USA TODAY is keeping track of the news surrounding COVID-19 as a pair of vaccines join the U.S. fight against a virus that has killed more than 350,000 Americans since the first reported fatality in February. Keep refreshing this page for the latest updates surrounding the coronavirus, including who is getting the vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, as well as other top news from across the USA TODAY Network. Sign up for our Coronavirus Watch newsletter for updates directly to your inbox, join our Facebook group or scroll through our in-depth answers to reader questions for everything you need to know about the coronavirus.
In the headlines:
âşThe presence of the new, more-contagious strain of the coronavirus has been confirmed for the first time in New York state, which at one point was the epicenter of the pandemic in the U.S. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the variant, which has spread uncontrolled in England, was identified in a man in his 60s who has not traveled recently, pointing to the likelihood of community spread.â
âşAs England enters a phase of the pandemic that Boris Johnson said would be the “hardest yet,” the British prime minister on Monday announced a new lockdown requiring all residents to stay home except for permitted reasons. The lockdown was scheduled to go into effect at midnight and will include the closure of all schools and universities for in-person teaching until mid-February.
âşMore than 1.3 million travelers passed through the nation’s airports on Sunday, a new pandemic travel record as many passengers returned home from their holiday destinations. Those numbers are still down significantly from a year ago, but the holiday travel season was stronger than expected despite warnings from public health officials.
âşThe U.S. coronavirus numbers are in for December, and they are grisly. New infections jumped more than 40% from November â and November had more than twice as many cases as any previous month. The December death toll also set a record. More details below.
âşJapanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said Monday he would speed up vaccine approval and beef up border controls to curb the spread of the coronavirus, and promised to consider declaring a state of emergency.
âşVaccine rollout in the U.S. is still ramping up, and just over 4.5 million people have received a first dose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
âşPresident-elect Joe Bidenâs pledge to administer 100 million shots of the vaccine within his first 100 days in office is achievable, says Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nationâs top infectious-disease expert.
đ Today’s numbers: The U.S. has more than 20.7 million confirmed coronavirus cases and 352,600 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. The global totals: More than 85.5 million cases and 1.84 million deaths.
Britain rolls out AstraZeneca vaccine, will delay second doses
Britain on Monday became the first nation to use the vaccine developed by Oxford University and drugmaker AstraZeneca, a vaccine not yet authorized for emergency use in the U.S.
The British National Health Service also endorsed delaying the second dose of the vaccine up to 12 weeks â three weeks is recommended â so more people can get a first dose. The U.K. is in the midst of an acute outbreak, recording more than 50,000 new coronavirus infections a day over the last seven days.
In the U.S., Dr. Anthony Fauci has said he opposes delaying the second dose. Moncef Slaoui, scientific adviser of Operation Warp Speed, has suggested two half-doses might be given to free-up vaccine for more people.
World impatient as governments promise faster vaccinations
In Germany, a government spokesman said impatience with what is widely being perceived as a slow start to coronavirus vaccinations is understandable, but things will improve.
Franceâs cautious approach to its vaccine rollout has left just a few hundred people vaccinated after the first week and rekindled anger over the governmentâs handling of the pandemic. Belgium says it is stepping up vaccinations in nursing homes amid strong criticism over its slowness in deploying vaccines.
Americans dreaming of 20 million vaccinations in December woke up to less than 5 million by month’s end. But Dr. Anthony Fauci says he sees “some glimmer of hope” â with 1.5 million shots were administered in a recent 72-hour period.Â
Inflatable costume linked to outbreak at California hospital
A costume worn by a staff member at a California hospital’s Christmas party may have been a “contributing factor” to the infection of 44 staff members. Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center spokeswoman Irene Chavez told the New York Times the costume was kept inflated by a small fan. Air-powered costumes have been banned, she said.
âAny exposure, if it occurred, would have been completely innocent, and quite accidental, as the individual had no Covid symptoms and only sought to lift the spirits of those around them during what is a very stressful time,â Chavez said in a statement.
December smashed records for COVID deaths, cases
COVID-19 was disastrous in December, when one American died from the coronavirus about every 35 seconds. The United States reported 6,360,221 new cases â beating November’s record by 1.9 million. And November had more than twice as many cases as any previous month of the pandemic, a USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows.Â
The U.S. reported 77,572 deaths in December, more than 16,800 deaths above the previous monthly record set in April. Weekly deaths peaked in December in 30 states.
The winter holidays also brought changes in who got tested, how many testing sites were open and how fast labs and governments reported data. That means some of December’s numbers will end up being tabulated in January, which is expected to yield even worse totals.
â Mike Stucka
Contributing: The Associated Press
