Spring breakers are sparking new Covid concerns

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Yes, the number of people vaccinated is steadily increasing in the U.S. But right now, experts say, it’s critical to double efforts to reduce the number of Covid-19 cases. That means staying at home, wearing a mask and avoiding crowds.

Doctors are concerned that since not enough people are yet protected from the virus – only about 13.5% of the US population is fully vaccinated – the virus will continue to spread rapidly. That gives it more possibilities to mutate, and therefore the risk that a new variant will emerge that could make the vaccine less effective.

Public health officials are urging Americans to postpone their trip, but people are hitting the road anyway. The Transportation Security Administration screened more than 1.5 million people at airports across the country on Sunday – a new pandemic-era record and the eleventh straight day it has screened more than a million people. And some states continue to lift restrictions even as the number of cases remains high.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said the White House is encouraging governors, as well as the private sector, to enforce or reset coronavirus restrictions.

“ We have to act now, and I’m afraid if we don’t take the right action now, we will have another avoidable wave – just like we’re seeing in Europe now and just like we’re scaling up vaccination so aggressively, ” she said.
Europe is a cautionary tale. Several countries on the continent have been overwhelmed by new, more contagious varieties of the disease and forced into new lockdowns. This morning, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she would extend the country’s lockdown until April 18 amid a sharp spike in Covid-19 cases.

Cases are increasing worldwide. The World Health Organization said yesterday that the number of new infections has risen for the fifth consecutive week.

YOU ASKED. WE ANSWER.

Ask: I have been fully vaccinated. Can I visit my unvaccinated family and friends?

A: Yes, but visits should be limited to one unvaccinated household at a time, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials said yesterday.

“In the setting where the unvaccinated people come from one household and all unvaccinated people are at a low risk of severe Covid-19 disease, no preventive measures are needed, so these visits can take place indoors without a mask or physical distance . ” said CDC epidemiologist Tami Skoff.

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WHAT IS IMPORTANT TODAY

AstraZeneca is facing more questions in the US

US health officials have expressed concern about the results of AstraZeneca’s latest vaccine study. The drug giant said its vaccine had 79% efficacy against symptomatic illnesses and 100% efficacy against serious illnesses and hospitalization in a new US-based clinical trial.

A statement from the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said the Data and Safety Monitoring Board “had expressed concern that AstraZeneca may have included outdated information from that study, which may provide an incomplete picture of the efficacy data. has yielded “.

AstraZeneca is expected to apply for an emergency authorization for its vaccine in the coming weeks.

Covid-19 vaccines are for sale on the dark web

Counterfeit vaccine cards and what’s billed as Covid-19 vaccines are for sale on the dark web, according to a new cybersecurity report. Security researchers at Check Point Software said they have uncovered listings for Covid-19 vaccines from various brands, such as AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson, for up to $ 1,000 per dose, as well as at least 20 vaccine certificates for $ 200 each. Also on sale: Negative Covid-19 test results for $ 25.

The dark web is a part of the internet that is not detected by search engines, where cyber criminals often sell and buy illegal material, from credit card numbers and drugs to cyber weapons and now apparently coronavirus-related products.

Ontario in the third wave amid concerns about the slow rollout of vaccines

Health officials in Ontario, Canada’s largest province, have warned the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic has begun. The number of cases and hospitalizations is increasing as new variants of the virus continue to spread.

Public health officials have warned that vaccine rollouts are not going fast enough to halt a potentially devastating third wave in other parts of the country. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said yesterday that vaccine shipments will continue to increase, but officials are now facing the possibility that the vaccines will not be distributed in time to prevent a significant number of hospitalizations and deaths.

ON OUR RADAR

  • Russian President Vladimir Putin is finally being vaccinated – months after he became eligible for an injection.
  • The gap between the number of Covid-19 vaccines being administered in rich and poor countries is widening and is becoming more “grotesque” every day, says the head of the WHO.
  • A leading opposition candidate in the Republic of Congo presidential election has died of Covid-related complications a day after the vote.
  • U.S. government officials are not confident that Johnson & Johnson will meet its self-imposed deadline to deliver 20 million coronavirus vaccines by the end of March, despite optimistic statements from the company.
  • Anyone trying to travel abroad from England next week will need a “reasonable excuse” or be fined nearly $ 7,000 (£ 5,000), under new proposed legislation.
  • According to a report released by the Kaiser Family Foundation on Monday, more women than men skipped healthcare during the pandemic.
  • While young people are itching to leave the lockdown, British health leaders face a new challenge: social media influencers soaking up the Dubai sunshine.

BEST ADVICE

People have never been more dependent on technology than in the past year. Some of it was fun and brilliant, some of it an exhausting battle for attention.

Dr. Jenny Radesky, a developmental behavioral pediatrician, says this is a time to think about what worked and what didn’t, and how to move forward. These are her main takeaways from the digital immersion that we and our kids have experienced over the past year.

TODAY’S PODCAST

“We can save more lives if we share vaccines.” – Dr. Krishna Udayakumar, Director of Duke University’s Global Health Innovation Center

Because wealthier countries have bought up most of the world’s supply of vaccines, many lower and middle-income countries have lagged behind. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent, speaks with Dr. Krishna Udayakumar on the challenges of getting the vaccine to everyone around the world. Listen now

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