The World Health Organization expects the even more transmissible version of Omicron, BA.2, to increase in circulation around the world. What’s not clear is whether or not it can reinfect people who caught an earlier version of Omicron. The agency is currently tracking four different versions of Omicron. Most states in the U.S. have confirmed the presence of BA.2, though it’s circulating at a low level with 460 cases confirmed so far.

It's been reported Johnson & Johnson shut down production in the only plant making usable batches of its vaccine late last year. It’s in the Dutch city of Lieden. The stoppage is temporary but should last a few months. It’s unclear why the company did it, but the New York Times reports the facility has turned its attention to making another vaccine for an unrelated virus.

Turns out it can be done. The Air Force became the second military service to approve religious exemptions to the mandatory vaccine, granting requests from nine airmen to avoid the shots. Don’t get excited, that’s nine out of more than 6,400 requests. The Marines have granted three religious exemptions so far, while the Army and Navy haven’t approved a single one.

32 athletes at the Beijing Olympics are now in isolation facilities after testing positive. They’ve got to stay there for seven days. Organizers acknowledge isolation is difficult and there is the possibility they’ll miss competitions after years of training. So far, there have been 393 positive cases inside the Olympic bubble. 

If you lay awake at night worrying if Pfizer is making enough money, let us put your mind at ease. It will generate record-high revenue in 2022, expecting to sell $32 billion worth of its COVID shots and $22 billion worth of its COVID pill. And that’s just for those two products. And yet, the company missed its fourth quarter revenue target, sending the stock down more than 5.7%.

In the United States, cases were down 62%, deaths are up 25%, and hospitalizations are down 27% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 14.  

The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Mississippi, Virginia, Ohio, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania. 

There are 28,795,422 active cases in the United States.

The five areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Wyoming 15%. Montana 13%. Idaho and West Virginia 11%. And Oregon 8%. 

The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Whitman, WA. Adair, OK. Craig, OK. Tippah, MS. Wayne, MS. Bethel Census Area, AK. Okmulgee, OK. Cherokee, OK. And Scott, TN. 

There have been 908,816 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 79.6%, Rhode Island at 79.4%, and Maine at 77.7%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 49.7%, Wyoming at 50%, and Mississippi at 50.3%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 64.1%.

Globally, cases were down 22% and deaths up 23% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 25. 

There are 73,928,908 active cases around the world.

The five countries with the most new cases: Germany 212,724. The United States 179,169. Brazil 171,483. Russia 165,643. And Turkey 111,096. 

There have been 5,762,582 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. 

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