This is Coronavirus 411, the latest COVID-19 info and new hotspots… Just the facts… for December 14th, 2020.

The first freezer-packed Pfizer vaccine vials went out to distribution sites across the United States yesterday, just as the number of deaths prepares to cross the 300,000 milestone. This will be the biggest vaccination effort in U.S. history. Healthcare workers and nursing home residents should start getting shots today.

In terms of expectations, the United States expects to have immunized 100 million people by the end of March. That according to the chief adviser for the vaccine program. He said the United States hopes to have about 40 million doses distributed by the end of December.

US Covid-19 hospitalizations hit a record high for the seventh day in a row Saturday at 108,487. There have been more than 100,000 patients in hospitals every day since December 2.

Around the world, lockdown measures are increasing. In Germany, most stores closed, tight limits on social contacts, no singing in church, no fireworks sales, and schools are closing or switching to home school Wednesday. The President of South Korea warned the toughest restrictions are coming. And the Dutch government is set to decide on stricter measures today.

The death of country music legend Charley Pride from Covid has other country stars wondering…did his presence at the Country Music Association’s indoor awards show have anything to do with it? The show however was a month before Pride got the virus and became his last public performance.

The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Bent, CO. Alfalfa, OK. Collingsworth, TX. Pershing NV. Bowman, ND. Jackson, AR. Lassen, CA. Ellsworth, KS. Lincoln, CO. And Childress, TX.

There are now 6,706,369 active cases in the United States. The current Top 10 states by number of active cases: California, Florida, Illinois, Arizona, New York, Texas, Missouri, Virginia, Colorado, and Maryland.  

The five states with the most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Alaska, Rhode Island, Ohio, North Dakota, and Indiana.

The reproduction rate is currently highest in Maine, Kentucky, Georgia, South Carolina, and Delaware. The states with the lowest reproduction rate are Wyoming, North Dakota, New Mexico, Illinois, and Montana.  

There’ve been a total 299,163 deaths in the US reported as COVID-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.86%.

The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Pennsylvania 120. Illinois 107. Texas 101. New York and Colorado 87. Minnesota 85. Florida 81. California 73. Tennessee 62. And South Carolina 54.

Globally, there are now over 20 million active cases, at 20,162,922.

There were 748,974 new cases around the world reported on Dec 11. The New York Times reported a data anomaly prevented newer numbers than that. Still, the December 11 number sets a new record high by a wide margin.

The five countries with the most new cases: the United States 187,901. Russia 28,080. India 27,366. Turkey 26,919. And Brazil 21,395.

There have now been 1,612,014 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. Up 5% over 14 days.  

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