Info Magzine: Variant cases set daily record; Johnson & Johnson vaccine

The U.S. reported 306 new coronavirus variant cases Sunday, a report enhance for viruses that may unfold extra simply, dodge some remedies and immunities, or each.

Nearly all the brand new cases had been in three states: Florida, up 104 cases to 605; Michigan, up 85 cases to 421; and Texas, up 41 cases to 102.

Most cases – new and current – are of B.1.1.7, a variant first seen within the United Kingdom that the CDC says might develop into America’s predominant model in March.

Over the month of February, recognized variant cases quintupled from 471 to 2,463 even as complete coronavirus cases had been dropping from a peak in January.

However, that speedy decline in case counts has halted. On Sunday, for the primary time in additional than a month, most states reported rising case counts as extra cases had been recorded within the newest week than every week earlier.

Meanwhile, Johnson & Johnson began distributing its vaccine Sunday, including a 3rd weapon to the nation’s COVID-19 arsenal.

Those doses will start arriving at vaccine distribution websites as quickly as Tuesday morning, in line with Biden administration officers. Nearly 4 million doses shall be equally distributed this week amongst all states and territories, together with doses of the opposite two vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.

More than 49.7 million Americans have acquired at the very least one dose of vaccine, a USA TODAY evaluation of Centers for Disease Control information exhibits.

– Mike Stucka

Also within the information:

►In the primary two months of 2021, the United States reported extra lifeless than it had within the first six lethal months of the pandemic: 160,209 folks, a USA TODAY evaluation of Johns Hopkins University information exhibits.

►Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, instructed NBC’s “Meet The Press” on Sunday that elementary faculty kids might begin being vaccinated on the finish of the 12 months or starting of 2022. High schoolers might begin getting their doses within the fall, he stated.

►NBA G League guard Jeremy Lin shared on social media that he skilled an act of racism – being called “coronavirus” – on the basketball court docket, sparking a league investigation.

►The Senate turns into the main focus of President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package after the House accepted it Saturday. The measure would offer thousands and thousands of Americans $1,400 stimulus funds, ramp up vaccine distribution and prolong unemployment help by means of the summer season.

►U.Ok. well being officers are frightened after figuring out six cases of the extremely contagious pressure of the coronavirus first recognized in Brazil, together with one in an individual who has not been contact traced.

►Native American leaders throughout California stated COVID-19 deaths have shrouded their communities, but state figures present few American Indian folks have died right here in contrast with different states with vital Indigenous populations. Leaders and consultants worry deaths of their communities have been undercounted due to a long history of Native Americans being racially misclassified.

►His spouse has made it her mission to discover a technique to get him immunized – even when it meant a 14-hour automotive trip to Mississippi. When they obtained there, there have been no vaccines left. Inside the lengths people will go to get the shot.

📈 Today’s numbers: The U.S. has greater than 28.6 million confirmed coronavirus cases and 513,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. The international totals: More than 114 million cases and a pair of.53 million deaths. More than 96.4 million vaccine doses have been distributed within the U.S. and about 75.2 million have been administered, according to the CDC.

📘 What we’re studying: The variety of COVID-19 cases and deaths at America’s nursing houses has dropped considerably since December as thousands and thousands of vaccine doses have been shot into the arms of residents and workers. Read the full story.

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.

As states ease restrictions, public well being officers are frightened

States throughout the U.S. lifted some COVID-19 restrictions Monday regardless of pleas from prime authorities public well being officers in latest days to stay persistent in social distancing.

Rollbacks that went into effect Monday included Virginia eradicating a midnight-to-5 a.m. curfew and growing capability for out of doors gatherings, Wyoming lifting all restrictions on private care companies, New Jersey opening massive leisure venues at 10% capability indoors, and Massachusetts easing restrictions for restaurant capability and permitting quite a few indoor venues to reopen with restrictions.

However, over the weekend, President Joe Biden’s prime well being officers urged states to not roll again their protections towards the virus’s unfold.

“Things are tenuous. Now is not the time to relax restrictions,” Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director stated Friday. “It is really risky to say, ‘It’s over. We’re on our way out. Let’s pull back,’” Dr. Anthony Fauci, Biden’s chief medical adviser, stated Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union.

Local pharmacies say they want extra vaccines as CVS, Walgreens ramp up photographs

Community pharmacies can play a critical role in delivering COVID-19 shots, however, to date, drugstore giants CVS and Walgreens and big-box shops comparable to Walmart and Kroger have been getting the lion’s share of vaccines from the preliminary allotment dedicated to retail pharmacies, unbiased pharmacists say.

Some unbiased pharmacists say they’re annoyed that they aren’t receiving as many vaccines proportionally as main chains are getting from the federal, state and native authorities, and so they reject the suggestion that they do not have the know-how essential to dealing with the scheduling course of

Still representing about 1 in 3 of the nation’s 60,000 pharmacies, these companies say their private relationships with their prospects are essential to a profitable vaccine rollout.

In the 63 main jurisdictions recognized by the CDC for distribution of vaccines, regionally owned pharmacies had been initially allotted photographs in solely 17, in line with the National Community Pharmacists Association. But greater than half of regionally owned pharmacies are based mostly in communities with a “high” or “very high” ranking on the CDC’s social vulnerability index.

If native pharmacies are disregarded, that threatens to stop Americans in low-income communities and other people of coloration from getting vaccinated rapidly, unbiased pharmacists say. “Local pharmacies have to be involved,” stated B. Douglas Hoey, CEO of the National Community Pharmacists Association.

– Nathan Bomey

Florida’s oldest residents lag in COVID vaccinations, state report exhibits

When Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in December restricted inoculations to seniors 65 and older, he stated, “The vaccines are going to be targeted where the risk is greatest, and that is in our elderly population.”

But as vaccinations ramp up statewide, Florida’s oldest residents should not getting the share of immunizations equal to the danger they bear from the deadly pathogen, particularly not too long ago.

Florida seniors 75 and older make up 62% of 30,734 residents killed by the coronavirus for the reason that pandemic started, however solely 32% of the 1,642,800 individuals who have acquired their second of the two-shot vaccine, a state report launched Saturday exhibits.

Seniors 65 to 74, in the meantime, account for 21% of the resident demise toll and about 41% of the immunized.

– Chris Persaud, Palm Beach Post

COVID-19 survivors would possibly want just one dose of vaccine, research counsel

Six latest research counsel that individuals who’ve already come down with COVID-19 won’t have to get a second vaccine dose.

The federal authorities has not modified its advice for a second dose, however research that take a look at the immune response present that whereas a primary shot provides individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 an enormous increase, the second shot makes little distinction.

“I think that makes perfect sense,” stated Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Read more here.

– Karen Weintraub

COVID-19 testing websites throughout US are closing amid plunging demand

Just 5 weeks in the past, Los Angeles County was conducting greater than 350,000 weekly coronavirus exams, together with at an enormous drive-thru website at Dodger Stadium, as well being employees raced to comprise the worst COVID-19 sizzling spot within the U.S.

Now, county officers say testing has nearly collapsed. More than 180 government-supported websites are working at solely a 3rd of their capability.

“It’s shocking how quickly we’ve gone from moving at 100 miles an hour to about 25,” stated Dr. Clemens Hong, who leads the county’s testing operation. After a 12 months of struggling to spice up testing, communities throughout the nation are seeing plummeting demand, shuttering testing websites and even attempting to return provides.

– Matthew Perrone, Palm Springs (Calif.) Desert Sun

Contributing: Mike Stucka, USA TODAY; The Associated Press