COVID vaccine updates: More contagious variants are spreading quickly in the United States, study finds

NEW YORK (WABC) – As more and more cases of highly contagious variants first discovered in the UK and South Africa are uncovered in the US, the race is on to track, identify and test the Disturbing mutations to see how well the vaccines are deployed can protect against them.

It’s a race against time, but most countries don’t or don’t have enough capacity to monitor these new, rapidly emerging variants. Although surveillance is now intensifying in the United States, we still rely on information from British scientists.

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Here are other headlines from today:

Over 2.1 million doses of vaccine administered
Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that the state has administered more than 2,136,209 doses of the vaccine as part of the state’s immunization program. The total federal allocation for week 8 of vaccine delivery to providers will be completed today. At 11 a.m. on Sunday, New York’s healthcare distribution sites had received 1,874,975 first doses and already administered 87% 1,627,191 first-dose vaccinations and 76% of first and second doses. Delivery of the Week 9 allowance by the federal government begins mid-week.

Health officials fear large Super Bowl gatherings
The coronavirus pandemic is on a collision course with one of the biggest sporting events of the year: Super Bowl Sunday.

Health officials fear the large gatherings could spark another wave. Warnings came from across the country ahead of Sunday’s big game, with local and state leaders reminding Americans that despite encouraging signs of declining new cases and hospitalizations, this is not the case. moment to drop their guards.

Calls are growing for the United States to rely on rapid tests to fight the pandemic
With President Joe Biden vowing to bring young students back to class in the spring, some experts want the United States to refocus its COVID-19 testing system less on medical accuracy and more on mass screening which they believe could save hundreds of thousands of lives.

As vaccinations slowly increase, they say turning to millions of tests that are faster, cheaper, and faster, but technically less accurate than the predominant genetic tests, may improve the chances of identifying sick people for more than 20 years. the first days of infection, when they are most contagious.

The case for large-scale rapid testing is being driven by universities and school systems that have used the approach to stay open in the face of the latest waves of the pandemic.

AstraZeneca vaccine being modified to fight South African variant
The developers of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine expect to have a vaccine modified to deal with the South African coronavirus variant by the fall, the vaccine’s lead researcher said on Sunday.

Health officials in Britain are trying to contain the spread of the variant first identified in South Africa, fearing it is no longer contagious or resistant to existing vaccines. More than 100 cases of the South African variant have been found in the UK

Sarah Gilbert, principal researcher for the Oxford team, told the BBC on Sunday that “we have a version with the South African peak streak in the works”.

Pregnant mother survives COVID, gives birth in Staten Island hospital
A young woman was in a Staten Island intensive care unit fighting for her life last fall, but is now back after giving birth to a baby.

Unwilling to wait, poorest countries seek their own vaccines
Some poorer countries are sick and tired of waiting for a UN program to get vaccinated, so they’re going it alone.

Countries like Honduras, Serbia and Mexico have entered into their own private agreements. Experts are increasingly concerned that these stand-alone efforts could undermine a United Nations-backed program to get COVID-19 injections to those most in need around the world.

Police presence intensifies in France amid pandemic
French police are stepping up their patrols to punish people caught violating the coronavirus curfew. Officers patrolled the streets of Paris on Friday evening, making surprise visits to businesses that remained open after the 6 p.m. curfew and disrupting all gatherings. Businesses that violate the curfew face a two-week shutdown for a first offense and up to one month for repeat offenses. Police officials say they no longer tolerate violators because levels of viral infection are too high.

COVID vaccination sites in New York and New Jersey closed due to snow
The COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites in New York and New Jersey suspended operations on Sunday due to the winter storm.

Vaccine appointment advice for the elderly
The competition to simply get an appointment for a vaccine has been called the COVID version of “The Hunger Games” which leaves the most vulnerable group, 65 and over, at a supreme disadvantage. But 7 On Your Side’s Nina Pineda has a few tips for leveling the playing field during a pandemic.

Top 7 COVID vaccine questions answered

You had questions about COVID-19 vaccines and 7 On Your Side is getting answers from doctors on the front lines of the pandemic.

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