Tag Archives: Feb

Health

Here’s what to know Feb. 4, 2021

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DETROIT – The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Michigan has risen to 565,251 as of Thursday, including 14,778 deaths, state officials report.

Thursday’s update includes 1,358 new cases and 74 additional deaths, including 63 deaths identified during a review of records — meaning they did not occur between Wednesday and Thursday. On Wednesday, the state reported a total of 563,893 cases and 14,704 deaths.

New COVID-19 cases have plateaued and deaths are starting to slow. Testing has been steady with more than 40,000 diagnostic tests reported per day on average, with the 7-day positive rate down to 4.7% as of Wednesday. Hospitalizations continue to decline over the last several weeks.

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Michigan’s 7-day moving average for daily cases was 1,306 on Thursday — the lowest since October. The 7-day death average was 46 on Thursday. The state’s fatality rate is 2.6%. The state also reports “active cases,” which were listed at 68,700 on Thursday — near the lowest it’s been since November.

New: Michigan youth contact sports can resume Monday — here are all the rules, specifics and details

According to Johns Hopkins University, more than 26.6 million cases have been reported in the U.S., with more than 454,000 deaths reported from the virus.

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Worldwide, more than 104.6 million people have been confirmed infected and more than 2.2 million have died. More than 57 million have recovered, according to Johns Hopkins University. The true numbers are certainly much higher, because of limited testing, different ways nations count the dead and deliberate under-reporting by some governments.

Michigan COVID-19 vaccinations: How to find appointments, info on phases

Coronavirus headlines:

VIEW: Tracking Michigan COVID-19 vaccine doses 💉

VIEW: Tracking coronavirus cases, outbreaks in Michigan schools

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Michigan youth contact sports will be allowed to resume practices and games starting on Monday (Feb. 8), with certain COVID-19 safety rules in place, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said.

“Today, MDHHS is issuing an epidemic order to allow in-person practice and competitions for sports leagues, starting on Monday, Feb. 8,” Whitmer said. “I know these past months have been tough on all of us, and I know they’ve been really hard on student-athletes who’ve been missing a sense of connection and belonging, as well as many other attributes that playing sports provides.”

Under the previous Michigan Department of Health and Human Services order, basketball, hockey, wrestling, competitive cheer and youth leagues were shut down at least through Feb. 21.

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Read more here.

Restaurants have been the most hotly debated topic of Michigan’s shutdowns throughout the COVID pandemic.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services have twice shut down indoor dining, with the most recent ban ending Monday (Feb. 1).

Here’s a look at how restaurants have been handled throughout the pandemic.

Michigan restaurants will officially be allowed to resume indoor dining Feb. 1 with a curfew and other COVID-19 safety restrictions in place.

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The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services released its next COVID-19 order Friday. The revised restrictions go into effect Feb. 1 and last three weeks, until Feb. 21.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced the order will allow indoor dining at restaurants, concessions at entertainment venues such as casinos, movie theaters and stadiums, personal services requiring mask removal and non-residential gatherings of up to 10 people from two households.

“The pause has worked,” Whitmer said. “The efforts we have made together to protect our families, frontline workers and hospitals have dramatically reduced cases and we have saved lives. Now, we are confident that starting Feb. 1, restaurants can resume indoor dining with safety measures in place.”

“We are pleased to see the improvements in case rates, hospitalizations and percent positivity that have allowed us to reopen more activities,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health at MDHHS. “However, we must remain vigilant, especially since we now have a new more easily transmitted variant of this virus present in our state.”

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Michigan’s risk for a coronavirus outbreak has recently decreased — but has not altogether vanished — nearly one month into the new year, according to data from Covid Act Now.

The state of Michigan is now labeled as “high” risk for a coronavirus outbreak by Covid Act Now — a group of technologists, epidemiologists, health experts and public policy leaders that monitors and identifies each state’s risk level for a COVID-19 outbreak.

A screenshot of Covid Act Now’s map of the U.S. with states color-coded according to their “Covid Risk Level.” Michigan is labeled as “at risk” of a COVID outbreak, while most other states are considered to be experiencing an “active or imminent outbreak,” according to data. Photo courtesy of Covid Act Now’s website. — Jan. 21, 2020 (Covid Act Now)

At the beginning of 2021, Michigan — like much of the country — was considered to be experiencing an “active or imminent outbreak,” which is a “critical” risk level. As of Thursday, Jan. 21, the state’s risk level has decreased due to fewer new COVID-19 cases reported each day, as the remainder of the country continues to struggle with virus spread.

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Michigan is one of only five states labeled as high risk for an outbreak, which is the orange color on Covid Act Now’s national map. Three states — California, Arizona and South Carolina — are colored maroon, meaning they are experiencing a “severe” coronavirus outbreak. All remaining states, except Hawaii, are colored crimson on the map, which is considered the critical risk level. Hawaii is labeled as experiencing “slow disease growth.”

Read more here.

Michigan has released a preliminary timeline to show a projection of when other phases can expect to begin receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

Michigan recently moved into the 1B phase, which includes essential workers like teachers and opens up appointments for residents over the age of 65. Some counties have started vaccinating at this level, while some are still waiting to increase vaccine supply.

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The preliminary timeline is fluid. It states very clearly, “Dates are estimated and expected to change based on vaccine availability.” And vaccine availability is limited right now — but it should be improving in the near future.

See the timeline here.

Michigan is moving on to a new phase of COVID-19 vaccinations, including teachers, first responders, childcare providers and residents 65 years of age and older.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Wednesday that the new phase of vaccinations will begin Monday, Jan. 11.

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“We are pleased to move the state forward in the next stage of vaccinations,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive for MDHHS. “These vaccines are safe and effective, and we especially want our first responders, teachers and older adults to get vaccinated as soon as possible. The strategy we are announcing today is efficient, effective, and equitable, focusing on making vaccine available to those who have the highest level of risk, whether it is because of where they work or because of their age.”

See the full story here.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is “strongly encouraging” Michigan public schools to reopen for in-person learning by the beginning of March.

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Public schools in Michigan were shut down during the fall due to a surge in COVID-19 cases. Their buildings have been closed for about two months — since the state reported thousands of COVID-19 cases per day in November.

“The value of in-person learning for our kids is immeasurable, and we must do everything we can to help them get a great education safely,” Whitmer said. “Over the last 10 months, medical experts and epidemiologists have closely followed the data and have learned that schools can establish a low risk of transmission by ensuring that everyone wears a mask and adopting careful infection prevention protocols.

I strongly encourage districts to provide as much face-to-face learning as possible, and my administration will work closely with them to get it done.”

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Read more here.

Michigan COVID-19 daily reported cases since Jan. 15:

  • Jan. 15 — 2,598 new cases

  • Jan. 16 — 1,932 new cases

  • Jan. 17 — 1,421 new cases

  • Jan. 18 — 1,422 new cases

  • Jan. 19 — 1,738 new cases

  • Jan. 20 — 2,031 new cases

  • Jan. 21 — 2,165 new cases

  • Jan. 22 — 2,157 new cases

  • Jan. 23 — 1,601 new cases

  • Jan. 25 — 3,011 new cases (case count for two days)

  • Jan. 26 — 1,476 new cases

  • Jan. 27 — 1,681 new cases

  • Jan. 28 — 1,872 new cases

  • Jan. 29 — 1,774 new cases

  • Jan. 30 — 1,358 new cases

  • Jan. 31 — 1,033 new cases

  • Feb. 1 — 1,033 new cases

  • Feb. 2 — 1,203 new cases

  • Feb. 3 — 1,383 new cases

  • Feb. 4 — 1,358 new cases

Michigan COVID-19 daily reported deaths since Jan. 1:

  • Jan. 15 — 29 new deaths

  • Jan. 16 — 103 (90 from vital records)

  • Jan. 17 — 10 new deaths

  • Jan. 18 — 10 new deaths

  • Jan. 19 — 41 new deaths

  • Jan. 20 — 40 new deaths

  • Jan. 21 — 148 new deaths (128 from vital records)

  • Jan. 22 — 17 new deaths

  • Jan. 23 — 221 new deaths (205 from vital records)

  • Jan. 25 — 35 new deaths (count for two days)

  • Jan. 26 — 79 new deaths

  • Jan. 27 — 6 new deaths

  • Jan. 28 — 80 new deaths (67 from vital records)

  • Jan. 29 — 6 new deaths

  • Jan. 30 — 104 new deaths

  • Jan. 31 — 4 new deaths

  • Feb. 1 — 4 new deaths

  • Feb. 2 — 63 new deaths (36 from vital records)

  • Feb. 3 — 32 new deaths

  • Feb. 4 — 74 new deaths (63 from vital records)

Coronavirus resources:

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Sports

Sabres postpone season until at least Feb. 8 due to COVID issues, believe playing Devils shut down season

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USATSI

On Tuesday, the National Hockey League announced that the Buffalo Sabres will postpone their season until at least Feb. 8 due to COVID-19 issues. Two players on the team have entered the NHL’s COVID protocols, so the league, the NHLPA’s and the team’s medical groups made the decision to pause play.

They will analyze test results for the next few days.

According to reports, the Sabres believe playing the New Jersey Devils, who also paused their season, is to blame for their own shutdown. This means they believe there was a transmission on the ice.

The Sabres reportedly spoke to the NHLPA ahead of Sunday’s game with their concerns regarding play and the COVID-19 issues currently in the league.

In the statement on the pause, the league wrote:

“The Sabres organization has, and will continue to follow, all recommended guidelines aimed at protecting the health and safety of its Players, staff and community at large as set by the NHL, local, state and national agencies.”

As a result of the season pause, the team’s facilities have closed until further notice. There is no timeline determined on when the facilities will open at this time.

The pause of play could mean issues with the schedule, so the league is looking at making changes to their current slate of games. The NHL is expected to make a decision on next week’s games within the next few days.

They are not the first team to have their season postponed due to COVID-19 issues. On Monday, the league announced that the New Jersey Devils will not play until at least Saturday, Feb. 6, because of an increase in COVID absences.

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Health

COVID-19 Statistics | Feb. 1, 2021 | Lost Coast Outpost

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Press release from the Humboldt County Joint Information Center:

Sixty-five additional cases of COVID-19 have been reported since Friday. Three recently reported cases were determined to be from out of county and one was a duplicate, so the total number of county residents who have tested positive for the virus now stands at 2,815.

All datasets on the Humboldt County COVID-19 Data Dashboard have been updated. Some highlights include:

  • The 20-29 age group continues to represent the largest percentage of local cases at just over 24%, though the 10-19 age group saw the highest increase in cases since last week with 38 new infections.
  • Humboldt County’s confirmed case rate is 2,113 per 100,000 residents. The state and national rates are more than three times higher at 8,247 and 7,947 per 100,000 residents respectively.
  • The county has seen a 6.4% increase in cases over last week, and the case doubling time is 44 days. 

Go to humboldtgov.org/dashboard to view the latest data. 

Humboldt County Public Health continues to use every dose of the COVID-19 vaccine it is allocated on a weekly basis. Due to limited vaccine supply, Public Health has canceled its large-scale vaccination clinics for the week and reassigned available resources to support other providers’ clinics. 

By the end of this week, all approved local vaccinators, including Public Health, are expected to receive a total of 3,775 doses. Those will be administered to health care workers, first responders, people age 75 and over as well as in-person educators and support staff, based on priorities outlined by the California Department of Public Health.  

First dose vaccinations are expected to slow in the coming weeks as nearly 6,000 people are set to begin receiving appointment invitations to schedule their second dose in February and March. Large groups are due for their second dose at once due to the Moderna pause, which, once lifted, led to many first dose vaccinations being given in a shorter period of time than was anticipated. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that the second dose of both approved vaccines can be given as many as 42 days after the first. 

County residents are urged to continue practicing COVID-19 safety measures until vaccine supply can meet demand, which is likely to take many months. Regular testing for COVID-19 remains critically important in identifying cases early to prevent further spread.  

Scheduling an appointment in advance at an OptumServe test site is the best way to ensure a test is available, but walk-ins are accepted at all sites. Results are typically returned in about 72 hours. Call 888-634-1123 or go to lhi.care/covidtesting to schedule.   

For the most recent COVID-19 information, visit cdc.gov or cdph.ca.gov. Local information is available at humboldtgov.org or during business hours by contacting covidinfo@co.humboldt.ca.us or calling 707-441-5000.
 

Local COVID-19 vaccine information: humboldtgov.org/vaccineinfo
Humboldt County COVID-19 Data Dashboard: humboldtgov.org/dashboard
Follow us on Facebook: @HumCoCOVID19
Instagram: @HumCoCOVID19
Twitter: @HumCoCOVID19
Humboldt Health Alert: humboldtgov.org/HumboldtHealthAlert 

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= historic data. All data from the Humboldt County Joint Information Center.

Data from CalREDIE. Zip codes not listed have experienced five cases or fewer. Zip code populations from the American Community Survey, 2018.



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Science

Northrop Grumman to launch next Cygnus cargo ship for NASA on Feb. 20

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Experiments with worms and artificial retinas will ship to space Feb. 20 aboard a Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft, according to a NASA announcement.

The cargo ship is scheduled to lift off no earlier than 12:36 p.m. EST (1736 GMT) from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, if all goes to plan. Only a limited number of U.S. media may go on site due to quarantine protocols associated with the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Cygnus will launch to the International Space Station aboard an Antares rocket and arrive at the orbiting lab two days later, according to NASA.

Video: Watch Northrop Grumman’s NG-14 cargo ship launch!

Some of the research investigations on board Cygnus include an experiment to study muscle strength in worms, an experiment concerning how microgravity may assist with artificial retina production, and the SpaceBorne Computer-2 experiment from Hewlett Packard Enterprise. 

SpaceBorne Computer-2 “aims to demonstrate that current Earth-based data processing of space station experimental data can be performed in orbit,” NASA said in the same statement. In general, processing data in space may reduce the amount of data sent to the ground, freeing communications channels for other tasks.

Cargo ships also carry essential items for spaceflyers including fresh food, equipment replacements or other items the crews may need to live in space for months at a time. After a few months, the crew fills departing Cygnus cargo ships with trash, which will burn up when the spacecraft re-enters the atmosphere.

When the last Cygnus spacecraft left the space station in January, it carried a high-speed 5G communications experiment along with the latest iteration in a series of science experiments investigating the behavior of fire in space, called Saffire-V. NASA plans to use these fire studies to improve astronaut safety on future missions, especially those in deep space.

Follow Elizabeth Howell on Twitter @howellspace. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook. 

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US

Trump impeachment trial to begin week of Feb. 8

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Opening arguments in the Senate impeachment trial for Donald Trump over the Capitol riot will begin the week of Feb. 8, the first time a former president will face such charges after leaving office.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced the schedule Friday evening after reaching an agreement with Republicans, who had pushed for a delay to give Trump a chance to organize his legal team and prepare a defense on the sole charge of incitement of insurrection.

The February start date also allows the Senate more time to confirm President Joe Biden’s Cabinet nominations and consider his proposed $1.9 trillion COVID relief package — top priorities of the new White House agenda that could become stalled during trial proceedings.

“We all want to put this awful chapter in our nation’s history behind us,” Schumer said about the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol siege by a mob of pro-Trump supporters.

“But healing and unity will only come if there is truth and accountability. And that is what this trial will provide.”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will send the article of impeachment late Monday, with senators sworn in as jurors Tuesday. But opening arguments will move to February.

Trump’s impeachment trial would be the first of a U.S. president no longer in office, an undertaking that his Senate Republican allies argue is pointless, and potentially even unconstitutional. Democrats say they have to hold Trump to account, even as they pursue Biden’s legislative priorities, because of the gravity of what took place — a violent attack on the U.S. Congress aimed at overturning an election.

If Trump is convicted, the Senate could vote to bar him from holding office ever again, potentially upending his chances for a political comeback.

The urgency for Democrats to hold Trump responsible was complicated by the need to put Biden’s government in place and start quick work on his coronavirus aid package.

“The more time we have to get up and running … the better,” Biden said Friday in brief comments to reporters.

Republicans were eager to delay the trial, putting distance between the shocking events of the siege and the votes that will test their loyalty to the former president who still commands voters’ attention.

Negotiations between Schumer and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell were complicated, as the two are also in talks over a power-sharing agreement for the Senate, which is split 50-50 but in Democratic control because Vice President Kamala Harris serves as a tie-breaking vote.

McConnell had proposed delaying the start and welcomed the agreement.

“Republicans set out to ensure the Senate’s next steps will respect former President Trump’s rights and due process, the institution of the Senate, and the office of the presidency,” said McConnell spokesman Doug Andres. “That goal has been achieved.”

Pelosi said Friday the nine House impeachment managers, or prosecutors, are “ready to begin to make their case” against Trump. Trump’s team will have had the same amount of time since the House impeachment vote to prepare, Pelosi said.

Democrats say they can move quickly through the trial, potentially with no witnesses, because lawmakers experienced the insurrection first-hand.

One of the managers, California Rep. Ted Lieu, said Friday that Democrats would rather be working on policy right now, but “we can’t just ignore” what happened on Jan. 6.

“This was an attack on our Capitol by a violent mob,” Lieu said in an interview with The Associated Press. “It was an attack on our nation instigated by our commander in chief. We have to address that and make sure it never happens again.”

Trump, who told his supporters to “fight like hell” just before they invaded the Capitol two weeks ago and interrupted the electoral vote count, is still assembling his legal team.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Friday deferred to Congress on timing for the trial and would not say whether Biden thinks Trump should be convicted. But she said lawmakers can simultaneously discuss and have hearings on Biden’s coronavirus relief package.

“We don’t think it can be delayed or it can wait, so they’re going to have to find a path forward,” Psaki said of the virus aid. “He’s confident they can do that.”

Democrats would need the support of at least 17 Republicans to convict Trump, a high bar. While most Republican senators condemned Trump’s actions that day, far fewer appear to be ready to convict.

A handful of Senate Republicans have indicated they are open — but not committed — to conviction. But most have come to Trump’s defense as it relates to impeachment, saying they believe a trial will be divisive and questioning the legality of trying a president after he has left office.

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, a close Trump ally who has been helping him find lawyers, said Friday there is “a very compelling constitutional case” on whether Trump can be impeached after his term — an assertion Democrats reject, saying there is ample legal precedent. Graham also suggested Republicans will argue Trump’s words on Jan. 6 were not legally “incitement.”

“On the facts, they’ll be able to mount a defense, so the main thing is to give him a chance to prepare and run the trial orderly, and hopefully the Senate will reject the idea of pursuing presidents after they leave office,” Graham said.

Other Republicans had stronger words, suggesting there should be no trial at all. Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso said Pelosi is sending a message to Biden that “my hatred and vitriol of Donald Trump is so strong that I will stop even you and your Cabinet from getting anything done.” Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson suggested Democrats are choosing “vindictiveness” over national security as Biden attempts to set up his government.

McConnell, who said this week that Trump “provoked” his supporters before the riot, has not said how he will vote. He said Senate Republicans “strongly believe we need a full and fair process where the former president can mount a defense and the Senate can properly consider the factual, legal and constitutional questions.”

Trump, the first president to be impeached twice, is at a disadvantage compared with his first impeachment trial, in which he had the full resources of the White House counsel’s office to defend him. Graham helped Trump hire South Carolina attorney Butch Bowers after members of his past legal teams indicated they did not plan to join the new effort.

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Associated Press writers Aamer Madhani in Washington, Meg Kinnard in Columbia, South Carolina, and Jill Colvin in West Palm Beach, Florida, contributed to this report.

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Health

COVID-19 vaccines won’t be ‘in every pharmacy’ by late Feb., CDC director predicts

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The Biden administration is aiming to vaccinate 100 million people in 100 days, but the new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned that it won’t necessarily mean calling up the local pharmacy to schedule your COVID-19 shot in the coming weeks, as was once predicted by former Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar.

“You know as we talk with the manufacturers and we think about the supply and eligibility, we are going to as part of our plan put the vaccine in pharmacies,” Dr. Rochelle Walensky told TODAY on Thursday. “Will it be in every pharmacy in the country by that timeline I don’t think so. As I said early on I’m going to tell you the truth here – I don’t think late February we’re going to have vaccine in every pharmacy in this country.”

Walensky said that her team has been meeting daily for some time to discuss plans that include mobile units to get vaccines to rural areas of the country, setting up community distribution centers and ensuring that there are enough available vaccinators to meet the demand.

She had previously vowed that the Biden administration would work through manufacturing bottleneck issues including invoking the Defense Production Act to ramp up supply, but a number of states are already experiencing shortages forcing thousands of canceled appointments.

STATES REPORT COVID-19 VACCINE SHORTAGES AND CANCEL APPOINTMENTS

Other mishaps due to storage temperature issues or overestimating dosage needs have resulted in wasted supply. As of Wednesday morning, the CDC reported that nearly 36 million doses had been distributed, but only 16.5 million had been administered. Previously, health officials have said the gap could be due to a lack in state reporting mixed with other shortcomings on a local level.

In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo who has received flak for his state’s lagging rollout and his initial refusal to expand the distribution eligibility is now warning that the state will exhaust its supply by the end of the week.

“What’s clear now is we’ll be going from week to week, and you will see a constant pattern of basically running out, waiting for the next week’s allocation, and starting up again,” he said.

WHY DID AMAZON WAIT UNTIL BIDEN’S INAUGURATION TO HELP WITH VACCINE DISTRIBUTION?

New York City Mayor De Blasio said as many as 23,000 people had their appointments canceled due to supply shortages, and the New York Police Department suspended first-shot vaccinations for its officers.

Elsewhere, governors blamed the Trump administration for promising to release federal supply that had already been used after it advised states to expand distribution to include people ages 65 and older.

In Oregon, Gov. Kate Brown said distribution efforts would have to be scaled back as the state waits for additional supply. Her plan now includes a 12-week rollout to reach seniors over 65 to begin in February, and a dialed down effort for other groups. 

Walensky said the potential to have a third vaccine manufacturer come online would also help address supply issues, as is the hope with Johnson & Johnson.

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“We said 100 million doses in the first 100 days and we’re going to stick to that plan,” Walensky said. “But I also want to be very cognizant of the fact that after 100 days there are still a lot of Americans who need vaccine. So we have our pedal to the metal to make sure we can get as much vaccine out there. As has been noted before we are hoping to have more data from another manufacturer from the J&J vaccine. The more vaccines we have out there that have FDA authorization the better shape we’ll be.”

 The Associated Press contributed to this report.



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