SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — After over two and a half years of COVID research, scientists are seeing the first data points that prove a dramatic change in human organs after a COVID infection.
“You can start thinking about getting COVID as almost as an accelerant to aging. The viral infection accelerates the aging process in people,” said Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly, director of the Clinical Epidemiology Center at Washington University in St. Louis and the chief of research and education service at Veterans Affairs St. Louis Health Care System.
Dr. Al-Aly gathered data from millions of people across the country. Their studies on kidney outcomes in long COVID, long COVID in the brain and long COVID in the heart had similar patterns.
RELATED: Return to masking? It’s possible, if we see COVID surge this fall, Bay Area health officials say
All pointing to multiple human organs aging faster after COVID. The majority happening among people who were hospitalized but also some with mild COVID symptoms.
“Almost by three to four years in the span of just one,” said Dr. Al-Aly and added, “What we have seen is that people are losing about three to four percent kidney function in the year that follows that infection. That usually happens with aging. Three to four years of aging.”
We took these findings to Dr. Michael Peluso, infectious disease specialist at UCSF. His team was one of the first in the country to begin long COVID research in April of 2020.
“Dr. Al-Aly group at the VA in St. Louis has been really important in trying to frame the issues of what people experience after they have COVID. Particularly the effects on the organ system after somebody has COVID,” said Dr. Peluso and added, “Now, what we are trying to do is actually figure out what is the biology of what causes those long term effects.”
RELATED: New research sheds light on an emerging parallel COVID epidemic
Dr. Peluso said his team has an idea of why some organs may be experiencing aging or injury after COVID.
“Some of the theories for what may causing long COVID symptoms include persistence of the virus, so instead of the virus coming and going – it sticks around, inflammation, auto-immune problems. Changes in the microbiome. The good bacteria that are in our bodies,” said Peluso.
Even though more years of data are necessary, Dr. Al Aly believes this increased aging process will eventually stop.
“My hunch from the data and also my hope that this would really eventually flatten out and there are some early indications that this really may be the case that the risk or the kidney function decline really flattens out with time,” said Dr. Al-Aly.
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WYNNEWOOD, Pennsylvania (WPVI) — With the temperatures dropping, health officials are warning of a potentially more severe flu season compared to past years.
“Each year, scientists look at the circulating strains in the Southern Hemisphere and try to predict what strains are going to be in the Northern Hemisphere,” said Dr. Lawrence Livornese, Chairman of Medicine at Main Line Health. “Sometimes they get it right, other times not so much.”
In the Southern Hemisphere, Australia is experiencing its worst flu season in at least five years, a possible foreshadowing of what’s to come in the US. The flu season virtually disappeared in the last two years due to COVID shutdowns, masking and social distancing. But now, things are back to normal.
“I haven’t had a flu vaccine in I don’t know how long, so I’m going to say no, but say like, if cases do start rising, I might,” said Monet Gregory of North Philadelphia.
Doctors are encouraging the flu shot to decrease your chances of severe disease and urging everyone to get the COVID-19 booster shot, which targets the omicron variant.
“We may see a milder COVID season this year than compared to last year but it’s very possible a new mutation may appear and things may change in ways that we don’t really expect right now,” said Livornese.
At this time, about 68 million Americans remain completely unvaccinated for the coronavirus. Across the country, 30,000 patients are hospitalized due to COVID, with 3,200 people in the ICU. Health officials warn of a possible spike in cases as winter approaches and we move inside.
“I’m going to try to keep as much distance between me and strangers as possible,” said Tay Nesmith of West Philadelphia. “I’m going to try to keep my mask on and an extra one in my bag.”
Doctors highly recommend getting the flu shot between now and the end of October to be most protected. They say you can get both the flu shot and the COVID booster at the same time.
NEW YORK (WABC) — The CDC has shortened the amount of time people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised need to wait before getting a fourth COVID vaccine booster dose.
They now recommend that the severely immunocompromised can get an additional Pfizer or Moderna shot three months after their third dose instead of five months.
The CDC also encourages people with weakened immune systems who originally got a Johnson & Johnson vaccine to take two additional doses, instead of just one.
RELATED: What are the symptoms of the COVID omicron variant?
Here are more of today’s COVID-19 headlines:
US death toll hits 900,000, sped by omicron Propelled in part by the wildly contagious omicron variant, the U.S. death toll from COVID-19 hit 900,000 on Friday, less than two months after eclipsing 800,000. The two-year total, as compiled by Johns Hopkins University, is greater than the population of Indianapolis, San Francisco, or Charlotte, North Carolina. The milestone comes more than 13 months into a vaccination drive that has been beset by misinformation and political and legal strife, though the shots have proved safe and highly effective at preventing serious illness and death.
Scientists study why some never catch coronavirus Scientists are trying to unlock the mystery of why some people seem never to catch COVID. While there is no clear-cut answer, one factor may lie in our DNA, giving people with certain genetic traits more pre-existing protection. Researchers in London have also found that people with higher levels of T-cells generated from other previous coronavirus infections like a common cold were less likely to get COVID. “If there are overlapping sequences that are shared between the common cold coronaviruses and the sarscov2, that T-cell can react very quickly to mount a defense against sarscov2,” said Dr. Akiko Iwasaki, professor of immunology, Yale University.
More vaccinations will lead to lifting mask rules: Hochul Records show 80% of 12-to 17-year-olds in New York State have gotten their first dose of the COVID vaccine, and Gov. Kathy Hochul says more vaccinations will lead to the lifting of mask mandates in schools. “The more children we have vaccinated, the safer they will be in school,” she said, explaining vaccination rate will be a factor in decisions on mask rules. “And they wont need a mask anymore,” Hochul promised. “But we are just not there yet. It is all based on data.” Data shows 40% of 5-to 11-year-olds have gotten their first dose.
COVID falling in 49 of 50 states as deaths near 900,000 With omicron easing, new cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. are falling in 49 of the 50 states, even as the nation’s death toll closes in on another bleak round number: 900,000. The number of lives lost to the pandemic in the U.S. stood at about 899,000 as of Friday afternoon, with deaths running at an average of more than 2,400 a day, back up to where they were last winter, when the vaccine drive was still getting started. But new cases per day have tanked by almost a half-million nationwide since mid-January, the curve trending downward in every state but Maine.
CT crosses grim milestone Connecticut reported an additional 175 COVID deaths since last week, bringing the state’s total across the 10,000 threshold to 10,083. The state’s positivity rate is currently 6.57%, with 869 current hospitalizations.
Palin resumes court battle with NY Times after COVID illness
Sarah Palin’s libel suit against The New York Times went to trial Thursday in a case over the former Alaska governor’s claims the newspaper damaged her reputation with an editorial linking her campaign rhetoric to a mass shooting. The trial is a rare example of a jury deciding the validity of a persistent refrain from Palin and other Republicans: That a biased news media is willing to bend the truth to make conservatives look bad. Palin, a one-time Republican vice presidential nominee, told journalists as she arrived at the courthouse that she was looking for “Justice for people who expect truth in the media.” Opening statements to the jury were initially scheduled for last week, but were postponed when Palin tested positive for COVID-19. “We come to this case with our eyes wide open and keenly aware of the fact we’re fighting an uphill battle,” Palin attorney Shane Vogt said. “Give us a fair shot. We’re not here trying to win your votes for Governor Palin or any of her policies.”
Medicare opens up access to free at-home COVID-19 tests The Biden administration says people with Medicare will be able to get up to eight free over-the-counter COVID-19 tests per month, starting in early spring. It’s seeking to fill a frustrating gap in coverage for coronavirus tests. Last month, the administration directed private insurers to cover rapid COVID-19 tests for people on their plans. But until now officials were trying to figure out what to do about Medicare, which covers older people particularly vulnerable to severe illness from COVID-19. Laws and regulations that govern the program stood in the way. Free tests will be available through participating pharmacies and other locations. AARP has praised Medicare’s decision.
Russia mulls loosening restrictions amid record virus surge The Russian president says his government is considering loosening some coronavirus restrictions, even as the country is facing a record-breaking surge of infections because of the highly contagious omicron variant. Vladimir Putin on Thursday insisted that authorities are not planning any lockdowns or other additional restrictions because of the surge. Moreover, the government is considering lifting restrictions for those who come into contact with COVID-19 patients, “to give people the opportunity to continue working in peace.” Existing regulations mandate that people who come in contact with someone with COVID-19 must self-isolate for seven days. On Thursday, the country’s state coronavirus task force reported 155,768 new infections, a daily tally 10 times higher than a month ago.
How many times can I reuse my N95 mask? How many times can I reuse my N95 mask? It depends, but you should be able to use N95s and KN95s a few times. The U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention says health care workers can wear an N95 mask up to five times. But experts say how often the average person can safely wear one will vary depending on how it’s used. Using the same mask to run to the grocery store, for example, is very different than wearing it all day at work. When am I contagious if infected with omicron?
When am I contagious if infected with omicron? It’s not yet clear, but some early data suggests people might become contagious sooner than with earlier variants – possibly within a day after infection. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says people with the coronavirus are most infectious in the few days before and after symptoms develop. But that window of time might happen earlier with omicron, according to some outside experts. That’s because omicron appears to cause symptoms faster than previous variants – about three days after infection, on average, according to preliminary studies. Based on previous data, that means people with omicron could start becoming contagious as soon as a day after infection.
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Omicron variant symptoms: what to know even if you are vaccinated New York City COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker New Jersey COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on coronavirus
NEW YORK (WABC) — Scientists are seeing signals that COVID-19’s alarming omicron wave may have peaked in Britain and is about to do the same in the U.S., at which point cases may start dropping off dramatically.
The reason: The variant has proved so wildly contagious that it may already be running out of people to infect, just a month and a half after it was first detected in South Africa.
“It’s going to come down as fast as it went up,” said Ali Mokdad, a professor of health metrics sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle.
At the same time, experts warn that much is still uncertain about how the next phase of the pandemic might unfold. The plateauing or ebbing in the two countries is not happening everywhere at the same time or at the same pace. And weeks or months of misery still lie ahead for patients and overwhelmed hospitals even if the drop-off comes to pass.
Take a look at cases and hospitalizations in New York City:
RELATED: What are the symptoms of the COVID omicron variant?
Here are more of today’s COVID-19 headlines:
No change to schools’ mask mandate after Nassau County executive order One week after Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman signed an executive order allowing school boards to decide whether students wear masks in schools, not one school district has changed their mask policies.
Blakeman said school board members have told him privately that they feel threatened by Governor Kathy Hochul and state officials.
When am I contagious if infected with omicron? When am I contagious if infected with omicron? It’s not yet clear, but some early data suggests people might become contagious sooner than with earlier variants – possibly within a day after infection. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says people with the coronavirus are most infectious in the few days before and after symptoms develop. But that window of time might happen earlier with omicron, according to some outside experts. That’s because omicron appears to cause symptoms faster than previous variants – about three days after infection, on average, according to preliminary studies. Based on previous data, that means people with omicron could start becoming contagious as soon as a day after infection.
3,000 United Airlines employees test positive for COVID United Airlines said it is reducing its flight schedule in hopes of stemming COVID-related staffing shortages that have caused thousands of flight cancellations across the industry. In a new company-wide memo, CEO Scott Kirby said the airline is “reducing our near-term schedules to make sure we have the staffing and resources to take care of customers.” Kirby did not specify by how much the airline is drawing down flights. But the memo added that “the omicron surge has put a strain on our operation, resulting in customer disruptions during a busy holiday season.” He went on to thank employees for their professionalism in handling the delays.
CDC says it will update mask ‘information’ The CDC says it plans to update its mask information to “best reflect the multiple options available to people and the different levels of protection they provide.” The CDC did not say when its guidance will be updated. In the meantime, the CDC said in a statement, “any mask is better than no mask, and we encourage Americans to wear a well-fitting mask to prevent the spread of COVID-19.” Since the arrival of omicron, health experts have urged Americans to upgrade their cloth masks to an N95 or KN95 because the new variant is so highly transmissible. But these higher-grade masks are costly and hard to find.
Multiple states issue emergency declarations Governors in multiple states are issuing emergency declarations as the omicron variant depletes vital health care resources. The CDC says the variant now makes up 98% of all new cases, and new numbers, accounting for the weekend backlog, show the U.S. tallied a record 1.4 million cases in a single day. The CDC has determined the unvaccinated are 17 times more likely to be hospitalized than vaccinated Americans.
Virginia issued a 30-day state of emergency to help health care facilities increase bed space and staff, while New Jersey and Washington, DC, are also under emergency orders. Maryland, Maine, and Massachusetts are all leaning on the National Guard as a record number of COVID patients flood hospitals.
Police: Nurse in Italy caught faking shots, ditching vaccine Police in Italy have arrested a nurse on charges he faked giving coronavirus vaccinations to at least 45 people so they could get a health pass without actually getting the shot. The nurse ditched the vaccines in a bin and even put bandages on his “patients” so the scam would not be detected. Police in Ancona, on Italy’s eastern coast, also placed four alleged accomplices under house arrest, accusing them of finding anti-vaccine customers who were willing to pay for a health pass rather than get the shots. Forty-five people who allegedly received the fabricated passes are under investigation.
Stay home or work sick? Omicron poses a conundrum for workers without paid sick days As the raging omicron variant of COVID-19 infects workers across the nation, millions of those whose jobs don’t provide paid sick days are having to choose between their health and their paycheck. While many companies instituted more robust sick leave policies at the beginning of the pandemic, some of those have since been scaled back with the rollout of the vaccines, even though omicron has managed to evade the shots. Meanwhile, the current labor shortage is adding to the pressure of workers having to decide whether to show up to their job sick if they can’t afford to stay home.
“It’s a vicious cycle,” said Daniel Schneider, professor of public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. “As staffing gets depleted because people are out sick, that means that those that are on the job have more to do and are even more reluctant to call in sick when they in turn get sick.”
Federal officials issue warnings about fake COVID-19 testing kits COVID-19 cases continue to rise dramatically, leading to brutally long lines at testing sites and empty shelves at stores where at-home rapid test kits were once in stock. Now, an additional problem has emerged: The Federal Trade Commission is warning about fraudulent testing kits being sold online to desperate customers.
Note: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated the CDC determined the unvaccinated are 17% more likely to be hospitalized. This article has been updated to say 17 times more likely.
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Omicron variant symptoms: what to know even if you are vaccinated New York City COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker New Jersey COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on coronavirus
NEW YORK CITY (WABC) — For the first time, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio recommended Monday vaccinated people wear a mask in crowded indoor settings, but he stopped short of making the new CDC masking guidance mandatory in the city.
“We want to strongly recommend that people wear a mask in indoor settings even if you’re vaccinated,” de Blasio said. “This is particularly true of course if you might be around anyone unvaccinated.”
The mayor’s focus remains on vaccines, and he announced a $1.3 million ad campaign to encourage parents to get their eligible school-age children, 12-17, vaccinated now so they’re fully protected by the time school starts Sept. 13.
“Vaccination, vaccination, vaccination, that’s the ballgame,” de Blasio said.
The recommendations come despite the fact that COVID cases have ticked up slightly in the city, to an average positivity rate of roughly 2.29 percent. Hospitalizations remain low.
On Friday, the mayor told CNN he wants the focus to remain on increasing vaccinations. Now, city run sites are offering a $100 incentive for people to get their first shot.
“The main event is vaccination,” de Blasio said. “Masks can be helpful. We’re going to delineate to New Yorkers the best way to use masks. They don’t change the basic reality. Vaccination does. So, what we want to make sure is that everything we do supports vaccination, focuses people on vaccination, doesn’t distract from vaccination, or undermine vaccination.”
The new recommendation comes after the CDC said the delta variant can spread even among vaccinated people, though among the small percentage of cases, symptoms tended to be mild. Almost all hospitalizations and deaths continue to be among the unvaccinated.
In July, Los Angeles imposed a new indoor mask mandate even for vaccinated people. New York City’s decision not to follow LA’s move puts the nation’s largest city in line with tri-state area governors.
New York, New Jersey and Connecticut all continue to encourage mask usage, but do not require it.
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NEW YORK (WABC) — New York City’s COVID positivity rate is still only about 1.7%, and Mayor Bill de Blasio is attributing that to New Yorkers getting their vaccines while reiterating there is currently no plan to enact another mask mandate.
The city is doubling down on the reopening effort despite concerns about the Delta variant.
“We do not intend a mask mandate,” he said Monday, repeating the position he outlined on Friday. “We do intend to double down on vaccinations.”
Health officials say 69% of all new cases are the Delta variant, but hospitalizations remain low.
ALSO READ | Comedian Gabriel Iglesias says he has COVID-19 despite being vaccinated, cancels shows
Vaccination rates, however, are down nearly 85% since mid-April, and the state continues to close its mass vaccination centers — including the Javits Center and on Monday, the Jones Beach site.
COVID rates have been higher in Harlem and on Staten Island, where fewer people are getting vaccinated.
“If we had had the pushback for vaccines the way we’re seeing on certain media, I don’t think it would’ve been possible at all to not only eradicate smallpox, we probably would still have smallpox, and we probably would still have polio in this country,” Dr. Anthony Fauci said.
There is a new warning from the US Surgeon General, saying local officials have the right to re-implement COVID restrictions as cases surge, like in LA County where wear mask mandates are now in place.
Masks are still required on subways, schools, and health care facilities, and the mayor says he does anticipate changes to classroom standards as the new school years get closer.
Marriages are starting up again in the city, and parents of New York City students are being encouraged to enroll their children for in-person learning.
RELATED | What New Yorkers need to know about the Delta variant
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NEW YORK (WABC) — Vaccine eligibility and availability are expanding in a huge way across New York – for all residents over 30 years of age, and also for New York City seniors over 75.
Starting Tuesday, anyone 30 or older in New York can sign up to get a coronavirus vaccine. Those residents will require an appointment.
And in New York City, Citi Field, the Brooklyn Army Terminal and the Bathgate Postal Station have dropped appointment requirements for all residents 75 and older who can now walk up without an appointment and get inoculated.
They can even bring an escort who can also get a shot.
RELATED | State unveils digital ‘Excelsior’ pass to help businesses, venues reopen
New York City officials say the change removes a major barrier for the older population who were having trouble scheduling an appointment online.
“We want to make sure, even as more and more people get qualified, that the folks who are still in the greatest danger still get priority,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said. “So we’re testing to see if a walk-up site, where they’re the only ones who can walk up, might make it easier for some people, might incentivize some older seniors to come over and get vaccinated.”
The eligibility expansion continues next week, with anyone 16 and older able to book an appointment beginning April 6.
Still, the vaccine progress comes as COVID cases are on the rise in our area, with New Jersey and New York ranked 1 and 2 in new positive cases per 100,000 residents.
CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky says rising numbers nationwide have given her a sense of quote “impending doom,” and she is urging everyone to continue to follow health guidelines until the surge is under control.
“I’m going to lose the script, and I’m going to reflect on the recurring feeling I have of impending doom,” she said. “I’m asking you to just hold on a little longer to get vaccinated when you can, so that all of those people that we all love was still be here when this pandemic ends.”
RELATED | Virus fight stalls in early hot spots New York, New Jersey
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New York City COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker New Jersey COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker Find out if you are eligible and where you can go to get your vaccine Do you have coronavirus symptoms? Where to get tested in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut WATCH: Eyewitness to a Pandemic Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on coronavirus
MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. – Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel said the county is are ready and they’re not playing any games when it comes to giving out the vaccines.
READ: Macomb County Health Department expands eligibility for COVID-19 vaccine
That’s why they’re expanding the list of people who can get the vaccines in Macomb County. Starting Saturday, anybody 16 or older with disabilities can call and set up and appointment.
“Basically, what we did was decided that these people with disabilities and other family or caregivers and even their guardians at times have an opportunity to go ahead and sign up for the vaccine,” Hackel said. “16 or older. We’re working with our school districts, to identify folks who might be in those categories.”
Hackel said this is a huge accomplishment, but they’re still targeting senior citizens first.
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“Our biggest concern was making sure that we took care of our seniors first and I tell you, we’re over 100,000 seniors here in Macomb County,” said Hackel.
But how do you determine who’s telling the truth about their conditions and who’s not?
“A lot of it is based on the honor system,” Hackel said. “I don’t know too many people who are going to take advantage of this and try to get on it.”
Of course, Hackel expects more people to call. There will be more calls and more appointments.
“We’re prepared and, again, I think we’ll be able to open up sooner to pretty much all people — to anyone who wants the vaccine — than probably the April 5 deadline,” said Hackel.
Read more:All adults in Michigan eligible for COVID vaccine starting April 5
All eligible individuals are encouraged to visit Macombgov.org and click on the COVID-19 Vaccine Central link to verify and obtain all the necessary information to get vaccinated.
Copyright 2021 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.
NEW YORK CITY (WABC) — Both New York City and New York state have run completely dry of covid vaccines with the next shipment not expected until early next week.
The news comes as more and more hospitals cancel vaccination appointments with no new appointments scheduled through Monday.
15 vaccine centers have also closed.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo is blaming the now-former Trump administration for opening up too many categories of eligibility, without increasing supply.
“It should have been opened as you had allocation. Anyway, that is not what we did, it’s not what they did. And now you have a period of confusion and anxiety because you’re trying to hit seven million people at 250,000 a week,” Cuomo said.
Another quarter-million doses will arrive in time for next week, but state officials say that’s far from enough.
Some have suggested using second doses, which are in storage, as first doses.
During a visit to a COVID-19 vaccine pop-up site at a NYCHA complex in Brooklyn Saturday, Cuomo said that would only be possible with collaboration from the federal government.
“The reason why the federal government has to agree is because they have to agree that they’re then going to send you enough second doses in the future. Otherwise, you want them giving people first dosages and then you don’t have a second dosage for them,” Cuomo said.
Health experts say administering the second dose of the vaccine within the timeframe outlined by federal guidelines is critical to ensuring long-term protection.
So far more than one million people in the state have gotten their first dose of the vaccine.
At a Friday briefing, Cuomo said deliveries of the week six allocations, about 250,400 doses, are on the way, but those deliveries “are delivered by the federal government by various means and they arrive at different times throughout the week.”
The state is able to administer about 80,000 doses per day and could easily do 100,000 per day, Cuomo said.
“The moment the vaccines arrive, our goal is to get them in arms as soon as possible. 250,400 doses per week is not enough,” Cuomo said.
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Positive COVID-19 cases by zip code – New York City
New York City COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker
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NEW YORK (WABC) — Johnson & Johnson says it plans to have enough vaccines for 100 million Americans by April.
Right now, the vaccine is undergoing a large scale trial to make sure it’s safe and effective.
Doctor Anthony Fauci says Johnson & Johnson is close to seeking an emergency use authorization from the FDA.
This vaccine only requires one shot and does not need to be stored at as cold of temperatures as others.
What to know about coronavirus: Tracking COVID-19 availability and progress in NYC New Jersey COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker Find out if you are eligible and where you can go to get your vaccine Coronavirus by zip code – New York City Do you have coronavirus symptoms?
Here are more of today’s headlines:
Former Mets skipper Davey Johnson hospitalized with COVID Former New York Mets manager Davey Johnson has been hospitalized in Florida with COVID, according to Mets PR. The former manager led the Amazins to their last World Series title in 1986.
Thinking of Davey Johnson who is in a Florida hospital bed battling Covid. His leadership, determination and spirit led the @Mets to the 1986 championship. No one will battle Covid like him. We are pulling for you, Davey.
— Jay Horwitz (@Jay_HorwitzPR) January 22, 2021
High-risk sports could resume in NY in February High-risk sports can restart in New York State on Feb. 1 if local health departments approve. This includes basketball, wrestling, hockey, volleyball, football and lacrosse. However, whether or not they resume will rely on factors such as if there have been more cases of the more transmissible COVID variant, the local rates of COVID positivity and the ability to monitor and enforce compliance. Nassau County Executive Laura Curran says that schools can resume sports in the county.
2 more vaccine mega sites open in NJ All six of the New Jersey’s COVID-19 vaccine mega sites are now open, with residents lining up Friday at two new locations in East Rutherford and Atlantic City. This as the state announced they have successfully vaccinated 500,222 residents in a little more than a month. Sites at the Meadowlands Racing and Entertainment Complex and Atlantic City Convention Center were both fully booked, but more appointment times are expected to be added based on availability.
UK chief scientist says new COVID-19 variant may be more deadly, more research needed There is some evidence that a new coronavirus variant first identified in southeast England carries a higher risk of death than the original strain, the British government’s chief scientific adviser said Friday — though he stressed that the data is uncertain. Patrick Vallance told a news conference that “there is evidence that there is an increased risk for those who have the new variant.” He said that for a man in his 60s with the original version of the virus, “the average risk is that for 1,000 people who got infected, roughly 10 would be expected to unfortunately die.”
“With the new variant, for 1,000 people infected, roughly 13 or 14 people might be expected to die,” he said.
Researchers developing face mask sticker that can detect COVID-19 in droplets Researchers at UC San Diego’s School of Engineering are working on a potential game changer in the fight against COVID-19. Researchers are looking into a new type of test that could detect the virus on your face mask. The test can be worn as a sticker on your mask. The sticker includes a little dye and works just like an at-home pregnancy test. As someone wears the sticker on the mask throughout the day, it collects droplets. After a few hours, it can detect COVID-19 molecules from your breath.
Dave Chappelle tests positive for COVID-19 Dave Chappelle tested positive for the coronavirus just before his comedy show scheduled for Thursday, forcing his upcoming appearances to be canceled, a spokeswoman said. Chappelle was expected to perform Thursday through Sunday at Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater in Austin, Texas. Those shows have been canceled and Chappelle is quarantining, his representative Carla Sims said in a statement. The comedian is asymptomatic. Chappelle had been performing socially-distanced shows in Ohio since June, and moved his shows to Austin during the winter, Sims said. Rapid testing for the audience and daily tests for Chappelle and his team were implemented.
NJ vaccinates 500,000 The state of New Jersey has vaccinated 500,222 residents in a little more than a month, Governor Phil Murphy announced on Friday. He also added that two COVID patients in the state were found to have the more aggressive strain first found in the UK.
NY hospitalization rate of increase is slowing The rate of increase of patients being admitted to New York hospitals for treatment for COVID-19 is slowing, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Friday. Cuomo called it “good news,” but cautioned that the more contagious variants discovered in other parts of the world remain a threat and could cause cases to spike again. COVID hospitalizations stood at 8,846, down from 9,055 the day before and has now dropped by more than 400 over the past two days.
Today’s update on the numbers:
Total COVID hospitalizations are at 8,846.
Of the 268,001 tests reported yesterday, 15,144 were positive (5.65% of total).
Sadly, there were 165 fatalities. pic.twitter.com/0ewehBN9XM
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) January 22, 2021
NYC and state could run out of vaccines Friday 93% of the state’s vaccine supply now exhausted, both the city and the state are on pace to run out of vaccines. There are 300,000 shots waiting in storage for second doses. The city is now considering giving them as first doses for those still waiting and backfilling the supply and delaying by a few weeks the second shot for those who already gotten the first.
Top 7 COVID vaccine questions answered You had questions about COVID-19 vaccines and 7 On Your Side is getting you answers from doctors on the front line of the pandemic.
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Positive COVID-19 cases by zip code – New York City
New York City COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker New Jersey COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker Find out if you are eligible and where you can go to get your vaccine Do you have coronavirus symptoms? Where to get tested in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut WATCH: Eyewitness to a Pandemic Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on coronavirus