Category: Corona Virus

After 2 year hiatus, White House hosts Easter Egg Roll

Undaunted by soggy skies, President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, kicked off the first White House Easter Egg Roll since before the coronavirus pandemic on Monday, welcoming some 30,000 kids and adults for the all-day event. (April 18)

AP

The coronavirus pandemic continues to linger after more than two years.

Throughout Florida, at least 20,860 people last week were diagnosed with the virus, according to the Florida Department of Health, bringing its cumulative known case count to 5,899,188 since the pandemic began in March 2020.

The state also added26 people to its death toll, bringing the death total to73,830.

Unlike other states around the country, Florida rolled backCOVID-19 reporting, now releasingdataevery other week. But as Florida roes back reporting, and safety precautions, cases arebeginning to trend upward again as a new subvariantsBA.2 makes its way aroundin the U.S.

Cases have climbed each of the past six weeks, data shows.

Hospitalizations drop: Hospital admissions for COVID-19 drop at Gainesville hospitals but peak may yet be ahead

More: COVID-19 update: Alachua County numbers are falling, but a subvariant of omicron looms

On March 11, the state reported 8,038 cases. On April 8, Florida saw 15,623 cases. During that month span, the positivity rate climbed from 1.9% to 6.1%.

The true number of infected Floridians is unknown, as home testing has become increasingly more popular. Approximately 74% of Florida's residents are also vaccinated, reducing symptoms for many.

In Alachua County, at least 159 new cases were reported last week, with a 4.1% positivity rate.

The county has had a cumulative case count of 68,467 since March2020.

An additional 35 county residents were vaccinated over the last week, bringing the total vaccinations to 181,905, or about 70% of the local vaccine-eligible population.

Nearby counties largely recorded low case numbers and positivity rates:

Neighboring counties are also reporting new cases.

Bradford County had at least 15 known cases with a 5.9% positivity rate. About 49% of the countys vaccine-eligible population has been vaccinated.

Columbia County recorded 18cases with a 2.3% positivity rate. At least 48%of the county has been vaccinated.

Gilchrist county had just three new positive cases with a 1.8% positivity rate. About 44% of the county age 5 and up has been vaccinated.

Marion County recorded 142 new cases with a 3.5% positivity rate. About 64% of that countys vaccine-eligible population has been vaccinated.

UF Health Shands Hospital reported Monday morning that it was treating 20 patients for COVID 19,five of whom arein the intensive care unit.

HCA Florida North Florida Hospital has fiveCOVID-19 patients in-house, none of those are in the ICU.

Malcom Randall Veterans Affairs Medical Center has justone COVID-19 patient in the hospital. The patient is not in anICU beds, as of Monday.

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Coronavirus cases on the rise again throughout the state, Alachua County - Gainesville Sun

COVIDAshish Jha is now on the hot seat as the new White House coronavirus response coordinator. Washington Post photo by Jabin Botsford

We are in a complicated moment in the pandemic, Dr. Ashish Jha, President Joe Bidens COVID-19 response coordinator, wrote in an op-ed for CNN.com Monday.

While infections in the U.S. are relatively low and hospitalizations are near the lowest levels they have been since March 2020, cases are rising again in many parts of the country due to the more transmissible omicron subvariant called BA.2., he wrote.

Jha wrote that it is unlikely that BA.2 will cause as impactful a surge as the original omicron variant, but that its important that we keep track of it. We should also remember that hundreds of Americans are still dying from COVID-19 each day, he wrote.

We have a choice to make: We can wait and see what happens next, or we can use this moment as an opportunity to prepare, he wrote.

Jha wrote that if we prepare now, we can get ahead of the virus and be ready for the next wave.

As a country, we are still vulnerable to COVID-19, Jha wrote. Not only is BA.2 highly contagious, but many Americans still arent vaccinated or have waning immunity.

Additionally, he wrote, weve seen a new significant variant every four to six months during the pandemic, and theres no reason to think that will change.

We could get lucky. But counting on luck isnt a strategy. Preparation is a strategy, he wrote.

Heres what Dr. Jha says we need to do as a country to prepare:

We can do this. But we need funding to make it happen, Jha wrote.

New, potentially more effective and long-lasting COVID-19 vaccines are expected to come out this fall, he wrote, as well as more treatments for the virus. The U.S. also needs to keep purchasing vaccines for its citizens, he wrote.

None of that is possible without monetary support from Congress, Jha wrote.

Right now, the Biden Administration is asking Congress for $22 billion for COVID-19 relief funds. Jha told NPR that this money is essential for protecting the country against COVID-19, and that its less than the Biden Administration had originally planned to ask for.

Two years ago, it felt like we were at the mercy of this virus that we didnt understand and couldnt counter. That is no longer the case, he wrote.

We now have the know-how and the means to reduce its spread and prevent its most serious consequences. We can save lives, protect people, keep schools open and keep returning to a more normal set of routines.

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Dr. Jha on what we can expect from COVID-19 next, and how you can prepare - Boston.com

According to the state Department of Public Health, the average age of those dying from coronavirus is now 79.

And the statistics DPH presents bear it out.

Currently, 91% of all deaths are among those 60 and up and 54% of all deaths are among those 80 and up.

The latest two-week period between April 3 and April 16 showed a surge of 8,697 cases to 13,113, which was an increase of 51%.

During that time there were 6,086 cases among those from the age of 0 to 19 and no deaths.

There were 16,166 cases among those from the age of 20 to 59 and just four deaths.

Those from the age of 60 to 80 and above had 4,496 cases and 57 deaths.

Those 80 and over suffered the most deaths, with 35, or 57%, of the 61 deaths during that period.

Since the beginning of the pandemic in March of 2020, those 80 and over have suffered 54% of all deaths, which is 10,943 out of 20,208 total deaths.

And during that time, that age group has had the fewest number of cases at 54,853, which is 3% of all 1,733,156 cases as of April 16.

Meanwhile, those from the age of 70 to 79 have suffered 4,678 deaths, which is 23% of the 20,208 total deaths as of April 16.

That groups percentage of deaths is less than half the 80 and over group, but their percentage of cases is slightly more at 4%.

Those from the age of 20 through the age of 59 account for 60% of all cases and 9% of all deaths.

Those numbers are 1,048,158 and 1,851, respectively.

Those 1,851 deaths is a death percentage of just 0.17%, or just under two-tenths of one percent, for the number of cases which afflicted the group.

And the youngest group of those afflicted with coronavirus, those from the age of 0 through 19, account for 24% of all cases and 0.11%, or one-tenth of 1%, of all deaths; those numbers are 416,395 and 23, respectively.

Meanwhile, as the number of cases rose, the number of those being cared for in intensive care units, or ICUs, fell.

On Friday, when the number of cases for the week ending April 22 hit 13,198, the number of those in ICUs fell from 37 to 25 since the week ending April 15.

And the number of those intubated with breathing apparatus declined from 15 to 12.

The numbers of those in ICUs and on breathing apparatus indicates this latest surge is less deadly.

On Friday, there were 389 people hospitalized statewide with 12 on breathing apparatus and 25 in an ICU.

The last time there were that many people hospitalized (391) on Feb. 28, about two months ago, there were 39 patients on breathing apparatus and 71 patients in ICUs.

George W. Rhodes can be reached at 508-236-0432.

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Elderly continue to be hardest hit by coronavirus - The Sun Chronicle

(WXYZ) New COVID-19 cases across Michigan are on the rise due to omicrons highly contagious BA.2 subvariant.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services says Southeast Michigan in particular is seeing more cases.

But Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, the state's chief medical executive, says the next surge will be different and the peak is expected to hit early May.

"What we are expecting is an increase in cases but a more of a slow and steady increase in cases, not that massive upswing with what we saw in previous surges. We are also not expecting to see a significant increase in hospitalizations or deaths," Bagdasarian said.

Data shows that the current seven-day average of new daily cases is 1,496, while the week before the average was 1,104. Bagdasarian says for now, Southeast Michigan is seeing most of the uptick.

"Just because of travel and population density, we often see these types of trends begin in Southeast Michigan," Bagdasarian said.

Two years into the pandemic, Bagdasarian says folks need to have a COVID-19 plan. For instance, keep home COVID-19 test kits handy. Carry a high-quality mask and consider wearing it in busy places.

"COVID-19 is not going anywhere. It's not too late to get vaccinated. Vaccines are still free. They are incredibly safe and effective," Bagdasarian said.

Meanwhile, Professor Daniel Forger and his team at the University at Michigan have developed an app that can detect COVID-19 symptoms when paired with a fitness tracker.

"So from this one signal of heart rate, we can see that COVID affects how your lungs work, COVID will affect your biological clock. COVID will affect stress," Forger said.

Forger says mobile health is the future if we want to stay ahead of future pandemics or detect other diseases.

"Having access to a device that costs less than $100 can tell them about their health with our algorithms," Forger said.

The system is expected to launch in a year, but Forger thinks even though it won't be a replacement for a COVID19 test, it will have its advantages.

"What it can tell you that a PCR test cant is how sick your body is becoming," Forger said.

Read more here:

COVID-19 cases in Michigan expected to peak in early May, MDHHS says - WXYZ 7 Action News Detroit

What are you doing this summer?

Despite earlier rumblings about Americans embarking on outings and travel they had postponed due to the pandemic, a new study suggests coronavirus concerns and historically high inflation are influencing many peoples vacation planning.

COVID-19 cases in the U.S. are on the rise again after falling earlier this year, driven by the BA.2 variant and two new subvariants that appear to be even more infectious.

The daily average of new cases hovers at 44,308, up from 25,529 on April 1, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, while daily hospitalizations are averaging 1,642.

Meanwhile, government data released earlier this month showed inflation rose to a 40-year high of 8.5% in March and shows scant sign of falling, adding a new challenge for the economy and complicating the Federal Reserves efforts to temper prices.

The price of plane tickets rose 10.7% between February and March on a seasonally adjusted basis, the government said, and rose nearly 24% on the year.

Still, during the first three months of 2022, travelers spent $21 billion online on plane tickets for domestic flights versus $56 billion on airfares for the whole of 2021, Adobe ADBE said.

However, not everyone feels like splurging in the current climate. A poll released Monday by the personal-finance site Bankrate said early exuberance for a summer of revenge travel more than two years into the COVID-19 pandemic may be subsiding.

The survey of 2,676 U.S. adults, carried out in late March before the latest rise in COVID-19 cases, found that 69% of those planning summer vacations this year are changing their plans.

Among those, 25% say theyre taking fewer trips this summer and/or traveling shorter distances, 23% are doing less expensive activities, and 22% are picking cheaper destinations or lodging.

Monitor COVID cases/hospitalizations where you plan to travel and make concession plans for if you wind up testing positive while traveling.

This trend has also borne out anecdotally. COVID ruined all my plans to travel overseas, one woman wrote on Twitter.

Dr. Amy Morre, the vice president of global engagement and patient partnerships at the LUNGevity Foundation for cancer research and support, also expressed reservations about travel.

She advised people to monitor COVID cases/hospitalizations where you plan to travel and make concession plans for if you wind up testing positive while traveling.

With that said, after being cooped up for a couple of years because of COVID, people are ready to get back out there this summer, says Ted Rossman, Bankrate senior industry analyst.

But that applies more to the younger crowd than to baby boomers, he noted. Some 72% of Generation Z (ages 18 to 25) and 65% of millennials (ages 26 to 41) are planning getaways, compared to 61% of Generation X (ages 42 to 57) and 58% of baby boomers (ages 58 to 76). Older people are also statistically more likely to suffer more severe COVID outcomes.

The top reasons for skipping a vacation: money, cited by 48% of the Bankrate poll respondents, followed COVID concerns (20%). Others cited family obligations, their age, and work commitments.

But even with higher prices for gas and airline tickets, recent AAA travel booking data said reservations for flights, rental cars, cruises and hotels for Memorial Day are up 122% on the year.

Despite inflation and higher gas prices, people want to travel, and we believe they will find ways to do so without breaking their budget, said Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel.

Some people, like Ryan Hill, an assistant professor of economics at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, have simply been forced to cancel vacation plans due to the virus itself rather than higher prices.

Unfortunately we drew the COVID card meaning mild symptoms but it seriously messed up our travel plans, Hill said.

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COVID ruined all my plans to travel overseas': As prices and coronavirus cases rise, Americans are conflicted about their long-awaited 'revenge...

To date, a total of 2,528 cases with SARS-CoV-2 variants have been identified and investigated in residents of Dallas County, including 288 cases of B.1.1.7 (Alpha); 4 cases of B.1.351 (Beta); 1,825 cases of B.1.617.2 (Delta); 30 cases of B.1.427 (Epsilon); 28 cases of P.1 (Gamma); 14 cases of B.1.526 (Iota); 5 cases of C.37 (Lambda); 4 cases of B.1.621 (Mu); 326 cases of B.1.1.529 (Omicron); and 3 cases of P.2 (Zeta). Four hundred and thirty-seven cases have been hospitalized and 57 have died. Forty-eight COVID-19 variant cases were reinfections. Seven hundred and nine people were considered fully vaccinated before infection with a COVID-19 variant.

As of 4/22/2022, a total of 473 confirmed and probable cases were reported in CDC week 15 (week ending 4/16/22), which is a weekly rate of 17.9 new cases per 100,000 residents.

As of the week ending 4/16/2022, about 81% of Dallas County residents age 12 years and older have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, including 98% of residents age 65 years and older; 86% of residents between 40-64 years of age; 78% of residents 25-39 years of age; 68% of residents 18-24 years of age; and 62% of residents 12-17 years of age. In the cities of Addison, Coppell, Highland Park, Irving, and Sunnyvale, greater than 94% of residents 18 years of age and older have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. In the cities of Cedar Hill, Desoto, Farmers Branch, Garland, Lancaster, and University Park, greater than 81% of residents 18 years of age and older have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine

About 45.7% of COVID-19 cases diagnosed in Week 15 were Dallas County residents who were not fully vaccinated. In Dallas County, 55,219 cases of COVID-19 breakthrough COVID-19 infections in fully vaccinated individuals have been confirmed to date, of which 3,980 (7.2%) were hospitalized and 691 have died due to COVID-19.

Of all Dallas County residents tested for COVID-19 by PCR during the week ending 4/16/2022 (CDC week 15), 4.7% of respiratory specimens tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. For week 15, area hospital labs have continued to report elevated numbers and proportions of respiratory specimens that are positive for other respiratory viruses by molecular tests: parainfluenza (4.78%), rhinovirus/enterovirus (34.01%), and RSV (3.02%).

There are currently 10 active long-term care facility outbreaks. A cumulative total of 6,455 residents and 4,363 healthcare workers in long-term facilities in Dallas have been diagnosed with COVID-19. Of these, 1,337 have been hospitalized and 911 have died. About 16% of all deaths reported to date have been associated with long-term care facilities.

There has been 1 outbreak of COVID-19 in a congregate-living facility (e.g. homeless shelters, group homes, and halfway homes) reported within the past 30 days. A cumulative total of 1,135 residents and staff members (840 residents and 295 staff) in congregate-living facilities in Dallas have been diagnosed with COVID-19.

New cases are being reported as a daily aggregate, with more detailed data dashboards and summary reports updated on Friday evenings, available at: https://www.dallascounty.org/departments/dchhs/2019-novel-coronavirus/daily-updates.php.

Local health experts use hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and ER visits as three of the key indicators as part of determining the COVID-19 Risk Level (color-coded risk) and corresponding guidelines for activities during our COVID-19 response. The most recent COVID-19 hospitalization data for Dallas County, as reported to the North Central Texas Trauma Regional Advisory Council, can be found at http://www.dallascounty.org/covid-19 under Monitoring Data, and is updated regularly. This data includes information on the total available ICU beds, suspected and confirmed COVID-19 ER visits in the last 24 hours, confirmed COVID-19 inpatients, and COVID-19 deaths by actual date of death. The most recent forecasting from UTSW can be found here.The most recent COVID-19 Data Summaries for Dallas County, TX can be found at the bottom of this page.

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Dallas County Reports a Total of 489 New Positive 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Cases and 4 Deaths, Including 143 Probable Cases and 99 New Cases...

BROOKVILLE, N.Y., April 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Results of a newly released Long Island University Steven S. Hornstein Center for Policy, Polling and Analysis national poll revealed what Americans think about wearing masks on planes and public transportation in light of a federal court order, that stated as of April 18, 2022, the CDC's Order requiring masks on public transportation conveyances and at transportation hubs was no longer in effect.

MIXED SUPPORT (42%) ON THE REMOVAL OF MASK MANDATES ONBOARD AIRLINE FLIGHTS

Americans were asked if they supported the removal of mask mandates onboard airline flights to reduce the likelihood of contracting the coronavirus; 42% of respondents said yes. Respondents with the highest support of the mask mandate removal were Republicans (73%), followed by Independents (41%) and Democrats (21%). Support of the mask mandate removal was higher in the Midwest (48%) and South (47%) than other regions in the Northeast (33%) and Pacific (35%). Respondents age 60 and older supported the mask mandate removal at a lower rate (34%) than other age brackets. Males supported the mask mandate removal at a higher rate (46%) than females (39%).

6 OUT OF 10 AMERICANS WOULD STILL WEAR A MASK WHILE TRAVELING

National poll results found that 64% of respondents said they would still wear a mask today if traveling by plane; 63% of respondents said they would still wear a mask today if traveling on public transportation. Political beliefs played a factor in respondents' choices: 87% of Democrats said they would still wear masks on planes; 84% of Democrats said they would still wear masks on public transportation; 61% of Independents said they would still wear masks on planes; 59% of Independents said they would still wear masks on public transportation; 38% of Republicans said they would still wear masks on planes; 41% of Republicans said they would still wear masks on public transportation.

71% OF AMERICANS BELIEVE WEARING MASKS REDUCES THE LIKELIHOOD OF CONTRACTING THE CORONAVIRUS

Respondents were asked if they believe wearing face masks reduces the likelihood of contracting the coronavirus: 71% of Americans said yes; 92% of Democrats said yes; 68% of Independents/Other said yes; 46% of Republicans said yes.

HALF OF AMERICANS (53%) SAID THE WORST OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC IS OVER

Respondents were asked if they believe the worst of the pandemic is over. Overall, 53% of respondents said yes, the highest since June 2021 through national polls conducted by the Long Island University Steven S. Hornstein Center for Policy, Polling and Analysis. Respondents with the highest confidence level that the worst of the coronavirus pandemic is over are Republicans (70%), followed by Independents (51%) and Democrats (43%).Respondents age 18-29 believe the worst is over at the highest belief rate (58%) compared to respondents age 60 and older (47%) at the lowest belief rate. Males believe the worst is over at a higher rate (57%) than females (49%).

53% OF AMERICANS SAID THEY CURRENTLY WEAR A MASK TO AVOID CONTRACTING THE CORONAVIRUS

Respondents were asked if they were currently wearing a mask in general to reduce the likelihood of contracting the coronavirus: 53% of Americans said yes; 73% of Democrats said yes; 48% of Independents/Other said yes; 34% of Republicans said yes.

62% OF AMERICANS REMAINED CONCERNED OVER RISK OF FAMILY CONTRACTING THE CORONAVIRUS (DOWN SLIGHTLY FROM 69% IN NOVEMBER 2021)

Americans were asked how concerned they are about someone in their family becoming seriously ill from the coronavirus: 62% of respondents said they are somewhat or seriously concerned as compared to 69% in an earlier November 2021 Hornstein Center national poll.78% of Democrats, 59% of Independents/Other, and 43% of Republicans said they are somewhat or seriously concerned.

75% OF AMERICANS ARE FULLY VACCINATEDAGE 12 AND OVER (UP FROM 69% IN NOVEMBER 2021)

76% OF AMERICANS ARE FULLY VACCINATEDAGE 18 AND OVER (UP FROM 71% IN NOVEMBER 2021)

90% OF AMERICANS ARE FULLY VACCINATEDAGE 65 AND OVER (UP FROM 86% IN NOVEMBER 2021)

According toCDC data, 75% of Americans age 12 and over are fully vaccinated as of April 24, 2022 (up from 69% on November 16, 2021). 76% of Americans age 18 and over are fully vaccinated (up from 71% on November 16, 2021). 90% of Americans over age 65 are fully vaccinated (up from 86% on November 16, 2021), indicating a promising way forward for the most at-risk population.

CDC AUTHORIZED COVID-19 BOOSTER VACCINES

CDC guidance on COVID-19 Booster Vaccines stated that Americans eligible for a second booster shot include adults ages 50 years and older, people ages 12 years and older who are moderately or severely immunocompromised, and people who received 2 doses (1 primary dose and 1 booster) of Johnson & Johnson's Janssen vaccine. Currently, the three vaccines that are authorized and recommended to prevent COVID-19 by the CDC arePfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine,Moderna COVID-19 vaccineandJohnson & Johnson's Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine.

METHODOLOGYThis Long Island University Steven S. Hornstein Center for Policy, Polling, and Analysis online poll was conducted through SurveyMonkey from April 21 22, 2022 among a national sample of 1,584 adults ages 18 and up. Respondents for this survey were selected from over 2.5 million people who take surveys on the SurveyMonkey platform each day. Data for this week have been weighted for age and gender using the Census Bureau's American Community Survey to reflect the demographic composition of the United States. The modeled error estimate for this survey is plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.

ABOUT THE LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY STEVEN S. HORNSTEIN CENTER FOR POLICY, POLLING, AND ANALYSISThe Long Island University Steven S. Hornstein Center for Policy, Polling, and Analysis conducts independent polling, empirical research, and analysis on a wide range of public issues. Our studies inform the public and policy makers about critical issues, attitudes, and trends shaping the world. Visit liu.edu/Hornstein for more information and results from this national poll.

ABOUT LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITYLong Island University, founded in 1926, continues to redefine higher education, providing high quality academic instruction by world-class faculty. Recognized byForbesfor its emphasis on experiential learning and by the Brookings Institution for its "value added" to student outcomes, LIU has a network of over 285,000 alumni, including industry leaders and entrepreneurs around the globe. Visit liu.edu for more information.

SOURCE Long Island University

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Where Americans Stand on Coronavirus and Mask Mandates on Planes: Long Island University Hornstein Center National Poll - PR Newswire

For a second year in a row, coronavirus was the third leading cause of death in the United States after heart disease and cancer, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

COVID-19 was associated with roughly 460,000 deaths in the country from January to December 2021, accounting for 13.3% of all deaths in the United States last year, marking an increase from 10.4% the year before, the CDC noted in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report on Friday. Comparatively, heart disease caused 693,021 deaths in the U.S. last year, and cancer caused 604,553.

The year 2021 saw the highest death rate since 2003, with increases in many leading causes of death, including COVID-19 and unintentional injuries, the CDC said in its report. Unintentional injury deaths were largely driven by drug overdose deaths, and likely contributed to the increased death rate in younger populations.

The provisional number of COVID-19 and other deaths by week of death in 2021 compared to 2020. (CDC)

The CDCs report presents an overview of provisional mortality data for 2021, including a comparison of death statistics between 2021 and 2020. Last year, there were around 3.458 million deaths in total in the U.S., up by roughly 75,000 deaths from the year before.

Of the total number of deaths in 2021, roughly 460,513 involved coronavirus, marking an increase of nearly 76,000 from 2020. Last year, COVID-19 death rates were lowest among people ages 1-4 and 5-14 and highest among those ages 85 and above. Coronavirus death rates increased from 2020 to 2021 for all age groups, except for those ages 85 and above.

Looking at race and ethnicity, demographic patterns in COVID-19-related death rates for 2021 were similar to those in 2021. However, certain populations experienced shifts. While coronavirus death rates decreased among Asian, Black and Hispanic individuals, rates increased for American Indians and Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders as well as white people.

The 10 leading causes of death in 2021. (CDC)

Rates did not just increase for deaths caused by COVID-19, but for other leading causes of death as well. Unintentional injuries, for example, the fourth leading cause of death in the United States in both 2020 and 2021, rose from causing 200,955 deaths in 2020 to 219,487 last year, according to the CDC.

Other leading causes of death in the U.S. maintained the same ranking from 2020 to 2021, except for kidney disease and influenza and pneumonia, with kidney disease rising to the ninth leading cause of death and influenza and pneumonia dropping from ninth to 11th. Suicide, which was not among the top 10 causes of death in the U.S. in 2020, was the 10th leading cause in 2021, accounting for 47,458 deaths, the CDC said.

The four other leading causes of death in the United States last year included: stroke, chronic lower respiratory disease, Alzheimer disease and diabetes.

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COVID was 3rd leading cause of death in 2021, CDC says; here were the others - MassLive.com

Fewer than one in three people who have been hospitalised with Covid-19 have fully recovered a year after they succumbed to infection.

That is the shock finding of a survey into the impact of long Covid in the UK. The team of scientists and doctors at Leicester University also found that women had poorer recovery rates than men after hospitalisation, while obesity was also likely to hinder a persons prospects of health improvements.

Among the symptoms reported by patients a year after their initial infection were fatigue, muscle pain, poor sleep and breathlessness.

Given that more than 750,000 people have been hospitalised in the UK with Covid-19 over the past two years, it is clear from our research that the legacy of this disease is going to be huge, said Rachael Evans, one of the studys authors.

The team stressed their results show there is now an urgent need to develop ways to tackle long Covid. Without effective treatments, long Covid could become a highly prevalent long-term condition, said Professor Chris Brightling, another author.

The research, which will be presented at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) in Lisbon on Sunday, involved the analysis of more than 2,000 individuals from 39 NHS hospitals who had been admitted after contracting Covid-19. Follow-up assessments of their health were made after five months and then again after one year.

We found that only 25% of people who had been hospitalised with Covid-19 had fully recovered five months after they had been discharged, a figure that increased only slightly to 29% after a year, said Evans. That was a very limited rate of recovery in terms of improvements in mental health, organ impairment and quality of life. It was striking.

Being female, being obese and having had mechanical ventilation while in hospital were all associated with even poorer rates of recovery. If you are a man, you are more likely to be hospitalised if you get Covid-19 but have a [higher] chance of feeling better when you get out, added Evans. We found being female and obese were major risk factors for not recovering after a year.

A critical factor in these poor rates of recovery was the lack of treatments that exist for long Covid, added Professor Louise Wain, who was also involved in the study. No specific therapeutics exist for long Covid and our data highlights that effective interventions are urgently required.

The researchers also found that many of those reporting impairment in the wake of their hospitalisation were suffering from persistent inflammation. That suggests these groups might respond to anti-inflammatory strategies, added Wain.

The widespread impact of Covid-19 on the health of Britain was underlined last week when the Office for National Statistics published figures suggesting that more than seven in 10 people in England have now been infected with the disease since the start of the pandemic. This estimate, based on testing a sample of more than 500,000 individuals, indicates that 71% of the population in England had caught Covid between 27 April 2020 and 11 February 2022.

However, this figure is likely to be an underestimate, given the impact of the most recent Omicron wave of infections which reached their highest prevalence after February. The number of infected people was rising rapidly when the data stopped. The bottom line is the majority of people in the UK have had Covid-19, said Prof James Naismith, the director of the Rosalind Franklin Institute at the University of Oxford.

The ONS also revealed that Covid cases are falling across the country, indicating that the latest wave of the disease has peaked. About 3.8 million people were estimated to be infected last week, compared with a peak of 4.9 million a month ago when case numbers reached their highest level since the pandemic began.

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Only 29% of UK Covid hospital patients recover within a year - The Guardian

Over the course of the covid-19 pandemic, except for the federal mask mandate on transport and federal government buildings, across the US there was a patchwork of requirements. A judge struck down the nationwide federal mandate for wearing protective face coverings on commercial flights, public transit and in transportation hubs 18 April.

The CDC is challenging that decision, but the health safety agency has relaxed its rules on when people need to wear masks in recent months. However, the guidelines still recommend wearing a mask where transmission levels are high. The CDC provides a website to learn more about preventative measures you can take and where you can your areas risk level.

During the pandemic the imposition of statewide mandates became a political hot-button topic with some states even placing bans, or attempting to, on local authorities and school districts from implementing masking requirements. Of the 39 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico that had some form of public or indoor mask mandate, all have been rescinded or allowed to expire.

Likewise, the majority of cities and counties that had some ordinance for masking up have followed suit as the covid-19 case numbers have declined dramatically since spiking to their highest levels of the pandemic in January with the Omicron variant.

However, although all statewide mandates for masking up in public and indoor places have ended, there still exist face covering requirements for some settings in select states and localities. These are generally for high-density or congregate and high-risk settings such as health care and long-term care facilities, as well as correctional facilities and shelters for the homeless or victims of domestic abuse.

Apart from any federal, state or local government requirements to wear a mask, businesses and other private entities may implement their own policies to protect their employees and customers.

For those that that are in New York City, although the mayor relaxed many of the indoor mask rules, youll want to carry one with you, businesses may require you to put one on. You will definitely need one if you go to a Broadway show where you must wear a mask, and you will most likely have to off Broadway as well, although its up to each venue.

Even though the federal mask mandate on public transit is on hold, youll need it on all New York City MTA public transit, as well in taxis and rideshares where they are still required, but not across the river in New Jersey. Mask mandates on public transport and ridesharing also applies in Colorado and Los Angeles County.

If you visit or live in Columbia, South Carolina youll need to mask up, in part of the city at least. Richland County, which encompasses part of the metro area, extended its mask mandate for indoor public spaces regardless of vaccination status until at least 1 May. Norfolk, Virginia requires masks in city buildings and clinical Department of Public Health facilities, including WIC.

There are fourteen states along with the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, that still require masks in high-density or congregate and high-risk settings. These include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington.

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Coronavirus US: which states will want to lift the indoor mask mandate? - AS USA