This is what happens with the pandemic in the US on Monday:
THREE THINGS TO KNOW TODAY
– A huge study of another COVID-19 vaccine candidate begins Monday as states continue to roll out scarce supplies from the country’s first shots. The Novavax Inc. made candidate is the fifth to reach final testing in the US. It takes about 30,000 volunteers to prove whether this vaccine – a different strain from its Pfizer and Moderna competitors – really works and is safe.
Murders in Detroit, New York, Philadelphia and other American cities have surpassed 2019 numbers while violence intensified during the coronavirus pandemic. Authorities and some experts say there is no single clear reason for the spike. They point to social and economic unrest caused by COVID-19, hostility to the police following George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis police custody, and a historic shortage of jobs and other resources in poorer communities as contributing factors. It’s happening in cities big and small, run by Democrats and Republicans.
Nearly 1.3 million people passed through US airport checkpoints on Sunday, the highest total in one day in more than nine months, despite fears that travel will lead to more cases of COVID-19. The Transportation Security Administration said it screened 1,284,599 on Sunday, the most since March 15. Since December 18, more than 10 million people have traveled by air, including six days during which at least 1 million people were screened. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease expert, said the number of trips could lead to a further increase in COVID-19 cases. Fauci said busy airports make it difficult to maintain social distance, and holiday gatherings combine people from different households.
THE NUMBERS: According to data from Johns Hopkins University, the seven-day moving average for daily new deaths in the US has dropped from 2,421.3 on Dec. 13 to 2,207.1 on Dec. 27 in the past two weeks.
DEATH TOLL: The number of COVID-19-related deaths in the US is more than 333,000.
QUOTABLE: “I think the pandemic – COVID – has had a significant emotional impact on people across the country,” Detroit Police Chief James Craig said of a surge in homicides in his city this year. “Individuals don’t process how they manage disputes. Whether it’s domestic servants, arguments, or drug disputes, there is a speed to use an illegally transported firearm. “
ICYMI: President Donald Trump has signed a $ 900 billion pandemic relief package, ending days of drama over his refusal to accept the bipartisan deal that will bring long-sought cash to businesses and individuals and prevent government shutdown. His delay in signing the measure resulted in the forfeiture of millions of unemployment benefits and threatened closure amid the pandemic. In a statement, Trump reiterated his frustrations with the bill for providing only $ 600 checks to most Americans instead of the $ 2,000 his fellow Republicans had already turned down.
ON THE HORIZON: Avalanche forecasters and search and rescue groups fear that skiers and snowboarders – many of them inexperienced – will head back into the backcountry this ski season to avoid crowds or resort reservation systems. According to an industry group, domestic equipment sales are up 76% compared to last year.
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Find AP’s full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic