While new cases and deaths saw drop-offs due to the holidays, they have since rebounded as backlogged data gets reported. Hospitalizations, a more reliable metric, continue to increase across the country. There are more than 131,000 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, an increase of ten percent from the same period 14 days ago. ICU's in several hospital systems are overwhelmed, most notably in Southern California. Los Angeles County has told EMTs not to bring people who have little chance of survival into hospitals and to conserve oxygen out in the field.
- The U.S. has now recorded nearly 360,000 deaths. Daily deaths remain high, with the seven-day rolling average hovering around 2,700. This is expected to increase as hospitals run out of beds and oxygen becomes scarce.
- As of this week, over 15,000,000 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines have been provided to the U.S., while over 4,800,000 doses have been administered in the U.S. Moderna expects to produce up to a billion doses in 2021. Both companies are expected to reach large-scale production in the spring of this year.
- The European Union has authorized vaccines from both Moderna and Pfizer.
Latest global updates:
- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced new nationwide restrictive measures in England that are in effect as of 04 January until at least mid-February. All non-essential shops and schools are closed, households are prohibited from mixing, and it is only permitted to leave home for reasons such as work or medical appointments. The country’s COVID-19 Alert Level has been raised to Level 5, the highest level, meaning that the National Health Service is at real risk of being overwhelmed.
- Over 40 countries in Europe, Asia, South America, the Caribbean and the Middle East have restricted travel from the UK after it announced a nationwide lockdown amid the spread of a highly-contagious strain of COVID-19.
- Vaccination efforts continue in the UK and government officials will reportedly fast track COVID-19 vaccine shipments amid ongoing delays at British ports.
- Israel is currently the global leader for vaccinations, having inoculated at least 15 percent of its population since 19 December. At current pace, the entire population will be vaccinated in two months.
- China recently approved a vaccine by state-owned Sinopharm for general use.
- India recently approved the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine.
- The United Kingdom recently authorized the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine.
For the latest Global case counts, click here.
RESOURCES
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Protecting Your Workplace and Employees: COVID-19 and Duty of Care Solutions
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