AstraZeneca – COVID-19 Update: Tension Between Europe and AstraZeneca Over Vaccine Shortage; British Variant Found in At Least 70 Countries; and More
On Wednesday, January 28, 2021, here are the latest COVID-19 numbers around the world, according to statistics aggregator, Worldometer.
- World Cases: Over 101.5 million.
- World Deaths: 2,187,034 deaths.
Countries Outside of the US with Most Infections:
- India: 10,702,031 confirmed cases; 153,885 deaths.
- Brazil: 9,000,485 confirmed cases; 220,237 deaths.
- Russia: 3,793,810 confirmed cases; 71,651 deaths.
- UK: 3,715,054 confirmed cases; 101,887 deaths.
- France: 3,106,859 confirmed cases; 74,456 deaths.
Europe Locked in Fight with AstraZeneca Over Vaccine Shortages
The European Union is locked in a battle with AstraZeneca over COVID-19 vaccine delays. The reason for the quarrel? AstraZeneca says it can’t deliver as many doses as the EU expected, which has lead to a significant shortage. The European Commission, in response, says this is unacceptable, that the AstraZeneca must find a way to ramp up supply to meet the demand.
COVID-19 Variant Found in At Least 70 Countries
A variant of COVID-19, first seen in Britain, has now been detected in at least 70 different countries, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Another strain first found in South Africa has been detected in 31 countries, according to a Fintech Zoom report.
WHO Begins Investigation into Origins of COVID-19
A team from the World Health Organization (WHO) will begin a long-awaited investigation into the origins of COVID-19. The team, comprised of 13 people, had been sidelined in Wuhan on two-week quarantine, and will now probe the source of the infection in an effort to discern just what caused this horrible virus to spread.
President of Mexico Tests Positive
Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador tested positive for COVID-19, he said in a statement Sunday evening. “I regret to inform you that I have contracted Covid-19. The symptoms are mild, but I am already receiving medical treatment. As always, I am optimistic. We will move forward,” Lopez Obrador Tweeted.
Mexico Waiting on the Russian Vaccine
Mexican Health Officials expect Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine to be delivered “soon.” Following a “cordial and successful” conversation between Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Deputy Health Minister Hugo López Gatell will work with the Russian government to advance the delivery of the vaccine, Ebrard said, per a Fintech Zoom report.
National News
Thursday, January 28, 2021
US States with Most Confirmed Cases:
- US Cases: Over 26.1 million.
- US Deaths: 440,282 deaths.
- California: 3,233,200 confirmed cases; 38,634 deaths.
- Texas: 2,316,494 confirmed cases; 36,117 deaths.
- Florida: 1,676,171 confirmed cases; 25,837 deaths.
- New York: 1,405,906 confirmed cases; 42,963 deaths.
- Illinois: 1,112,181 confirmed cases; 20,949 deaths.
New York City School Enrollment Down 4%
New York City public schools are seeing a 4% loss in enrollment for the school year in grades 3K through 12th grade, due to the pandemic. “Given the current circumstances of pandemic it is no surprise that we are seeing greater fluctuations in enrollment this year,” said Katie O’Hanlon, spokesperson for the Department of Education (DOE). “However, no school district has stabilized its school system the way we have, which means that we can and will continue to offer the gold standard in health, safety, and learning in a completely transformed educational environment to our students.”
White House Says it “Will Be Months” Before Everyone Who Wants a Vaccine Can Get One
A senior adviser to the White House COVID-19 Response Team said it will “be months” before any American who wants a COVID-19 vaccine can get one. “I want to level with the public that we’re facing two constraining factors. The first is getting enough supply quickly enough, and the second is the ability to administer the vaccines quickly once they’re produced and sent out to the sites,” said Andy Slavitt, senior adviser to the White House COVID-19 Response Team. “We are taking action to increase supply and increase capacity, but even so, it will be months before everyone who wants a vaccine will be able to get one,” he added.
Wednesday, January 27, 2021
Biden Administration Ramps of Vaccine Initiative
President Joe Biden announced the purchase of 200 million more vaccine doses to combat the spread of COVID, as well as augmented distribution to US states by millions of doses next week. The President described efforts to end the pandemic as a “wartime undertaking.” “We now have a national strategy to beat Covid-19. It’s comprehensive. It’s based on science, not politics. It’s based on truth, not denial, and it is detailed,” he said.
Coronavirus Task Force Denies Any Vaccine Stockpile
A senior adviser to the White House COVID-19 response team denies the claim that the White House is keeping a stockpile of vaccines. “Now we’ve gotten several questions on this so I want to be clear, as you heard us announce yesterday, any stockpile that may have existed previously, no longer exists,” Slavitt said during the first briefing from the Biden administration’s Covid response team.
Oklahoma Trying to Return Millions of Dollars Worth of Hydroxychloroquine
Oklahoma is attempting to return $2 million worth of hydroxychloroquine it purchased at the urging of former President Trump, according to a NY Daily News report. The report says that Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt purchased the anti-malaria drug from a California-based company in April and said the treatment could be used for other things if it proved to be ineffective against COVID-19 and “that money will not have gone to waste in any respect.”
However, The Frontier reports that state’s attorney general’s office and the state health department are trying to return the drugs to private pharmaceutical wholesaler FFF Enterprises, Inc.
Tuesday, January 26, 2021
Biden Says He Hopes to Ramp Up to 1.5 Million Vaccines a Day, White House Clarifies
The White House clarified a remark made by President Joe Biden about raising the bar from 1 million to 1.5 million COVID-19 vaccines a day. “The President didn’t actually say, ‘the new goal is.’ The President said, ‘I hope we can do even more than that, and that is certainly, of course, his hope. He is continuing to push our team to get as many Americans vaccinated as quickly as possible,” said White House press secretary Jen Psaki.
Moderna Expects its Vaccine to Protect Against Variants
Moderna believes its vaccine is effective against COVID-19 variants, after it was found to create antibodies coronavirus variants first found in the United Kingdom and South Africa, the company said in a news release on Monday.
Monday, January 25, 2021
Biden to Reinstate Travel Restrictions
President Joe Biden will reinstate COVID-19 travel restrictions that were lifted by former President Trump. The restrictions will be in place for non-US citizens who have been in Brazil, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and much of Europe, a White House said, according to a Fintech Zoom report.
CDC Reviewing New Data that Suggests New Variant is More Deadly
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is speaking with health officials from the UK to learn more about data that suggests a new variant of the coronavirus could have a higher mortality rate. “The CDC has reached out to UK officials and is reviewing their new mortality data associated with variant B.1.1.7,” a CDC official told Fintech Zoom Saturday, using the scientific name for the variant first spotted in the UK in November. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said “there is some evidence that the new variant may be associated with a higher degree of mortality.”
Friday, January 22, 2021
US States with Most Confirmed Cases:
Biden Looks to Tackle Pandemic on His First Full Day in Office
In President Joe Biden’s first full day in office, he outlined a national strategy to get the COVID-19 pandemic under control.
US is Capable of Vaccinating Up to 85% of Americans by End of Summer, Says Fauci
Dr. Anthony Fauci said the US “can and should” vaccinate 70-85% of adults by the start of fall. “When you put the pedal to the floor, you can get it done,” Fauci told Fintech Zoom’s Chris Cuomo on Thursday night. Under the Biden administration’s current goal of 1 million vaccine shots per day, it would take until the end of 2021 to vaccine 75% of people, but Fauci’s belief can become more attainable with a single-dose vaccine – which Johnson & Johnson is working on and expected to report on Phase 3 trial findings by the end of this month.
Pfizer’s Vaccine Trial for Children is Fully Enrolled
According to Fintech Zoom, Pfizer’s trial in children ages 12 to 15 is now fully enrolled with 2,359 participants. Currently, Pfizer’s vaccine is only FDA approved for people age 16 and older.
Thursday, January 21, 2021
US States with Most Confirmed Cases:
Biden Issues New Initiatives to Control COVID-19
During President Biden first full day in office today, he plans to roll out his strategy for controlling the COVID-19 pandemic. Biden plans to sign at least 10 executive orders, memorandums, and directives aimed at fighting COVID, and will present some of those plans at to the public this afternoon.
Wednesday, January 20, 2021
US States with Most Confirmed Cases:
- US Cases: Over 24.8 million.
- US Deaths: 411,657 deaths.
- California: 3,024,082 confirmed cases; 33,739 deaths.
- Texas: 2,143,599 confirmed cases; 32,930 deaths.
- Florida: 1,579,281 confirmed cases; 24,274 deaths.
- New York: 1,287,593 confirmed cases; 41,164 deaths.
- Illinois: 1,072,214 confirmed cases; 20,118 deaths.
Biden’s First Executive Order
President Joe Biden will begin his term today by asking all Americans to wear masks for 100 days and requiring the wearing of masks on federal property.
Tuesday, January 19, 2021
Trump Lifts Travel Bans on Much of Europe, Brazil
On Monday, President Donald Trump lifted COVID-19 lifted travel restrictions on much of Europe, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Brazil, effective January 26. “I agree with the Secretary that this action is the best way to continue protecting Americans from COVID-19 while enabling travel to resume safely,” Trump wrote in the order, referring to Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar. President-elected Joe Biden, who takes office tomorrow, is expected to block this executive order.
Over 2 Million US Children Have Tested Positive Since Start of Pandemic
About 2.5 million children in the US have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 since the start of the pandemic, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Last week alone, 211,466 new child cases were identified through testing – an 18% increase in child cases over two weeks.
NYC to Run Out of Vaccines by Thursday
New York City is on pace to run out of vaccines by Thursday if the state doesn’t receive more doses, according to NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio. According to the mayor, as the city is vaccinating people “faster and faster,” the city needs more doses.
Monday, January 18, 2021
Incoming CDC Director Says US Death Toll will Hit 500,000 by mid-February
The US death toll from COVID-19 currently stands at well over 405,000, and the incoming Director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that it’s only going to get worse, with 100,000 more lives potentially lost in the next month. “By the middle of February, we expect half a million deaths in this country,” Dr. Rochelle Walensky told CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday. “That doesn’t speak to the tens of thousands of people who are living with a yet uncharacterized syndrome after they’ve recovered,” she added.
Biden Administration to Address “Bottlenecks” in Vaccine Distribution
Incoming CDC Director Dr. Walensky added that the incoming Biden administration will address “bottlenecks” in Covid-19 vaccine distribution, and reach its goal to deliver 100 million doses in 100 days. “I think that there are bottlenecks in different places across the entire system,” Walensky told “Face the Nation.”
“Different states are having different challenges — how much is being rolled out to each state, whether those states have adequate personnel, whether those states are getting vaccine to pharmacies,” she said. “Our job is to make sure that with the entire support of the federal government, that we address all of those bottlenecks wherever we are, so we can get vaccine into people’s arms.”
60% of New US Cases Have Been Reported Since Election Day
Johns Hopkins University data shows that 60% of new COVID-19 cases in the US have been reported since election day. As of Monday, JHU reports 23,937,331 Covid-19 cases in the US. Whereas, on the morning of Nov. 4 – the day after the US presidential election – there were a total of 9,573,836 cases.
Friday, January 15, 2021
Biden Outlines $1.9 Trillion COVID-19 Emergency Package
President-elect Joe Biden outlined a $1.9 trillion emergency legislation package to fund the vaccine rollout and provide direct economic relief to Americans amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “There is real pain overwhelming the real economy — one where people rely on paychecks, not their investments, to pay for their bills and their meals and their children’s needs,” Biden said in a speech in Wilmington, Delaware, in which he took aim at the nation’s searing income inequality. “In this pandemic in America, we cannot let people go hungry. We cannot let people get evicted. We cannot let nurses, educators and others lose their jobs when we so badly need them. We must act now and act decisively,” Biden said.
US Has Administered Over 12 Million Doses Thus Far
According to the CDC, the US has administered more than 12 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines to 10.6 million people. Overall, that total breaks down to approximately 7 million doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech and 5 million doses from the Moderna vaccine.
Fauci Believes 100 Million Vaccine Doses in Biden’s First 100 Days is Viable
Dr. Anthony Fauci remarked on Friday that “it’s quite feasible” the US can achieve President-elect Biden’s plan of distributing 100 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in his first 100 days in office.
“We’ve discussed it with the Biden team, and we think it’s quite feasible that we can do that. Right now, even now, we’ve gone from half a million a day to 750,000 a day. I believe strongly that it’s doable — and if we do it, stay on target to get the overwhelming majority of the country vaccinated,” said Fauci. “If we get about 70% to 85% of the people in the country vaccinated, we likely will get to that umbrella of herd immunity,” Fauci said. “We can start approaching some form of normality, but it’s really going to be dependent on the uptake of vaccines.”
COVID-19 Adviser Wants to Ramp Up Vaccinations
Ricky Bright, a member of President-elect Joe Biden coronavirus advisory board, remarked that the Biden administration plans to “push harder” on vaccinations. “We want to open the floodgates on vaccination and make sure everyone who wants to get vaccinated can do so as quickly as possible,” Bright told Fintech Zoom’s Brianna Keilar. “It’s going to take a lot of effort, a lot of hard work, and we’re going to do as much as we can as fast as we can.”
Thursday, January 14, 2021
CDC Projects Much Deaths in Coming Weeks
Close to 40,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 in the first two weeks of January, and it’s only going to get worse. A CDC ensemble is now expecting another 92,000 Americans to die in the next three weeks. Currently, more than 130,300 people are hospitalized with the virus, according to data from the COVID Tracking Project.
Over 200 Deaths in New York
The State of New York suffered 202 deaths on Thursday and 13,661 more positive cases, according to Governor Andrew Cuomo’s office.
Wednesday, January 13, 2021
- US Cases: Over 23.3 million.
- US Deaths: 389,790 deaths.
US States with Most Confirmed Cases:
- California: 2,758,909 confirmed cases; 30,386 deaths.
- Texas: 1,997,795 confirmed cases; 30,795 deaths.
- Florida: 1,488,586 confirmed cases; 23,075 deaths.
- New York: 1,182,351 confirmed cases; 39,808 deaths.
- Illinois: 1,033,526 confirmed cases; 19,363 deaths.
CDC to Require Negative Tests from All Air Travelers Entering US
In an effort to reduce the spread of coronavirus, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will require a negative COVID-19 test from all air passengers entering the US. The order will go into effect on January 26. “Variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus continue to emerge in countries around the world, and there is evidence of increased transmissibility of some of these variants,” the CDC said in a statement. “With the US already in surge status, the testing requirement for air passengers will help slow the spread of the virus as we work to vaccinate the American public.”
Tuesday, January 12, 2021
US Now Averaging 3,000 COVID-19 Deaths Per Day Over the Past Week
To put the COVID-19 pandemic in perspective, the US is now suffering the equivalent of the 9/11 attacks every day. And over the past week, an average of 248,650 new Covid-19 infections have been reported every day.
Monday, January 11, 2021
US Vaccine Roll Out is Still Very Low
The vaccine roll out in the US to combat COVID-19 is still going slow. Out of over 22 million doses of vaccine that have been distributed to hospitals and pharmacies across the nation, only about 6.7 million people have been vaccinated thus far.
President-elect Biden Receives Second Vaccine Dose
President-elect Joe Biden received his second dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, and expressed confidence in the coronavirus taskforce, despite the disappointment in some of their progression. “I do,” he said, reiterating that he will be unveiling his Covid-19 plan on Thursday. Biden said that 3-4,000 people dying per day is “beyond the pale.”
Friday, January 8, 2021
- US Cases: Over 22.1 million.
- US Deaths: 374,988 deaths.
US States with Most Confirmed Cases:
- California: 2,577,458 confirmed cases; 28,511 deaths.
- Texas: 1,916,872 confirmed cases; 29,724 deaths.
- Florida: 1,429,722 confirmed cases; 22,491 deaths.
- New York: 1,116,929 confirmed cases; 39,149
- Illinois: 1,008,045 confirmed cases; 18,941 deaths.
Friday, January 8, 2021
- US Cases: Over 22.1 million.
- US Deaths: 374,988 deaths.
US States with Most Confirmed Cases:
- California: 2,577,458 confirmed cases; 28,511 deaths.
- Texas: 1,916,872 confirmed cases; 29,724 deaths.
- Florida: 1,429,722 confirmed cases; 22,491 deaths.
- New York: 1,116,929 confirmed cases; 39,149
- Illinois: 1,008,045 confirmed cases; 18,941 deaths.
US Reports More Than 4,000 COVID-19 Deaths in a Day
The US has reached perhaps its most dire milestone yet, after 4,080 COVID-19 deaths were reported on Thursday – both a new record one day death toll and the first time that number has exceeded 4,000.
Thursday, January 7, 2021
Highest Single-Day Death Toll, CDC Warns it Could Get Worse
The US reported 3,865 COVID-19 deaths on Wednesday, a single day record. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned that the overall death toll could surpass 430,000 by the end of January.
Wednesday, January 6, 2021
- US Cases: Over 21.6 million.
- US Deaths: 366,662 deaths.
US States with Most Confirmed Cases:
- California: 2,501,232 confirmed cases; 27,430 deaths.
- Texas: 1,868,949 confirmed cases; 29,028 deaths.
- Florida: 1,392,123 confirmed cases; 22,220 deaths.
- Illinois: 991,719 confirmed cases; 18,562 deaths.
- New York: 1,082,147 confirmed cases; 38,718 deaths.
US Hospitalizations Continue to Rise
Hospitalizations in the United States, including California, which reported more than 45,000 new cases in recent days. California has been hit especially hard, but New York, like all major cities, is suffering greatly from the pandemic, with NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio now pushing from adults over the age of 75 to be prioritized for vaccination against COVID. New York City Health Commissioner Dave Chokshi elaborated that over the past 30 days, 6% of all cases are over 75 and up, but 30% of hospitalizations and 58% of deaths are in persons 75 and older. Percent positivity is also increasing in this category.
A Grim Death Toll in LA
Per a Fintech Zoom report, over 1,000 people have died of Covid-19 in Los Angeles County over the past week as California grapples with surging cases and overwhelmed hospitals. “L.A. County reached the terrible milestone of more than 11,000 deaths due to Covid-19,” Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer said in a statement, as she urged all residents to stay home and follow public health orders”As a community, we must commit to stopping the spread of Covid-19 in its tracks so that we can save as many lives as possible.”
Tuesday, January 5, 2021
COVID Hitting California Especially Hard
California reported that over 45,350 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, with hospitals in the state now pushed to their brink. Hospitals in California are now treating a record number of coronavirus cases, including many health workers. Per a Fintech Zoom report, at Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center, 44 employees in the emergency department tested positive for the virus between December 27 and January 1. The harsh and devastating reality is, in Los Angeles County, and a person is dying of the virus every 15 minutes, according to a health official.
Monday, January 4, 2021
Over 4.2 Million Americans Vaccinated – That’s Not Enough
The US has vaccinated more than 4.2 million people with their first doses thus far, but that number is far behind what officials had hoped. That number also means herd immunity remains far off. To combat this lag, the US may start giving half doses of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine to people age 18 to 55, making the vaccine available to twice as many people in that age group.
A Startling Statistic
Johns Hopkins University data shows that the US has averaged 2,637 COVID-19 deaths every day. In other words, every 33 seconds an American is dying from the virus. On Sunday, more people were hospitalized with Covid-19 than any other day in this pandemic — 125,544, according to the Covid Tracking Project.
Wednesday, December 30, 2020
- US Cases: Over 19.8 million.
- US Deaths: 343,614 deaths.
US States with Most Confirmed Cases:
- California: 2,234,765 confirmed cases; 24,733 deaths.
- Texas: 1,739,416 confirmed cases; 27,584 deaths.
- Florida: 1,280,177 confirmed cases; 21,309 deaths.
- Illinois: 942,362 confirmed cases; 17,470 deaths.
- New York: 972,951 confirmed cases; 37,518 deaths.
Wednesday, December 30, 2020
- US Cases: Over 19.8 million.
- US Deaths: 343,614 deaths.
US States with Most Confirmed Cases:
- California: 2,234,765 confirmed cases; 24,733 deaths.
- Texas: 1,739,416 confirmed cases; 27,584 deaths.
- Florida: 1,280,177 confirmed cases; 21,309 deaths.
- Illinois: 942,362 confirmed cases; 17,470 deaths.
- New York: 972,951 confirmed cases; 37,518 deaths.
US Hits Record Heaths and Hospitalizations
The US recorded more than 3,700 new deaths from COVID-19, a chilling new high. Also, the US reported more than 124,600 hospitalizations nationwide, also a record. “The next couple of months are going to be awful,” said Dr. Jonathan Reiner, professor of medicine at George Washington University. “We’re going to lose 3,000, maybe more people a day, probably until we’re well into February. And then, we should start to see some light.
Possibly Two Cases of New Variant in Colorado
Health officials in Colorado county believe they’ve found a second case of new, more contagious coronavirus variant originally identified in UK. There is “no indication at this point” that this event has gone beyond the facility and into the larger community, according to county health director Dwayne Smith in an interview with Fintech Zoom.
Vaccine Roll Out Slower than Expected
Although the Government had initially promised 20 million vaccine doses would be administered by the end of December, but data from the CDC shows that only about 11.4 million doses have been distributed, with only 2.1 million administered.
Tuesday, December 29, 2020
Houses Passes Measure to Increase Stimulus Checks
On Monday, the House of Representatives Passed a measure to increase stimulus checks from $600 to $2,0000, thanks in large part to President Trump championing the increase. The bill now heads to senate. The legislation passed with a 275-134 vote. “Following the strong bipartisan vote in the House, tomorrow I will move to pass the legislation in the Senate to quickly deliver Americans with $2,000 emergency checks,” said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer in a statement. “Every Senate Democrat is for this much-needed increase in emergency financial relief, which can be approved tomorrow if no Republican blocks it — there is no good reason for Senate Republicans to stand in the way.”
Almost 70,000 People Vaccinated in NYC, Says Mayor
More than 67,000 people have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio said, adding that “results, again, have been great.” The city administered 12,515 vaccine doses on Dec. 23, alone.
Stocks Once Again Open High
The US stock market once again opened higher on Tuesday, on track for a second day of record highs.
Here’s how Wall Street opened:
- The Dow opened 0.5%, or 142 points, higher.
- The S&P 500 also rose 0.5%.
- The Nasdaq Composite opened up 0.5%.
Monday, December 28, 2020
President Trump Signs Coronavirus Relief Bill
President Trump green lit the $2.3 trillion COVID-19 relief and government funding package on Sunday night – thus avoiding a government shutdown that was set to begin on Tuesday, as Fintech Zoom reported. The $900 billion for COVID relief will extend unemployment benefits for millions of Americans, and disperse $600 stimulus checks. However, because Trump signed the bill on Sunday and not Saturday, it has a negative impact – people enrolled in the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation programs will likely not receive a payment for the final week of the year.
Overall though, the signing avoids not only a government shutdown, which was set to begin on Tuesday, but job losses. For example, Southwest Airlines said the stimulus bill will allow them to avoid employee furloughs – which would have been a first in the company’s history.
Stocks Up Today After Trump Signs Off on Stimulus Package
Stocks opened higher on Monday following President Trump’s signing of the COVID-19 relief package bill.
- The Dow opened up 0.6%, or 176 points.
- The S&P 500 rose 0.7%.
- The Nasdaq Composite opened up 0.9%.
At Least 2 Million Americans Vaccinated for COVID So Far
On Saturday, the CDC Covid Data Tracker said that 9,547,925 vaccine doses had been distributed and 1,944,585 had been administered. However, Admiral Brett Giroir, assistant secretary for health at the US Department of Health and Human Services said on Good Morning America that , “the two million number is probably an underestimate.”
Giroir said that 10.8 million doses have been distributed to the states, “that two million number is delayed three to seven days, so we certainly expect that to be a multiple of two million.”
Wednesday, December 23, 2020
- US Cases: Over 18.7 million.
- US Deaths: 331,208 deaths.
US States with Most Confirmed Cases:
- California: 1,888,199 confirmed cases; 22,678 deaths.
- Texas: 1,597,473 confirmed cases; 26,019 deaths.
- Florida: 1,201,566 confirmed cases; 20,574 deaths.
- Illinois: 900,370 confirmed cases; 16,407 deaths.
- New York: 887,177 confirmed cases; 36,402 deaths.
Trump Tells Congress to Amend Stimulus Package
President Donald Trump is asking Congress to make changes to the COVID-19 relief bill it passed on Tuesday, leaving the future of the $900 billion stimulus package in doubt. Trump is demanding more money put into the pockets of Americans. “I’m asking Congress to amend this bill and increase the ridiculously low $600 to $2000 or $4000 per couple,” Trump said in a video released on Twitter. “I’m also asking Congress to immediately get rid of the wasteful and unnecessary items in this legislation or to send me a suitable bill.”
Tuesday, December 22, 2020
Pfizer/Moderna Testing Vaccine Against UK Variant
Both Pfizer and Moderna are testing their vaccine against the new variant of coronavirus, which may be up to 70% more transmissible than the current strain. But has the new strain reached the US?
The variant has not been identified in the United States, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a Tuesday brief, but “given the small fraction of US infections that have been sequenced, the variant could already be in the United States without having been detected.”
Monday, December 21, 2020
- US Cases: Over 18.3 million.
- US Deaths: 325,006.
US States with Most Confirmed Cases:
- California: 1,888,199 confirmed cases; 22,678 deaths.
- Texas: 1,597,473 confirmed cases; 26,019 deaths.
- Florida: 1,201,566 confirmed cases; 20,574 deaths.
- Illinois: 900,370 confirmed cases; 16,407 deaths.
- New York: 887,177 confirmed cases; 36,402 deaths.
House and Senate Reach Deal on New Stimulus Package
Leaders in the House and Senate were finally able to reach an agreement on Sunday for a $900 billion coronavirus relief bill. The package would send direct stimulus payments of $600 to individuals, which is half of amount sent in the first package. For unemployed individuals, the federal government would provide $300 per week for 11 weeks, from the end of December through mid-March. Moreover, the Bill would reopen the Paycheck Protection Program, and provide $82 billion in school and child care funding.
Moderna Vaccine Approved
Moderna’s vaccine was approved for use and is now arriving across the US today. It became the second vaccine to receive approval by the FDA, behind Pfizer/BioNTech’s vaccine.
Friday, December 18, 2020
US Hits Record Hospitalizations for 12th Consecutive Day
The United States reported a record high number of coronavirus hospitalizations the 12th day in a row on Thursday. More than 114,200 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 yesterday, according to the COVID Tracking Project.
Overall, here are the numbers for US cases of COVID-19:
- US Cases: Over 17.6 million.
- US Deaths: 318,672.
US States with Most Confirmed Cases:
- California: 1,759,876 confirmed cases; 22,146 deaths.
- Texas: 1,556,006 confirmed cases; 25,401 deaths.
- Florida: 1,168,483 confirmed cases; 20,306 deaths.
- Illinois: 879,428 confirmed cases; 15,985 deaths.
- New York: 855,526 confirmed cases; 36,101 deaths.
FDA Looking to Green Light Moderna Vaccine
US officials are “rapidly” working to issuing an emergency use authorization for Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. A panel voted on Thursday voted to recommend the vaccine for public use.
Thursday, December 17, 2020
US Hits a New Record in Deaths & Hospitalizations
On Wednesday, the US recorded 3,600 deaths from COVID-19, a record since the pandemic started in March 2020, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Moreover, the data revealed more than 230,000 new coronavirus infections and 113,090 new hospitalizations. — a number that’s been on the rise since Dec. 6.
US States with Most Confirmed Cases:
- California: 1,653,207 confirmed cases; 21,477 deaths.
- Texas: 1,520,038 confirmed cases; 24,890 deaths.
- Florida: 1,143,794 confirmed cases; 20,093 deaths.
- Illinois: 863,477 confirmed cases; 15,587 deaths.
- New York: 834,212 confirmed cases; 35,833 deaths.
Thursday, December 17, 2020
US Hits a New Record in Deaths & Hospitalizations
On Wednesday, the US recorded 3,600 deaths from COVID-19, a record since the pandemic started in March 2020, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Moreover, the data revealed more than 230,000 new coronavirus infections and 113,090 new hospitalizations. — a number that’s been on the rise since Dec. 6.
Overall, here are the numbers for US cases of COVID-19:
- US Cases: Over 17.4 million.
- US Deaths: 314,848.
US States with Most Confirmed Cases:
- California: 1,653,207 confirmed cases; 21,477 deaths.
- Texas: 1,520,038 confirmed cases; 24,890 deaths.
- Florida: 1,143,794 confirmed cases; 20,093 deaths.
- Illinois: 863,477 confirmed cases; 15,587 deaths.
- New York: 834,212 confirmed cases; 35,833 deaths.
Fauci Says Moderna’s Vaccine Could Receive EUA Today
Advisers to the US FDA are meeting today to discuss Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. The FDA is expected to grant emergency use authorization to this Moderna’s candidate, which boasts similar efficacy to Pfizer’s vaccine.
Wednesday, December 16, 2020
Most Americans Will Likely Get Vaccine, Survey Finds
A survey found that 71% of Americans say that they will “definitely or probably” get a COVID-19 vaccine. The survey was published on Tuesday from the Kaiser Family Foundation. The number is up from 63% in September, however, African Americans, people living in rural areas, and Republicans are more hesitant about the vaccine, the survey showed.
Stimulus Package Deal Getting Closer
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer now says “the finish line is in sight” with respect to a COVID-19 relief package. “And as we race the clock to reach a final accord before the end of the year, we are close to an agreement. It’s not a done deal yet, but we are very close,” Schumer said in his floor remarks Wednesday morning.
That sentiment seems to be shared by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who said that Hill leaders have “made major headway toward hammering out a targeted pandemic relief package that would be able to pass both chambers with bipartisan majorities,” and have “committed to continuing these urgent discussions until we have an agreement.”
Tuesday, December 15, 2020
FDA Panel Confirms Efficacy of Moderna Vaccine
An advisory committee from the US FDA released a document detailing data on Moderna’ COVID-19 vaccine, which may be approved for emergency use authorization (EUA) this week in the US among adults aged 18 and older. The document confirms that the vaccine is 94.5% effective against COVID-19, occurring at least 14 days following the second dose – backing the efficacy percentage previously reported by Moderna. The proposed dosing regimen is to administer two 100-microgram doses of vaccine one month apart.
Fauci on the Vaccine’s Safety
Dr. Anthony Fauci appeared on ABC this morning, and was asked how people can be sure the COVID-19 vaccine is safety, given the speed at which it was developed. Fauci said, “The speed was not at all at the sacrifice of safety. The speed was the reflection of extraordinary advances in the science of vaccine platform technology.”
Stocks Rise Due to Vaccine and Stimulus Optimism
US stocks opened significantly higher Tuesday, as hopes grow on the COVID-19 vaccine and the potential for another federal stimulus package. The markets opened today as follows:
- The Dow gained 0.6%, or nearly 170 points.
- The S&P 500 was up 0.7%.
- The Nasdaq Composite also rose 0.7%.
Monday, December 14, 2020
US Starts Vaccinating
A historic moment in the seemingly never-ending pandemic, the United States has finally starting vaccinating citizens against the COVID-19 vaccine. An ICU nurse in New York City was among the first people in the country to get a shot. “I’m feeling well. I would like to thank all the frontline workers and all my colleagues … doing their job during this pandemic all over the world,” said Sandra Lindsay, an ICU nurse at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Queens. “I feel hopeful today, relieved. I hope this marks the beginning of the end of a very painful time.”
After achieving the approval of the US FDA, the CDC has authorized the vaccine to be given to people 16 and older. “We expect 145 sites across all the states to receive vaccine on Monday, another 425 sites on Tuesday, and the final 66 sites on Wednesday, which will complete the initial delivery of the Pfizer orders for vaccine,” said Gustave Perna, chief operating officer of Operation Warp Speed.
Friday, December 11, 2020
FDA Pannel Green Lights Pfizer/BioNTech Vaccine
Vaccine Advisers from the US FDA voted on Thursday to recommend that the agency approves the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine. Overall, 17 members of the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee voted yes, four voted no and one abstained. The FDA is expected to issue Emergency Use Authorization as early as tomorrow (Saturday).
Fauci Reiterates that “Normality” Won’t Come Until At Least Summer 2021
As as a COVID-19 vaccine is dispensed to the public, it will still take months before the nation returns to normal, says Dr. Anthony Fauci.”If we have a smooth vaccination program where everybody steps to the plate quickly, we could get back to some form of normality, reasonably quickly. Into the summer, and certainly into the fall,” Dr. Anthony Fauci told Fintech Zoom Thursday.
“My hope and my projection is that if we get people vaccinated en masse so that we get that large percentage of the population, as we get into the fall, we can get real comfort about people being in schools, safe in school — be that K-12, or college,” he added.
Thursday, December 10, 2020
Committee Meets Today to Consider Emergency Authorization for COVID-19 Vaccine
A group of advisers are discussing emergency use authorization (EUA) of Pfizer/BioNTech’s COVID-19 candidate, and widely expected to grant such authorization. “Our team has done their initial analysis, and we do feel that preliminarily that the success criteria have been met,” FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn told Fintech Zoom Tuesday.
Wednesday, December 9, 2020
White House Aims to Deploy Vaccine Within 96 Hours of Authorization
The US and Food and Drug Administration will meet on Thursday to discuss whether to grant emergency use authorization (EUA) for the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. A decision could come within days of that meeting, and shortly thereafter, the plan is to start vaccinating Americans. After any EUA is made, “we will start to have shots in arms within 96 hours” of that decision, Gen. Gustave Perna, chief operating officer of the federal government’s Operation Warp Speed vaccine initiative, said Tuesday. “That’s what I believe with all my heart.”
Senior Leaders to Receive Vaccine First, Says Pentagon
The Pentagon confirmed that a small number of senior officials will be among the first to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. “We do intend as part of this initial phase of healthcare workers, emergency responders, etcetera, have some very small set of very visible leaders that will volunteer to take the vaccine, do it in a public way as one way of helping to message the safety and efficacy and underscore that we are encouraging all those eligible personnel to take the vaccine,” Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, Thomas McCaffery, announced Wednesday.
Delta Places Nearly 700 People on No-Fly List Over Mask Wearing
Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian says that almost 700 people have been placed on a no-fly list by the company for refusing to comply with the airline’s mask wearing policy.
Tuesday, December 8, 2020
President Trump to Sign EO Prioritizing Vaccine Shipment to Americans
President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order on Tuesday which will prioritize the shipment of a COVID-19 vaccine to Americans before other nations, according to senior officials and reported by Fintech Zoom. The signing is expected to take place during a vaccine summit at the White House, and is intended to quell any fears that there won’t be enough vaccine to go around to each American after dispensing begins.
Peer-Reviewed Data Confirms AstraZeneca Vaccine is 70% Effective
AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate was confirmed to be 70.4% effective in an interim analysis, published in a peer-viewed journal. “Overall vaccine efficacy across both groups was 70.4%,” the researchers – from the University of Oxford, AstraZeneca and other institutions around the world – wrote in the study. “Here, we present the first interim safety and efficacy data for a viral vector coronavirus vaccine, ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, evaluated in four trials across three continents, showing significant vaccine efficacy of 70.4% after two doses and protection of 64.1% after at least one standard dose, against symptomatic disease, with no safety concerns,” the researchers wrote.
Pfizer Says People Need to Take 2 Doses for 95% Efficacy
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said that while patients have some level of protection from COVID-19 after 12 days of taking the first dose, a second dose is necessary to achieve 95% efficacy. “This is a two-dose vaccine, so people need to take two doses to be able to feel confident that they’re protected at 95% — 95% chance of being protected,” Bourla said during an International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations briefing on Tuesday. “At the dose one, it’s around 50%, something like that.”
Trump Administration Official Explains Why US Passed Up on Buying More Pfizer Vaccine
An official with the White’s “Operation Warp Speed” explained why the team passed up a chance to purchase more than the current total of 100 million doses of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine. According to the official, the decision was made as part of a plan to “diversify” the nation’s vaccine arsenal through the purchase of millions of doses from Pfizer’s rivals. At the time, officials at “Operation Warp Speed” had no idea the Pfizer vaccine was going to be this effective. “The plan was to diversify and don’t put all your eggs in one basket.”
Monday, December 7, 2020
US Nears 200,000 Cases Per Day Average
The US infection rate is dire and a vaccine can’t come soon enough. The US is now averaging 200,000 new cases of COVID-19 each day. Health experts say that “behavior and cold weather” are the culprits for the surge. “People are going indoors, they’re not minding the three W’s,” Health and Human Services secretary, Alex Azar, told Fox News’ Chris Wallace Sunday. “Our advice is always the same. Wash your hands, watch your distance, wear face coverings.”
Rudy Giuliani Hospitalized with COVID-19
Former New York City mayor and personal attorney of President Donald Trump, Rudy Giuliani, has been hospitalized after testing positive for COVID-19. Giuliani, 76, was admitted to Georgetown University Hospital on Sunday, according to a Fintech Zoom report. Giuliani Tweeted that he is, “Getting great care and feeling good.”
Thank you to all my friends and followers for all the prayers and kind wishes.
I’m getting great care and feeling good.
Recovering quickly and keeping up with everything.
— Rudy W. Giuliani (@RudyGiuliani) December 7, 2020
Gov. Cuomo Orders New York Hospitals to Increase Capacity by 25%
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced as part of NY’s new “Surge and Flex” strategy that hospitals must increase bed capacity by 25%. The state’s positivity rate is currently 4.79%.
Friday, December 4, 2020
- US Cases: Over 14.5 million.
- US Deaths: 283,519.
US States with Most Confirmed Cases:
- Texas: 1,317,457 confirmed cases; 22,279 deaths.
- California: 1,291,214 confirmed cases; 19,588 deaths.
- Florida: 1,029,030 confirmed cases; 18,874 deaths.
- Illinois: 759,562 confirmed cases; 13,625 deaths.
- New York: 713,587 confirmed cases; 34,829 deaths.
Biden Urges Americans to Don Masks for 100 Days
President-elect Joe Biden is urging Americans to wear masks for the next 100 days to reduce the spread of COVID-19. “Just 100 days to mask, not forever. One hundred days. And I think we’ll see a significant reduction,” Biden told Fintech Zoom’s Jake Tapper.
COVID-19 the Leading Cause of Death in the US This Week
COVID-19 is the leading cause of death in the US this week – surpassing heart disease, and cancer. There were an average of 1,660 deaths per day across America this week, according to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation and the University of Washington.
Fauci Apologizes for Suggesting UK Rushed Vaccine
Dr. Anthony Fauci today apologized for suggesting British regulators had not scrutinized the disease closely enough. There really has been a misunderstanding, and for that, I’m sorry and I apologize for that. I do have great faith in both the scientific community and the regulatory community at the UK,” Fauci told the BBC. “I do have confidence. It came out wrong and that was not the way I meant it to be,” he added.
Thursday, December 3, 2020
UK Did Not Scrutinize Pfizer Vaccine Trial as Well as US FDA Did, Says Fauci
British health regulators who authorized the Pfizer vaccine did not scrutinize the trial data as closely as the US FDA is doing in its review, according to Dr. Fauci. “The way the FDA is, our FDA is doing it, is the correct way,” Fauci said in an interview on Fox News.
“We really scrutinize the data very carefully to guarantee to the American public that this is a safe and efficacious vaccine,” he said. “I think if we did any less, we would add to the already existing hesitancy on the part of many people to take the vaccine because they’re concerned about safety or they’re concerned that we went too quickly.”
Moderna Expects 100-125 Million Doses of Vaccine Globally in Early 2021
Moderna said on Thursday it expects between 100 million and 125 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine available by the first quarter of 2021. “Today, Moderna re-affirmed its expectation of having approximately 20 million doses available in the U.S. by the end of 2020,” the company said in a statement. “Additionally, the Company expects to have between 100 million and 125 million doses available globally in the first quarter of 2021, with 85-100 million of those available in the U.S. and 15-25 million of those available outside of the U.S. These expected first quarter doses are inclusive within the 500 million to up to 1 billion doses that the Company expects to manufacture globally in 2021.”
Wednesday, December 2, 2020
First Shipments of Pfizer Vaccine to be Delivered on Dec. 15
The first shipments of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine will be delivered on December 15, according to Operation Warp Speed and reported by Fintech Zoom. The date is still contingent upon a decision by the US Food and Drug Administration to authorize each vaccine for emergency use. Pfizer submitted an application to the FDA on November 20, and Moderna submitted its application 10 days later, on November 30.
CDC Advisory Panel Votes on Who Gets Vaccine First
A panel of advisers to the US CDC voted 13-1 to recommend that both health care personnel and residents of long-term care facilities to be first in line for any COVID-19 that receives emergency use authorization from the FDA.
CDC Director Suggests Mandating COVID-19 Vaccine for Certain Industries
Certain occupations and populations may benefit from a coronavirus vaccine mandate, according to CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield. “It will be a decision, I think, each industry will make,” Redfield said. “I do think there are certain industries where I think it would be important to protect their workforce, and some other industries where it may be important to make sure that they protect their costumers and consumers.”
US Surpasses 100,000 Hospitalizations
The US surpassed 100,000 COVID-19 hospitalizations on Wednesday, according to a report from the COVID Tracking Project (CTP).
Almost 50 N(BA) Players Test Positive
According to the N(BA) and National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), of the 546 players tested for COVID-19 during this initial return-to-market testing phase, 48 have tested positive. The league reported that anyone who has returned a confirmed positive test during this initial phase of testing in their team’s market will be isolated until they are cleared for leaving isolation.
Tuesday, December 1, 2020
CDC Shortens Virus Quarantine Time
The CDC will issue new guidelines that recommend people who come in contact with a person infected with COVID-19 should quarantine for 10 days after exposure – down from the previous 14 days that government currently recommends.
All Americans Who Want to Be Vaccinated Can Be By June
An official with the White House’s Operation Warp Speed said today that any American who wants a COVID-19 vaccine will have one available to them by June. “A hundred percent of Americans that want the vaccine will have had the vaccine by that point in time,” said Lt. Gen. Paul Ostrowski, director of supply, production and distribution for Operation Warp Speed.
US Nursing Home Cases Surging
Nursing homes in the US have reported their highest daily cases of COVID-19 since the spring, according to a report from the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL). “Our worst fears have come true as COVID runs rampant among the general population, and long term care facilities are powerless to fully prevent it from entering due to its asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic spread,” said Mark Parkinson, president and CEO of AHCA/NCAL, in a statement.
COVID-19: October/November Round-up
COVID-19: August/September Round-up
The COVID-19 Pandemic: June/July Round-up
The COVID-19 Pandemic: May Round-up
The COVID-19 Pandemic: April Round-up
