A surge of COVID-19 circumstances within the U.S. is being fueled by unvaccinated Individuals as officers more and more say vaccine misinformation is main too many individuals to forgo the possibly life-saving pictures.
President Joe Biden instructed reporters Friday that social media platforms like Fb, the place vaccine misinformation has unfold, are “killing folks.” Biden’s remark follows the discharge of an advisory by U.S. Surgeon Common Vivek Murthy Thursday, wherein Murthy known as well being misinformation “a critical menace to public well being.”
U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention information exhibits U.S. vaccinations have steadily fallen since their excessive in late Might. After thousands and thousands rushed to get their pictures in early 2021, the availability of vaccines now vastly outpaces demand.
Dr. Leana Wen, former Baltimore well being commissioner, mentioned that misinformation “has led folks to forgo masks [and] doubt vaccines,” whereas Andy Slavitt, a former adviser to the Biden administration on COVID-19, mentioned on Twitter that misinformation has wrongly satisfied “simply sufficient US communities {that a} vaccine was worse than COVID.”
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Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican, known as out the destructiveness of vaccine misinformation being unfold by figures on the political proper.
“We have now these — these speaking heads who’ve gotten the vaccine and are telling different folks to not get the vaccine,” Cox mentioned, in response to the Washington Put up. “That form of stuff is simply, it’s ridiculous; it’s harmful, it’s damaging and it’s killing folks. I imply, it’s actually killing their supporters, and that is mindless to me.”
Additionally within the information:
►Three Texas Home Democrats have examined constructive for COVID-19 in Washington, D.C., in response to Texas Home Democratic Caucus management. They’re amongst practically 60 lawmakers who fled the state Monday to interrupt quorum within the Home, a part of an effort to dam the passage of a GOP-led elections invoice. Most members are staying in the identical lodge.
►COVID-19 hospitalizations in Florida jumped 73% from mid-June, ending months of regular decline that started when widespread vaccinations turned out there.
►The British authorities nonetheless plans to carry all remaining authorized restrictions on social contact, in addition to different public well being measures on Monday, regardless of the U.Okay. recording greater than 50,000 new COVID-19 circumstances for the primary time in six months and a dire warning from the British authorities’s prime medical adviser.
►Well being Secretary Sajid Javid, who’s in command of Britain’s coronavirus response, has examined constructive for COVID-19 and is self-isolating whereas he awaits the outcomes of a second take a look at. Javid, who’s been totally vaccinated, mentioned in a video message that he is solely skilled gentle signs thus far.
►Canada has now surpassed the U.S. in its share of fully-vaccinated residents, with the Canadian authorities reporting 50.04% of residents 12 and older now totally vaccinated towards COVID-19.
►1000’s of protesters marched by means of France on Saturday in opposition of President Emmanuel Macron’s plans to incorporate required vaccinations for well being employees and a COVID-19 free certificates to enter public locations.
📈 Immediately’s numbers: The U.S. has had greater than 34 million confirmed COVID-19 circumstances and greater than 608,800 deaths, in response to Johns Hopkins College information. The worldwide totals: greater than 189 million circumstances and greater than Four million deaths. Greater than 160.6 million Individuals — 48.4% of the inhabitants — have been totally vaccinated, in response to the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention.
📘 What we’re studying: Border Patrol brokers are dealing with a COVID-19 disaster as President Joe Biden considers stress-free border guidelines. “We did not take a break,” U.S. Border Patrol Rio Grande Valley Sector Chief Brian Hastings instructed USA TODAY. Extra right here.
Arkansas leads nation in COVID-19 case price as vaccinations lag
Circumstances of COVID-19 have doubled within the U.S. prior to now two weeks, and Arkansas is changing into a case research in how low vaccination charges can gasoline the unfold of the virus.
Arkansas continues to be the nation’s prime state for brand spanking new circumstances per capita, and solely 35% of the state’s inhabitants is totally vaccinated, in response to the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention. The virus seems to be largely sparing vaccinated folks from essentially the most extreme sickness.
“Of all of our critically sick COVID constructive sufferers at Baptist Well being amenities, none have been totally vaccinated,” mentioned Stephanie Whitaker, chief nursing govt for Baptist Well being, a significant healthcare supplier within the state.
Arkansas has a historical past of a lax pandemic response and was certainly one of solely seven states that didn’t challenge a stay-at-home order for nonessential actions in March and April 2020 in response to the pandemic.
In the meantime, circumstances rose in all 50 states for the week ending Friday, in response to a USA TODAY evaluation of Johns Hopkins College information.
Masks up indoors in Los Angeles and Las Vegas – even in the event you’re vaccinated, officers say
Well being officers from in style vacationer locations like Los Angeles and Las Vegas are asking extra folks to masks up indoors.
The Southern Nevada Well being District is now recommending folks put on masks in crowded indoor public locations – together with Las Vegas casinos – no matter vaccination standing, in response to a Friday assertion.
The announcement comes someday after Los Angeles County introduced that it could reinstate an indoor masking coverage on account of a current surge in new COVID-19 circumstances. Extra counties in California adopted with masks suggestions Friday.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva mentioned he and his deputies “won’t expend our restricted sources” to implement the order. Villanueva additionally criticized the reinstated mandate for contradicting CDC steering and never being “backed by science,” in response to an ABC Information affiliate in Los Angeles.
– Bailey Schulz
Tokyo 2020 organizers report first constructive COVID-19 case at Olympic Village
The Tokyo 2020 organizing committee reported the first constructive case of COVID-19 within the Olympic Village on Saturday. The unidentified individual, who’s listed by organizers solely as “Video games-concerned personnel,” examined constructive for the illness Friday and is now quarantining at a lodge.
Toshiro Muto, the CEO of the organizing committee, mentioned in a information convention that he didn’t have any details about whether or not the individual had been vaccinated. And Seiko Hashimoto, the committee’s president, mentioned organizers are doing all the pieces of their energy to make sure that the Olympic Village – like all venues and amenities – is as protected as attainable.
The unnamed Olympic Village resident is certainly one of 44 folks affiliated with the Video games who’ve examined constructive for COVID-19 since July 1, in response to organizers. Fourteen of these circumstances have been reported Saturday. Twenty-eight of the 44 positives have concerned Tokyo 2020 contractors. Learn extra.
– Tom Schad
New research touts advantages of second shot
In two-dose COVID vaccines, the advantages of a second shot “far exceed these of the primary shot,” in response to Stanford researcher Bali Pulendran.
Pulendran co-authored a research on how the mRNA vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna labored. The research was printed in an early type by “Nature” on July 12.
The second shot’s advantages went past the “simple” measure of a profitable immune response: The introduction of neutralizing antibodies, Pulendran mentioned in a launch. The shot “stimulated a manifold enhance in antibody ranges, a terrific T-cell response that was absent after the primary shot alone, and a strikingly enhanced innate immune response,” Pulendran mentioned.
COVID-19 has turn out to be ‘pandemic of the unvaccinated’
All 50 states reported extra COVID-19 circumstances in the newest 7-day interval than within the week earlier than, a USA TODAY evaluation of Johns Hopkins College information confirmed.
The information marks a regarding pattern for public well being officers because the nation enters its fourth wave of circumstances, with a virtually 70% spike total within the common variety of every day circumstances this previous week in comparison with the week prior, in response to the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention.
Whereas the variety of circumstances is growing, essentially the most regarding outbreaks proceed to happen in areas with low vaccination charges, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC director, mentioned at a information convention Friday.
“That is changing into a pandemic of the unvaccinated,” Walensky added. The typical variety of hospitalizations and deaths has additionally elevated prior to now seven days, rising roughly 36% and 26%, respectively, per the CDC.
Jeff Zients, the White Home COVID-19 Response Coordinator, mentioned 4 states accounted for greater than 40% of all new COVID-19 circumstances within the U.S. final week, with 1 in 5 circumstances occurring Florida. Zients did not title the opposite three, however CDC information exhibits Arkansas, Missouri, Florida and Louisiana with the best case charges per 100,000 folks – every averaging over 150 prior to now seven days.
Circumstances will proceed to extend within the coming weeks and will likely be centered in unvaccinated communities, Zients mentioned. “If you happen to’re unvaccinated, please get vaccinated now,” he added.
Contributing: Abbi Ross, Fort Smith Occasions Report; The Related Press
