Arizona joined 30 other states on Friday that tracked down a Covid-19 variant first seen in the UK and that is likely to be transmissible.
The variant has now been found in 31 states, including Arizona, according to the announcement from the Department of Health Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which monitors the detection of cases on its website. More than 400 cases of the variant have been reported in the country.
Authorities also announced on Thursday that two people in South Carolina had been diagnosed with a more contagious strain of the coronavirus that was first detected in South Africa. This is the first time the variant has been reported in the US
More than 434,000 people have been killed and more than 25.7 million cases have been reported in the US since the start of the pandemic, according to NBC News.
Here are the latest coronavirus updates from the United States and elsewhere:
CDC mandates masks for public transport
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Friday night that masks will be worn on all public transportation from Monday night, according to NBC News.
The mandate, issued by CDS division director Martin S. Cetron, was made after President Joe Biden issued an executive order on January 21 calling for “immediate action” for wearing masks for “all forms of public transportation”.
This applies to all public commercial transport – aircraft, trains, boats and buses – and to transport hubs, such as air terminals, train stations, subway stations, ports and bus stops.
The CDC also covers ferries, metros, taxis and ride-haul vehicles. Operators and transport workers must also wear masks.
Read the full story on NBCNews.com
Fauci warns of virus mutations as ‘wake-up call’, says children can start vaccinating by ‘early summer’
Anthony Fauci, director of NIAID, explains why the results of a study on the efficacy of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine are encouraging, even when compared to Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccines that had a higher efficacy rate.
Dr Anthony Fauci says the rise and increasing spread of coronavirus mutations means vaccine manufacturers need to be ready to take new shots to stay ahead of the public health crisis.
The government’s leading expert in infectious diseases spoke on Friday during a coronavirus briefing in the White House.
“This is a wake-up call for all of us,” says Fauci, noting that scientists will try to keep up with virus mutations.
The nature of viruses is to change in ways that promote their spread, Fauci says. The evolution of mutant versions means that scientists need to be ‘quick-footed’ and ready to adapt the vaccines. So far, the mutants have not overwhelmed the protective power of vaccines.
According to Fauci, it is important to vaccinate as many people as possible to get new mutations developed, and the Biden government hopes to start vaccinating younger children by late spring or early summer. Clinical studies to determine if approved coronavirus vaccines are safe for younger children will begin within the next few months, Fauci said.
The results could affect the debate on how to reopen public schools safely.
Japan’s prime minister says he is determined to host the Tokyo Olympics
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga says he is determined to host the postponed Olympic Games in Tokyo this summer, despite increasing uncertainty as coronavirus cases increase at home.
Speaking at a virtual meeting of the World Economic Forum, Suga says the Olympics would be a symbol of human victory over the pandemic. He promised to get infections under control in Japan as soon as possible and achieve a “safe and secure” Olympics.
Olympic officials have repeatedly said that the matches will be held in July as planned after a year of postponement, although different scenarios, including holding events without spectators, are being considered.
Suga has been criticized for delaying virus measures until daily cases rose to new highs in late December. He finally declared a partial state of emergency in early January by issuing non-binding requests until February 7 for people to avoid crowds or eat out in groups and that restaurants and bars should close early.
New cases of coronavirus in Tokyo have dropped, but experts believe they have not slowed down sufficiently, suggesting that emergency measures could be extended for a few more weeks.
CDC director: ‘There is a spread in the community’ of South Africa
The new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that the South African COVID-19 variant was detected in two people in South Carolina who did not know each other or traveled there, meaning that the tension is already at the point of community distribution in the US
“The suspicion is that at this point there is a spread of the tribe in the community,” Rochelle Walensky told the NBC program “TODAY”, saying it was “worrying.”
The fact that the South African variant was detected on Thursday does not mean that it has just arrived, as the USA has lagged far behind in detecting changes in the virus by sequencing its genetic code.
Walensky said the order of the virus has been ‘increased’ according to the new administration, meaning there is more chance of catching a new strain.
European Union regulators approve AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine for adults only
Regulators on Friday authorized the coronavirus vaccine for AstraZeneca for adults throughout the European Union, amid criticism that the block is not moving fast enough to vaccinate the population.
The European Medicines Agency has licensed the vaccine for use in people 18 years and older, although there were concerns this week that there is not enough data to prove it works in older people.
The shot is the third COVID-19 vaccine to be given the green light by the European Medicines Agency, after those made by Pfizer and Moderna. Both are authorized for all adults.
Many countries on the continent are struggling to vaccinate people as quickly as Britain, Israel, the US and elsewhere, and it has long been hoped that the AstraZeneca shot would help speed things up.
Johnson & Johnson says the vaccine provides strong protection against COVID-19, but less effective than others
Johnson & Johnson says the vaccine appears to be protected against COVID-19 with just one shot. It is not as strong as some two-stroke competitors, yet useful for a world that needs more doses.
The results released on Friday show that the single-vaccine vaccine was 66% effective in preventing moderate to severe illness and much more protective against the most severe symptoms.
The vaccine worked better in the US compared to South Africa, where it faced a more severe, mutated virus. The company says it will soon submit an application for emergency use in the US and then abroad.
Read the full story here.