Coronavirus news, updates, hotspots and information for 3-23-2021

This is Coronavirus 411, the latest COVID-19 info and new hotspots… Just the facts… for March 23rd, 2021.   A late-stage U.S. study shows the PR plagued AstraZeneca vaccine provided 79% efficacy against disease and 100% protection against hospitalization and death across all age groups. The study, of course, was done by AstraZeneca, but the company said its experts also identified no safety concerns including blood clotting. AstraZeneca's vaccine has yet to be given the green light in the U.S.   New cases of COVID-19 in the United States rose 5% to more than 394,000 last week, the first increase after declining nine straight weeks, according to Reuters and CDC data. 30 out of 50 states reported more new infections in the week ended March 21 compared with the previous seven days, up from 19 states in the prior week.   Germany extended its lockdown measures by another month and imposed several new restrictions, including largely shutting down public life over Easter. Chancellor Angela Merkel announced the measures after a lengthy video call with the country's 16 state governors. Restrictions will remain in place until April 18.   Not just Germany but vaccinations across all of the EU have been less than stellar. And there are still sometimes angry comparison being made to the U.K. Critics point out the U.K. inoculated 844,285 people Saturday, which is more than the daily combined figures for France, Italy, Germany, Hungary, Romania, Portugal, Poland, Austria, Greece, the Czech Republic, Belgium and Denmark.   If you need another incentive to get vaccinated, here’s a sweet one. Starting Monday and going to the end of this year, if you take your vaccination card to any Krispy Kreme in the US, you can get a free glazed doughnut. Not just once, but every day. Of course, it’s a treat, not exactly a health plan.   In the United States cases were down 7%, deaths are down 38%, and hospitalizations down 17% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending flat since March 14.    There are now 7,175,014 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, New York, Florida, Virginia, and Georgia.   The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Lyon, KY. Chattahoochee, GA. Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, AK. Huron, MI. Missaukee, MI. Boone, NE. Pitkin, CO. Wexford, MI. Simpson, KY. And Otsego, MI.   The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Rhode Island, New Jersey, Michigan, New York, and Delaware.   There have been 542,888 deaths in the US reported as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.83%.   The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: California 181. Texas 79. Kentucky 61. Louisiana 42. Florida 35. New York 31. Massachusetts 27. Georgia 26. Illinois 22. And South Carolina 20.   The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, New Mexico at 33%, Alaska at 31.2%, and South Dakota at 30.2%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Georgia at 18.8%, Alabama at 19.8%, and Tennessee at 21%.   Globally, cases were up 24% and deaths up 1% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since March 5.     There are now 21,289,277 active cases around the world.   The five countries with the most new cases: Brazil 53,386. The United States 45,748. India 40,611. Turkey 22,216. And France 15,792.   There have now been 2,722,203 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.