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Covid live updates and vaccine news: Latest CDC guidelines and state restrictions

As the world prepares for vaccines to arrive, testing capacity has reached critical levels in the U.S. as cases continue to rise.
Image: TOPSHOT-US-HEALTH-VIRUS
Healthcare worker Demetra Ransom comforts a patient in the Covid-19 ward at United Memorial Medical Center in Houston, Texas on Friday.MARK FELIX / AFP - Getty Images

Coronavirus testing facilities across the U.S. face being overwhelmed by demand, as states continue to introduce new social restrictions to combat rising infections. Some 32 states, plus Washington D.C., have seen a rise in cases in the last two weeks.

A CDC panel this week agreed how Covid-19 vaccines should be distributed — but meanwhile cases continue to rise amid economic uncertainty and personal tragedy.



South Korea to consider new curbs as cases hit nine-month high

Reuters

SEOUL — South Korea on Sunday reported 631 new coronavirus cases, the highest in nine months, ahead of an expected government decision on whether to further tighten social distancing curbs as health authorities struggle to contain a third wave of outbreaks.

After implementing tighter restrictions on Saturday, the government is to decide on Sunday whether to impose new measures in a country that had seen initial success through aggressive contact tracing and other steps.

The new cases bring the country's tally to 37,546, with 545 deaths, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency reported.

Many of the recent cases have been centered in the capital city of Seoul, which on Saturday launched unprecedented curfews, shuttering most establishments and shops at 9 p.m. for two weeks and cutting back public transportation operations by 30 percent in the evenings.

Christmas tree-lighting in Bethlehem a muted, virtual event

The Associated Press

Image: PALESTINIAN-ISRAEL-RELIGION-CHRISTIANITY-HEALTH-VIRUS
Bethlehem lit up its Christmas tree Saturday night but without the usual crowds, as Covid-19 restrictions put a damper on the start of Christmas festivities in the holy city. EMMANUEL DUNAND / AFP - Getty Images

BETHLEHEM, West Bank — Only a few dozen people attended the lighting of the Christmas tree in the biblical city of Bethlehem on Saturday night, as coronavirus restrictions scaled back the annual event that is normally attended by thousands.

A small group of residents and religious leaders participated in the tree-lighting ceremony at Manger Square near the Church of the Nativity, where Christians believe Jesus was born. Others watched it virtually due to restrictions prompted by the virus pandemic.

Bethlehem Mayor Anton Salman said Christmas is being observed this year in ways like no time before.

“We resorted to modern technology and to the virtual world to celebrate the lighting of the Christmas tree, wishing hope and optimism would flutter upon Palestine and the world,” Salman said.

Thousands of pilgrims and tourists typically visit Bethlehem, fill hotels and dine at restaurants during the Christmas season, bringing the area a much-needed injection of cash.

California sheriff says he won't enforce new stay-at-home rules

The sheriff in Orange County, California, said Saturday that his deputies would not enforce stricter stay-at-home rules scheduled to go into effect across Southern California Sunday night.

Sheriff Don Barnes said in a statement that his pandemic policy has been "consistent."

"Compliance with health orders is a matter of personal responsibility and not a matter of law enforcement," he said. "Orange County Sheriff's deputies will not be dispatched to, or respond to, calls for service to enforce compliance with face coverings, social gatherings, or stay-at-home orders only."

On Saturday. California health officials announced that stricter stay-at-home measures for regions including the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California would be imposed at 11:59 p.m. Sunday. The measures include the closure of hair and nail salons, a ban on eatery dining, even outdoors, and 20 percent capacity for essential retailers.

Barnes isn't the only sheriff who has bristled at the new rules. Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said in a video address Friday that while his deputies would "expect" residents to follow the regulations, "These closures and stay-at-home orders are flat out ridiculous."

San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore has assigned four teams, each composed of two deputies, to accompany health inspectors as they deliver cease-and-desist orders to noncompliant businesses.

As colleges cancel spring break, students fear mental health effects

Stefan Sykes

Image: San Diego State University
The San Diego State University campus in September.Elliot Spagat / AP file

San Diego State University this week became the latest in a string of four-year institutions across the country to cancel spring break because of Covid-19 safety concerns.

Colleges and universities are altering their 2021 calendars in an effort to curtail travel and avoid the packed beaches and parties of last year as coronavirus cases surge.

Some, like SDSU, have scrapped spring break altogether, a move hailed by public health experts but criticized by students who say it could have a detrimental effect on their mental health. SDSU has countered by giving students single days off over the same period. But some students said it isn't enough.

Read the full story.

Britain's Prince William tours country by train amid pandemic

Reuters

Image: Britain's Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visit St. Bartholomew's Hospital in London
Britain's Prince William wears a protective mask as he visits St. Bartholomew's Hospital in London in October.Matt Dunham / Reuters file

LONDON — Prince William and his wife, Kate, begin a tour of Britain by train on Sunday, meeting frontline workers, care home staff and teachers to thank them for their efforts during the pandemic.

Britain has been the hardest hit country in Europe by Covid-19, with over 60,000 deaths.

William, Queen Elizabeth's grandson and second-in-line to the throne, and Kate will ride the Royal Train, traveling 1,250 miles across England, Scotland and Wales.

"The Duke and Duchess are very much looking forward to shining a spotlight on the incredible work that has been done across the country throughout this difficult year," Kensington Palace said in a statement.

State to impose new restrictions on Southern California

Southern California faced stricter stay-at-home measures after its intensive care unit capacity dropped to dangerous levels as a result of the national spike in coronavirus cases, state health officials said Saturday.

The California Department of Public Health said the region's ICU capacity had dropped to 12.5 percent, the second day it was below a trigger for stricter measures announced Thursday by Gov. Gavin Newsom: 15 percent. The San Joaquin Valley region also dipped below the threshold.

The regional stay-at-home order will begin at 11:59 p.m. Sunday and will remain in effect for at least three weeks, officials said.

Read the full story.

R&B singer Jeremih released from hospital

R&B singer Jeremih is recovering at home weeks after he was hospitalized with a severe case of Covid-19, his family said in a statement on Saturday.

The 33-year-old artist, whose real name is Jeremy Felton, thanked the doctors and nurses at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago "for saving my life."

"I will be forever grateful. I would also like to thank my family and friends for all their prayers and well wishes. I’m overwhelmed with gratitude," he said, giving a "special thanks" to Chance The Rapper, 50 Cent and Diddy.

"I would also like to thank all my fans and people around the world who prayed for me. I’m getting stronger every day, and look forward to spending time with my sons," he said.

Read the full story.

7 nursing home Covid-19 deaths reported after staff attended 300-person wedding

Seven Washington state nursing home residents with Covid-19 died after staff members attended a 300-person wedding that violated the governor's coronavirus restrictions.

The deaths were at three nursing home facilities in Grant County, health officials said Thursday. They were men in their 70s, 80s, and 90s who had underlying health conditions, according to a press release by the Grant County Health District.

Four additional deaths are pending death certificate reviews.

The health department said it is looking into whether the deaths are linked to a Nov. 7 wedding in Ritzville, about 59 miles southwest of Spokane, but an investigation found that some staff members at the facilities had tested positive after attending the event.

To read more, click here

Covid test supply shortages could cause a 'public health crisis' of undiagnosed STIs, health expert warns

Lauren Dunn

Scientist Melissa Miller never knows what to expect at her lab from week to week. Since last spring, there’s been a constant shortage of testing supplies. Sometimes it’s the reagents needed to run tests, and other times it’s as simple as the plastic tips used on the pipettes.

“The shortages still exist,” said Miller, director of UNC Medical Center’s clinical microbiology lab in Chapel Hill. “Lab directors have been screaming about this for months.”

A November survey by the American Society for Microbiology of 134 labs around the country found that more than half of them were experiencing shortages in the supplies used to test for bacteria that cause common diseases like strep throat and pneumonia. More than 65 percent of labs reported shortages for testing for STIs.

This week, Miller learned the reagents needed to test for chlamydia and gonorrhea were on back order for the next three weeks, she told NBC News. Now the lab, which serves hundreds of patients, can no longer do these tests.

“It’s hard for our providers to keep track of what we’re able to do on any given day,” Miller said. “Providers used to be able to ask for every kind of test in our lab and now they can’t. It’s affecting their ability to practice medicine quite honestly.”

To read more, click here

CDC doubles down on 'evidence-based public health strategies' to curb worsening Covid spread

The United States has entered a phase of high-level coronavirus transmission amid colder weather, more time spent indoors and the ongoing holiday season, the CDC said Friday.

With about half of all new infections being transmitted by asymptomatic people, the CDC said that a "multipronged approach to implementing all evidence-based public health strategies at both the individual and community levels is essential." That means, these actions make a difference, and we need to do them all: 

  • Universal use of face masks.
  • Physical distancing and limiting contacts.
  • Avoiding nonessential indoor spaces and crowded outdoor settings.
  • Increased testing, diagnosis, and isolation.
  • Prompt case investigation and contact tracing to identify, quarantine, and test close contacts.
  • Safeguarding persons most at risk for severe illness or death.
  • Protecting essential workers.
  • Postponing travel.
  • Increased room air ventilation, enhanced hand hygiene, and cleaning and disinfection.
  • Widespread availability and use of effective vaccines.

The CDC is urging every individual, household, and community to take these actions now to reduce Covid-19 transmission rates from the current level. "These actions will provide a bridge to a future with wide availability and high community coverage of effective vaccines, when safe return to more everyday activities in a range of settings will be possible," the agency said.

Additional details on all ten recommendations can be found in the CDC website.

 

The U.S. counted more than 200,000 cases, 2,000-plus deaths on Friday

The U.S. counted 214,547 Covid-19 cases Friday, upping its current total to 14.4 million cases, according to NBC News' tally. State and county health departments reported 2,669 deaths, bringing the current toll of the disease to 279,857.

The U.S. has averaged 182,296 cases and 2,125 deaths the past week. The last time the U.S. averaged more than 2,000 deaths per day in a week was in April when the virus was ravaging the Northeast.

Several states set single-day records:

  • Arkansas, 2,827 cases
  • Delaware, 942 cases
  • Iowa, 83 deaths
  • Maryland, 3,794 cases
  • Massachusetts, 272 deaths
  • Mississippi, 2480 cases
  • Oregon, 2,144 cases and 30 deaths
  • South Carolina, 2,950 cases
  • Tennessee, 95 cases

Covid-19 testing capacity strained by surge in demand

Willem Marx

As Covid-19 cases surge across the United States, the outbreak is threatening to overwhelm the testing capacity at facilities that have spent months and millions of dollars to ramp up their capabilities, according to laboratory directors in six states.

Dr. Geoffrey Baird, who oversees all Covid-19 diagnostics as the acting chair of the University of Washington’s laboratory system, said he spent an estimated $30 million earlier this year to build up its labs, which now boast a total workforce of 1,500 — a tenth of that hired to focus on Covid-19.

But even that operation is now struggling to handle the surge.

Read the full article here

Moscow rolls out mass Covid-19 vaccinations

Reuters

Moscow began distributing its coronavirus vaccine, the Sputnik V COVID-19 shot, in 70 clinics on Saturday, the city's coronavirus taskforce said, beginning Russia's first mass vaccination program.

The taskforce said the Russian-made vaccine would be available first to doctors and medical staff then teachers and social workers, as they ran the highest risk of exposure to the virus. 

The age for those receiving shots is capped at 60, while those with certain underlying health conditions, pregnant women and people who have had a respiratory illness in the past two weeks are also barred from vaccination.

Moscow has been the epicenter of Russia's coronavirus outbreak and registered 7,993 new cases overnight, up from 6,868 a day before.

'She was special and she cared': Loss of beloved art and music teacher leaves void

Ethan Sacks

Melinda Roellig, an art and music teacher in Clarksville, Indiana, had already prepared this year's batch of Christmas presents for her family before she died last month of Covid-19.

The gifts she gave as an annual tradition, a mix of store-bought and handmade, were purchased and created with thought and precision, including her paintings, which were based on a shared memory with the recipient. Family members in Indiana and South Carolina looked forward to unwrapping them every year.

"She put her heart into it, and it just makes you smile because you know how much she cares about you and loves you," said Alexandra Roellig, Melinda's half sister. "I think it's gonna be hard to open them [this year]. I don't know if I want to open them or not, because it's bittersweet."

Read the full story here.

Americans couldn't resist Thanksgiving travel, data shows

The Associated Press

Americans couldn't resist gathering for Thanksgiving, data from roadways and airports showed, as many ignored public health pleas to forgo holiday travel and contain the coronavirus' spread.

The nation's unwillingness to limit travel offered a warning ahead of Christmas and New Year, as virus deaths and hospitalizations hit new highs this week.

Vehicle travel peaked on Thanksgiving Day at only about 5 percent less than the same pandemic-free period in 2019, according to StreetLight Data. Although air travel was much lower than last year, the Transportation Security Administration screened more than 1 million passengers on four separate days during the Thanksgiving period. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had urged people to stay home for the holidays, but officials acknowledged that many would not heed that advice and advised them to get tested before and after trips.

Christmas tree delivery services see a boost

Covid now leading cause of death in U.S., researchers say

Covid-19 is now the leading cause of death in the United States, researchers at the University of Washington said Friday.

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation said in a briefing that the number of coronavirus-related deaths in the last week, 11,820, "makes COVID-19 the No. 1 cause of death in the United States of America this week."

The virus topped the nation's perennial No. 1 killer, ischemic heart disease, which was said to be responsible for 10,724 deaths in the last week, according to the Washington team.

For the year, Covid-19 was projected to end up in second place, behind ischemic heart disease, researchers said. Tracheal, bronchus and lung cancer was in third place.

The institute said it estimates 15 percent of Americans have been infected. The United States recorded 2,802 virus-related deaths Thursday and 279,224 since the pandemic began, according to an NBC News tally.

"Our model projects 539,000 cumulative deaths on April 1, 2021," the briefing states. "Daily deaths will peak at 3,000 in mid-January."