Category: Corona Virus Vaccine

MORE areas of the UK will be in higher tiers after the current lockdown ends, Boris Johnson has said.

It came as the prime minister today confirmed that the country would return to a three-tier system when the lockdown expires on December 2.

He also used the announcement to urge people to think carefully before visiting vulnerable friends and family over the Christmas period.

Tis the season to be jolly, but its also the season to be jolly careful, especially with elderly relatives, he said.

Follow our coronavirus live blog below for the very latest news, reaction and updates on the lockdown plans...

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Coronavirus UK news latest More of UK will be in higher tiers after lockdown as PM warns against Christmas c - The Sun

The body builds a protective fleet of immune cells when infected with COVID-19, and in many people, those defenses linger for more than six months after the infection clears, according to a new study.

The immune cells appear so stable, in fact, that immunity to the virus may last at least several years, the study authors said. "That amount of [immune] memory would likely prevent the vast majority of people from getting hospitalized disease, severe disease, for many years," co-author Shane Crotty, a virologist at the La Jolla Institute of Immunology in California, told The New York Times, which first reported on the study.

That said, making predictions about how long immunity to the coronavirus lasts can be "tricky," Nicolas Vabret, an assistant professor of medicine at the Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine, who was not involved in the study, told Live Science.

"It would be surprising to see the ... immune cells build up in patients over six months and suddenly crash after one year," Vabret said in an email. But "the only way to know whether SARS-CoV-2 immunity will last decades is to study the patients over the same period of time."

In other words, we won't know exactly how long immunity lasts without continuing to study those who have recovered from COVID-19. However, the new study, posted Nov. 16 to the preprint database bioRxiv, does provide strong hints that the protection is long-lived although clearly not in all people, as there have been several cases of individuals being reinfected with the coronavirus after recovering.

Related: 20 of the worst epidemics and pandemics in history

The research dives into the ranks of the human immune system, assessing how different lines of defense change after a COVID-19 infection.

These defenses include antibodies, which bind to the virus and either summon immune cells to destroy the bug or neutralize it themselves. Memory B cells, a kind of white blood cell, "remember" the virus after an infection clears and help quickly raise the body's defenses, should the body be reexposed. Memory T cells, another kind of white blood cell, also learn to recognize the coronavirus and dispose of infected cells. Specifically, the authors looked at T cells called CD8+ and CD4+ cells.

The authors assessed all these immune cells and antibodies in 185 people who had recovered from COVID-19. A small number of participants never developed symptoms of the illness, but most experienced mild infections that did not require hospitalization. And 7% of the participants were hospitalized for severe disease.

The majority of participants provided one blood sample, sometime between six days and eight months after the onset of their infections. Thirty-eight participants gave several blood samples between those time points, allowing the authors to track their immune response through time.

Ultimately, "one could argue that what they found is not so surprising, as the immune response dynamics they measure look like what you would expect from functioning immune systems," Vabret said.

The authors found that antibodies specific to the spike protein a structure on the surface of the virus remain stable for months and begin to wane about six to eight months after infection. At five months post-infection, nearly all the participants still carried antibodies. The volume of these antibodies differed widely between people, though, with an up to 200-fold difference between individuals. Antibody counts normally fall after an acute infection, Vabret noted, so the modest drop-off at six to eight months came as no surprise.

Related: 11 surprising facts about the immune system

By comparison, memory T and B cells that recognize the virus appear extremely stable, the authors noted. "Essentially no decay of ... memory B cells was observed between days 50 and 240," or eight months later, Marc Jenkins, an immunologist at the University of Minnesota Medical School, who was not involved in the study, said in an email.

"Although some decay of memory T cells was observed, the decay was very slow and may flatten out at some point," Jenkins added. There's reason to believe that the number of memory T cells may stabilize sometime after infection, because T cells against a related coronavirus, SARS-CoV, have been found in recovered patients up to 17 years later, according to a study published July 15 in the journal Nature.

Early in the pandemic, scientists raised concerns that immunity to the virus may wear off in about a year; this trend can be seen with the four coronaviruses that cause the common cold, Live Science previously reported. However, studies suggest that the body's reaction to common coronaviruses may differ from that to viruses like SAR-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, which hopped from animals to humans.

"We don't really know why seasonal coronaviruses do not induce lasting protective immunity," Vabret said. But the new study, along with other recent evidence, suggests that SARS-CoV-2 immunity may be more robust, said Jason Cyster, a professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of California, San Francisco, who was not involved in the study.

That said, a few participants in the new study did not mount long-lasting immune responses to the novel virus. Their transient responses may come down to differences in how much virus they were initially exposed to, or genetics may explain the difference, Cyster said. For instance, genes known as human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes differ widely between individuals and help alert the immune system to foreign invaders, Live Science previously reported.

These inherent differences between people may help explain cases of COVID-19 reinfection, which have been relatively rare but are increasing in number, Science Magazine reported.

Again, to really understand how long COVID-19 immunity lasts, scientists need to continue to study recovered patients. "Certainly, we need to look six months down the road," and see whether the T and B cell counts remain high, Cyster said.

Should immunity be long-term, one big question is whether that durability carries over to vaccines. But natural immunity and vaccine-generated immunity cannot be directly compared, Vabret noted.

"The mechanisms by which vaccines induce immunity are not necessarily the same as the ones resulting from natural infection," Vabret said. "So the immune protection resulting from a vaccine could last longer or shorter than the one resulting from natural infection."

For example, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines use a molecular messenger called mRNA to train the body to recognize and attack the coronavirus. No mRNA-based vaccine has ever been approved before, so "we practically know nothing about the durability of those responses," Cyster said.

"I think [that's] the big unknown for me, among the many," he said.

But while some unanswered questions remain, the main takeaway from the new study is that "immune memory to SARS-CoV-2 is very stable," Jenkins said. And fingers crossed perhaps those hopeful results will hold well into the future.

Originally published on Live Science.

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Could COVID-19 immunity last decades? Heres the science. - Livescience.com

HARRISBURG (KDKA) Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine says there could be a coronavirus vaccine available within the next month, although that wont be an immediate cure or end to the pandemic.

If the federal approval process remains on track we still have to see that we could have a vaccine within the next month, Dr. Levine said at a press conference Thursday afternoon.

However, we do not know how quickly the vaccine supply will meet the demand. It is important to remember again that when the vaccine becomes available, it will not be a cure certainly not an immediate cure or end to the coronavirus pandemic.

Dr. Levine says after Pfizer and Moderna finish their phase three trials with their vaccines, the FDA has to complete a review to grant emergency use authorization.

There was concern in the past about the politicization of this process. I feel very comfortable that there has been no politicization of this process, that science has driven the process, said Dr. Levine.

She says there are significant logistical challenges to distribute and administer the vaccines to the public.

Shes anticipating at least two vaccines, pointing to Moderna and Pfizer, then says there are four more in the pipeline. The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines require two doses, she says, and the Pfizer vaccine has to be kept at -80 degrees Celsius.

The Moderna vaccine we will be able to have even more of a widespread distribution because that can just be kept in the refrigerator, said Levine.

She says the states vaccine plan, which you can read here, tries to tackle these logistical hurdles.

Our plan takes all of that into consideration, and we stand ready to distribute and administer the vaccines. We have been working very closely with Operation Warp Speed as well as the CDC and other federal officials and other states, but we do need more funding, she said.

The CDC and federal government authorized $340 million to the states, which she said is in contrast to about $8 billion to $12 billion to develop the vaccine. She said $340 million to the state isnt enough, and shes calling for more funding.

Dr. Levine says there will be three phases of distribution and administration. The first to get it will be the critical population people like healthcare workers, those 65 years and older and residents in congregate care settings.

Once theres a large number of doses available, critical populations not yet vaccinated and the general population will get vaccinated. Once theres a sufficient supply of doses, the entire population will get vaccinated.

We are in for a very challenging time, which is why we are talking about containment and mitigation and emphasizing how things are. We anticipate, again, that were going to be rolling this out through the winter and then the spring and into the summer. It could take a significant amount of time to immunize everyone in Pennsylvania. I anticipate that were going to be wearing masks in 2021, well into maybe until the end of 2021, she said.

She adds, Were going to need to meet this challenge, and the governor and I have confidence that Pennsylvanians are strong and resilient and will meet this challenge andwill be successful.

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COVID-19 In Pennsylvania: We Could Have A Vaccine Within The Next Month, Dr. Rachel Levine Says - CBS Pittsburgh

Michigan set a new record for daily COVID-19 cases with 9,779 cases reported Friday, one week from its last record. The state also added 53 deaths.

In the past week, Michigan has ranked sixth nationally for the highest number of cases and fifth for most deaths, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tracker.

The latestadditions bring the state's total of confirmed cases to 295,177 and 8,377deaths since the virus was first detected in Michigan in March,according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

Michigan shattered its weekly coronavirus case record last week with a total of 44,019 new cases reported, the fifth consecutive record week for confirmed infections.

So far this week, the state has added 43,364 casesand 383deaths.

Drive-up testing for COVID-19 continues at Beaumont Hospital's north entrance in Royal Oak, Michigan on Friday, March 27, 2020.(Photo: Daniel Mears, The Detroit News)

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced wide-ranging new restrictions Sunday night to combat what she described as the "worst moment" yet in the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services ordered a temporary pauseon in-person learning for high schools and colleges, suspension of in-person dining at restaurants and bars, and the closure ofbowling alleys, movie theaters and casinos.

Under the order, effective through Dec. 8,indoor residential gatherings are limited to two households at any one time.

Child care centers, hair salons, retail shops and preschool through eighth-grade schools are still be allowed to operate. Parks and outdoor recreation areas will continue to be open, and gatherings of up to 25 people can take place at funerals. Restaurants can offer take-out and outdoor dining, while gyms and pools can be open for individual exercise.

About 3,481 adults were hospitalized statewide with COVID-19 and another 391 with suspected caseson Friday, compared with 999 COVID inpatients a month earlier on Oct. 13, according to state data.

A chunk of last week's caserecord was added last Friday when the state saw118 virus-related deaths and a daily record of 8,516 newcases of COVID-19.

The state reported 416 new deaths linked to the virus last week, which was the largest weekly total since early May.

Michigan's new cases have beendoubling every two- to two-and-a-half weeks. The previous weekly high of confirmed cases was set the week ending Nov. 7,at 29,614.

Michigans dailyrecord for deaths was reached onApril 16 with 164.

Deaths stayed near single digits each day from July through September but spiked again with 10 to 18 per day in early October. Deaths have been trending upwardthis month, with 43 on Nov. 3,65 on Nov. 7,84 on Nov. 10 and118 on Nov. 13.

A week before Thanksgiving, Michigan Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun and Whitmer warned against holiday gatherings Thursday, saying residents should avoid having Thanksgiving with anyone outside of their own household.

Khaldun said every region of the state is experiencing "alarming" infection rates and positivity rates in testing for the virus.

"Indoor gatherings are a major way that COVID-19 is spreading right now. Khaldun said. And at the rates were seeing in the state, it is very likely that if you are gathering for Thanksgiving, the virus will also be around the table."

The state department added new tracking Wednesday indicating that wastewater surveillance is being conducted in 37 counties throughout Michigan, in both the upper and lower peninsulas. There are approximately 270 testing sites, which include wastewater treatment plants and congregate facilities, such as jails, long-term care facilities, K-12 schools, universities, child care facilities and group homes.

The virus can be detected in wastewater for up to seven days. Officials believe monitoring wastewater can provide an early indication for the presence of the disease in the community before critical illnesses occur.

Hospitalizations of virus patients in Michigan are up more than five-fold over seven weeks, officials say. Health care leaders are projecting that the state willexceed thespring hospitalization peak late this month.

According to Beckers Hospital Review, Michigan has the 10th highest hospitalization rate as a percentage of total beds and the sixth-highest number of COVID patients inICUs.

Across the state, Michigan has just under 24,000 hospital inpatient beds. More than77%, or 18,519, of those beds were filled as of Friday, according to data reported to the state by 88% of hospital systems. Intensive care beds were at 80% capacity, according to the reporting hospitals.

Unlike the spring surge, which was concentrated in southeast Michigan, this escalation is spread across the state. Nearly 11% of COVID tests run in the state are coming back positive.A positivity rate above3% is concerning to public health officials.

"The situation has never been more dire," Whitmer said Sunday. "We are at the precipice, and we need to take some action."

The surge in cases comes as drugmakers are reporting encouraging results in trials of vaccines.

Pfizer said Wednesday that the latest interim results from its ongoing coronavirus vaccine study suggest the shots are 95% effective and that the vaccine protects older people most at risk of dying from COVID-19. The company said it plans within days to askU.S. regulators to allow emergency use of the vaccine.

On Monday, Moderna Inc. said its vaccine appears to be 94.5% effective, according to preliminary data from an ongoing study.

Pfizer said Friday it is asking U.S. regulators to allow emergency use of its COVID-19 vaccine, starting the clock on a process that could bring limited first shots as early as next month and eventually an end to the pandemic but not until after a long, hard winter.

Chief executives of five major hospital systems across Michigantried to wake up the public last week to the "exponential" rate of infection spread as patients fill up emergency rooms and hospital beds.

The hospital leaders pleaded with community members to help stem the spread by wearing masks, washing their hands, practicingsocial distancing and staying away from large social gatheringsso medical centers don't become overrun with patients.

"The health care system can capsize if you don't keep it under control," Beaumont Health CEO John Fox said.

The state was tracking more than 900active outbreaks as of Sunday, its highest number yet,Khaldun said.

Top categories for outbreaks continueto be long-term care settings, such as nursing homes, manufacturing facilities and schools, but health officials are also seeing increases in the numbers of outbreaks in healthcare settingsand in restaurants and bars, she said.

The state released 63 new school-related outbreaks adding to more than 150 existing outbreaks, the majority of which are at high schools.

At long-term care facilities, there are 991 new resident cases and 166 new deaths from the virus for a total of 12,449 cases and 3,018 deaths. Staff members continue to face hurdles within the facilities. There are 1,055 new confirmed staff cases for a total of 8,684 cases and 35 staff deaths, according to the state department.

Khaldun cautioned the state's contact-tracing system is "strained" right now due to the sheer volume of cases.

"While our local health departments are doing their best, as they have been doing all year, the system is simply not keeping up. It, too, has limited capacity," Khaldun said.

"Because there are now so many positive cases, and those cases, each have so many contacts, it is taking longer for us to reach all of them. This means that there may be people walking around who are a close contact with a positive case, and they don't even know it."

She said fewer than a third of positive cases the state is investigating were among peoplein quarantine at the time of their diagnosis, meaningover two-thirds of people with positive cases are out and about,potentially spreading the virus to others.

As of Saturday,138,862 have recovered from the virus.

srahal@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @SarahRahal_

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Michigan sets another daily COVID-19 case record - The Detroit News

More than seven months later, it's been revealed that the legendary performer's donation helped fund Moderna's Covid-19 vaccine, which this week became the second coronavirus vaccine with a stunningly high success rate.Parton's name appears in the preliminary report on the vaccine among sponsors like the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which Dr. Anthony Fauci heads, and Emory University. She originally donated to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in honor of her friend and Vanderbilt professor of surgery Dr. Naji Abumrad. The Moderna vaccine is 94.5% effective against coronavirus, according to early data released this week by the company. Vaccinations could begin as soon as late December, Fauci said, though they'll be made available first to high-risk groups like health care workers, the elderly and people with underlying medical conditions. Covid-19 has surged since Parton first made her donation. Then, there were just over 200,000 reported Covid-19 cases in the US. Now, there are over 11.2 million cases and nearly 250,000 Americans have died. Parton recognized then the severity of the virus and urged her fans to donate to Vanderbilt Health's Covid-19 research fund, which has raised more than $98,000 of its $250,000 goal. Her gift was first used toward research for interim Covid-19 treatments while the vaccine was being developed, she said in an April appearance on NBC's "Today."

"I felt like this was the time for me to open my heart and my hand and try to help," she said in her "Today" appearance.

CNN has reached out to Moderna and representatives for Parton and is waiting to hear back.

CNN's Elizabeth Cohen contributed to this report.

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Dolly Parton helped fund Moderna's Covid-19 vaccine research - CNN

The novel coronavirus outbreak

White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx speaks during a news conference with the coronavirus task force at the White House in Washington on Thursday, November 19. Birx became the first White House coronavirus task force official to speak at a briefing from the podium while wearing a face mask on Thursday.

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Medical workers and patients are seen at a temporary hospital for coronavirus patients in the Krylatskoye Ice Palace in Moscow, Russia, on Wednesday, November 18. Russia says as of November 16, more than 33,000 people have died of Covid-19. But that number is disputed by critics who say the Kremlin is underreporting the numbers.

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Medical staff transport a patient to a waiting medical flight, to be evacuated to another hospital, at the Lyon-Bron Airport in France on Monday, November 16.

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Spc. Demetrie Barnett of the Nevada National Guard administers a Covid-19 test to North Las Vegas City Councilwoman Pamela Goynes-Brown during a preview of a free drive-through testing site in the parking garage of the Texas Station Gambling Hall & Hotel in Las Vegas on November 12.

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A resident of the Domenico Sartor nursing home in Castelfranco Veneto, near Venice, Italy, hugs her daughter, right, during a visit on November 11, through a plastic screen in a so-called hug room.

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A soldier wearing full PPE waits at a window for a colleague's swab as they practice for the arrival of members of the public inside a rapid testing center at a tennis center in Liverpool on November 6.

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A medical worker looks away as she provides care to a Covid-19 patient in the Private Hospital de la Loire in Saint-Etienne, France, November 6.

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Commuters ride a bus in Beijing during rush hour on Monday, October 26.

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A boy watches as a health worker tests someone for Covid-19 in Hyderabad, India, on Tuesday, October 27.

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People shop at an outside market in Berlin on October 27.

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A medic sits in an ambulance in Kommunarka, Russia, on October 27.

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Volunteers at a cemetery in Yangon, Myanmar, bury someone believed to have died from Covid-19.

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People wait in a line to vote early in New York City on Saturday, October 24. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the state of New York is allowing early voting for the first time.

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An oversized surgical mask is displayed on the front of a house in San Francisco. The homeowner put it there ahead of Halloween.

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A cyclist takes pictures of a public art project set up on the DC Armory Parade Ground in Washington, DC. An estimated 240,000 flags were planted to represent lives lost to Covid-19. The display, created by local artist Susanne Brennan Firstenberg, will be on display for two weeks.

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Medical staff use a biocontainment stretcher to transfer a Covid-19 patient to a hospital in Varese, Italy, on October 19.

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A dog is trained to sniff out Covid-19 at a national veterinary school in Paris on October 15.

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A health worker in Manila, Philippines, sits behind a booth October 6 during mass testing for public transportation drivers.

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A security guard gives hand sanitizer to students as they arrive at the Prabhat secondary school on the outskirts of Kathmandu, Nepal, on October 6.

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A man from the Mouride Brotherhood reads a book with poems written by Cheikh Amadou Bamba as he stands in line to enter the Grand Mosque of Touba in Touba, Senegal, on October 5.

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Tourists crowd together in Beijing as they move slowly on a section of the Great Wall of China on October 4. The scene would have been unthinkable just months ago.

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A paramedic adjusts a patient's face mask outside an Athens, Greece, nursing home where dozens of people tested positive for Covid-19.

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A student has her temperature checked before entering classes at a school in Thankot, Nepal, on September 30.

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A health worker tests a student for Covid-19 after classes started at a college in the Indian village of Jhargaon on September 30.

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Medical staff hold swabs for rapid Covid-19 tests at a high school in Rome on September 28.

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Medical residents sit in the middle of a street as they protest their working conditions in Barcelona, Spain, on September 28.

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Members of the LSU marching band sit apart from one another before a college football game in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on September 26.

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A grave digger in Jakarta, Indonesia, plants a cross in a public cemetery, part of which is reserved for suspected Covid-19 victims, on September 26.

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A cemetery worker in La Paz, Bolivia, pushes a cart with a plastic-wrapped coffin on September 23.

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An adviser waits for people behind a plastic glass screen during a job fair in Barcelona, Spain, on September 21.

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A woman watches the band Jikustik during a drive-in concert in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, on September 20.

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Ultra-Orthodox Jews are separated by plastic shields as they pray in a synagogue in Bnei Brak, Israel, on September 18.

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A health worker in Hyderabad, India, takes a break in front of a fan on September 17.

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Brides and grooms wait for the Pope's arrival at the San Damaso courtyard in the Vatican on September 16.

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Maria Hernandez, top, embraces her aunt through a transparent curtain at a nursing home in San Salvador, El Salvador, on September 11.

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A coronavirus victim is buried at a cemetery in Jakarta, Indonesia, on September 8.

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Young students make sure they are spread out from one another as they stand in a line before entering a classroom in Pamplona, Spain, on September 7.

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A girl cries as she is tested for Covid-19 at a drive-thru testing station in East Jerusalem on September 6.

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People wear face masks and sit spread apart at the opening ceremony of the Venice Film Festival in Italy on September 2.

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Nuns of the Missionaries of Charity, the order founded by Mother Teresa, wear masks and face shields as they distribute food to the poor and homeless in Kolkata, India, on August 26.

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Cemetery workers carry Wilson Gil's remains on the outskirts of Lima, Peru, on August 26. Gil died of complications related to Covid-19, according to family members.

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Workers in New Delhi prepare to cremate the body of a coronavirus victim on August 22.

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A health worker administers a Covid-19 test in the Indian village of Kusumpur on August 17.

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People gather in Little Venice on the Aegean Sea island of Mykonos, Greece, on August 16.

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Thousands of people gather for an electronic music festival at a water park in Wuhan, China, on August 15. The novel coronavirus was first reported in Wuhan late last year.

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Funeral workers in Peru's Uchumayo District bury a coffin in a massive burial ground for low-income people and unidentified victims of Covid-19.

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Europe averted a Covid-19 collapse -- here's what the US could learn - CNN

PAXTON (CBS) Not a lot of 82-year-olds are willing to volunteer for a vaccine trial, but Mary Jo Moynihan is not your average 82-year-old. She has a great attitude. If I died, that was one of the side effects listed was death, but Im not afraid, Moynihan said.

She volunteered for the Pfizer Covid Vaccine trial in September. She got two doses and goes back weekly to Boston Medical Center to give blood. I think one of two things. I got the placebo or its one heck of a great vaccine because I had no side effects whatsoever, Moynihan said.

Mary Jo was driven to volunteer because of what happened 49 years ago. Her daughter became ill with diabetes and a medical trial in Canada produced a treatment.

Its the right thing to do, Moynihan said. Somebody has to do it.

A final analysis of the Phase 3 trial of Pfizers coronavirus vaccine shows it was 95% effective in preventing infections.

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The Right Thing To Do: 82-Year-Old Volunteers For Covid-19 Vaccine Trial - CBS Boston

Every day and everyweek, state and local health departments post new caches of coronavirus case numbers and metrics online. This data is used by state officials to determine whether its safe to loosen COVID-19 restrictions andlet businesses, entertainment venues and restaurants remain open,or if they need more interventions to clamp down on the virus spread. The numbers are public, presumably so everyone else can make the same decisions about their personal lives.

We share the data with you so that you can be armed with the knowledge to keep yourself safe, your families and your community safe, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said at a press briefing this week.

The data that health officials generate can provide a general sense of the epidemic,but how residents should apply that information isnt always straightforward, saysDr. Benjamin Linas, an epidemiologist at Boston Medical Center. The numbers alone dont tell you when its time to start booting people from your coronavirus bubble, for example.

I understand how to interpret the data, but what you do with that knowledge is a much more difficult discussion, Linas says. Theres no threshold for when youre supposed to not see your friends.

To get the same overview of COVID-19 your state and area officials use to guide policies, Linas says you should first look at three main numbers.

Total Number Of Tests Performed

Here's why this matters.If the number of tests being performed is high and growing, you can have a little more confidence in the other numbers youre seeing because the sample size is larger. If the number of tests is trending up or down, that may also influence trends in other metrics.

Cases Per 100,000 People

Massachusettspublishes the average number of cases per 100,000 peopleover the last two weeks for every city and town in its weekly public health report. You can check to see if this number is rising over time by looking at past reports. Linas has also worked on a more sophisticated metric that uses average number of cases, total testingand other pieces of data to calculate how quickly the coronavirus seems to be spreading.

Just remember, if cases per 100,000 people are going up, but the number of tests is also trending up, COVID may not actually be spreading more rapidly. A greater number of tests casts a wider net and thus will find more cases, even if COVID isn't accelerating.

In isolation, it can be a little bit deceiving. Because youre testing more and more people, thats how youre finding more cases, Linas says. If you combine this with the next metric though, the test positivity percentage, those two things integrate and work nicely together.

Test Positivity Percentage

This figure is the percentage of positive tests in the entire pool of coronavirus tests each day. If cases per 100,000 are going down and the test positivity percentage is also going down, thats a good sign. If cases per 100,000 are going up, but test positivity percentage is going down, then you shouldnt panic just yet.It could reflect an increase in testing.

If [test positivity percentage and cases per 100,000] are going in opposite directions, that might be a good sign that you actually dont have more COVID, Linas says. Those three metrics together are really helpful to get a better sense of the true epidemic, and its what I look at to give my hundred-thousand-foot view of like how its going.

General Weaknesses In The Data

The official numbers are still limited, points out Caroline Buckee, an epidemiologist at Harvard University. While the state is doing far more daily testing now than last spring, for example, the overwhelming majority of people are not being tested regularly. Without regular, widespread testing and more extensive contact tracing, it's nearly impossible to pinpoint specific settings where transmission is most common.

Some of thatdata is becoming available, but Buckee says there isnt enough to say definitively which types of places, businesses and industries people ought to avoid.

We know there are certain high-risk settings like indoor dining and so on. Trying to get a handle on where clusters of cases are occurring is really important, Buckee says. "It would be nice to see more detailed data broken down demographically and geographically [as well]. That will help us live life more normally through this winter because we'll be able to hone in on the riskiest places and protect the most vulnerable communities and people."

So far, state data shows the vast majority of coronavirus clusters have been identified among people who live in the same household. But contact tracers have also identified clusters at schools and daycare facilities, sports activities and industrial settings.

So, What Should You Do?

It may seem like avoiding the question, but there are no perfect answers.

At the moment, there isnt any specific guidance from the state that says if cases per 100,000 hit a certain point and test positivity reaches a certain point, its time to restrict your social circle or avoid friends backyards. This means everyone is looking at the data and evaluating how much risk theyre willing to take with activities like socializing or restaurant dining.

That's tough to do even if you understand all the numbers coming from health officials, Linas says.

Our Thanksgiving plan was what we usually do thats a gathering of 11. But then I was involved with the school Thanksgiving policy and realized, Im making this policy. At the same time, our plan would be in violation of this policy. So, I canceled all of our plans, Linas says. Theres no secret cabal of health professionals with exactly the right answer. All of us are casting around because its confusing, and the guidance is not crystal clear.

Linas says it might help if the state did issue specific thresholds for behavior. He says with everyone making their own decisions, having different holiday plans or socializing, we aren't fighting the virus as effectively as we could.

I dont know if theres an objectively true threshold or number that makes us step back. But even if ultimately a threshold is somewhat arbitrary, having that clear is important so that we can all be pulling the oars at the same time, he says.

And, he adds, no matter what you decide to do wearing a mask, keeping physical distance and hand-washing are still paramount.

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Another Day, Another Data Dump: How To Read The Official COVID-19 Numbers - WBUR

Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., and Gov. Kristi Noem greet President Trump and first lady Melania Trump upon arrival in Rapid City, S.D, in July. Trump was en route to Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Alex Brandon/AP hide caption

Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., and Gov. Kristi Noem greet President Trump and first lady Melania Trump upon arrival in Rapid City, S.D, in July. Trump was en route to Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

One of America's governors most skeptical about COVID-19 has been South Dakota's Kristi Noem. She's loudly refused to impose any shutdowns or a statewide mask mandate.

Noem's devotion to keeping her state open has made her a celebrity in the Republican Party.

She campaigned for President Trump in 17 states, and touted her own record along the way.

"What I did in South Dakota is what we say Republicans always believe," Noem says. "We just did it. We just did it, and look at what is happening in our state."

One of the things happening in South Dakota is an infection rate that's among the worst in the nation, at about 8,000 cases per 100,000 people.

In Vermont, another small, rural state with a Republican governor, Gov. Phil Scott has embraced safety measures, and the differences are pretty stark. Like South Dakota, Vermont has fewer than 1 million residents, most of whom don't live in cities. It has about 500 cases per 100,000 people. That's the lowest rate in the nation.

Scott has embraced statewide shutdowns and mandated masks. When he reopened the state's economy, he did it slowly.

"My decisions throughout this pandemic, from the closures and other mitigation steps in March and April, to the methodical reopening of our economy, hospitals and schools has been based on the data, the science and the recommendations of our health experts," Scott said.

Vermont has recorded a total of 3,310 confirmed coronavirus infections since the pandemic began. South Dakota has recorded more new coronavirus infections than that so far this week, with 5,559 confirmed cases. And South Dakota has more than 10 times as many total COVID-19 deaths.

Vermont Health Commissioner Mark Levine says his state chose a balanced approach.

"We felt we could reopen the economy and do the appropriate public health measures for the pandemic in parallel, and that you didn't have to sacrifice one for the other," he said.

In September, South Dakota had the nation's second lowest unemployment rate. Vermont's was third.

When the pandemic began, both states had low infection numbers for several months.

Over the summer, things changed in South Dakota. Noem repeatedly questioned the effectiveness of masks.

"I'm opposed to a statewide mask mandate," she's said. "I've been clear about that."

In July, she hosted President Trump for fireworks at Mount Rushmore; 7,000 people attended.

In August, Noem welcomed hundreds of thousands of people to the annual Sturgis motorcycle rally in her state.

Around that same time in Vermont, Scott imposed a statewide mask mandate and gave away 300,000 cloth face coverings.

"I'm asking you to look at the data the real data, not just something you see on Facebook and realize that the science is real," Scott said, "and that wearing a mask will not only protect the gains we've made, but also help your family members and friends stay healthy."

Now South Dakota is suffering an extended COVID-19 surge. The number of COVID-19 patients in hospitals has quadrupled in the past two months. But that hasn't changed Noem's outlook.

"Business lockdowns have not slowed down infection spreads and increases in positive cases," she said, despite evidence to the contrary. "And even mask mandates [have] not slowed down the spread or prevented other states from becoming hot spots."

Noem said that on a day when South Dakota reported almost 1,400 new coronavirus infections.

Vermont recently had its first day with more than 100 new cases. Scott responded with new mitigation measures.

"I know this is incredibly difficult and frustrating, especially with the holidays right around the corner," Scott said. "But it's necessary, and we need Vermonters' help to get this back under control."

Vermont's new measures limit social gatherings. They restrict the operations of bars, social clubs and restaurants. They suspend recreational sports. And they mandate teleworking whenever possible.

Continued here:

Vermont And South Dakota GOP Governors But Different COVID-19 Results - NPR

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) The Tennessee Department of Health hasconfirmed additional cases and deaths related to COVID-19 across the state on Friday, November 20.

The total COVID-19 case count for Tennessee is 331,532 as of November 20, 2020 including 4,202 deaths, 2,035 current hospitalizations and 287,908 are inactive/recovered. [Percent positive for today is 14.76% ] For the full report with additional data: https://t.co/Psc3HfgZ8j. pic.twitter.com/VdbYyT6Q9M

The health department reported 3,444 new cases, bringing the state to 331,532 total cases. Of those cases, 306,892 are confirmed and24,640 are probable.

TDH also confirmed 74 additional deaths, bringing Tennessee up to4,202 total deaths.

With 74 deaths being reported on Friday, this week has now seen the most deaths since the COVID-19 pandemic began with 325 deaths. November is also the second deadliest month for Tennessee with 849 deaths. October remains the deadliest month with 899 deaths.

The 74 deaths reported Friday is also the fifth most deaths ever reported for Tennessee:

Out of the confirmed positive cases, 287,908 are listed as inactive/recovered, an increase of 4,123 in the last 24 hours.

There are 2,035 people currently hospitalized in the state.

Tennessee has processed4,215,908 tests. The latest update added 21,287 tests to the states total.

Tennessee has reported more new COVID-19 cases during November than any other month, surpassing the 64,533 new cases reported in October.

The latest report from theWhite House Coronavirus Task Force says the spread of COVID-19 in Tennessee over the last month has become deeper and unyielding,citing Halloween and related activities as contributors.

The information was included in a document, dated Nov. 15, obtained by ABC News. The report, which is provided to governors across the United States, suggests 47 states and the District of Columbia are in the red zone for coronavirus cases, including Tennessee.

Several Tennessee schools districts have announced early closures ahead of the Thanksgiving break due to COVID-19 cases and quarantines.

With cases on the rise, and many districts taking action, teachers demanded action from the governor.

Having clear direction from the Governor, and the Commissioner of Health, and the Commissioner of Education to help school superintendents, directors of schools, administrators make the best possible decisions for the health safety and well-being of Tennessee students is paramount. I think were lacking in that area, quite frankly, said Tennessee Education Association President Beth Brown.

In aletter to Governor Bill Lee Tuesday, Brown stated the teachers union needed the state to provide more protections for educators and students.

A group of Tennessee physicians on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic is urging Governor Lee to issue a state-wide mask mandate as many hospitals struggle to deal with the influx of sick patients.

On Monday, COVID-19 vaccine candidate,Moderna, said its vaccine appears to be 94.5% effective, according to preliminary data from the companys still ongoing study. Last week, competitorPfizer Inc. announced its own COVID-19 vaccine appeared similarly effective.

Tennessee is one of thefour states chosen for Pfizers U.S. COVID-19 Immunization Pilot Program.

Pfizer and BioNTech will seek emergency government approval for their coronavirus vaccine, as the U.S. aims to begin administering doses by the end of the year. Moderna is expected to file for emergency approval for its own vaccine candidate in the coming weeks.

COVID-19 in Nashville

Public and private gatherings in Nashville and Davidson County will be limited to a maximum of eight people beginning the week of Thanksgiving to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

During his weekly news briefing Thursday morning,Nashville Mayor John Cooper said the public health orders will be amended to restrict all gatherings to eight people, whether at a restaurant or in a backyard, starting Monday, Nov. 23.

Metro Nashville Public Schools Director Dr. Adrienne Battle issued a warning Monday for parents and staff that ifNashvilles COVID-19 numbers do not improve by Thanksgiving, all Metro Schools will close and return to all-virtual learning on Nov. 30.

According to MNPS, Dr. Battle plans to make a final decision by Tuesday, Nov. 24, the last day of school before Thanksgiving break. The all-virtual learning option would last for three weeks until the start of winter holiday break on Dec. 17.

COVID-19 in Kentucky

On Wednesday, KentuckyGovernor Andy Beshear announced new COVID-19 restrictions to take effect across the state this week.

Beginning November 20 at 5 p.m., restaurants and bars must close indoor dining. Pick-up, delivery, and outdoor service will still be allowed. Indoor venues, including event spaces and theaters, will be limited to 25 people per room. This includes funeral and wedding gatherings.

Indoor social gatherings must be limited to groups from no more than two different households, with a maximum of eight people per gathering.

Stay with News 2 for continuing coverage of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

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COVID-19 in Tennessee: 3,444 new cases, 74 deaths reported on Nov. 20 - WKRN News 2