American coronavirus: Pharmacies prepare to administer one million Covid-19 vaccines. NIH official says doses can be protected against variants

American coronavirus: Pharmacies prepare to administer one million Covid-19 vaccines. NIH official says doses can be protected against variants

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In the first phase of the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program, one million doses were allocated to 6,500 pharmacies – including some CVS, Walmart, Walgreens and Rite Aid locations, and stores began firing on Friday.
Regarding vaccines in pharmacies: many stores do not yet have the vaccine in this early phase of the new federal program. Walgreens will now have it in certain stores in 15 states; Rite Aid has it in six states; Walmart and Sam’s Clubs have it in 22 states. But the coverage area is expected to expand as inventories increase.
The doses sent directly to pharmacies do not depend on the millions per week that the federal government has already distributed to states, some of which have already given doses to a small number of pharmacies.
The person’s suitability still differs according to the state. All states started with priority populations – often health workers and people in long-term care facilities – followed by elderly and / or essential workers, or people with certain health conditions.
Although states usually complain that supply does not meet demand, the number of vaccinations per day has increased.
The U.S. averaged nearly 1.6 million doses a day last week – higher than the daily average of about 1.3 million last week, according to a CNN analysis of data published Thursday by the CDC.
By April, access to the general public could begin to expand, and most Americans could be vaccinated by mid or late summer, Drs. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told the NBC program “Today” this week. .
The latest on the coronavirus pandemic and vaccines

The upswing in vaccinations comes amid concerns about the spread of more transmissible coronavirus variants. One important question is whether the vaccines will work on these mutated strains.

To date, at least 997 cases of more transmissible Covid-19 variants, first detected in the United Kingdom, South Africa and Brazil, have been reported, according to CDC data.

Dr Barney Graham, deputy director of the Center for Vaccine Research at the National Institutes of Health, told President Joe Biden on Thursday that the antibodies that make vaccines against the virus could still attack the known variant.

“Antibodies have a lot of places to bind. It may eventually lose its effectiveness, but I think we are fine for now until additional mutations accumulate,” Graham said.

Vaccinations take the pace

The rate of vaccinations should increase further in March and April so that a wider section of the population can be eligible, Fauci said.

New York officials plan to redouble efforts to redress racial differences in vaccination rates
“I would imagine that, when we come in April, we would ask for it, you know, for better wording in the open season,” Fauci told NBC on Thursday. “Virtually anyone and everyone in any category can start vaccinating.”
Manufacturers of the country’s currently approved two-dose vaccines – Pfizer / BioNTech and Moderna – have started trials for children, starting with older age groups. In September, vaccines for young children could be approved, Fauci told ProPublica on Thursday.
Johnson & Johnson will increase the country’s supply if the Food and Drug Administration approves its vaccine for one dose. The company said it could provide 20 to 30 million doses by the end of April if authorized, and more possible thereafter.

Biden said Thursday that the U.S. is on track to have a vaccine supply for 300 million Americans by the end of July.

“We have now purchased enough vaccine supplies to vaccinate all Americans, and now we are working to get the vaccines into the arms of millions of people,” Biden said during a speech at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. .

Fauci: The reopening of K-8 schools is ‘feasible’ in the first 100 days of Biden

The CDC’s guidance on how to reopen schools safely is expected to be announced Friday afternoon. Biden has promised to reopen most American schools within his first hundred days in office, although some teachers’ unions have expressed concern about the reopening, while many educators have yet to be vaccinated.

On Friday, Fauci said the reopening of all K-8 schools in the first 100 days of the Biden government is ‘feasible’.

Asked if parents need to know if it is safe to open schools, Fauci told George Stephanopoulos on ABC that he did not want to follow the CDC’s guidelines.

“What you want to do is make sure that it is safe for the students and that it is safe for the teachers and other staff related to the education system,” Fauci added. Ways to make it safe include masking and good ventilation, and by vaccinating teachers as quickly as possible.

States reduce their coronavirus restrictions

The number of new Covid-19 cases and deaths, and the number of Covid-19 patients in hospitals, are declining after increases around the holiday. As they do so, some states omit social restrictions intended to limit the spread of the virus.

Nevada has said it will aim to end state business restrictions in phases by May 1, although local governments may still issue their own restrictions.

As of Monday, Nevada state rules will allow most businesses and worship services to have up to 100 people, or 35% of normal capacity. If coronavirus cases and hospitalizations continue to decline, capacity will rise to 50% by March 15.

“If we all want to see this transition to local government, let’s work together to continue the spread of the community,” Gov. Steve Sisolak said Thursday.

Restrictions on indoor events in Wyoming will be increased to 25% of capacity or 500 people on Monday, and restrictions on sporting events, artistic performances, restaurants and gyms will be eased, rightly so. Mark Gordon said.

New coronavirus variants are still appearing. Here's what we know about them

Montana Governor Greg Gianforte on Wednesday signed a bill protecting businesses and houses of worship from legal liability for the distribution of Covid-19, as long as they take measures to comply with public health guidelines and announced that he does not have the mandate for the whole mask will not lengthen.

“The mask mandate will expire on Friday,” the governor said, adding: “Since we are not out of the woods yet, I will continue to wear a mask, and I will encourage all Montanians to do the same.”

Although the numbers have improved, health experts have warned that precautions are still important to limit the spread of more transmissible variants.

CNN’s Samira Said, Naomi Thomas, Deidre McPhillips, Maggie Fox, Andy Rose, Konstantin Toropin and Lauren Mascarenhas contributed to this report.

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