Coronavirus vaccine and COVID variant updates for 11-30-2021

11/30/21 • 4 min

Vaccine 4 1 1 - Daily News on the Covid-19 and Coronavirus Vaccines

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for November 30th, 2021.

No matter how the new Omicron variant turns out, the World Health Organization would like to see more globalization when it comes to pandemics. Specifically, some sort of international accord to prevent, prepare, and respond to future outbreaks. A draft resolution stops short of calling for a treaty or legally binding instrument, but some are saying that’s what’s needed.

Scientists are hard at work in South Africa trying to assess how well the vaccines work against Omicron. Right now, it’s still unknown how well it can hide from immune defenses primed by vaccines. They’ll not only test AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, they’ll also use plasma from recovered patients to gauge the risk of reinfection with Omicron after recovering from previous versions of the virus.

Officials in New York City reinstated their mask advisory while indoors, that means places like grocery stores, building lobbies and offices, regardless of vaccination status. Masks are still required for public transit, health care settings, schools, and congregate settings like churches. Omicron has not yet been detected in the city, but officials know it’s only a matter of time.

They’re all mandated to get vaccinated, but which federal department do you think has the lowest vaccination rate so far? It’s the US Department of Agriculture at 86.1% according the White House. Next comes the Department of Veterans Affairs at 87.8%, and the Department of the Interior at 88.3%.

From the “it doesn’t pay to think you’re clever” department, a couple tried to escape the quarantine in the Netherlands after testing positive. But they got caught and are being held in forced isolation at a hospital. The pair fled the hotel where travelers who tested positive were staying after arriving in Amsterdam from South Africa and hopped a plane to Spain. Military police were there to greet them.

With reporting affected by the Thanksgiving holiday, in the United States cases were up 3%, deaths are down 10%, and hospitalizations are up 11% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since November 3.

The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Montana, West Virginia, Oregon, Michigan, and Kentucky.

There are 9,467,489 active cases in the United States.

The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: New Hampshire 49%, Massachusetts 47%, Indiana 45%, Michigan 41%, and Illinois 34%.

The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Scurry, TX. Mason, MI. Shiawassee, MI. Nodaway, MO. Houghton, MI. Sullivan, NH. Ionia, MI. Jackson, MI. DeKalb, IN. And Oceana, MI.

There have been at least 776,639 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.

The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 72.7%, Rhode Island at 72.2%, and Maine at 72.1%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia at 41.5%, Wyoming at 45.3%, and Alabama at 46%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 59%.

Globally, cases were up 14% and deaths were down 3% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15.

There are 20,242,995 active cases around the world.

The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 69,498. The U.K. 42,583. Germany 42,582. Russia 33,860. And Hungary 27,830.

There have been at least 5,199,349 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.

For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast.

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This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for November 30th, 2021.

The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Montana, West Virginia, Oregon, Michigan, and Kentucky.

There are 9,467,489 active cases in the United States.

The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: New Hampshire 49%, Massachusetts 47%, Indiana 45%, Michigan 41%, and Illinois 34%.

There have been at least 776,639 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.

Globally, cases were up 14% and deaths were down 3% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15.

There are 20,242,995 active cases around the world.

The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 69,498. The U.K. 42,583. Germany 42,582. Russia 33,860. And Hungary 27,830.

There have been at least 5,199,349 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.

For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Coronavirus vaccine and COVID variant updates for 11-29-2021

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for November 29th, 2021.

A lot of fear is being generated around the new coronavirus variant, now called Omicron. So first some good news or at the very least potential good news. The chair of the South African Medical Association, who was one of the first to notice the new variant, said symptoms appear to mild and treatable at home. Fatigue, body aches and headaches, not even a loss of smell or taste and oxygen levels remain normal. Almost half she treated were unvaccinated, hinting the current vaccines are somewhat effective against it. But even symptoms in the unvaccinated have been mild. And if you think she’s alone or lying, Israel’s chief of public health services says the potential for infection with omicron is “very high,” but vaccinated people become only slightly ill.

Speaking of very fast spread and very high infections, Omicron is quickly making its way around the world, unhindered by travel bans and restrictions, a tactic that went into place and was generally unsuccessful in keeping out the original virus and its variants. Omicron has been spotted in South Africa, Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Britain, Israel, Hong Kong, Germany, Austria, and Italy.

As mentioned earlier, countries are imposing travel bans amidst the new variant in the hopes that maybe, somehow, this time they’ll work. The United States has done it. Israel is banning the entry of all foreigners. Morocco is suspending all incoming air travel for two weeks. The World Health Organization is urging no, don’t do that because it places a heavy burden on lives and livelihoods, it’s not scientifically based, and it just doesn’t work.

Okay, time to answer the question “Why did the World Health Organization skip a couple of Greek letters when naming the new variant Omicron?” The variant prior to Omicron was Mu, which should be followed by Nu and Xi. Well they didn’t like Nu because it sounds just like the word new. And Xi can’t be used because it’s a common last name in certain countries and the whole point was to not stigmatize any country so...that led to Omicron. If Omicron is your last name, please write your local congressperson.

With reporting affected by the Thanksgiving holiday, in the United States cases were up 4%, deaths are down 10%, and hospitalizations are up 12% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since November 3.

The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Montana, West Virginia, Oregon, Michigan, and Kentucky.

There are 9,420,095 active cases in the United States.

The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: New Hampshire 51%, Indiana and Massachusetts 43%, Michigan 41%, and Illinois 32%.

There have been at least 776,639 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.

Globally, cases were up 12% and deaths were down 4% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15.

There are once again over 20 million active cases around the world, at 20,159,495.

The five countries with the most new cases: Germany 38,444. The U.K. 37,681. Russia 33,548. France 31,648. And the Netherlands 22,133.

There have been at least 5,199,349 deaths reported as...

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Coronavirus vaccine and COVID variant updates for 12-01-2021

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for December 1st, 2021.

If you’re a non-US citizen coming into the US, prepare for some tougher testing requirements. And no, it doesn’t matter if you’re vaccinated or unvaccinated. Details should be rolled out tomorrow, but one policy being considered is requiring all air travelers to the U.S. be tested within one day of boarding their flight.

Omicron continues to go worldwide. Japan confirmed its first case, a fully vaccinated Namibian diplomat in his 30s who recently arrived from his country. He initially didn’t have any symptoms but has a fever now. And Brazil reported the first case of Omicron in both that country and Latin America; two travelers arriving from South Africa. France also reported its first case yesterday.

In Greece, they’re really getting tough on older folks. Residents over 60 must get vaccinated or face a $114 fine for every month they don’t. That takes effect January 16, and the fines will be added to citizens’ taxes. About a fourth of the country’s total adult population is unvaccinated.

Independent advisers to the FDA narrowly endorsed the first antiviral pill for adults at high risk for Covid-19. Some on the panel worried about the treatment's efficacy and risks to pregnant people. But the vote puts molnupiravir on track for FDA approval. One person who voted yes said, "I'm not sure this is really the one we've been waiting for, but it's the one we've got.”

If you’re looking for a reason to get fired, U.S. employers are here to help you. A national survey in mid-November shows most employers already have or will require employees to get vaccinated. So far, only 3% of employers said their mandates have resulted in a spike in resignations. Half even think mandates will help them recruit workers.

With reporting affected by the Thanksgiving holiday, in the United States cases were down 2%, deaths are down 16%, and hospitalizations are up 9% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since November 23.

The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Wyoming, Montana, West Virginia, Michigan, and Kentucky.

There are 9,419,966 active cases in the United States.

The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Indiana 41%, Massachusetts 40%, New Hampshire 36%. Michigan 34%, and Illinois 30%.

The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Koochiching, MO. Nodaway, MO. Shiawassee, MI. Colfax, NM. Sullivan, NH. Jackson, IA. Clay, IL. Neosho, KS. Dunn, WI. And Pope, MN.

There have been at least 780,140 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.

The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 72.9%, Rhode Island at 72.5%, and Maine unchanged at 72.1%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia unchanged at 41.5%, Wyoming at 45.5%, and Alabama at 46.1%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 59.3%.

Globally, cases were up 11% and deaths were down 3% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15.

There are 20,281,671 active cases around the world.

The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 106,876. Germany 55,880. France 47,177. The U.K. 39,716. And Russia 32,648.

There have been at least 5,214,863 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.

For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Vaccine 411 podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.