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.  * See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

5m

Mar 04, 2022

This is Covid 411, the latest on Omicron and other COVID variants, and new hotspots 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.  * See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

4m

Mar 03, 2022

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.  * See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

5m

Mar 02, 2022

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. * See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

5m

Mar 01, 2022

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.  * See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

5m

Feb 28, 2022

This is Covid 411, the latest on Omicron and other COVID variants, and new hotspots 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 Covid 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Covid 411 podcast. * See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

4m

Feb 25, 2022

This is Covid 411, the latest on Omicron and other COVID variants, and new hotspots 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 Covid 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Covid 411 podcast. * See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

4m

Feb 24, 2022

This is Covid 411, the latest on Omicron and other COVID variants, and new hotspots 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.  * See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

5m

Feb 23, 2022

This is Covid 411, the latest on Omicron and other COVID variants, and new hotspots 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.  * See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

4m

Feb 22, 2022

This is Covid 411, the latest on Omicron and other COVID variants, and new hotspots for February 21st, 2022.  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.  * See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

4m

Feb 21, 2022

This is Covid 411, the latest on Omicron and other COVID variants, and new hotspots 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 Covid 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Covid 411 podcast. * See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

4m

Feb 18, 2022

This is Covid 411, the latest on Omicron and other COVID variants, and new hotspots 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 Covid 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Covid 411 podcast. * See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

4m

Feb 17, 2022

This is Covid 411, the latest on Omicron and other COVID variants, and new hotspots 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 Covid 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Covid 411 podcast. * See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

4m

Feb 16, 2022

This is Covid 411, the latest on Omicron and other COVID variants, and new hotspots 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 Covid 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Covid 411 podcast. * See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

4m

Feb 15, 2022

This is Covid 411, the latest on Omicron and other COVID variants, and new hotspots for February 14th, 2022. 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 Covid 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Covid 411 podcast. * See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

4m

Feb 14, 2022

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 Covid 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Covid 411 podcast. * See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

5m

Feb 11, 2022

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. 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.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Covid 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Covid 411 podcast. * See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

6m

Feb 10, 2022

This is Covid 411, the latest on Omicron and other COVID variants, and new hotspots for February 9th, 2022.   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 Covid 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Covid 411 podcast. * See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

6m

Feb 09, 2022

This is Covid 411, the latest on Omicron and other COVID variants, and new hotspots for February 8th, 2022. 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.   A couple of California stories for you. The state 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...   * See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

6m

Feb 08, 2022

This is Covid 411, the latest on Omicron and other COVID variants, and new hotspots for February 7th, 2022. 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.  Whether or not China’s zero tolerance policy on COVID is the right move remains to be seen, but one thing is pretty certain, some Olympic athletes are having a miserable experience there. Those who test positive are forced to isolate. And team officials from Germany, Belgium, and Russia say their people are enduring poor to no internet connection, bad food, and no training equipment in the quarantine hotels set up by Chinese officials. One biathlon competitor said, "My stomach hurts, I'm very pale and I have huge black circles around my eyes. I cry every day.” 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...   * See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

6m

Feb 07, 2022

This is Covid 411, the latest on Omicron and other COVID variants, and new hotspots for February 4th, 2022. 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...   * See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

5m

Feb 04, 2022

This is Covid 411, the latest on Omicron and other COVID variants, and new hotspots for February 3rd, 2022. 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.  For the latest updates, subscribe for...   * See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

5m

Feb 03, 2022

This is Covid 411, the latest on Omicron and other COVID variants, and new hotspots for February 2nd, 2022. 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. Sometimes the best of intentions just doesn’t work out. The remote Pacific area of Kiribati closed its borders right at the start of the pandemic, keeping the virus away for nearly two full years. This month, it opened back up, allowing the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to bring home 54 of the island nation’s citizens. They were all tested three times in nearby Fiji, and put in quarantine with additional testing when they got home. More than half tested positive and now the island is infected. 36 cases ballooned into 181 by Friday. 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....   * See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

5m

Feb 02, 2022

This is Covid 411, the latest on Omicron and other COVID variants, and new hotspots for February 1st, 2022. 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 Covid 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Covid 411 podcast.   * See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

5m

Feb 01, 2022

This is Covid 411, the latest on Omicron and other COVID variants, and new hotspots for January 31st, 2022. 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 Covid 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Covid 411 podcast.   * See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

5m

Jan 31, 2022

This is Covid 411, the latest on Omicron and other COVID variants, and new hotspots for January 28th, 2022. 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...   * See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

5m

Jan 28, 2022

This is Covid 411, the latest on Omicron and other COVID variants, and new hotspots for January 27th, 2022. 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.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Covid 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Covid 411 podcast.   * See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

4m

Jan 27, 2022

This is Covid 411, the latest on Omicron and other COVID variants, and new hotspots for January 26th, 2022. 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.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Covid 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Covid 411 podcast.   * See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

4m

Jan 26, 2022

This is Covid 411, the latest on Omicron and other COVID variants, and new hotspots for January 25th, 2022. 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.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to...   * See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

5m

Jan 25, 2022

This is Covid 411, the latest on Omicron and other COVID variants, and new hotspots for January 24th, 2022. 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.  For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Covid 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Covid 411 podcast.   * See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

5m

Jan 24, 2022