On Christmas Eve, more than 120,000 people are treated for COVID in US hospitals. That’s not only a record, but doubling the number of patients who were in hospitals at the height of the April outbreak.
More than 18.7 million cases have now been confirmed in the US, and more than 330,000 Americans have died.
With US hospitals already overwhelmed and concerns about the new, much more contagious variant of COVID now spreading in the UK, the CDC is taking a hard line. All passengers must take care written documentation that they tested negative for the past 72 hours before leaving the UK and entering the US
The Queen delivered a gloomy Christmas message to the trapped land
“Missing friends and relatives are keeping away for safety, while all they want for Christmas is a simple hug or a handshake, if you’re there you’re not alone,” said Queen Elizabeth.
Some traditions continued – albeit without the fuss. From the Vatican to the city of Bethlehem.
Only a handful of parishioners were allowed to enter Christmas in Los Angeles, where someone dies from COVID every 10 minutes.
“This is unprecedented,” said Dr. Stephen Patterson. He said many of his current patients are in their 20s, with no underlying conditions – and are now desperately ill.
His message to people is, “Think about those decisions you make.“ Shall I take my mask off here? ”Or“ Will I decide that I would like to go out? ” vacation and even afterwards. ”
But the country’s airports are the busiest they have been since the start of the pandemic. And there are serious warnings of the wave ahead.
Researchers still estimate more than 500,000 deaths in the US in April.
Despite that grim prediction, there are stories of triumph.
This is Merlin Pambuan, an ICU nurse in Southern California who treated COVID patients – then became one.
Ventilated for 4 months, 8 months against the virus in the same hospital where she worked for 40 years.
Her message tonight to those who treated her and those who are now fighting for their lives: “Don’t lose hope. Just fight. Fight.”
LAX still has up to three non-stop flights a day from the UK. It is still unclear how effective the vaccines are for the new strain, and a Boston physician reportedly had the first serious allergic reaction to the Moderna vaccine.