Biden kry working on the pandemic, the CDC is adjusting the vaccine guidelines, and mortality rates are rising worldwide. Here’s what you need to know:
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Biden institutes the sweeping of pandemics during his first days in office
Joe Biden has wasted no time in dealing with the public health crisis that will always define his presidency. On Wednesday, hours after he was sworn in as the 46th president of the United States, he signed three executive orders regarding the pandemic. The new provisions cover everything from improving data collection to increasing testing capacity to promoting the production of vaccines using the Defense Act. Biden described the strategy as a ‘wartime enterprise’.
Among those represented in Biden’s first wave of executive orders are essential workers. The new president has ordered OSHA to tighten workplace safety rules to limit the spread of the virus, possibly issuing a new measure that requires employers to take more precautions. Today, he plans to sign another order that will promote the protection of federal workers. There are also new safety rules in the White House. Those who work closely with the president wear wristbands that indicate they have been tested that day, and N95s are mandatory for all who work in the White House.
CDC updates guidelines for vaccine administration as improving efficacy is a challenge
Yesterday, the CDC updated the vaccination guidelines on its website, saying that the second doses of the Moderna and Pfizer / BioNTech vaccines can be administered up to six weeks after the first dose if the recommended time frame is not feasible. This change is in line with the Biden government’s plan to release all available doses of the vaccine rather than withholding half to ensure that those who received the first installment receive the second at the right time. Those opposed to the change have expressed concern about the deviation from the way the vaccines were administered during clinical trials.
Biden is releasing these doses as part of his promise to vaccinate 100 million Americans in his first 100 days in office. CDC data suggest that the country has administered a rate of about one million vaccines a day in recent weeks, but it also indicates that states and cities administer less than half of the doses they receive. Rapid vaccination is more important than ever when new virus strains emerge. Mutations develop as a virus spreads: the more people are vaccinated, the easier it will be suppressed.
One year after the coronavirus came on the outside, the pandemic is almost out of control
Exactly one year ago, WIRED reporter Megan Molteni asked, “Can China’s new coronavirus become a global epidemic?” Now we know. More than 400,000 Americans were killed by the virus this week, a serious milestone that Joe Biden noted in a memorial service on the eve of his inauguration. Although hundreds of thousands of Americans are vaccinated every day, there are still many areas – from school reopening to safe travel – where Americans feel themselves through the dark.
The state of the pandemic continues to spread around the world. Germany, once predicted for its effective pandemic response, has seen its mortality rate rise rapidly in recent weeks after peaking last month. In the United Kingdom, the situation is getting worse: the daily death toll per capita is currently the only one next to Portugal. Even China, where life has largely returned to normal during the fall, is now facing a new outbreak.
Daily diversion
Part of being a rabbi is helping people on their spiritual and emotional journeys. Rabbi Menachem Cohen found a new tool to do just that: role-playing games.
Something to read
Donald Trump is no longer online. And even if his accounts are reactivated, he will no longer be the center of the national conversation. But, according to Jason Parham of WIRED, we now face a new question: what will fill the void left by the former president’s disturbed tweets?
Sanity Check
Leaving your pet at home while you go out can be stressful for humans as well as the animal. We’ve put together our favorite pet cameras so you can stay close to your furry friend from afar.
A question
What community resources can be used to get more people vaccinated?
To vaccinate as many people as possible, officials will have to meet them wherever they are – in their communities. According to some doctors, fire and emergency services may be necessary. Both respond daily to emergencies in their communities, and are spaced based on population density. In addition, the vast majority are staffed by paramedics and communicate regularly and well with public health authorities. If your fire stations and EMS crew provide the means to administer Covid-19 vaccines, it may be worth investigating, as it looks like our national vaccination program will increase.
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