Category: Corona Virus

BOSTON (WPRI) Massachusetts has announced its first identified case of the COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7, the same variant initially discovered in the United Kingdom.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) said a Boston woman in her 20s developed symptoms in early January and tested positive for COVID-19. She had traveled to the United Kingdom and became ill the day after she returned.

A genetic sample was sent to an out-of-state laboratory as part of U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC) surveillance protocol to identify COVID-19 variants.

The state laboratory was notified of results on Saturday night.

The CDC has reported 88 cases of the variant from 14 states in the United States. Rhode Island has not yet identified any cases of the variant.

Read more here:

First case of COVID-19 variant from UK confirmed in Mass. - WPRI.com

TipRanks

Watching the markets with an eye to the main chance, Raymond James strategist Tavis McCourt sees both risk and opportunity in current market conditions. The opportunity, in his opinion, stems from the obvious factors: the Democrats won both Georgia Senate seats in the recent runoff vote, giving the incoming Biden Administration majority support in both Houses of Congress and increasing the odds of meaningful fiscal support getting signed into law in the near term. More importantly, the coronavirus vaccination program is proceeding, and reports are showing that Pfizers vaccine, one of two approved in the US, is effective against the new strain of the virus. A successful vaccination program will speed up the economic recovery, allowing states to loosen lockdown regulations and get people back to work. The risks are also coming from the political and public health realms. The House Democrats have passed articles of impeachment against President Trump, despite the imminent natural closure of his term of office, and that passage reduces the chances of political reconciliation in a heavily polarized environment. And while the COVID strain is matched by current vaccines, there is still a risk that a new strain will develop that is not covered by existing vaccinations which could restart the cycle of lockdowns and economic decline. Another risk McCourt sees, beyond those two, would be a sharp rise in inflation. He doesnt discount that, but sees it as unlikely to happen soon. product/service inflation is only really a possibility AFTER re-openings, so the market feels a bit bullet proof in the very near term, and thus the continued rally, with Dems winning the GA races just adding fuel to the stimulus fire, McCourt noted. Some of McCourts colleagues among the Raymond James analyst cadre are keeping these risks in mind, and putting their imprimatur on strong dividend stocks. Weve looked into Raymond James' recent calls, and using the TipRanks database, weve chosen two stocks with high-yield dividends. These Buy-rated tickers bring a dividend yield of 7%, a strong attraction for investors interested in using the current good times to set up a defensive firewall should the risks materialize. Enterprise Products Partners (EPD) Well start in the energy sector, a business segment long known for both high cash flows and high dividends. Enterprise Products Partners is a midstream company, part of the network that moves hydrocarbon products from the wellheads to the storage farms, refineries, and distribution points. Enterprise controls over 50,000 miles worth of pipelines, shipping terminals on Texas Gulf coast, and storage facilities for 160 million barrels oil and 14 billion cubic feet of natural gas. The company was hurt by low prices and low demand in 1H20, but partially recovered in the second half. Revenues turned around, growing 27% sequentially to reach $6.9 billion in Q3. That number was down year-over-year, slipping 5.4%, but came in more than 6% above the Q3 forecast. Q3 earnings, at 48 cents per share, were just under the forecast, but were up 4% year-over-year and 2% sequentially. EPD has recently declared its 4Q20 dividend distribution, at 45 cents per common share. This is up from the previous payment of 44 cents, and marks the first increase in two years. At $1.80 annualized, the payment yields 7.9%. Among the bulls is Raymond James' Justin Jenkins, who rates EPD a Strong Buy. The analyst gives the stock a $26 price target, which implies a 15% upside from current levels. (To watch Jenkins track record, click here) Backing his bullish stance, Jenkins noted, "In our view, EPD's unique combination of integration, balance sheet strength, and ROIC track record remains best in class. We see EPD as arguably best positioned to withstand the volatile landscape With EPD's footprint, demand gains, project growth, and contracted ramps should more than offset supply headwinds and lower y/y marketing results" Its not often that the analysts all agree on a stock, so when it does happen, take note. EPDs Strong Buy consensus rating is based on a unanimous 9 Buys. The stocks $24.63 average price target suggests an upside of 9% from the current share price of $22.65. (See EPD stock analysis on TipRanks) AT&T, Inc. (T) AT&T is one of the markets instantly recognizable stock. The company is a member in long standing of the S&P 500, and it has reputation as one of the stock markets best dividend payers. AT&T is a true large-cap industry giant, with a market cap of $208 billion and the largest network of mobile and landline phone services in the US. Its acquisition of TimeWarner (now WarnerMedia), in a process running between 2016 and 2018, has given the company a large stake in the mobile content streaming business. AT&T saw revenues and earnings decline in 2020, under pressure from the corona pandemic but the decline was modest, as that same pandemic also put a premium on telecom and networking systems, which tended to support AT&Ts business. Revenues in 3Q20 were $42.3 billion, 5% below the year-ago quarter. On positive notes, free cash flow rose yoy from $11.4 billion to $12.1 billion, and the company reported a net gain of 5.5 million new subscribers. The subscriber growth was driven by the new 5G network rollout and by premium content services. The company held up its reputation as a dividend champ, and has made its most recent dividend declaration for payment in February 2021. The payment, at 52 per common share, is the fifth in a row at current level and annualizes to $2.08, giving a yield of 7.2%. For comparison, the average dividend among tech sector peer companies is only 0.9%. AT&T has kept its dividend strong for the past 12 years. Raymond James analyst Frank Louthan sees AT&T as a classic defensive value stock, and describes Ts current state as one with the bad news baked in. [We] believe there is more that can go right during the next 12 months than can get worse for AT&T. Throw in the fact that shares are heavily shorted, and we believe this is a recipe for upside. Large cap value names are hard to come by, and we think investors who can wait a few months for a mean reversion while locking in a 7% yield should be rewarded for buying AT&T at current levels, Louthan opined. In line with these comments, Louthan rates T an Outperform (i.e. Buy), and his $32 price target implies room for 10% growth from current levels. (To watch Louthans track record, click here) What does the rest of the Street think? Looking at the consensus breakdown, opinions from other analysts are more spread out. 7 Buy ratings, 6 Holds and 2 Sells add up to a Moderate Buy consensus. In addition, the $31.54 average price target indicates ~9% upside potential. (See AT&T stock analysis on TipRanks) To find good ideas for dividend stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks equity insights. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured analysts. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment.

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Coronavirus: Arizona is leading the world in the rate of new cases - Yahoo Finance

ALBANY Albany County is on pace to experience its deadliest month yet from the novel coronavirus, officials revealed Friday.

County Executive Dan McCoy said the county is aware of three more residents who have now died due to complications from COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus. That brings the county's total number of coronavirus deaths so far this month to 39. With half a month left to go, January is on track to beat last month's high-water mark of 63 resident deaths, McCoy said.

"We have 16 days left to this month, and I'm hoping not to break that record," he said. "We need people to do the right thing. Continue to do the right thing. I know everyone's fatigued and tired. Everyone just wants life back the way it was prior to March 12 of 2020. It's never gonna go back. We can only move forward."

That the death toll is on such a pace is not surprising. Officials have warned for months that January could be the deadliest month for the virus. The region and nation are feeling the full effect of the virus' spread during the holiday season and vaccinations are only in the first month of distribution in the U.S.

Albany County is also once again experiencing record COVID-19 hospitalizations.

Twenty-nine residents were hospitalized with the disease overnight the most the county has ever seen in one day, McCoy said. There are now 168 county residents currently hospitalized with the disease a net increase of 10 overnight and another high-water mark. The last record was set on Jan. 7 with 163 resident hospitalizations.

The county has confirmed 292 new cases of coronavirus overnight, including 236 that could not be traced back to a clear infection source. The county is averaging 271 coronaviruscases a day (measured on a seven-day rolling average) down from its peak of 279 set Tuesday.

The chart shows daily deaths related to COVID-19 in the eight counties of the Capital Region.Source: Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 tracking project Graphic by Cathleen F. Crowley/Times Union

Vaccine update

McCoy updated residents on the county's COVID-19 situation just minutes after the state officially opened a mass vaccination site at the University at Albany. It is one of several local sites where people 65 and older can get vaccinated, though candidates need to make an appointment ahead of time.

Coronavirus resources

Detailed map: Check out the Times Unions New York Coronavirus Case Tracker.

Testing: Local testing sites for COVID-19. Coronavirus testing results for every New York county.

Vaccinations: Track vaccine roll-out in New York. Plus, get answers to commons questions and submit your own here.

School updates: COVID-19 cases and quarantines in Capital Region schools.

Lives lost:Share a remembranceof a Capital Region resident who died from COVID-19.

Daily email: Sign up for the free Coronavirus Updates newsletter.

McCoy admitted there have been "stumbling blocks" with the state's vaccine rollout. He reminded people scheduling appointments through the state's vaccination website to make appointments for their first dose only. The second dose will be scheduled on site after people receive their first dose, he said.

"There's a lot of confusion," he said. "A lot of people were signing up for a second shot and took slots away from people that needed it."

McCoy expressed particular concern about homebound seniors who may have difficulty traveling to get vaccinated.

"Its our obligation to make sure that no one falls through the cracks," he said.

On Sunday, the county announced it would partner with Mohawk Ambulance to administer vaccines to homebound seniors right in their homes. On Friday, however, County Health Commissioner Dr. Elizabeth Whalen said the county is still waiting on supply from the state for that effort.

"Its the supply thats the rate-limiting step," Whalen said. "I dont want anybody to think that theres vaccine sitting in fridges and for some administrative purpose its not getting out. Thats not the situation."

Further sowing confusion are the early release of test links for scheduling vaccinations. Whalensaid the county health department is aware of several scheduling links that have been shared for "bogus" vaccine clinics, as well as test links that were shared too early. Her department is investigating the incidents and has alerted the state, she said.

"I know that many of you are confused, many of you are looking at ways that you can sign up thats easier particularly for your elderly relatives," she said.

"I ask for patience and continued vigilance," she continued. "These are systems that are really overburdened at this stage and we know that there are many people working on them so that we can get the vaccine out."

Where do we get our information?

We monitor local, regional and national government updates and verify facts or data before publishing. Sources we rely on include:

Local resources: Daily reports from Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren and Washington county health departments.

State resources: The New York State Department of Health and the Department of Health's School COVID Report Card.

National resources: National data on verified testing sites compiled from local health departments, healthcare providers, and cities, counties and states. We also rely on national, state and county data from the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 Case TrackerandThe COVID Tracking Project.

Other resources: Vaccine information gathered from government agencies, the companies that produce the vaccines and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

We also turn to doctors, nurses, scientists and other public health experts. We strive for accuracy in our reporting, but sometimes new developments can happen quickly. If we learn information is incorrect, we will update it as soon as possible. You can help by reporting any discrepancies to tuweb@timesunion.com. Learn more about our coronavirus coverage.

Go here to read the rest:

Coronavirus deaths at record-breaking pace in Albany County - Times Union

There was additional confusion. Another change Azar announced this week making allocation of doses dependent on how quickly states administer them would not take effect for two weeks, he said. But Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, D, on Thursday tweeted that federal officials had notified the state that it would receive an additional 50,000 doses next week as a reward for being among the fastest states to get shots into arms. West Virginia, meanwhile, which is moving at the fastest clip based on CDC data, did not get any additional doses, said Holli Nelson, a spokeswoman for the states National Guard.

See more here:

Vaccine reserve Trump administration vowed to release doesnt exist, dashing hopes of expanded access - The Philadelphia Inquirer

But that study, Apoorva said, did not consider lax enforcement of safety standards in schools like not requiring masks.

Schools were open without precautions, she said. They didnt take into account all those other factors. That fueled a lot of fear about this variant being more contagious in kids, and that somehow the protection that kids seem to have didnt exist with the new variant. That did not turn out to be the case.

Although there were a lot of infections in schools, contact tracing added complexity to the story. Data from about 20,000 people infected with the new variant including nearly 3,000 children under 10 showed that young children were about half as likely as adults to transmit the variant to others.

The variant is more contagious, but its more contagious across all age groups, Apoorva said. If kids were half as likely to be infected before, theyre also half as likely to be infected now.

We already know how to make schools relatively safe, Apoorva said.

A mask mandate is a must, she said, as is physical distancing. Good ventilation matters open windows will get air circulating and even an inexpensive air filter can make a big difference. Extensive testing and contact tracing is key. The new variant will result in more infections in children unless schools shore up their precautions, experts told Apoorva.

We know that these measures work, but only if theyre actually enforced, she said. That becomes that much more important with this variant because its so much more contagious.

Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, echoed the need for mitigation (with masks, distancing, ventilation and cleaning), testing and appropriate quarantines. She also prioritized reasonable accommodations between teachers unions and districts, as well as vaccinating adults who work in school buildings.

Go here to read the rest:

Here's How the New Coronavirus Variant Could Affect Kids and Schools - The New York Times

Thesixth meeting of the Emergency Committee convened by the WHO Director-General under the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) regarding the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) took place onThursday, 14 January 2021 from 12:15to16:45 Geneva time (CEST).

Proceedings of the meeting

Members and Advisors of the Emergency Committeewere convened by videoconference.

The Director-General welcomed the Committee, expressed the need for global solidarity in addressing the challenges posed by the pandemic, and emphasized the need for protection of the most vulnerable. He thanked the Committee for their continued support and advice.

Representatives of the legal department and the Department of Compliance, Risk Management, and Ethics (CRE) briefed the members on their roles and responsibilities. The Ethics Officer from CRE provided the Members and Advisers with an overview of the WHO Declaration of Interest process. The Members and Advisers were made aware of their individual responsibility to disclose to WHO, in a timely manner, any interests of a personal, professional, financial, intellectual or commercial nature that may give rise to a perceived or direct conflict of interest. They were additionally reminded of their duty to maintain the confidentiality of the meeting discussions and the work of the Committee. Each member who was present was surveyed and no conflicts of interest were identified.

The Secretariat turned the meeting over to the Chair, Professor Didier Houssin.Professor Houssin also welcomed the Committee and reviewed the objectives and agenda of the meeting.

The WHO Director of the Health Emergency Information and Risk Assessment Department provided an overview of the evolution of the pandemic and the progress made on the implementation of the 30 October 2020 Temporary Recommendations. WHO continues to monitor the global risk level of the COVID-19 pandemic. WHO assessed the global risk level as very high due, in part, to recent reports of new SARS-CoV-2 variants.

A representative of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland presented on the new SARS-CoV-2 variant which is causing increased transmission but not severity of COVID-19. A representative of Denmark presented on the SARS-CoV-2 mink variants and their response which has resulted in these variants no longer circulating in human populations. The WHO Technical Lead for COVID-19 Response and an Emergency Committee Member from South Africa provided an overview of the variant detected by South Africa. The WHO Technical Lead then shared a global overview of SARS-CoV-2 mutations and variants as well as plans to develop and implement standard nomenclature for variants that does not reference a geographical location.

The WHO Director of the Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals Department presented the current status of the COVID-19 vaccine landscape and introduction. The Chair of the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) noted available guidance including WHO SAGE Roadmap for Prioritizing Uses of COVID-19 Vaccines in the Context of Limited Supply and the Interim Recommendations for Use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine (BNT162b2) under Emergency Use Listing. The Director of Air Transport Bureau of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) shared their COVID-19 activities related to testing and vaccination, including the Manual on Testing and Cross Border Risk Management Measures (Doc 10152) which provides countries with risk management strategies for international travel. The WHO Unit Head of the IHR Secretariat provided an overview of the legal provisions as well as the scientific, ethical and technological considerations for vaccination certificates related to international travel.

The Committee recognized the challenges posed by some manufacturers delayed submission of vaccine data to WHO. These data delays impact WHOs ability to provide emergency use listing which ultimately affect equitable vaccine access. The Committee strongly encourages manufacturers to provide data to WHO as rapidly as possible.

The Committee unanimously agreed that the COVID-19 pandemic still constitutes an extraordinary event, a public health risk to other States through international spread, and continues to require a coordinated international response. As such, the Committee concurred that the COVID-19 pandemic remains a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) and offered advice to the Director-General.

The Committee recognized WHOs and States Parties progress in implementing the previous Temporary Recommendations from the 5th meeting of the Emergency Committee. The Committee noted that these recommendations remain relevant and had acquired additional urgency given the evolution of the pandemic and the continued need for a coordinated global response. The Committee advised on extending the previous Temporary Recommendations and provided additional advice to the Director-General.

The Director-General determined that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to constitute a PHEIC. He accepted the advice of the Committee to WHO and issued the Committees advice to States Parties as Temporary Recommendations under the IHR.

The Emergency Committee will be reconvened within three months,at the discretion of the Director-General.The Director-General thanked the Committee for its work.

Advice to the WHO Secretariat

SARS-CoV-2 Variants

COVID-19 Vaccines

Health Measures in Relation to International Traffic

Evidence-Based Response Strategies

Surveillance

Strengthening Health Systems

Additional Temporary Recommendations to State Parties

SARS-CoV-2 Variants

COVID-19 Vaccines

Health Measures in Relation to International Traffic

Evidence-Based Response Strategies

Refine evidence-based strategies according to WHO guidance to control the spread of SARS-CoV-2 using appropriate public health and social measures, including strategies that address pandemic fatigue.

Surveillance

Increase investment in surveillance and sequencing capacities to detect and report early emergence of variants and assess abrupt changes in transmission or disease severity to increase understanding of the evolution of the pandemic.

Utilize the WHO SARS-CoV-2 global laboratory network, leverage GISRS and other laboratory networks for timely reporting and sharing of samples; support other State Parties, where needed, in timely sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 virus specimens.

Strengthening Health Systems

Continue to strengthen public health infrastructure, system capacities, and functions for COVID-19 response and to enhance universal health coverage.

Excerpt from:

Statement on the sixth meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee regarding the coronavirus disease (COVID-19)...

One in three Los Angeles County residents have been infected with the coronavirus since the beginning of the pandemic, according to new estimates by county scientists, an astonishing sign of how rapidly the virus is spreading in the hard-hit region.

The estimate, based on scientific modeling, means officials believe more than 3 million of L.A. Countys 10 million residents have been infected with the coronavirus, including nearly 13,000 who have died.

Thats more than triple the cumulative number of coronavirus cases that have been confirmed by testing. Officials have long believed that testing only captures a certain percentage of those who are infected because many with the virus dont show symptoms or suffer only mild symptoms.

The rising number of those infected has actually slowed the pace of coronavirus transmission, as the virus is increasingly coming into contact with people who have survived the infection and likely developed immunity.

Unfortunately, we are still engaging in behaviors that facilitate spread of the virus, so it is still able to find plenty of susceptible people to infect, said Dr. Roger Lewis, director of COVID-19 hospital demand modeling for the L.A. County Department of Health Services.

About 75% of L.A. Countys population will need to be immune to the virus through widespread vaccinations to dramatically slow its spread, Lewis estimated. Even if half of L.A. Countys population were immune, and yet we decide to just pretend that we dont have to take precautions, we will still have a very, very devastating pandemic.

L.A. County averaged more than 15,000 new coronavirus cases a day over the past week one of the highest such rates seen so far in the pandemic.

Surpassing 15,000 new coronavirus cases a day takes the county to a level that officials have warned may tip L.A. Countys overwhelmed hospitals into a worse catastrophe, straining resources and stretching staffing to a point that healthcare officials may have to choose which patients receive the attention of critical care nurses and respiratory therapists and access to ventilators and which patients receive palliative care.

Because of this, there has been some talk in L.A. County of adding more teeth to the stay-at-home order, including possible new restrictions on some retail and gyms.

A decision hasnt been made on whether closures or further restrictions on capacity are needed. But settings that may be scrutinized could include outdoor gyms which have been allowed to be open at 50% capacity and indoor malls and retail, which are supposed to be open at up to only 20% of capacity, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said.

The mayor added he would back possible new health orders if experts thought it would help stem the spread of the coronavirus.

Officials have been urging residents to take even more precautions to avoid getting sick.

When leaving home to access essential services, L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said, people should bring sanitizing wipes to disinfect their cellphones, car keys, work stations and door handles anything they might touch that others also have touched. Health officials also suggested avoiding eating or drinking with anyone not in your household, washing or sanitizing your hands every hour if youre around others, and taking a break from shopping.

They also issued a new recommendation: People who live with elderly residents or with residents who have an underlying medical condition and must go out of their households should wear a mask at home.

More than 1,600 people in Los Angeles County have died from COVID-19 in the last week a toll Ferrer called tragic, upsetting and, frankly, overwhelming and a sign of extraordinary danger as the possibly more contagious variant of the virus begins to spread in California.

Follow virus precautions as if your life or the life of a loved one depends on it, she said during a briefing Wednesday. Because it just may.

Over the weeklong period ending Wednesday, an average of 232 people died daily from COVID-19 countywide, according to data compiled by The Times. By comparison, the confirmed death toll in the Northridge earthquake which struck the Southland almost exactly 27 years ago was 57.

Just in the past seven days, the county set, then tied, its daily record for new coronavirus-related deaths, with 318.

The last week represents an acceleration, though not an aberration. A total of 2,904 L.A. County residents have died from COVID-19 over the last 14 days a number that represents nearly one-fourth of the countys cumulative death toll, which is just short of 13,000.

Your infection could lead to dozens of other infections in just a matter of a few days, and someone along that path of transmission could very well die from COVID-19, Ferrer said. These are just not normal times, and so we cant go out and just continue to act like nothing is going on.

Ferrer did not rule out issuing additional restrictions.

We are considering all options at this point, she said Wednesday, without elaborating on what new orders might look like.

We are very, very worried about the continued high number of cases here, Ferrer said, and I feel like there really is not a huge window here to try to get the surge under control.

In L.A. County, new COVID-19 hospitalizations have leveled off for now, with even hints of a slight decline. But hospitals are still overstretched and hospitalizations are extraordinarily high; the ICU at Memorial Hospital of Gardena, for instance, is at 320% occupancy.

Over the past few weeks, an average of 700 to 850 new patients a day with coronavirus infections have been admitted to hospitals in L.A. County a number that has pushed hospitals to prepare for the need to ration care.

Thats three times higher than what was seen earlier in the pandemic, said Dr. Christina Ghaly, the L.A. County director of health services.

Although the stable numbers are welcome news, they likely represent a stabilization in transmission that took place after Thanksgiving as L.A. County and California officials issued stay-at-home orders but before Christmas, Ghaly said.

It will take more time to see the effect of Christmas and New Years gatherings on hospitalizations, Ghaly said: We just dont have the information available at this point in time to determine whether or not that surge happened and, if so, how steep those numbers will climb.

If there was a large increase in virus transmission over the holidays, this would be absolutely devastating to our hospitals, she said. Just sustaining the current levels of COVID-19 hospitalizations jeopardizes care for future COVID-19 patients and others who are experiencing non-COVID illnesses and emergencies such as strokes and heart attacks.

For there to be any meaningful relief for healthcare providers, we need a swift and significant decline in hospitalizations for a period of one to two months at a minimum, Ghaly said. Please do not let the current number of daily hospitalizations feel normal to you just because its plateaued. ... It is unprecedented in the course of this pandemic in Los Angeles County, and everyone should continue to be concerned about what could happen if hospitalizations again start to increase.

Even if transmission was relatively controlled over Christmas and New Years, with on average every infected person passing on the virus to one other person, Ghaly said, we would still expect to see very high continued demand for hospital-based services with a continued limited supply of hospital beds as well as in particular ICU beds over the next four weeks.

Across Southern California, hospitals are overcrowded to an extent not seen in modern history. In Ventura County on Tuesday, there was a total of 1,002 hospitalized patients 448 of them infected with the coronavirus. I dont know that weve ever had that many patients hospitalized at the same time in our county, said Steve Carroll, Ventura County emergency medical services administrator.

It does not seem to be getting better, unfortunately, Carroll told the Ventura County Board of Supervisors. All hospitals are overloaded at all times.

The slight decrease in COVID-19 hospitalizations noted by state officials hasnt happened in Ventura County, where theyre at all-time highs, said Dr. Robert Levin, Ventura County health officer. This week is critical. And I think we will know over the next five days or so by watching our hospital census where were headed with this.

Some hospital morgues are full, and hospitals are seeing delays of up to three days in getting the dead out of their crypts and into a mortuary. In some cases, a mortuary can handle only four embalmings a day and quickly face a backup if more than four bodies a day are received. One mortuary said it normally dealt with seven to eight families a week; its now dealing with 50, Carroll said.

Ventura County has recorded a cumulative 388 COVID-19 deaths; nearly half of them, 189, were reported since mid-December.

Many of us watched what happened in New York and Italy and saw horrific scenes. And were getting close, said Ventura County Supervisor Carmen Ramirez.

In Riverside County, there have been days when 10 of its hospitals are using 100%, or more than its total licensed capacity, of beds, said Bruce Barton, Riverside County director of emergency management.

In Orange County, COVID-19 is ravaging families. Dr. Clayton Chau, director of the Orange County Health Care Agency, recounted the story of grandparents who were in the process of adopting their granddaughter, in the eighth grade, whose mother died of cancer a few years ago.

They just died from COVID. Both of them, Chau said at a Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday, his voice breaking. We need to do something fast in our community. It is not about just reopening our economy that is important. But it is about taking care of our vulnerable community. Our seniors are dying.

Link:

1 in 3 in L.A. have been infected by coronavirus, estimates show - Los Angeles Times

Good morning, L.A.

Its not news at this point that the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine hasnt been as smooth or nearly as fast as state and local officials first hoped.

L.A. County doesnt have enough doses to reach the number of healthcare workers officials planned to inoculate by the end of January, and Gov. Gavin Newsom acknowledged that the speed of distribution in California so far is not good enough.

So if youre wondering where, amid the confusion, you stand in the vaccine line, youre not alone. Fortunately, theres a website (and a newsletter!) for that.

According to Dr. Paul Simon, the L.A. County Department of Public Health's chief science officer, the department will work with the media, healthcare providers, and organizations like the AARP to let civilians know when its their turn. Plus, he added, residents can sign up for an email alert.

Keep reading for more on whats happening in L.A. today, and stay safe out there.

What Else You Need To Know Today

Weekend ReadsThere's a lot going on in the world right now, and its hard enough to keep up with our day-to-day lives, let alone to stay current on the news. But if you have some time this weekend, heres what you may have missed:

Biddy Mason, a formerly enslaved woman, went on to become one of the most important and wealthiest landowners, midwives and philanthropists in 19th Century Los Angeles. (LAist)

College students whose financial aid packages are based on higher, pre-pandemic income are potentially losing out on millions of dollars in grants, loans and scholarships. (LAist)

Regardless of what you may have heard, Los Angeles has had good pizza for a very long time. We created a Pizzapedia to help you find it. (LAist)

As a mob of Donald Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in Washington, D.C., another group took to the streets of downtown L.A. in solidarity, holding "Stop the Steal" signs. Heres what it looked like. (LAist)

Black physicians are getting vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to build trust in a community thats long faced systemic injustice at the hands of the medical system. (L.A. Sentinel)

Artist Lalo Garcias most recent work, a mural in the City of San Fernando, addresses children forced to live in cages by the Trump administration. (San Fernando Sun)

James YAPO Valenzuela, a victim of the pandemic, was a legend in the San Gabriel Valley hardcore punk scene. (L.A. Taco)

The third-largest home in America has been revealed, in Bel Air. (L.A. Mag)

Before You Go How To Order In N Out Fries

We love In-N-Out Burger. We discuss it on the radio. We cover its political donations. We'll fight you if you talk smack about it. On the 5 freeway, we'll drive past dozens of other fast food joints so we can eat at the outpost in Kettleman City, even when it means waiting in a 30-minute line on Thanksgiving weekend. But as much as we love the sinner, we hate the sin and In-N-Out's original sin is their fries.

The fries at In-N-Out are pale, limp, undersalted potato tubes that begin congealing into a soggy, oily mass the moment they emerge from the fryer. God help you if you wait until you're done with your burger to eat your fries. By that time, they're hot garbage except that they're cold.

Which brings us to the workaround.

Help Us Cover Your Community

The news cycle moves fast. Some stories don't pan out. Others get added. Consider this today's first draft, and check LAist.com for updates on these stories and more. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Never miss an LAist story. Sign up for our daily newsletters.

See the original post here:

1 In 3 LA County Residents Has Been Infected With Coronavirus - LAist

Still, for those who succeeded in getting a shot, the shifting vaccination plans were thrilling a first step, some said, toward getting back to normal life. Maureen Kelly, 73, of Lawrenceville, Ga., walked into her local public health department on Monday and received her first dose within 30 minutes.

It was like clockwork, she said. Ms. Kelly posted her news on social media and was immediately flooded with messages and calls from friends asking how she had done it. The need is great out there, she said.

Her husband,who is 75, still has no appointment. The website froze amid all the people trying to register at once. By the time Ms. Kelly refreshed the page, all the slots were full.

In Cumming, Ga., Vicki Johnson has found the past year to be a frightening and isolating one.

On her granddaughters birthday in November, Ms. Johnson, 72, and her relatives sat at tables spaced six feet apart in the garage, with the door open despite the cold.

I couldnt hug her, Ms. Johnson said. We didnt share food. We each brought our own sandwich. It was just surreal.

The prospect of getting the shot soon has left her thinking about returning to church and hugging her friends again.

As an older person, I dont mean to be maudlin, but you do hear the clock ticking, she said. She swiftly signed up for a shot. Her appointment is next Tuesday.

Jill Cowan, Shawn Hubler, Sharon Otterman, Alison Saldanha, Alex Leeds Matthews, Barbara Harvey, Kristine White, Alex Lemonides, Jordan Allen, Benjamin Guggenheim, Natasha Rodriguez, Cierra S. Queen, Brandon Dupr, Laney Pope and Lauryn Higgins contributed reporting.

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More Than Half of States Widen Access to Covid-19 Vaccine - The New York Times

Coronavirus case numbers slowed this week, and other key metrics showed signs of improvement.

Since Saturday, the state averaged 881 cases per day down from 1,031 cases per day in a six-day period after New Years Day.

Fridays bottom line: The state and its health districts are reporting 154,663 confirmed or probable coronavirus cases statewide, a 4 percent increase over the past week.

Other key numbers:

In other coronavirus headlines from the week:

Vaccinations for K-12 employees. In a big development, the state of Idaho reworked its vaccination schedule, opening the door to the states K-12 teachers and employees. The health of our teachers is paramount to ensuring students can learn in the classroom where they deserve to be, Gov. Brad Little said Tuesday, as he announced the move.

Summer reading program? In his State of the State address Monday, Little laid out an ambitious plan for tax cuts and transportation funding. His education proposals didnt break a lot of new ground. But he did propose $20 million for summer reading programs to help students who have fallen behind during the pandemic.

Back to school in Boise. The Boise School District will reopen schools next week, with students alternating between in-person and online school days. Schools in the states second-largest district have been closed since November.

Here are this weeks numbers, and comparisons with the previous week:

Weekly positive test rate, as reported by the state: 11.4 percent for week ending Jan. 9; 15.7 percent for the week ending Jan. 2. Decrease: 4.3 percentage points.

Senior reporter and blogger Kevin Richert specializes in education politics and education policy. He has more than 30 years of experience in Idaho journalism. He is a frequent guest on KIVI 6 On Your Side; "Idaho Reports" on Idaho Public Television; and "Idaho Matters" on Boise State Public Radio. Follow Kevin on Twitter: @KevinRichert. He can be reached at [emailprotected]

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Coronavirus trendline, 1.15.21: Case numbers, and other metrics, show signs of improvement - Idaho EdNews