US TODAY is watching the news surrounding COVID-19 as some vaccines take part in the US fight against a virus that has killed more than 330,000 Americans since its first fatal death in February. Keep refreshing this page for the latest updates on the distribution of vaccines, including who gets the shots and where, as well as other COVID-19 news from across the US TODAY Network. Sign up for us Coronavirus Watch Newsletter for updates directly in your inbox, join our Facebook group or browse our in-depth answers to questions from the reader for everything you need to know about the coronavirus.
In the headings:
► Labor benefits for millions of Americans struggling to make ends meet expired at midnight after President Donald Trump failed to sign COVID legislation by the end of the year. The fate of the benefits, stimulus tests and other measures remained uncertain, as Trump demanded larger checks while considering other expenses he considered excessive.
► European countries on Sunday administered their first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by Pfizer and BioNTech. Authorities plan to deliver the first shots to the most vulnerable people in a coordinated Sunday effort.
► Officials in Canada have confirmed the first two known Canadian cases of a more contagious variant of COVID-19 that were first identified in the UK. The new strain appears to be more contagious, but it does not appear that people are getting sicker. It has also been detected in several other countries, including Denmark, France, Belgium, Australia and the Netherlands.
► The world has surpassed 80 million cases and the death toll from the United States has surpassed 330,000. That means about 1 in 1,000 Americans died from COVID-19.
►Pope Francis escaped a customary public appearance after Christmas from a Vatican palazzo overlooking St. Peter’s Square on Saturday to take part in social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, he offers a blessing and remarks on television from the library of the Apostolic Palace.
► The Government of California Gavin Newsom said in a video on Facebook and Twitter that the number of Californians admitted to the hospital due to the coronavirus could double within 30 days if current trends continue.
► South Korea, which was previously a success story in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, is struggling in Christmas week in a serious upswing: 1 241 on Christmas Day alone. This is the largest daily increase the country has ever seen.
📈 Today’s numbers: According to Johns Hopkins University data, there are more than 18.9 million confirmed cases of coronavirus and 331,000 deaths. The world totals: more than 80 million cases and 1.7 million deaths.
Here’s a closer look at today’s top stories:
Biden to Trump: COVID enlightenment bill ‘must now be signed into law’
Days after President Donald Trump suggested that he probably would not sign a $ 900 billion aid package from COVID-19 unless it increased individual direct payments to $ 2,000, President-elect Joe Biden issued a scathing statement in which he condemned his provisional predecessor for his ‘abdication’. of responsibility. ‘
“It’s the day after Christmas, and millions of families do not know if they can do it because of President Donald Trump’s refusal to sign an economic relief bill passed by Congress by an overwhelming and twofold majority,” he said. said in a statement.
Biden mentions the consequences of signing the bill, including ending an eviction moratorium, a lack of small businesses and individual relief and funding for the distribution of vaccines. The bill is “critical” and “must now be signed into law.” He did acknowledge that this package is only a ‘first step and installment’ for future assistance.
Only hit by COVID, some indigenous people who have not been vaccinated
For many, the promise of a vaccine offers hope and relief. But Josie Passes, a member of the Crow Tribe in Montana, is wary of the long-term consequences. Although tribal communities nationwide have been excessively devastated by COVID-19, Passes is not alone in her reluctance. As strains begin to receive and distribute COVID-19 vaccines, many stem members are reluctant to be vaccinated.
Some people fear that indigenous people will be used as ‘guinea pigs’, while others are reluctant to trust the Indian health service. Some feel invincible, as tribes have survived devastating diseases such as smallpox and violent massacres. Many will prefer to observe the effects of the vaccine as more people receive it.
Experts believe that this skepticism is justified. Tribes have experienced disinvestment, incompetence and brutality by the federal government. The consequences of this neglect transcend generations and manifest today as systemic inequalities, many of which have been further exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more here.
– Nora Mabie, Great Falls Tribune
Black doctor dies of COVID-19 after reporting racist treatment in hospital
A black doctor who died of COVID-19 after struggling with the virus weeks ago said she was abused and that the proper care in an Indiana hospital was delayed due to her race. Dr Susan Moore, 52, died on December 20 after multiple hospitalizations due to complications of COVID-19, first at IU Health North and later in Ascencion-St. Vincent in Carmel, Indiana.
Her frustrations about the care provided at IU Health have been contained on Facebook in several updates. The first came on December 4 when she said that the delay in her treatment and diagnosis was motivated by the color of her skin. Referring to the patient’s privacy, an IU Health spokesperson did not want to speak specifically to the case, but shared a written statement on behalf of IU Health North:
“As an organization committed to fairness and reducing racial differences in health care, we take allegations of discrimination very seriously and investigate every allegation,” the statement said. “Treatment options are often agreed upon and medical experts from different specialties agreed, and we stand by the dedication and expertise of our caregivers and the quality of care provided to our patients every day. ”
– Justin L. Mack and Holly V. Hays, Indianapolis Star
Will small movie theaters survive a slow holiday season?
The COVID-19 crisis has devastated movie owners of all sizes, but small independent owners feel it deeper. Nationwide, a handful have already become permanently dark and 70% of small to medium-sized movie theaters are in danger of closing without federal assistance, according to the National Association of Theater Owners (NATO). Many are surviving with private shows and popcorn, among other strategies. Their loss would be a major blow to America’s cultural life. It is an important source of independently produced, more serious art films. And in an era survived by sleek multiplexes, their grand old theater-decorated theaters often offer the only entertainment in America’s small and rural towns.
Fortunately, salvation appears on the horizon. A specific provision of the COVID bill passed by Congress this week would provide $ 15 billion to struggling small cinemas, live entertainment and performing arts and museums. A last-minute lobbying campaign by NATO added movie theaters and $ 5 billion to theoretically cover their financial needs.
– Paul Davidson
Contributions: Mike Stucka; The Associated Press
This article originally appeared in the US TODAY: COVID News: Biden tells Trump to sign aid package; 80M cases