breakthrough infections. 14 of its citizens got COVID despite having been inoculated with a third vaccine dose. Two are sick enough to have been hospitalized. Some 420,000 Israelis have been administered a third booster shot so far in a drive that began last week.What happens when there’ve been so many coronavirus variants we run out of Greek letters? Well if we’re still here as a species, the World Health Organization is considering using constellations like Gemini and Aries. So far, we’ve used 11 of the 24 letters of the Greek alphabet so as not to offend or stigmatize countries of discovery. No word yet on if people who claim to be from the constellation Orion will have their feelings hurt.In the United States cases were up 112%, deaths are up 92%, and hospitalizations are up 83% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are now once again over 6 million active cases in the United States, at 6,051,160.Keeping in mind several states stopped reporting daily case numbers, the five states with the most new cases: California 7,105. New York 3,572. Arizona 2,639. Texas 2,141. And Missouri 1,768. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Neshoba, MS. Gulf, FL. Columbia, FL. Chambers, TX. Lafourche, LA. Terrebonne, LA. Iberia, LA. Jackson, FL. And St. James, LA. There have been at least 616,827 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont unchanged at 67.7%, Massachusetts at 64.2%, and Maine at 64.1%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama unchanged at 34.6%, Mississippi unchanged at 34.8%, and Wyoming unchanged at 36.7%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 49.9%.The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Nepal up 7%. Trinidad and Tobago 6%. Kyrgyzstan 5%. And Zambia and Cambodia 4%. Globally, cases were up 15% and deaths were down 6% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21. There are once again over 16 million active cases around the world, at 16,392,735.The five countries with the most new cases: Iran 39,619. India 36,035. The U.K. 27,429. Indonesia 26,415. And the United States 24,390.  There have now been at least 4,293,555 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for August 6th, 2021. The head of the CDC says the number of daily cases in the US has surged more than 40% from the previous week. And across the board, they’re seeing increases in cases and hospitalizations across all age groups. Moderna believes people who got two doses of its vaccine will need a third dose before winter as a booster shot. They’re also working on a single shot that would be an annual booster for COVID-19, as well as flu and the respiratory condition RSV. The company said, "We believe increased force of infection resulting from Delta, non-pharmaceutical intervention fatigue, and seasonal effects (like more time indoors) will lead to an increase of breakthrough infections in vaccinated individuals."  California will require all of its roughly 2.2 million health care workers and long-term care workers to be fully vaccinated by Sept. 30. That’s different than what the Governor said last month when he said workers would have a choice of vaccination or weekly testing. But that choice is the case for Oregon’s health care workers. That order effectively neutralizes an Oregon law that says employers can’t fire health care workers for not being vaccinated. Australia’s second-largest city, Melbourne, has gone into a sixth lockdown. Melbourne joins Sydney and Brisbane in full lockdown due to the Delta variant. The local government said they had no choice because only 20% of Australian adults have been fully vaccinated. You might laugh a little when you hear a cable news channel was operating with its employees on the honor system, but that’s what CNN was doing and now it’s fired three employees who came to work unvaccinated. The head of CNN said that honor system may change in the coming weeks. In the United States cases were up 131%, deaths are up 65%, and hospitalizations are up 87% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are now 5,864,272 active cases in the United States. Keeping in mind that several states have stopped reporting their daily case numbers, the five states with the most new cases: Florida 20,133. Texas 14,173. California 11,725. Georgia 5,806. And Louisiana 5,468.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Sabine, TX. Dimmit, TX. Lafourche, LA. St. Charles, LA. Stone, MS. Terrebonne, LA. St. Mary, LA. Gulf, FL. Nassau, FL. And Chambers, TX.  There have been at least 615,309 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont unchanged at 67.7%, Massachusetts unchanged at 64.1%, and Maine unchanged at 64%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 34.6%, Mississippi at 34.8%, and Wyoming at 36.7%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 49.8%. The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Sri Lanka up 6%. Vietnam, Zambia, and Taiwan 5%. And Japan 4%.  Globally, cases were up 17% and deaths were down 3% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21.  There are 15,965,230 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 120,945. India 45,001. Brazil 40,054. Iran 38,674. And Indonesia 35,764.  There have now been at least 4,265,797 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for August 5th, 2021.Yesterday we had an Axios poll that shows unvaccinated Americans mostly blame foreigners visiting the United States for the surge in the Delta variant. And apparently the White House agrees with them. The administration is taking the first steps toward requiring nearly all foreign visitors to the U.S. to be vaccinated. Travel restrictions curtailing international travel to the U.S. have long been in place, with no apparent effect on the prevalence or spread of the Delta variant. The U.K. plans to offer vaccines to 16 and 17-year-olds in the next few weeks. An independent body of scientists that makes recommendations to the government changed its advice. Healthy 16 to 17-year-olds can be offered a first dose of the Pfizer vaccine without parental consent.A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine says children and adolescents transmit the coronavirus efficiently to household contacts and some of those contacts require hospitalization. The good news, no one in the study younger than 18 required hospitalization, however the study was done last year before the more dangerous Delta variant took hold.The director general of the World Health Organization has a message for countries giving COVID booster shots. Stop it. He’s calling for a moratorium of at least two months on boosters because, "We should not accept countries that have already used most of the global supply of vaccines, using even more of it while the world's most vulnerable people remain unprotected."The U.K.’s “Freedom Day” when restrictions were completely lifted brought screams of irresponsibility and predictions of doom and 100,000 cases daily from pandemic experts and the World Health Organization. Instead, the British are astounding the world with a drop in cases for the fifth day in a row. Why it’s happening is still guesswork, but most speculation has to do with the U.K. being more than 72% fully vaccinated. And if you factor in COVID survivors with antibodies that number could be as high as 92%.  In the United States cases were up 139%, deaths are up 49%, and hospitalizations are up 92% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are now 5,757,856 active cases in the United States.Keeping in mind that several states have stopped reporting their daily case numbers, the five states with the most new cases: Florida 16,935. Texas 12,334. California 10,909. Georgia 4,860. And Louisiana 4,779. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Sabine, TX. Lafourche, LA. St. James, LA. Iberia, LA. Gulf, FL. St. Charles, LA. Nassau, FL. St. Mary, LA. Dimmit, TX. And Terrebonne, LA.  There have been at least 614,797 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 67.7%, Massachusetts unchanged at 64.1%, and Maine at 64%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama and Mississippi at 34.5%, and Arkansas unchanged at 36.6%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is unchanged at 49.7%.The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Eswatini up 18%. Kyrgyzstan 10%. Sri Lanka 9%. And the Philippines and South Africa 8%. Globally, cases were up 16% and deaths were down 4% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21. There are 15,730,573 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 112,279. India 42,817. Brazil 40,460. Iran 39,357. And Indonesia 35,867.  There have now been at least 4,255,443 deaths reported... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for August 4th, 2021.In New York City, you’ll soon have to show proof of vaccination if you want to dine indoors at a restaurant, see a show, or go to the gym. It’s the first big city in the U.S. to put restrictions like that back in place. And they’ll be rolled out over the course of weeks. The Mayor said “What we want to nail is bluntly, showing life is much better when you’re vaccinated. You have more freedom.”The American Academy of Pediatrics said almost 72,000 children and teens caught Covid-19 last week, a "substantial" increase from a week earlier. The definition of a child varies by state but generally includes up to 17 or 18. Children and teens represented 19% of reported cases in the latest weekly data. Kids under 12 are still not eligible for any of the three vaccines currently used in the US.The World Health Organization says that in Africa, coronavirus fatalities surged by 80% within the last four weeks. The WHO Director-General said it’s being driven by the Delta variant, which has spiked infections globally 80% in the past four weeks. At that rate, the group says the 4 million cases reported last week can be expected to pass 200 million in the next two weeks.China suspended flights and trains, canceled pro basketball games, and announced mass testing in Wuhan yesterday as outbreaks persist. Cases are far more widespread than anything China’s dealt with since the initial outbreak. China has among the world’s most authoritarian and compliant lockdown and testing measures, but cases continue to pop up in more than 35 cities in 17 of China’s 33 provinces and regions.So if the unvaccinated don’t blame themselves for the recent surge in cases, who do they blame? An Axios poll found most, 37%, blame people traveling to the U.S. from other countries. 27% blame mainstream media, 23% blame Americans traveling to other countries, and 21% blame Joe Biden. Only 10% of the unvaccinated blame the unvaccinated. Among the vaccinated, they, of course, blame the unvaccinated for the Delta variant surge at 79%, followed by 36% who blame Donald Trump, who left office seven months ago. Almost no one blames the power and nature of the virus itself. In the United States cases were up 142%, deaths are up 27%, and hospitalizations are up 83% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are now 5,661,932 active cases in the United States.Keeping in mind that several states have stopped reporting their daily case numbers, the five states with the most new cases: Florida 17,001. Texas 14,873. California 10,010. Georgia 9,197. And Louisiana 4,753. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Sabine, TX. Tangipahoa, LA. Ascension, LA. Stone, MS. Lafourche, LA. St. Charles, LA. Livingston, LA. St. James, LA. Gulf, FL. And Terrebonne, LA.  There have been at least 614,249 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related.Despite media reports of increased vaccinations, our numbers sourced from NPR are not bearing that out. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont unchanged at 67.6%, Massachusetts at 64.1%, and Maine unchanged at 63.5%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama unchanged at 34.4%, Mississippi unchanged at 34.5%, and Arkansas at 36.6%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 49.7%.The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Nepal up 10%. Vietnam 7%. Sri Lanka 5%. And Taiwan and Malaysia 4%. Globally, cases were up 16% and deaths were up 16% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21. There are 15,472,129 active cases around the... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for August 3rd, 2021.It’s a month late from the US administration’s goal but 70% of U.S. adults have had at least one shot of a vaccine, according to the CDC. Some health officials say it’s a big step toward reaching so-called herd immunity, while others say herd immunity is misleading and the best we can do is reduce the impact of and learn to live with COVID -19.The seven-day average of daily cases in the U.S. has now surpassed the peak seen this time last summer when there were no vaccines at all. Data from the CDC is at odds with Johns Hopkins in terms of if new cases are trending up or down. The seven-day average of daily deaths of 300 per day though is far below last summer’s peak of more than 1,100 daily.In a big change from last month, a Gallup poll shows more Americans now say the pandemic in the U.S. is getting worse rather than better. As recently as June, 89% said things were getting better. Americans now expect societal disruptions to persist at least through the end of the year, or longer, and concern about getting COVID-19 has grown. However, there’s little evidence people are altering their behavior to avoid exposure.Japanese researchers say the Lambda variant is not being taken nearly seriously enough. Their studies show it to be highly infectious and more resistant to vaccines than the original version. They found three mutations in Lambda's spike protein help it resist neutralization by vaccine-induced antibodies. It is not clear if the variant is more dangerous than the Delta variant.More than 385,000. That’s how many attended the 4-day Lollapalooza festival in Chicago this weekend. The head of Chicago’s health department said she expects to see cases associated with the event rise. But Democrat Mayor Lori Lightfoot defended the festival, saying, “We’ve been able to do it because of the vaccinations,” but only about 52% of all Chicagoans are fully vaccinated.In the United States cases were up 149%, deaths are up 14%, and hospitalizations are up 86% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are now 5,548,581 active cases in the United States.Keeping in mind that several states have stopped reporting their daily case numbers, the five states with the most new cases: California 8,639. Texas 5,687. Louisiana 3,704. New York 2,427. And South Carolina 2,399. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Sabine, TX. Tangipahoa, LA. Stone, MS. East Feliciana, LA. Ascension, LA. Gulf, FL. Livingston, LA. Lafourche, LA. Nassau, FL. And St. Charles, LA. There have been at least 613,670 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 67.6%, Massachusetts at 64%, and Maine at 63.5%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 34.4%, Mississippi at 34.5%, and Arkansas at 36.5%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 49.6%.The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Vietnam up 6%. Nepal and Zambia 4%. And Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Malaysia, and Georgia 3%. Globally, cases were up 14% and deaths were up 13% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21. There are 15,265,233 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 56,369. Iran 37,189. India 30,031. Russia 23,508. And Turkey 22,898.  There have now been at least 4,234,771 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for August 2nd, 2021. There are some signs vaccinations in the US are going up now that the Delta variant surge has become undeniable. 816,203 doses were administered Saturday, the 5th straight day the CDC recorded more than 700,000 shots in arms. Saturday was also the third day in a row the 7-day average of people getting their first shots topped 400,000. Which is not to say there isn’t still resistance around the world. Thousands protested Germany’s anti-coronavirus measures in Berlin yesterday, leading to clashes with police and the detention of some 600 people. In France, thousands protested mandatory coronavirus health passes for entry to public venues for the third weekend in a row. More businesses are also turning to vaccine mandates. Disney and Walmart announced Friday mandates for some of their employees. For Disney it’s all salaried and nonunion hourly employees, for Walmart its all corporate staff members and regional managers. They join companies like Google, Facebook, Uber, and The Washington Post. Not sure how this is going to help get vaccinations up, but Pfizer and Moderna have raised the prices of their vaccines in their latest contracts to the European Union. And not a little bit. It’s a 25% increase for Pfizer and 13% for Moderna. But apparently, these increases still leave the price lower than what was previously agreed upon.  How come what is said in the United States is so frequently at odds with what other countries are finding? Israel's director of public health services said on Face the Nation that Israel, which vaccinated its population early and often, found that about 50% of the people testing positive right now are fully immunized. Not only that, there's evidence the vaccinated are not spreading the virus frequently or widely, which runs counter to what the CDC just said about why the vaccinated should stay masked. In Israel, 80% of vaccinated individuals who’ve been infected have "zero contacts" confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 from the connection. To be clear, this means vaccinated people can and do infect other people, but Israel has found their ability to do so is 50% lower than the unvaccinated. In the United States cases were up 149%, deaths are up 14%, and hospitalizations are up 86% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are now 5,466,254 active cases in the United States. Keeping in mind that several states have stopped reporting their daily case numbers, the five states with the most new cases: California 3,707. Texas 3,623. New York 2,657. Arizona 2,306. And Arkansas 1,984.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Sabine, TX. Tangipahoa, LA. Stone, MS. East Feliciana, LA. Ascension, LA. Gulf, FL. Livingston, LA. Lafourche, LA. Nassau, FL. And St. Charles, LA.  There have been at least 613,223 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont unchanged at 67.4%, Massachusetts unchanged at 63.7%, and Maine at 63.4%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama unchanged at 34.2%, Mississippi unchanged at 34.4%, and Arkansas at 36.2%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 49.4%. The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Vietnam and Zambia up 7%. Kosovo 6%. Brunei 5%. And Pakistan 4%.  Globally, cases were up 14% and deaths were up 12% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21.  There are once again over 15 million active cases around the world, at 15,152,168 The five countries with the most new cases: India 40,784. Iran 32,511.... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for July 30th, 2021.This is Coronavirus 411, the latest COVID-19 info and new hotspots… Just the facts… for July 30th, 2021.The EU has passed the U.S. in Covid-19 vaccinations. Inoculations in the 27 member countries are at a sustained pace while America’s effort has stalled. The EU has boosted its figure by 9 percentage points just in the past month.As expected, the US administration announced a number of new steps to increase vaccinations. These include requiring all federal employees and onsite contractors to be vaccinated or face strict protocols, expanding paid leave to get vaccinated, and urging states to give $100 to people who get vaccinated. They also want school districts nationwide to host at least one pop-up vaccination clinic to get more kids 12 and older vaccinated.Israel will be the first to start offering a third shot of the Pfizer vaccine to people over 60. The President will be the first to get the booster today. The health ministry has twice reported a drop in the vaccine's efficacy against infection and a slight decrease in its protection against severe disease. Pfizer says it could apply for U.S. emergency authorization for booster shots as early as August. One of the last holdout countries will start accepting the vaccines into its country. Burundi’s government will allow them but will not take responsibility for any side effects they might cause. This was announced the same day neighboring Tanzania launched its vaccination campaign, retreating from its former President’s denial of the pandemic. This leaves Eritrea, one of the world’s most closed-off nations, as the only African country that has not accepted the vaccines. The smiles at Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California will once again be hidden behind masks. The parks have gone back to requiring all guests to wear face masks indoors as of today and vaccination status doesn’t matter. Indoors also means transportation like buses and monorails.In the United States cases were up 146%, deaths are up 11%, and hospitalizations are up 73% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are now 5,329,011 active cases in the United States.Keeping in mind that several states stopped reporting their daily case numbers, the five states with the most new cases: Florida 17,589. Texas 11,893. California 9,304. Georgia 4,612. And Louisiana 4,414. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Tangipahoa, LA. Stone, MS. Ascension, LA. Uvalde, TX. Livingston, LA. West Baton Rouge, LA. Lafourche, LA. East Feliciana, LA. And St. Mary, LA.There have been at least 612,105 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont unchanged at 67.4%, Massachusetts at 63.7%, and Maine unchanged at 63.3%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 34.2%, Mississippi at 34.4%, and Arkansas at 36.1%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 49.3%.The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Vietnam up 11%. Taiwan 10%. Kosovo and Saudi Arabia 6%. And Zambia 5%. Globally, cases were up 20% and deaths were up 7% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21. There are 14,608,402 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 92,405. India 44,673. Indonesia 43,479. Brazil 41,853. And Iran 34,433.  There have now been at least 4,196,442 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for July 29th, 2021. After the CDC changed its guidance for even the vaccinated to go back to wearing masks indoors in certain areas, mask rules across the nation reacted in a range of ways. That includes cities, states, schools, and businesses. Nevada and Kansas City swiftly re-imposed indoor masking. But governors in Arizona, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina are resisting. Ford is reinstating masking at facilities in Missouri and Florida, while Apple and Google postponed a return to the office. Google will eventually mandate vaccination for all staff. The main result of the ever-changing advice, Americans plunged right back into emotionally charged debates. The CDC said not only do you have to go back to wearing a mask if you’ve been vaccinated, you also should get tested if you’ve been exposed to the virus even if you’re vaccinated and not showing any symptoms. It’s yet another change in guidance that has many people asking, what good is being vaccinated? The answer, of course, is lower chance of infection and lower seriousness of illness if infected. But the CDC is saying new data suggests "vaccinated people infected by Delta may still carry large amounts of the virus and transmit it to others."  According to Los Angeles County’s Public Health Director, 26% of new cases there are from fully vaccinated people. That’s up from 20% in June. But health officials continue to say that’s totally expected and nothing to get alarmed about. And we say again, the vaccine reduces the severity of cases in those who do get a breakthrough infection.  The Lollapalooza music festival begins today in Chicago’s Grant Park. But those wanting to attend will be required to show proof of vaccination or a negative test within the last three days. The festival is expected to be back at full capacity, with roughly 100,000 daily attendees over four days.  In the United States cases were up 145%, deaths are up 6%, and hospitalizations are up 70% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are now 5,255,434 active cases in the United States. Keeping in mind that several states have stopped reporting their daily case numbers, the five states with the most new cases: Florida 16,038. Texas 9,524. California 7,478. Louisiana 4,699. And Georgia 3,828.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Tangipahoa, LA. Ascension, LA. Livingston, LA. Lafourche, LA. East Feliciana, LA. Uvalde, TX. St. Mary, LA. Stone, MS. And West Baton Rouge, LA.  There have been at least 611,779 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 67.4%, Massachusetts unchanged at 63.6%, and Maine at 63.3%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama unchanged at 34.1%, Mississippi unchanged again at 34.2%, and Arkansas unchanged again at 36%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is at 49.2%. The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Zambia up 17%. Taiwan 10%. Vietnam 7%. Saudi Arabia 6%. And Sri Lanka, Lebanon, and the Philippines 4%.  Globally, cases were up 21% and deaths were up 5% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21.  There are 14,365,832 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 84,534. Brazil 48,443. Indonesia 47,791. India 43,211. And Iran 33,817.  There have now been at least 4,185,754 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for July 28th, 2021. The CDC has again altered its mask guidance, recommending even fully vaccinated people wear masks indoors in areas with "substantial" and "high" transmission. That pretty much includes two-thirds of all US counties. A source says new unpublished data showing vaccinated people with the Delta variant can have as much virus as the unvaccinated was the main driver for the CDC's change. The White House is strongly considering requiring all federal employees prove they’ve been vaccinated or submit to regular testing and wear a mask, essentially an expansion of the VA mandate announced this week. A final decision may come next week. In 2020, there were more than 4.2 million federal workers nationwide, including those in the military. Israel has authorized the use of Pfizer’s vaccine for vulnerable children between five and 11. Officials said kids should be given the shot if they have a high likelihood of serious illness or death from Covid-19 because of underlying conditions. Each case would require special approval and lower dosages of the vaccine will be given. Tokyo had the highest number of infections yesterday since the pandemic began. Hospitals have been asked to prepare more beds. That’s trouble for the Prime Minister, whose ratings have hit their lowest level since he took office. And it’s trouble for the Olympics as 31% of Japanese citizens still say the Games should be postponed again or cancelled. Cambodian authorities stopped five large containers of frozen water buffalo meat imported from India after determining three containers were tainted with the coronavirus. The contents of the three containers will be destroyed later this week. Cambodia only recently began allowing imports from India again. China’s also recently found the virus in food imports, imposing bans on pork from Britain and Denmark, beef from Argentina, fish from India, and chicken from Russia. In the United States cases were up 144%, deaths are up 7%, and hospitalizations are up 72% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are now 5,155,138 active cases in the United States. Keeping in mind that several states have stopped reporting their daily case numbers, the five states with the most new cases: California 8,546. Texas 7,961. Louisiana 6,818. Georgia 3,610. And Missouri 2,414.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Tangipahoa, LA. Grimes, TX. Phillips, AR. Taney, MO. Uvalde, TX. Douglas, MO. St. Mary, LA. Ascension, LA. And Nassau, FL.  There have been at least 611,274 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont unchanged at 67.3%, Massachusetts at 63.6%, and Maine unchanged at 63.2%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 34.1%, Mississippi unchanged at 34.2%, and Arkansas unchanged at 36%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is again unchanged at 49.1%. The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: The Philippines up 4%. And Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Oceana, and Australia 3%.  Globally, cases were up 21% and deaths were up 24% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21.  There are once again over 14 million active cases around the world, at 14,130,677 The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 61,581. Indonesia 45,203. India 42,928. Brazil 41,411. And Iran 34,951.  There have now been at least 4,175,925 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for July 27th, 2021. California and New York City announced they will require all government employees to get the vaccine or undergo weekly COVID-19 testing. It’s not clear what happens if employees refuse. The announcements are seen as a possible “opening of the floodgates” as more government entities and companies impose vaccine mandates. The Department of Veterans Affairs became the first major federal agency to require health care workers to get vaccines. The Department of Justice said there is no federal law standing in the way of employers requiring vaccinations. They have eight weeks to be fully vaccinated. Moderna is in talks with the FDA to expand the size of an ongoing trial testing its vaccines in children between five and 11. A larger database increases the likelihood of detecting rarer events. U.S. regulators actually asked Moderna and Pfizer to expand the trial due to the failure to detect rare side effects like myocarditis and pericarditis. What is going on in the U.K.? The assumption was that after “Freedom Day” and the lifting of restrictions, even in the face of rising Delta variant numbers, cases would skyrocket. But Britain reported its lowest daily total of new cases since July 4 yesterday. New cases fell for a sixth consecutive day and the total number of new cases over the past week is more than a fifth lower than the prior week. However, just over 70% of the adult population in Britain is fully vaccinated compared the U.S.’ less than 50%. Jonathan Lotz, the grandson of evangelist Billy Graham, is in the hospital in critical condition with COVID-19. He is a cancer survivor which could affect the severity of his case. The family has not answered media requests for information on whether or not he was vaccinated, but his famous uncle Franklin Graham has repeatedly publicly urged everyone to get vaccinated.  In the United States cases were up 144%, deaths are up 7%, and hospitalizations are up 68% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are now 5,111,762 active cases in the United States. Keeping in mind that several states have stopped reporting their daily case numbers, the five states with the most new cases: California 5,872. Texas 3,079. Louisiana 2,532. Georgia 1,614. And New York 1,568. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Tangipahoa, LA. Grimes, TX. Phillips, AR. Taney, MO. Uvalde, TX. Douglas, MO. St. Mary, LA. Ascension, LA. And Nassau, FL. There have been at least 610,951 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 67.3%, Massachusetts at 63.5%, and Maine at 63.2%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 34%, Mississippi at 34.2%, and Arkansas at 36%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 49.1%. The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Bhutan up 8%. Saudi Arabia 6%. Vietnam 5%. Jordan 4%. And Turkey, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia 3%. Globally, cases were up 17% and deaths were up 19% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21. There are 13,980,120 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 35,816. Iran 31,814. India 30,125. Indonesia 28,228. And the U.K. 24,950. There have now been at least 4,166,967 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for July 26th, 2021. German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s chief of staff warned that restrictions for unvaccinated people may be necessary if infection numbers reach new heights in the coming months. That has politicians there very divided. The unvaccinated may be banned from restaurants, movie theaters and sports stadiums. Apparently believing lack of access to them is the problem, the White House is considering sending masks to every American household, according to three people familiar with the talks. It’s not certain what kind, or how many will be sent per residence. Dr. Anthony Fauci said the administration is even weighing whether people should double-mask.  France's parliament approved a law requiring special virus passes for all restaurants and domestic travel and mandating vaccinations for all health workers. Health workers who refuse risk suspension. To get the pass, people must prove they’re fully vaccinated, recently tested negative, or recently recovered from the virus.  Vietnam has locked down Hanoi for at least 15 days. This bans the gathering of more than two people in public, and only government offices, hospitals and essential businesses are allowed to stay open. The city had already suspended all outdoor activities and ordered non-essential businesses to close.  Usually during the Olympics we’re counting medals. This year we’re counting coronavirus cases. Olympics organizers say 127 people connected to the games have tested positive in the past few weeks. 71 of them are residents of Japan and 56 are non-residents like athletes and the media. 14 athletes have tested positive so far. About 100 of the total 613 U.S. athletes have not yet been vaccinated. In the United States cases were up 170%, deaths are up 20%, and hospitalizations are up 58% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are now 5,060,794 active cases in the United States. Keeping in mind that several states have now decided to stop reporting their daily case numbers, the five states with the most new cases: California 3,010. New York 1,902. Missouri 1,620. Arizona 1,508. And Texas 1,428.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Baxter, AR. Phillips, AR. Douglas, MO. Perry, AR. Nassau, FL. Taney, MO. Marion, AR. Karnes, TX. And Wright, MO. There have been at least 610,891 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont unchanged at 67.1%, Massachusetts unchanged at 63.3%, and Maine at 63%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama unchanged at 33.9%, Mississippi at 34%, and Arkansas at 35.6%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is unchanged at 48.8%. The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Vietnam up 6%. Saudi Arabia 5%. Nepal 4%. And Kazakhstan, Australia, and Malaysia 3%.  Globally, cases were up 19% and deaths were up 21% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21.  There are 13,882,962 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: Indonesia 38,679. India 38,153. The U.K. 29,173. Iran 27,146. And Russia 24,072.  There have now been at least 4,158,469 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for July 23rd, 2021. Instead of stories today we’ll be answering some questions many people might be having about breakthrough cases. Cases of COVID in those who have been fully vaccinated.  Do the vaccines work against Delta? So far, research shows they’re holding up well against it. A June study from the U.K. found the Pfizer vaccine is 96% effective against hospitalization from the delta variant after two doses.  If the vaccine isn’t guaranteed to keep you from getting infected, why get it? Your chances of getting infected are dramatically reduced, and if you do get infected (which is possible), the vaccine should help you keep from getting as sick.  How many people who are hospitalized are unvaccinated as opposed to vaccinated? 97% according to the CDC.  What would make you more likely to have a breakthrough case that leads to serious illness? If you have health conditions that affect the immune system.  Exactly how many breakthrough cases have there been? There's no exact number. They can’t count asymptomatic breakthrough cases because those people don’t get regular testing. If they have no symptoms, they don’t know to get tested. The CDC measures the effectiveness of COVID vaccines the way they do flu shots. Most people who get the flu are never tested or reported. Long-term surveillance, along with calculations to extrapolate the findings, gives a picture of how much virus is out in the community.  Why are breakthrough cases going up? Because more people got vaccinated. Math says that even with a 95% efficacy rate, one in 20 vaccinees who are exposed will get the disease. With Delta spreading 2-3 times faster than the original strain — there’ll be more cases among everyone, vaccinated and unvaccinated.  Is Delta causing more breakthrough cases? There's no data yet to show that it is. It’s also not known if you can spread the coronavirus if you get a breakthrough infection. In theory, the vaccinated have less virus so they’re less likely to transmit. But it’s not impossible. In the United States cases were up 180%, deaths are up 30%, and hospitalizations are up 53% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are now 5,109,249 active cases in the United States. The five states with the most new cases: Florida 12,647. California 6,937. Texas 6,340. Missouri 3,346. And Louisiana 2,834.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Cole, MO. Karnes, TX. Miller, MO. Marion, AR. Douglas, MO. Baxter, AR. Taney, MO. Oregon, MO. And Wright, MO.  There have been 610,132 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 67.1%, Massachusetts at 63.3%, and Maine unchanged at 62.9%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama and Mississippi at 33.9%, and Arkansas at 35.5%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 48.8%. The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Taiwan up 14%. Saudi Arabia 7%. Argentina and Ukraine 4%. And Malaysia and Australia 3%.  Globally, cases were up 20% and deaths were up 18% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21.  There are 13,507,906 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 61,651. Brazil 49,603. Indonesia 49,509. The U.K. 39,906. And India 34,865.  There have now been 4,134,432 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for July 22nd, 2021.Cases nearly tripled in the U.S. over the past two weeks. Hospitals are again canceling elective surgeries and procedures. Just 56.2% of Americans have gotten even one dose of the vaccine. New Orleans has become one of many cities that have gone back to “strongly recommending” mask-wearing indoors. They’re hoping to avoid total shutdowns that devastate tourism economies. Hospitalizations in New Orleans for COVID are up more than 600 since June 19.Tunisia isn’t playing games. That country’s president has ordered the military to take over management of the national pandemic response. They’re fighting one of Africa’s worst outbreaks. The last health minister was fired over his surprise decision to open vaccination centers to all adults for the first time this week during the Muslim holiday, causing confusion and chaos.Reports of breakthrough cases, cases of COVID in people who have been fully vaccinated, are increasing. It’s a small number compared to overall cases, but it’s enough that it’s creating communication problems for the White House. This was not helped when it was leaked, then later confirmed, that a vaccinated White House aide recently tested positive. The White House press secretary also acknowledge this isn’t the first breakthrough case at the White House, though she would not say how many there’ve been. The case comes days after the administration settled on a new message about COVID that it’s now a pandemic of the unvaccinated. It was quite a weekend’s work. An Australian socialite, Anthony Hess, unknowingly spread the Delta variant to at least 60 people in Los Angeles in just one weekend. He was fully vaccinated. He said, “I have no idea how many people I infected, it could be hundreds.” Hess said it appears the Delta variant is overpowering vaccines since most of the people he infected were also fully vaccinated. In the United States cases were up 171%, deaths are up 42%, and hospitalizations are up 49% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are now 5,062,265 active cases in the United States.The five states with the most new cases: Florida 8,988. California 6,521. Louisiana 5,388. Texas 4,769. And Missouri 2,995. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Karnes, TX. Cole, MO. Taney, MO. Marion, AR. Ottawa, OK. Miller, MO. St. Mary, LA. Webster, MO. Greene, MO. And Tangipahoa, LA. There have now been at least 609,859 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont unchanged at 67%, Massachusetts unchanged at 63.2%, and Maine at 62.9%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama unchanged at 33.7%, Mississippi at 33.9%, and Arkansas unchanged at 35.4%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 48.7%.The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Taiwan up 10%. South Africa 6%. Saudi Arabia 5%. Russia 4%. And Kazakhstan 3%. Globally, cases were up 24% and deaths were up 24% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21. There are 13,339,599 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 56,525. Brazil 54,748. The U.K. 44,104. India 41,697. And Indonesia 33,772.  There have now been at least 4,126,289 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for July 21st, 2021. The CDC Director said the Delta variant is now estimated to make up 83% of all sequenced Covid-19 cases in the U.S. That’s a dramatic rise from 50% the week of July 3. Dr. Rochelle Walensky told a Senate hearing nearly two-thirds of the counties in the U.S. have vaccinated less than 40% of residents. Fatalities have risen nearly 48% over the past week. In the UK, seven areas have been identified as hotspots, meaning more than one in 100 people have the virus. More areas are fully expected to be added to the list in the coming days. COVID deaths in the UK spiked 61% from the previous week. As bad as COVID deaths have been in India throughout the pandemic, a new study shows just how undercounted deaths probably were there. The report from researchers at the Center for Global Development said it could be 10 times the official count, with deaths in the several millions not hundreds of thousands. Struggling as it is with the Delta variant, the Houston Methodist hospital system in Texas reported its first case of the Lambda variant. That’s the variant first detected in Peru that makes up 81% of cases there since April 2021. The system’s medical director of Diagnostic Microbiology says Lambda is not yet a bigger concern than Delta since we know Delta’s much more contagious, and with higher viral loads. What a mess. The chief of the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee has not ruled out cancelling the Olympics at the last-minute. More athletes are testing positive and big sponsors have pulled out of Friday's opening ceremony. Overall, Tokyo is experiencing a new surge, with 1,387 cases recorded Tuesday. In the United States cases were up 195%, deaths are up 42%, and hospitalizations are up 46% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are now once again over 5 million active cases in the United States, at 5,021,185. The five states with the most new cases: Florida 8,012. California 5,269. Texas 4,732. Missouri 1,992. And Arkansas 1,875. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Karnes, TX. Taney, MO. Arkansas, AR. Marion, AR. Cole, MO. Baxter, AR. Greene, MO. Dallas, MO. Christian, MO. And Izard, AR. There have been 609,521 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 67%, Massachusetts at 63.2%, and Maine unchanged at 62.8%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama unchanged at 33.7%, Mississippi unchanged at 33.8%, and Arkansas unchanged at 35.4%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is unchanged at 48.6%. The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Taiwan up 7%. Saudi Arabia and Trinidad & Tobago 5%. And Isle of Man, Malaysia, and Lebanon 3%. Globally, cases were up 26% and deaths were flat over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21. There are 13,169,385 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The U.K. 46,558. The Unites States 44,232. India 42,123. Indonesia 38,325. And Brazil 27,896. There have now been 4,105,026 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for July 20th, 2021. A federal judge has ruled Indiana University can require its roughly 90,000 students and 40,000 employees to get vaccinated. The judge rejected a request to block the requirement from eight students who are suing that the policy violated their constitutional rights by forcing them to receive unwanted medical treatment. With restrictions ending, cases up 41%, the UK Health Secretary testing positive for COVID, and the US issuing a “do not travel” advisory to the UK, the British government says it won’t be inoculating most children and teens until more safety data is available. An advisory panel said the benefits of universal vaccination do not outweigh the risks for most young people. This runs counter to the policy of several other European countries, which are vaccinating adolescents as young as 12. The American Academy of Pediatrics issued recommendations for the upcoming school year that says everyone 2 and older should wear masks and it doesn’t matter if they’re vaccinated or not. But the group does "strongly recommend" in-person learning.  Alabama typically leads our list of least vaccinated states, and its Department of Public Health reported 718 new cases Monday after 1,625 new cases over the weekend. The 7-day moving average is now 6.74 times higher over just two weeks’ time. Hospitalizations are also rising sharply, and COVID deaths have roughly doubled in two weeks,  Canadian officials say as long as the situation there stays favorable, travel restrictions at the U.S. border will be loosened August 9. That means fully vaccinated American citizens and permanent residents residing in the U.S. can get into Canada with no quarantine even for non-essential purposes.  In the United States cases were up 140%, deaths are up 33%, and hospitalizations are up 34% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are now 4,987,415 active cases in the United States.  The five states with the most new cases: California 4,350. Texas 1,996. Louisiana 1,329. Arizona 1,034. And Missouri 1,020.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Karnes, TX. Taney, MO. Cole, MO. Marion, AR. Baxter, AR. Christian, MO. Dallas, MO. Wright, MO. And Miller, MO. There have been 609,233 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 66.9%, Massachusetts at 63.1%, and Maine unchanged at 62.8%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 33.7%, Mississippi unchanged at 33.8%, and Arkansas at 35.4%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 48.6%. The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Saudi Arabia up 10%. Trinidad and Tobago 5%. Jordan and Zambia 3%. And Macao 2%.  Globally, cases were up 34% and deaths up 7% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21.  There are once again over 13 million active cases around the world, at 13,031,275. The five countries with the most new cases: The U.K. 39,950. Indonesia 34,257. India 29,424. Iran 25,441. And Russia 24,633.  There have now been 4,095,437 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for July 19th, 2021. The U.S. surgeon general is attempting to sound the alarm about what’s ahead. Cases are increasing in every state, millions of Americans are still unvaccinated, and the highly contagious Delta variant is spreading rapidly. He said nearly all coronavirus deaths now are among the unvaccinated. It doesn’t appear scare tactics are going to work. A CBS News poll shows unvaccinated and partially vaccinated Americans are actually the least concerned about the Delta variant. Among the unvaccinated polled, 53% are worried about possible side effects, 50% cited no trust in the government, and 45% said they don't trust the science. The Sheriff of Los Angeles County said he’s not going to enforce the reinstated indoor mask mandate because it contradicts CDC guidelines. He said his department is already underfunded and he won’t expend the limited resources. But he did ask for voluntary compliance. It’s always bad when you hear about deaths from COVID-19, but Indonesia is reporting a sharp rise in the death of doctors from the virus. 114 doctors died from July 1-17, which makes up more than 20% of the 545 total doctors who died since the beginning of the pandemic. Indonesia has a 95% vaccination rate among health workers.  Here’s one more poll, this one from YouGov and The Economist, which tells us that fully 1/5 of Americans believe microchips may have been planted inside COVID-19 vaccines. 15% say it’s "probably true" while 5% say it’s "definitely true." Among 30-44-year-olds, the number of believers goes up to 27%.  In the United States cases were up 140%, deaths are up 33%, and hospitalizations are up 34% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are now 4,962,571 active cases in the United States.  The five states with the most new cases: California 2,168. Missouri 1,394. Texas 1,303. New York 1,019. And Arizona 980.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Karnes, TX. Taney, MO. Cole, MO. Marion, AR. Baxter, AR. Christian, MO. Dallas, MO. Wright, MO. And Miller, MO. There have been 609,018 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 66.8%, Massachusetts at 63%, and Maine at 62.8%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 33.6%, Mississippi at 33.8%, and Arkansas at 35.3%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 48.5%. The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Saudi Arabia up 9%. Zambia 6%. Trinidad and Tobago 4%. And Australia and Malaysia 3%.  Globally, cases were up 31% and deaths up 5% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21.  There are 12,945,383 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: The U.K. 48,161. Indonesia 44,721. India 38,325. Brazil 34,126. And Russia 25,018.  There have now been 4,088,092 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for July 16th, 2021. The masks are back. Los Angeles County will again require masks be worn indoors even by those who have been vaccinated. California fully reopened its economy June 15 and did away with capacity limits and social distancing.  Africa recorded a 43% jump in COVID-19 deaths last week. Infections and hospitalizations have risen, and, in some places, there are shortages of oxygen and ICU beds. The continent's case fatality rate stands at 2.6% against the global average of 2.2%. The head of the World Health Organization admitted it was premature for them to rule out a lab in China as the origin of the coronavirus. China’s being asked to be more transparent in the search for the virus’ origins but has instead struck back aggressively, suggesting the search should continue, but in other countries. You hear in the American media it’s almost exclusively the unvaccinated who are dying of COVID. So why has Public Health England reported that most COVID deaths there are currently among the vaccinated? They not only say it, they say that’s to be expected. The risk of dying from COVID doubles every seven years older a patient is. This variation means vaccines don’t reduce the risk of death for older people so much that it falls below the risk for younger demographics. The problem with that explanation of course is infections are highest in younger age groups right now. Maybe your Nikes are about to get more valuable on the resale market. A South Korean shoemaker became the second major Nike supplier to suspend production in Vietnam. It shut down three of its factories near Ho Chi Minh City due to an outbreak. The factories employ almost 42,000 workers and will stay closed until July 20. Factories in Vietnam produced about half of all Nike brand footwear in fiscal 2020. In the United States cases were up 111%, deaths are up 5%, and hospitalizations are up 22% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are now 4,921,028 active cases in the United States.  The five states with the most new cases: Florida 7,011. Texas 3,611. California 3,439. Missouri 2,882. And Louisiana 1,500.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Baxter, AR. Taney, MO. Karnes, TX. Dallas, MO. Wright, MO. Douglas, MO. Perry, AR. Marion, AR. And Greene, MO.  There have been 608,387 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 66.6%, Massachusetts at 62.8%, and Maine unchanged at 62.6%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama unchanged at 33.4%, Mississippi at 33.6%, and Arkansas at 35.1%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 48.2%. The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Taiwan up 11%. Saudi Arabia 10%. And Lebanon, Malaysia, and Zambia 4%.  Globally, cases were up 26% and deaths up 2% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21.  There are 12,496,431 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: Indonesia 56,757. Brazil 52,789. The U.K. 48,553. India 39,072. And the United States 36,674.  There have now been 4,065,528 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for July 15th, 2021. It’s a bad combination in the U.S.; young and unvaccinated. They’re the ones showing up at hospitals across the country, some even landing in ICU and on ventilators. The CDC says slightly fewer than half of 18 to 24 and 25 to 39-year-olds are fully vaccinated. Former FDA commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb says the delta variant will keep causing problems maybe into October and will get worse before it gets better. COVID-19 is sparking protests in several countries. In addition to uprisings in Cuba, tear gas was used on protesters in Paris who railed against plans to require a vaccine certificate or negative PCR test to get into bars, restaurants, and cinemas. And in Greece, thousands gathered in the two largest cities protesting plans to make vaccines available to children as young as 15 without parental consent. The U.S. government reported overdose deaths soared to a record 93,000 last year amidst the pandemic. It’s a 29% increase over 2020. Experts say lockdowns and restrictions isolated those with drug addictions and made treatment harder to get. Fentanyl was involved in more than 60% of overdose deaths last year. Speaking of lockdowns, Spain's Constitutional Court ruled yesterday that mandating strict home confinement last year was unconstitutional. The government used a state of emergency to temporarily limit civil liberties, but the ruling annulled some articles of the decree related to free movement of citizens. That opens the door to cancelling fines for those who violated restrictions. A homoeopathic doctor in California became the first to face federal charges over fake COVID-19 immunizations and falsified vaccine cards. Juli Mazi of Napa allegedly sold immunization pellets she said contained the COVID-19 virus and would create lifelong immunity. She also allegedly sent vaccination cards that falsely stated the Moderna vaccine was administered after the pellets were taken. In the United States cases were up 111%, deaths are up 5%, and hospitalizations are up 22% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are now 4,899,930 active cases in the United States.  The five states with the most new cases: Florida 6,425. California 3,886. Texas 2,610. Missouri 2,240. And Louisiana 1,936.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Baxter, AR. Taney, MO. Karnes, TX. Dallas, MO. Wright, MO. Douglas, MO. Perry, AR. Marion, AR. And Greene, MO.  There have been 607,754 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 66.5%, Massachusetts at 62.7%, and Maine at 62.6%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 33.4%, Mississippi at 33.5%, and Arkansas at 35%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 48.1%. The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Lebanon, Taiwan, and Zambia up 9%. Saudi Arabia 7%. And Cape Verde 5%.  Globally, cases were up 19% and deaths down 6% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21.  There are 12,288,532 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: Brazil 57,664. Indonesia 54,517. The U.K. 42,302. India 41,854. And the United States 35,447.  There have now been 4,047,669 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for July 14th, 2021. COVID-19 is rising again in the U.S. after months of decline. In fact, the number of new cases per day doubled over the past three weeks. That’s attributed to the delta variant, lagging vaccination rates, and Fourth of July gatherings. Only Maine and South Dakota did not have case numbers go up over the past two weeks. Yesterday we told you the Dutch Prime Minister apologized for an error in judgement in easing restrictions. Today we report infections in the Netherlands jumped by more than 500% over the last week. Of infections that could be traced to their source, 37% happened in a hospitality venue like a bar or club with the biggest surge in 18-24-year-olds.  In one of the fastest reversals of the pandemic, California health officials issued a statewide policy Monday that’d have barred students from school campuses if they refused to wear masks. Just hours later, they backtracked. Now they will "recognize local schools’ experience in keeping students and educators safe." A new poll from the Kaiser Family Foundations asked people who were initially reluctant to get a vaccine what changed their mind. About half said it was something they learned, 36% said they were persuaded by somebody, a fourth of them changed when they saw others getting vaccinated without ill effects. 11% were reassured by their doctor. 8% were pressured by family and friends. And 3% did it so they could visit loved ones. Another poll, this one of New Yorkers, shows 68% of them think the worst is over. Only 17% think the worst is yet to come. 84% are at least somewhat comfortable having friends over, 80% are okay going to a beach or lakefront, 78% are ready to go on vacation, and 77% feel safe eating indoors at a restaurant. In the United States cases were up 94%, deaths are down 12%, and hospitalizations are up 16% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are now 4,879,927 active cases in the United States.  The five states with the most new cases: Florida 5,095. Texas 3,567. California 3,543. Missouri 2,276. And Arkansas 1,476.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Franklin, LA. Karnes, TX. Reeves, TX. Dimmit, TX. Baxter, AR. Perry, AR. Cherokee, KS. Greene, MO. Taney, MO. And Marion, AR.  There have been 607,754 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 66.4%, Massachusetts at 62.6%, and Maine at 62.4%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 33.3%, Mississippi at 33.4%, and Arkansas at 34.9%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 48%. The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Saudi Arabia up 7%. Zambia 5%. And Malaysia, Africa, and Nepal 4%.   Globally, cases were up 17% and deaths down 4% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21.  There are 12,108,039 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: Indonesia 47,899. Brazil 45,094. Spain 43,960. India 40,215. And the U.K. 36,660.  There have now been 4,047,669 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for July 13th, 2021. The World Health Organization’s director-general rebuked vaccine manufacturers focused on getting booster shots to high-income countries. He says they should instead be focusing on providing vaccine to nations that have had little access to first doses. The Dutch Prime Minister has apologized for what he called “an error of judgment” in relaxing the Netherlands' coronavirus lockdown. It’s a move believed to have led to a sharp surge in infections. Most remaining restrictions ended just over three weeks ago. France’s President ordered all French health care workers to get vaccine shots by Sept. 15 and urged all citizens to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Resurgent infections are threatening the country’s economic recovery. He also mandated special passes for anyone who wants to go to a restaurant, mall or hospital or get on a train or plane proving vaccination. U.S. health officials say Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine may pose a “small possible risk” of a rare but potentially dangerous neurological reaction. The CDC has gotten reports of 100 people out of 13 million people who got the shot developing Guillain-Barré syndrome, an immune system disorder that can cause muscle weakness and occasionally paralysis. Springfield, Missouri’s Mercy hospital has had to open its sixth COVID-19 ward as the delta virus overwhelms the state’s southwest region. St. Louis County and Kansas City health officials are warning there are still more sharp case increases to come. The hospital needed only five wards during the height of the pandemic last year. In the United States cases were up 94%, deaths are down 12%, and hospitalizations are up 16% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are now 4,869,026 active cases in the United States. The five states with the most new cases: California 2,853. Texas 1,229. Mississippi 796. New York 723. And Washington 720. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Franklin, LA. Karnes, TX. Reeves, TX. Dimmit, TX. Baxter, AR. Perry, AR. Cherokee, KS. Greene, MO. Taney, MO. And Marion, AR. There have been 607,390 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 66.4%, Massachusetts at 62.6%, and Maine at 62.4%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 33.3%, Mississippi at 33.4%, and Arkansas at 34.9%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 48%. The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Saudi Arabia and Pakistan up 5%. Colombia 4%. And Sri Lanka and Malaysia 3%.  Globally, cases were up 12% and deaths down 9% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21. The number of active cases around the world is back up over 12 million, at 12,007,844. The five countries with the most new cases: Indonesia 40,427. The U.K. 34,471. India 30,827. Russia 25,140. And Iran 20,829. There have now been 4,036,857 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for July 12th, 2021. Los Angeles County’s spike in Covid cases continued Saturday, with a second-consecutive 1,000-plus tally of daily infections. Friday doubled the number reported a week before and was the county’s highest daily figure since March. The number’s especially alarming because tallies are usually lower on weekends since there are fewer tests and lags in reporting. Thousands of Cubans took to the streets yesterday in protests. That’s a rare thing in Cuba. They were expressing frustration over pandemic restrictions, the pace of vaccinations and government neglect. The Cuban President, also head of the Communist Party, blamed the United States for the unrest. The CDC says fully vaccinated students do not need to wear masks in classrooms this fall. The guidance is aimed at helping keep kids in classrooms and participating in sports and extracurricular activities. The CDC encourages a return to the classroom even if not all prevention measures can be taken. For unvaccinated students, masks, hand-washing and weekly Covid-19 testing are recommended. As England nervously moved toward “Freedom Day,” the vaccines minister says even after that day July 19, masks will still be “expected” in crowded places like public transport. This represents a toughening up of rhetoric. It’s also advised people not rush back to offices if possible. The health secretary predicts daily infection levels could top 100,000, a record for the pandemic. Even more problem for the Olympics in Tokyo. Organizers were going to allow the sale of alcohol at venues. But the public said wait a minute, citizens are still under alcohol restrictions. Why is it safe for Olympic spectators to drink? Plus, there are concerns alcohol will make spectators yell more and ignore social distancing. So, sale of alcohol at Olympic venues has been banned. In the United States cases were up 60%, deaths are down 27%, and hospitalizations are up 11% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are now 4,865,805 active cases in the United States. The five states with the most new cases: California 1,636. Missouri 1,089. New York 852. Arizona 803. And Texas 422. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Franklin, LA. Karnes, TX. Reeves, TX. Dimmit, TX. Taney, MO. Baxter, AR. Joplin, MO. Polk, MO. Perry, AR. And Dallas, MO. There have been 607,155 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 66.2%, Massachusetts at 62.3%, and Maine at 62.2%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 33.1%, Mississippi at 33.3%, and Arkansas at 34.7%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 47.7%. The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Sri Lanka up 5%. Malaysia, Zambia, and Kazakhstan 3%. And Russia, Argentina, and Aruba 2%.  Globally, cases were up 11% and deaths down 10% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21. There are now 11,999,467 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: India 37,676. Indonesia 36,197. The U.K. 31,772. Russia 25,033. And Brazil 20,937. There have now been 4,029,593 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for July 9th, 2021.Scientists believe they’re starting to understand the delta variant more. They seem to mostly agree it is the most contagious version, spreading about 225% faster than the original. And a new study says delta grows faster inside our respiratory tracts and to much higher levels. On average, people infected with the delta variant had about 1,000x more copies of the virus in their respiratory tracts than those infected with the original strain. Also, when someone catches the delta variant, they become infectious sooner, taking about four days to reach detectable levels compared to six days for the original.Pfizer is about to seek U.S. authorization for a third dose of its vaccine, saying another shot within 12 months could dramatically boost immunity and maybe help ward off the delta variant.This is the kind of thing that makes it very hard to track accurate coronavirus data. Connecticut health officials say they will no longer provide daily updates on the number of people who have died in that state from COVID-19-related causes. Those reports will now only come once a week.Los Angeles County’s public health director tells NPR vaccination rates are lower in the black community and as a result, that community is experiencing a rise in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. This in a time period when cases and hospitalizations went down for Latino, white and Asian residents.Don’t bother heading to Japan for the Olympics. As anticipated, spectators will not be allowed in the host city of Tokyo. Japan has declared a state of emergency in the capital that will run throughout the Games, which run until Aug. 8. The Games had been postponed last year due to the pandemic.In the United States cases were up 39%, deaths are down 38%, and hospitalizations are up 1% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are now 4,851,375 active cases in the United States. The five states with the most new cases: Texas 2,136. California 1,821. Missouri 1,678. Arkansas 1,210. And Georgia 932. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Franklin, LA. Dimmit, TX. Reeves, TX. Joplin, MO. Karnes, TX. Baxter, AR. Polk, MO. Taney, MO. Cherokee, KS. And Marion, AR. There have been 606,468 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont unchanged at 66.1%, Massachusetts unchanged at 62.2%, and Maine at 62.1%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama unchanged at 33%, Mississippi at 33.2%, and Arkansas unchanged at 34.6%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 47.6%.The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Taiwan up 6%. South Africa 5%. And Malaysia, Lebanon, and Thailand 3%.  Globally, cases were up 11% and deaths down 9% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21. There are now 11,836,897 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: Brazil 53,749. Indonesia 38,391. India 34,443. The U.K. 32,551. And Russia 24,818. There have now been 4,009,084 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for July 8th, 2021. The World Health Organization is getting nervous COVID-19 restrictions are being lifted way too soon considering the rate at which the delta variant is spreading. Its head of emergencies urged countries "not to lose the gains you've made". England, in particular, is coming under heated questioning and criticism for lifting restrictions July 19.  And here’s the reason that criticism is happening. A new study shows COVID-19 infections in England have quadrupled in one month since early June. The Prime Minister said he was reconciled to more deaths from COVID-19, but that life needed to return to normal.  In the U.S., the government is deploying a Covid-19 surge team to lend support in southwest Missouri, where the virus is filling up hospital beds again. The surge is so high in the city of Springfield, a hospital system started sending some patients to other facilities. The state came in second to Arkansas in the past week for the most new cases per capita. Some are wondering why we went from Operation Warp Speed to Operation Status Quo. Even with massive numbers of people getting vaccines and peer reviewed studies on safety published, the FDA has yet to give the vaccines full approval. It’s believed doing so might give a much-needed boost to vaccine acceptance and lead to more employers, schools, and the military requiring vaccination. The FDA has not indicated when approval might happen. For some beauty pageant contestants, perhaps their talent was avoiding viral infection. Nearly half the contestants at this year's Miss Mexico pageant tested positive for the coronavirus. Organizers went ahead with the show even though some had symptoms, but finally ended it Saturday when all the tests came back.  In the United States cases were up 35%, deaths are down 40%, and hospitalizations are flat over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.  There are now 4,853,716 active cases in the United States.  The five states with the most new cases: California 2,252. Missouri 1,663. Texas 1,625. Arkansas 1,000. And Georgia 690.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Franklin, LA. Dimmit, TX. Reeves, TX. Joplin, MO. Karnes, TX. Taney, MO. Cherokee, KS. Moffat, CO. Polk, MO. And Newton, MO.  There have been 606,215 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 66.1%, Massachusetts at 62.2%, and Maine unchanged at 61.9%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi unchanged at 29.9%, Alabama at 33%, and Arkansas at 34.6%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 47.5%. The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Ukraine up 7%. Taiwan and Malaysia 5%. And Japan, Vietnam, and Saudi Arabia 4%.  Globally, cases were up 8% and deaths down 11% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21.  There are now 11,735,689 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: Brazil 54,022. India 45,674. Indonesia 34,379. The U.K. 32,548. And Colombia 24,229. There have now been over four million deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide, at 4,000,641.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for July 7th, 2021.The CDC says the delta variant is now the dominant strain in the U.S., accounting for more than 51% of COVID-19 cases. In parts of the U.S., Midwestern states like Missouri, Kansas, and Iowa, delta accounts for more than 80% of new infections.New data from Israel shows the Pfizer vaccine appears less effective at preventing COVID-19 cases from the delta variant but it’s still highly effective at preventing hospitalizations. From June 6 to July 2, the vaccine showed 64% efficacy at preventing cases and 94% efficacy at preventing hospitalizations.Things do seem to be going backwards around the world. Sydney, Australia extended its hard lockdown, saying the delta strain is a game-changer. Mexico had the biggest jump in new daily infections since late February. Greece is planning to reimpose curbs on entertainment. South Korea reports a case level unseen since the worst of its outbreak in December. Fiji has record infections and a mortuary at the main hospital filled to capacity. And in parts of Indonesia, they’ve run out of oxygen, causing the deaths of dozens of critically ill COVID-19 patients.So what do we know for sure about the new Lambda variant? It was first identified in Peru and is now in 29 countries. Scientists don’t know if it’s more transmissible. There's not a lot of data yet on how effective the vaccines are. Early findings suggest it is more infectious and can better escape the antibodies elicited by the Chinese CoronaVac vaccine, but that seems to be the only vaccine tested. The CDC has yet to identify Lambda as a variant of interest. The Pentagon is thinking about making vaccinations mandatory for troops once the FDA fully approves the shots. It wouldn’t be anything new. They’re already mandated to get 17 different vaccines, including shots against measles, mumps, diphtheria, hepatitis, smallpox and the flu. But some have already said they will leave the service if forced to take the COVID-19 vaccine. In the United States cases were up 5%, deaths are down 38%, and hospitalizations are down 3% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending flat since June 13.  There are now 4,855,844 active cases in the United States. The five states with the most current active cases: California 1,685,225. Virginia 612,595. Maryland 441,889. Kentucky 405,042. And Washington 222,871. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Shelby, TX. Reeves, TX. Joplin, MO. Dallas, MO. Hopkins, TX. Karnes, TX. Titus, TX. Ottawa, OK. And Moffat, CO. There have been 605,903 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related.NPR did not update the top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated so they remain: Vermont at 66%, Massachusetts at 62.1%, and Maine at 61.9%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 29.9%, Alabama at 32.9%, and Arkansas at 34.5%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 47.4%.The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Zambia up 8%. Macao, Trinidad and Tobago, and Ukraine 6%. And Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and Canada 4%. Globally, cases were up 8% and deaths down 11% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 22. There are now 11,651,433 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: Brazil 62,504. India 43,597. Indonesia 31,189. The U.K. 28,773. And Colombia 26,721. There have now been 3,991,577 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for July 6th, 2021.A very politically charged decision in Britain, which plans to get rid of laws requiring face masks and social distancing later this month despite surging delta variant numbers. The Prime Minister has even admitted doing so will likely drive the number of cases higher. While he stressed the pandemic is far from over, he said Britain would have to “learn to live with this virus.”Super spreader events are still a thing, especially where young people are involved. A club in The Netherlands had 165 of 600 attendees test positive after its grand reopening June 26. Attendees weren’t required to wear masks or distance - but did have to show a negative test to get in.A terrible scam has been revealed in India in which thousands of people given fake vaccines. Doctors and medical workers are among 14 people arrested for being involved. At 12 fake vaccination drives, recipients paid to get what they thought were vaccines, but which were in fact, saline water. The perpetrators made up to $28,000 this way.Speaking of scams, kids have apparently figured out how to fake a positive COVID-19 test so they can stay out of school. All it takes is a Coke. Actually, any soda will do, or even fruit juice. Putting a few drops directly onto LFT tests will make two lines appear that indicate the presence of the virus. This trick is largely being taught via TikTok.Another poll is suggesting that when it comes to trying to scare Americans about the delta variant, they aren’t buying it. The ABC News/Washington Post poll says 30% of adults haven’t gotten a vaccine and likely aren’t going to. Of this group, 73% think health officials are exaggerating the risk of the delta variant and 79% think they have little or no risk of getting sick.In the United States cases were up 5%, deaths are down 38%, and hospitalizations are down 17% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since June 22.  There are now 4,865,446 active cases in the United States. The five states with the most current active cases: California 1,683,562. Virginia 612,488. Maryland 441,854. Kentucky 404,672. And Washington 222,082. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Shelby, TX. Reeves, TX. Joplin, MO. Dallas, MO. Hopkins, TX. Karnes, TX. Titus, TX. Ottawa, OK. And Moffat, CO. There have been 605,567 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 66%, Massachusetts at 62.1%, and Maine at 61.9%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 29.9%, Alabama at 32.9%, and Arkansas at 34.5%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 47.4%.The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Zambia up 9%, Trinidad and Tobago 7%, Pakistan 5%, and Malaysia and Australia 3%. Globally, cases were up 6% and deaths down 14% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 22. There are now 11,630,898 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: India 34,067. Indonesia 29,745. The U.K. 27,334. Colombia 25,366. And Russia 24,353.  There have now been 3,983,508 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for July 5th, 2021.We know the U.S. did not reach its goal of partially vaccinating 70% of Americans by July 4. But 20 states did. But there are some states where the vaccination level is 35% or less.The World Health Organization said the variants are moving faster than the global vaccine rollout. It’s urging leaders to speed up vaccinations or risk being overwhelmed. Delta’s been detected in at least 98 countries and is spreading in countries with both low and high vaccination coverage.And now there’s another Covid-19 variant to track called Lambda. And it has scientists puzzled because of its unusual set of seven mutations. This variant was first discovered in Peru and has spread to nearly 30 countries in four weeks. Lambda accounts for 82% of all new cases in Peru, which has the highest Coronavirus death rate in the world.It’s not really news anymore when a world leader gets COVID-19. It becomes news when the case is severe enough to cause hospitalization. And that’s what has happened to Luxembourg’s Prime Minister. He’s been hospitalized since yesterday morning after contracting the virus a week ago. The 48-year-old was isolating at home, but his case grew more threatening. He had had one dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine.  Probably won’t get many more downloads from Singapore because as far as they’re concerned, COVID-19 is over. It could become one of the first countries to stop even recording daily case numbers. Instead, they’ll monitor things like ICU cases and how many had to go on a ventilator. Health officials there said, “We can't eradicate it, but we can turn the pandemic into something much less threatening, like influenza, and get on with our lives.”In the United States cases were up 15%, deaths are down 26%, and hospitalizations are down 8% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since June 22.  There are now 4,874,268 active cases in the United States. The five states with the most current active cases: California 1,682,943. Virginia 612,370. Maryland 441,818. Kentucky 404,672. And Washington 222,082. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Shelby, TX. Titus, TX. Hopkins, TX. Dimmit, TX. Houston, TX. Reeves, TX. Karnes, TX. Ottawa, OK. Moffat, CO. And Dallas, MO.There have been 605,526 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 65.8%, Massachusetts at 61.9%, and Maine at 61.8%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 29.8%, Alabama at 32.7%, and Arkansas at 34.4%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 47.1%.The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated: Zambia 22%, Sri Lanka, Australia, and India 5%, and Macao and Oceana 4%. Globally, cases were up 6% and deaths down 18% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 22. There are now 11,661,551 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: India 40,387. Brazil 27,783. Indonesia 27,233. Colombia 26,265. And Russia 25,142.  There have now been 3,976,143 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for July 2nd, 2021.The African Union’s envoy tasked with procuring vaccines is blasting Europe, saying “not one dose, not one vial, has left a European factory for Africa.” The continent is experiencing a crushing third surge. The envoy accuses COVAX of withholding the fact key donors aren’t delivering on the money they promised the program. A leading vaccination country is struggling as well. Israel reported its highest daily infection rate in three months. Authorities there are racing to vaccinate children and are considering tighter travel restrictions at Israel’s main airport. Some 85% of the adult population has been vaccinated. It’s the first day of a national lockdown in Bangladesh. Daily tallies of new coronavirus infections have nearly quintupled over the past month. Less than 3% of residents there are fully vaccinated, and because of that, a public health activist said, “There will be a fourth wave, and a fifth before we can vaccinate everyone — while rich countries are lifting lockdowns and giving booster doses.” At least six scientists resigned positions as editors with Vaccines, including one who was on the team that developed the AstraZeneca vaccine. They’re protesting the publication of a peer-reviewed article that misuses data to conclude that “for three deaths prevented by vaccination, we have to accept two inflicted by vaccination.” They say that assumes all deaths after vaccination are caused by the vaccine, which is grossly irresponsible.No apparent hesitation about vaccinating children in England. A recent survey shows almost nine in 10 parents favor giving their kid a vaccine if it’s offered. The survey was even conducted before the Pfizer vaccine was approved for children aged 12 to 15. In the United States cases were down 10%, deaths are down 23%, and hospitalizations are down 12% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending flat since June 18.  There are now 4,888,671 active cases in the United States. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Titus, TX. Campbell, VA. Red River, TX. Reeves, TX. Nacogdoches, TX. Houston, TX. Shelby, TX. Hopkins, TX. And Dallas, MO. There have been 605,012 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: California 66. Florida 36. Texas 33. New York 15. Michigan 14. Illinois 13. Nevada 11. Pennsylvania and Louisiana 10. And Colorado 9. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose: Vermont unchanged at 73.9%, Massachusetts at 70.4%, and Hawaii at 69.8%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 36.2%, Louisiana at 38.1%, and Wyoming unchanged at 39.2%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 46.7%.The top 5 countries for full vaccinations per capita are Gibraltar, Malta, Seychelles, Cayman Islands, and San Marino. The bottom five are Papua New Guinea, Lesotho, South Sudan, Syria, and Liberia.Globally, cases were down 1% and deaths down 27% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since June 29. There are now 11,520,146 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: Brazil 63,140. India 43,360. Colombia 28,315. The U.K. 27,989. And Indonesia 24,836.  There have now been 3,953,911 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for July 1st, 2021.A new Oxford University study shows AstraZeneca and Pfizer’s vaccine remain broadly effective against Delta and Kappa variants. They looked at the ability of antibodies in the blood from vaccinated people to neutralize those variants. The study did show the concentration of neutralizing antibodies was somewhat reduced, which explains some breakthrough infections.We’ve said it many times; we report the numbers we get. That doesn’t mean those numbers are right. The Health Ministry in Mexico says COVID-19-related deaths there likely exceed the confirmed toll by a whopping 60%.Russia reported 669 coronavirus-related deaths yesterday. And that is the most confirmed in a single day since the beginning of the pandemic. A Delta variant surge is underway there. Russia’s coronavirus taskforce also confirmed 21,042 new cases in a 24-hour period with 5,823 of those in Moscow alone. A Gallup poll shows only 8% of Americans now mention COVID-19 as the most important problem in the U.S. In fact, it’s not even in the top two. Even at that number’s peak in April of 2020, it was still the top concern of less than half of Americans at 45%. Race relations is the #2 concern while the government is cited as the nation’s biggest problem.  A study out of Ontario says your pet cat is more likely to get COVID-19 than your pet dog. They don’t really know why. It could be something as simple as the fact most dogs have long noses. Regardless, nearly 70% of cats and more than 40% of pet dogs tested positive for antibodies. Most cases were mild and without symptoms.In the United States cases were down 10%, deaths are down 23%, and hospitalizations are down 12% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending flat since June 18.  There are now 4,897,066 active cases in the United States. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Titus, TX. Campbell, VA. Red River, TX. Reeves, TX. Nacogdoches, TX. Houston, TX. Shelby, TX. Hopkins, TX. And Dallas, MO. There have been 604,714 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: California 42. Texas 22. Washington, New Jersey, and North Carolina 13. West Virginia 12. Georgia 11. Pennsylvania 8. And Illinois, Minnesota, and Alabama 7. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose: Vermont at 73.9%, Massachusetts at 70.3%, and Hawaii at 69.8%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 36.1%, Louisiana unchanged at 38%, and Wyoming at 39.2%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 46.4%.The top 5 countries for full vaccinations per capita are Gibraltar, Malta, Seychelles, Cayman Islands, and San Marino. The bottom five are Lesotho, South Sudan, Syria, Zambia, and Liberia.Globally, cases were down 8% and deaths down 34% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since June 26. There are now 11,452,980 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: India 48,878. Brazil 45,859. Colombia 27,908. The U.K. 26,068. And Argentina 22,673.  There have now been 3,945,551 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for June 30th, 2021. A new poll shows Americans are worried about the Delta variant…just not worried enough to do anything about it. The Ipsos poll shows more than 70% are at least somewhat concerned about it, but only 55% are wearing a mask all or sometimes when they leave the house and only 34% social distanced in the past week. And even if there was a new spike in cases, respondents were mostly unlikely to say they’d start taking precautions again.  The National Institute of Health said two blood serum studies show India's Covaxin vaccine effectively neutralizes both Alpha and Delta variants of coronavirus. Covaxin has been administered to roughly 25 million people so far in India and elsewhere. It works using a disabled form of the virus that can’t replicate but still stimulates the immune system to make antibodies against it.  New testing also shows Moderna's vaccine to be only slightly less effective against the Delta variant than others. The vaccine provoked an antibody response against all the variants tested, but it was far more effective against the Delta variant than the Beta variant first identified in South Africa. Bad timing. Daily cases have been going up for nine days in Tokyo, triggering fears of a possible fifth wave. And that’s happening less than a month before the city is due to host the Olympics. The minister overseeing Japan’s pandemic response said they won’t hesitate to call a new state of emergency if necessary. Being in charge of the pandemic response in any country is a nightmare. Try doing it in North Korea. Kim Jong Un publicly berated senior ruling party officials for their failures in the fight against the coronavirus, saying it created a “huge crisis.” He criticized them for incompetence, irresponsibility and passiveness. And yet, North Korea still claims not to have found a single coronavirus infection. In the United States cases were down 15%, deaths are down 23%, and hospitalizations are down 13% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending flat since June 18.  There are now 4,900,140 active cases in the United States.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Reeves, TX. Campbell, VA. Panola, TX. Titus, TX. Houston, TX. Hopewell, VA. Red River, TX. Harrison, TX. And Dallas, MO. There have been 604,436 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Michigan 32. Texas and Colorado 20. Georgia 19. Arizona 17. California 16. Pennsylvania 12. Mississippi 11. And New York and Virginia 10.   The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose: Vermont at 73.8%, Massachusetts at 70.2%, and Hawaii at 69.7%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi unchanged at 35.9%, Louisiana at 38%, and Wyoming unchanged at 39%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 46.3%. The top 5 countries for full vaccinations per capita are Gibraltar, Malta, Seychelles, Cayman Islands, and San Marino. The bottom five are Lesotho, South Sudan, Syria, Zambia, and Liberia. Globally, cases were down 4% and deaths down 30% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since June 26.  There are now 11,449,854 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: Brazil 64,903. India 45,699. Colombia 25,880. Argentina 24,065. And Russia 20,616.    There have now been 3,936,463 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for June 29th, 2021.The World Health Organization says get your masks back on. Even if you’re fully vaccinated, mask up and go back to social distancing. But CDC guidance is that “fully vaccinated people can resume activities without a mask or physically distancing.” Plus, experts say vaccines authorized in the U.S. remain largely effective against the Delta variant. So again, we have public health bureaucracies thoroughly confusing the public.  The world continues to believe travel causes COVID-19 outbreaks. Hong Kong is banning all passenger flights from the U.K., which they’ve classified as high risk because of Delta variant spread. And Portugal has also put the U.K. on its red list for travel, even though Portugal itself has been reporting the highest number of daily new cases since February.  In Germany, the share of COVID-19 cases caused by the Delta variant more than doubled within a week, accounting for 36% of infections. They expect it to become the dominant strain by summer. In Germany, about 35% of the population is fully vaccinated. Experts in Australia describe their situation as the most dangerous stage of the pandemic since the earliest days. Sydney and Darwin are locked down. Perth made masks compulsory for three days and warned a lockdown could be coming. And Brisbane and Canberra have or will soon make masks compulsory. Here’s a positive story. 45-year-old Mary McCarthy of New Zealand works in a hospital kitchen, so she was tested in October 2020. It was painful, and the discomfort lasted weeks. A few doctors told her she had a chronic sinus condition, which she believed because she’d always had pain in her nose and shortness of breath. But the pain was so bad one day she decided to go to one more emergency room where doctors found…a toy that had been stuck up her nose for 37 years. A tiddlywink to be exact. In the United States cases were down 15%, deaths are down 16%, and hospitalizations are down 14% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending flat since June 18.  There are now 4,929,192 active cases in the United States. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Reeves, TX. Campbell, VA. Franklin, TX. Dallas, MO. Upshur, TX. Panola, TX. Hopewell, VA. Taney, MO. And Joplin, MO. There have been 604,114 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Colorado 18. New York 16. Illinois 9. North Carolina and Washington 8. California 7. Mississippi 6. And Michigan, Virginia, Louisiana, and Minnesota 5. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose: Vermont at 73.6%, Massachusetts at 70.1%, and Hawaii at 69.5%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 35.9%, Louisiana at 37.9%, and Wyoming at 39%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 46.1%.The top 5 countries for vaccinations per capita are Gibraltar, Malta, Seychelles, Cayman Islands, and San Marino. The bottom five are Lesotho, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Syria, and Liberia.Globally, cases were down 3% and deaths down 28% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since June 26. There are now 11,499,287 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: India 37,037. Colombia 28,478. Brazil 27,804. The U.K. 22,868. And Russia 21,650.   There have now been 3,928,409 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for June 28th, 2021.The delta variant continues to turn back the clock. Moscow had a record 144 deaths in 24 hours yesterday. Germany declared Portugal a “virus-variant zone”, banning most arrivals from that country and is trying to ban British travelers from all EU countries regardless of vaccination status. Greece warned strict local lockdowns may be needed over the summer in some areas. Indonesia recorded a new high in daily cases, with similar spikes in Thailand and Malaysia. Sydney, Australia began a two-week lockdown. New Zealand suspended its quarantine-free travel corridor with Australia. Israel has reimposed mask requirements in enclosed public places. And in Africa, where vaccinations have been minimal, cases have jumped 25% over the last week.How can the U.S. get its vaccination numbers up now that they’ve stalled out? The White House thinks it’s something called the “movable middle.” That’s people who are unvaccinated, but still might be able to be convinced. And they’re using political campaign tactics to identify, reach, and win over those people. What the White House won’t do is promise we’ll ever know for sure the real origin of the pandemic that’s killed at least 3.9 million people. They say their review may not produce a definitive explanation. Although knowing the origin is critical to avoiding or preparing for future such catastrophes, governments, the media, and science organizations could leave us with no answers at all.Far more states have banned proof-of-vaccination policies than have created programs for people to digitally show their vaccination status. Hawaii is the only state enforcing some version of a vaccine passport. And only California, New York, and Louisiana have offered residents a way to voluntarily show proof of vaccination.Nothing’s ever good enough. NASA reports the COVID-19 pandemic and its lockdowns got rid of a lot of pollution around the world…but not all of it. They cite tiny airborne particles called PM2.5 as something that didn’t change much. These are produced by both human activity and natural processes and are associated with several effects on health. In the United States cases were down 18%, deaths are down 15%, and hospitalizations are down 15% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending flat since June 18.  There are now 4,947,918 active cases in the United States. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Reeves, TX. Campbell, VA. Clay, NC. Franklin, TX. Panola, TX. Upshur, TX. Joplin, MO. Dallas, MO. And Taney, MO. There have been 603,966 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: California 31. New York 14. Pennsylvania 11. Texas 9. Utah 8. Virginia 5. Minnesota 4. New Jersey and Maryland 3. And Iowa 2. The vaccinating states update will be coming tomorrow, those numbers are not updated over the weekend.The top 5 countries for vaccinations per capita are Gibraltar, the United Arab Emirates, Malta, Seychelles, and the Cayman Islands. The bottom five are Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burkina Faso, Benin, and South Sudan.Globally, cases were down 6% and deaths down 28% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since June 26. There are now 11,547,517 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: India 46,643. Brazil 33,704. Colombia 32,376. Indonesia 21,342. And Russia 20,538.   There have now been 3,922,005 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for June 25th, 2021.We’re starting to see things move backwards. The coronavirus czar in Israel announced the indoor mask mandate will be reimposed early next week to stem the rise in cases. Yesterday was the highest daily tally in months. The country has one of the highest inoculation rates in the world, but it’s still far from the 80% figure needed to mark herd immunity.German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Europe is “on thin ice” in its battle against COVID-19. EU leaders agreed vaccinations should be sped up to fight the delta variant. The European CDC projected the variant would account for 90% of all infections across the continent by the end of August. As if the delta variant isn’t disturbing enough, a new mutation of that variant has emerged in India that’s being labeled “delta plus.” The variant has also been found in the U.K., the U.S., Canada, Japan, Nepal, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Switzerland, and Turkey. The delta plus variant has three worrying characteristics that include increased transmissibility, stronger binding to receptors of lung cells, and the potential reduction in monoclonal antibody response.San Francisco has taken a firm stand on the vaccine. All city workers will be required to be vaccinated. This policy would affect 35,000 workers and may be the first of its kind by any city or county in the U.S. Employees who refuse could be fired.There’s nothing like a crisis to bring out the scammers and criminals. Former PTL Club evangelist Jim Bakker and his southwestern Missouri church will pay $156,000 restitution to settle a lawsuit accusing him of falsely claiming a health supplement called the Silver Solution could cure COVID-19. Bakker admits no wrongdoing. The Silver Solution has no known benefit in the body when ingested and can have serious side effects including turning skin blue. In the United States cases were down 19%, deaths are down 12%, and hospitalizations are down 20% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending flat since June 18.  There are now 4,974,397 active cases in the United States. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Hutchinson, TX. Upshur, TX. Clay, NC. Hockley, TX. Titus, TX. Reeves, TX. Houston, TX. Franklin, TX. Gray, TX. And Harrison, TX.There have been 603,149 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: California 66. Texas 35. Michigan 31. Illinois 22. Georgia 17. North Carolina 15. Pennsylvania 13. Virginia and Nevada 10. And Washington and Louisiana 8. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose: Vermont unchanged at 73.3%, Massachusetts at 69.7%, and Hawaii at 69.2%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi unchanged at 35.7%, Louisiana at 37.6%, and Wyoming at 38.8%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 45.4%.The top 5 countries for vaccinations per capita are Israel, the U.K., the United States, Canada, and Germany. The bottom five are Chad, Burkina Faso, Benin, and South Sudan. Globally, cases were down 8% and deaths down 23% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since June 12. There are now 11,431,693 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: Brazil 72,705. India 51,248. Colombia 32,997. Argentina 24,463. And Indonesia 20,574.   There have now been 3,898,531 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for June 24th, 2021.The New York Times reports a researcher in Seattle uncovered deleted files that show 13 partial genetic sequences for some of the earliest cases of COVID-19 in Wuhan. They don’t reveal the true origin of the virus but do firm up the idea it was circulating earlier than the outbreak at the Wuhan seafood market. About a year ago 241 genetic sequences from coronavirus patients went missing from an online database maintained by the National Institutes of Health. The researcher could find no scientific or procedural reason why the sequences were deleted.No need to worry about getting shot number three yet. The CDC said there’s no evidence yet to suggest a booster shot is needed. They did caution that could change as the pandemic evolves. If cases go up in fully vaccinated people or if waning antibody or T cell levels are identified, that could signal a booster need.A new study estimates life expectancy in the U.S. went down nearly two years between 2018 and 2020, mostly due to COVID-19. It’s a decrease not seen since World War II. The declines were most pronounced among minority groups. In 2018, average life expectancy was about 79 years. It’s now around 77.If someone tells you they wouldn’t take the vaccine for a million dollars, believe them. The Ohio vaccine lottery started off with promising results, but it ended yesterday with the state still unable to crack the 50% vaccination threshold.For some, and we’re not judging, it’s the surest sign yet the pandemic is over. The New York City Health Department released new guidelines encouraging everyone to get back out there and resume sexual activity — if you’re fully vaccinated. It also gave its okay to return to sex parties, sex with strangers, and encounters with multiple sex partners. In the United States cases were down 25%, deaths are down 20%, and hospitalizations are down 21% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending flat since June 18.  There are now 4,984,406 active cases in the United States. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Hutchinson, TX. Hockley, TX. Clay, NC. Reeves, TX. Gray, TX. Stone, AR. Linn, MO. Moffat, CO. Upshur, TX. And Laclede, MO. There have been 602,833 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: California 59. Texas 35. Oklahoma 30. Georgia 21. New Jersey 18. Colorado 14. Washington 12. North Carolina 11. And Arizona and Louisiana 10. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose: Vermont at 73.3%, Massachusetts unchanged at 69.6%, and Hawaii unchanged at 69.1%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 35.7%, Louisiana unchanged at 37.5%, and Wyoming at 38.7%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 45.3%.The top 3 vaccinating countries by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Gibralter at 100%, Seychelles at 68.1%, and Malta at 65.7%. The bottom 3 vaccinating countries are The Democratic Republic of Congo at 0%, and Uganda and Liberia at .01%. Globally, cases were down 10% and deaths down 14% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since June 12. There are now 11,372,064 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: Brazil 114,139. India 54,319. Colombia 29,995. Argentina 27,319. And Russia 17,594.   There have now been 3,890,152 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for June 23rd, 2021.More than 150 employees at a Houston hospital system who refused the vaccine have been fired or have resigned. This after a judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by an employee against the system about their vaccine requirement. The judge said any claims that the vaccines are experimental or dangerous are false.The Inspector General at the Department of Health and Human Services reports that deaths among Medicare patients in nursing homes soared 32% last year. About 40% of Medicare recipients in nursing homes had or likely had COVID-19 in 2020. A Harvard health policy professor said, “We knew this was going to be bad, but I don't think even those of us who work in this area thought it was going to be this bad.” Canada will start relaxing its quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated U.S. residents July 5. Those regulations have been in place for 15 months. But it’s still only for authorized travel. Nonessential travel is still prohibited even though the northern US has a partial vaccination rate over 70% — similar to Canada’s, and Canada’s vaccination program is much slower than the United States’. Researchers in England are trying to find out if the flu shot and a Covid vaccine can be given at the same time. If so, that could save resources for healthcare providers and make things more convenient for consumers. Flu cases were basically non-existent last winter but it’s assumed with restrictions being lifted, a resurgence of flu viruses can be expected.We’ve heard about various groups who are most reluctant to get vaccinated but one group leads the way in vaccine acceptance. Doctors. A survey by the American Medical Association shows 96% of practicing physicians have been fully vaccinated. And of the 4% who aren’t yet, only 1.8% plan on never getting the vaccine.In the United States cases were down 21%, deaths are down 20%, and hospitalizations are down 22% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending flat since June 18.  There are now under 5 million active cases in the United States, at 4,994,794. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Hutchinson, TX. Reeves, TX. Hockley, TX. Gray, TX. Lamb, TX. Linn, MO. Torrance, NM. Clay, NC. Moffat, CO. And Stone, AR. There have been 602,455 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Michigan 36. Colorado 32. California 20. New York 15. Washington and Idaho 14. Ohio 13. Florida 10. And North Carolina and Virginia 9. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose: Vermont at 73.2%, Massachusetts at 69.6%, and Hawaii at 69.1%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi unchanged at 35.4%, Louisiana unchanged at 37.5%, and Wyoming unchanged at 38.6%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 45.2%.The top 3 vaccinating countries by total vaccinations per capita are Gibralter, the United Arab Emirates, and Malta. The bottom 3 vaccinating countries are Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Burkina Faso. Globally, cases were down 14% and deaths down 17% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since June 12. There are now 11,345,221 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: Brazil 86,833. India 54,393. Colombia 28,616. Argentina 21,387. And Russia 16,715.   There have now been 3,880,341 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for June 22nd, 2021.The World Health Organization warned the delta variant is the fastest and strongest strain yet, one that will “pick off” the most vulnerable. And by most vulnerable, they mean the unvaccinated. It called the fact we haven’t protected front line workers a catastrophic moral failure at a global level. Delta has now spread to 92 countries.Indonesia had its largest one-day jump in new infections yesterday. The world's fourth most populous country has seen a surge in recent weeks blamed on travel during a holiday last month. In Jakarta, 80% of hospital beds are full. So far only 12.3 million of the country’s 270 million people are fully vaccinated.Russian President Vladimir Putin said the coronavirus situation in some regions of that country is getting worse. That contrasts with a statement he made this month about how Russia handled the pandemic better than many other nations. Saturday Moscow registered a record 9,120 cases. The Kremlin has denied people's distrust of authorities is a reason behind low vaccination rates.What many of the unvaccinated around the world fear might become a reality in Manila. The President there has threatened to jail people who refuse to take the shots. He was very clear, saying, "You choose, vaccine or I will have you jailed." The target is to vaccinate 70 million people this year, and so far they’re at only 2.1 million. But never underestimate just how serious people are about not taking the vaccine. Buffalo Bills wide receiver Cole Beasley said he would literally rather retire from the sport and end his career than get a vaccine. The league has relaxed protocols for players and staff who are fully vaccinated, but for the rest there’s daily testing, mask requirements and quarantines.In the United States cases were down 18%, deaths are down 21%, and hospitalizations are down 23% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since June 14.  There are now 5,034,868 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, and New York. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Hutchinson, TX. Reeves, TX. Hockley, TX. Gray, TX. Dimmit, TX. Linn, MO. Stone, AR. Lamb, TX. Polk, MO. And Audrain, MO. There have been 602,086 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.8%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: California 23. Texas 12. Illinois 10. Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Minnesota 9. Virginia 8. Arizona and Massachusetts 5. And New York and South Carolina 4. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose; Vermont at 73.1%, Massachusetts at 69.5%, and Hawaii at 69%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 35.4%, Louisiana at 37.5%, and Wyoming at 38.6%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 45.1%.Globally, cases were down 13% and deaths down 15% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since June 12. There are now 11,415,731 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: Brazil 41,878. India 39,096. Colombia 23,239. Russia 17,378. And Indonesia 14,536.   There have now been 3,870,373 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for June 21st, 2021.The CDC said the Delta variant now makes up at least 10% of all US cases. That’s up from 2.7% of cases on May 22, which illustrates just how fast this variant spreads. The CDC also now designated Delta as a variant of concern, meaning it may carry a risk of more severe illness and transmissibility. In the United Kingdom—it now accounts for 90% of cases.The U.S. sent 2.5 million doses of the Moderna vaccine to Taiwan yesterday. That triples an earlier pledge. The COVID-19 death toll on the island of 24 million people has jumped to 549, from only about a dozen prior to this outbreak.While Canada is ready to loosen travel restrictions for fully vaccinated Canadians this week, the Public Safety Minister said they want to reach a vaccination rate of 75% before fully reopening the border between Canada and the U.S. for nonessential travel. That means Canada needs to nearly quadruple its vaccination rate before that border reopens.Some emergency medicine officers overseeing Tokyo Olympic venues have a message for organizers. Don’t let spectators in. Those organizers will decide as soon as today whether to allow domestic spectators into stadiums. Foreign spectators are already banned. A recent poll shows 41% of Japanese still want the Games cancelled entirely. In Los Angeles, the impulse is to honor front line essential workers and first responders, but also to not follow their lead when it comes to vaccinations. A report shows vaccination rates for employees at police, fire, and corrections agencies are significantly lower than other adults. There’s also talk about whether those unvaccinated first responders could actually be a threat to public health instead of rescuers. In the United States cases were down 18%, deaths are down 21%, and hospitalizations are down 21% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since June 14.  There are now 5,077,520 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, and New York. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Hutchinson, TX. Reeves, TX. Hockley, TX. Gray, TX. Dimmit, TX. Linn, MO. Stone, AR. Lamb, TX. Polk, MO. And Audrain, MO. There have been 601,826 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.8%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: California 23. Texas 12. Pennsylvania and Minnesota 9. Virginia 8. Arizona and Massachusetts 5. New York 4. New Jersey, Utah, Iowa, and Hawaii 2.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose was not updated by NPR. The numbers remain Vermont at 72.6%, Massachusetts at 68.7%, and Hawaii at 68.6%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 35.2%, Louisiana at 37.1%, and Alabama at 37.2%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 44.1%.Globally, cases were down 17% and deaths down 18% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since June 12. There are now 11,554,471 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: India 53,009. Brazil 44,178. Colombia 27,818. Russia 17,611. And Indonesia 13,737.   There have now been 3,864,694 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for June 18th, 2021.The surge in the U.K. is picking up steam with new cases going over 10,000 for the first time in nearly four months. The chief medical adviser said the surge “will definitely translate into further hospitalizations and further deaths.”In Africa, cases rose over 20% week-on-week in nearly two dozen countries and only 0.79% of the continent is fully vaccinated. Five countries, South Africa, Tunisia, Zambia, Uganda, and Namibia, account for 76% of the new cases.In Afghanistan, the U.S. Embassy has gone into a near-complete lockdown due to a massive spike in cases among employees. Staffers are isolating to prevent a spread that’s already killed at least one person, sent 114 into quarantine, and forced several people to be medically evacuated.And the World Health Organization warned Indonesia needs to increase social restrictions amid a fresh surge of cases there. The country’s president has ordered authorities to speed up the vaccination campaign.U.S. taxpayers might buy $3.2 billion worth of antiviral medicines. The White House plan, called the Antiviral Program for Pandemics, will speed clinical trials and the manufacture of promising Covid-19 treatments, with the goal of gaining FDA authorization within a year. Pretty much the things that were done in 2020.In the United States cases were down 21%, deaths are down 20%, and hospitalizations are down 23% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending flat since June 4.  There are now 5,119,713 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, and New York. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Linn, MO. Dimmit, TX. Reeves, TX. Livingston, MO. Stone, AR. Karnes, TX. Polk, MO. Hutchinson, TX. DeWitt, TX. And Candler, GA.  There have been 600,933 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.8%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Texas 35. California 32. Georgia 30. Michigan 26. Illinois 21. Arizona 18. Pennsylvania 15. New York 14. Washington 8. And New Jersey, Colorado, Louisiana, and Nevada 7. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, Vermont at 72.6%, Massachusetts unchanged at 68.7%, and Hawaii at 68.6%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi unchanged at 35.2%, Louisiana at 37.1%, and Alabama at 37.2%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 44.1%.Globally, cases were down 19% and deaths down 5% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since June 12. There are now 11,645,381 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: Brazil 74,327. India 62,409. Colombia 29,945. Argentina 23,780. And Russia 14,057.  There have now been 3,840,181 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for June 17th, 2021.It’s the return of travel. The European Union is recommending its member countries start lifting restrictions on tourists from the United States. The recommendation is non-binding, and different governments can require whatever tests or shots it feels are necessary to make sure tourists don’t pose a risk.Not all vaccines work so well. German vaccine maker CureVac said interim data from late-stage testing of its coronavirus shot show comparatively low effectiveness at 47%. Not surprisingly, the company's stock value tumbled in after-hours trading. The CEO said demonstrating high efficacy in this unprecedented broad diversity of variants is challenging.It’s one thing to be willing to get a vaccine yourself, it’s another when you’re responsible for the safety and well-being of a child. A new Harris poll shows 25% of parents do not intend to get their child vaccinated. Their reasoning is mostly that they want to wait for more data on safety and effectiveness in children.Many college kids don’t have a choice. If they want to attend classes, they have to be vaccinated. But not in Arizona. An executive order has prohibited public universities and community colleges from mandating COVID-19 tests, vaccines, and masks for students. The Governor said taxpayers pay for public education and universities need to be available for students to return to learning.In Moscow, they aren’t asking, they’re telling certain employees to get vaccinated. City authorities ordered all workers who interact with the public in any way to get the shot. That’s one of the most forceful steps taken anywhere in the world to compel employees to get a vaccination. The list covers more than 2 million workers in the Russian capital.In the United States cases were down 21%, deaths are down 20%, and hospitalizations are down 23% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending flat since June 4.  There are now 5,133,340 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, and New York. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Linn, MO. Dimmit, TX. Reeves, TX. Livingston, MO. Stone, AR. Karnes, TX. Polk, MO. Hutchinson, TX. DeWitt, TX. And Candler, GA.  There have been 600,648 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.8%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Georgia 57. Florida 55. Texas 40. Oklahoma 29. Illinois 26. California 19. Pennsylvania and North Carolina 18. And New York, New Jersey, and Arizona 12. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, Vermont at 72.5%, Massachusetts at 68.7%, and Hawaii at 68.5%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 35.2%, Louisiana unchanged at 37%, and Alabama at 37.1%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 43.9%.Globally, cases were down 24% and deaths down 11% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since June 12. There are now 11,659,011 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: Brazil 85,861. India 67,294. Colombia 27,827. Argentina 25,878. And the United States 14,063.  There have now been 3,830,127 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for June 16th, 2021. The U.S. death toll from COVID-19 topped 600,000 yesterday. That’s greater than the population of Baltimore or Milwaukee and equal to the number of Americans who died of cancer in 2019. Deaths have dropped to an average of 340 a day, with cases running at about 14,000 a day. California is open. It was the first state to put a lockdown in place. No more state rules on social distancing or capacity limits. Masks are no longer mandated for vaccinated people in most settings, though businesses and counties can still require them. And in New York, the state is easing many of its remaining social distancing rules and shooting off fireworks. Though unvaccinated citizens must still mask up while indoors in public places. A study of blood samples taken early last year is the latest and largest to suggest the coronavirus was in the U.S. in December 2019 — weeks before cases were first recognized by health officials. The analysis is not definitive, but the CDC says evidence is increasingly that there were rare, sporadic cases here early on, but it didn't become widespread until late February. Time to add another name to the vaccine roundup. Results from a Phase 3 clinical trial show the Novavax vaccine demonstrated 90.4% efficacy in preventing symptomatic COVID-19. And it showed 100% protection against moderate and severe disease. For people at high risk of complications like seniors and those with comorbidities, the vaccine was 91% effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19. Some scientists at Yale say it’s possible that all you have to do to avoid a COVID-19 infection is make sure you always have a cold. Their research found exposure to the rhinovirus that usually causes the common cold can protect against coronavirus infection. It does so by jump-starting the early-response molecules in the immune system, provided the timing is just right. But colds have been a lot lower lately because why? Social distancing and masking. In the United States cases were down 20%, deaths are down 10%, and hospitalizations are down 22% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending flat since June 4.  There are now 5,157,767 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, and New York. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Linn, MO. Knox, KY. Laurel, KY. Karnes, TX. Livingston, MO. DeWitt, TX. Yuba, CA. Candler, GA. And Clay, NC. There have been 600,265 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.8%. The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Florida 32. Michigan 30. Texas 28. Pennsylvania 22. California 19. Colorado 18. New York and Illinois 15. And Georgia and Washington 13. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, Vermont at 72.4%, Massachusetts at 68.6%, and Hawaii at 68.4%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi unchanged at 34.9%, and Louisiana and Alabama at 37%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 43.7%. Globally, cases were down 25% and deaths down 12% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since June 12. There are now 11,732,325 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: Brazil 88,992. India 62,226. Argentina 27,260. Colombia 24,452. And Russia 14,185. There have now been 3,819,109 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for June 15th, 2021.The U.S. is not going to meet its vaccination goal and a new report from Stanford and the Kaiser Family Foundation points out why. The only demographic projected to exceed a 70% vaccination rate of at least one dose by July 4 are Asians. Whites are projected to be at 66% by that date, Hispanics at 63%, and Black Americans at 51%. The pace of vaccinations would need to speed up significantly to hit the national goal, the pace is in fact slowing down.The Delta variant has been detected in 74 countries and continues to spread rapidly on its way to becoming the dominant strain worldwide. Outbreaks have been confirmed in China, the U.S., Africa, Scandinavia, and Pacific rim countries. In the US, cases are doubling roughly every two weeks and account for 10% of all new cases, while in the UK it accounts for more than 90% of new cases.Because of the surge in England, as expected, the next planned relaxation of restrictions will be delayed four weeks, until July 19. The Prime Minister said the new date will be the final delay as the vaccination drive is accelerated.It’s like watching your parents having a disagreement. Dr. Marty Makary of the respected Johns Hopkins Hospital claimed the also respected CDC "sits on a lot of data.” Data that includes no child in a study of the effects of COVID-19 on youth died of COVID, and the hospitalization rate was lower for COVID than it was for influenza. He added the CDC and medical leadership fails people by "ignoring natural immunity,” remaining quiet when schools issue blanket vaccine mandates. Makary is in favor of vaccines, just not necessarily for those who are already immune.Hopefully, we can all still agree that front line healthcare workers, first-responders and essential workers were and are heroes throughout this pandemic. And New York City is going to honor them with a ticker tape parade. It’ll be July 7 on the Canyon of Heroes parade route in downtown Manhattan. In the United States cases were down 29%, deaths are down 23%, and hospitalizations are down 22% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending flat since June 4.  There are now 5,283,026 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, and Florida. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Linn, MO. Lamb, TX. Karnes, TX. Gray, TX. Hutchinson, TX. Livingston, MO. Hockley, TX. St. Thomas, VI. And DeWitt, TX. There have been 599,928 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.8%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: New York and North Carolina 27. Kansas 19. California and Colorado 12. Virginia 11. Illinois and Michigan 9. Alabama 8. And Louisiana 7. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, Vermont at 72.2%, Massachusetts at 68.5%, and Hawaii at 68.1%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi unchanged at 34.9%, Louisiana at 36.8%, and Alabama at 36.9%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 43.4%.Globally, cases were down 24% and deaths down 4% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending flat since June 10. There are now under 12 million active cases around the world, at 11,991,596.The five countries with the most new cases: India 62,597. Brazil 40,865. Colombia 24,376. Argentina 21,292. And Russia 13,721. There have now been 3,808,883 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for June 14th, 2021.An eye-opening statistic from Johns Hopkins, especially for those who think the pandemic was a 2020 thing. More people worldwide have died of COVID-19 already this year than during all of last year. 1.89 million reported in 2021 compared to the 1.88 million deaths counted as of December 31, 2020. Worldwide, an average of more than 9,000 deaths from COVID are still confirmed daily. With the Prime Minister on the verge of delaying 'Freedom Day', a new report by Public Health England shows almost a third of Covid deaths in the U.K. from the Delta strain had gotten both injections of a vaccine. The report also suggests the Delta variant has a 64% increased risk of household transmission compared to the Alpha variant and is believed to be 40% more transmissible outdoors.They’re seeing something similar in China and Brazil. Doctors in southeastern China say the symptoms of the Delta variant are different and more dangerous than the initial virus. Patients get sicker and their conditions worsen faster. Chinese authorities did not say how many of the new infections are in people who have been vaccinated. Moscow's mayor ordered a week off for some workplaces and imposed restrictions on many businesses to fight infections that have more than doubled in the past week. He said, “it’s impossible not to react to such a situation.” Russia was the first country to deploy a vaccine but only about 12% of the population has gotten vaccinated.If you think unvaccinated Americans are nervous about going out, think again. A CBS News poll shows they’re more "comfortable" going to a restaurant, bar or large event than the vaccinated are. The top reason given for not taking the shot is "still too untested.” In the United States cases were down 29%, deaths are down 23%, and hospitalizations are down 22% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending flat since June 4.  There are now 5,305,973 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, and Florida. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Linn, MO. Lamb, TX. Karnes, TX. Gray, TX. Hutchinson, TX. Livingston, MO. Hockley, TX. St. Thomas, VI. And DeWitt, TX. There have been 599,768 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.8%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Pennsylvania and Virginia 14. Illinois 12. Texas 11. New York and Minnesota 9. Arizona 7. California 6. And New Jersey, Kentucky, Maryland, and Iowa 3.  The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, Vermont at 71.8%, Massachusetts at 68.2%, and Hawaii at 68%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 34.9%, Alabama at 36.4%, and Louisiana at 36.6%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 42.6%.Globally, cases were down 28% and deaths down 11% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since May 28. There are 12,146,101 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: India 68,400. Brazil 36,998. Colombia 28,519. Russia 14,723. And Argentina 13,043.  There have now been 3,799,649 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for June 11th, 2021. Not a trend you want to see. The number of new daily cases and deaths in the U.S. rose for the third-straight day. The number of states that have seen the weekly trend of new cases rise this week inched up to 15 on Thursday from 14 on Wednesday. The remaining Group of Seven nations said we see America’s donation of 500 million vaccine doses for poorer nations and…well we won’t each match it but the six of us together will match it. That means 1 billion shots to eliminate supply inequities around the world.  The Johnson & Johnson vaccine stays fresher longer. The FDA extended the expiration date on millions of doses of that vaccine by six weeks. The agency determined the shots will remain safe and effective for 4 1/2 months, up from the original three months. And that should help with COVID vaccine waste. A new Morning Consult survey show roughly 46% of U.S. adults now think Covid did indeed originate with a lab leak. 26% believe it began naturally and 28% don’t know or have no opinion. Only 17% of Americans say they have some or a lot of trust in the Chinese government, but 56% still have trust in the World Health Organization to tell the truth about the pandemic’s origins. The White House exempted most employers from rules to protect workers from the coronavirus. In fact, the rules only seem to apply to health care workers. In a related story, Houston Methodist hospital is suspending almost 200 workers for two weeks without pay for refusing to get vaccinated.  In the United States cases were down 36%, deaths are down 20%, and hospitalizations are down 22% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending flat since June 4.  There are now 5,383,382 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, and Florida.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Scott, KY. Lamb, TX. Hutchinson, TX. Livingston, MO. Linn, MO. Hockley, TX. Harrison, KY. West Feliciana, LA. And Lincoln, WA.  There have been 598,726 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.8%. The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: California 47. Michigan and Georgia 45. Texas 33. Arizona 27. Pennsylvania 21. New York 19. Kentucky and Illinois 17. And North Carolina 16.  The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, Vermont unchanged at 71.7%, Massachusetts at 68%, and Hawaii at 67.8%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 34.8%, Alabama unchanged at 36.2%, and Louisiana at 36.5%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 42.5%. Globally, cases were down 22% and deaths down 20% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since May 28.  There are 12,676,530 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: India 91,266. Brazil 89,802. Colombia 29,302. Argentina 27,628. And the United States 14,880.     There have now been 3,769,088 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for June 10th, 2021.Yesterday we told you San Francisco might be the first major city to reach herd immunity. But yesterday Seattle’s Mayor declared 70% of that city’s residents 12+ have been fully vaccinated. The effort now is to get Seattle fully reopened and people supporting local small retailers and restaurants, arts and culture programming, and transit.U.S. taxpayers will apparently buy 500 million more doses of the Pfizer vaccine, all to be shared through the COVAX alliance. The vaccines will go to 92 lower income countries and the African Union over the next year.Many countries still have a tough road ahead and Haiti is one of them. It initially confounded health experts with low infection and death rates despite a weak public health system, a total lack of vaccines, and rejection of safety measures. But now it’s in trouble, with the few hospitals swamped and turning away patients. Haiti is experiencing its largest spike of the pandemic.The UK is on edge, recording the highest number of new cases in a single day since February. There are now fears of a third wave. The four nations had 7,540 cases in 24 hours, up 74% from a week ago. The Prime Minister will decide soon on whether England can go ahead with its planned full reopening June 21.Those who have survived COVID and don’t want to get a vaccine are embracing a story yesterday about a Cleveland Clinic study of healthcare providers. It found anyone who previously tested positive got no additional benefits from the vaccine. During the study of over 52,000 employees, not a single incidence of infection was observed in previously infected participants, regardless of whether or not they’d been vaccinated. However, the clinic still recommends anyone who can get the vaccine, should.In the United States cases were down 42%, deaths are down 20%, and hospitalizations are down 23% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending flat since June 4.  There are now 5,397,142 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, and Florida. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Lamb, TX. Livingston, MO. Hutchinson, TX. Linn, MO. Hockley, TX. West Feliciana, LA. Scott, KY. Harrison, KY. And Moffat, CO. There have been 598,760 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.8%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Texas 38. New Jersey 31. Pennsylvania and Alabama 29. California 28. Illinois 27. Georgia 25. West Virginia 24. Colorado 20. And North Carolina 18. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, Vermont at 71.7%, Massachusetts at 67.9%, and Hawaii at 67.7%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 34.7%, Alabama unchanged at 36.2%, and Louisiana unchanged at 36.4%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 42.3%.Globally, cases were down 23% and deaths down 19% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since May 28. There are 12,714,267 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: India 93,896. Brazil 87,097. Argentina 29,757. Colombia 24,233. And the United States 14,201.    There have now been 3,754,914 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for June 9th, 2021.Experts say San Francisco may have become the first major city in the United States to hit herd immunity. Yes, there are still about 137 cases a day, but they aren’t gaining enough of a foothold to trigger wider outbreaks. And that, for all practical purposes, is what herd immunity looks like. Nearly 80% of residents have received at least one shot with 68% fully vaccinated. While San Francisco and some other places are doing a good job, the White House is increasingly resigning to the prospect the U.S. goal to have 70% of Americans at least partially vaccinated by July 4 will be achieved. The pace of new vaccinations has dropped below 400,000 people per day.The Toronto-based Mastercard Foundation is one of the biggest in the world. And over the next three years it’s going to spend $1.3 billion to vaccinate more than 50 million people in Africa. That country needs the help as fears grow of a third wave of infections. The single doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine should be available starting in August.Yes, it’s a wonder drug, but it doesn’t cure COVID-19. One of the biggest trials in Britain has learned Aspirin doesn’t improve the chances of survival in severely ill patients. Since aspirin helps reduce blood clots in other diseases, it was tested in COVID-19 patients. And although there was a small increase in the likelihood of being discharged alive, researchers determined it wasn’t enough to justify its widespread use.If your plan is to be clever and buy a fake vaccination card online, you might want to think again. The Federal Trade Commission says the real cards were never designed to prove vaccination long term. But the FBI said unauthorized use of an official government agency seal can get you a fine or up to five years behind bars.In the United States cases were down 42%, deaths are down 20%, and hospitalizations are down 22% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending flat since June 4.  There are now 5,408,951 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, and New York. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Lamb, TX. Livingston, MO. Hutchinson, TX. Linn, MO. Hockley, TX. West Feliciana, LA. Scott, KY. Harrison, KY. And Moffat, CO. There have been 598,323 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.8%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Michigan 58. Georgia 38. Texas 37. Pennsylvania 32. California 23. Washington 18. Illinois 14. And North Carolina, Arizona, and Tennessee 13. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, Vermont at 71.6%, Massachusetts at 67.8%, and Hawaii at 67.6%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 34.4%, Alabama unchanged at 36.2%, and Louisiana at 36.4%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 42.1%.Globally, cases were down 27% and deaths down 24% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since May 28. There are 12,842,257 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: India 91,227. Brazil 52,448. Argentina 31,137. Colombia 18,586. And the United States 13,542.    There have now been 3,744,378 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for June 8th, 2021.Increasing vaccinations in the U.S. from this point on may prove difficult. A Gallup survey shows 76% of U.S. adults say they’ve been vaccinated or plan to be, a number that hasn’t moved much in three months. Among those not planning to be vaccinated, 78% say they won’t reconsider. 53% of U.S. adults say they’re worried about people choosing not to get vaccinated, and it’s now the public's greatest worry about the virus by far. You still hear about breakthrough infections, but a CDC study shows vaccinated people, if they do get infected, have milder cases than the unvaccinated; 40% less virus in their bodies, 58% less likely to have a fever, and two fewer days spent in bed. They also appear less likely to spread the virus to others. The Delta variant is wreaking havoc in beautiful Fiji. It’s another country that had good success in the first year but now it’s struggling with a record surge in cases. Fiji only recorded 70 cases before April this year. It’s now recorded 751. Three of the new cases are employees at the nation's Covid-19 management team. India is changing its approach. The government will provide free vaccine shots to any adult starting later this month and take back control of the country's vaccination effort, which has been hampered by delays and shortages. Up to now it was the states and private sector tasked with the vaccination rollout. My how times have changed. Not only is marijuana a legal recreational drug now, it’s being used as bait to get people to take a vaccine for their health. The Liquor and Cannabis Board of Washington approved a temporary allowance for cannabis retailers to offer “Joints for Jabs.” One joint for every adult customer who gets a vaccination at an in-store vaccination clinic.In the United States cases were down 45%, deaths are down 22%, and hospitalizations are down 22% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14.  There are now 5,436,877 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, and New York. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Livingston, MO. Linn, MO. Moffat, CO. West Feliciana, LA. Dimmit, TX. Hutchinson, TX. Harrison, KY. Lamb, TX. Lincoln, WA. And Scott, KY.There have been 597,946 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.8%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: North Carolina 48. New York 45. Illinois 20. Alabama 19. Washington 17. Kansas 16. Texas 14. Colorado 13. Michigan 12. And California 10. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, Vermont at 71.4%, and Hawaii and Massachusetts at 67.6%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi unchanged at 34.3%, and Alabama and Louisiana at 36.2%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 41.9%.Globally, cases were down 22% and deaths down 16% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since May 28. There are now under 13 million active cases around the world, at 12,998,140.The five countries with the most new cases: India 87,345. Brazil 38,750. Argentina 22,195. Colombia 21,949. And the United States 12,283.    There have now been 3,734,609 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for June 7th, 2021.The Group of Seven is a summit of the world’s wealthier democracies, it’s happening next week, and the UK will use that occasion to urge world leaders to commit to vaccinating the world by the end of 2022. Britain pledged in February to give most of its surplus supply to COVAX, the U.N.-backed program to vaccinate poorer countries.There might be a new kind of COVID-19 vaccine as soon as this summer. It’s based on known technology and doesn't require special refrigeration. What makes it different is the current vaccines deliver genetic instructions for the spike protein, then our bodies’ cells have to make that protein. This vaccine contains the spike protein itself — so it's already made — plus something that enhances the immune system's response.We finally bring you good news out of India. Daily cases yesterday dropped to the lowest level seen in over two months. It’s a welcome turnaround after a brutal second wave. Cases peaked May 9 and have dropped over 68% from the peak. Plus 66% of new cases are in just five states, an indication transmission has been contained to a localized area.Royal Caribbean says it won’t require US passengers to get vaccinated to go on several ships set to sail this summer out of Florida, they’ll just strongly encourage it. And the unvaccinated may have to undergo testing and follow some restrictions. Florida’s governor threatened to fine cruise lines $5,000 each time they required a guest to show proof of vaccination.Pro golfer Jon Rahm was on the golf course, leading by six shots at the Memorial Tournament when he was told he’d tested positive for COVID-19. He had to withdraw, likely costing him the trophy and oh yeah, $1.6 million. It led to much debate on Twitter; some said if he’d been vaccinated in his home state of Arizona March 24 this wouldn’t have happened. Others said what a tragedy this would be if the test was a false positive.In the United States cases were down 45%, deaths are down 23%, and hospitalizations are down 19% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14.  There are now 5,475,679 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, and New York. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Livingston, MO. Linn, MO. Moffat, CO. West Feliciana, LA. Dimmit, TX. Hutchinson, TX. Harrison, KY. Lamb, TX. Lincoln, WA. And Scott, KY.There have been 597,627 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.8%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Illinois 38. California 32. New York 26. Texas 17. Virginia 7. New Jersey and Maryland 6. And Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Iowa 4. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, Vermont at 71.2%, Hawaii at 67.4%, and Massachusetts at 67.2%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 34.3%, Alabama at 36.1%, and Louisiana at 36.2%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 41.6%.Globally, cases were down 26% and deaths down 22% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since May 28. There are now 13,251,679 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: India 101,232. Brazil 39,637. Colombia 24,050. Argentina 16,415. And Russia 9,163.    There have now been 3,726,107 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for June 4th, 2021. The United States sends its first shipments of surplus vaccine doses abroad today. 80 million doses by the end of June to start with. 75% of the first 25 million doses will be allotted through COVAX, the international distribution system to help with vaccinations in the world's poorest countries. California will fully reopen in less than two weeks and do away with almost all mask and social distancing requirements for the vaccinated people. But the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board is considering new workplace rules that even vaccinated employees must remain masked unless everyone in their workspace is inoculated. The California Chamber of Commerce is not pleased. We’re hearing a lot about vaccinations but what about effective treatments for COVID-19, and what about outright cures for it? The task is to develop a drug that targets the virus itself. So far, only one antiviral treatment — remdesivir — is recommended for use in the U.S., and experts say it’s not effective enough. A team at Miami’s Ridgeback Biotherapeutics began work in the spring of 2020 to find a possible treatment and get ready for the clinical trials. Now their drug, molnupiravir, is one of two medicines to treat COVID-19 nearing the end of clinical testing. Another report of inaccurate reporting. Two new studies show COVID-19 is many times more prevalent in Indonesia than shown by official figures. The inaccuracies are the result of a lack of testing and contact tracing. One study suggested 15% of Indonesians had already contracted COVID-19 - when official figures had infections at only around 0.4% of people. You’d think with all the lockdowns and working from home U.S. traffic deaths would have dropped tremendously. Not at all. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says traffic deaths rose 7% last year, the biggest increase in 13 years. The agency blamed it on drivers taking more risk because roads were less congested. In the United States cases were down 46%, deaths are down 35%, and hospitalizations are down 22% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14.  There are now 5,537,566 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, and New York. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Chattahoochee, GA. Livingston, MO. Linn, MO. Dimmit, TX. Karnes, TX. Lincoln, WA. Moffat, CO. Tyler, TX. Reeves, TX. And LaSalle, LA. There have been 596,401 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.8%. The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Michigan 62. Texas 57. Florida 49. Pennsylvania 34. Georgia 33. Oklahoma 25. Illinois 24. Washington 23. California 22. And Alabama 21. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, Vermont at 70.7%, Hawaii at 66.9%, and Massachusetts at 66.7%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 34.3%, Louisiana at 35.9%, and Alabama at 36.1%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 41%. Globally, cases were down 27% and deaths down 12% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since May 28. There are now 13,573,286 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: India 131,371. Brazil 83,391. Argentina 32,291. Colombia 28,624. And the United States 17,821.    There have now been 3,698,371 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for June 3rd, 2021. CDC data shows twelve U.S. states now have 70% of adult residents who’ve had at least one Covid vaccine shot. California and Maryland are the newest to hit that mark, joining Vermont, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, New Jersey, Rhode Island, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire. The national goal is to have one shot or more administered to 70% of those 18 and older by July 4. It’s a question that gets asked a lot, can you mix vaccines. Meaning one dose of one kind and the second dose of another kind. An official Canadian panel said people who got a first shot of AstraZeneca can get a different shot for their second dose. That’s not news AstraZeneca wanted, but it’s what was ruled. And it was also decided vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna can be interchangeable. Cases continue to go up in Taiwan so now there’s a mass vaccination plan to cover 1.7 million people a week. The country had already placed curbs on gatherings and ordered entertainment venues closed. Taiwan has vaccinated just about 3% of its people. Increasingly, it looks like the U.S. will not reach herd immunity as vaccine acceptance continues to stall. Vox gathered up the six main reasons experts believe people are slow to get vaccinated or refuse to get vaccinated. Lack of access, either real or perceived, they don’t see Covid-19 as that big a threat, fear of vaccine side effects, lack of trust in the vaccines, lack of trust in institutions like government and health bureaucracies, and a vast array of conspiracy theories. It’s become obvious the pandemic has changed the approach to work forever. A Morning Consult survey found 39% of workers would actually consider quitting if their bosses did not remain flexible about working from home. Most of those who said that were millennials and Gen Z. Just 2% of respondents said they wanted to work in the office full time again. In the United States cases were down 45%, deaths are down 44%, and hospitalizations are down 22% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14.  There are now 5,556,774 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, and New York. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Chattahoochee, GA. Livingston, MO. Linn, MO. Torrance, NM. Lincoln, WA. Reeves, TX. Moffat, CO. LaSalle, LA. Koochiching, MN. And Webster, KY. There have been 595,822 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.8%. The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Florida 55. Texas 52. Pennsylvania 45. California 35. Michigan 34. Georgia 29. New Jersey 28. Arizona 20. Virginia 12. And Alabama 11. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, Vermont at 70.7%, Hawaii at 66.9%, and Massachusetts at 66.6%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 34%, Louisiana at 35.8%, and Alabama at 36%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 40.9%. Globally, cases were down 27% and deaths down 9% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since May 28. There are now 13,668,387 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: India 134,105. Brazil 94,509. Argentina 35,017. Colombia 27,000. And the United States 16,974.    There have now been 3,687,575 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for June 2nd, 2021.Good decisions come from good data and throughout the pandemic the data has been questionable. Case in point, Peru has more than doubled its official death toll after a government review. That instantly makes it the country with the highest coronavirus-related death rate per capita. And just 3% of Latin Americans have been fully vaccinated. In the UK, they’re dwelling on good news. There were no deaths from Covid-19 for the first time since July of 2020. That means no one died within 28 days of testing positive. Experts caution that while the number is obviously low, it might not be zero. Deaths announced on any given day usually occurred earlier, and the total by date of death is calculated later.The variant that first emerged in India, which we are now supposed to call variant Delta, is spreading rapidly in the US. It now makes up 7% of new cases, up from 1% at the start of May. Experts say the variant is 60% more transmissible. Health officials say the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines can handle it.In an effort to get travel going again, at least between EU countries, Greece, Germany and five other EU nations introduced a vaccination certificate system that will roll out July 1. Certificates are issued to people who are fully vaccinated as well as those who’ve already had the virus and developed antibodies and others who’ve had a PCR test within the last 72 hours.Incentives only work if you know what the people want, and West Virginia believes its people want guns. The state is giving the newly-vaccinated the chance to win not just money, but five custom hunting rifles and five custom shotguns. A poll conducted between March 20 and April 19 found 28% of West Virginians were unwilling to get the vaccine.In the United States cases were down 46%, deaths are down 36%, and hospitalizations are down 23% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14.  There are now 5,585,384 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, and New York. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Livingston, MO. Linn, MO. Torrance, NM. Chattahoochee, GA. Dimmit, TX. Karnes, TX. Lincoln, WA. Mesa, CO. Alamosa, CO. And Koochiching, MN.There have been 595,205 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.8%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Illinois 38. Florida 23. New York and Virginia 13. Missouri 10. Maryland 7. Mississippi 6. Pennsylvania and New Jersey 5. And South Carolina, Kentucky, and South Dakota 4. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, Vermont at 70.2%, Hawaii at 66.5%, and Massachusetts at 66.2%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 34%, Louisiana at 35.7%, and Alabama at 36%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 40.7%.Globally, cases were down 28% and deaths down 12% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since May 28. There are now under 14 million active cases around the world, at 13,939,592.The five countries with the most new cases: India 133,228. Brazil 77,898. Argentina 35,355. Colombia 25,966. And the United States 12,976.    There have now been 3,557,144 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for June 1st, 2021.The World Health Organization announced from now on, coronavirus variants are to be known by letters of the Greek alphabet to avoid stigmatizing and discriminating against nations where they were first detected. The UK variant will be known as Alpha, the South Africa Beta, Brazil will be Gamma, and India Delta. They also considered naming the variants after Greek Gods.New coronavirus cases leaped 73% in Washington in the week ending Sunday. With 2.29% of the country's population, Washington had 5.93% of the country's cases in the last week. Five states had more cases in the latest week than they did the week before. Washington has 56.5% of its residents at least partially vaccinated. Stocks in Malaysia fell after the government announced a nationwide two-week “total lockdown” to curb its rapidly rising daily infections. Last week, the country reported five-consecutive days of record increases in cases.In Thailand, new reported cases surged yesterday to the highest level thus far. The country is redoubling efforts to stop the spread in labor camps, factories, and markets. Concern prompted the government to overrule a plan by Bangkok’s governor to ease some restrictions that was supposed to start today. With the pandemic seemingly easing, some are taking stock of the various tolls its taken. For instance, a study shows as many as 43,000 children in the U.S. are estimated to have lost at least one parent to COVID-19 by February. That’s a dramatic 20% increase in parental bereavement compared to a typical year. The study also found Black children have been hit the hardest — they comprise 14% of children but represent 20% of those who lost a parent to the virus.In the United States cases were down 46%, deaths are down 36%, and hospitalizations are down 19% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14.  There are now 5,639,539 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, and New York. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Livingston, MO. Linn, MO. Torrance, NM. Chattahoochee, GA. Dimmit, TX. Karnes, TX. Lincoln, WA. Mesa, CO. Alamosa, CO. And Koochiching, MN.The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Rhode Island, Washington, Colorado, West Virginia, and Wyoming.There have been 594,568 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.8%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Illinois 38. New York and Virginia 13. Missouri 10. Maryland 7. Mississippi 6. Pennsylvania and New Jersey 5. And South Carolina and South Dakota 4. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, Vermont at 70.2%, Hawaii at 66.5%, and Massachusetts at 66.2%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 34%, Louisiana at 35.7%, and Alabama at 36%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 40.7%.Globally, cases were down 31% and deaths down 16% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since May 28. There are now 14,161,013 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: India 126,698. Brazil 32,554. Argentina 28,175. Colombia 23,177. And Iran 11,042.    There have now been 3,546,731 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for May 31st, 2021. A hospital in Houston is being sued by 117 employees who say it’s turning them into vaccine “guinea pigs” and breaking the law by requiring they get the shot. The lawsuit alleges compulsory vaccines violate the Nuremberg Code, created as a reaction to Nazi medical experiments. However, updated guidance from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission says yes, employers of all kinds can require the vaccine.  In New York, interest in vaccines is plummeting and incentives aren’t working. In the 24 hours ending 11 a.m. Saturday, there were less than half the doses given just three weeks ago. Rewards like Mets and Yankees tickets, free drinks, and a lottery don’t seem to be helping. And in Arkansas, citizens appear they’d rather let the vaccines rot than take them. Nearly 60,000 doses are set to expire and will be trashed at the end of June. South Africa will go back to stricter lockdowns after a sharp rise in cases that indicate the virus is “surging again” in Africa's worst-affected nation. Positive cases in the past seven days were 31% higher than the week before, and cities like Johannesburg and Pretoria are in a third wave. The words “third wave” are also being used in the U.K. Scientists have warned ministers it may have already started and plans to lift all restrictions in England are premature. A surge in hospital admissions could leave the NHS struggling as it works to clear the huge backlog of non-Covid cases. A reminder out of Florida not being vaccinated could get expensive. A concert promoter is saying those who can prove they’re fully vaccinated can pay $18 per ticket to attend a concert in Saint Petersburg June 26. Those who can’t will be charged $999.99 per ticket. The logic is unvaccinated people will scare off vaccinated ticket buyers so they have to pay to make up for the damage they’re causing.  In the United States cases were down 39%, deaths are down 27%, and hospitalizations are down 21% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14.  There are now 5,592,640 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, and New York.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Livingston, MO. Linn, MO. Torrance, NM. Chattahoochee, GA. Dimmit, TX. Karnes, TX. Lincoln, WA. Mesa, CO. Alamosa, CO. And Koochiching, MN. The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Rhode Island, Colorado, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming. There have been 594,430 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.8%. The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Illinois 19. New York 15. Virginia 13. Texas 12. California 10. Minnesota and Maryland 8. New Jersey 6. And Pennsylvania, Indiana, and South Carolina 5.  The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, Vermont at 70%, Hawaii at 66.4%, and Massachusetts at 66%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 34%, Louisiana at 35.6%, and Alabama at 36%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 40.5%. Globally, cases were down 29% and deaths down 13% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since May 28.  There are now 14,354,573 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: India 153,485. Brazil 43,520. Argentina 21,346. Colombia 20,218. And Russia 9,694.     There have now been 3,538,160 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for May 28th, 2021. Data from Johns Hopkins shows average daily Covid case counts in the U.S. are at less than half the level recorded at the start of May. The country is seeing an average of 23,407 new infections per day over the past week. The U.S. reports an average of 1.7 million daily vaccinations, and nearly 50% of the population has received one dose or more. Case counts have not been this low since June 2020. Melbourne, Australia was set to enter its fourth lockdown yesterday as concerns grow over the rapid spread of infections from a variant. This one will be seven days. Victoria’s Acting Premier said, “Unless something changes, this will be increasingly uncontrollable.” The incentives continue. California is giving away the country's largest pot of vaccine prize money — $116.5 million — to get more people inoculated before the state fully reopens next month. The prize includes $1.5 million each for 10 Californians. And yes, those who’ve already gotten partially or fully vaccinated are eligible. Lisa Shaw, a news presenter for BBC Newcastle, died at 44 after being treated for blood clots and bleeding and after getting the AstraZeneca shot. But now, German scientists think they know more about why these blood clot issues happen. The cold viruses used by some vaccines to insert the spike protein of COVID-19 into the nucleus of the cell can, in some people, cause bits of the proteins to enter the nucleus and break up. Those fragments enter the bloodstream and can cause clotting. The European Medicines Agency said they know of 169 such cases after 34 million doses. From the “oh the irony” department. For over a year, we’ve been on pins and needles about a virus that attacks the respiratory system and could kill us. But new research shows that in 2019, smoking killed almost 8 million people and more people started smoking. An all-time high of 1.1 billion. It’s mostly young people who are picking it up and 89% of new smokers were addicted by the time they were 25. In the United States cases were down 35%, deaths are down 20%, and hospitalizations are down 23% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14.  There are now 5,690,075 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, Maryland, New York, and Kentucky.  The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Chattahoochee, GA. Torrance, NM. Livingston, MO. Linn, MO. Lincoln, WA. Koochiching, MN. Alamosa, CO. Dimmit, TX. Karnes, TX. And Ketchikan Gateway Borough, AK.  The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Rhode Island, Missouri, Colorado, Wyoming, and Washington.  There have been 593,282 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.79%. The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Florida 86. Michigan 62. Texas 51. California 48. Illinois 44. Pennsylvania and Georgia 39. North Carolina 24. Tennessee 22. And Oregon 21.  The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, Vermont at 70.2%, Hawaii at 65.6%, and Massachusetts at 65.2%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 33.7%, Louisiana at 35.3%, and Alabama at 35.8%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 39.7%. Globally, cases were down 30% and deaths down 14% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since April 26.  There are now 14,767,886 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: India 179,770. Brazil 66,722. Argentina 41,080. Colombia 25,092. And the United States 24,393.... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for May 27th, 2021.France is imposing a mandatory quarantine on visitors from Britain to slow the spread of the Indian variant. Germany has even stricter limits on people coming in from the U.K. Travel companies can only transport German citizens and residents from Britain.CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said she was relying on a study in a top infectious disease journal when she said outdoor transmission accounted for less than 10% of cases. Now the New York Times reports a co-author of that study says that was misleading, because the actual number is far less, "probably substantially less than 1%."There’s seemingly a news story every time a breakthrough infection occurs in someone who’s been fully vaccinated. It seems like breakthroughs are happening a lot. But a new CDC report says that’s incredibly rare. How rare? It’s estimated such infections may occur in 0.01% of all fully vaccinated people. And only 10% of that .01% required hospitalization.Researchers announced an average 15% of Brazil's citizens have COVID-19 antibodies. That research was done at the beginning of the vaccine rollout when less than 1% had gotten even one dose. The presence of those antibodies suggests these people were likely infected at some point and may have at least some immunity.Probably not a good idea to censor theories about how the pandemic started long before the facts have been established. But that’s what Facebook did. Deeming any mention of the possibility the virus leaked from a Wuhan lab as conspiratorial misinformation, Facebook removed, blocked, and banned such content. It has now reversed that policy, as Republicans and Democrats alike call for more scrutiny into the origins of Covid-19.In the United States cases were down 37%, deaths are down 12%, and hospitalizations are down 23% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14.  There are now 5,702,760 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, Maryland, New York, and Kentucky. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Chattahoochee, GA. Linn, MO. Livingston, MO. Torrance, NM. Karnes, TX. Lincoln, WA. Dimmit, TX. Koochiching, MN. Ketchikan Gateway Borough, AK. And Alamosa, CO. The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Rhode Island, Missouri, Delaware, Colorado, and West Virginia.There have been 591,941 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.79%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Florida 70. Texas 61. Pennsylvania 42. Georgia 36. California and New Jersey 34. Colorado 33. Illinois 28. North Carolina 27. And New York 23. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, Vermont at 69.9%, Hawaii at 65.3%, and Massachusetts at 65%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 33.6%, Louisiana at 35.1%, and Alabama at 35.8%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 39.5%.Globally, cases were down 32% and deaths down 9% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since April 26. There are now 14,861,104 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: India 211,553. Brazil 79,459. Argentina 35,399. The United States 23,500. And Colombia 23,487.   There have now been 3,493,704 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for May 26th, 2021. The CDC reports nearly one out of two Americans have now received at least one dose of a vaccine as of yesterday. And half of citizens 18 and over have been fully vaccinated. The United States has administered 287,788,872 doses. Elsewhere, problems remain. Bahrain's health ministry reported the highest daily death toll in that small island nation as a surge in cases hits record levels. Authorities mostly blame it on large gatherings during Ramadan. And in Malaysia, an outbreak is getting worse and spilling over into neighboring Thailand. Hospitals in Malaysia are strained, and the country has imposed a near lockdown until June 7. Moderna reports trials of its vaccine show it’s safe and effective for teenagers. They’ll submit the results to the FDA in hopes of getting authorization for use in kids aged 12 to 17. It’s hoped this increased access could boost supply ahead of the new school year's start this fall. However, uptake of the virus in young Americans is proving to be a problem. Those 24 and younger are getting doses at much lower rates. For those 12 to 15, only 1.4% have gotten at least one dose. Only 1.7% of 16- to 17-year-olds have done so, and 7.6% of 18- to 24-year-olds have. Experts point out that while younger people don't face a high chance of serious illness, they still risk long-term symptoms if they get COVID-19. It’s getting kicked up a notch. The Republican led U.S. Senate and Democrat led House of Representatives intelligence committees are conducting their own investigations into the origins of the pandemic. There appear to be still-classified reports researchers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology became so ill they sought hospital care way back in November 2019. There are fears a lack of transparency will frustrate reaching an authoritative account of how the virus was unleashed. In the United States cases were down 37%, deaths are down 13%, and hospitalizations are down 23% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14.  There are now 5,735,539 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, Maryland, New York, and Kentucky. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Chattahoochee, GA. Livingston, MO. Linn, MO. Charlton, GA. Ketchikan Gateway Borough, AK. Lincoln, WA. Koochiching, MN. Alamosa, CO. Karnes, TX. And Alleghany, VA. The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Delaware, Wyoming, Michigan, Colorado, and Maine. There have been 590,922 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.79%. The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Florida 93. Michigan 71. Pennsylvania 45. Texas 42. California 39. Georgia 38. New York 31. New Jersey 25. Virginia 21. And Illinois 18. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, Vermont at 69.6%, Hawaii at 65%, and Massachusetts at 64.9%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 33.2%, Louisiana at 35.1%, and Alabama at 35.6%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 39.3%. Globally, cases were down 31% and deaths down 7% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since April 26. There are now under 15 million active cases around the world at 14,996,161. The five countries with the most new cases: India 208,886. Brazil 74,845. Argentina 24,601. The United States 22,738. And Colombia 21,181.   There have now been 3,480,781 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for May 25th, 2021.India crossed another milestone yesterday with more than 300,000 people lost to the coronavirus. That death toll is the third highest in the world after the U.S. and Brazil, accounting for 8.6% of coronavirus fatalities globally. It’s still believed the real numbers are much higher. Speaking of Brazil, its Health Ministry confirmed just shy of 450,000 dead from the virus.A damning report based on NHS data shows up to 8,700 patients in England died after catching Covid-19 while in a hospital being treated for another medical problem. Former health secretary Jeremy Hunt said hospital-acquired Covid “remains one of the silent scandals of this pandemic”.Many people who had COVID-19 don’t feel the need to get the vaccine because they believe they have ongoing immunity. Research out of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis appears to back them up. It shows months after recovery, when antibody levels in the blood have declined, immune cells in bone marrow stay ready to dispatch new antibodies against the coronavirus. These cells were found up to eleven months after mild COVID-19. It’s not clear yet if the same results would be seen in survivors of moderate to severe COVID-19.Even as they worried about dying from COVID-19, many people this past year were risking death from alcoholic liver disease. Cases are up 30% at the University of Michigan's health system, and liver specialist Dr. Jessica Mellinger says colleagues at other institutions tell her it’s “off the charts.” The CDC has not collected data on increase in hospitalizations from alcoholic liver disease since the pandemic began. Add this group to the list of people who are really good about getting vaccinated. Pharmacists. A survey found 88% are fully vaccinated and 92% plan to or have already had a dose. 98% feel comfortable addressing vaccine hesitancy concerns with customers.In the United States cases were down 38%, deaths are down 15%, and hospitalizations are down 22% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14.  There are now 5,754,591 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, Maryland, New York, and Kentucky. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Chattahoochee, GA. Livingston, MO. Linn, MO. Charlton, GA. Ketchikan Gateway Borough, AK. Koochiching, MN. Karnes, TX. Lincoln, WA. Alamosa, CO. And Dukes, MA. The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Delaware, Colorado, Wyoming, Michigan, and Maine.There have been 590,516 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.79%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: New York 51. North Carolina 29. Florida 28. Colorado 25. California 21. Maryland 15. Michigan and New Mexico 14. Louisiana 13. And Texas 12. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, Vermont at 68.9%, Massachusetts at 64.6%, and Hawaii at 64.4%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 33.2%, Louisiana at 35%, and Alabama at 35.6%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 39.2%.Globally, cases were down 26% and deaths down 7% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since May 22. There are now 15,196,725 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: India 195,815. Brazil 37,563. Argentina 22,651. The United States 19,866. And Colombia 16,977.   There have now been 3,469,419 deaths reported as Covid-related... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for May 24th, 2021.There was a time anyone who suggested the novel coronavirus escaped from a lab in Wuhan was branded a conspiracy theorist, so certain was the reporting that it emerged naturally. Now none other than Dr. Anthony Fauci says he’s not convinced. He joins the rising number of voices calling for a real investigation into the virus' origins. For example, the Wall Street Journal reported three researchers from China's Wuhan Institute of Virology sought hospital care in November of 2019, months before the outbreak was disclosed. Their source was a previously undisclosed U.S. intelligence report.New cases in the United States have dropped to rates not seen since June, sparking optimism vaccinations are limiting severe cases and virus spread. Increasingly, pre-pandemic life has largely resumed, with states that have stuck to restrictions preparing to drop them. Health experts however continue to say not enough Americans have been vaccinated to eliminate the potential for new variants to extend the pandemic.Late last week, Taiwan moved to its second highest COVID alert level after a surge of cases. And because the country last year recorded zero cases of community transmission for eight straight months, and now it’s in the hundreds, people are asking what happened? Many say its Taiwan’s very slow vaccine rollout, and that Australia should take heed because it too is having a slow rollout.There’s an image you might have been given about what kind of people are reluctant about the vaccines. Which is fine provided that image includes young mothers. A study out of Northwestern, Harvard, and Rutgers shows parents are more likely to resist the vaccine vs other adults across all racial groups. 73% of black parents expressed being vaccine hesitant or resistant. And the study found young mothers are the most vaccine resistant among all groups.In India, an extreme example of vaccine hesitancy and the result of vaccine misinformation. A team of health officials arrived in a village in Barabanki to administer vaccinations, and numerous citizens jumped in the river and started swimming away to avoid them. Only 18 people took the shot. Others believed they were about to be injected with poison.In the United States cases were down 39%, deaths are down 14%, and hospitalizations are down 22% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14.  There are now 5,790,318 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, Maryland, New York, and Kentucky. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Chattahoochee, GA. Livingston, MO. Charlton, GA. Linn, MO. Ketchikan Gateway Borough, AK. Koochiching, MN. Alamosa, CO. Karnes, TX. Lincoln, WA. And Dukes, MA. The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Delaware, Colorado, Wyoming, Michigan, and Maine.There have been 589,890 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.79%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Alabama 32. Illinois 25. California 22. Texas 19. New York 18. Maryland 17. Florida and Kentucky 11. South Carolina 10. And Pennsylvania and Virginia 9. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, Vermont at 68.1%, Hawaii at 64.4%, and Massachusetts at 64.3%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 33.2%, Louisiana at 34.9%, and Alabama at 35.4%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 38.9%.Globally, cases were down 25% and deaths down 6% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since May... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for May 21st, 2021.The CDC apparently believes relaxing mask requirements will encourage people who haven’t already done so to get vaccinated. Some experts in human behavior say not likely. The gamble is people will be nervous in a maskless world if they aren't vaccinated. The risk is that those people never felt at risk and all this will do is cause unvaccinated people to go unmasked.With 52 more COVID-19 fatalities added to the statewide total yesterday, Texas has crossed over the 50,000 deaths mark. The number per day had been decreasing into the 30s earlier this month before beginning a steady climb back into the 50s. Still, the state is now reporting about the same number of deaths in a week they were reporting every day in January.Panama temporarily closed its border with Colombia starting yesterday to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and tighten security. Panama said Colombia's decision to reopen borders "puts at risk the significant progress" Panama has made. So no entry by land, sea, or river routes.Some good news for the AstraZeneca vaccine. Public Health England says real-life data suggests it’s providing more protection than was expected from clinical trials. After a second dose, the chance of falling ill is reduced by around 89% as opposed to the previously believed 70-75%.Other states are taking notice of the success of Ohio’s vaccine lottery and are doing similar things. New Yorkers 18 and older who get their first dose between May 24 and 28 at some locations across the state will get a free lottery scratch-off ticket for a $5 million lottery. Maryland also announced its $2 million VaxCash Promotion, which will divide that amount among 41 residents who get vaccinated. Daily drawings will reward some of the newly vaccinated with $40,000 starting May 25 until July 4. And on the Fourth, one person will win $400,000.In the United States cases were down 36%, deaths are down 14%, and hospitalizations are down 21% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14.  There are now 5,871,914 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, New York, Maryland, and Kentucky. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Chattahoochee, GA. Ketchikan Gateway Borough, AK. Livingston, MO. Charlton, GA. Lincoln, WA. Koochiching, MN. McKenzie, ND. Alamosa, CO. Karnes, TX. And Linn, MO. The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Alabama, Delaware, Colorado, Michigan, and Maine.There have been 588,531 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related with a current national fatality rate of 1.79%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Michigan 82. Florida 70. California 53. Illinois 49. Texas 44. Pennsylvania 38. Alabama 32. Colorado 26. New Jersey 23. And Georgia 22. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, Vermont at 65.8%, Massachusetts at 63.1%, and Hawaii at 63%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 32.9%, Louisiana at 34.4%, and Alabama at 34.9%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 37.8%.Globally, cases were down 29% and deaths down 14% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since April 23. There are now 15,877,844 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: India 259,269. Brazil 83,367. Argentina 35,884. The United States 30,214. And Colombia 16,086.  There have now been 3,425,648 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for May 20th, 2021.Yesterday, India reported more coronavirus deaths in a single day than any other country at any time during the pandemic, setting a global record. Over the last month, India’s COVID-19 fatalities have jumped six-fold. And the infections continue to spread, mostly through the countryside where most people live, and health care is limited.Restrictions are returning across Asia. Mongolia has seen its death toll soar, while Taiwan, considered a big success in fighting the virus, placed over 600,000 people in two-week medical isolation. Hong Kong and Singapore have postponed a quarantine-free travel bubble for a second time. China’s seen new cases linked to contact with people arriving from abroad. Thailand reported the highest number of deaths since the outbreak started. And the Philippines has barred public gatherings.Anthony Fauci announced yesterday the existing vaccines are effective against the highly contagious Indian variant. The variant has been reported in at least 44 countries—including the U.S.—on every continent besides Antarctica. The U.K. has had the largest number of the variant. And it’s causing Ministers to consider diluting plans for “Freedom Day” in England June 21st.EU ambassadors agreed on measures to allow fully vaccinated travelers to enter their countries. There was no precise date given but June is the goal, if not sooner. Most travelers from the US and outside of Europe have been banned from entering since March 17, 2020. The United States still has a travel ban in place on people from certain areas in Europe.We’ve told you about the Ohio lottery and it looks like there’ll be all kinds of ideas on how to get more people vaccinated. In Georgia, defendants in Hall and Dawson Counties that have to do community service as part of their sentences can cut their required hours in half just by getting vaccinated.In the United States cases were down 35%, deaths are down 12%, and hospitalizations are down 20% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14.  There are now 5,901,195 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, New York, Maryland, and Kentucky. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Chattahoochee, GA. Conejos, CO. Calhoun, WV. Ketchikan Gateway Borough, AK. Pleasants, WV. Luce, MI. Karnes, TX. Wheeler, TX. Clay, WV. And Shelby, MO. The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Alabama, Rhode Island, Colorado, Michigan, and Maine.There have been 587,843 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.79%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Texas 59. Pennsylvania 56. Florida 51. California 41. Oklahoma 40. Georgia 37. Illinois 34. New Jersey and Michigan 32. And North Carolina 27. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, Vermont at 65.5%, Massachusetts at 62.8%, and Hawaii at 62.4%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 32.8%, Louisiana at 34.3%, and Alabama at 34.9%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 37.5%.Globally, cases were down 20% and deaths down 7% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since April 23. There are now 17,548,506 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: India 276,261. Brazil 79,706. Argentina 39,652. The United States 28,541. And France 19,050.  There have now been 3,412,920 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for May 19th, 2021. The hope is that we’re seeing the last of the worst. India’s total cases since the pandemic began crossed over 25 million yesterday and there was a record 4,329 deaths in 24 hours. Argentina also had a record one-day coronavirus death toll of 745 as it deals with a second wave of infections. However, in India, there’s at least a trend of falling cases. Lots of buzz after Dr. Anthony Fauci’s appearance on Good Morning America, on which he admitted he’s been wearing a mask for the sake of public perception. The comment was notable due to public exchanges with Sen. Rand Paul in which he’s emphatically denied he was masking for any reason other than his own health. When Paul asked if his mask wearing after vaccination is theater, Fauci replied that variants were a good reason for a mask. It should be easier to work with the Pfizer vaccine now. The European Medicines Agency said it can be stored at refrigerated temperature much longer than previously recommended. The EMA extended the approved storage period for an unopened thawed vial when kept in a fridge between 2C and 8C from five days to one month. A new and very large survey shows that Covid-19 vaccines tend to alleviate the symptoms of long Covid. Some have been experiencing symptoms for months on end ranging from chronic fatigue to organ damage. 56.7% of respondents experienced an overall improvement in symptoms, with 24.6% unchanged and 18.7% reporting deterioration of their symptoms. In general, those who got mRNA vaccines like Phizer and Moderna reported more improvements. The New York Yankee breakthrough mystery continues. Nine fully vaccinated members of the organization have tested positive. Symptoms have been mild or absent. But because a cluster of breakthrough cases like this is such a rarity, the CDC is looking into it. All nine got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. In the United States cases were down 35%, deaths are down 12%, and hospitalizations are down 20% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14.  There are now 5,920,288 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, New York, Maryland, and Kentucky. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Armstrong, TX. Chattahoochee, GA. Conejos, CO. Adams, MS. Luce, MI. Ketchikan Gateway Borough, AK. Calhoun, WV. Karnes, TX. Alamosa, CO. And Shelby, MO. The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Alabama, Rhode Island, Colorado, Michigan, and Maine. There have been 587,199 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.79%. The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Florida 97. Michigan 87. New York 43. Texas 42. Pennsylvania 36. Illinois 29. Georgia 26. California and Ohio 25. And New Jersey 23. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, Vermont at 65.2%, Massachusetts at 62.6%, and Hawaii at 62.2%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 32.5%, Louisiana at 34%, and Alabama at 34.7%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 37.3%. Globally, cases were down 24% and deaths down 12% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since April 23. There are now 17,656,808 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: India 267,174. Brazil 74,379. Argentina 35,543. The United States 27,506. And France 17,210. There have now been 3,399,045 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for May 18th, 2021.This is Coronavirus 411, the latest COVID-19 info and new hotspots… Just the facts… for May 18th, 2021.If you’re in India, you have to wonder what else could happen. A powerful cyclone in the Arabian Sea was expected to make landfall on India’s west coast last night. Authorities tried to evacuate hundreds of thousands of people, but what the threat also did was suspend desperately needed vaccinations in one state. Flooding and crowded evacuation shelters could also make matters worse.Conditions in India have definitely spread to neighboring Nepal. Cases have been exploding there over the last few weeks and the director-general of the World Health Organization is worried about what’s unfolding there. He said Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Egypt are also dealing with spikes in cases and hospitalizations.The Indian variant is spreading in England to such an extent, the government's review of social distancing rules there may be delayed. The plan was to lift all restrictions on June 21st but the Prime Minister now says that cannot be definitive.While New York is prepared to lift mask mandates according to CDC guidance, California is saying not so fast. They won’t do it until June 15 so the public and businesses have time to prepare, and so health officials can make sure cases stay low.If you’re one of the ones who laughed at Ohio’s million-dollar lottery to encourage citizens to get vaccinated, you may have laughed a little early. More than 25,400 shots were administered Friday, two days after the program was announced. That made it the highest vaccination day in three weeks. Vaccinations for those age 30 to 74 jumped 6% after weeks of steady decline.In the United States cases were down 33%, deaths are down 13%, and hospitalizations are down 18% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14.  There are now 5,944,597 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, New York, Maryland, and Kentucky. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Armstrong, TX. Chattahoochee, GA. Conejos, CO. Adams, MS. Calhoun, WV. Ketchikan Gateway Borough, AK. Luce, MI. Alamosa, CO. Baraga, MI. And Gilmer, WV. The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Alabama, Rhode Island, Colorado, Michigan, and Maine.There have been 586,350 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.79%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Florida 54. New York 35. North Carolina 29. Texas 28. Michigan 22. Connecticut 21. Pennsylvania 20. Massachusetts 19. California 18. And New Jersey 14. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, Vermont at 64.6%, Massachusetts at 62.3%, and Hawaii at 60.9%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 32.5%, Louisiana at 34%, and Alabama at 34.7%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 37%.Globally, cases were down 23% and deaths down 11% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since April 23. There are now under 18 million active cases around the world, at 17,876,754.The five countries with the most new cases: India 263,045. Brazil 33,631. Argentina 28,680. The United States 25,030. And Iran 14,319.  There have now been 3,385,075 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for May 17th, 2021.The shocking news out of India persists. Not only have bodies been found floating in the Ganges River, more have been found buried in shallow sand graves on its banks. Police with portable loudspeakers are asking people not to dispose of bodies this way. The good news, after hitting record highs for weeks, new cases are said to be stabilizing.A study out of India shows only 0.06% of people who’ve been vaccinated for Covid need hospitalization afterward. The study was done to evaluate the frequency of breakthrough infection. The conclusion was such occurrences are a small percentage and those are typically minor infections that don’t lead to severe disease.The arguing and confusion around the CDC’s change in masking policies continues, but 18 states have announced plans to drop public mask mandates either immediately or in weeks. Others like California, New York, and New Jersey are taking a wait and see approach. What the CDC released are just guidelines, which leaves a patchwork of Governors, Mayors, and heads of corporations trying to figure out what to do.Also scrambling and trying to figure out what to do, schools. Children are being tested in some cities like Baltimore, New York, and Chicago. In other places, school districts are reluctant to even check students showing symptoms. One positive test could mean quarantines and back to virtual learning. It doesn’t help that health officials seem all over the board about the need to test and the different approaches to testing for students and staff. Now, as a public service, we’re going to teach you how to hug. The BBC compiled the experts’ opinions on how to return to doing so safely. 1. Be selective, trying to stick to small numbers of close family. 2. Make it quick. 3. No face-to-face contact, you may even want to mask up for your hug. 4. Hug outside. And 5. Get tested to make sure you’re safe to hug. In the United States cases were down 33%, deaths are down 13%, and hospitalizations are down 17% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14.  There are now under 6 million active cases in the United States at 5,979,784. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, New York, Maryland, and Kentucky. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Armstrong, TX. Chattahoochee, GA. Conejos, CO. Adams, MS. Calhoun, WV. Ketchikan Gateway Borough, AK. Luce, MI. Alamosa, CO. Baraga, MI. And Gilmer, WV. The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Rhode Island, Colorado, Michigan, Alabama, and Maine.There have been 585,967 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.79%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Pennsylvania 67. New York 35. California 33. Illinois 25. Florida 20. South Carolina 15. Virginia and Minnesota 10. And New Jersey and Indiana 9. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, Vermont at 64.1%, Massachusetts at 61.9%, and Hawaii at 60.9%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 32.5%, Louisiana at 34%, and Alabama at 34.6%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 36.7%Globally, cases were down 22% and deaths down 11% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since April 23. There are now 18,161,470 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: India 281,860. Brazil 36,862. The United States 17,834. Argentina 16,350. And Colombia 15,093.  There have now been 3,374,748 deaths reported as... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for May 14th, 2021.The CDC now says fully vaccinated people can stop wearing masks outdoors, even in crowds, and in most indoor settings like stores. The guidance still calls for masks in crowded indoor settings like buses, planes, hospitals, and prisons. Now comes the confusion. How do businesses know for sure who is and isn’t vaccinated? And what about state and municipal mask mandates that are still in effect?So why the confidence to ditch the masks? The number of new infections in the U.S. has dropped precipitously in recent weeks. An analysis of all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico found a correlation between the rate of vaccination and the decline in new infections. But some health officials say this is too soon given the variants and the fact only 1 in 3 Americans is fully vaccinated. They point out case numbers are down at least partially because testing has plummeted. In the U.K., Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s anxiety is only going up. The India variant has become more prevalent just ahead of the next big easing of restrictions. The British government and scientists have said new infections may go up in coming weeks, but they aren’t sure that will lead to hospitalizations and deaths.Japan certainly doesn’t appear to be heading toward herd immunity. Only 1% of its citizens are vaccinated. This just two months before the Olympic Games are supposed to start in Tokyo. Cases are rising sharply in Japan. The country weathered the pandemic pretty well and some say that’s given it a dangerous overconfidence. When it comes to health officials, Americans have trust issues. A poll from the Harvard School of Public Health showed only 52% of Americans have a great deal of trust in the CDC. Other health agencies did even worse — only 37% trust in the National Institutes of Health or the FDA. Even state health departments have lost trust over the pandemic.  In the United States cases were down 31%, deaths are down 11%, and hospitalizations are down 17% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14.  There are now 6,360,358 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, New York, Maryland, and Kentucky. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Adams, MS. Calhoun, WV. Conejos, kow-NEI-hows CO. Shelby, MO. Luce, MI. Reeves, TX. Chattahoochee, GA. Guadalupe, NM. Karnes, TX. And Gilmer, WV. The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Rhode Island, Michigan, Colorado, Maine, and Minnesota.There have been 584,475 deaths in United States recorded as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.79%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Michigan 118. California 103. Texas 55. Florida 49. New York 42. Pennsylvania 37. Illinois 31. Virginia 27. New Jersey 25. And North Carolina 23. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, Vermont at 62.8%, Massachusetts at 61.1%, and Hawaii at 59.3%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 32.3%, Louisiana at 33.7%, and Alabama at 33.9%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 35.4%Globally, cases were down 17% and deaths down 10% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since April 23. There are now 18,843,936 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: India 343,288. Brazil 75,141. The United States 39,825. Argentina 26,531. And France 19,461.  There have now been 3,340,130 deaths reported as Covid-related... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for May 13th, 2021.COVID-19 deaths in the United States have fallen to an average of around 600 per day. That’s the lowest level in 10 months. Over half of states are in the single digits and there are days when a state’s number is zero. But at the same time, the Red Cross is warning cases are exploding across Asia and the Pacific. Over 5.9 million new infections in the past two weeks.An independent review ordered by the World Health Organization found there was a range of problems in addressing the pandemic, from slow initial reaction to "weak links at every point in preparedness and response." Its overall conclusion was COVID-19 was "a preventable disaster.” The panel said circumstances have not improved over the past year and the system is still unfit to prevent another highly infectious pathogen.A new study has found two current vaccines are effective against the new India variant. A team of researchers from Emory, Stanford, and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases found the variant to be almost 7 times more resistant to antibodies. But individuals who got either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine were still able to neutralize it.It’s still an issue though. How do you get people to take the vaccine? Research in the UK showed that emphasizing the personal benefits might be the way to go. Those strongly hesitant seem to feel getting COVID-19 isn’t that big a deal, but the vaccines for it pose great personal risk. Researchers say the best counterargument appears to be the possible devastating effects of having long Covid.Or you could try what the Governor of Ohio is doing. Kids 12 to 17 who get the vaccine will be put into a lottery to get a full four-year scholarship to a state university, including tuition, room and board, and books. Adults who get at least one dose will go into a million-dollar cash lottery, with winners chosen once a week for five weeks. The money is coming from existing federal coronavirus relief funds.In the United States cases were down 30%, deaths are down 10%, and hospitalizations are down 17% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14.  There are now 6,368,122 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, New York, Maryland, and Kentucky. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Adams, MS. Calhoun, WV. Gilmer, WV. Conejos, kow-NEI-hows CO. Luce, MI. Jackson, LA. Guadalupe, NM. Reeves, TX. Chattahoochee, GA. And Charlton, GA.The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Rhode Island, Michigan, Colorado, Minnesota, and Maine.There have been 583,647 deaths in United States recorded as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.79%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: California 109. Texas 70. Pennsylvania 64. New York 54. Florida 48. Oklahoma 46. New Jersey and Georgia 41. North Carolina 29. And Illinois 23. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, Vermont at 62.3%, Massachusetts at 60.8%, and Hawaii at 59.2%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 32.2%, Louisiana at 33.6%, and Alabama at 33.8%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 35.1%Globally, cases were down 16% and deaths down 9% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since April 23. There are now 18,872,080 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: India 362,406. Brazil 76,638. The United States 35,816. Argentina 24,475. And France 21,498.  There have now been... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for May 12th, 2021.The New York Times reported the CDC was relying on a faulty study in declaring a 10% chance of the transmission of Covid-19 outdoors in support of outdoor mask mandates. The CDC now says it’s more like 1% or less. Critics are now asking how a key component of the U.S. Covid response was not only wrong, but never questioned.In a related story Dr. Kavita Patel said she thinks the CDC’s credibility is eroding, and that’s bad because we need workplace and school guidance. Patel served in the Obama Administration as Director of Policy for Public Engagement. She said in the absence of guidance, we’re making it up, which puts more people at risk. Dr. Amesh Adalja, infectious disease specialist at Johns Hopkins also said the CDC is not being nearly as aggressive as it should be with guidance.CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky says the pandemic is more severe than ever worldwide, and India’s a reminder the virus can quickly outstrip efforts to contain it. She reiterated double-layered masking, physical distancing, and not traveling must all be continued. The Chief Science Officer at HHS also said he’s expecting a significant number of cases and deaths this summer.A horrifying scene in India. Scores of dead bodies have been found floating down the Ganges River in eastern India. Health officials working through the night Monday retrieved 71 bodies. More corpses were found floating in the river Tuesday, washing up in a neighboring state. It’s believed bodies are going in the water because villages are running out of wood to cremate them. If you’re worried the vaccine will hurt you, this woman in Italy might be an inspiration. She accidentally got six doses of the Pfizer vaccine all at once, with no serious side effects. The nurse thought the vial had already undergone dilution, but it hadn’t. All six doses were still in it. It’s not the first time either. In April, 77 inmates at the Iowa State Penitentiary all got up to six times the normal dose due to human error.In the United States cases were down 29%, deaths are down 10%, and hospitalizations are down 16% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14.  There are now 6,395,031 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, New York, Maryland, and Kentucky. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Gilmer, WV. Adams, MS. Chattahoochee, GA. Calhoun, WV. Conejos, kow-NEI-hows CO. Guadalupe, NM. Baraga, MI. Jackson, LA. Charlton, GA. And Moore, TX. The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Rhode Island, Michigan, Colorado, Maine, and Minnesota.There have been 582,791 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.79%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Michigan 102. Florida 64. New York and Texas 55. Pennsylvania 52. California 41. New Jersey 31. Illinois 27. And Georgia and Kentucky 23. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, Vermont at 61.9%, Massachusetts at 60.6%, and Hawaii at 58.8%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 32%, Louisiana at 33.5%. and Alabama at 33.8%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 34.8%Globally, cases were down 14% and deaths down 7% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since April 23. There are now under 19 million active cases around the world at 18,934,804.The five countries with the most new cases: India 348,499. Brazil 71,018. The United States 34,904. Argentina 25,976. And France... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for May 11th, 2021.The FDA expanded use of Pfizer's vaccine yesterday to kids as young as 12. The hope is that this will get adolescents protected before heading back to school in the fall. Canada was the first to expand use to 12 and up. Interestingly, researchers found kids developed higher levels of antibodies than young adults.The India variant continues to work its way around the world. Argentina's Health Ministry confirmed its first cases of both that variant and the South Africa variant. They were found in three people returning from Europe. An expert warns spread of the Indian variant in the UK is “not looking good at all,” especially in London and the North West. And health authorities in Thailand confirmed their first cases of the Indian variant in a woman and her 4-year-old son who came in from Pakistan.We’ve reported before that Seychelles has vaccinated more of its population than any other country. But now active cases have more than doubled in the week ending May 7. 2,486 people, and 37% of them are fully vaccinated. Cases are also surging in the Maldives.Dr. Anthony Fauci agrees that the actual number of people killed by COVID-19 is probably much higher than the official numbers say. In fact, he said he has no doubt of it. A recent study counted nearly double what was recorded by federal health officials.Hugs are coming back. In less than a week, people in England will be able to give friends and family a hug for the first time since restrictions were put in place in March of 2020. It’s part of the next round of lockdown easing. It is stressed though that people exercise common sense. In the United States cases were down 29%, deaths are down 8%, and hospitalizations are down 15% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14.  There are now 6,411,702 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, New York, Maryland, and Kentucky. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Moore, TX. Chattahoochee, GA. Calhoun, WV. Gilmer, WV. Conejos, CO. Baraga, MI. Charlton, GA. Luce, MI. Adams, MS. And Quay NM. The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Rhode Island, Michigan, Colorado, Maine, and Minnesota.Oddly, as of this writing, Johns Hopkins, our source for cumulative COVID deaths, changed its website and no longer reports a cumulative COVID death number for the United States. It has also lowered the number of cumulative global fatalities by one third. We will be looking for a new source for that information.  With a current national fatality rate of 1.79%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Florida 54. New York 43. Michigan 34. California and Tennessee 19. Connecticut 17. Massachusetts and Washington 16. Illinois 13. And Colorado 12.The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, Vermont at 61.3%, Massachusetts at 60.1%, and Hawaii at 58.8%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 32%, Louisiana at 33.4%, and Alabama at 33.7%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 34.4%Globally, cases were down 12% and deaths down 5% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since April 23. There are 19,019,250 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: India 329,517. The United States 30,152. Brazil 29,240. Iran 18,408. And Argentina 17,381. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for May 10th, 2021.Calls for India's prime minister to implement a nationwide shutdown continue to increase. COVID-19 is spreading there so fast the country Saturday reported more than 4,000 dead, a new single-day high. This is generating bodies faster than they can be buried or cremated. Vaccines and treatments, including oxygen, remain in short supply.But why is this happening? The World Health Organization says the variant first identified in India has mutations that increase transmission. That, combined with India going back to massive gatherings, and a lack of vaccinations gives us our current picture. But while the variant may be more resistant to antibodies, vaccines, if taken, would slow transmission and make cases milder.They aren’t discussing which vaccine to take in Chad. There are no vaccines of any kind there at all. Not even for healthcare workers. The World Health Organization says nearly a dozen countries are in the same boat. Many of these are in Africa, which accounts for only 1% of the vaccines administered worldwide.In the U.S., an uptick of infections in Florida post spring break. There have been more than 10,000 variant cases reported Wednesday throughout the state according to the Florida Department of Health. Only 1% of all cases in Florida undergo genetic coding testing that reveals if there are variant infections.In Spain, it looks like spring break. Impromptu street celebrations erupted across the country at midnight Saturday when a six-month-long national state of emergency to contain the pandemic ended and nighttime curfews were lifted. There are still restrictions, but those were being ignored. Police had to manage multiple scenes of unmasked dancing and group singing.In the United States cases were down 30%, deaths are down 6%, and hospitalizations are down 13% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14.  There are now 6,441,257 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, New York, Maryland, and Kentucky. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Moore, TX. Reeves, TX. Baraga, MI. Chattahoochee, GA. Gilmer, WV. Luce, MI. Conejos, kow-NEI-hows CO. Charlton, GA. Calhoun, WV. And Park, MT. The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Rhode Island, Michigan, Minnesota, Colorado, and Maine.There have been 581,752 deaths in the US reported as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.79%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Florida 32. New York and Illinois 31. California 28. Texas 21. Indiana 13. Pennsylvania and New Jersey 11. Virginia 10. And Maryland and Kentucky 8. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, Vermont at 59.9%, Massachusetts at 59.7%, and Hawaii at 58.5%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 32%, Louisiana at 33.2%, and Alabama at 33.6%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 33.9%Globally, cases were down 12% and deaths down 3% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since April 23. There are 19,165,409 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: India 366,499. Brazil 34,162. The United States 22,200. Colombia 17,222. And Turkey 15,191.  There have now been 3,288,638 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for May 7th, 2021.In India, a new single-day record in new coronavirus cases combined with the number of vaccinations actually going down. 3,980 deaths as vaccine shortages continue and states compete with each other to get available doses. Only about 3% of the population is fully vaccinated and only 9.2% have gotten at least one dose.Bad as the numbers have been, a new study says they were probably much, much worse. As in twice as many deaths from COVID-19 around the world than has been reported. The University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation estimates the U.S. alone undercounted deaths by over 300,000, while the death tolls in India and Mexico are nearly three times the official numbers. In Russia, the estimate is five times the official number. And in Egypt, there’ve been nearly 13 COVID deaths for every one that was counted.Speaking of Russia, authorities there have approved a single-dose version of the Sputnik V vaccine. It’s called Sputnik Light, and it has yet to complete its own advanced testing to ensure safety and effectiveness. Russia started human trials of Sputnik Light in January, and the studies are still ongoing. It’s intended to be exported, not used in Russia.  Pfizer wants the Olympic games in Tokyo to go on, so they’re donating doses of vaccine to vaccinate athletes and their delegations. Initial doses should go out at the end of May with the goal being to make sure second doses are given ahead of arrivals in Japan.If you don’t want a COVID test, you can go hang out with some bees. Dutch researchers have trained bees, which have an incredible sense of smell, to identify which samples are infected with COVID-19. They did this by giving sugar water to them as a reward when they were shown infected samples. So now, when they see an infection, they literally stick out their tongues, yes bees have tongues, indicating a positive result.In the United States cases were down 27%, deaths are down 4%, and hospitalizations are down 13% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14.  There are now 6,669,775 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, New York, Maryland, and Florida. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Moore, TX. Gilmer, WV. Grand, UT. Baraga, MI. Itasca, MN. Luce, MI. Wirt, WV. White Pine, NV. And Klamath, OR. The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Rhode Island, Michigan, Minnesota, Colorado, and Maine.There have been 580,054 deaths in the US reported as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.79%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Michigan 123. California 101. Florida 67. Texas 65. Pennsylvania 51. Oklahoma 44. Illinois 40. New York and New Jersey 33. And South Carolina and Colorado 22. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, New Hampshire at 61.2%, Vermont at 58.4%, and Massachusetts at 58%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 31.6%, Louisiana at 32.4%. and Alabama at 33%.Globally, cases were down 9% and deaths up 1% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since April 23. There are 19,369,554 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: India 414,433. Brazil 72,559. The United States 47,819. Argentina 24,086. And Turkey 22,388.  There have now been 3,251,434 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for May 6th, 2021.In the U.S., the realization is setting in…“herd immunity” won’t be achieved this year, or maybe even next year. Vaccine hesitancy is just too high, so new variants will likely emerge and spread. Daily vaccinations have slowed enormously as the story of Covid-19 is shaping up to be, development of the vaccines was an unprecedented achievement, distribution of the vaccines a success, but the communication plan encouraging people to get the vaccine was a catastrophic failure. A case of the variant causing thousands of deaths and crushing health systems in India has been discovered in San Diego. The infected person is a woman in her 20s, who returned from India in late March and was hospitalized in early April. The variant has also been found in Michigan and Iowa. As feared, the variant in India is beginning to cross borders. Nepal is being overwhelmed by a COVID-19 surge. 57 times as many cases as a month ago, with 44% of tests now coming back positive. The Red Cross said, "What’s happening in India right now is a horrifying preview of Nepal’s future if we can’t contain this latest surge that’s claiming more lives by the minute.”The U.S. government is supporting a controversial proposal to waive intellectual property rights for vaccines. Meaning companies like Pfizer and Moderna would not be able to exclusively use their patents. It’s thought releasing these private companies’ information to the world will increase global supplies.With so many in quarantine and lockdowns for so long, some thought there might be a pandemic baby boom. The opposite has happened. The U.S. birth rate fell 4% last year, the largest single-year decrease in almost 50 years. The drop was seen in every major race and ethnicity, and nearly every age group.In the United States cases were down 26%, deaths are down 3%, and hospitalizations are down 12% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14.  There are now 6,692,782 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, New York, Maryland, and Florida. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Fluvana, VA. Gilmer, WV. Grand, UT. Baraga, MI. Chattahoochee, GA. Powell, KY. Wirt, WV. Luce, MI. And White Pine, NV. The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Rhode Island, Michigan, Minnesota, Colorado, and Pennsylvania.There have been 579,265 deaths in the US reported as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.79%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Florida 93. Pennsylvania 63. Texas 58. New York 52. New Jersey 49. California 47. Michigan 45. Illinois 33. Georgia 32. And North Carolina and Virginia 21. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, New Hampshire at 61%, Vermont at 58%, and Massachusetts at 57.7%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 31.4%, Louisiana at 32.4%. and Alabama at 32.8%.Globally, cases were down 7% and deaths up 1% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since April 23. There are 19,347,162 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: India 412,618. Brazil 75,652. The United States 46,129. Turkey 26,476. And France 26,000.  There have now been 3,237,435 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for May 5th, 2021.The U.S. administration announced a new goal to administer at least one dose of a vaccine to 70% of American adults by the Fourth of July. They also want 160 million adults fully vaccinated by then so more restrictions can be lifted. The July Fourth goal would mean about 100 million shots in the next 60 days — a slowdown in pace as it’s assumed those eager to get the shot have already done so.And it won’t be hard to find those vaccines. Mobile vaccination pop-ups are showing up at sporting event, community centers, museums, public transit stations, airports, churches, businesses and neighborhood events. The aim is "to proactively bring the vaccine to where people already are."Keeping an eye on India, it looks like infections and deaths continue to mount with alarming speed. One expert warned the next few weeks will be “horrible.” Many are dying because of shortages of bottled oxygen and hospital beds or because they couldn’t get a COVID-19 test.Singapore is tightening curbs on social gatherings and enacting stricter border measures after recording locally acquired cases of variants, including a more contagious strain first detected in India. After reporting very few local infections for months, numbers have increased in the last week. The are not ruling out a return to a partial lockdown.The CDC issued new guidelines for cruise ships, saying they could start sailing again by mid-July if they adhere to regulations. Cruise lines can skip testing passengers and staff if they can attest 98% of the crew and 95% of passengers are fully vaccinated. Ships have been docked and the industry frozen since March 14, 2020. In the United States cases were down 26%, deaths are down 2%, and hospitalizations are down 11% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14.  There are now 6,715,861 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, New York, Maryland, and Florida. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Fluvana, VA. Gilmer, WV. Grand, UT. Baraga, MI. Luce, MI. Powell, KY. White Pine, NV. Otsego, MI. And Klamath, OR. The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Rhode Island, Michigan, Colorado, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania.There have been 578,407 deaths in the US reported as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.79%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Michigan 133. Florida 92. New York 86. California 66. Texas 53. Pennsylvania 52. New Jersey 42. Maryland 27. Illinois 21. And Virginia and New Mexico 16. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, New Hampshire at 60.8%, Massachusetts at 57.5%, and Vermont at 57.4%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 31.1%, Louisiana at 32.4%, and Alabama at 32.7%.Globally, cases were down 4% and deaths up 3% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since April 23. There are 19,304,738 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: India 382,691. Brazil 69,378. The United States 42,354. Turkey 28,997. And Argentina 26,238.  There have now been 3,223,436 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for May 4th, 2021.The FDA is reportedly expected to authorize Pfizer's vaccine for youngsters ages 12 to 15 by next week. That means shots before starting the next school year. In late March, Pfizer released preliminary results from a study of volunteers in that age group, showing no cases of COVID-19 among the fully vaccinated vs. 18 among those given placebos.Russia last year took credit for being first in the world to authorize a vaccine, but vaccination efforts there are lagging. Shots are available almost everywhere to anyone 18 or older but only 8% have received at least one shot. A poll in February showed only 30% of people were willing to get Sputnik V, one of three domestically produced vaccines available. So what countries are performing best in terms of total vaccinations per capita? US News & World Report compiled a list, and no one is even close to Israel at 62.4 doses per 100 people. Next comes the U.K. at 50.8. And then there’s a cluster of the next most successful countries which includes, the U.S., Chile, Hungary, and Bahrain. Apparently, the U.S. has vaccines to waste. Kaiser Health News reports CVS and Walgreens are responsible for most wasted vaccine doses, which total more than 180,000. Reasons included broken supplies, storage errors, and leftover doses that expired due to no-show appointments. The news is getting better for travel. EU officials proposed easing restrictions on visiting its 27 nations since vaccination campaigns are gathering speed across the continent. Right now, travelers from very few countries with low infection rates can get in, but they’re looking to expand that to all those fully vaccinated with EU-authorized shots. In the United States cases were down 27%, deaths are down 8%, and hospitalizations are down 7% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14.  There are now 6,729,654 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, New York, Maryland, and Florida. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Fluvana, VA. Donley, TX. Grand, UT. Gilmer, WV. Huron, MI. Chattahoochee, GA. Ferry, WA. Gratiot, MI. And Muskegon, MI. The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Rhode Island, Michigan, Colorado, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania.There have been 577,492 deaths in the US reported as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.79%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: New York 66. California 42. North Carolina 40. Florida 38. Illinois 31. Michigan 29. Colorado 25. Massachusetts 18. And New Jersey and Virginia 16. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, New Hampshire at 60.7%, Massachusetts at 57.3%, and Vermont at 56.6%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 31.1%, Louisiana at 32.2%. and Alabama at 32.7%.Globally, cases were down 1% and deaths up 8% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since April 23. There are 19,377,511 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: India 355,828. The United States 39,767. Brazil 36,524. Turkey 24,733. And Iran 20,732.  There have now been 3,209,657 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for May 3rd, 2021.The CDC says the United States has now fully vaccinated more than 100 million people. And health experts say the only thing that could threaten a rather positive outlook is the spread of variants. Nearly 40% of adults have been inoculated, but to achieve herd immunity, 70-85% of the population would need to be vaccinated.Soon to be included in those getting vaccinated, children. Pfizer and Moderna are currently studying vaccine safety and effectiveness in kids as young as 6 months old. Children under 18 make up 85 million people in the U.S., which is about 20% of the entire population.A new study in Israel shows the Pfizer vaccine is effective for autoimmune disease patients. The original Pfizer studies didn’t include this group. Autoimmune diseases are characterized by an immune system that attacks the body’s normal components. It was thought such patients might not respond to the vaccine because they’re immuno-suppressed.Despite falling case numbers and deaths, the TSA will continue requiring travelers wear face masks at airports, aboard commercial flights and on all other public transportation until Sept. 13th. One of the surest signs of a return to normalcy, the reopening of Disneyland in Anaheim, California after being closed 13 months. There were so many cases in California just 4 months ago patients were being treated in outdoor tents. The park is open under limited capacity and only to state residents for now.In the United States cases were down 27%, deaths are down 8%, and hospitalizations are down 7% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14.  There are now 6,765,579 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, New York, Maryland, and Florida. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Fluvana, VA. Donley, TX. Grand, UT. Gilmer, WV. Huron, MI. Chattahoochee, GA. Ferry, WA. Gratiot, MI. And Muskegon, MI. The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Rhode Island, Michigan, Colorado, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania.There have been 577,043 deaths in the US reported as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.79%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: California 61. New York 45. Florida 30. Illinois 28. Pennsylvania 20. Texas 18. Virginia and South Carolina 14. And New Jersey and Maryland 12. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, New Hampshire at 60.5%, Massachusetts at 56.7%, and Vermont at 55.7%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 31.1%, Louisiana at 32.3%. and Alabama at 32.6%.Globally, cases were up 7% and deaths up 13% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since April 23. There are 19,473,935 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: India 370,059. The United States 30,701. Brazil 28,935. Turkey 25,980. And Iran 18,698.  There have now been 3,198,397 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for April 30th, 2021.Once the epicenter of the pandemic in the United States, New York City will "fully reopen" July 1. The Mayor said, "We are ready for stores to open, for businesses to open.” Theaters will also be operating at "full strength." It’s his belief vaccines are capable of quashing any outbreaks from new variants. They aren’t as sure about that in the U.K. Things are going very well there but now variants first detected in India have become the second most dominant in just weeks. Public Health England said there’s no evidence of widespread transmission or that these variants cause more severe disease or render the vaccines any less effective. Other scientists are alarmed at how fast these cases appear to be increasing even with social-distancing restrictions still in place. An unwelcome surprise in Vietnam. It’s detected its first locally transmitted cases in 35 days. Authorities have ordered tighter surveillance to prevent a new outbreak. That country’s strict quarantine and tracking helped it successfully contain three outbreaks so far and has one of the best records in Asia.How many companies in the U.S. will require employees be vaccinated? A survey from the Rockefeller Foundation says most of them. 63% plan on requiring proof. As for consequences, 42% say the employee will not be allowed to return to the workplace, and 35% said discipline including termination is on the table.The first study of NHS staff in England shows fully up to one fourth of healthcare workers there are still reluctant to get the vaccines. This is especially true among black and south Asian staffers, workers under 30, pregnant women, and those who already had Covid. In the United States cases were down 27%, deaths are down 7%, and hospitalizations are down 3% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14.  There are now 6,813,287 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, New York, Maryland, and Florida. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Chattahoochee, GA. Huron, MI. Grant, OR. Muskegon, MI. Ferry, WA. Donley, TX. Hemphill, TX. Pecos, TX. Bent, CO. And Fluvanna, VA. The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Rhode Island, Michigan, Minnesota, Colorado, and Delaware.There have been 575,070 deaths in the US reported as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.79%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Michigan 116. California 86. Texas and New York 68. Georgia 60. Florida 52. Pennsylvania 51. Illinois 41. And Arizona, South Carolina, and Colorado 23. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, New Hampshire at 59.8%, Massachusetts at 54.7%, and Connecticut at 53.9%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 30.7%, Alabama at 32%, and Louisiana at 32.1%.Globally, cases were up 4% and deaths up 7% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since April 23. There are 19,428,181 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: India 386,888. Brazil 69,079. The United States 59,269. Turkey 37,674. And France 26,538.  There have now been 3,161,637 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for April 29th, 2021.An EU agency says Russia is spreading fake news that the West and EU are trying to undermine their Sputnik V vaccine and trying to sow distrust in the European Medicines Agency. That agency regulates which vaccines can be put on the EU market. The European Commission so far doesn't intend to order Sputnik V, but Germany may talk to Russia about an individual order and Hungary’s already using it. We’ve heard about the situation in India, but next door, in Pakistan, that country recorded more than 200 COVID-19 deaths in a day for the first time since the start of the pandemic. They are now considering stricter lockdowns because Pakistan has very limited health resources, with ventilators and oxygen in short supply.Research is now underway at Oxford to come up with blood tests that will determine not only whether a vaccine will work but for how long. Volunteers who survived COVID are being deliberately exposed to gauge levels of protection against reinfection. They’re trying to learn how to tell if a new vaccine would provide protection without having to test it on tens of thousands of people.A new study shows why you should not skip your second vaccine dose. In a "real-world" study, the effectiveness of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines in keeping people out of the hospital was 94% for those fully vaccinated, but only 64% for those with one dose. As we reported here before, 8% of Americans are not returning for their second shot.And from the utter silliness department, a conspiracy has been making the rounds that singer Mariah Carey faked getting her vaccine injection in a video. In the video, the needle cannot be seen coming out of her arm. The reason is the person giving the shot used a retractable needle. These are sometimes used to help protect health care workers by allowing an extra push on the plunger to retract the needle up into the syringe.In the United States cases were down 26%, deaths are down 7%, and hospitalizations are down 2% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14. There are now 6,810,611 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, New York, Maryland, and Florida. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Chattahoochee, GA. Pecos, TX. Huron, MI. Hemphill, TX. Muskegon, MI. Grant, OR. Coos, NH. Ferry, WA. Fairbanks North Star Borough, AK. And Coosa, AL. The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Rhode Island, Michigan, Colorado, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania.There have been 574,326 deaths in the US reported as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.79%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Texas 75. Florida 74. Oklahoma 72. Georgia 71. Pennsylvania 65. California 62. New Jersey 49. Illinois, Michigan, and South Carolina 37. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, New Hampshire at 59.7%, Massachusetts at 54.1%, and Connecticut at 53.5%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 30.6%, Alabama at 31.8%, and Louisiana at 32%.Globally, cases were up 5% and deaths up 4% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since April 23. There are 19,316,514 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: India 379,459. Brazil 77,266. The United States 56,604. Turkey 40,444. And France 31,539.  There have now been 3,146,284 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for April 28th, 2021.India has reported more than 17.6 million cases since the pandemic began last year. But experts fear the actual number could be 30x higher. That means more than half a billion cases. Health workers and scientists have long warned infections and deaths are greatly underreported for a variety of reasons. Some predictions have the death toll peaking at more than 13,000 a day — more than 4x the current daily death toll.As expected, the CDC eased guidelines in the U.S. on wearing masks outdoors. Fully vaccinated Americans don't need to cover their faces anymore unless they are in a big crowd of strangers. The unvaccinated can also go outside without masks in some situations. It was essentially an endorsement what many Americans were already doing.Brazil's health regulator rejected several states’ requests to import almost 30 million doses of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine out of safety concerns, and the Russian government is not happy. The agency said there were faults in all clinical studies of the vaccine’s development, as well as absent or insufficient data.Pfizer’s CEO said that before the end of this year, they may release a pill that can treat early-stage COVID-19 infections at home. It would work by inhibiting the enzyme the virus needs to infiltrate human cells. Of course, it all depends on clinical trials and the FDA.West Virginia’s trying to climb up the ranks of our top vaccinating states report by paying young people to get the vaccine. $100 savings bond for anyone age 16 to 35 who gets vaccinated. The Governor said, "I'm trying to come up with a way that's truly going to motivate them to get over the hump." Even those who’ve already gotten the shots will get paid retroactively.In the United States cases were down 24%, deaths are down 5%, and hospitalizations are flat over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14. There are now 6,817,794 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, New York, Maryland, and Florida. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Chattahoochee, GA. Grant, OR. Caroline, VA. Pecos, TX. Hemphill, TX. Ferry, WA. Coos, NH. Muskegon, MI. And Huron, MI. The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Rhode Island, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Colorado. There have been 573,355 deaths in the US reported as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.79%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Michigan 117. New York 116. Pennsylvania 77. New Jersey 61. Texas 60. Florida 58. Illinois 24. California and North Carolina 23. And Georgia, Virginia, and Maryland 18. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, New Hampshire at 59.5%, Massachusetts at 53.6%, and Connecticut at 53.2%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 30.2%, Alabama at 31.6%, and Louisiana at 31.9%.Globally, cases were up 6% and deaths down 2% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since April 23. There are 19,197,940 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: India 362,902. Brazil 76,085. The United States 52,046. Turkey 43,301. And France 30,317.  There have now been 3,131,405 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for April 27th, 2021.The President of the United States is expected to announce changes today to the CDC’s guidance and recommendations regarding outdoor masks. Dr. Anthony Fauci indicated over the weekend the changes will apply to what vaccinated people can do, with some changes also even for unvaccinated people.The U.S. will start sharing its stock of AstraZeneca vaccines with the world, but first it has to clear America’s FDA. That could mean as many as 60 million doses being exported in the coming months. The U.S. has been under mounting pressure to give the vaccine it purchased to countries like India.It doesn’t look like Israel needs help. The country leads the race to vaccinate citizens before variants can take hold by far, and it’s working. There were zero Covid-19 deaths last Thursday and new infections are plummeting. Citizens no longer have to wear masks outdoors, they can dine at indoor restaurants, attend concerts, and go to school in person. Italy’s trying to get there. There was a gradual reopening yesterday, but few people seem happy about it. Some say it’s too cautious, others say it’s too hasty. The 10pm curfew remains, preventing theater reopenings. But some virologists say the virus does not negotiate and the tentative reopening could usher in a new surge.Health insurers seem ready to roll back consumer-friendly changes that were made early in the pandemic. Many had been waiving all deductibles, copayments and other costs for insured patients who got COVID-19. Now, a number of insurers are quietly ending those waivers. So, COVID patients can no longer assume they won’t have to pay deductibles, copayments and coinsurance. In the United States cases were down 16%, deaths are down 3%, and hospitalizations were up 5% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14. There are now 6,812,645 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, New York, Maryland, and Florida. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Caroline, VA. Chattahoochee, GA. Grant, OR. Pecos, TX. Dimmit, TX. Hemphill, TX. Coos, NH. Huron, MI. Ferry, WA. And Coosa, AL. The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Rhode Island, Michigan, Colorado, New Jersey, and Delaware. There have been 572,652 deaths in the US reported as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.79%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Florida 62. New York 38. Michigan and North Carolina 37. Georgia 34. California 22. Washington 21. And New Jersey, Colorado, and Connecticut 19. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, New Hampshire at 59.4%, Massachusetts at 53.1%, and Connecticut at 52.7%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 30.2%, Alabama at 31.5%, and Louisiana at 31.8%.Globally, cases were up 13% and deaths up 3% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since April 23. There are 19,245,933 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: India 319,435. The United States 47,456. Turkey 37,312. Brazil 29,669. And Iran 21,026.  There have now been 3,116,582 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for April 26th, 2021.India set a world record for the fourth day in a row for daily infections. Also new daily death tolls for nine consecutive days. The United States said it will help India in its time of need, but there were no specifics given. It’s anticipated that will include shipments of drug treatments, rapid diagnostic testing kits, ventilators, PPE, and oxygen.A nightmare in Baghdad, Iraq. At least 82 people were killed when a fire swept through a hospital where Covid-19 patients were being treated. Many of them were bedridden and on ventilators. 110 additional people were injured. The fire was reportedly caused by an exploding oxygen tank.Why would someone get the first dose of vaccine, but then refuse to get the second? According to the CDC, that’s what millions of Americans are doing. Nearly 8% have missed their follow-up appointments. As for possible reasons, some say they don’t want the potential side effects, some think one dose will be enough, and others blame lack of supply…even though that’s a problem that is just no longer present.A slight ray of hope for the international travel industry. The President of the European Commission said vaccinated Americans will be allowed into EU countries starting this summer. What’s unclear is how proof of vaccination will be handled. Some member countries like Greece were already opening up to vaccinated tourists on their own. The President of NASCAR says it’s considering requiring competitors be vaccinated in order to compete. Some drivers, including current NASCAR Cup Series champion Chase Elliott said, that decision is a personal choice. NASCAR was one of the first sports to resume competition after the shutdown, did not do any Covid-19 testing, and reported no widespread outbreaks.In the United States cases were down 16%, deaths are down 3%, and hospitalizations were up 5% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14. There are now 6,858,406 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, New York, Maryland, and Florida. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Caroline, VA. Chattahoochee, GA. Grant, OR. Pecos, TX. Dimmit, TX. Hemphill, TX. Coos, NH. Huron, MI. Ferry, WA. And Coosa, AL. The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Rhode Island, Michigan, New Jersey, Delaware, and Minnesota. There have been 572,199 deaths in the US reported as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.79%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: New York 43. California 38. Florida 34. Illinois 25. Texas, Virginia, and South Carolina 16. New Jersey, Maryland, and Kentucky 13. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, New Hampshire at 59.2%, Massachusetts at 52.3%, and Connecticut at 52.1%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 30.2%, Alabama at 31.5%, and Louisiana at 31.7%.Globally, cases were up 15% and deaths up 4% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since April 23. There are now over 19 million active cases around the world, at 19,339,968.The five countries with the most new cases: India 354,531. Turkey 38,553. The United States 34,736. Brazil 32,572. And France 24,465.  There have now been 3,105,958 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for April 23rd, 2021.Vaccines are now available to all US adults. But vaccinations are declining. Counties across the country have begun turning down shipments of doses. 34% of U.S. adults have been fully vaccinated. A recent Kaiser Family Foundation survey showed 20% said they definitely wouldn’t get a vaccine or only get one if it was required. An additional 17% are in "wait and see" mode. The CDC is said to be thinking about changing its recommendations about mask usage outdoors. Many states are already moving ahead with looser restrictions. Some health experts say there's very little transmission outdoors, except in particularly crowded circumstances. In fact, researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, found less than 10% of transmission occurs outdoors.Disturbing news out of Michigan; there’s been a record-breaking spike in child hospitalizations, hitting a high of 70 this week. That’s twice the number during the worst days of the wave in November. As of April 17, the 10-19 age group had Michigan's highest rate of new cases. For kids under 10, the average was 400 new cases per day.On the other end of the spectrum, nationwide, hospitalizations among older Americans have plunged more than 70% since the beginning of the year. Deaths have dropped as well. Since seniors were given priority with the vaccines, it offers dramatic evidence vaccinations are working.The EU is fighting mad when it comes to the AstraZeneca vaccine. It’s asked member countries to back legal action against the company by the end of the week for allegedly violating its contractual obligations to supply vaccine. Opponents of that move worry this will only further undermine confidence in the vaccine.In the United States cases were down 7%, deaths are down 2%, and hospitalizations were up 7% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14. There are now 6,848,237 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, New York, Virginia, Maryland, and Florida. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Caroline, VA. Grant, OR. Coos, NH. St. Clair, MI. Newaygo, MI. Ferry, WA. Grayson, VA. Cheboygan, MI. And Macomb, MI. The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Rhode Island, Michigan, New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania. There have been 570,312 deaths in the US reported as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.8%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Michigan 121. California 92. Florida 86. Texas and New York 68. Pennsylvania 56. Georgia 46. Illinois 38. New Jersey 30. And North Carolina 25. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, New Hampshire at 58.8%, Connecticut at 50.3%, and Maine and Massachusetts at 50%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 29.7%, Alabama at 30.7%, and Louisiana at 31.2%.Globally, cases were up 18% and deaths up 6% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since April 21. There are now 18,928,051 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: India 332,503. The United States 67,070. Turkey 54,791. Brazil 49,344. And France 34,318.  There have now been 3,068,314 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

his is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for April 22nd, 2021.The FDA said that factory in Baltimore hired to help make Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine was dirty, didn’t follow proper procedures and had poorly trained staff. That is likely what resulted in contamination of material going into a batch of shots. That batch, enough to make about 15 million doses, had to be thrown out.The World Health Organization said infections have been rising at an alarming rate for eight straight weeks as the virus sweeps easily through several parts of the world. More than 5.2 million new cases last week - the most in one week since the pandemic began. Deaths also increased for the fifth week.A new directive is requiring hospitals in Ontario, Canada to stop all non-emergency surgeries and non-urgent procedures immediately. This as COVID-19 patients continue to fill hospitals and put the healthcare system under strain amid a third coronavirus wave. The province is also giving hospitals the authority to transfer patients to other hospitals without their consent.A growing number of a certain group feels like the pandemic is being blown out of proportion. But it might not be a group you’d expect. It’s educators. Education Week reports nearly one in three surveyed said it’s not a real threat to schools. 15% also said no social distancing at all is necessary.COVID-19 has reportedly claimed the life of a former member of the legendary Four Seasons music group. Joe Long is actually the second member of the group to die from COVID. Tommy DeVito lost his life last year. Frankie Valli announced Long’s death on his Facebook page.In the United States cases were flat, deaths are down 8%, and hospitalizations were up 9% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14. There are now 6,841,287 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, New York, Virginia, Maryland, and Florida. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Grant, OR. St. Clair, MI. Karnes, TX. Newaygo, MI. Sanilac, MI. Tuscola, MI. Macomb, MI. Mason, MI. And Oceana, MI. The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Michigan, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania. There have been 569,385 deaths in the US reported as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.8%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: California 95. Florida 83. Texas 78. New Jersey 65. Pennsylvania 59. Michigan 44. North Carolina 43. New York 40. Georgia 31. And Illinois 29. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, New Hampshire at 58.6%, Connecticut at 49.8%, and Maine at 49.7%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 29.5%, Alabama at 30.5%, and Louisiana at 31.1%.Globally, cases were up 23% and deaths up 14% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since April 18. There are now 18,754,007 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: India 315,802. Brazil 71,910. The United States 65,057. Turkey 61,967. And France 34,968.  There have now been 3,055,587 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for April 21st, 2021.In India’s capital, patients struggle to breathe for up to 10 hours as ambulances try to find an open bed at one of the six hospitals there. For others, there’s no available ambulance at all. Nearly all ventilators are in use as India recorded over 250,000 new infections and over 1,700 deaths in 24 hours. The U.K. announced a travel ban on most visitors from India and Canada is considering the same.The European Union says yes, it found a “possible link” between Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine and blood clots, but the benefits outweigh the risks. They recommended a warning be added to the label, which the drug company said it will do. The U.S. administration has issued guidelines for federal agencies to test workers for COVID-19, confirming these offices can mandate employee testing. The CDC said, federal employees who have a testing requirement to enter their workplace and refuse can face “consequences.” It did not specify what those consequences might be. It did say the Americans with Disabilities Act allows for it and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has deemed it acceptable. There’s a kind of tourism to the United States that’s doing quite well, vaccine tourism by wealthy people from Latin America. Politicians, TV personalities, business executives and a soccer team charter planes, book commercial flights, buy bus tickets and rent cars to get the vaccine in U.S. due to lack of supply at home. Some say they don’t feel guilty because it’s starting to appear Americans don’t seem to want the vaccines. Today’s celebrity infection is rock star Ted Nugent, notable for dismissing COVID-19 just four months ago as a “scamming pandemic” and committing to never taking the vaccine. Now the 72-year-old reported to fans he thought he was dying and can hardly crawl out of bed.In the United States cases were up 4%, deaths are down 5%, and hospitalizations were up 10% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14. There are now 6,848,479 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, New York, Virginia, Florida, and Maryland. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Grant, OR. Chattahoochee, GA. Karnes, TX. St. Clair, MI. Alcona, MI. Sanilac, MI. Crosby, TX. Mason, MI. And Macomb, MI. The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Rhode Island, Michigan, New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania. There have been 568,449 deaths in the US reported as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.8%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Michigan 90. California 84. New York 82. Pennsylvania 74. Florida 64. Texas 58. New Jersey 45. Arizona 40. Virginia 30. And North Carolina 19. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, New Hampshire at 58.4%, Maine at 49.5%, and Connecticut at 49.4%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 29.4%, Alabama at 30.3%, and Louisiana at 31%.Globally, cases were up 19% and deaths up 11% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since April 16. There are now 18,588,852 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: India 294,290. Brazil 73,172. Turkey 61,028. The United States 60,317. And France 43,098.  There have now been 3,040,790 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for April 20th, 2021.In India, New Delhi imposed a weeklong lockdown to prevent the total collapse of that city's health system. Ambulances roam the streets looking for a hospital with empty beds, patients line up at medical facilities, and ambulances each carrying half a dozen bodies idle outside crematoriums. The virus is spreading at a rate faster than at any other time there.At a White House Covid-19 task force briefing, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky reported the current 7-day case average is up to over 67,440 per day and the 7-day average of daily deaths is up to about 695 deaths per day. She’s confident the vaccines are effective, but said they take time to kick in, around 2-6 weeks, so prevention measures must stay in place.Oregon is receptive to that message. Health officials there are considering mandating masks and social distancing in all businesses indefinitely. Many businesses and residents are fuming, with 60,000 signing a petition against the measure. But proponents say it’s necessary because state law requires a "permanent" rule to keep current restrictions from expiring.The United States remains committed to the idea that banning travel is a major part of ending Covid-19. The State Department said it’s going to boost its “Do Not Travel” guidance to about 80% of countries around the world. It’ll be a significant increase in the number of countries at the Level 4: Do Not Travel designation.As an indicator we’re at the stage where everyone is free to get a vaccine, a defense official says prisoners at Guantanamo can now start getting them. They actually were at the relative top of the list until many expressed outrage that they were prioritized for eligibility over many demographics of Americans. There are actually only 40 men being held there.In the United States cases were up 4%, deaths are down 5%, and hospitalizations were up 10% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14. There are now 6,850,038 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, New York, Virginia, Florida, and Maryland.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus information for April 19th, 2021.The global death toll from the coronavirus topped 3 million people Saturday. This as vaccination campaign have experienced setbacks and infections rage in countries like Brazil, India, and France. And the actual number of deaths is believed to be much higher because some governments have concealed statistics.After initial concerns about supply and a rush to get appointments and vaccines, desire to get the vaccine appears to have plateaued. Appointments are getting skipped and officials are struggling to get appointments filled…even in very hard hit states like Michigan. Mass vaccination sites have started closing. Pharmacies in one part of Louisiana say vaccine demand has "completely fallen off." One cause for reluctance making its way around the Internet rumor mill is that the vaccine somehow affects fertility. OB/GYN’s are getting questions about it and most point out that all the major medical societies, including the Society for Fertility, have come out and said there is no evidence to support fertility problems with the vaccines. Not only that, research has shown the presence of antibodies in umbilical cord blood and breast milk that get passed on to the baby. Chile is not having a lot of luck with the Chinese Sinovac vaccine. That country has mounted one of the world’s most rapid vaccination campaigns using the Chinese vaccine, but health authorities are scrambling to deal with a surge of new infections and deaths. Half the adult population has already gotten at least one dose and officials say the level of protection after just one dose is being overestimated and restrictions eased too soon.Otters at The Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta have tested positive for Covid-19. They’re expected to make a full recovery, but it does point to how easy it is to be exposed to the coronavirus. These are animals traditionally kept in an enclosure and away from the public. However, they began sneezing and have symptoms like runny noses, tiredness, and coughing.In the United States cases were up 5%, deaths are down 8%, and hospitalizations were up 11% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14. There are now 6,862,164 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, New York, Virginia, Florida, and Maryland. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Grant, OR. Chattahoochee, GA. Karnes, TX. St. Clair, MI. Sanilac, MI. Crosby, TX. Tuscola, MI. Ogemaw, MI. And Huron, MI. The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Michigan, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. There have been 567,217 deaths in the US reported as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.8%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: California 46. New York 38. Texas 37. Florida 34. Pennsylvania 25. Virginia and Maryland 17. South Carolina and Minnesota 15. And Illinois 10. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, New Hampshire at 58%, Maine at 48.5%, and Connecticut at 48.2%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 28.9%, Alabama at 30.1%, and Louisiana at 30.8%.Globally, cases were up 20% and deaths up 14% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since March 5. There are now 18,434,835 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: India 275,306. Turkey 55,802. The United States 43,174. Brazil 42,937. And France 29,344.  There have now been 3,017,412 deaths reported as Covid-related... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine info for April 16th, 2021.The World Health Organization says Europe has surpassed 1 million deaths from COVID-19 and the situation remains “serious.” About 1.6 million new cases are reported each week. The good news, if it can be called that, is the proportion of deaths for people over 80 has dropped nearly 30%, a sign the vaccines will work in the 53-nation region. A hold on use of Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine in the U.S. could stretch out for several weeks, according to the head of an advisory panel that will make the recommendation on whether shots should resume. Critics say the hold is unnecessarily creating more vaccine hesitancy, which is the last thing that’s needed right now.Israel’s Health Minister said yesterday that starting Sunday, Israelis will no longer be required to wear masks outside. They’ll still be required in closed public spaces. That country has carried out the world’s fastest per capita vaccination drive and over half the population is fully inoculated. The result, daily new cases and serious cases have dropped to levels not seen in months.A very different story in Brazil as hospitals run dangerously short of sedatives and other crucial medications. The average daily death toll has risen above 3,000, the highest in the world. Brazil's health crisis is being described as a "humanitarian catastrophe" by Doctors Without Borders. They are also alarmed at the number of young babies lost to the coronavirus, an estimated 1,300.If you think it’s hard getting people to take one or two vaccination shots, try three. The CEO of Pfizer said people are likely to need a third dose within a year of getting fully vaccinated. After that, shots may be needed annually, like the flu shot. Right now, they think protection lasts anywhere from six months to a year.  In the United States cases were up 11%, deaths are down 19%, and hospitalizations were up 9% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since April 5. There are now 6,874,166 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, New York, Virginia, Florida, and Maryland. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Chattahoochee, GA. Crosby, TX. Grant, OR. Lamb, TX. Hutchinson, TX. Hockley, TX. St. Clair, MI. Huron, MI. Childress, TX. And Knox, TX. The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Michigan, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Minnesota, and New York. There have been 565,283 deaths in the US reported as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.8%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Michigan 123. California 88. Texas 80. Florida 71. New York 63. Georgia 62. New Jersey 47. Pennsylvania 43. North Carolina 34. And Illinois 31. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, New Hampshire at 53.9%, Maine at 45.9%, and Connecticut at 45.7%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 28.4%, Alabama at 29.1%, and Louisiana at 30.1%.Globally, cases were up 27% and deaths up 19% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since March 5. That 7-day number is now very close to surpassing the all-time highest number of the pandemic which occurred January 11. There are now 17,915,800 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: India 216,850. Brazil 80,529. The United States 74,479. Turkey 61,400. And France 38,045.  There have now been 2,984,199 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine info for April 15th, 2021.The halt on Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine remains for now. U.S. health advisors told the government yesterday they need more evidence to decide if a handful of unusual blood clots were linked to the shot — and if so, how big the risk is. There have been six cases out of more than 7 million inoculations in the U.S. Denmark became the first country to stop using AstraZeneca’s vaccine altogether over similar potential links to rare blood clotting. Problem is, the new plan includes use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, whose rollout in Europe has been delayed.The answer, in case you’ve been wondering is yes, the CDC is studying those who are getting COVID-19 after being fully immunized. It’s called vaccine breakthrough. Dr. Saad Omer, a vaccine researcher at Yale, says this happens with a vaccine against any disease, it’s expected, and there’s no need to freak out.People are flying again, and airlines are starting to fill those middle seats again and that may not be good. A new CDC/Kansas State study says leaving them open was working, reducing the risk of infection by 23% to 57%. Only Delta is still blocking middle seats and that will end May 1.Would it comfort you to know that Professor Snape is working on potions to prevent COVID-19? Well, he is. But it’s not the one from Harry Potter’s Hogwart’s. There’s a real Professor Snape, his name is Matthew, at Oxford. He’s a professor of vaccinology and he’s trying to boost protections against the coronavirus by mixing vaccines in different ways. And yes, he’s heard every joke there is. In the United States cases were up 8%, deaths are down 27%, and hospitalizations were up 9% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since April 5. There are now 6,874,970 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, New York, Virginia, Florida, and Maryland. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Chattahoochee, GA. Crosby, TX. Lamb, TX. Huron, MI. Hutchinson, TX. St. Clair, MI. Carson, TX. Hockley, TX. Cochran, TX. And Floyd, TX. Most of these Texas counties, by the way are located in the panhandle.The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Michigan, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Minnesota, and New York. There have been 564,388 deaths in the US reported as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.8%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: California 178. New York 83. Texas 71. New Jersey 61. Pennsylvania 53. Georgia 52. Florida and Illinois 39. Michigan 37. And Oklahoma 28. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, New Hampshire at 53.3%, Maine at 45.2%, and New Mexico at 45.1%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 28.1%, Alabama at 28.7%, and Louisiana at 29.9%.Globally, cases were up 25% and deaths up 25% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since March 5. There are now 24,232,351 active cases around the world.The five countries with the most new cases: India 199,569. The United States 78,439. Brazil 75,998. Turkey 62,797. And France 43,505.  There have now been 2,971,181 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine info for April 14th, 2021.A very bad day for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The U.S. recommended a “pause” in its use to investigate rare incidents of blood clotting. That upended vaccine programs across the U.S and prompted other countries across Europe, plus Australia, and South Africa to forego usage at least for now. It can’t help but set back the global vaccination effort. For instance, Europe was set to get hundreds of thousands of Johnson & Johnson doses because vaccinations there have been hampered by shortages, logistics, and blood clot concerns in the AstraZeneca vaccine. Those who’ve already gotten the J&J vaccine should contact their doctor if they experience severe headache, abdominal or leg pain or shortness of breath within three weeks.The World Health Organization said the trajectory of the pandemic is now “growing exponentially,” with more than 4.4 million new cases reported over the last week. In some countries new cases per week are more than eight times higher than a year ago.In some good news, new trial data shows Moderna’s vaccine was more than 90% effective at protecting against Covid and more than 95% effective against severe disease up to six months after the second dose. Pfizer said earlier this month its vaccine was also shown to be highly effective six months after the second dose.What will things look like after the pandemic? U.S. intelligence took that into consideration in its annual assessment of worldwide threats. The lingering effects of the pandemic are expected to contribute over the next year to “humanitarian and economic crises, political unrest, and geopolitical competition.” The recovery is expected to strain governments and societies.Add to the list of things only vaccinated people can do, going to a Buffalo Bills game. It was announced yesterday fans attending Bills games at Highmark Stadium must have proof of vaccination, as they open capacity back up to 100%.In the United States cases were up 6%, deaths are down 27%, and hospitalizations were up 10% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since April 5. There are now 6,867,195 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, New York, Virginia, Florida, and Maryland. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Chattahoochee, GA. St. Clair, MI. Huron, MI. Knox, TX. Otsego, MI. Sanilac, MI. Galax, VA. Carson, TX. Tuscola, MI. And Gladwin, MI. The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Michigan, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Minnesota, and New York. There have been 563,440 deaths in the US reported as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.81%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Michigan 81. Florida 78. Pennsylvania 66. Texas 60. California 54. New Jersey 50. New York 48. Georgia 25. Ohio 24. And Mississippi 23. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, New Hampshire at 52.3%, New Mexico at 45%, and Connecticut at 44.4%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 27.9%, Alabama at 28.3%, and Georgia at 28.8%.Globally, cases were up 22% and deaths up 25% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since March 5. There are now over 24 million active cases around the world, at 24,010,354.The five countries with the most new cases: India 185,248. Brazil 80,157. The United States 77,720. Turkey 59,187. And France 39,113.  There have now been 2,956,845 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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On this episode of Vaccine 411……A closer look at COVAX.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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On this episode of Vaccine 411……A closer look at the Russian COVID-19 vaccine. First, the latest vaccine news from around the world:United States: The Federal Government signed a 1.5-billion-dollar deal with Moderna for 100 million doses of their potential vaccine. BioNTech and Pfizer announced they will seek FDA approval for their vaccine candidate as early as October. Florida’s Attorney General relayed that the CDC has invited Florida and three other states, as well as the city of Philadelphia to participate in a vaccine pilot program. Merck’s Themis Bioscience arm have begun Phase I clinical trials for their vaccine candidate. Germany: The Robert Koch Institute, recalled a report Wednesday that said a coronavirus vaccine was “imminent”. The Institute said it was published in error. The German Health Minister was one of many around the world unsure of Russia’s vaccine claim, stating,” It is not about being first, it is about having an effective, a tried and with that a safe vaccine”.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Vaccine 411……Known names versus newcomers and one shot or two?First, the latest vaccine news from around the world:United States: Moderna has enrolled 4,536 subjects to begin Phase III trials on their vaccine candidate. 30,000 total are needed to fill the trial. CNN, reports the company expects to complete enrollment in September. China: CanSino Biologics will begin Phase III clinical trials in Saudi Arabia with 5,000 volunteers. They are negotiating other trials throughout the world. The vaccine candidate has already been approved for limited use in the Chinese military. Switzerland: Moderna and the Swiss Government have signed a deal for 4.5 million doses of Moderna’s vaccine candidate. The amount will cover 2.25 million Swiss citizens.Italy: ReiThera began Phase I trials for their vaccine candidate at the end of July. The vaccine is based on an adenovirus that infects gorillas. Taiwan: Medigen and Dynavax will start Phase I trials for their vaccine candidate in September.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Vaccine 411……How obesity may inhibit a COVID-19 vaccine.First, the latest vaccine news from around the world:United States: Novavax released early data, showing that their vaccine candidate is safe and that participants developed antibodies more than 4 times higher than average. In a deal valued at over one billion dollars, Johnson & Johnson will provide the U.S. government 100 million doses of their vaccine candidate. This is in addition to the 456 million invested by the government for research and development. Canada: The Canadian Government has signed deals with Pfizer and Moderna for millions of doses of their potential vaccines. India: Zydus Cadila has completed Phase I trials on their vaccine candidate. It will move to Phase II working with 1,000 subjects. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vaccine 411 080420This is Vaccine 4-1-1.  As the race for a COVID-19 vaccine continues, here are the numbers:167 vaccines are in development, according to The World Health Organization and The New York Times:  139 are in pre-clinical trials, 10 in Phase I Clinical Trials, 10 in Phase II, 8 in Phase III, two are in China, one in the UK, one in Australia and four in the U.S. Two of those are antibody treatments for those already infected that could potentially also protect from the virus. One Chinese vaccine candidate has been approved for limited use in the Chinese military as Phase II clinical trials continue. On this episode of Vaccine 411……What do “freezer farms” have to do with a COVID-19 vaccine?First, the latest vaccine news from around the world:United States: Eli Lilly will enter Phase III clinical trials for their antibody treatment. They will recruit 2400 residents and employees from long term care facilities for the trials. Russia:  Officials have said Russia will launch a nationwide vaccination campaign in October. Making them the first country to inoculate people against the virus. Critics are skeptical as the vaccine has yet to complete clinical trials and no data has been released. Italy: A new study from San Raffaele hospital in Milan, relays that those who have recovered from COVID-19 showed increased rates of psychiatric disorders including PTSD, anxiety, insomnia and depression. The report, published in “Brain, Behavior and Immunity”, said this can be caused by the immune response to the virus and from stress related to the stigma of the virus, isolation and fear of infecting others. United Parcel Service, better known as UPS, is building two “freezer farms” in Kentucky and The Netherlands. The complexes will contain 600 freezers that can house 28.8 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine at -112 degrees Fahrenheit. The locations were picked because they should allow overnight shipping to anywhere on the planet, reports Bloomberg. The freezer farms are just one step in what will be the Herculean task of delivering a COVID-19 vaccine around the world once it is developed. Many of the potential vaccines will require refrigeration and as the global head of air carrier relationships at San Francisco based Flexport relayed, “vaccines chains are exponentially more complex than PPE chains. You can’t ruin PPE by leaving it on the tarmac for a few days. You will destroy vaccines”. The head of Emirates Skycargo’s Pharmaceutical Division, estimates one Boeing 777 freighter can haul one million doses. He estimates that protecting half of the world’s population would require nearly 8,000 cargo planes. On top of that, there are a limited number of airports around the world that have carriers certified to handle pharmaceuticals. The manager of aviation trade and logistics for Miami International Airport said he doesn’t think they are ready, “because I don’t think we know what to expect”. Most agree communication and early planning are going to be key in the race to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine once it is developed. The EVP and Chief Commercial Officer for Atlas Air Worldwide told STAT media group recently, “We’re not planning proactively…. because the various parties here are not connecting.” But that there is still time for drug makers, distributors and governments to understand how to support distribution and “make people healthy again”. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Vaccine 411……Do It Yourself vaccine kits? Some scientists are giving it a try!First, the latest vaccine news from around the world:Russia: Russian officials told CNN they have set August 10th as the target date for approval for the COVID-19 vaccine in development by Gamaleya Institute. Critics are concerned about the safety and effectiveness of the potential vaccine. No scientific data has been released. United States: New York based Pfizer and German based BioNTech began Phase II/III trials this week with 30,000 participants in the U.S., Argentina, Brazil and Germany. Phase I trials of the mRNA vaccine produced antibodies and T cells to protect against the virus. Germany: The German government will split a 750-million-euro grant between BioNTech/Pfizer, Curevac and IDT Biologica to speed up research and development of a potential vaccine. The German Minister for Research cautioned that a vaccine will most likely not be ready until mid-2021. United Kingdom: The UK has agreed to purchase 60 million doses of Sanofi and GSK’s potential vaccine. This is their 4th deal and gives them access to 250 million doses for the country. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Vaccine 411……Could a COVID-19 vaccine be mandatory in the U.S.?First, the latest vaccine news from around the world:United States: Moderna began Phase III trials of their vaccine in the U.S. today. There will be at least 30,000 participants and 87 locations. Full results are expected by November. Coronavirus Task Force Member Dr. Fauci said he would like to see a minimum 60% success rate. The US government gave Moderna an additional 472 million to support the late stage trial. In April the company received 483 million, bringing the total investment to 955 million. United Kingdom: British drug maker AstraZeneca signed a $174 million dollar deal with Maryland based Emergent BioSolutions for production of their vaccine candidate in development with the University of Oxford. Russia: Biocad is considering producing one of their vaccine candidates in China with Shanghai Pharma. The vaccine is expected to enter Phase I trials in August. It’s one of 6 vaccines in development in Russia according to the WHO.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Vaccine 411……if a vaccine is proven safe and effective in early trials, why continue to study it?First, the latest vaccine news from around the world:United States: As part of “Operation Warp Speed”, the federal government signed a 1.95-billion-dollar agreement with Pfizer to provide 100 million doses of their vaccine candidate as early as December. If proven effective, Pfizer is hoping for FDA approval or emergency use authorization as early as October, reports USA Today. The Health and Human Services Secretary, Steve Azar, said any vaccine that is part of Operation Warp Speed will be free or affordable for U.S. citizens. Coronavirus Task Force Member Dr. Fauci, speaking with the TB Alliance on vaccine creation said, ““If you want to do it correctly, with safety, and real attention to safety and efficacy, I think we are going as fast as we possibly can”. Singapore: Arcturus Therapeutics and Duke NUS Medical School Singapore, received approval to begin Phase I/II human trials on their mRNA vaccine candidate.  Brazil: Phase III trials for Sinovac’s CoronaVac began in Sao Paulo on Tuesday. 900 volunteers including doctors and health care workers received the first doses. Results are expected in 90 days.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Vaccine 411……Can cannabis calm the Cytokine Storm?First, the latest vaccine news from around the world:United States: Kentucky BioProcessing has entered Phase I clinical trials for their tobacco-based vaccine. The tobacco plant is engineered to make viral proteins. 107,000 people have signed up for clinical trials for a COVID-19 vaccine, at least 120,00 are needed by the fall for Phase III trials for 4 potential vaccines. United Kingdom: Oxford University/Astra Zeneca released positive data on their early stage trials, noting that it has produced promising response in large early stage trials. They are currently in Phase III trials in the UK, Brazil & South Africa and will begin a U.S. trial soon. The UK has secured an additional 90 million doses of potential COVID-19 vaccines by partnering with BioNtech/Pfizer and Valneva. This is in addition to their partnership with University of Oxford/AstraZeneca. Synairgen, announced they may have a potential new treatment for COVID-19. The Southampton based biotech company presented research that their inhaled drug lowered the risk of a severe case of COVID-19 by 79%, reports The Washington Post. The study has not been peer reviewed. North Korea: The State Commission of Science and Technology posted on their website that they have started Phase I clinical trials on a vaccine candidate. Though no data was provided.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Vaccine 411……How the over 3-decade search for a cure for HIV may lead to a COVID-19 vaccine. First, the latest vaccine news from around the world:United States: Moderna published positive Phase I results, the 45 subjects created antibodies and the potential vaccine was deemed safe. They will move to Phase III, with 30,000 subjects.  The study will be conducted in 87 locations throughout the U.S.  They should have data by October. 8 World Leaders, including Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau, wrote an Op Ed in The Washington Post, calling for equal access across the world for a vaccine. Stating, “Where you live should not determine whether you live, and global solidarity is central to saving lives and protecting the economy”.China: Anhui Zhifei Longcom began Phase II trials for their vaccine candidate. They are in partnership with the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Vaccine 411…can we “fake out” the virus until we find a vaccine? First, the latest vaccine news from around the world.United States: The CDC and an advisory committee are working on a “ranking system” for a roll-out of any approved vaccine reports The New York Times. The initial plan indicates vital medical and national security officials first, followed by essential workers then high-risk individuals including the elderly and those with underlying conditions. The FDA granted “fast tracked” status to Pfizer and German based partner BioNTech for two of their potential vaccines. This will speed up the regulatory process, with potential approval within 6 months. The companies plan to have up to 100 million doses ready by the end of this year. Russia: The Gamaleya Institute in Moscow plans to enter Phase III trials with their vaccine candidate in mid-August. 41 initial test subjects were involved in the study. The vaccine was proven safe and participants developed an immune response. Australia: The University of Queensland and CSL have launched Phase I trials for their vaccine candidate. 120 volunteers between 18 and 55 will be injected with the vaccine or a placebo. They will receive 2 doses each and be monitored for a year.    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Vaccine 411…is herd immunity a real option?First, the latest vaccine news from around the world: United States: The COVID-19 Prevention Trials Network, launched a website to recruit volunteers for upcoming vaccine trials at coronaviruspreventionnetwork.org. Reuters reports delays in Moderna’s move to Phase III clinical trials have been caused by sharp disagreements between Moderna and government scientists. Sources say Moderna has delayed delivering trial protocols and disagreed over process, leading to a delay in beginning Phase III trials. A Moderna spokesperson said, “It has not been smooth or easy”. Canada: Medicago and GSK enter Phase I trials for their plant-based vaccine candidate. Pre-clinical results showed “a high level of neutralizing antibodies” after one dose. Belgium: The European Commission has set agreements for an M.S. drug from Merck and an arthritis medicine from Roche. Both drugs are being tested as potential vaccines for COVID-19, reports The Guardian.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Vaccine 411… the U.S. drug manufacturer leading the vaccine race……without a vaccine. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Vaccine 411… Could the FDA delay a potential COVID-19 vaccine?First, the latest vaccine news from around the world: United States and Germany: US based Pfizer and German based BioNTech published data this week that Phase I trials of their vaccine candidate have proven safe and produce a higher immune response in subjects than patients that have recovered from the virus. Pending approval, they will move to Phase III with 30,000 subjects by the end of July. Also in the U.S., Pennsylvania based Inovio, reported their vaccine is safe and they have seen immune responses. They plan to move to Phase II/III trials by AugustJapan: Agnes Inc, began the first human trials for a vaccine candidate in Japan. The DNA vaccine will be tested on 30 healthy adults, they will review the data in two months. India: Bharat Biotech’s vaccine candidate Covaxin has been cleared for Phase I human trials. This is the first candidate developed in India. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Vaccine 411… a vaccine that would not only prevent COVID-19, but could also treat active infections. Sign us up!First, the latest vaccine news from around the world: Brazil: Federal regulator approval is expected this week for Phase III trials of Sinovac’s Coronavac vaccine to begin. 9,000 volunteers have already been registered reports U.S. News and World Report. Brazil also signed an agreement to produce Oxford University/AstraZeneca’s vaccine candidate. China:  CanSino Biologics vaccine was approved for limited use within the Chinese military. The company published Phase I data in May, Phase II data has yet to be published. Citing competitive reasons, the company would not say if the vaccine would be mandatory for all service members. United States: Gilead Sciences, the maker of Remdesivir, will typically charge hospitals $3,120/patient for those with private insurance. Other developed countries will pay about 25% less per patient. The Trump Administration has secured half a million doses for U.S. hospitals.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 4-1-1.  As the race for a COVID-19 vaccine continues, here are the numbers:142 vaccines are in development, according to The World Health Organization and The New York Times126 are in pre-clinical trials. 6 are in Phase 1 Clinical Trials.7 are in Phase 2.                                  3 are in Phase 3. One in the United Kingdom, one in Australia and one in China.On this episode of Vaccine 411… The challenge of testing a vaccine when the virus is slowing.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Vaccine 4-1-1.  As the race for a COVID-19 vaccine continues, here are the numbers:142 vaccines are in development, according to The World Health Organization and The New York Times128 are in pre-clinical trials. 5 are in Phase 1 Clinical Trials.7 are in Phase 2.2 are in Phase 3. One in the United Kingdom and one in Australia.On this episode of Vaccine 411… Could a booster of a childhood vaccine you probably already have protect you from the virus?First, the latest vaccine news from around the world: United States: The race for the COVID-19 vaccine could be held up by a glass shortage. Many of the vaccines in clinical trials require a glass vial for distribution. In order to avoid any kind of backup, BARDA a Federal Government program, has allocated 204 million dollars to Corning to produce an additional 164 million vials a year if needed. China: Clover Biopharmaceuticals, entered Phase I human trials with their vaccine candidate. The Chinese based company will begin the trials in Perth Australia with 150 healthy adults. Preliminary data is expected in August. They hope to enter Phase IIb/III trials by the end of the year. Thailand: Thirteen monkeys were given a second dose of a potential COVID-19 vaccine, reports Reuters. The monkeys were given the first dose in late May, all but one from the “high dose group” had a positive response. The animals will be monitored over the next two weeks and if the second dose again creates a high immune response, the Thai Government will order 10,000 doses with a mid to late Fall target to begin Phase I human trials. Now…Tell me about your childhood.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.