This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for December 3rd, 2021.

As expected, the US administration rolled out some measures to fight COVID and the new Omicron variant into winter. All in-bound international passengers must test within 24 hours of departure, and masks will be required on all planes and public transportation through March 18. Also, businesses will be urged expedite worker vaccine and testing mandates, and Americans with private health insurance can get reimbursed for at-home COVID tests. Those without private insurance can get tests through health centers and rural clinics.

Tracking the Omicron variant’s spread, it’s in five US states now, including California, New York, Hawaii, Colorado, and Minnesota. As for countries we add Spain, Singapore, India, and in Norway at least 50 people were infected in connection to a company Christmas party in an Oslo restaurant.

The Omicron studies continue in South Africa, and so far, they’ve found the variant is reinfecting people at 3x the rate of previous strains. Translated, that means it appears immunity from a previous infection won’t help you. However, more evidence is emerging that the existing vaccines still seem to offer protection against serious illness.

Your host got his booster shot yesterday and spent all day sick in bed. Your results may vary. However, I was mixing Pfizer and Moderna like a party animal. But here’s some reassuring news. A British study says the mRNA vaccines provide the biggest boost to antibody levels. The study also found boosters also helped generate a broad T-cell response against the Beta and Delta variants.

Be cautious when making sports stars your heroes. Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Brown has been suspended three games after violating NFL COVID-19 protocols. And here’s how he violated it. He and two other players bought fake vaccination cards this past summer. They know they did it and are not appealing. And they’re vaccinated now. Really.

With reporting affected by the Thanksgiving holiday, in the United States cases were down 1%, deaths are down 10%, and hospitalizations are up 16% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since November 29. 

The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Wyoming, Montana, Michigan, Kentucky, and West Virginia. 

There are 9,520,781 active cases in the United States.

The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Rhode Island 52%, Indiana 48%, Massachusetts and Delaware 44%, and Connecticut 42%.

The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Koochiching, MN. Jackson, IA. Bennington, VT. Sullivan, NH. Allen, KS. Neosho, KS. Clinton, IA. Shiawassee, MI. Socorro, NM. And Colfax, NM.

There have been at least 785,907 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 72.9%, Rhode Island at 72.6%, and Maine at 72.3%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia at 41.5%, Wyoming at 45.6%, and Alabama at 46.2%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 59.4%.

Globally, cases were up 12% and deaths were down 2% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15.

There are 20,720,971 active cases around the world.

The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 132,822. Germany 73,486. The U.K. 53,945. France 48,416. And Russia 33,389.

There have been at least 5,233,849 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.

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