More than 50 million Americans are now fully vaccinated, nearly 20% of the adult population and more than 35% of adults have received at least one dose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
While 140 million doses were administered nationwide, another 40 million doses were given to state health authorities and private pharmacies have so far remained unused or have simply been wasted. In the United States, there are currently an average of 2.5 million shocks per day, making 40 million doses the equivalent of more than two weeks of shocks.
The pace is increasing. In the United States, 3.5 million doses were given on Saturday and 3.4 million doses on Friday. The US currently gives about 18.8 million doses per week, up from 11.5 million a month ago and 8.1 million two months ago.
To get more vaccines up their arms faster, about half of US states will open their vaccination efforts to all adults by mid-April, says Jeff Zients, White House COVID-19 response coordinator. A total of 46 states and the District of Columbia have already pledged to meet President Joe Biden’s goal of having all Americans eligible for a vaccine by May 1.
Also in the news:
► Spanish indie band Love of Lesbian played a show in Barcelona, Spain, in front of 5,000 fans, all of whom had passed coronavirus screening on the same day. to test its effectiveness in preventing outbreaks of the virus at large cultural events. The only rule within the show was the strict use of the concert promoter’s high quality face masks.
► New York launched the the nation’s first “vaccination pass” system. The certification, called the Excelsior Pass, will be useful at large venues like Madison Square Garden and will be accepted at dozens of venues, arts, and entertainment venues across the state.
📈 Today’s numbers: In the United States, over 30.2 million coronavirus cases and more than 548,000 deaths have been confirmed, according to Johns Hopkins University. The global totals: 126.8 million cases and 2.7 million deaths. More than 180.6 million vaccine doses have been distributed and 140.1 million administered in the United States, according to the CDC.
📘 What we read: Robert Redfield, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told CNN he believed the virus that causes COVID-19 was accidentally released from a laboratory in Wuhan, China. Several scientists said Redfield’s theory failed the scientific odor test.
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Vaccines are slowly bringing families back together
For a year, the coronavirus stalked the vulnerable and spread uncontrollably in the United States, revitalizing daily life. But now, nearly half of Americans over the age of 65 are fully vaccinated, and Warm reunions take place across the country. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines state that those who have received full vaccination can meet with other fully vaccinated individuals in small groups in their homes without masks or physical distancing. You can visit unvaccinated people from another household who are at low risk of serious illness.
“You can visit your grandparents if you have been vaccinated, and so will them,” said CDC director Rochelle Walensky. “If grandparents have been vaccinated, they can visit their daughter and family, even if they have not been vaccinated, as long as the daughter and family are not at risk of serious illness.” Read more here.
Study: COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective for babies, too
COVID-19 vaccines are extremely effective at protecting pregnant women, and are likely to offer protection for their babies as well, according to a new study. The study, published last week in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, looked at 131 vaccine recipients, including 84 pregnant, 31 breastfeeding, and 16 non-pregnant controls.
Previous studies indicated that Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. However, this is the largest study to date looking at the immune responses of pregnant and breastfeeding women to vaccinations. Continue reading.
– Karen Weintraub
Californians ages 50 to 64 are rushing to get vaccinated before expansion
Before California opens its coronavirus vaccination program to all adults on April 15, there will be a two-week window for millions of people between the ages of 50 and 64 to get their shot. The rollout for this age group, which will be eligible on Thursday, has led to an increase in appointment requests and has raised concerns as to whether two weeks are enough to reach everyone when there is uncertainty about the level of supply and questions about accessibility remain open.
The California Department of the Treasury, which monitors population data, estimates the state has 50 to 64 7.2 million people. Currently, only about 23% of Californians in this age group have received at least one dose of vaccine, compared with 37% of people between the ages of 18 and 49, likely because of their occupation or because they have a qualified health status.
Featuring: Mike Stucka, USA TODAY; The Associated Press
