This is Covid 411, the latest on Omicron and other COVID variants, and new hotspots for February 18th, 2022. 

One influential model estimates 73% of Americans are, for now, immune to Omicron, and that could rise to 80% by mid-March. The coronavirus is still dangerous and tens of millions remain vulnerable. But at this point, experts say at least most immune systems have seen the coronavirus before and won’t be as vulnerable. 

California is moving on. It became the first state to formally shift to an “endemic” approach to the coronavirus with a plan that emphasizes prevention and quick reaction to outbreaks rather than mandated masking and business shutdowns. A disease reaches endemic status when the virus still exists but becomes manageable as immunity builds.

Is the White House aware of what stage of the pandemic we’re in and that several states are dropping mask mandates? The administration says it’s now going to focus on making sure kid-sized masks are distributed to pharmacies and community health centers. Regular masks don’t always fit little faces well. The CDC does recommend kids 2-years old and up who aren’t vaccinated stay masked in indoor public spaces.

You’ll notice the vaccination rates we’ve been reporting have been pretty much stuck. But now that we have some hindsight, what arguments did work in terms of convincing skeptics to get the shots? A Harvard Business School study says altruistic messages like protecting others or the economy worked better than self-protection messages. The study found mixed results at best for vaccine mandates making a difference.

It was accused of being a super spreader event, but was it? The CDC has concluded that just because a person tested positive for Omicron after attending an anime convention in New York City late last year, it wasn’t a super spreader event. They credit vaccinations and good airflow at the convention center. Plus, a lot of cosplay going on, so it was a place you were going to find a lot of masks anyway. 

In the United States, cases were down 68%, deaths are down 13%, and hospitalizations are down 39% 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, West Virginia, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Idaho. 

There are 27,940,922 active cases in the United States.

The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Attala, MS. Big Horn, MT. Floyd, KY. Perry, KY. Marengo, AL. Butler, KY. Estill, KY. Clay, KY. And Letcher, KY. 

There have been 931,505 deaths in the U.S. recorded as COVID-related.

The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Rhode Island at 80.1%, Vermont at 79.9%, and Maine at 78.1%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 49.9%, Wyoming at 50.3%, and Mississippi at 50.6%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 64.5%.

Globally, cases were down 35% and deaths down 1% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 25. 

There are 70,345,679 active cases around the world.

The five countries with the most new cases: Germany 227,613. Russia 180,622. Brazil 129,266. The United States 103,377. And South Korea 93,127. 

There have been 5,861,456 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. 

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This is Covid 411, the latest on Omicron and other COVID variants, and new hotspots for February 17th, 2022.

Encouraging signs all over the world. Germany announced plans to end most of the country's restrictions by March 20. They believe infections have reached their peak so there’s a three-step plan that will roll the restrictions back. In Switzerland, they will end health checks for incoming travelers and the need for COVID passes and masks to enter places like shops, restaurants, and cultural venues. And in Austria they’ll end most restrictions March 5, though masks will still be required in some places.

In other places, things aren’t going as well. Despite a “zero-COVID” policy, Hong Kong continues to get hit hard, stressing hospitals. China's leader said it was Hong Kong’s local government's "overriding task" to get control of the situation, and he reminded Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Chinese Communist Party leaders have a high level of concern.

It doesn’t appear to be causing significant damage, but it sure is spreading. The World Health Organization says the Omicron sub-variant BA.2 accounted for 21.5% of all new Omicron cases worldwide in the first week of February. In the U.S., the prevalence of BA.2 has tripled from January 29 to February 5 but still makes up a very small proportion of new cases.

The CDC lowered its travel warning for cruise ships from its highest level where it’s been for seven weeks. At the beginning of that time, the CDC said travelers should avoid cruises no matter what their vaccination status. They still recommend being fully vaccinated and wearing quality masks indoors and in crowded outdoor areas. 

Remember your kooky friend who said you should fight COVID with vitamin D? Maybe not that kooky. A study shows people who were deficient in vitamin D were 14 times more likely to have a severe or critical case of COVID. And mortality for deficient patients was 25.6% compared to 2.3% for those with sufficient vitamin D. 

In the United States, cases were down 68%, deaths are down 13%, and hospitalizations are down 38% 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, West Virginia, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Idaho. 

There are 28,011,618 active cases in the United States.

The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Attala, MS. Big Horn, MT. Floyd, KY. Perry, KY. Marengo, AL. Butler, KY. Estill, KY. Clay, KY. And Letcher, KY. 

There have been 928,490 deaths in the U.S. recorded as COVID-related.

The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Rhode Island at 80.1%, Vermont at 79.9%, and Maine at 78.1%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 49.9%, Wyoming at 50.3%, and Mississippi at 50.6%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 64.5%.

Globally, cases were down 37% and deaths down 3% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 25. 

There are 70,786,115 active cases around the world.

The five countries with the most new cases: Germany 234,886. Russia 179,284. Brazil 147,252. The United States 114,668. And France 98,735. 

There have been 5,849,513 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. 

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This is Covid 411, the latest on Omicron and other COVID variants, and new hotspots for February 16th, 2022.

The head of the World Health Organization's Europe office said their attention is turning to growing rates of infection in Eastern Europe, where six countries — including Russia and Ukraine — have seen a doubling of cases over the last two weeks. The concern is that vaccination rates have lagged in Eastern Europe. 

In the United States, it doesn’t look like people are buying into the need for a booster. The pace of people getting booster shots has dropped to the lowest it’s ever been. Of the 64% of the US that’s fully vaccinated, only 28% have gone on to get a booster. People who got the one dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine are especially slow to get a second dose. 

Part of that may be because of the performance of the first rounds of vaccines. The CDC released data from a study showing the efficacy rate of mRNA vaccines waned after as soon as four months. However, it was quickly pointed out that the vaccines were key in reducing serious illness and death, and that the data only underscores the need for a booster shot. 

As health experts try to get kids vaccinated at younger and younger ages, how about unborn fetuses? Turns out if mom got a dose, then the baby did too. New research shows babies whose mothers were fully vaccinated with Moderna or Pfizer during pregnancy had a 61% lower risk of being hospitalized with COVID in their first six months of life.

Whether the pandemic is over or not, the government spending machine clearly is not. The White House is telling Congress it needs $30 billion more dollars of taxpayer money to keep fighting COVID. Congress has already approved $5.8 trillion to battle the pandemic in a series of major bills across the last two administrations, and it’s estimated 90% of that money has been spent.

In the United States, cases were down 66%, deaths are down 6%, and hospitalizations are down 36% 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, West Virginia, Arkansas, Virginia, and Delaware. 

There are 28,114,769 active cases in the United States.

The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Scott, TN. Unicoi, TN. Attala, MS. Big Horn, MT. Overton, TN. Perry, KY. Floyd, KY. McNairy, TN. And Cannon, TN. 

There have been 925,438 deaths in the U.S. recorded as COVID-related.

The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Rhode Island and Vermont at 79.9%, and Maine at 78%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 49.9%, Wyoming at 50.3%, and Mississippi at 50.5%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 64.4%.

Globally, cases were down 32% and deaths up 11% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 25. 

There are 71,379,697 active cases around the world.

The five countries with the most new cases: Germany 177,515. Russia 166,631. France 142,253. Brazil 123,827. And the United States 94,818. 

There have been 5,836,409 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. 

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This is Covid 411, the latest on Omicron and other COVID variants, and new hotspots for February 15th, 2022.

New York City fired 1,430 workers who didn’t comply with the city's vaccine mandate. Hundreds more got the shots after being notified they were getting fired. Of the fired workers, about 64% worked for the education department. 

Hong Kong’s going to offer vaccines to kids as young as 3. Previously, the age limit was 5. Schools extended a suspension of in-class teaching for two weeks to March 6. Additionally, only vaccinated people will be allowed in shopping malls and supermarkets, and churches, hair salons and other businesses have been ordered to close. Hong Kong has fully vaccinated 73% of its eligible population, not including children.

Deltacron. It’s real, but how dangerous is it? UK health officials confirmed they’re monitoring the combination of Delta and Omicron and think it evolved in a Brit who caught both variants at the same time. Originally, the combo was dismissed, but UK health officials see it as a legitimate threat.

Heartburn is no fun, but a new study says if you’re on a heartburn medication, that could have helped ease COVID symptoms. Famotidine, the main ingredient in Pepcid, saw symptoms like breathing difficulties, abdominal pain, and changes to smell and taste resolve faster for those who were taking it. The lead in the study said it’s not an anti-viral drug, but it can prevent inflammation.

In New Zealand, the latest weapon to harass vaccine mandate protesters is Barry Manilow. Hundreds descended on the parliament building so police blasted a 15-minute loop of some of the more upbeat Manilow songs like Copacabana. It wasn’t all Barry. They blasted the Macarena as well. The new tactic was tried when turning sprinklers on them didn’t work. They just dug trenches and made drainpipes.

In the United States, cases were down 67%, deaths are down 3%, and hospitalizations are down 35% 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, West Virginia, Kansas, and Arkansas. 

There are 28,381,019 active cases in the United States.

The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Scott, TN. Unicoi, TN. Overton, TN. Estill, KY. McNairy, TN. Cannon, TN. Fentress, TN. Perry, KY. And Macon, TN. 

There have been 922,474 deaths in the U.S. recorded as COVID-related.

The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Rhode Island at 79.9%, Vermont at 79.8%, with Maine at 78%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 49.9%, Wyoming at 50.3%, and Mississippi at 50.5%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 64.4%.

Globally, cases were down 30% and deaths up 13% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 25. 

There are 72,267,291 active cases around the world.

The five countries with the most new cases: Russia 180,456. Germany 127,449. Japan 80,234. The United States 79,155. And Turkey 76,632. 

There have been 5,825,680 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. 

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This is Covid 411, the latest on Omicron and other COVID variants, and new hotspots for February 14th, 2022.

A study published in Nature Medicine found U.S. veterans who survived Covid were more likely to have suffered some type of cardiovascular problem within the next year. And that’s even if their infections were mild. That included a 52% greater likelihood of suffering a stroke, a 63% higher likelihood of a heart attack, a 72% higher likelihood of heart failure, and a 71% higher likelihood to have a-fib. 

A bill in California would mandate that all businesses make not just their employees, but also all their independent contractors get vaccinated. New employees would have to get at least one dose before they can start work and the second within 45 days of being on the job. The mandate would stay in place unless the CDC comes out and says COVID vaccinations aren’t needed anymore.

The FDA has granted emergency use authorization for bebtelovimab, a new monoclonal antibody designed to reduce risk of hospitalization and death from COVID. Just weeks ago, the FDA halted use of previously authorized antibody treatments when research revealed them to be ineffective against Omicron. Only those over 12 with mild to moderate symptoms in the early stages of COVID can get the new treatment.

A plan to expand Covid vaccinations to all kids five to 11 in the UK has been delayed because the government and the vaccinations watchdog can’t seem to agree on it. A decision is expected to be made February 21. Word has it the recommendation would expand vaccinations to children of that age group, but by way of a “non-urgent” offer to parents since the health risks to those kids is small.

If you’re unvaccinated and don’t feel welcome anywhere, we have a place for you. It’s Paraguay! People have created a colony in its poorest region as a refuge from "socialist trends worldwide,” which apparently include mandatory vaccinations. It was actually founded back in 2016 but is enjoying quite the influx of joiners. 

In the United States, cases were down 67%, deaths are down 3%, and hospitalizations are down 34% 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, West Virginia, Kansas, and Arkansas. 

There are 28,545,272 active cases in the United States.

The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Scott, TN. Unicoi, TN. Overton, TN. Estill, KY. McNairy, TN. Cannon, TN. Fentress, TN. Perry, KY. And Macon, TN. 

There have been 919,640 deaths in the U.S. recorded as COVID-related.

The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Rhode Island and Vermont are tied at 79.8%, with Maine at 78%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 49.8%, Wyoming at 50.3%, and Mississippi at 50.5%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 64.4%.

Globally, cases were down 31% and deaths up 12% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 25. 

There are 73,613,802 active cases around the world.

The five countries with the most new cases: Russia 197,949. Germany 108,216. France 86,562. Turkey 73,787. And Japan 67,506. 

There have been 5,815,219 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. 

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If the pandemic is ending, it doesn’t feel much like it in Russia. The country reported nearly 200,000 new cases in yet another record. Of course, vaccination rates there are low, Omicron is prevalent, and there aren’t that many restrictions. The bright side, while infections have soared, daily fatalities in the last few weeks have remained steady.

The World Health Organization says Africa is moving to the “control phase” of the pandemic and increased vaccination rates should help the continent live with the disease. Of course, only 11% of Africa's adult population has been vaccinated due partially to inequities in vaccine access. The World Bank estimates the pandemic pushed up to 40 million people into extreme poverty in Africa.

We’ve heard about the first responders, but what about the last responders? We’re talking about mental health professionals. Experts who are now swamped with people seeking help, say many are struggling with the emotional and societal changes we’ve been through and they’re having trouble adapting to a “new normal.” Words that frequently come up are “disconnected,” “lost,” and “malaise.”  

Chinese scientists say they have developed a new coronavirus test that’s as accurate as a PCR test and gives results within four minutes. They usually take several hours. A sensor uses microelectronics to analyze genetic material from swabs, making it fast, easy, sensitive, and portable. The researchers said their results were a perfect match with PCR tests. All 33 cases were accurately detected, and none of the 54 people in the negative group got false positives.

Sure you have your own problems but we know you’re worried about the ability for millionaire celebrities to celebrate themselves conveniently. The 2022 Academy Awards will not be requiring proof of vaccination for attendees. They will be asked to show a negative PCR or rapid test on the day of the ceremony, maybe even on the red carpet.

In the United States, cases were down 63%, deaths are up 4%, and hospitalizations are down 30% 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 Virginia, Mississippi, Ohio, Kansas, and South Carolina. 

There are 28,677,716 active cases in the United States.

The areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Montana and Oregon 5%. And Idaho 1%. 

The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Scott, TN. Unicoi, TN. Wayne, MS. Monterey, CA. Estill, KY. Overton, TN. Tippah, MS. Perry, KY. And Imperial, CA.

There have been 915,431 deaths in the U.S. recorded as COVID-related.

The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Rhode Island and Vermont are now tied at 79.7%, with Maine at 77.9%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 49.8%, Wyoming at 50%, and Mississippi at 50.4%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 64.2%.

Globally, cases were down 28% and deaths up 20% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 25. 

There are 74,441,569 active cases around the world.

The five countries with the most new cases: Germany 247,128. Russia 197,076. The United States 179,237. Brazil 165,359. And France 153,025. 

There have been 5,788,579 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. 

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If this guy finally says it, you know it must be true. Dr. Anthony Fauci said the U.S. is exiting the “full-blown” pandemic phase of the COVID crisis. He said things that limit COVID-19, including vaccinations, medical treatments, and prior infection, will alter the situation significantly in the coming months. He also very uncharacteristically said decisions will increasingly be made at local levels and there’ll be more people making their own decisions on how they want to deal with the virus.

The CDC says if the Pfizer vaccine gets emergency use authorization for children 6 months to 5 years old, the plan is to initially roll out about 10 million doses, but they’ve secured enough for all 18 million kids in this age group. It’s specially formulated for them. What remains to be seen is the willingness of parents to get their kids of that age vaccinated. So far, the uptake on vaccinations for kids age 5 to 12 has been modest. 

The South African doctor who discovered the Omicron strain isn’t impressed with how she was treated. She says she was pressured into describing the variant as more dangerous than it really is. Right out of the gate, she reported mild symptoms for those in her country. But she says she was told by scientists and politicians all over the world that her description was wrong, and she should stop using the word mild. 

She’s not alone. A Pew Research study shows Americans are increasingly critical of how elected and public health officials handled the pandemic. 60% now say they’ve felt confused by the inconsistent recommendations. 49% say the CDC is doing a fair or poor job. And positive ratings of public health officials like Anthony Fauci have plunged 10 points since August. 60% think the President has done a fair or poor job on COVID. 

In the United States, cases were down 63%, deaths are up 4%, and hospitalizations are down 29% 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 Virginia, Mississippi, Ohio, Kansas, and South Carolina. 

There are 28,671,117 active cases in the United States.

The areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Montana and Oregon 5%. West Virginia 2%. And Idaho 1%. 

The top 10 areas with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Nome Census Area, AK. Scott, TN. Unicoi, TN. Wayne, MS. Monterey, CA. Estill, KY. Overton, TN. Tippah, MS. Perry, KY. And Imperial, CA.

There have been 912,208 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 79.7%, Rhode Island at 79.6%, and Maine at 77.8%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 49.7%, Wyoming at 50%, and Mississippi at 50.4%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 64.2%.

Globally, cases were down 26% and deaths up 23% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 25. 

There are 74,155,482 active cases around the world.

The five countries with the most new cases: Germany 238,410. The United States 227,458. Brazil 183,533. Russia 183,103. And Turkey 108,563. 

There have been 5,775,363 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. 

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This is Covid 411, the latest on Omicron and other COVID variants, and new hotspots for February 9th, 2022.

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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This is Covid 411, the latest on Omicron and other COVID variants, and new hotspots for February 8th, 2022.

A story of mixed metrics. Yes, the Omicron wave has receded significantly in the US over the past few weeks. But more people are dying every day than died during the peak of Delta last summer. 2,400 people have died every day over the past seven days even though cases are a third of what they were three weeks ago. As we’ve explained before, the reason is the sheer number of people infected with Omicron meeting the unvaccinated population. The CDC says unvaccinated adults have a 68-times-higher risk of dying from Covid than boosted adults.

There are claims out on the always reliable Internet that in fact, most of the world is still unvaccinated. But data from the University of Oxford's Our World in Data project show more than 60% of the world’s population have gotten at least one dose. 52.1% are fully vaccinated. The UAE and Portugal are most vaccinated at more than 90%, while Chad, Haiti, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Burundi have less than 1% of people fully vaccinated. 

The governors of four states announced plans to lift statewide mask requirements in schools by the end of February or March. Those states are Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, and Oregon. All indicated a need for acceptance that the virus is here to stay and there must be a path back to normalcy for kids.  

A couple of California stories for you. The state is keeping its mask mandates for schools in place, but California is not extending its statewide indoor mask mandate. That means people who are vaccinated can show off their mouths starting February 15, the unvaccinated cannot. Los Angeles County, however, has its own stricter mask mandate in place that it will apparently keep in place no matter what the state does.

Also in California, lawmakers passed legislation giving most workers up to two weeks of COVID supplemental paid sick leave. The idea is to fix it so infected people don’t have to come to work and put everyone else at risk. The policy allows workers at businesses of 26 or more employees to take paid time off not just to recover from COVID, but to care for a sick family member, go get vaccinated, recover from immunization side effects, or care for a child who can’t go to school because of closures or quarantines.

In the United States, cases were down 57%, deaths are up 18%, and hospitalizations are down 24% 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, South Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, and Guam. 

There are 29,145,580 active cases in the United States.

The five areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Wyoming 25%. Montana and West Virginia 16%. And Idaho and Oregon 11%.

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. Okmulgee, OK. Cherokee, OK. Bethel Census Area, AK. Scott, TN. Mayes, OK. And Imperial, CA.

There have been 905,542 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 49.6%, 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 13% and deaths up 34% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 25. 

There are 74,687,082 active cases around the world.

The five countries with the most new cases: Russia 171,905. The United States 156,487. Germany 138,867. Turkey 96,514. And Japan...

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This is Covid 411, the latest on Omicron and other COVID variants, and new hotspots for February 7th, 2022.

The adapt as you learn process continues. The CDC is now considering new changes to vaccine guidance that’d lengthen how much time should pass between doses, and they’re doing this to lower the risk of heart inflammation for immunocompromised people. They generally don’t respond as well to vaccines, and they’re the only ones right now advised to get four vaccine shots. 

What’s happening with the pandemic in the US? One way to gauge is to see what’s going on in New York City. Over 15 days, they’ve seen a decline of more than 60% in infection rates and new cases. Citywide transmission is now on the verge of falling below “very high” levels. Even the number of unvaccinated residents getting COVID has fallen significantly in recent weeks. 43.6% of all fully vaccinated city residents have gotten boosted.

But there’s another way to detect infection rates nationwide to see what’s going on and it’s the closest thing we have to involuntary mass testing. That, of course, is wastewater testing. And now there’s a new online portal where you can check to see how your city is doing. Actually, the map only tracks 232 sites, but you can still tell what areas are trending. For instance, lots of COVID-in-waste levels going up now are in Ohio. You should be able to find the site by searching CDC Covid wastewater surveillance. 

Whether or not China’s zero tolerance policy on COVID is the right move remains to be seen, but one thing is pretty certain, some Olympic athletes are having a miserable experience there. Those who test positive are forced to isolate. And team officials from Germany, Belgium, and Russia say their people are enduring poor to no internet connection, bad food, and no training equipment in the quarantine hotels set up by Chinese officials. One biathlon competitor said, "My stomach hurts, I'm very pale and I have huge black circles around my eyes. I cry every day.”

Sadly, not everyone or everything will survive the pandemic. Among the casualties is the oldest pub in Britain, which has been open since 793 AD. The pub, called Ye Olde Fighting Cocks, tried everything to stay open. The owners and staff are said to be devastated and heartbroken. A statement read, “The past two years have been unprecedented for the hospitality industry and have defeated all of us who’ve been trying our hardest to ensure this pub could continue into the future."

In the United States, cases were down 57%, deaths are up 18%, and hospitalizations are down 23% 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, South Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, and Guam. 

There are 29,093,003 active cases in the United States.

The five areas with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Wyoming 27%. Montana and West Virginia 17%. And Idaho and Oregon 12%.

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. Okmulgee, OK. Cherokee, OK. Bethel Census Area, AK. Scott, TN. Mayes, OK. And Imperial, CA.

There have now been over 900,000 deaths in the U.S. recorded as COVID-related, at 902,624.

The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 79.5%, Rhode Island at 79.4%, and Maine at 77.7%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 49.6%, 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 14% and deaths up 32% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since January 25. 

There are now over 75 million active cases around the world...

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