Coronavirus, COVID-19, coronavirus variants, and vaccine updates for 8-10-2021

This is Coronavirus 411, the latest COVID-19 info and new hotspots… Just the facts… for August 10th, 2021.   As anticipated, members of the U.S. military will be required to get the vaccine starting next month. Memos have been distributed to all troops this is necessary to maintain military readiness. The Defense Secretary said that deadline could be accelerated if the vaccine gets final FDA approval or infection rates keep rising.   A couple of good bits of news for Moderna. Its vaccine has been granted a provisional authorization in Australia to adults who are at least 18 years old. And in Switzerland, Moderna has been approved for 12- to 17-year-olds.   The CDC added seven destinations to their highest risk category for travel, meaning travel to these places should be avoided. Joining the club are Aruba, Eswatini, France, French Polynesia, Iceland, Israel, and Thailand. The CDC continues to recommend against all international travel unless you are fully vaccinated. Meanwhile Canada lifted its prohibition on Americans crossing the border to shop, vacation or visit. The US is however keeping those restrictions in place for Canadians.   Healthcare workers may soon have a big decision to make as nearly 1,500 hospitals, about a fourth of all hospitals in the U.S., require all staffers be vaccinated. More are being added every day. At least seven states have laws against vaccine mandates. Some of those exempt health care facilities, but some prohibit employers, including hospitals, from discrimination based on vaccination status, nor do workers have to tell employers their vaccination status.   A few judges in Ohio have either ordered defendants to get a vaccine or reduced sentences if the defendant got a vaccine. In the most recent case last week, a judge ordered a 21-year-old who pleaded guilty to possession of a fentanyl-related compound to get a vaccine within two months as one of several conditions to get two years’ probation. The defendant’s attorney did not challenge the order.   In the United States cases were up 112%, deaths are up 92%, and hospitalizations are up 90% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5.    There are 6,223,361 active cases in the United States.   Keeping in mind several states stopped reporting daily case numbers, the five states with the most new cases: Florida 28,317. California 9,976. Texas 6,158. Louisiana 5,515. And North Carolina 3,863.   The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Neshoba, MS. Gulf, FL. Columbia, FL. Chambers, TX. Lafourche, LA. Terrebonne, LA. Iberia, LA. Jackson, FL. And St. James, LA.   There have been at least 617,307 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related.   The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 67.9%, Massachusetts at 64.4%, and Maine at 64.2%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 34.8%, Mississippi at 35.2%, and Wyoming at 37%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 50.1%.   The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Vietnam up 7%. Nepal 6%. Kyrgyzstan 5%. Suriname 4%. And Cambodia, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia 3%.   Globally, cases were up 17% and deaths were down 4% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since June 21.   There are 16,497,595 active cases around the world.   The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 102,375. Iran 40,808. India 27,429. The U.K. 25,161. And Turkey 23,731.   There have now been at least 4,301,576 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.   For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Coronavirus 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.