Coronavirus, COVID-19, coronavirus variants, and vaccine updates for 9-28-2021

This is Coronavirus 411, the latest COVID-19 info and new hotspots for September 28th, 2021.   The U.S. President sought to lead by example as he received his booster shot on camera just one workday after the CDC and FDA recommended a third dose of Pfizer. You’re qualified to get one if you have pre-existing medical conditions, high-risk work environments, or are 65 and older. Let’s just say the President qualified.   Pfizer started a large study testing its oral antiviral drug to prevent COVID-19 infection among those who’ve been exposed. They’re in a battle with Merck and Roche to get there first. The drug is designed to block a key enzyme needed for the virus to multiply and will be combined with a low dose of an older medication widely used as part of treatment for HIV.   A Massachusetts police union announced that not a couple, not a few, but dozens of state troopers have quit over a vaccine mandate for state workers. A judge threw out a lawsuit filed by the State Police Association of Massachusetts that sought to at least delay the mandate.   While cases are trending down, for many, the damage has already been done. And we’re not talking about long COVID. A study out of Oxford shows American males experienced the largest loss in life expectancy in 2020, which shaved 2.2 years off their lifespans. Black and Hispanic groups saw the greatest dip in life expectancy.   Some scientists are studying a type of antibody derived from llamas as a possible treatment for COVID. Actually any member of the camelid family, like camels, llamas, and alpacas, will do and produce unique antibodies called nanobodies that are robust and bind to specific targets. The llama they’re studying is named Fifi, just so if it works you’ll know who to thank.   In the United States cases were down 33%, deaths are up 12%, and hospitalizations are down 16% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 13.    There are 9,840,573 active cases in the United States.   With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in per capita hospitalizations over 14 days are Vermont at 35%, Maine 22%, Montana 21%, West Virginia 20%. And Pennsylvania and North Dakota 19%.   The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AL. Cleburne, AL. Kodiak Island Borough, AK. Fairbanks North Star Borough, AK. Lewis, WV. Whitley, KY. Green, KY. Custer, MT. Letcher, KY. And Magoffin, KY.   There have been at least 690,426 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 69.3%, Connecticut at 68.5%, and Maine at 68.2%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia at 40.3%, Wyoming at 41.2%, and Idaho at 41.4%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 55.3%.   The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Georgia, Kosovo, Oceana, Bangladesh, and Ethiopia all up 2%.     Globally, cases were down 22% and deaths were down 12% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 27.   There are 18,519,283 active cases around the world.   The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 81,550. The U.K. 32,258. India 27,022. Turkey 25,861. And Russia 22,498.   There have now been at least 4,755,749 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 play the Coronavirus 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.