Nearly half of new coronavirus infections nationwide are in just five states — a situation that is putting pressure on the federal government to consider changing how it distributes vaccines by sending more doses to hot spots.
New York, Michigan, Florida, Pennsylvania and New Jersey together reported 44% of the nation’s new COVID-19 infections, or nearly 197,500 new cases, in the latest available seven-day period, according to state health agency data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. Total U.S. infections during the same week numbered more than 452,000.
The heavy concentration of new cases in states that account for 22% of the U.S. population has prompted some experts and elected officials to call for President Joe Biden’s administration to ship additional vaccine doses to those places. So far, the White House has shown no signs of shifting from its policy of dividing vaccine doses among states based on population.
Also in the news:
►California plans to drop its tier system and open up the state June 15 if vaccine supply remains steady and coronavirus metrics continue to decline. Everyday activities will be allowed and businesses will open with "common-sense risk-reduction measures," state Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said.
►Not a single oceangoing cruise ship has departed with passengers from a U.S. port in the past year. But that's changing. Norwegian Cruise Line announced Tuesday that it's planning its official return to service for late July with sailings in Europe and The Caribbean — but passengers and crew will be required to be "100% vaccinated" two weeks before boarding.
►President Joe Biden announced that he was moving up his call for all U.S. adults to become eligible to receive a coronavirus vaccine to April 19, almost two weeks sooner than his initial goal of May 1.
? Today's numbers: The U.S. has more than 30.8 million confirmed coronavirus cases and 556,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. The global totals: More than 132 million cases and 2.8 million deaths. At least 219 million vaccine doses have been distributed in the U.S. and 168 million have been administered, according to the CDC.
? What we're reading: Why do children fare better than adults against COVID-19? Their innate immune response may stop the virus earlier, according to a new study. Read the full story.
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About 80% of teachers, child care workers vaccinated
About 80% of teachers, school staff and childcare workers have gotten at least their first COVID-19 vaccine shot, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The percentage came from a CDC survey completed by 13,000 education staff and 40,000 childcare workers across the country.
The CDC said it had tracked more than 7 million doses that had been administered to the group, which were prioritized in early March in hopes of reopening schools across the U.S.
"Our push to ensure that teachers, school staff, and childcare workers were vaccinated during March has paid off and paved the way for safer in-person learning," said CDC Director Rochelle Walensky. "CDC will build on the success of this program and work with our partners to continue expanding our vaccination efforts, as we work to ensure confidence in COVID-19 vaccines."
Brazil, Argentina break records for deaths, infections
Both Brazil and Argentina broke their own bleak records with COVID-19 infections and deaths as the rest of the globe continues its race to vaccinate as more variants spread.
Brazil — where the more infectious P.1 variant was discovered — saw its deadliest day on record on Tuesday with 4,195 deaths due to the disease within a 24-hour span. More than 330,000 people have died in the country due to COVID-19.
Argentina also broke its record for infections, recording 20,870 new COVID-19 cases in one day. The total number of confirmed cases in the country are more than 2.4 million.
Contributing: The Associated Press
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