Arizona joined 30 other states on Friday to discover a Covid-19 variant first seen in the UK and believed to be more transmissible.
That variant has now been found in 31 states, including Arizona, according to the announcement of the state health department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which tracks detected cases on its website. More than 400 cases of that variant have been reported in the country.
Authorities also announced on Thursday that two people in South Carolina have been diagnosed with a more contagious strain of the coronavirus that was first discovered in South Africa. It is the first time that the variant has been reported in the US
According to NBC News, more than 434,000 people have died and more than 25.7 million cases have been reported in the US since the start of the pandemic.
Here are the latest updates on the coronavirus from the US and elsewhere:
CDC mandates masks for public transport
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Friday night that wearing a mask will be mandatory in all public transportation starting Monday night, NBC News reports.
The mandate of Martin S. Cetron, the director of the CDC division, was given after President Joe Biden issued an executive order on January 21 calling for “immediate action” on the wearing of masks for “all modes of public transportation. “.
It applies to all commercial public transport – airplanes, trains, boats and buses – and to transport hubs such as air terminals, train stations, metro stations, seaports and bus depots.
It also includes ferries, subways, taxis and ride-hail vehicles, the CDC said. Operators and transport workers must also wear masks.
Read the full story at NBCNews.com
Fauci warns virus mutations as a ‘wake-up call’, says kids can be vaccinated by ‘early summer’
NIAID Director, Dr. Anthony Fauci explains why the results of a study of the efficacy of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine are encouraging, even when compared to Pfizer and Moderna vaccines that had higher efficacy rates.
Dr. Anthony Fauci says the rise and increasing spread of coronavirus mutations means vaccine makers must be ready to take new shots to stay ahead of the public health crisis.
The government’s top infectious disease expert spoke at a briefing on the coronavirus from the White House on Friday.
“This is a wake-up call for all of us,” says Fauci, noting that government scientists will work to keep track of the virus mutations.
The nature of viruses is to change in ways that promote their spread, Fauci says. The evolution of mutant versions means that scientists must be ‘nimble’ and ready to modify vaccines. Until now, the mutants have not overwhelmed the protective power of vaccines.
Fauci says it’s important to vaccinate as many people as possible as soon as possible to prevent new mutations from developing, adding that the Biden administration hopes to start vaccinating younger children by late spring or early summer. Clinical trials to determine whether approved coronavirus vaccines are safe for younger children will begin in “the next few months,” Fauci says.
The results could influence the debate about how to safely reopen public schools.
The Prime Minister of Japan says he is determined to host the Olympic Games in Tokyo
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga says he is determined to host the postponed Olympic Games in Tokyo this summer, despite growing uncertainty as the coronavirus ramps up at home.
Suga said at a virtual meeting of the World Economic Forum that the Olympics would be a symbol of the human victory over the pandemic. He promised to get the infections in Japan under control as soon as possible and to realize a ‘safe and secure’ Olympic Games.
Olympic officials have repeatedly said that the games will be held in July as scheduled after a one-year delay, although several scenarios are being considered, including holding events without spectators.
Suga has been criticized for delaying virus measures until daily cases hit new highs in late December. He eventually declared a partial state of emergency in early January and made non-binding requests to people through February 7 to avoid crowds or to eat out in groups and to close restaurants and bars early.
New cases of coronavirus in Tokyo have fallen, but experts say they have not been delayed enough, indicating the emergency measures could be extended for several more weeks.
CDC Director: There Has Been Community Spread from South Africa Strain
The new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the South African COVID-19 variant detected in two people in South Carolina who did not know each other or traveled there means the tribe had already reached the point where the community spread in the US
“It is suspected, at this point, that this species has spread in the community,” Rochelle Walensky told NBC’s “TODAY” show, saying it was “concerning.”
Just because the South African variant was discovered on Thursday doesn’t mean it just arrived, as the US is lagging far behind other countries in tracking changes to the virus by sequencing its genetic code.
Walensky said the virus sequencing has been “scaled up” under the new administration, meaning there is more chance of catching a new strain.
European Union regulators approve AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine for adults only
Regulators approved AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine Friday for use in adults across the European Union amid criticism that the bloc is not moving fast enough to vaccinate its population.
The European Medicines Agency authorized the use of the vaccine in people 18 years and older, although concerns had been raised this week that there is not enough data to prove it works in the elderly.
The shot is the third COVID-19 vaccine to get the green light from the European Medicines Agency, after the vaccine from Pfizer and Moderna. Both were authorized for all adults.
Many countries on the continent are struggling to vaccinate people as quickly as Britain, Israel, the US and elsewhere, and it was long hoped that the AstraZeneca shot would speed things up.
Johnson & Johnson says its vaccine offers strong protection against COVID-19, but less effective than others
Johnson & Johnson says the vaccine appears to protect against COVID-19 with just one shot. It’s not as strong as some two-shot rivals, but it’s still potentially useful for a world in desperate need of more doses.
The results released Friday show that the one-time vaccine was 66% effective in preventing moderate to severe illness, and much more protective against the most severe symptoms.
The vaccine worked better in the US than in South Africa, where it had to contend with a stronger, mutated virus. The company says it will soon file an emergency application in the US and then abroad.
Read the full story here.