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John bacon
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Viral mutations, explained
Here’s how mRNA viruses like COVID-19 mutate and why some viruses are harder to develop from vaccines.
Just the FAQ, USA TODAY
COVID-19 has killed more than 420,000 Americans in one year, and infections have continued to rise despite the introduction of a pair of vaccines at the end of 2020. USA TODAY follows the news. Keep refreshing this page for the latest updates. Subscribe to our Coronavirus Watch newsletter for updates to your inbox, join our facebook group or scroll through our detailed answers to reader questions.
Winning a new lottery in Minnesota could be a lifeline.
Residents of the state can start signing up for a vaccine lottery today after a website crashes on a first-come, first-served basis on overwhelming demand. Less than 5% of the state’s population received a gunshot on Sunday.
Governor Tim Walz unveiled a series of changes in vaccine distribution efforts, including a mass immunization pop-up event for teachers, school staff and educators at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul from Thursday and ending Monday. The state has reserved 15,000 doses for the event.
The push comes amid revelations that a highly contagious variant of the coronavirus initially discovered in Brazil has landed in the United States – in Minnesota. The State Department of Health said the resident had recently visited Brazil and fell ill in the first week of January.
The Brazilian variant appears to be able to escape the natural antibodies developed by the contraction of COVID-19. While this may mean a potential weakening of the effectiveness of current vaccines, current vaccines will still offer some protection. This variant of the virus joins others circulating in the United States – including those first seen in the United Kingdom, South Africa and, more recently, California.
In the headlines:
►President Joe Biden reinstated travel restrictions, which were in place for most of 2020, for non-US citizens who have stayed in Brazil, Ireland, the UK and much of Europe . Then-President Donald Trump rolled back the restrictions days before his term ended. Biden added South Africa to the shortlist, effective January 30, in light of the contagious new variant of the coronavirus first seen there.
►As of last week, Alaska had administered more COVID-19 shots per capita than any state in the country, according to CDC data, Anchorage Daily News reported. Missouri ranked last of the 50 states.
►From Tuesday, travelers arriving in the United States from foreign countries will be required to show proof of a recent coronavirus test with a negative result.
►In California, the state with the most infections, health officials on Monday lifted regional stay-at-home orders, citing a drop in the number of COVID-19-related hospitalizations and patients in care units intensive.
►Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine protects against two variants of the coronavirus that emerged from Britain and South Africa, but not as strongly against the latter, according to a study by the company.
►World Health Organization officials said on Monday that they did not believe Olympic athletes should be given priority access to COVID-19 vaccines, especially if that means getting ahead of healthcare workers and the elderly population in the world.
📈 Today’s numbers: The United States has more than 25.2 million confirmed cases of the coronavirus and more than 420,900 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Global totals: over 99.7 million cases and 2.1 million deaths.
📘 What we read: Your child may not return to a classroom this year. Are teachers’ unions responsible? Learn more here.
Campus officials were hoping the fall lessons would position them better for the spring semester. That was before a winter wave after the holidays pushed America’s COVID-19 death toll to over 400,000. Before more contagious variants of the coronavirus emerged. Before, the vaccine deployment turned out to be slower than expected.
Now, returning student populations may be even more at risk than they were in the fall – not to mention their surrounding communities, where research has suggested larger epidemics in college towns.
Despite these concerns, the colleges are moving forward. The stakes are high; enrollment has plummeted at most colleges this past semester, and the loss of revenue from in-person services like campus housing and catering could be devastating for schools that depend on that money. University towns would also feel the economic pinch.
But when administrators talk about the need to reopen, they’re focusing on what went well in the fall – and the benefits of the full college experience.
– Chris Quintana, USA TODAY
Contribute: The Associated Press
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