J&J vaccine trial; Canada tightens travel restrictions

COVID-19 has killed greater than 437,000 Individuals, and infections have continued to mount regardless of the introduction of a pair of vaccines late in 2020. USA TODAY is monitoring the information. Hold refreshing this web page for the newest updates. Sign up for our Coronavirus Watch newsletter for updates to your inbox, join our Facebook group or scroll through our in-depth answers to reader questions.

Planning on taking public transportation anytime quickly? You are going to want a masks.

The U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention issued an order late Friday requiring individuals on airplanes, ships, ferries, trains, subways, buses, taxis and ride-shares to put on a face masks whereas ready, boarding, touring and disembarking. The order applies to these touring into, inside or out of the U.S.

The company stated violating the principles may end in felony penalties. The order will probably be enforced by the Transportation Safety Administration, in addition to different federal, state and native authorities, the CDC stated. It goes into impact at 11:59 p.m. Monday.

The CDC stated it “doesn’t intend to rely totally on these felony penalties however as an alternative strongly encourages and anticipates widespread voluntary compliance in addition to help from different federal companies in implementing extra civil measures.”

In the meantime, Johnson & Johnson stated Friday information from its late-stage trial within the U.S. and 7 different nations showed its one-shot vaccine had an overall 66% effectiveness in stopping average to extreme sickness.

As soon as absolutely protected, there have been no deaths within the vaccinated group and a number of other among the many placebo-recipients, although the corporate didn’t element these circumstances.

Due to its single dose routine, the J&J vaccine has been described as a “game-changer” within the marketing campaign in opposition to the coronavirus pandemic. And the vaccine would not have to be stored frozen, permitting it to be distributed by means of regular vaccine provide chains with out the necessity for brand spanking new, costly gear.

Within the headlines:

►9 Roman Catholic nuns in southern Michigan have died in January due to a COVID-19 outbreak at their retirement residence, which had beforehand gone months with out a single case.

►The Australian Open is predicted to start Feb. 8 with crowds of as much as 30,000 every day. Victorian state sports activities minister Martin Pakula stated crowds could be at about 50% of earlier years, with 390,000 individuals anticipated over the 2 weeks.

►The Biden administration on Friday introduced it’s operating forward of its preliminary vaccination aim, with a median of 1.2 million pictures a day administered over the earlier seven days. Biden stated earlier within the week he’s hoping to get to 1.5 million vaccinations a day.

►The European Union’s drug regulator on Friday licensed AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine to be used in all adults regardless of issues that not sufficient information exist to show it really works in older individuals. On Thursday, Germany’s vaccination advisory committee stated in a draft suggestion that the vaccine ought to solely be given to individuals aged 18-64 for now.

►Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan is asking on the state to cease hospital methods from giving particular COVID-19 vaccine entry to donors, board members or different linked neighborhood members following reviews of a number of space hospital methods doing so. She additionally known as for the state to reallocate vaccines to neighborhood well being clinics that serve low-income communities of coloration

►This Kentucky couple did all the things collectively for 56 years. Then one of them died alone of COVID-19.

►Arizona’s Division of Well being Companies reported the UK pressure was confirmed in COVID-19 assessments from three individuals. The company is working with different public well being companies, together with the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention, to watch the state of affairs.

►Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday announced stricter restrictions on travelers in response to new, probably extra contagious variants of the novel coronavirus — together with making it necessary for vacationers to quarantine in a resort at their very own expense after they arrive in Canada and suspending airline service to Mexico and all Caribbean locations till April 30.

►”I’ve cried. I’ve begged. I’ve yelled”: Couples clash over COVID-19 as males don’t take the virus as critically as girls and are much less more likely to observe security measures, in keeping with the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention.

📈 Immediately’s numbers: The U.S. has greater than 25.9 million confirmed coronavirus circumstances and greater than 437,100 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. The worldwide totals: Greater than 102.2 million circumstances and a pair of.2 million deaths. About 48.4 million vaccine doses have been distributed within the U.S. and 27.8 million have been administered, according to the CDC.

📘 What we’re studying: COVID-19 uncomfortable side effects? Ache relievers like Tylenol and Advil are “completely positive” – however solely after vaccination, specialists say. Read the full story.

Freezer failure results in middle-of-the-night vaccination rush in Seattle

Seattle hospitals rushed out COVID-19 vaccines to tons of of individuals in the midst of the evening after a freezer they had been being saved in failed.

It’s not clear what precipitated the freezer failure Thursday evening, however the UW Medical Middle’s Northwest and Montlake campuses and Swedish Medical Middle obtained greater than 1,600 doses that wanted for use earlier than they expired at 5:30 a.m. Friday, The Seattle Times reported.

As phrase of the sudden doses unfold on social media, and a line of hopeful vaccine recipients snaked out the doorways of UW Medical Middle-Northwest and Swedish Medical Middle’s clinic at Seattle College. Not a single dose went to waste.

“Thanks to everybody who got here collectively to get these doses administered!” Swedish well being Companies said on Twitter Friday afternoon.

Medical faculty functions surge amongst Black, Latino college students

Functions to medical faculty for this coming fall are up 18%, in keeping with the Affiliation of American Medical Schools, which represents 155 U.S. establishments. Some faculties have seen 30% jumps. And plenty of faculty officers particularly be aware that the variety of candidates from historically underrepresented Individuals helps to drive the surge.

Miriam Cepeda watched helplessly as her grandfather, an immigrant from the Dominican Republic who was sick with COVID-19, resisted pleas final March to go to the hospital. “He instructed us he had unhappy reminiscences of hospitals again residence and he simply didn’t belief the medical system,” stated Cepeda, 19, whose grandfather later handed away from COVID-19. “For lots of minority communities, going to the physician isn’t our first selection or resolution.”

Cepeda, of New York Metropolis, hopes to vary that. The Columbia College sophomore plans to use to medical faculty in a couple of years so she will serve sufferers of coloration, whose healthcare inequities have been highlighted by a virus that has sickened and killed individuals of coloration in disproportionate numbers. Read more.

– Marco della Cava

Vaccinated US Rep. Stephen Lynch assessments constructive for COVID-19

A Massachusetts congressman who has obtained each doses of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine has examined constructive for the virus.

The workplace of U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch stated Friday that the lawmaker had had a detrimental take a look at outcome earlier than attending President Joe Biden’s inauguration. The workplace says Lynch’s constructive take a look at outcome got here after a workers member in his Boston workplace examined constructive earlier this week.

A press release says Lynch isn’t displaying any signs of COVID-19. Lynch will self-quarantine and vote by proxy in Congress within the coming week.

Lynch is the second member of the state’s congressional delegation to check constructive in as many days. On Thursday, U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan introduced she had examined constructive after repeatedly testing detrimental.

Colorado mayor compares COVID-19 restrictions to George Floyd’s dying

The mayor of a Colorado village in contrast county COVID-19 restrictions to the dying of George Floyd in an announcement he later stated was a “poor selection,” in accordance an area outlet.

Snowmass Village Mayor Invoice Madsen was advocating for lighter COVID-related restrictions throughout a gathering of the Pitkin County Board of Well being on Thursday when he drew a comparability to the dying of Floyd, a Black man who died after a police officer in Minneapolis held his knee to Floyd’s neck for greater than eight minutes.

“We’re creating an incredible quantity of unwell will locally,” Madsen stated, according to the Aspen Daily News. “To hearken again to the George Floyd state of affairs, we’ve got put our foot on the throat of the restaurant trade they usually can’t breathe.”

He later walked again his feedback: “I used to be simply making an attempt to make the purpose that the restaurant trade is struggling, and that was in all probability a foul selection of phrases,” Madsen stated. “It was a poor selection. … I simply needed to verify the restaurant trade is being heard, and I believe all through this complete course of they haven’t felt that manner.”