Category: Covid-19

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Over half of the resident cases were confirmed in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, which has one of the highest infection rates in the state over the last two weeks.

Case counts and hospitalizations in Alaska remain far below what they were during the peak in November and December. However, Alaska is now experiencing a slight increase in its average daily case rate compared to recent weeks. Many regions in the state are still in the highest alert category based on their current per capita rate of infection.

Alaska this month became the first state in the country to open vaccine eligibility to anyone 16 and older who lives or works in the state. You can visit covidvax.alaska.gov or call 907-646-3322 to sign up for a vaccine appointment; new appointments are added regularly. The phone line is staffed 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekends.

By Friday, 226,884 people including over 39% of Alaskans eligible for a shot had received at least their first dose, according to the states vaccine monitoring dashboard. At least 155,264 people about 27% of Alaskans 16 and older were considered fully vaccinated.

By Friday, there were 27 people with COVID-19 in hospitals throughout the state, far below a peak in late 2020. Another three patients had test results pending.

Of the 179 cases identified among Alaska residents on Friday, there were were 49 in Anchorage plus six in Eagle River; 61 in Wasilla; 27 in Palmer; five in Delta Junction; four in Big Lake; four in Healy; two in Valdez; two in Kenai; two in Fairbanks; two in North Pole; two in Sitka; one in Houston; one in Sutton-Alpine; one in Juneau; one in Unalaska; and one in Bethel.

Among communities smaller than 1,000 residents which arent named to protect privacy, there were three in the Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, one in the Copper River Census Area and two in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough.

There were also four nonresident cases: two in Kodiak and two in undetermined parts of the state.

While people might get tested more than once, each case reported by the state health department represents only one person.

The states data doesnt specify whether people testing positive for COVID-19 have symptoms. More than half of the nations infections are transmitted from asymptomatic people, according to CDC estimates.

The average percentage of daily positive tests over the last week was 2.68%.

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Tracking COVID-19 in Alaska: 183 infections and no deaths reported Friday - Anchorage Daily News

According to the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers, global automotive production fell by 16% last year thanks to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and efforts to suppress it. OICA President Fu Bingfeng called 2020 the worst crisis ever to impact the automotive industry.

Regionally, the United States saw automotive production drop by 19%, slightly more than average worldwide, and produced a combined 8,822,399 cars and commercial vehicles.

In Europe, production fell by 21% on average, with its main producing countries reporting drops between 11% and almost 40%. South America saw production fall more than 30% as Brazil took the impact of COVID hard, and vehicle production in Africa slid more than 35%.

Asian producers fared better than vehicle manufacturers elsewhere. Automotive production on the worlds largest continent fell about 10%, and the OICA reports that Chinas accelerated recovery led vehicle production there to fall only 2% over the course of the year. Asia accounts for a 57% share of global vehicle production.

The 2020 results follow up on negative results from the year before. In 2019, world auto production fell 5%, ending a ten-year streak of growth. 2020, said Bingfeng, wipes off all the growth made over the last ten years. In all, 78 million vehicles were produced last yeara figure equivalent to the amount of cars sold in 2010.

On the bright side for automobile manufacturers, the OICA says the last few months of 2020 saw gradual recovery in consumer demand for trucks and cars.

Demand for mobility for persons and goods is expected to remain high, said Bingfeng, although he cautioned that it would not be the same as in the past.

Read more:

Global Auto Production Dropped 16% Last Year Thanks to COVID-19 - IndustryWeek

Lorna Baldwin is an Emmy and Peabody award winning producer at the PBS NewsHour. In her two decades at the NewsHour, Baldwin has crisscrossed the US reporting on issues ranging from the water crisis in Flint, Michigan to tsunami preparedness in the Pacific Northwest to the politics of poverty on the campaign trail in North Carolina. Farther afield, Baldwin reported on the problem of sea turtle nest poaching in Costa Rica, the distinctive architecture of Rotterdam, the Netherlands and world renowned landscape artist, Piet Oudolf.

Read more here:

The Longest Year: The people we've lost to COVID-19 - PBS NewsHour

COVID-19 infection was extremely rare among healthcare professionals in the U.S. and Israel following vaccination, researchers found.

Among healthcare workers in two University of California (UC) health systems who received their second vaccine dose at least 15 days previously, the overall positivity rate was 0.05%, reported Francesca Torriani, MD, of UC San Diego (UCSD), and colleagues.

The absolute risk for testing positive for COVID-19 ranged from 0.79% to 1.19% among the roughly 37,000 vaccinated healthcare workers in the two health systems, the authors wrote in an early edition of the New England Journal of Medicine. Those figures include all those testing positive irrespective of how long after vaccination the workers were tested or how many doses they'd received. Of 379 positive tests, 270 came within 2 weeks of the first dose.

"The rarity of positive test results 14 days after administration of the second dose of vaccine is encouraging and suggests that the efficacy of vaccines is maintained outside the trial setting," the team noted.

Torriani and colleagues examined data from healthcare workers at the UCLA and UCSD health systems. In December, both health systems implemented policies to allow testing of healthcare workers. UCSD mandated that asymptomatic healthcare workers undergo weekly testing by PCR assay of nasal swabs on December 2, while UCLA instituted an optional testing program for asymptomatic healthcare workers with PCR assay of nasal swabs.

From the start of vaccination on Dec. 16, 2020 to Feb. 9, 2021, about 36,700 healthcare workers received the first dose of vaccine, and 77% of those received a second dose. As of Feb. 9, 5,455 healthcare workers at UCSD and 9,535 at UCLA received the second dose 2 or more weeks previously, and seven tested positive 15 or more days after the second vaccination.

These findings corresponded with another NEJM study out of Texas. Daniel Podolsky, MD, of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, and colleagues found a 0.05% test positivity rate (95% CI 0.01-0.13), or a total of four of 8,121 fully vaccinated employees.

That team examined data from University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center employees from Dec. 15, 2020 to Jan. 28, 2021. Of the 23,234 employees, 59% received a first dose of either mRNA vaccine, and 30% of those received a second dose.

In addition to low test positivity, Podolsky and colleagues noted that the number of positive tests among employees was "consistently lower" than the projected number among patients presenting to the emergency department with samples on hand tested via PCR assay.

"The effect of vaccination on our workforce has been dramatic," the authors wrote. "We observed a greater than 90% decrease in the number of employees who are either in isolation or quarantine."

These effects could even be seen overseas, as a third NEJM study focusing on the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, by Ran Nir-Paz, MD, of Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center in Tel Aviv, Israel, and colleagues, found that the weekly incidence of COVID-19 declined after the second week, and remained low after the fourth week.

That team examined data from 5,297 healthcare workers at a two-campus medical center who had not previously had COVID-19 and were vaccinated within 8 weeks, noting that nearly all healthcare workers who received a first dose and were not infected by day 21 received a second dose. Vaccination began on Dec. 20, 2020. At week 4, seven healthcare workers tested positive for COVID-19, which dropped to zero to four workers in weeks 5-7.

Nir-Paz and colleagues noted that not only was the study conducted in an active hospital setting in a community with a high incidence of COVID-19, but it was during a time when the B.1.1.7 variant comprised 80% of cases in the community.

Molly Walker is an associate editor, who covers infectious diseases for MedPage Today. She has a passion for evidence, data and public health. Follow

Disclosures

Keehner disclosed no conflicts of interest.

Torriani disclosed no conflicts of interest.

Other co-authors disclosed various ties with industry.

One co-author disclosed a patent under development related to small molecular inhibitors of coronavirus replication.

Daniel and colleagues disclosed no conflicts of interest.

Benenson and colleagues disclosed no conflicts of interest.

Read more here:

COVID-19 Jabs Did the Job for Healthcare Workers - MedPage Today

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) reports as of March 26, 2021, there have been 2,405,746 total confirmatory laboratory results received for COVID-19, with 139,750 total cases and 2,628 total deaths.

DHHR has confirmed the deaths of a 66-year old male from Logan County, a 94-year old male from Cabell County, a 77-year old male from Berkeley County, and a 79-year old male from Monongalia County.

It is with great sadness that we announce more lives lost to this pandemic, said Bill J. Crouch, DHHR Cabinet Secretary. Our sympathies and thoughts go out to these families.

CASES PER COUNTY: Barbour (1,312), Berkeley (10,445), Boone (1,723), Braxton (831), Brooke (2,051), Cabell (8,306), Calhoun (241), Clay (387), Doddridge (511), Fayette (2,929), Gilmer (728), Grant (1,161), Greenbrier (2,478), Hampshire (1,596), Hancock (2,622), Hardy (1,372), Harrison (5,089), Jackson (1,756), Jefferson (3,929), Kanawha (12,837), Lewis (1,089), Lincoln (1,347), Logan (2,922), Marion (3,883), Marshall (3,156), Mason (1,853), McDowell (1,406), Mercer (4,359), Mineral (2,626), Mingo (2,270), Monongalia (8,548), Monroe (1,009), Morgan (992), Nicholas (1,363), Ohio (3,792), Pendleton (651), Pleasants (818), Pocahontas (611), Preston (2,688), Putnam (4,476), Raleigh (5,316), Randolph (2,447), Ritchie (638), Roane (514), Summers (720), Taylor (1,142), Tucker (516), Tyler (655), Upshur (1,765), Wayne (2,723), Webster (436), Wetzel (1,148), Wirt (368), Wood (7,395), Wyoming (1,804).

Delays may be experienced with the reporting of information from the local health department to DHHR. As case surveillance continues at the local health department level, it may reveal that those tested in a certain county may not be a resident of that county, or even the state as an individual in question may have crossed the state border to be tested. Such is the case of Doddridge County in this report.

Free COVID-19 testing is available today in Barbour, Berkeley, Boone, Doddridge, Grant, Jefferson, Lincoln, Logan, Marshall, Monongalia, Nicholas, Wayne, and Webster counties.

Barbour County

9:00 AM 11:00 AM, Barbour County Health Department, 109 Wabash Avenue, Philippi, WV

1:00 PM 5:00 PM, Junior Volunteer Fire Department, 331 Row Avenue, Junior, WV

Berkeley County

10:00 AM 6:00 PM, 891 Auto Parts Place, Martinsburg, WV

10:00 AM 6:00 PM, Ambrose Park, 25404 Mall Drive, Martinsburg, WV

Boone County

12:00 PM 6:00 PM, Boone County Health Department, 213 Kenmore Dr., Danville, WV

Doddridge County

10:00 AM 6:00 PM, Doddridge County Park, The Barn, 1252 Snowbird Road S., West Union, WV

Grant County

Jefferson County

10:00 AM 6:00 PM, Hollywood Casino, 750 Hollywood Drive, Charles Town, WV

10:00 AM 6:00 PM, Shepherd University Wellness Center Parking Lot, 164 University Drive, Shepherdstown, WV

Lincoln County

Logan County

Marshall County

11:00 AM 6:00 PM, Benwood City Building, 430 Main Street, Benwood, WV

Monongalia County

9:00 AM 11:00 AM, WVU Recreation Center, Lower Level, 2001 Rec Center Drive, Morgantown, WV

Nicholas County

Wayne County

10:00 AM 2:00 PM, Kenova Police Department, 1501 Pine Street, Kenova, WV

Webster County

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COVID-19 Daily Update 3-26-2021 - West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources

COVID-19 outcomes in patients with inflammatory rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases treated with rituximab: a cohort study  The Lancet

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COVID-19 outcomes in patients with inflammatory rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases treated with rituximab: a cohort study - The Lancet

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) Around 700 residents living on the Virginia Peninsula will get a free COVID-19 vaccine shot next week.

The Southeastern Virginia Health System, which says its the second-largest federally-qualified health system in the state, is working with Five Medicine and UnitedHealthcare to host the nearly weeklong event.

We have demonstrated today that when we put our heads together, we can do good things for the community, said Tameeka Smith, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Community Plan for Virginia.

Smith was joined by other healthcare provider representatives as well as Congressman Bobby Scott (D-Newport News).

Scott talked about the importance of funding that organizations, like the Southeastern Virginia Health System, received from the American Rescue Plan and why having local clinics is needed for vaccine distributions.

You can have all the vaccines you want, but if you dont have places like this providing vaccinations, you dont have anything, he said.

The clinic, which is free, will be held March 29 through April 1 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Scott says Congress worked to make sure there was a policy that allowed for people to receive the vaccine for free.

That people wouldnt have to worry about I cant get a vaccine because they have to get groceries tomorrow, rents due next week. No. Everyone can get the vaccine and we want to make sure its available to the community and thats why its here, he said.

Dr. Natasha Dwamena, who is the health district director for Hampton/Peninsula Healthcare, says that vaccination rates on their health district are seeing the same rates as Virginia, with about 25% getting a least one vaccine shot and 13% fully vaccinated.

Health officials expect the fully vaccinated number to increase as more people are administered the Johnson & Johnson shot.

We are aggressively pursuing the vaccine and making sure it comes into the health district. We welcome this collaboration, Dwamena said.

Although vaccination spots are booked for the clinic, health officials say people might be able to still get their vaccines because sometimes people do not show up for appointments and they dont want to waste shots.

If someone shows up and theres no vaccine available, they will be pre-registered on-site through the system, so no one leaves saying they came and got nothing, said Mohamed Ally, who is the chief medical officer for Unitedhealthcare.

Ally and other officials stressed the importance of getting the vaccination especially for those in Black and brown communities, which they say are five times more likely to be hospitalized by COVID-19.

The quicker we get everyone immunized, the quicker we eradicate the virus from just having a pool of us where its sitting and multiplying, infecting others, Ally said.

The event will be held at 48th Street Physicians at 4714 Marshall Avenue.

Health officials say once people get their vaccines, the data will be cross-referenced with the information on the statewide pre-registration list.

Continue reading here:

Free COVID-19 vaccination clinic being held next week in Newport News - WAVY.com

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WREX) Illinois has not met the metrics to move to the bridge phase of reopening and the Stateline is part of the reason why.

Check out 13 WREX's coronavirus vaccine resources page

On Friday, the Illinois Department of Public Health announced the state has seen 10 days of increases in the seven-day rolling average for hospital admissions.

The COVID-19 test positivity on March 10 was 2.5%. Todays reported test positivity is 3.3%.

IDPH says while these rates are certainly significantly lower than the peak, they represent a potential early warning sign about a possible resurgence, according to IDPH.

READ MORE: Illinois deploying rapid response vaccination teams in Region 1

Region 1, the northern portion of the state including Rockford and surrounding communities, has seen eight days of increasing hospital bed usage and six days of increasing test positivity.

Meanwhile, Chicago has seen its daily case rate increase by nearly 50% since last week, along with six days of increases in test positivity.

Suburban Cook County has seen its daily case rate increase more than 40%, along with nine days of increasing hospital bed usage.

To advance into theBridge Phasethat is the final step before the full reopening, the entire state must achieve several metrics:

70% of residents 65 years and older must have received a first dose;Hospitals must maintain 20% or greater ICU bed availability;Hospitalizations for COVID-19, admissions for COVID-like illness and deaths must hold steady or decline over a 28-day monitoring period.

As outlined in the March 18 update to the Restore Illinois plan, IDPH will evaluate statewide performance against the metrics by looking back at the data from the preceding 28 days.

RELATED: Boone County residents 18+ can begin registering for the vaccine, heres how to sign up

While Illinois is on pace to reach 70% first doses for residents 65 years and older in the coming days, IDPH is monitoring an increase in new hospital admissions for COVID, which will need to be appropriately addressed and resolved before moving into the Bridge Phase.

IDPH epidemiologists will continue to focus on the most recent 10 days to monitor any acute trends that prevent the state from reaching the Bridge Phase.

Statewide reopening metrics can be found here.

IDPH also say they've seen vaccine demand slow in several counties throughout the state, with early signs of unfilled appointments and increased vaccine inventory.

IDPH is authorizing those communities to begin vaccinating all residents 16 and older at their immediate discretion, in order to use the vaccine doses they currently have available.

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IDPH: COVID-19 hospitalizations, cases up in Rockford area, Chicago - WREX-TV

COVID-19 Has Made It Harder To Slow The Rise In Sexually Transmitted Infections. Expedited Partner Treatment Can Help  Health Affairs

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COVID-19 Has Made It Harder To Slow The Rise In Sexually Transmitted Infections. Expedited Partner Treatment Can Help - Health Affairs

What it will take to vaccinate the world against COVID-19  Nature.com

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What it will take to vaccinate the world against COVID-19 - Nature.com