Coronavirus news, updates, hotspots and information for 3-26-2021

This is Coronavirus 411, the latest COVID-19 info and new hotspots… Just the facts… for March 26th, 2021.   California will start vaccinating anyone 16 and over in 3 weeks, joining an ever-growing list of states that are doing so. The state expects to get 2.5 million doses a week in the first half of the month and more than 3 million a week in the second. Alaska’s already vaccinating those 16 and over. Florida will open to 18+ April 5, and Texas will start inoculating all adults next week.   Hard to find any vaccination effort beating Israel’s. The country has now administered two doses of vaccine to more than half its population. Israel began easing a nationwide lockdown in late February and has seen an 85% drop in daily deaths, a 72% drop in the critically ill, and 86% fewer daily cases since mid-January.   The U.K. is extending coronavirus emergency measures for six months, allowing the government to maintain the ability to restrict citizens’ everyday lives. This includes the power to ban protests, shut down businesses, restrict travel, and detain people suspected of being infected.   Research shows rapid antigen tests on arrival after travel can be just as effective as a ten-day quarantine. Of course, that research was commissioned by several British airlines. Last year, Britain’s 10-day quarantine rules for arrivals from most countries hammered travel and stopped countless people from taking trips.   In a sign you might have to get the vaccine or quit college, Rutgers University will require students enrolling for the 2021 fall semester to prove they’ve been vaccinated for COVID. Rutgers is believed to be the first large university in the U.S., maybe the first college of any size, to require vaccines.   In the United States cases were flat, deaths are down 31%, and hospitalizations down 12% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending flat since March 14.    There are now 7,018,080 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: Webster, NE. Chattahoochee, GA. Dimmit, TX. Big Horn, MT. Bacon, GA. Huron, MI. Otsego, MI. Wexford, MI. Beaver, UT. And Sanilac, 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 546,504 deaths in the US reported as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.82%.   The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: California 242. Texas 133. Florida 101. Georgia 91. New York 78. Michigan 54. Massachusetts 40. Pennsylvania and New Jersey 38. And Illinois 34.   The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, New Mexico at 33.7%, Alaska at 31.9%, and Connecticut at 31.1%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Georgia at 20%, Alabama at 20.8%, and Tennessee at 21.9%.   Globally, cases were up 23% and deaths up 6% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since March 5.     There are now 21,570,962 active cases around the world.   The five countries with the most new cases: Brazil 97,586. The United States 67,046. India 59,069. France 45,641. And Poland 34,151.   There have now been 2,753,597 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.