Coronavirus news, updates, hotspots and information for 2-19-2021

Coronavirus 411 podcast - news, alerts, and updates on the corona virus COVID 19

This is Coronavirus 411, the latest COVID-19 info and new hotspots… Just the facts… for February 19th, 2021.
Canadian researchers say a single dose of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are more than 92% effective in preventing COVID-19 illness after two weeks. And a separate study out of Israel suggests getting that second shot of Pfizer’s vaccine hikes efficacy only a couple of percentage points.
Pfizer is also starting clinical trials of its vaccine in pregnant women. That’s the first to include expectant mothers and participants will be from several countries. Women over 18 who are 24 to 34 weeks into their pregnancy will be eligible.
England’s running some tests too. It’s set to become the first country to intentionally infect healthy volunteers with COVID-19. It’s called a "human challenge study." 90 healthy volunteers will be exposed to further understand the virus’ effects. The hope is it will help identify the smallest amount of virus needed to cause infection, how the immune system reacts, and identify factors that affect transmission.
Providers in Pennsylvania have since early January been giving out second doses of the Moderna vaccine as first doses, and health officials are calling that a significant mistake. More than 100,000 people could be affected. Up to 60,000 may have to reschedule appointments, and up to 55,000 others might be delayed in getting their initial dose.
Thanks at least in part to Covid-19, life expectancy in the U.S. dropped one full year during the first half of 2020. Black Americans lost nearly three years and Hispanics, nearly two years. The CDC says you’d have to go back to World War II to find a decline like this.
In the United States cases were down 43%, deaths are down 34%, and hospitalizations down 30% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 25th.
There are now 9,314,794 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, New York, Florida, Arizona, and Georgia.
The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Scurry, TX. Scott, TN. Bent, CO. Aleutians West Census Area, AK. Lexington, VA. Chattahoochee, GA. Stewart, GA. Crowley, CO. Hickman, TN. And Adair, IA.
The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are South Carolina, Tennessee, New York, Rhode Island, and New Jersey.
There’ve been a total 493,082 deaths in the US reported as COVID-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.77%.
The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: California 431. New York 219. Arizona 213. Florida 165. Texas 155. Missouri 146. Georgia 130. Ohio 101. North Carolina 96. And Pennsylvania 92.
The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, Alaska at 17.9%, New Mexico at 14.4%, and Connecticut at 14.3%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Rhode Island at 9.7%, and Georgia and Utah at 9.8%.
Globally, cases were down 28%, and deaths down 20% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 11.
Globally, there are 22,606,422 active cases.
The five countries with the most new cases: the United States 68,924. Brazil 51,350. France 22,501. Spain 14,515. And Italy 13,762.
There have now been 2,441,084 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.
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