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New York state is deploying Covid-19 vaccination kits to four additional New York City public housing sites and eight more churches to try and “strengthen fairness and equity in the vaccine distribution process,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Saturday.
More context: New York state reported a Covid-19 positivity rate of 5.26% on Saturday, down from 5.65% on Friday, Cuomo said during a news conference Saturday.
Overall, hospitalizations are down statewide and New York City has a 5.71% positivity rate. There are 144 more New Yorkers who have died due to Covid-19, Cuomo said.
The Biden administration has set a “strikingly different” tone on coronavirus pandemic response than the Trump administration, Dr. Anthony Fauci said Saturday.
During an MSNBC interview, Fauci said that after meeting with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, it’s clear to him that “science will rule, and science will speak,” when it comes to coronavirus response.
Serving under the Trump administration, Fauci said he was often in the uncomfortable position of having to contradict Trump’s misinformation about Covid-19.
“There was the constant pressure that sometimes the truth would be upsetting to some people,” including Trump and those around him, said Fauci.
He added that political appointees on the White House coronavirus task force were in an “even more difficult situation.”
House Democrats are working on drafting legislation proposed by President Joe Biden that would direct the IRS to send recurring monthly payments to American families to expand the child tax credit, a source familiar confirmed to CNN.
In one draft of the proposal, the IRS would deposit checks worth $300 every month per child younger than 6 and $250 every month per child age 6 to 17.
This would give parents $3,000 per year for each child between the ages of 6 to 17, and $3,600 per child under age 6.
Biden said previously that he wants to expand the child tax credit to help working families during the pandemic.
The source familiar confirmed that House Ways and Means Committee Chair Richard Neal is directly involved in the effort to write the expansion of the child tax credit, as well as House Appropriations Committee Chair Rosa DeLauro.
The proposed legislation was first reported by the Washington Post.
It’s still too soon to tell whether the Covid-19 variant first discovered in the UK is more deadly, National Institutes of Health director Dr. Francis Collins said Saturday.
Health experts believe the variant is likely more contagious. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Friday that the variant may also be “associated with a higher degree of mortality” in infected patients.
The UK government’s chief scientific adviser noted that hospitalization data did not show an increased risk of mortality for those infected with the variant.
“And you can’t be sure when they’re quoting those numbers that this might not also be a consequence of the fact that the UK health system is really overwhelmed, and that has an effect also on mortality,” Collins noted.
Collins cited preliminary research showing that the Moderna and Pfizer Covid-19 vaccines likely provide some protection against this variant. The variant first discovered in South Africa, Collins noted, is “a bit more of a concern.”
President Joe Biden spoke with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador on Friday to discuss numerous regional issues, including immigration and the coronavirus pandemic, the White House said in a news release.
The release added: “The two leaders agreed to work closely to stem the flow of irregular migration to Mexico and the United States, as well as to promote development in the Northern Triangle of Central America. They also recognized the importance of coordination to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.”
The United Kingdom currently tops the global list of highest deaths per 100,000 residents, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University (JHU).
The country reported its highest ever single day death toll on Wednesday with 1,820 daily new deaths reported, and has been averaging about 1,240 daily new deaths over the last seven days.
Country-by-country comparisons are imperfect, given that they rely on data from each individual nation.
But the UK’s recorded death toll, from a population of 66 million, far outweighs the record tolls in other major countries, including the US, on a per capita basis.
So far the United Kingdom has tallied 96,166 total deaths since the pandemic began.
Countries with the highest deaths per capita
The words “vaccine passport” have a reassuring ring to them, perhaps conjuring up the image of a sleek, embossed document with watermarked pages and official stamps of approval. Flourished at border controls, it would open travel doors that, for so many of us, have been closed by Covid-19.
Some destinations – including the Seychelles, Cyprus and Romania – have already lifted quarantine requirements to visitors able to prove they’re vaccinated. Others, such as Iceland and Hungary, have opened up to people who’ve recovered from Covid-19.
This raises the prospect that proof of inoculation or immunity could be the golden ticket to rebooting travel and seems good news for people eager to book summer vacations after months of lockdown, particularly as vaccine rollouts gather pace.
They could open up the restaurants, bars, cinemas and other leisure and entertainment facilities whose closure over the past year have left many teetering on the edge of – or already victim to – financial ruin.
Tech companies such as IBM are also trying to get in on the act, developing smartphone apps or digital wallets into which individuals can upload details of Covid-19 tests and vaccinations. These are gaining support from major travel industry players.
As the US set a new daily record for Covid-19 inoculations and states clamored for more vaccine supplies, Pfizer and the FDA said pharmacists and health practitioners can in some cases extract an additional dose from each vial.
Originally, each vial of Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine was designed to contain five doses, but some pharmacists reported they could extract six doses when using certain syringes.
As a result, the FDA approved an updated label that states: “Low dead-volume syringes and/or needles can be used to extract six doses from a single vial. If standard syringes and needles are used, there may not be sufficient volume to extract a sixth dose from a single vial.”
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said this increase in doses per vial “provides an additional 20% capacity.” The New York Times first reported Pfizer’s plans to base its vaccine commitment on doses instead of vials.
However, CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta said Friday the ability to garner the sixth dose with these syringes does not exist everywhere.
“Many places have them,” Gupta told CNN’s John Berman, “but not every place.”
The United States reported 186,891 new Covid-19 cases and 3,655 virus-related deaths on Friday, according to Johns Hopkins University.
The US has so far reported a total of 24,818,779 cases and 414,004 fatalities, according to the university’s tally.
At least 39,892,400 vaccine doses have been distributed and at least 19,107,959 shots have been administered, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The totals include cases from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and other US territories, as well as repatriated cases.
CNN is tracking US cases here:
US vaccine distribution is a mess because of poor communication and a backlog caused by the federal government’s partnership with retail pharmacies, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said Friday.
“That Walgreen’s and CVS partnership with the federal government, that’s where all the backlog is in every state right now,” Cox, a Republican, told CNN.
The Trump administration contracted with the two pharmacy chains to deliver coronavirus vaccines to long-term care facilities across the country. But Cox said it was not distributed evenly.
States need more insight into the manufacturing process to know what is coming so they can plan, Cox said.
Cox was referring to the competition between states early in the pandemic when the federal government forced them to compete for supplies such as personal protective equipment.
“We’re all in this together. Governors are in this together. We just need insight from the federal government and the manufacturers,” Cox said. “Trust is competence and ethical behavior, and we’re excited to see if we get those two things.”
At least 195 cases of a coronavirus variant first identified in the UK have been identified across 22 US states, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
States with most cases of the new variant:
The following states have reported fewer than seven cases each: Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
The CDC says the tally does not represent the total number of cases circulating in the US, but rather just those found by analyzing positive samples. The agency cautions that its numbers may not immediately match those of state and local health departments.
The variant – which is known as B.1.1.7 and appears to spread more easily – has also been found in at least 60 countries worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.
Long-term Covid-19 symptoms should be taken seriously as they could be an issue as more people contract the virus, the top US infectious disease expert says.
Fauci said some of the symptoms his patients have include extreme fatigue, muscle aches, temperature dysregulation and “brain fog,” where it’s difficult for them to focus or concentrate.
“We take it very seriously for the simple reason that even if a small fraction, and it appears to be more than just a small fraction, of people have persistent symptoms, when you look at the 24-25 million people in the United States who have been infected … and globally when you have approaching 100 million people having been infected, this could be something that really could be an issue,” Fauci said.
Some context: The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists fatigue, shortness of breath, cough, joint pain and chest pain as the most commonly reported long-term symptoms. Others, such as “brain fog,” depression and headache, are also reported among coronavirus long-haulers.
“While most persons with Covid-19 recover and return to normal health, some patients can have symptoms that can last for weeks or even months after recovery from acute illness. Even people who are not hospitalized and who have mild illness can experience persistent or late symptoms,” the US CDC says.
News about how well the single-dose coronavirus vaccine by Johnson & Johnson works could come in two weeks, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top US infectious disease expert.
Vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna secured emergency use authorization (EUA) from the US Food and Drug Administration in December. Johnson & Johnson is widely expected to be the third company to apply for an EUA for a coronavirus vaccine in the US.
Top US infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci has revealed the reason behind his absence from MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow show throughout the coronavirus pandemic: the Trump administration blocked him.
But when he asked to go on Maddow, a show with a definite left-leaning bent and highly critical of the Trump administration, Fauci said the answer would be “don’t do it.”
Fauci said he doesn’t expect to see the same treatment from the Biden administration.
“I think you’re going to see a lot of transparency,” said Fauci, who is director of the National Institute of Allergy of Infectious Diseases and who will continue as a White House adviser.
“You might not see everybody as often as you want, but you’re not going to see deliberate holding back of good people when the press asks for them … It was a tough situation. It really was.”
The Biden administration will try to give state and local governments better guidance on how to manage coronavirus, US Surgeon General designate Dr. Vivek Murthy said Friday.
“We know that there have been times where we have needed more clear guidance, and we have gotten that feedback at the ground level,” Murthy said during a webcast hosted by the US Conference of Mayors.
“People will say, ‘Well, the general contours of the school guidance is good, but could we have more specifics on this part or how to actually implement?’” Murthy added.
“Taking that feedback into account, we want to be sure that the new administration is providing the kind of feedback with the specificity that communities need to reopen schools more safely; to do the same with workplaces, so that we can all get back up on our feet and turn this pandemic around.”
Hong Kong is imposing a temporary lockdown on residents in coronavirus hotspots – a first in the city’s battle against Covid-19.
In a statement released early Saturday, the Hong Kong government made a “restriction-testing declaration”, which requires residents from parts of the bustling neighborhood of Jordan to stay in their premises and undergo compulsory testing arranged by the government.
Jordan, in the Kowloon peninsula, is a dense and thriving urban area with high-rise apartments, businesses and restaurants. The lockdown area includes Temple Street, home to the iconic night market popular with tourists.
About 10, 000 residents are affected by the lockdown, the government’s information office told CNN on Saturday.
Residents from buildings in the designated area are prohibited from leaving their homes until testing has been completed. The government says the compulsory testing is expected to take 48 hours.
Hong Kong’s Secretary for the Environment, Wong Kam-sin, said in a news conference Saturday that water from the pipes of several buildings in the area was being tested to ascertain whether the coronavirus is spreading through sewage.
In a separate statement Saturday, the Hong Kong government announced that roads in the “restricted area” would be closed to traffic.
Hong Kong recorded 61 new Covid-19 on Friday, including 55 local transmissions.
President Biden’s coronavirus advisers are confident more vaccine is coming, Dr. Vivek Murthy, who is the nominee for Surgeon General, said Friday.
The transition team started speaking with companies making the vaccines to try to get an idea of how much supply was really available and how quickly production could be stepped up, Murthy told a webcast sponsored by the US Conference of Mayors.
“We’ve been deeply involved in conversations with the companies on a very regular basis and those were conversations that, frankly, started even before the election to try to understand just more closely what the supply was, what the challenges were, what the roadblocks were to getting even more supply accelerated, what the potential failure spots would be that we need to look out for and plan for,” Murthy said.
“And part of what we’ve talked about also is the importance of making that data as clearly available and transparent so that mayors and the general public can also see a lot of what we’re seeing as well, can have some confidence about what the supply looks like over the coming weeks.”
State and local leaders want and need to know, so they can plan, he said.
“One of the most clear pieces of feedback that we got from governors and echoed by mayors as well was that they needed more information on when the supply was coming. They needed more than four or five days notice, that they needed ideally several weeks notice so they can plan accordingly and set up their operations, and we heard that loud and clear,” Murthy said.
“So, I think what you will see in the coming weeks is a greater focus on that transparency around supply so that you have a better sense of what we’re seeing, and also so that you have a sense of what supply also will be coming to your state over the coming weeks. “
The first positive case of the Covid-19 variant detected in South Africa has been confirmed in Panama, Ministry of Health officials announced in a statement Friday.
“This is a 40-year-old passenger, born in Zimbabwe, who entered the country on January 5 from South Africa and had previously made a stop over in the Netherlands before arriving in Panama,” the statement said.
After testing positive, the patient was kept in isolation, complying with Panama’s protocol, according to the Ministry of Health.
To date, Panama has registered at least 4,944 deaths related to Covid-19 and about 305,752 confirmed cases.
The coronavirus variant first identified in the UK “may be associated with a higher degree of mortality” in infected patients, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Friday during a news briefing at Downing Street.
“I must tell you this afternoon that we’ve been informed today that, in addition to spreading more quickly, it also now appears that there is some evidence that the new variant – the variant that was first identified in London and the South East – may be associated with a higher degree of mortality,” Johnson said.
Researchers are still looking at the data and there is still a lot of uncertainty.
Patrick Vallance, the UK government’s chief scientific adviser, said it looks like the variant is more deadly when looking at the total population that becomes infected.
“If you took somebody in their 60s — a man in their 60s — the average risk is that for 1,000 people who got infected, roughly 10 would be expected to, unfortunately, die with the virus. With the new variant, for 1,000 people infected, roughly 13 or 14 people might be expected to die,” he said.
Vallance said the increase in risk would affect all age groups.
This evidence comes from several groups in the UK that found an increased risk of death for people infected with the variant compared to people infected with other forms of the coronavirus. In four analyses cited by a government advisory group, these estimates ranged between roughly 1.3 and 1.9 times higher risk of death. At least one analysis among hospitalized patients did not.
The advisory group, known as NERVTAG, concluded there is a “realistic possibility” that variant is linked to a higher risk of death. However, the researchers said the absolute risk of death for an individual remains low, and more data will be needed to provide definitive proof. For example, in some cases the data came from less than 10% of all deaths reported.
Vallance stressed that “there’s a lot of uncertainty around these numbers and we need more work to get a precise handle on it. But it obviously is of concern that this has an increase in mortality, as well as an increase in transmissibility, as it appears of today.”
He noted that when it comes to patients who are hospitalized with Covid-19, there is not an increased risk of mortality.
“When we look at data from hospitals, so patients who are in hospital with the virus, the outcomes for those with the original virus or the new variant look the same,” he said.
UK Prime Minister Johnson said “both the vaccines we’re currently using remain effective both against the old variant and this new variant.”
