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Your Coronavirus Update – Today, Feb. 17, 2021
RHODE ISLAND & VICINITY
For Ash Wednesday, from the Diocese of Providence: Please note, in light of the pandemic, the custom to “rub” ashes on the forehead in the form a cross has been suspended for this year. Instead, ashes will be distributed by “sprinkling” them on each person’s head as is the long-standing custom in other countries especially in Europe. Some locations are using ashes distributed on the forehead with Q-tips. Virtual and drive-through events will be happening, as well as putting ashes onto a folded card. Check with your church’s website for specifics.
NOTE: The RIDOH and the Coronavirus Task Force are planning a special address TODAY at 4pm. ALSO: Look for a special email edition of RINewsToday this morning. RI has been criticized for having over 90,000 doses in storage.
RI has identified 3 cases of the variant COVID-19 virus in the state. Patients were in their 60s, 50s, and 20s. Two cases were in Newport County – one was in Providence county. These findings were first known late last night and they have yet to be told. They have also all cleared the isolation period. While this is more aggressive in terms of transmittal and seriousness of illness.
Just as RI has loosened its restrictions for dining, etc. the new variants have left some medical experts saying this is THE time to use extra caution because of the transmissability of the new virus variant. In addition to extra cautions doubling of masks is recommended.
One Rhode Island nursing home is estimated to have approximately 50% of its staff members refusing the vaccine. RINewsToday will be doing a special story addressing resistance among healthcare workers.
Central Falls remains only high-density city where anyone can get vaccinated – 4 or 5 events have already been held for those over 18. Plans for high density sites in Pawtucket and Providence have been mentioned for special vaccination priority, but no vaccinations have yet been scheduled.
Massachusetts also has identified the So. African strain as well as the UK strain.
Jim Hummel, reporting in the Providence Journal reports that an Colony Personnel, in Warwick, an employment agency that has provided contact tracers, case investigators and other office workers for the Rhode Island Department of Health during the pandemic says the state owes them $275,000, going back to summer.
Massachusetts is working with communities, health insurance companies and other groups to set up transportation for people who cannot get to sites on their own, as well as home delivery systems for those who can’t.
New community vaccination site: Incoming Gov. McKee will participate at 11am today at an event with Raytheon Missiles & Defense, Portsmouth Emergency Management Agency and other partners to mark the opening of a new community vaccination site on the Raytheon Campus in Portsmouth.
Cranston’s Culinary Affair, 650 Oaklawn Ave., culinaryaffairri. com, has reopened with new concept include grab and go prepared food options and a beer and wine list. They will also offer online ordering for pick-up or delivery service within a 3-mile radius.
Skye Gallery in Providence is closing and will reinvent as a pop-up gallery from time to time.
Davis’ Market, kosher market on the East Side of Providence has closed.
Worcester issued 20 violations to local businesses for not adhering to COVID19 regulations
Officials at every level of government in Mass. are criticizing Baker over vaccine rollout
Providence School Vacation Week Food may be picked up today, Feb. 17th, from 11am to 4:30pm – families should come prepared to carry large bundles of food.
Trying to find out why the state of RI has not used its vaccine quickly enough, NBC10’s Brian Crandall asked the question and received this response from RIDOH: “I asked why there are so many unused doses of vaccine CDC data shows RI has only administered 62% of its doses. RIDOH claims their “strategic” approach to focus on those most at risk takes longer than other states. RI is planning to open two mass vaccination sites Thursday. “It is because when we are vaccinating in specific settings, we need to have a certain amount of vaccine for the people there. For example, we need all the vaccine needed to cover a nursing home residents and their staff before we start vaccinating there. And if we are going to do a police department, we need all the vaccine to cover that police department. But the uptake in those settings varies. Sometimes that vaccine has to get cycled back into our inventory. That is time consuming and logistically challenging – it can literally mean having to transport vaccine back to a storage site. At the mass vaccination sites, there will just be open slots. Someone makes an appointment, and if they don’t show up that dose just goes to the next person and we open up another appointment. Administration is much faster and more efficient when you have people going to a site, rather than bringing vaccine to people.”
Rhode Island’s response to being last in quantity of vaccine given:
Today’s Data – Feb. 16 2021
Deaths: 10
Tests – 9,162 – Positives – 242 – Percent positive – 2.6%
Hospitalized – 197 – In ICU – 36 – Ventilated – 20
Deaths in hospital – 0 – New Admissions – 23 – New Discharges – 15
First vaccines: 103,369 Total fully vaccinated – 2 shots: 47,801
NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL
Update from Moderna: Moderna expects to deliver 100 million additional doses by end of May 2021 followed by another 100 million additional doses by end of July 2021 – 45.4 million doses have been supplied to the U.S. Government to date. 25.5 million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine have been administered in the U.S., according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Short term delays in the final stages of production and release of filled vials at Moderna’s fill and finish contractor Catalent have recently delayed the release of some doses, but these delays are expected to be resolved in the near term and are not expected to impact monthly delivery targets. The Company expects to meet commitment dates to the U.S. Government for all currently ordered doses of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, including targeting delivery of the first 100 million doses by the end of the first quarter 2021. The Company has moved forward delivery of its second 100 million doses by one month, from end of June 2021 to end of May 2021. It has moved forward delivery of its third 100 million doses by two months, from end of September 2021 to end of July 2021. These commitments reflect a ramping up of production over the last few months and an expectation of further ramp up over the coming months. All U.S. supply comes from Moderna’s dedicated supply chain in the U.S. Supply to locations outside of the U.S. comes from dedicated supply points based outside of the U.S.
Britain will provide vaccine COVID-19 certificates for its residents if they are required by other countries, although it is not planning to introduce them for use at home.
Pres. Biden says teachers should be prioritized for vaccination, but did not indicate over which other groups.
Mortgage extensions and foreclosure haults have been extended from ending in March to ending in June.
Maine has declared every county is now safe for in-person learning.
The pandemic is hitting child care centers hard – with 166,800 fewer people working in child care in December 2020 than had been in those jobs in December 2019.
The CDC says fever, chills, headaches, soreness and tiredness are normal signs that your body is “building protection.” Over-the-counter medicines such as ibuprofen, aspirin, antihistamines, or acetaminophen can help with that, but it is not recommended to take these medicines before vaccination as it is not known how these medications may impact how well the vaccine works.”
Dr. Fauci said a week ago that all Americans should be vaccinated by late spring/early summer – yesterday he said there are reasons to believe that all Americans may not have access to the vaccine going past summer and into the fall.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy emerged from quarantine Tuesday, less than a week after a family member tested positive for the coronavirus. He now wears two masks which he says is “unfortunately, the new normal”.
NYC’s subways will run for two more hours every day starting next week, and the nightly system shutdown for cleaning will be reduced to 2 a.m. to 4 a.m.
There is no progress on the $1400 stimulus checks, with congress bogged down in impeachment proceedings.
Japan to start inoculation drive today with 40,000 medical workers
To speed up vaccination, poor countries are beginning to prioritize China’s 50 percent effective vaccine over Western vaccines that have efficacy rates of over 90 percent.
FEMA is opening vaccination sites in Los Angeles.
Malaysia to kick off COVID-19 vaccination drive next week
Colombia receives first COVID-19 shots, vaccination may begin early
Still quite a high number, then. A lagging indicator, but thought by now the vaccinations would drive those down more. Thank you for the response.
We keep reading that there are quite a few of deaths … yet the number of hospital deaths are low or none listed. Where do all these deaths occur?
These appear to be in nursing homes.