CDC school guidance; US variant cases; Trump ventilator
California launched much-awaited statewide race and ethnicity data for COVID-19 Friday, and the outcomes present that Blacks up to now account for simply 2.8% of all individuals who have acquired not less than one shot.
Whites have acquired almost 33 p.c, in line with the information collected by the California Department of Public Health.
The information didn’t instantly clarify the disparity. It confirmed additionally that Asian Americans who’ve acquired not less than one vaccine dose account for 13.1%, Latinos 15.8%, and multi-race 13.9%.
California – and a number of other different states – have come under fire in recent weeks for lagging behind in reporting information on how vaccinations are being delivered throughout ethnic teams.
A scarcity of information is additional masking vaccination rollout transparency, well being fairness researchers say, and the information deficit is hurting these most weak. So far, lower than 20 states are releasing vaccination counts by race and ethnicity, and the information is incomplete.
The preliminary figures from 16 states are already elevating considerations, in line with a current report by the Kaiser Family Foundation. The evaluation exhibits that the share of vaccinations amongst Black folks in these states is smaller than the variety of instances amongst Black folks in all 16 of these states, and smaller than their share of deaths in 15 states.
A USA TODAY analysis of data from Chicago and the U.S. Census Bureau discovered that, citywide, the vaccination price in Chicago’s majority-Black or Latino zip codes averaged 5%.
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In the headlines:
►The United States reported dozens extra coronavirus variant instances Thursday night time, displaying additional attain of viruses that may unfold extra simply, dodge some therapies and immunities, or each. Known variant instances within the U.S. have greater than doubled since Jan. 31, and have elevated five-fold since Jan. 22.
►President Joe Biden on Thursday introduced completion of a deal to buy an extra 200 million coronavirus vaccine doses, fulfilling an settlement he outlined two weeks in the past. “We’ve now purchased enough vaccine supplies to vaccinate all Americans,” Biden mentioned throughout a go to to the National Institutes of Health.
►After weeks of vaccine distribution being largely restricted to hospitals, well being techniques and native well being departments, COVID-19 vaccines are poised to roll out Friday at major pharmacies, together with the nation’s two largest chains, CVS and Walgreens.
►Los Angeles is quickly closing 5 mass vaccination websites, together with Dodger Stadium, attributable to an absence of provide. Smaller cell vaccination clinics will keep open, however the mass vaccination websites are to stay shuttered till town will get extra provide, presumably Tuesday or Wednesday. Mayor Eric Garcetti mentioned Los Angeles makes use of about 13,000 doses in a typical day however acquired solely 16,000 this week.
►Mask carrying shall be wanted for “several, several months” at the same time as vaccinations roll out, Dr. Anthony Fauci mentioned Friday on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” Once 75-80% of the inhabitants is vaccinated, the nation can “start pulling back a bit on what are stringent public health measures,” he added.
►The New York Times reported Friday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration agreed to let Moderna enhance the variety of doses of its COVID-19 vaccine that it places into every vial from 10 to 14. The Times reported that the change, which might increase the nation’s vaccine provide by 20%, might take impact earlier than the top of April.
►The head of the World Health Organization said Friday that each one hypotheses into the origins of the coronavirus had been nonetheless being investigated and analyzed after a group of WHO investigators said earlier this week that the idea that the virus leaked from a virology lab in Wuhan would not be pursued. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus mentioned the group’s abstract report could be launched subsequent week.
►Fully vaccinated folks who meet sure standards will no longer be required to quarantine following an publicity to somebody with COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.
►Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte lifted the state’s mask mandate Friday. The Republican governor had promised to take action after taking workplace in January and signing a legislation to protect companies from lawsuits by clients and workers associated to contracting the virus. Some localities within the state will hold their masks guidelines in place. Meanwhile, in Nevada, Gov. Steve Sisolak on Thursday introduced he would gradually end a monthslong “pause” on economic activity meant to gradual the virus’ lethal resurgence over the vacations.
►The Australian Open will be allowed to continue but without crowds for not less than 5 days after the Victoria state authorities imposed a lockdown beginning Saturday in response to a COVID-19 outbreak at a quarantine lodge.
📈 Today’s numbers: The U.S. has greater than 27.4 million confirmed coronavirus instances and 480,400 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. The world totals: More than 108.0 million instances and a couple of.37 million deaths. More than 69 million vaccine doses have been distributed within the U.S. and about 48.4 million have been administered, according to the CDC.
📘 What we’re studying: How many COVID-19 vaccines have been despatched to your state, and the way many individuals have acquired a shot up to now? Check the USA TODAY vaccine tracker.
Four absolutely vaccinated folks in Oregon check constructive
Four folks in Oregon, who’ve been absolutely vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine, have examined constructive for the coronavirus the well being authority reported Friday.
Oregon is among the many first states nationwide to report “breakthrough cases” — individuals who check constructive for coronavirus not less than 14 days after receiving their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
“(This is) not to be unexpected in a vaccine that while phenomenal, with 95% percent effectiveness, still means 5% may still be infected,” Patrick Allen, the director of the well being authority, mentioned Friday.
The 4 folks had gentle or no signs. Officials say that research present that the vaccine could assist cut back the severity of the sickness.
“What all this means is that we can expect to see more breakthrough cases,” Dean Sidelinger, the health authority’s state health officer.
– Associated Press
Cuomo aide admits ‘we froze’ on nursing home deaths, report says
Democratic lawmakers in New York are facing increased pressure to rein in Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s emergency powers after reported comments by his top aide raised new questions about whether the state has been forthright about the COVID-19 death toll in nursing homes.
In a call between top members of Cuomo’s administration and some legislative Democrats, The New York Post reported, Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa suggested the Cuomo administration “froze” on reporting the COVID-19 death toll in nursing homes because the Trump administration’s Department of Justice issued a separate request for information about nursing homes around the same time.
DeRosa, who answered questions about why it had taken the Cuomo administration more than six months to answer requests from lawmakers for information about the state’s handling of the virus in hospitals and nursing homes, apologized to the
apologized to the Democratic lawmakers for putting them in a tough position, the Post reported.
– Jon Campbell and Joseph Spector, New York state team
CDC issues new guidance on school reopenings
U.S. health officials released new guidance for reopening schools Friday, saying schools can safely reopen by adhering to five key mitigation strategies.
The new guidance emphasizes “consistent and correct” use of masks, social distancing, handwashing, cleaning and maintaining facilities, and contact tracing in combination with isolation and quarantine. The guidance does not require school staff to have access to vaccinations to return for in-person instruction and lists screening tests as an “additional layer of mitigation.”
“CDC is not mandating that schools reopen,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a call Friday. “These recommendations simply provide schools a long-need roadmap.”
The guidance also outlines, for the first time, which instruction model, such as in-person or hybrid, schools should implement based on the level of transmission in their community. Biden has said he aims to have most public schools open within his first 100 days in office. He’s at Day 23.
On Thursday, some students returned to classrooms in the nation’s third-largest school district, following a standoff between Chicago Public Schools and the teachers union. And in San Francisco, the city filed a lawsuit to push its school district to reopen classrooms. The number of suicidal children in the city has hit a record high, and health experts say it is clear that keeping public schools closed “is catalyzing a mental health crisis among school-aged children.”
Reports: Officials considered using ventilator for Trump during COVID-19 bout
Former President Donald Trump’s condition had become so concerning after he tested positive for COVID-19 that officials spoke of putting him on a ventilator, the New York Times and CNN reported Thursday.
Trump was hospitalized at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in October, and the White House and his doctors routinely sent mixed signals about his condition.
According to the Times, Trump’s blood oxygen levels dipped into the 80s, and a case of COVID-19 is considered severe when blood oxygen levels are in the low 90s. The Times also reported that Trump had lung infiltrates, meaning his lungs were inflamed and contained a substance such as fluid or bacteria.
Vaccine rollout in Chicago a microcosm of racial disparities nationwide
Ethel Walton, a nurse and president of the Chicago Chapter of the Black Nurses Association, lives in a majority-Black south side neighborhood located in a zip code where just 4% of residents have received a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and nearly 120 people have died. The rate of COVID-19 deaths in that zip code is three to four times higher than several majority-white north side neighborhoods. The vaccination rates in those white neighborhoods are six times higher.
“It’s a stressful situation, because no one wants to hear that their (people are) dying of COVID in massive numbers,” she said. “It’s unfair that the immunization has again been made … just not equal at all.”
USA TODAY’s analysis of data discovered that the vaccination price in Chicago’s majority-Black or Latino zip codes averaged 5%. Majority-white zip codes averaged 13%. Four of town’s majority-white zip codes exceeded 20% preliminary vaccination, whereas the best price for any majority Black or Latino space was 12%.
Chicago is just not alone. The information exhibits comparable developments in Washington, D.C., and Austin, Texas, two different locations which have reported vaccination charges on the neighborhood degree. Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention additionally present gaping disparities nationally, and a current examine of the small variety of states reporting race and ethnicity for vaccine recipients confirmed a widespread sample of inequity. Read more.
– Nada Hassanein, Grace Hauck, Jayme Fraser and Aleszu Bajak
Attacks on Asian Americans spotlight rise in hate incidents amid COVID-19
A sequence of violent crimes in opposition to Asians and Asian Americans has prompted activists and experts to warn that racist rhetoric concerning the coronavirus pandemic could also be fueling an increase in hate incidents.
Police in Oakland, California, introduced this week that they arrested a suspect in reference to a brutal assault of a 91-year-old man in Chinatown that was caught on digicam. In lower than per week, a Thai man was attacked and killed in San Francisco, a Vietnamese lady was assaulted and robbed of $1,000 in San Jose, and a Filipino man was attacked with a field cutter on the subway in New York City.
It’s unclear whether or not the crimes had been racially motivated, however advocates calling for extra to be achieved to deal with violence in opposition to Asian Americans say racist crimes in opposition to the group are traditionally underreported for quite a lot of causes.
Stop AAPI Hate, which features a self-reporting device for harassment, discrimination and violent assaults, recorded 2,808 incidents of anti-Asian discrimination throughout the U.S. from its inception on March 19 to Dec. 31, 2020. Another group, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, recorded greater than 3,000 hate incidents of their self-reporting system since late April 2020 – by far the best quantity within the device’s four-year historical past. Read more.
– N’dea Yancey-Bragg
Contributing: The Associated Press
