Tuesday 16 March 2021

European nations halt AstraZeneca vaccine; spring break

Germany, France, Spain, Italy and Portugal on Monday suspended use of AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine over new reviews of blood clots, whilst a U.S. official stated the vaccine might win U.S. authorization subsequent month.

Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, informed Reuters that knowledge from the 30,000-person vaccine trial had been being reviewed by unbiased U.S. displays to find out whether or not the shot is secure and efficient. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration might full its critiques and problem an emergency use authorization subsequent month if all goes effectively, he stated.

Collins stated European regulators have indicated the clotting issues most definitely had been by likelihood and never associated to the vaccine. And the World Health Organization has urged international locations to proceed utilizing the vaccine, saying there is not any proof of a connection to blood clots. The WHO has scheduled a gathering of its security specialists for Tuesday to handle the subject.

The German Health Minister, Jens Spahn, stated the suspension was a “purely precautionary measure” pending further investigation.

In recent days, several smaller European nations had temporarily halted use of the AstraZeneca vaccine to look into cases of blood clots. AstraZeneca has said there is no cause for concern, that there were fewer reported cases of clotting in those who received the shot than in the general population. 

Also in the news: 

►Mississippi on Tuesday will be part of Alaska in allowing all adults to get vaccinated. Gov. Tate Reeves tweeted: “Starting tomorrow, ALL new appointments will probably be open to ALL Mississippians. Get your shot mates – and let’s get again to regular!”

►The White House said Medicare will increase what it pays for every COVID-19 vaccine dose administered from an average of $23 to $40 to help get more Americans vaccinated, particularly those in hard-to-reach areas.

►The CDC is assessing new research on whether children wearing masks could be safely seated 3 feet apart rather than the currently recommended 6, a determination that could have a major impact on school reopenings.

►Newly vaccinated residents of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, were treated to a mini-concert final week when famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma performed whereas ready out his 15-minute post-injection well being monitoring. 

📈 Today’s numbers: The U.S. has over 29.4 million confirmed coronavirus cases and more than 535,500 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. The global totals: More than 120.1 million cases and 2.65 million deaths. More than 135.8 million vaccine doses have been distributed in the U.S. and 109 million have been administered, according to the CDC.

📘 What we’re reading: In the year of COVID-19, who has really benefited from the stock market boom? While some Americans have seen their stock holdings balloon in value or stashed away stimulus checks, not everyone was able to take advantage of the market rebound. Read more here.

USA TODAY is monitoring COVID-19 information. Keep refreshing this web page for the most recent updates. Want extra? Sign up for our Coronavirus Watch newsletter for updates to your inbox and join our Facebook group.

CDC review suggests guidance was influenced by Trump administration 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention failed to live up to its once-golden standards by issuing some guidance that wasn’t primarily authored by its staff, didn’t rely on the best scientific evidence and used watered-down language as the nation confronted the coronavirus pandemic, a new agency review says.

The review, requested by new CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky and conducted by her principal deputy, Dr. Anne Schuchat, does not allude to interference from the Trump administration but nonetheless seems to confirm the long-held suspicions of its meddling for political purposes.

Schuchat noted examples of documents posted on the CDC website last year that were developed or finalized outside the CDC that have since been removed. One from July minimized health risks while emphasizing the importance of reopening schools. Another from August suggested it was not necessary to test asymptomatic people for the coronavirus after they had been in close contact with infected others, guidance that drew a strong rebuke from the scientific community and was revised the next month.

“It is crucial for the American individuals to belief CDC,” Walensky stated in an announcement. “If they don’t, preventable illness and injury can occur – and, tragically, lives can and will be lost.”

Spring breakers with ‘something goes’ mentality might set off superspreader

An inflow of enormous numbers of spring break revelers in Miami Beach is creating complications and the potential for large coronavirus transmission at a time when the pandemic remains to be removed from managed.

Because most pandemic restrictions have been lifted in Florida, visitors are coming with an “anything goes” mentality, stated Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber, whose police division made 163 arrests within the final seven days.

“It’s like a triple threat: We’ve got too many people, too many coming with a desire to go wild and we have the virus,” Gelber stated. “It really poses a multifaceted peril for us.”

The CDC director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, has expressed alarm over the dangerous habits witnessed in seaside cities and a recent increase in travel around spring break. The Transportation Security Administration screened greater than 1.3 million individuals each Friday and Sunday, setting a brand new excessive because the pandemic started.

Variant first recognized in UK is extra lethal, in line with two research

Two new research add proof {that a} coronavirus variant first detected in Britain, already identified to be a minimum of 50% extra contagious than the unique pressure, can be extra lethal.

A brand new paper published Monday in the journal Nature in contrast instances in additional than 1 million individuals contaminated in England, and researchers estimated the danger of dying was about 55% greater for these with the brand new variant. For males of their 50s or 60s, that meant the danger of dying went from 0.06% to 0.09%.

In a University of Exeter examine printed within the British journal BMJ final week, researchers adopted about 100,000 constructive COVID-19 instances, matching pairs of members on age, intercourse and different components. They additionally discovered these with the U.Okay. variant had been at greater threat of dying throughout the examine.

The variant has been present in all however a couple of states within the U.S., particularly Florida, and is anticipated to change into the dominant pressure in a matter of weeks.

CDC examine: Nearly 90% who get first dose full two-shot routine

People who get a primary dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine within the U.S. are almost sure to return for the second shot, in line with the primary federal examine to have a look at what number of are finishing the collection.

A report released Monday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed an 88% completion charge among the many 12.5 million individuals within the examine, performed from December 14 to February 14. Another 9% of those that obtained the primary dose nonetheless had time to get the booster shot throughout the six weeks the CDC recommends as the utmost span between doses. About 3% didn’t full the collection in that timeframe.

“We think these findings are really encouraging. The fact that most people are completing the two-dose series to be fully vaccinated shows the system’s working,” stated Robin Toblin of the CDC, one of many examine’s authors.

Texas restaurant proprietor who took stand on masks faces dying threats, vandalism

Support is rolling in for a San Antonio man whose Noodle Tree restaurant was vandalized with racist graffiti days after he spoke out in opposition to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s determination to rescind a statewide masks mandate.

Mike Nguyen appeared on CNN final week, saying his stance was primarily based on the protection of his workers, himself and the group. Since that interview, he stated he has confronted dying threats on social media. On Sunday, he arrived at his restaurant to search out “no mask,” “go back 2 China” and different hateful messages scrawled in crimson paint on his storefront.

“I was born here and I’m not Chinese,” Nguyen, whose background is half Vietnamese and half French, informed USA TODAY on Monday. “It’s not right that as an American I can’t state my opinion without being attacked.”

The vandalism got here simply days after President Joe Biden condemned the violence Asian Americans have endured all through the pandemic. Neighbors got here to Nguyen’s support, serving to him clear up the mess. Mayor Ron Nirenberg thanked them, saying the trouble “proved that we’re better than this one hateful act.”

The Chinese American Citizens Alliance and the Asian American Alliance of San Antonio launched a joint statement denouncing the “ugly display of hate.”

30,000 deaths later, New York City marks anniversary of first fatality

Somber phrases and music had been set in opposition to a backdrop of photos of New Yorkers taken throughout the pandemic as Mayor Bill de Blasio on Sunday marked a 12 months since reporting town’s first fatality from COVID-19, a fearful second that despatched officers speeding to shut companies and faculties.  

More than 30,000 New Yorkers have died, a much bigger complete than the quantity town misplaced in World War II, Vietnam, Sept. 11 and Superstorm Sandy mixed, de Blasio stated. “Everyone we’ve lost, what they did, goes on,” he stated. “What they contributed, what they created, the love they gave, goes on.”

The city, the state and the nation are showing signs of renewal. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Friday that domestic travelers to New York will no longer be required to quarantine starting April 1. Dr. Anthony Fauci said some form of “normality” could return to the country by the Fourth of July. But Fauci also warned on Fox News Sunday that the U.S. must lift restrictions gradually or risk another wide-ranging lockdown to halt a surge.

Facebook launching vaccination appointment tool

Facebook is launching a tool in its COVID Information Center designed to point out when and the place individuals can get vaccinated, and it additionally provides a link to make an appointment. Facebook is partnering with Boston Children’s Hospital, which runs the VaccineFinder.org web site, to supply the instrument for figuring out locations close by to get the vaccine.

“Improving vaccine access and equity across the country will be a critical step in achieving herd immunity and bringing this pandemic to a close,” John Brownstein, Boston Children’s Hospital’s chief innovation officer and VaccineFinder founder, said in a statement.

Kelly Tyko

With nearly 12M shots given, California increases vaccine eligibility 

On Monday, California opened vaccine eligibility to people with certain high-risk medical conditions or disabilities. An estimated 4.4 million Californians meet the state criteria, which includes more essential workers, people who work or live in jails, homeless shelters and other congregant places, and those with disabilities and health conditions that put them at risk of severe COVID-19.

San Francisco will allow people with HIV to get vaccinated, along with people who identify as deaf or disabled, local officials said. The city is going beyond the state’s eligibility rules to cover developmental, medical, physical, sensory or behavioral health disabilities, including severe mental health or substance use disorders, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Sunday.

“Getting vaccinations to individuals with disabilities and who’ve extreme underlying situations, and people who find themselves in congregate settings, is a vital a part of our efforts to save lots of lives and defend our most weak residents,” Mayor London Breed stated in an announcement.

– Palm Springs Desert Sun

Here’s the best way to discover out when your stimulus fee will come

You can now discover out when your subsequent stimulus fee is anticipated to hit your bank account or get mailed. The IRS up to date the “Get My Payment” instrument on its web site with information on the third spherical of stimulus checks Saturday, company spokesperson Karen Connelly confirmed to USA TODAY. Check for your status here. 

The third spherical of funds will probably be primarily based on a taxpayer’s newest processed tax return from both 2020 or 2019. That consists of anybody who used the IRS non-filers instrument final 12 months or submitted a particular simplified tax return.

– Kelly Tyko

Contributing: The Associated Press

Source Link – rssfeeds.usatoday.com



source https://infomagzine.com/european-nations-halt-astrazeneca-vaccine-spring-break-2/

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