More variants identified as USA case count falls below November peak
Cold, weather, snow complicate vaccination programs throughout the Southeast; researchers find seven new USA variants and one possible superbug version
The week begins with continued encouraging data — the seven-day rolling average of new cases dropped under 90,000 for the first time in months. However, the USA is just days away from recording 500,000 COVID-19 deaths, and new variants raise concerns about new surges if mask use and other precautions are relaxed.
As genetic testing increases, scientists are finding new variants across the USA, which was expected. One new pre-published (not peer reviewed) study describes seven variants. University of Pittsburgh scientist Vaughn Cooper explained to NPR what his group’s study found - and why genetic testing of virus samples is important.
Superbug? A researcher at Los Alamos National Laboratory reports finding a new variant in California that is a “recombination” of two highly virulent coronavirus versions. The researcher believes that the British strain, B.1.1.7, merged with another strain, B.1.429, to form the new mutation. B.1.429 is blamed for a new wave of COVID-19 cases in Southern California. Details are in New Scientist.
The unusual weather blanketing half the country is disrupting COVID-19 vaccination programs in many places. In Houston, officials scrambled to use 8,500 doses of vaccine when a freezer failed. The shots were given to Rice University, the county jail and others, according to the Houston Chronicle.
California officials released some details of their new arrangement with insurer Blue Shield of California to allocate COVID-19 vaccines based on equity, availability and other factors, some of which were not disclosed, according to the Los Angeles Times.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo continues to take heat for the way COVID-19 nursing home deaths were counted last year. On Monday, Cuomo said his administration “should have done a better job” at reporting the information. At issue is whether nursing home residents who got sick and then died at a hospital were counted as nursing home deaths.
The Kaiser Family Foundation is out with a new report with even more data showing the racial and other disparities in the COVID-19 pandemic across the USA.
PPE goes unsold: The Associated Press has obtained federal emails documenting a disconnect between potential suppliers of N95 masks and hospitals or others who need them. As US production capacity expanded, companies have not been getting the volume of orders they expected.
British opera singers are coaching recovering COVID-19 patients on lung exercises, helping them improve their breathing using some of the same exercises that the singers use in their daily work.
Mark your calendar: The FDA’s panel of outside advisers meets on February 26 to review data on the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine and determine if it should be cleared for emergency use. Details and a link to watch the online meeting are at the FDA advisory committee website.
That’s it for today. Keep those masks on, please.