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John Bacon
| USA TODAY
COVID-19 and double masking: Dr. Fauci and other experts weigh in
High-profile officials have done double masking, but does the extra layer actually help spread COVID-19?
Staff Video, USA TODAY
Vaccines reopened around the Northeast on Wednesday after a winter storm surrounded the region and in some areas up to three feet of snow fell.
In New York, New Jersey and at least three states of New England, many COVID-19 vaccinations have been canceled for Monday and Tuesday due to the weather.
“The safety and well-being of our state’s vulnerable population is our top priority,” Jake Leon, spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services in New Hampshire, told the Portsmouth Herald, part of the USA TODAY Network.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration on Tuesday announced that it will distribute COVID-19 vaccine doses directly to retail pharmacies in an effort to speed up vaccinations across the country.
COVID-19 killed more than 445,000 Americans, and infections continued to increase despite the launch of some vaccines late in 2020. USA TODAY is watching the news. Keep refreshing this page for the latest updates. Subscribe to our Coronavirus Watch Newsletter for updates to your inbox, join our Facebook group or browse through our in-depth answers to reader questions.
In the headings:
► Britain’s health chief says a new study showing that a single dose of COVID-19 vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca provides a high level of protection for 12 weeks supports the government’s strategy to delay the second intake so that more doses to more people.
► Australian regulators said in a statement on Tuesday that they had decided not to place an upper age limit on the use of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, despite reports of dozens of deaths among the elderly in Norway.
► A single survey of the AstraZeneca / Oxford University vaccine has reduced coronavirus transmission by 67% and provides significant protection against COVID-19 for at least three months, according to preliminary data from three trials released on Tuesday.
►The National Park Service will now require all visitors and employees to wear masks in buildings and facilities and on lands’ when physical distance cannot be maintained. This includes busy and narrow paths.
► A new study has found that cleaner air from the pandemic shutdown warmed the planet a bit in 2020, especially in places like the eastern United States, Russia and China.
📈 Today’s numbers: According to Johns Hopkins University data, the U.S. has 26.4 million cases of coronavirus and more than 446,700 deaths. The world total: more than 103.8 million cases and 2.2 million deaths. According to the CDC, nearly 52.6 million doses of vaccine were distributed and 32.7 million were administered.
📘 What we read: How many people in your country and in the US have received the COVID-19 vaccine so far? Check the USA TODAY vaccine tracker.
For the first time since November 13, the United States reported less than 1 million new coronavirus cases over a seven-day period. The weekly total reached a peak of more than 1.7 million a few weeks ago. Johns Hopkins University data shows 989,974 new cases in the seven-day period ending Tuesday. Yet, at the same rate, 98 Americans were reported very positively.
The deaths in the week ending Tuesday were 21,633, down 22,000 for the first time since Jan. 9. But for almost a month, America averaged at least 3,000 deaths a day. single day. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the United States lost 22,000 people to last year’s flu season; America has lost so many weeks to coronavirus every week. The United States alone reported 100,930 COVID-19 deaths in 2021.
– Mike Stucka
After protesters interrupted the COVID-19 vaccinations at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles last week, local police said Tuesday that any further protests would cause “immediate and rapid” arrests.
“It is my expectation and direction that … individuals will be arrested, that they will be arrested and that their actions will be terminated,” police chief Michel Moore said during a virtual meeting of the Police Commission, in Los Angeles. Times. “This is a way forward to ensure that the lines remain open, and that the vaccines will be unhindered.”
The stadium, one of the largest vaccination rooms in the country, was temporarily closed on Saturday because dozens of protesters blocked the entrance. According to Moore, no vaccination appointments were canceled and the premises were not permanently closed.
Andrew Yang, the entrepreneur who became presidential candidate and who now elects him as mayor of New York, tested positive for COVID-19, he announced on Tuesday. Yang said he tested negative as recently as the weekend, but when he got a quick test with a positive result, he tweeted on Tuesday. “I have mild symptoms, but otherwise feel good and in a good mood,” Yang tweeted.
Yang said he was in quarantine. Among New York City mayoral candidates, he was one of the most prolific fighters in a race that was otherwise forced online due to the pandemic.
– Ryan Miller
The Biden administration will distribute the dose of COVID-19 vaccines directly to retail pharmacies in an effort to accelerate vaccinations across the country. White House COVID-19 responsive coordinator Jeff Zients said the program begins with about 1 million doses being sent to 6,500 pharmacies next week. The number of pharmacies could eventually each be 40,000.
“It will provide more sites for people to get vaccinated in their communities,” Zients said. “And it’s an important component to delivering vaccines fairly.”
Zients said 10.5 million doses will be distributed in states this week, a 5% increase over last week and a 22% increase in weekly doses since President Joe Biden took office on January 20.
Contributing Contributions: The Associated Press