The director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases told NBC’s “Today” show that he believes vaccination rates will increase by March and April.
Until then, more doses should be available, he said. He also said it was “quite certain” that by the end of April, pharmacies, community vaccination centers and mobile units would help increase the pace – and not just for those in higher priority groups.
“I would imagine that by the time we get to April, that’s what I would have asked, you know, for a better wording, open season,” Fauci said. “Namely, practically everyone and anyone in any category could start getting vaccinated.”
Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte signed a bill Wednesday that protects companies and houses of worship from legal liability for transmitting Covid-19 as long as they take steps to comply with public health guidelines and announced it would not extend it. the mask mandate at the state level.
“The mandate for the mask will expire on Friday,” the governor said, adding: “Since we are not in the forest yet, I will continue to wear a mask and encourage all Montanians to do the same.”
However, New York stadiums must limit capacity to 10%; ensure that all employees and spectators have received a negative Covr-19 PCR test in the last 72 hours; and must impose the coverage of the face and the allocated places, socially distanced.
In New Mexico, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said the state will drop its mandatory quarantine rule for people from “high-risk” states, attributing the policy change to a “brighter pandemic outlook cautiously after a few months.” unsustainable tensions over the state ”. the health system. ”
“It is absolutely essential that we continue to take steps beyond vaccination to keep this under control,” Besser said. “The more widespread this virus is in our communities, the more we will see how these variants spread.”
Cases, hospitalizations and deaths are declining for now
The CDC said a more transmissible variant first identified in the UK could be dominant in the US in March and could worsen the spread of the virus.
For now, however, the rates of new cases and deaths in Covid-19 and the number of patients with Covid-19 in hospitals are declining after the increases during the holiday season:
– Cases: The US recorded an average of 104,304 new cases of Covid-19 per day in the last week – down 58% from the country’s peak average of more than 249,800 on January 8, according to Johns Hopkins University.
– Hospitalizations: more than 76,900 patients with Covid-19 were in hospitals in the US on Wednesday – the lowest total since November 16, according to the COVID follow-up project. The number was below 100,000 for 12 consecutive days.
– Deaths: The country recorded an average of 2,779 Covid-19 deaths a day in the last week – down from the nation’s peak average of 3,363 in mid-January, according to Johns Hopkins data.
– The positivity rate of the national test – or the percentage of tests taken that prove to be positive – is now averaging 6.49%, according to the COVID follow-up project.
It fell from a winter peak of about 13.6% in early January. But the World Health Organization has recommended that governments not reopen until the test positivity rate is 5% or less for at least two weeks.
Which states are looking for variants
But only eight states genetically sequenced more than 1 percent of their total Covid-19 cases during the pandemic – compared to the national average of just under 0.4 percent, according to CDC data.
These states include Hawaii, Maine, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
Eighteen states sequenced less than 0.1% of their confirmed cases of Covid-19.
CDC: The second dose of the vaccine may be given later
Meanwhile, the CDC has also released new guidelines on best practices for managing two doses of vaccine.
Pfizer / BioNTech and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines authorized for emergency use in the US are administered as two doses – 21 and 28 days apart, respectively.
However, if these recommended intervals cannot be met, the new CDC guideline states that the second dose “may be scheduled for administration up to 6 weeks (42 days) after the first dose.”
The agency said on Wednesday that people who are completely vaccinated against Covid-19 can jump out of quarantine if they are exposed to someone infected with the virus.
“Fully vaccinated individuals who meet the criteria will no longer be required to quarantine after exposure to someone with COVID-19,” the CDC said.
That criterion: People must be completely vaccinated – they have had both vaccines after at least two weeks have passed since the second shot.
But the agency added that protection could be lost after three months, so people who had the last blow three months or more ago should be quarantined if exposed and should also be quarantined if they have symptoms. .
“At this time, vaccinated people should continue to follow current guidelines to protect themselves and others, including wearing a mask, staying at least 6 meters away from others, avoiding congestion, avoiding poorly ventilated areas, covering coughs. and sneezing, often washing their hands, following the CDC’s travel guidelines and any guidance applicable at work or school, “the agency said.
CNN’s Naomi Thomas, Andy Rose, Michael Nedelman, Keri Enriquez, Jacqueline Howard, Ben Tinker, Jennifer Hauser and Brad Parks contributed to this report.