Arizona joined 30 other states on Friday that detected a Covid-19 variant first seen in the United Kingdom and believed to be more transmissible.
This 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 cases detected on its website. More than 400 cases of that variant have been reported in the country.
Authorities also announced Thursday that two people in South Carolina have been diagnosed with a more infectious strain of coronavirus first detected in South Africa. This is the first time the variant has been reported in the USA
More than 434,000 people have died and more than 25.7 million cases have been reported in the United States since the beginning of the pandemic, according to NBC News.
Here are the latest coronavirus updates from the US and elsewhere:
The CDC mandates masks for public transportation
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Friday night that wearing a mask will be required for all public transportation starting Monday night, NBC News reports.
The mandate issued by CDC Division Director Martin S. Cetron was made after President Joe Biden issued an executive order on January 21 calling for “immediate action” on clothing for “all forms of public transportation.”
It applies to all public commercial transport – airplanes, trains, boats and buses – and transport hubs, such as air terminals, train stations, metro stations, seaports and bus depots.
It also covers ferries, subways, taxis and walking vehicles, the CDC said. Transport operators and workers must also wear masks.
Read the full story at NBCNews.com
Fauci warns of “wake-up call” viral mutations, says children can start vaccinating by “early summer”
NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Fauci explains why the results of a study on the effectiveness of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine are encouraging even when compared to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which had a higher efficacy rate.
Dr Anthony Fauci says the growing and spread of coronavirus mutations means vaccine manufacturers need to be prepared to take new photos to stay ahead of the public health crisis.
The government’s top infectious disease expert spoke at a White House briefing on the coronavirus on Friday.
“This is a wake-up call for all of us,” says Fauci, noting that government scientists will work to keep up with the virus’s mutations.
The nature of viruses is to change in ways that promote their spread, says Fauci. The evolution of mutant versions means that scientists must be “agile” and ready to make changes to vaccines. To date, mutants have not overwhelmed the protective power of vaccines.
Fauci says it is important to vaccinate as many people as possible as soon as possible to prevent the development of new mutations, adding that the Biden administration hopes to start inoculating younger children by late spring or early summer. Clinical trials to determine if approved coronavirus vaccines are safe for younger children will begin in the “next few months,” says Fauci.
The results could influence the debate on how to safely reopen public schools.
The Prime Minister of Japan says he is determined to host the Tokyo Olympics
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga says he is determined to host the postponed Tokyo Olympics this summer, despite growing uncertainty as coronavirus cases grow at home.
Suga, speaking at a virtual meeting of the World Economic Forum, says the Olympics would be a symbol of human victory over the pandemic. He pledged to control infections in Japan as soon as possible and to hold “safe” Olympics.
Olympic officials have repeatedly stated that the games will take place in July as planned after a one-year postponement, although various scenarios are being considered, including organizing events without spectators.
Suga was criticized for delaying antivirus measures until daily cases peaked in late December. Finally, he declared a state of partial emergency in early January, issuing non-binding applications by February 7 for people to avoid congestion or eat in groups, and for restaurants and bars to close early.
New cases of coronavirus in Tokyo have declined, but experts say they have not slowed down enough, indicating that emergency measures could be extended for a few more weeks.
CDC Director: “There was a community spread” of the South African strain
The new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the South African variant COVID-19 detected in two South Carolina people who did not know or travel there means the strain has already reached the point of community spread in the US
“The presumption is, at this point, that there has been a community spread of this strain,” Rochelle Walensky told NBC’s “TODAY”, saying it was “worrying.”
The fact that the South African version was detected on Thursday does not mean that it has just arrived, because the USA is far behind the other countries in terms of tracking changes in the virus by sequencing its genetic code.
Walensky said the virus’s sequencing has been “extended” under the new administration, which means there are more chances of catching a new strain.
EU regulators approve the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine for adults only
Regulators on Friday approved the vaccine against AstraZeneca virus in adults across the European Union on Friday amid criticism that the bloc is not moving fast enough to vaccinate its population.
The European Medicines Agency has authorized the vaccine to be used in people aged 18 and over, although concerns have been expressed this week that there is not enough data to prove it works in the elderly.
The image is the third COVID-19 vaccine given the green light by the European Medicines Agency, after those made by Pfizer and Moderna. Both were licensed for all adults.
Many countries on the continent have struggled to vaccinate people as quickly as Britain, Israel, the US and elsewhere, and it has long been hoped that the AstraZeneca shot will help speed things up.
Johnson & Johnson says its vaccine provides strong protection against COVID-19, but less effective than others
Johnson & Johnson says its vaccine appears to protect against COVID-19 with a single shot. It’s not as strong as some two-shot rivals, but it’s still potentially useful for a world that needs extremely high doses.
The results published on Friday show that the single-injection vaccine was 66% effective overall in preventing moderate to severe disease and much more protective against the worst symptoms.
The vaccine worked better in the US than in South Africa, where it faces a harsher and more mutant virus. The company says it will apply for emergency use soon in the United States and then abroad.
Read the full story here.