Category: Covid-19

After a slow and at times rocky start, California is trying to ramp up vaccine distribution.

For now, the vaccine is still supposed to go to medical personnel and first responders. But officials expect to provide details soon about who will next be eligible.

On Friday, Gov. Gavin Newsom vowed to vaccinate an additional 1 million people against COVID-19 over the next nine days, though details of how he would do it were unclear.

Though California has received more than 2.1 million doses of vaccines, as of Friday about a third had been administered to frontline healthcare workers and residents at nursing homes and other long-term-care facilities who were eligible for the first round of inoculations.

The state has eased restrictions on who qualifies for vaccinations to help speed the rate at which local health departments and providers administer the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, a process that was created to ensure the well-off and well-connected couldnt jump to the front of the line.

The new guidelines allow for vaccines to be offered to those in other lower-tier groups, such as teachers, childcare workers, people who work in emergency services, food and agriculture and people over the age of 75, if there is a risk of the vaccine expiring.

Los Angeles plans to turn its massive coronavirus testing site at Dodger Stadium into a vaccination distribution center this week, with officials hoping to vaccinate up to 12,000 people a day when the site is fully operational.

City and county officials also plan to end testing at the Veterans Affairs Lot 15 site near Jackie Robinson Stadium to shift personnel, equipment and other resources to vaccine distribution.

The state might offer more details this week. But officials have said that after healthcare workers, these are some of the criteria for the next round of vaccines:

Some of those who would be at the top of the line include, in order as outlined by the state:

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When can I get the COVID-19 vaccine in California? - Los Angeles Times

CHICAGO Even as some states continue to see a surge in new COVID-19 infections, a post-holiday rise appears to have leveled off in Illinois, opening the possibility for qualifying regions to see a lessening of restrictions this week.

The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 4,776 new confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases Monday, as well as 53 additional deaths. While the weekly average of cases reported in the state has risen steadily since late December, it has remained near 7,000 cases for the past three days.

Compared to many U.S. states, Illinois has seen a smaller rise in the number of new Covid infections which experts attribute to holiday travel and gatherings in recent weeks.

With 55.2 cases reported per 100,000 residents over the past week according to the CDC, Illinois ranks around the middle of states, while the worst-hit areas are seeing nearly twice that amount.

As Illinois seems to have avoided a major post-holiday surge of COVID-19, Governor JB Pritzker reaffirmed on Monday that qualifying regions can begin moving down to less-restrictive mitigation measures starting January 15.

WATCH ABOVE: Governor JB Pritzker and health officials give an update on COVID-19 and vaccination efforts in Illinois Monday

State health officials picked January 15 because it represented one full incubation period after the New Years holiday. As of Monday, only three regions meet the metrics for moving to Tier 2 mitigations, although many are on the cusp of qualifying.

Senators Durbin and Duckworth announced Monday that federal dollars are heading to Illinois to help with more testing and the giving of shots.

This includes $574.3 million for COVID-19 testing and $90.158 million for vaccination distribution in Illinois. The Chicago Department of Public Health will also receive $155 million for testing and $24.3 million for vaccine distribution.

Illinois has seen this leveling off of new reported cases even as the number of tests performed in the state on average is rising back towards levels seen prior to the holidays.

With 66,697 new tests reported over the past 24 hours, Illinois is now averaging more than 91,000 tests over a seven-day period. This is a marked increase from the average of about 70,000 tests seen at the start of the month, but remains below the peak of more than 100,000 around Thanksgiving.

As tests rise and cases drop on average, Illinois is seeing a decline in its 7-day case positivity rate, which dropped to 7.6% as of Monday. Additionally, while test positivity rates had been rising or flat on average in most regions after the holidays, they have begun to fall again in recent days.

Hospitalizations in the state have been falling as well, with 3,540 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Sunday night, including 759 in intensive care and 401 on ventilators.

Even as the state is seeing some promising signs, Illinois continues to average more than 100 reported Covid deaths a day, higher than the peak seen in the spring.

Pritzker said vaccination efforts continue across the state, as Illinois has received 587,900 doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines as of Monday and 334,939 have been administered so far.

Some regions have substantially completed the first phase of vaccinations which includes about 850,000 frontline healthcare workers and residents of long-term care facilities, Pritzker said.

Those regions can begin administering doses to people 65 years of age and older and essential workers who make up the second 1B phase of vaccinations.

A new variant of COVID-19 first identified in the United Kingdom thats believed to be 50% more contagious has been identified in Indiana, state health officials said Monday.

The new variant has not yet been confirmed in Illinois, but IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said its likely just circulating in small enough numbers where it has not been detected.

Ezike said the variant would likely become the dominant strain in Illinois within a few months, after which Illinois would see more infectious spread.

We know that this is brewing and therefore we have the opportunity to use that information and make better choices around the mitigations, around avoiding gatherings, so we can get as many people vaccinated and stay safe before this variant takes over, Ezike said.

Indiana reported 3,726 new COVID-19 cases and 30 additional deaths Monday, while the state continues to see a decline in hospitalizations following a spike in early December.

Over the weekend, City of Chicago extended its stay-at-home advisory which calls on residents to only leave their homes for essential purposes and limit gatherings to household members only.

State limits which closed entertainment venues, bar indoor dining at bars and restaurants and limit capacities for businesses remain in effect in the city as well.

City health officials reported a 7-day average of 1,028 new COVID-19 cases and 13 deaths Monday, with a test positivity rate of 10.3%.

Thousands of Chicago Public School students are returning classrooms Monday, despite continued pushback from teachers and parents.

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COVID-19 restrictions may be relaxed in some Illinois regions this week, as state reports 4,776 cases and 53 deaths - WGN TV Chicago

MADISON (WKOW/WXOW) -- Five deaths were reported Monday of people who have died in Wisconsin because of COVID-19, according to the latest numbers from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

One death was a La Crosse County resident according to the Coulee COVID-19 Collaborative. It is the 64th death of a county resident from COVID since the beginning of the pandemic.

Deaths for each day arereported by DHS HERE.

DHS also reported 56 people were newly-hospitalized.

As of Sunday afternoon, 973 COVID-19 patientswere being treated in Wisconsin hospitals. That's 81 fewer than the day before.

Of those, 219 are in the ICUaccording to the Wisconsin Hospital Association, a drop of 23 from the previous day.

There have been 1,456 positive COVID-19 tests since yesterday in Wisconsin and 3,998 negative results.

(CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL DHS DASHBOARD)

The Department of Health Servicesdashboardshows the seven-day average of both positive tests by day and test by person.(CHART)

Of all positive cases reported since the pandemic began, 474,830, or 93.4 percent, are considered recovered.

DHS now has a county-level dashboard to assess the COVID-19 activity levelin counties and Healthcare Emergency Readiness Coalition regions that measure what DHS calls the burden in each county.View the dashboard HERE.

Information from DHS now provides a breakdown of their data in a new interactive map. It can show users' data by county, municipality, school district, or zip code.Find the map here.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services said that 40 people, or one fewer than yesterday, are hospitalized in the Western Region of the state, which is comprised of Buffalo, Trempealeau, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Vernon, and Crawford counties. There are currently no cases in intensive care.

58 new cases were announced on Monday in La Crosse County. They broke down demographically this way:

Here is a look at the regional numbers from the DHS update:

7-Day Average is per 100,000 people. Figures compiled by the WI. Dept. of Health Services or county health departments.

Find additional COVID-19 coverage here.

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Five deaths from COVID-19 in Wisconsin; 56 more hospitalized - WXOW.com

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) reports as of January 11, 2021, there have been 1,654,561 total confirmatory laboratory results received for COVID-19, with 102,282 total cases and 1,594 deaths.

DHHR has confirmed the deaths a 92-year old male from Hancock County, an 84-year old male from Wayne County, an 87-year old female from Fayette County, an 88-year old female from Berkeley County, a 78-year old female from Hancock County, a 75-year old male from Hancock County, an 81-year old male from Hancock County, a 100-year old male from Ohio County, an 85-year old female from Fayette County, an 87-year old male from Lewis County, a 60-year old male from Cabell County, and a 57-year old male from Wood County.

As we share this sad news, we pause to remember each West Virginian, said Bill J. Crouch, DHHR Cabinet Secretary. Each life lost is one too many, and we must do everything we can to stop the pandemic.

CASES PER COUNTY: Barbour (1,083), Berkeley (7,538), Boone (1,215), Braxton (632), Brooke (1,643), Cabell (6,066), Calhoun (174), Clay (286), Doddridge (316), Fayette (2,052), Gilmer (494), Grant (879), Greenbrier (1,877), Hampshire (1,164), Hancock (2,173), Hardy (995), Harrison (3,681), Jackson (1,392), Jefferson (2,795), Kanawha (9,776), Lewis (654), Lincoln (947), Logan (1,965), Marion (2,546), Marshall (2,421), Mason (1,218), McDowell (1,091), Mercer (3,508), Mineral (2,259), Mingo (1,656), Monongalia (6,110), Monroe (756), Morgan (781), Nicholas (834), Ohio (2,884), Pendleton (405), Pleasants (690), Pocahontas (419), Preston (2,024), Putnam (3,335), Raleigh (3,323), Randolph (1,565), Ritchie (462), Roane (361), Summers (574), Taylor (846), Tucker (406), Tyler (441), Upshur (1,180), Wayne (1,972), Webster (195), Wetzel (816), Wirt (268), Wood (5,806), and Wyoming (1,333).

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 Barbour County in this report.

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COVID-19 Daily Update 1-11-2021 - West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources

Seattle researchers say by collecting sewage samples from neighborhoods, community outbreaks can be identified while protecting peoples privacy.

University of Washington researchers are testing a unique approach to finding out if specific neighborhoods are experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks.

Researchers are using wastewater, pulled from pumping stations, to compile data on coronavirus trends.

"We go to the pumping station, and we take a sample, take it back to the lab, and then we do the same tests as you do when you take a swab sample," said Mari Winkler, a UW professor of civil and environmental engineering.

Researchers say by collecting sewage samples from neighborhoods, community outbreaks can be identified while protecting peoples privacy.

Winkler says this anonymous approach to tracking the virus can help researchers figure out where the fire is burning.

"It allows you to target these neighborhoods with policies. As vaccinations roll out, we would expect the viral signals to go down," said Pieter Candry, UW postdoctoral researcher in civil and environmental engineering.

This isn't a new concept. Researchers across the country, including in Whatcom County, are doing something similar, but not on a hyperlocal level.

Anonymous detecting can serve as a way to account for asymptomatic people, vulnerable populations with less access to health care and individual testing, and those who may avoid testing due to the fear of discrimination from positive test results.

"If there are people that are not getting targeted by the vaccination programs, if people are skeptical about vaccination programs, these kinds of approaches would allow you to monitor these populations and actually see whether vaccination is reaching the people that it needs to reach," said Candry.

UW researchers are still testing this method. If it's adopted, it will be the first of its kind in Seattle, eventually tackling COVID-19 underground.

"To find hotspots and address these with targeted policies... we don't need to lock down an entire city or the entire country, but really go down to the neighborhoods, and sub-neighborhood level to mitigate the spread of COVID-19," said Candry.

Researchers will continue to develop and refine this testing method, and hope it will help with COVID-19 detection efforts and vaccine roll-out strategies.

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UW researchers use wastewater to detect COVID-19 and identify neighborhood outbreaks - KING5.com

Governor Tom Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine today released a weekly status update detailing the states mitigation efforts based on the COVID-19 Early Warning Monitoring System dashboard, highlighting a seven-day case increase of 42,322, a statewide percent positivity of 14.4% and all 67 counties with substantial transmission status.

The update includes the following:

The dashboard is designed to provide early warning signs of factors that affect the states mitigation efforts. The data available on the Early Warning Monitoring dashboard includes week-over-week case differences, incidence rates, test percent-positivity, and rates of hospitalizations, ventilations and emergency room visits tied to COVID-19. This weeks update compares the period of January 1 January 7 to the previous seven days, December 25 December 31.

Although I am grateful to see our statewide percent positivity decrease for yet another week in a row, we still have more work to do to keep our friends and loved ones safe from further spread across our communities, Gov. Wolf said. As Pennsylvanians travel within their communities, I want to take the opportunity to remind them to stay safe by wearing a mask, social distancing and avoiding gatherings of people. If you travel somewhere where they are not doing so, I encourage you to make the right choice to leave.

As of Thursday, January 7, the state has seen a seven-day case increase of 42,322 cases; the previous seven-day increase was 41,228 cases, indicating 1,034 more new cases across the state over the past week compared to the previous week.

The statewide percent-positivity went down to 14.4% from 15.0% last week. Every county in the state has a concerning percent positivity above five percent. This includes 14 counties with percent positivity at or above 20 percent, a decrease of seven counties from the week before.

We continue to report widespread community transmission as COVID-19 remains a threat in our communities, Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. We need to stay calm, stay alert, and stay safe by wearing a mask, avoiding gatherings, practicing social distancing, answering the call when public health professionals call, and downloading the COVID Alert PA app.

As of Fridays data, all 67 counties were in the substantial level of community transmission, the highest level of transmission.

For the week ending January 7, 67 counties were in the substantial level of transmission.

The Department of Health is providing weekly data on the number of statewide cases of COVID-19 among 5 to 18-year-olds.

Throughout the pandemic, there have been 58,045 total cases of COVID-19 among 5 to 18-year-olds. Of that total, 5,128 occurred between January 1 January 7. For the week of December 25 December 31, there were 3,929 cases of COVID-19 among 5 to 18-year-olds.

Cases by demographic group is available on the DOH website.

The Department of Health is providing weekly data on the number of individuals who responded to case investigators that they spent time at business establishments (restaurants, bars, gym/fitness centers, salon/barbershops) and at mass gatherings 14 days prior to the onset of COVID-19 symptoms.

It is important to note that due to the recent number of cases, the department is prioritizing case investigations to prevent outbreak. In addition to the need for people to answer the call, the significant number of cases helps contribute to the low percentages in case investigation data. All of this reinforces the need for Pennsylvanians to take steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Of the 51,260 cases reported between December 7 January 2, 4.5 percent (2,309) provided an answer to the question as to whether they spent time at a business establishment.

Of those who did provide an answer, 0.3 percent, or 134, answered yes, they visited a business establishment 14 days prior to onset of symptoms:

Of the 53,947 confirmed cases, 4.4 percent (2,388) answered the question as to whether they attended a mass gathering or other large event. Of the 4.2 percent of cases, 7 percent (101) answered yes to whether they attended a mass gathering or other large event 14 days prior to onset of symptoms.

Compared to data reported on January 4, this weeks data saw an increase for people who reported going to a bar (22 percent vs. 19 percent last week) and going to a salon/barbershop (18 percent vs. 16 percent last week), going to some other business (51 percent to 34 percent last week), going to the gym (9 percent vs. 5 percent last week). The data saw a decrease for people who reported going to a restaurant (17 percent vs. 39 percent last week). The number of those who attended a mass gathering or other large event decreased to 6 percent from 7 percent compared to last week.

The numbers above highlight business settings and mass gatherings as possible sites for transmission. It is important to note at this time Pennsylvania is experiencing widespread community transmission. With less than 10 percent of those asked about what types of businesses they visited or if they attended a mass gathering responding to the question, the department is again reminding Pennsylvanians that it is essential that they answer the phone when case investigators call and to provide full and complete information to these clinical professionals.

In November, the Department of Health provided an updated travel order requiring anyone over the age of 11 who visits from another state to provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 test or place themselves in a travel quarantine for 14 days upon entering Pennsylvania. Travel quarantine guidance was changed to 10 days on Dec. 5 based on new CDC guidance.

This order does not apply to people who commute to and from another state for work or medical treatment, those who left the state for less than 24 hours, or those complying with a court order, including child custody.

It is important that people understand that this Order is in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Pennsylvania. A concerning number of recent cases have been linked to travel, and if people are going to travel, we need them to take steps to protect themselves, their loved ones and their community, and that involves having either a negative test, or placing themselves in a quarantine.

Gov. Wolf continues to prioritize the health and safety of all Pennsylvanians through the COVID-19 pandemic. Pennsylvanians should continue to take actions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, regardless of in what county they live. This includes wearing a mask or face covering anytime they are in public. COVID-19 has been shown to spread easily in the air and contagious carriers can be asymptomatic. Pennsylvanians are encouraged to wash their hands, social distance, avoid gatherings and download COVID Alert PA.

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Pennsylvania COVID-19 Early Warning Monitoring Dashboard Update for Jan.1-7: Case Increases Near 42,300; Percent Positivity at 14.4% and All 67...

Tatum and center Robert Williams, who has also tested positive for COVID-19, will not be present for the game against the Heat, and neither will big men Tristan Thompson and Grant Williams, who were placed in quarantine because of close contact with Robert Williams.

According to the league source, Robert Williams, Grant Williams, Carsen Edwards, and Thompson recently rode in a car together, with Edwards the lone player wearing a mask. Edwards was cleared to play Friday against Washington because he was not considered a close contact. Grant Williams and Thompson, however, were considered risks.

Its uncertain how Tatum contracted the virus, but according to the leagues research by medical experts, its nearly impossible to pass the virus during an NBA game because according to the Center for Disease Controls website, transmission risk is with an individual who has had close contact [within 6 feet for a total of 15 minutes or more].

According to NBA research, players are not in close contact with each other for remotely close to 15 minutes during a game.

Celtics players and other members of the organization were tested twice on Friday. According to the league source, Tatum tested negative in the first test but positive in his second. The team then canceled Saturdays practice and informed members of the organization that the Auerbach Center would be shut down, preventing players from using the facility for treatment or workouts.

Tatum is eighth in the NBA in scoring (26.9 points per game) and with Jaylen Brown has helped the Celtics to a 7-3 start. If Tatum is in quarantine for the full 14 days, he would miss eight games, including a pair of matchups each against the 76ers and Magic. He would be cleared to return on Jan. 25 at Chicago.

The Celtics injury report released Saturday night lists Tatum as doubtful for Sundays game against Miami because of health and safety protocols. The team is likely waiting for confirmation of Tatums positive test. Forwards Brown and Semi Ojeleye and guard Javonte Green were listed as questionable because of health and safety protocols and will need to be cleared by medical officials to play.

Finally, Wizards forward Bradley Beal was held out of Washingtons game against the Miami Heat on Saturday night because of contact tracing to Tatum. The two are close friends and perhaps dined or visited each other prior to Fridays game. The Wizards arrived in Boston on Thursday.

The NBA has had increasing COVID-19 problems since it decided to begin the 2020-21 season outside a controlled bubble. The 76ers were limited to eight players in Saturdays loss to the Nuggets because of contact tracing and injuries. Guard Seth Curry tested positive for COVID-19 this past week.

In Houston, guard John Wall was held out for a week because of contact tracing after he invited teammates to his home for haircuts by a local barber. One of the Rockets who attended later tested positive for COVID-19.

In the NBAs latest round of COVID-19 test results, released Jan. 7, there were four positives out of the 498 players tested since Dec. 30. The NBA does not release the names of players who test positive. Instead, the league places players in quarantine depending on a positive test or contact tracing.

During the bubble, no players tested positive for COVID-19. In that environment, players and team officials were tested daily, and family members were not allowed to visit until the first round of the playoffs, and they had to undergo daily testing once in the compound.

With Tatum out for at least 10 days, the Celtics will have to rely on players such as Green, who recently returned from a stint in quarantine, Ojeleye, and rookie Aaron Nesmith for minutes on the wing. The team is already without All-Star point guard Kemba Walker, who was cleared to begin practicing after missing the first few weeks following a knee procedure, Robert Williams, Grant Williams, and Thompson for at least the next few games.

The Celtics already have the maximum 17 players on their roster, so they would have to waive a player to create a spot. If they dont, the lone option is to play with the roster they have. The NBA mandated the 76ers play the Nuggets despite having five players in COVID-19 protocols, and two more listed as injured. Philadelphia used seven of its eight players in the 115-103 loss, with rookie Tyrese Maxey scoring 39 points in 44 minutes. He had been averaging 15.7 minutes per game.

Tatum, meanwhile, will not be allowed to practice with the Celtics during the quarantine period, and will have to test negative on multiple occasions before returning.

Gary Washburn can be reached at gary.washburn@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @GwashburnGlobe.

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Celtics star Jayson Tatum tests positive for COVID-19 - The Boston Globe

Massachusetts health officials reported more than 7,000 new cases of COVID-19 Saturday just the fourth time the figure has exceeded that mark in a single day, each coming within the past two weeks.

There were 7,110 more confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state Saturday, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported, as well 90 new confirmed coronavirus deaths.

There have now been a total of 12,798 deaths and 407,933 cases, according to DPH.

Another 276 deaths are considered probably linked to COVID-19.

The percentage of coronavirus tests coming back positive, on average, fell again Saturday to 7.35%, the department said.

The number of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 also dropped, to 2,291. Of that number, 445 were listed as being in intensive care units and 280 are intubated, according to DPH.

More coronavirus cases and hospitalizations, which have continued to climb in the wake of the holiday season, have prompted Massachusetts to set up a pool testing program in schools across the state. This measure aims to expand the net of COVID-19 monitoring and encourage schools to allow in-person learning.

Under the pool testing program outlined by Gov. Charlie Baker on Friday, teachers, staffers and students would be tested in batches of 10. This allows a larger portion of the population to get tested for the virus more efficiently, but would not indicate whether a specific individual has COVID-19.

A handful of school districts are already using pool testing, including Salem, Watertown and Medford.

The new pool testing program will be available to schools next month.

Meanwhile, Baker has extended coronavirus restrictions put in place on Dec. 26 through Jan. 24. These rules limit many businesses to 25% capacity, and set caps on indoor gatherings at 10 people and outdoor gatherings at 25.

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7,110 New COVID-19 Cases Confirmed in Mass., Another 90 Deaths - NBC10 Boston

The COVID-19 testing schedule for sites operated by the Louisiana Army National Guard (LANG) for the week of January 11 to January 16 is listed below. Sites are closed during state holidays and inclement weather.

On Friday, the Department of Health reported 105 additional COVID-19 deaths, the second-highest number of COVID-associated deaths reported in a single day since April 14, 2020. There is more COVID-19 in Louisiana now than at any point since the beginning of the pandemic. All Louisianans need to take precautions to protect themselves and their loved ones: wear a mask, practice social distancing and good hand hygiene, and stay home if sick. If you have been exposed or have symptoms of COVID-19, get tested.

Pre-registration for COVID-19 testing is encouraged by going to Health.QuestDiagnostics.com/STLOU. Testing is for ages 3 and older. There is no cost, and no identification is needed. Test results are available by calling1-866-MYQUEST (1-866-697-8378), but note that wait times can be lengthy. Test results are also available through the Quest online portal or app.

If you are unable to make it to a LANG testing location, no-cost testing is available by appointment atselect Walgreens locationsthrough a partnership between Walgreens and the Department of Health. These locations offer testing 7 days a week to people ages 3 and older. Appointments are required; make yours atwalgreens.com/covid19testing.

Symptoms of COVID-19 include:

Test site details

Save the number 877-766-2130 in your phone

Anyone who receives a call from 877-766-2130 is urged to answer, as the call is from a contact tracer who will keep an individual's information private. Personal information is used to quickly identify anyone a COVID-positive individual may have been in close contact with to help contain the spread of the coronavirus. Everyone called by a contact tracer is advised to monitor themselves for signs of illness for 14 days from when they first came in contact with the COVID-19 person.

If a resource need is identified through the contact tracing interview, the case is flagged for follow-up from a resource coordinator social worker who can connect individuals with resources including medication, masks, food assistance and even help locating alternative housing.

If someone calls from a number other than 877-766-2130, claims to be a contact tracer and asks for personal information, hang up immediately.If you have a positive lab result and have not yet heard from a contact tracer, you can call our team directly at 877-766-2130.

For information from the Louisiana Department of Health on COVID-19, click here.

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Louisiana Department of Health announces COVID-19 testing for week of January 11-16, 2021 | Department of Health | State of Louisiana - Louisiana...

A transmission electron microscope image shows SARS-CoV-2, also known as the 2019 novel coronavirus, which causes COVID-19, isolated from a patient in the United States. Note the crown-like spikes on the outer edge of the virus, hence the term "coron (NIAID-RML)

There will be two COVID-19 therapeutic infusion centers opening in North Texas on Monday.

The Texas Division of Emergency Management is setting up the centers in Fort Worth and Irving.

Starting Monday, Jan. 11, the centers will distribute "Regeneron's monoclonal antibodies and bamlanivimab to treat outpatient cases of COVID-19 who meet certain criteria and who have a referral from a hospital or doctor."

Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced the opening of the new centers Saturday. Other centers have already been open in El Paso, Laredo, Harlingen, and Austin.

"Increasing access to COVID-19 therapeutic treatments is a proven strategy to reduce hospitalizations and save lives," Gov. Abbott said in a statement. "I thank our partners from the North Central Texas Trauma Regional Advisory Council for working with the State of Texas to establish these infusion centers. Together, we will continue to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and keep our communities safe."

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2 COVID-19 therapeutic infusion centers opening in North Texas - FOX 4 Dallas