Coronavirus, COVID-19, coronavirus variants, and vaccine updates for 10-01-2021

This is Coronavirus 411, the latest COVID-19 info and new hotspots for October 1st, 2021.   Time to get your vaccine. We’re not talking about your COVID vaccine although you’re supposed to get that too. It’s also flu shot time. And yes, health experts are very worried that there’s plenty of vaccine fatigue out there which could result in an atypical drop in the number of people getting their flu shots. It also could be a hard sell because flu cases are at historically low levels, at least partly because of the pandemic.   You might think the vast majority of Americans are of one mind and in favor of vaccine mandates, but an AP poll shows that’s not the case. In fact, as we so often are these days, the country is split almost 50/50 on the issue. 51% approve, 34% disapprove and 14% haven’t formed an opinion yet. Even 23% of people who have been vaccinated are against mandates.   As for how mandates by employers are working, United Airlines say of the employees facing firing for not accepting the vaccine shots, almost half eventually submitted. That leaves only about 320 employees to fire. Delta’s trying another tactic, charging unvaccinated workers an extra $200 a month on their health plans.   We thought we’d go ahead and answer this question before you ask it. Are you considered fully vaccinated so you can work and travel and go shopping if you do not get a booster shot? The CDC says yes, you're fully vaccinated two weeks after getting a second dose of Pfizer or Moderna or one dose of Johnson & Johnson. Boosters are recommended for people 65 and over, long-term care residents, and those 50 to 64 with health problems like diabetes or heart disease if they got their last Pfizer shot at least six months ago. People who got Moderna and J&J; aren't even eligible for boosters yet.   In the Broadway show, Aladdin sings about a whole new world and that’s obviously what we’re living in. Because that show was cancelled Wednesday when several of the company’s members tested positive. They had just reopened the show the day before.     In the United States cases were down 26%, deaths are up 2%, and hospitalizations are down 17% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 13.    There are 9,875,879 active cases in the United States.   With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Maine 21%, Vermont 20%, and Montana, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia 18%.   The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Kodiak Island Borough, AK. Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK. Fairbanks North Star Borough, AK. Green, KY. Cleburne, AL. Lewis, WV. Kenai Peninsula Borough, AK. Letcher, KY. Whitley, KY. And Waynesboro, VA.   There have been at least 697,832 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.   The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont unchanged at 69.4%, Connecticut unchanged at 68.6%, and Maine at 68.5%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia still unchanged at 40.4%, and Wyoming and Idaho at 41.5%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 55.5%.   The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Taiwan up 4%. Ethiopia 3%. And South Korea, Australia, and Indonesia 2%.   Globally, cases were down 17% and deaths were down 13% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 27.   There are 18,404,118 active cases around the world.   The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 113,922. The U.K. 36,480. Turkey 29,104. Brazil 27,527. And India 27,300.   There have now been at least 4,781,886 deaths reported as Covid-related... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.