The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) reports as of January 11, 2021, there have been 1,654,561 total confirmatory laboratory results received for COVID-19, with 102,282 total cases and 1,594 deaths.
DHHR has confirmed the deaths a 92-year old male from Hancock County, an 84-year old male from Wayne County, an 87-year old female from Fayette County, an 88-year old female from Berkeley County, a 78-year old female from Hancock County, a 75-year old male from Hancock County, an 81-year old male from Hancock County, a 100-year old male from Ohio County, an 85-year old female from Fayette County, an 87-year old male from Lewis County, a 60-year old male from Cabell County, and a 57-year old male from Wood County.
As we share this sad news, we pause to remember each West Virginian, said Bill J. Crouch, DHHR Cabinet Secretary. Each life lost is one too many, and we must do everything we can to stop the pandemic.
CASES PER COUNTY: Barbour (1,083), Berkeley (7,538), Boone (1,215), Braxton (632), Brooke (1,643), Cabell (6,066), Calhoun (174), Clay (286), Doddridge (316), Fayette (2,052), Gilmer (494), Grant (879), Greenbrier (1,877), Hampshire (1,164), Hancock (2,173), Hardy (995), Harrison (3,681), Jackson (1,392), Jefferson (2,795), Kanawha (9,776), Lewis (654), Lincoln (947), Logan (1,965), Marion (2,546), Marshall (2,421), Mason (1,218), McDowell (1,091), Mercer (3,508), Mineral (2,259), Mingo (1,656), Monongalia (6,110), Monroe (756), Morgan (781), Nicholas (834), Ohio (2,884), Pendleton (405), Pleasants (690), Pocahontas (419), Preston (2,024), Putnam (3,335), Raleigh (3,323), Randolph (1,565), Ritchie (462), Roane (361), Summers (574), Taylor (846), Tucker (406), Tyler (441), Upshur (1,180), Wayne (1,972), Webster (195), Wetzel (816), Wirt (268), Wood (5,806), and Wyoming (1,333).
Delays may be experienced with the reporting of information from the local health department to DHHR. As case surveillance continues at the local health department level, it may reveal that those tested in a certain county may not be a resident of that county, or even the state as an individual in question may have crossed the state border to be tested. Such is the case of Barbour County in this report.
Governor Tom Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine today released a weekly status update detailing the states mitigation efforts based on the COVID-19 Early Warning Monitoring System dashboard, highlighting a seven-day case increase of 42,322, a statewide percent positivity of 14.4% and all 67 counties with substantial transmission status.
The update includes the following:
The dashboard is designed to provide early warning signs of factors that affect the states mitigation efforts. The data available on the Early Warning Monitoring dashboard includes week-over-week case differences, incidence rates, test percent-positivity, and rates of hospitalizations, ventilations and emergency room visits tied to COVID-19. This weeks update compares the period of January 1 January 7 to the previous seven days, December 25 December 31.
Although I am grateful to see our statewide percent positivity decrease for yet another week in a row, we still have more work to do to keep our friends and loved ones safe from further spread across our communities, Gov. Wolf said. As Pennsylvanians travel within their communities, I want to take the opportunity to remind them to stay safe by wearing a mask, social distancing and avoiding gatherings of people. If you travel somewhere where they are not doing so, I encourage you to make the right choice to leave.
As of Thursday, January 7, the state has seen a seven-day case increase of 42,322 cases; the previous seven-day increase was 41,228 cases, indicating 1,034 more new cases across the state over the past week compared to the previous week.
The statewide percent-positivity went down to 14.4% from 15.0% last week. Every county in the state has a concerning percent positivity above five percent. This includes 14 counties with percent positivity at or above 20 percent, a decrease of seven counties from the week before.
We continue to report widespread community transmission as COVID-19 remains a threat in our communities, Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. We need to stay calm, stay alert, and stay safe by wearing a mask, avoiding gatherings, practicing social distancing, answering the call when public health professionals call, and downloading the COVID Alert PA app.
As of Fridays data, all 67 counties were in the substantial level of community transmission, the highest level of transmission.
For the week ending January 7, 67 counties were in the substantial level of transmission.
The Department of Health is providing weekly data on the number of statewide cases of COVID-19 among 5 to 18-year-olds.
Throughout the pandemic, there have been 58,045 total cases of COVID-19 among 5 to 18-year-olds. Of that total, 5,128 occurred between January 1 January 7. For the week of December 25 December 31, there were 3,929 cases of COVID-19 among 5 to 18-year-olds.
Cases by demographic group is available on the DOH website.
The Department of Health is providing weekly data on the number of individuals who responded to case investigators that they spent time at business establishments (restaurants, bars, gym/fitness centers, salon/barbershops) and at mass gatherings 14 days prior to the onset of COVID-19 symptoms.
It is important to note that due to the recent number of cases, the department is prioritizing case investigations to prevent outbreak. In addition to the need for people to answer the call, the significant number of cases helps contribute to the low percentages in case investigation data. All of this reinforces the need for Pennsylvanians to take steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Of the 51,260 cases reported between December 7 January 2, 4.5 percent (2,309) provided an answer to the question as to whether they spent time at a business establishment.
Of those who did provide an answer, 0.3 percent, or 134, answered yes, they visited a business establishment 14 days prior to onset of symptoms:
Of the 53,947 confirmed cases, 4.4 percent (2,388) answered the question as to whether they attended a mass gathering or other large event. Of the 4.2 percent of cases, 7 percent (101) answered yes to whether they attended a mass gathering or other large event 14 days prior to onset of symptoms.
Compared to data reported on January 4, this weeks data saw an increase for people who reported going to a bar (22 percent vs. 19 percent last week) and going to a salon/barbershop (18 percent vs. 16 percent last week), going to some other business (51 percent to 34 percent last week), going to the gym (9 percent vs. 5 percent last week). The data saw a decrease for people who reported going to a restaurant (17 percent vs. 39 percent last week). The number of those who attended a mass gathering or other large event decreased to 6 percent from 7 percent compared to last week.
The numbers above highlight business settings and mass gatherings as possible sites for transmission. It is important to note at this time Pennsylvania is experiencing widespread community transmission. With less than 10 percent of those asked about what types of businesses they visited or if they attended a mass gathering responding to the question, the department is again reminding Pennsylvanians that it is essential that they answer the phone when case investigators call and to provide full and complete information to these clinical professionals.
In November, the Department of Health provided an updated travel order requiring anyone over the age of 11 who visits from another state to provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 test or place themselves in a travel quarantine for 14 days upon entering Pennsylvania. Travel quarantine guidance was changed to 10 days on Dec. 5 based on new CDC guidance.
This order does not apply to people who commute to and from another state for work or medical treatment, those who left the state for less than 24 hours, or those complying with a court order, including child custody.
It is important that people understand that this Order is in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Pennsylvania. A concerning number of recent cases have been linked to travel, and if people are going to travel, we need them to take steps to protect themselves, their loved ones and their community, and that involves having either a negative test, or placing themselves in a quarantine.
Gov. Wolf continues to prioritize the health and safety of all Pennsylvanians through the COVID-19 pandemic. Pennsylvanians should continue to take actions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, regardless of in what county they live. This includes wearing a mask or face covering anytime they are in public. COVID-19 has been shown to spread easily in the air and contagious carriers can be asymptomatic. Pennsylvanians are encouraged to wash their hands, social distance, avoid gatherings and download COVID Alert PA.
by: The Associated Press and Nexstar Media Wire
Should I get a COVID-19 vaccine if Ive had the virus?
Yes. Regardless of previous infection, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventionsayspeople should plan on getting vaccinated when its their turn.
Its a pretty straightforward question, said Johns Hopkins infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja. Yes, you need to get vaccinated.
After someone recovers, their immune system should keep them from getting sick again right away.
Your immune system is able to identify the virus, and protect itself, said Dr. Saskia Popescu, an infectious disease expert at George Mason University.
Scientists still dont know exactly how long this immunity lasts or how strong it is, though recentresearchsuggests the protection could last for several months.
Its impossible to know how long a person might be immune, said Dr. Prathit Kulkarni, an infectious disease expert at Baylor College of Medicine. Theres no way to calculate that.
Vaccines, by contrast, are designed to bring about a more consistent and optimal immune response. And they should boost whatever preexisting immunity a person might have from an infection, experts say.
Since were in this pandemic, and dont have a handle on it, the safer approach is to vaccinate, Kulkarni said. You dont lose anything and you stand to benefit.
If youve been infected in the last three months, the CDC says its OK to delay vaccination if you want to let others go first while supplies are limited.
All things being equal you would want the person with no protection to go first, Adalja said.
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More than 877,000 Texans have received a COVID-19 vaccine since they first began arriving in Texas nearly four weeks ago, and that number is expected to increase by at least 50,000 more per day, Gov. Greg Abbott said Monday.
Never before in the history of this state has Texas vaccinated so many people so quickly, Abbott said during remarks at the Esports Stadium Arlington & Expo Center, a newly-designated vaccination hub that local health officials said can vaccinate thousands per day. Its stunning to see what we've accomplished.
The Arlington center, home to the citys mass vaccination effort since December, is among 28 sites designed by the state as hubs.
Our goal is, by the end of the week, we have no vaccines left, said Tarrant County Judge B. Glen Whitley. The countys health district was allotted 9,000 doses in the most recent shipment this week.
The hubs are meant to streamline vaccinations at a time when the state is seeing an unprecedented surge in COVID-19 cases, deaths, and hospitalizations. Texas continues to prioritize vaccinating health care workers, people who are 65 and older, and those with medical conditions that increase their risk of hospitalization or death if they contract the virus.
The large sites will receive most of the state's next shipment of 158,825 COVID-19 vaccine doses this week. Just over 38,000 doses will go to 206 additional providers across the state, including several in rural counties that until recently had not received an allotment.
Officials promise bigger allotments in the weeks and months to come, but a patchwork local system of vaccine distribution, among other issues, has created a tumultuous rollout to the long-awaited vaccine.
On Monday, Abbott said Texas expects to see an additional 310,000 first doses per week for the rest of January and up to 500,000 second doses earmarked for those who have already received the injection in Texas. Continued increases are expected, Abbott said, depending on the federal government allotments.
"This structure [of hubs] that we now have created can be expanded and will be expanded very swiftly across the state," Abbott said. "The only limitation that we now face is the limitation of supply. Supply the vaccination is not something that the state of Texas is in control of. The supply of the vaccination comes only from the federal government, and for them it comes largely from the manufacturing capabilities" of the companies making the vaccine.
Two vaccines, by Pfizer BioNTech and Moderna, have been approved for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and are being distributed nationally. A third company, Johnson & Johnson, could seek emergency approval of its vaccine from the FDA as early as February.
The number of doses that have been administered so far includes those given at hospitals and clinics and other providers, as well as those given through a federal program to inoculate residents of long-term care facilities and nursing homes, Abbott said.
The data on the number of doses administered has a reporting lag of at least two days, Abbott said, but added that Texans will start to see a significant uptick in those numbers as this weeks vaccinations are reported.
You are going to see those numbers increase, as it turns out, somewhere between 50,000 and 75,000 per day, Abbott said.
Texas Health Commissioner John Hellerstedt said the rate and scale of the states rollout has been a really amazing operation and said the creation of the hubs would ratchet up the rate of administration.
Through the kind of vaccination operation we see here, were very confident its going to accelerate here even more, Hellerstedt said. It is really the way forward.
Abbott and other health officials at the Arlington site on Monday urged Texas residents and providers to be patient while the state supply catches up with the demand among those eligible for the shot.
We will be getting more vaccine, and we will be discovering better ways to administer the vaccine in a timely way to everyone who is willing to get it, but we just dont have that supply yet, Hellerstedt said. I cant say that more emphatically. If we had more, thered be more going out.
Abbott on Monday said he and other governors were pushing Walgreens and CVS to speed up their programs to more swiftly get vaccines to nursing home and long-term care residents. That process, he said, is moving at a far slower pace than what the state of Texas is moving at.
Abbott said 487,500 doses have been allocated for long term care centers through CVS and Walgreens, but that only 75,312 of those doses have been administered, or about 15%.
"Which means the rest either havent been given out or havent been reported yet," Abbott said. There is no reason for that process to be moving as slowly as it is.
Officials from Walgreens and CVS could not be immediately reached for comment Monday.
Just over 2 million doses have been allocated to the state since mid-December, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
Texas has administered the first dose of the two-dose regimen to more people than any other state in the nation, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but demand among the more than 8 million people who currently qualify still far outweigh the states vaccine supply.
More vaccination hubs will be announced as weekly shipments get bigger, health officials say. In announcing the plan last week, DSHS said the hubs will be required to set up registration phone numbers and websites and to focus on the most vulnerable communities in their regions. Contact information for the hubs can be found here.
The effort comes as production ramps up on various COVID-19 vaccine candidates in anticipation of federal approval, including two being produced in Texas.
On Monday, Texas A&M University officials announced that a biotech production facility in College Station has begun manufacturing two different COVID-19 vaccine candidates that are moving toward federal approval for emergency use as part of the federal governments Operation Warp Speed.
As part of a $265 million contract with the federal government, the Texas A&M University System Center for Innovation in Advanced Development and Manufacturing which is owned and operated by FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies was tapped last summer to mass-manufacture a vaccine being developed by Maryland-based Novavax.
The Novavax candidate began phase three testing in the U.S. and Mexico in December.
The College Station facility expanded and has added about 260 positions since April.
Our team has worked around the clock since July and were starting to see light at the end of the tunnel, said Dr. Gerry Farrell, chief operating officer at FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies. There is great pride and satisfaction on our team for being part of the solution to the pandemic.
Disclosure: Texas A&M University and the Texas A&M University System have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.
The federal government promises the COVID-19 vaccine will be free for most people. So, the NBC 5 Responds team dug deeper to find out who, if anyone, should expect to pay to get the vaccine.
The question comes after the federal government promised COVID-19 testing would be free, yet some North Texans still reported upfront fees and surprise bills last year.
This time, healthcare advocates say people should receive the COVID-19 vaccine without any out-of-pocket costs.
The latest news from around North Texas.
Congress and the administration took to heart the rules that they tried to pass to make COVID testing free. And they were a little more careful and a little more airtight when it comes to the vaccines, said Karen Pollitz a senior fellow on health reform and private insurance with the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Pollitz explains taxpayers are already purchasing doses to cover the costs in the immediate future during the public health emergency.
The first several hundred million doses of vaccine have already been paid for by the federal government. No one is supposed to be billing you for the vaccine if the federal government already paid for it, said Pollitz.
Providers could charge an administration fee to cover the cost of storing the vaccine and the cost of a healthcare professional to administer the shots. However, surprise billing or balance billing isnt allowed. Patients should not have to worry about going to an in-network provider.
Pollitz said people shouldnt expect any cost-sharing measures that means they dont have to meet their deductible or fork over a co-pay for the vaccine.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicare Services also says the vaccine will be free. Additionally, the government set aside money to cover the uninsured.
Bottom line: if you get a bill, ask questions before you pay a provider.
They might ask you for your insurance card so they can bill your insurance, but they shouldn't send you a separate bill for any additional amount, said Pollitz.
Although the vaccine isnt widely available to everyone yet, healthcare advocates explain its important to understand your rights so you wont delay when a vaccine is available to you.
If you're not sure, you might hesitate and if they run out of vaccine, it's even harder to sort of get back in line, said Eagan Kemp, healthcare policy advocate with Public Citizen.
Kemp said you can check with your employer (if you get insurance through work) and your health coverage provider. If you are part of a health share ministry or get short-term health plan benefits, check with your administrators ahead of time.
Kemp explains theres room for error especially if a provider isnt clear on the rules.
It doesn't hurt to find out as much as you can, said Kemp. Once, whatever tier you're actually in, you're ready, you have the information.
NBC 5 Responds is committed to researching your concerns and recovering your money. Our goal is to get you answers and, if possible, solutions and resolution. Call us at 844-5RESPND (844-573-7763) orfill out our Customer Complaint form.
*Map locations are approximate, central locations for the city and are not meant to indicate where actual infected people live.
**County totals below include all 32 North Texas counties, not just Collin, Dallas, Denton and Tarrant.
Appointments can be scheduled through DHEC portal starting Wednesday, Jan. 13, regardless of health status or preexisting conditions
COLUMBIA, S.C. With the number of confirmed positive cases of coronavirus in the state, in an effort to try and stop the spread of COVID-19 in the state's aging population, Governor Henry McMaster and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) announced thatbeginning Wednesday, Jan. 13, any South Carolina resident aged 70 or older, regardless of health status or preexisting conditions,can begin scheduling their appointment to receive COVID-19 vaccine.
Because weve seen a dramatic acceleration in vaccine usage and appointments in the last week, we have decided to speed things up again, said Gov. Henry McMaster. We know that those 70 and older are at the greatest risk of dying from COVID-19. Making sure they have expedited access to the vaccine will help save lives.
Based on COVID-19 vaccine data doses received, administered, and appointments scheduled South Carolina officials are confident the majority of people in Phase 1a who want to be vaccinated have either received their shots or have scheduled appointments to do so. Phase 1a includes frontline workers in hospitals and emergency services, hospitalized patients aged 65 and older who have not tested positive for COVID-19, and long term care facility patients and staff.
There are currently 146,500 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in the state, with 82,266 total doses already administered (a 56 percent utilization rate) plus 94,926 appointments scheduled by Phase 1a individuals to receive their vaccine over the next several weeks.
Additional steps to expedite access to additional South Carolinians will be made based on the use of the vaccine, the number of appointments made, and information on vaccine supply.
While COVID-19 vaccine is currently limited in South Carolina, like it is in all states, our providers continue to receive ongoing weekly shipments of vaccine from the federal government, said Dr. Brannon Traxler, DHEC Interim Director of Public Health. When evaluating supply versus demand and as the rate of vaccines coming into the state increases compared to the rate of appointments being scheduled, we believe it is appropriate to begin scheduling appointments for additional South Carolinians. Based on current data, the mortality rate from COVID-19 for those 70 and older in South Carolina is approximately 655 deaths per 100,000 individuals. For those under the age of 70, there are approximately 37 COVID-19 deaths per 100,000 individuals. This is a staggering comparison and illustrates why vaccinating this population next is critically important in our mission to save lives.
More than 67 percent of COVID-19 deaths in South Carolina have been among those 70 and older.
Its estimated there are roughly 627,800 South Carolinians aged 70 or older in South Carolina, with many already receiving their vaccine through other Phase 1a eligibility.
As the worldwide pandemic and vaccine distribution continue to be quickly evolving situations, South Carolinians are reminded to stay updated by following trusted, verified sources for the latest information. DHEC continues to hold at least twice-weekly updates to our states media outlets as part of ongoing efforts to provide the most current information available. For the latest COVID-19 vaccine information, visit scdhec.gov/vaxfacts.
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LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - He spent nearly four decades front and center with the public working for WAVE 3 News. Now, former sports anchor Bob Domine, whos also a Vietnam veteran and a stroke survivor, is getting back out there and rolling up his sleeve with a goal to set an example by getting the COVID-19 vaccine.
Moderna's coronavirus vaccine will provide immunity from the disease for at least one year, the biotech company said Monday per Reuters.
Why it matters: Moderna's vaccine is one of two now authorized for emergency use in the U.S., as coronavirus cases surge past 22.5 million nationally and 90.8 million globally.
The big picture: Moderna expects to deliver around 600 million to 1 billion doses in 2021.
Yes, but: The World Health Organization cautioned on Monday that herd immunity is unlikely this year despite the vaccine rollout in countries around the world.
Experts recommend everyone get a vaccine to boost whatever immunity they might already have from a previous infection.
WASHINGTON Should I get a COVID-19 vaccine if Ive had the virus?
Yes. Regardless of the previous infection, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventionsays people should plan on getting vaccinated when it's their turn.
Its a pretty straightforward question, said Johns Hopkins infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja. Yes, you need to get vaccinated.
After someone recovers, their immune system should keep them from getting sick again right away.
Your immune system is able to identify the virus, and protect itself, said Dr. Saskia Popescu, an infectious disease expert at George Mason University.
Scientists still dont know exactly how long this immunity lasts or how strong it is, though recent research suggests the protection could last for several months.
Its impossible to know how long a person might be immune, said Dr. Prathit Kulkarni, an infectious disease expert at Baylor College of Medicine. Theres no way to calculate that.
Vaccines, by contrast, are designed to bring about a more consistent and optimal immune response. And they should boost whatever preexisting immunity a person might have from an infection, experts say.
Since were in this pandemic, and dont have a handle on it, the safer approach is to vaccinate, Kulkarni said. You dont lose anything and you stand to benefit.
If youve been infected in the last three months, the CDC says it's OK to delay vaccination if you want to let others go first while supplies are limited.
All things being equal you would want the person with no protection to go first, Adalja said.
For most people, the new coronaviruscauses mild or moderate symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.
