COVID Mitigation
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses are trying to adjust as quickly and effectively as they can. Here are some applications, tips, and suggestions for ways your business can utilize hook and loop to provide a safe and productive environment in a variety of industries.
Social Distancing Solutions
Social distance guidelines recommend maintaining at least 6 feet of space whenever possible. This means that seating plans need to be adjusted. Floor plans needs to be altered. Traffic flow needs to be controlled. Hook and loop products are available to help which each of these social distancing tips and we offer products that can match your color scheme and be branded with your logo.
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Signage
There are also adhesive backed hook and loop products for hanging signage and sew on hook fasteners are ideal for marking carpet.
Adhesive Backed Hook and Loop Sew On Hook and Loop
Social Distancing Recommendations By Industry
Tips, suggestions and recommendations for social distancing solutions tailored to your specific industry.
Restaurant Social Distancing School Social Distancing Sports Venue Social Distancing Church Social Distancing
PPE Hook and Loop Solutions
Personal Protective Equipment, or PPE, has been in high demand since this pandemic began. Many manufacturers have transitioned from making their own products to manufacturing face shield and face masks. Our hook and loop can help. We've provided sew on fasteners for face shield manufacturers and we've made back straps and two way face straps for other face shield and face mask manufacturers as a component of their assembly. If you need hook and loop products for your PPE solutions, we can help.
Face Shields and Masks
COVID Tracker
We'll keep you up to date on the latest news regarding the COVID-19 pandemic from Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security
January 13th, 2022
The US CDC is currently reporting 62.5 million cumulative cases of COVID-19 and 840,286 deaths. The US is averaging 761,535 new cases and 1,656 deaths per day.* Notably, the US reported 1.35 million new COVID-19 cases on January 10. This exceeds the previous single-day record, set on January 3, by 397,521 cases.
*Changes in state-level reporting may affect the accuracy of recently reported data, particularly over weekends. In an effort to reflect the longer-term trends, the numbers reported here may not correspond to the most recent dates.
COVID-19 hospitalizations in the US set a record high this week, passing the previous record of 16,497 new hospitalizations per day (January 8, 2021). The 7-day average as of January 10 is 20,269. The CDC is also reporting a surge in the number of current hospitalizations, up from an average of 91,030 hospitalized COVID-19 patients on January 3 to 124,163 on January 10, an increase of 36.4% over that period.
December 16th, 2021
On December 13, the US surpassed 50 million cumulative COVID-19 cases:
- 1 case to 10 million: 289 days
- 10 to 20 million: 54 days
- 20 to 30 million: 85 days
- 30 to 40 million: 162 days
- 40 to 50 million: 100 days
As of December 14, the US CDC reports 50.2 million cumulative COVID-19 cases and 797,877 deaths. Daily incidence has increased steadily since the most recent low on October 24, up from 64,152 new cases per day to 117,950 on December 14—+84% over that period. Daily mortality is currently 1,143 deaths per day and likely will rise as daily incidence continues to increase.*
At the current pace, the US likely will surpass 800,000 cumulative deaths today or tomorrow. More people have died of COVID-19 in the US than are estimated to have died in the Civil War, the nation’s deadliest conflict (750,000 deaths). And the official number of COVID-19-related deaths likely is an undercount. If the US surpasses this benchmark on December 16:
- 1 death to 100k: 87 days
- 100k to 200k: 111 days
- 200k to 300k: 88 days
- 300k to 400k: 35 days
- 400k to 500k: 33 days
- 500k to 600k: 121 days
- 600k to 700k: 105 days
- 700k to 800k: 78 days
*Changes in state-level reporting may affect the accuracy of recently reported data, particularly over weekends. In an effort to reflect the longer-term trends, the numbers reported here may not correspond to the most recent dates.
Preliminary results from laboratory studies examining the durability of immune responses following SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, and particularly booster doses, or previous SARS-CoV-2 infections in the face of the Omicron variant of concern (VOC) are coming fast and furious. While it is clear that the quickly spreading variant can cause breakthrough infections in fully vaccinated individuals and those who have recovered from previous infections, questions remain over how well the vaccines and their boosters will help prevent severe disease, hospitalization, or death.
November 30th, 2021
Scientists, policymakers, and the general public are on high alert since the WHO on November 26 designated the newly identified SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.529 a variant of concern (VOC), named Omicron*, based on the advice of the agency’s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution (TAG-VE). The advisory group felt there was enough evidence that Omicron might be more transmissible, cause more severe disease, or escape immune defenses based on its large number and concerning types of mutations, particularly those on the spike protein that helps the virus bind to and enter cells in order to replicate. The WHO warned on November 29 that Omicron could have “severe consequences” in some parts of the world, urging its member states to speed up vaccinations of high-priority groups and take other steps to prepare.
Preliminary evidence shows there may be an increased risk of reinfection with Omicron, meaning people who have infection-induced immunity may be at an increased risk of infection, just as we saw with Delta. Vaccination reduces the risk of severe disease, even with Delta infection, and the same could be true with Omicron. But many uncertainties remain, regarding whether Omicron is more transmissible or capable of immune escape, and public health advice likely will shift as more is learned about the VOC over the coming weeks. Despite global anxiety over Omicron, the WHO said most of the new COVID-19 cases globally are due to infection with the widely circulating Delta VOC.
October 14th, 2021
The US CDC reports 44.5 million cumulative COVID-19 cases and 716,370 deaths. The US has passed a peak in terms of daily incidence. The most recent high was 161,711 new cases per day on September 1, and the trend began to decline slightly before the Labor Day holiday weekend. The current average is approximately 86,181 new cases per day and appears to be decreasing. Daily mortality also appears to have passed a peak, down from a recent high of 1,815 on September 15 to 1,252 on October 12*.
*Changes in the frequency of state-level reporting may affect the accuracy of recently reported data, particularly over the weekend. In an effort to reflect the longer-term trends, the numbers reported here may not correspond to the most recent dates.
The US has administered 404 million cumulative doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. The daily vaccination trend rose briefly following authorization of booster doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for some populations on September 22 but is now declining after a recent peak on October 1*. There are 217.6 million individuals who have received at least 1 dose, equivalent to 65.6% of the entire US population. Among adults, 78.5% have received at least 1 dose, as well as 14.7 million adolescents aged 12-17 years. A total of 187.9 million individuals are fully vaccinated, which corresponds to 56.6% of the total population. Approximately 68% of adults are fully vaccinated, as well as 12.1 million adolescents aged 12-17 years.
*Due to delays in reporting, estimates for the average daily doses administered are less accurate for the most recent 5 days. The most current average provided here corresponds to 5 days ago.
October 1st, 2021
The US CDC reports 43.3 million cumulative COVID-19 cases and 694,701 deaths. Daily incidence continues to decline at the national level, down to approximately 106,000 new cases per day, which is the lowest average since early August. Daily mortality appears to have passed a peak and started to decline. While the average decreased over the second half of September—down to 1,476 per day—the single-day total for September 29 was more than 2,000 deaths, the third-highest since February. At the current pace, the US could surpass 700,000 cumulative deaths in the next 4 days*.
*Changes in the frequency of state-level reporting may affect the accuracy of recently reported data, particularly over the weekend. In an effort to reflect the longer-term trends, the numbers reported here may not correspond to the most recent dates.
The US has administered 393 million cumulative doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. The daily vaccination trend continues to decline from the most recent peak on August 29*, from approximately 850,000 doses per day to slightly more than 600,000. There are 214.3 million individuals who have received at least 1 dose, equivalent to 64.6% of the entire US population. Among adults, 77.3% have received at least 1 dose, as well as 14.6 million adolescents aged 12-17 years. A total of 184.6 million individuals are fully vaccinated, which corresponds to 55.6% of the total population.
*Due to delays in reporting, estimates for the average daily doses administered are less accurate for the most recent 5 days. The most current average provided here corresponds to 5 days ago.
September 3rd, 2021
The US CDC reported 39.5 million cumulative COVID-19 cases and 641,725 deaths. Daily incidence continues to increase, but the trend is tapering off toward a peak or plateau. On August 27, the US surpassed 150,000 new cases per day, and the current average of 153,245 is the highest since January 28. Daily mortality also continues to increase, and the mortality trend may be starting to taper off as well, although Florida’s new reporting scheme is impacting how we interpret the current trend. The US surpassed 1,000 deaths per day on August 24, and the current average of 1,046 deaths per day is the highest since March 11*.
*Changes in the frequency of state-level reporting may affect the accuracy of recently reported data, particularly over the weekend. In an effort to reflect the longer-term trends, the numbers reported here may not correspond to the most recent dates.
The US has administered 372 million cumulative doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, and daily vaccinations have leveled off over the past several days, hovering at slightly more than 800,000 doses per day since August 23*. We have not observed a marked increase in daily vaccinations since the US FDA issued full approval for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. There are 205.9 million individuals who have received at least 1 dose, equivalent to 62.0% of the entire US population.
*Due to delays in reporting, estimates for the average daily doses administered are less accurate for the most recent 5 days. The most current average provided here corresponds to 5 days ago.
August 24th, 2021
The US CDC reported 37.8 million cumulative COVID-19 cases and 626,833 deaths. Daily incidence continues to increase, surpassing 140,000 new cases per day, the highest average since January 30. After reaching a low of 11,653 new cases per day on June 18, the current surge is more than 50% of the way back to the United States’ highest peak—254,111 on January 10.
The US has administered 363.3 million cumulative doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. Daily vaccinations continue to increase slowly, up to more than 730,000 doses per day*. Now that the US FDA has issued full approval for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, we will monitor vaccination trends closely to see if there is any associated increase in vaccinations. On August 17, the US surpassed 200 million cumulative vaccinated individuals (1+ dose). The total is now up to 201.7 million, equivalent to 60.8% of the entire US population.
*Due to delays in reporting, estimates for the average daily doses administered are less accurate for the most recent 5 days. The most current average provided here corresponds to 5 days ago.
August 17th, 2021
The US CDC reported 36.7 million cumulative COVID-19 cases and 619,564 deaths. The daily average is up to 121,873 new cases per day, the highest since February 4. Daily incidence continues to increase rapidly, but it appears as though the US may be passing an inflection point. It is difficult to determine, however, whether this is an artifact of reporting frequency—particularly over the weekend—or an early indication of a longer-term trend. Daily mortality continues to increase as well, although it is difficult to determine whether the current trend is a linear or exponential increase. The current average of 548 deaths per day is the highest since May 13*.
*Changes in the frequency of state-level reporting may affect the accuracy of recently reported data, particularly over the weekend. In an effort to reflect the longer-term trends, the averages reported here may not correspond to the most recent dates.
The US has administered 357.3 million cumulative doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. After approximately 5 weeks of steady increase, the daily vaccinations leveled off over the past several days, holding relatively steady at approximately 650-660,000 doses per day*. A total of 198.6 million individuals in the US have received at least 1 dose, equivalent to 59.8% of the entire US population. Among adults, 72.1% have received at least 1 dose, as well as 12.4 million adolescents aged 12-17 years. A total of 168.7 million individuals are fully vaccinated, which corresponds to 50.8% of the total population.
August 8th, 2021
The US CDC reported 35.8 million cumulative COVID-19 cases and 614,856 deaths. On August 5, the US surpassed 100,000 new cases per day for the first time since February 10. The current average of 102,413 is nearly 9 times the most recent low—11,486 on June 19—and still increasing rapidly. Daily mortality appears to continue its exponential increase up to 457 deaths per day. This is the highest average since May 27, and it is an increase of 46% over the past week and 79% over the past 2 weeks.*
*Changes in the frequency of state-level reporting may affect the accuracy of recently reported data, particularly over the weekend. In an effort to reflect the longer-term trends, the averages reported here may not correspond to the most recent dates.
Florida is #1 nationally in terms of both total weekly incidence and mortality, representing 22% and 25% of the national total, respectively. Florida is also #1 nationally in terms of per capita weekly incidence with 733 new cases per 100,000 population, 3.5 times the national average (205). Arkansas is #1 in terms of per capita weekly mortality with 4.8 deaths per 100,000 population, nearly 5 times the national average (1.0).
On August 4, the US surpassed 350 million cumulative doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines administered. The current cumulative total is 351.9 million. Daily vaccinations continue to increase slowly, now up to 608,654 doses per day*. The US also surpassed 50% of the total population fully vaccinated. A total of 195.2 million individuals in the US have received at least 1 dose, equivalent to 58.8% of the entire US population.
*Due to delays in reporting, estimates for the average daily doses administered are less accurate for the most recent 5 days. The most current average provided here corresponds to 5 days ago.
The US continues to face a COVID-19 surge, with the most severe burden faced by states in the South and Southeast regions of the country. The national biweekly relative change peaked at more than +160% in late July—the largest relative increase since the initial surge in March/April 2020—but a slight decrease to +119% indicates that the increase is beginning to taper off.
SARS-CoV-2 vaccination will be mandatory for all 1.3 million members of the US Armed Forces no later than mid-September, or as soon as the US FDA fully licenses a vaccine, “whichever comes first,” US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said in an August 9 message to all troops.
August 3rd, 2021
The US CDC reported 34.97M cumulative COVID-19 cases and 611,051 deaths. Despite considerable vaccination coverage at the national level, daily incidence continues to accelerate, mirroring the early stages of previous surges. At 72,790 reported cases per day on July 30, the current surge is the United States’ second largest to date, surpassing both the spring 2020 and spring 2021 peaks. The average daily incidence is the highest since February 17.
We expect the US to surpass 35 million cases in this afternoon’s update. If that is the case:
- 1 case - 5M: 196 days
- 5M - 10M: 93 days
- 10M - 15M: 29 days
- 15M - 20M: 25 days
- 20M - 25M: 22 days
- 25M - 30M: 61 days
- 30M - 35M: 132 days
Daily mortality also continues to increase, up to 302 deaths per day on July 30, which is 76% higher than the most recent low on July 10 (172).
The US has administered 347 million cumulative doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. Daily vaccinations are increasing slowly, now up to 552,647 doses per day*. A total of 191.8 million individuals in the US have received at least 1 dose, equivalent to 57.8% of the entire US population. Among adults, 70.0% have received at least 1 dose—finally reaching the White House’s target—as well as 11.1 million adolescents aged 12-17 years. A total of 164.9 million individuals are fully vaccinated, which corresponds to 49.7% of the total population.
With the number of new COVID-19 cases rising in much of the world, scientists are warning that continued transmission provides an opportunity for the evolution of new, and potentially more harmful, SARS-CoV-2 variants. The current increase in cases is being fueled by the highly transmissible Delta variant as well as the loosening and inconsistent use of public health prevention measures, increased social mobility, and inequitable vaccine access, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Gebreyesus said on July 30, warning that health systems in many countries are overwhelmed and that more variants will emerge as long as the virus continues to spread.
July 23rd, 2021
The US CDC reported 34.2 million cumulative COVID-19 cases and 607,684 deaths. With more than 40,000 new cases per day, the US surpassed both the peak of the initial surge—31,327 on April 12, 2020—and the low reported following the summer 2020 surge—35,082 on September 13, 2020. The current average is more than 3.5 times the most recent low on June 19 (11,467) and is still increasing steadily. Daily mortality also continues to increase, up to 223 deaths per day, which is more than 40% higher than the most recent low on July 11 (159).
The US has administered 340 million cumulative doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. Daily vaccinations are increasing slowly, now up to 446,613 doses per day*. A total of 187 million individuals in the US have received at least 1 dose, equivalent to 56.4% of the entire US population. Among adults, 68.6% have received at least 1 dose as well as 10.2 million adolescents aged 12-17 years. A total of 162 million individuals are fully vaccinated, which corresponds to 48.8% of the total population.
The US CDC continues to sound the alarm about the rapid spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant within the United States. Earlier this week, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky shared that the Delta variant now makes up 83% of domestically sequenced SARS-CoV-2 cases. This is a dramatic rise from the beginning of the month, when the Delta variant made up about half of sequenced cases within the US. There has been a corresponding rise in the number of new COVID-19 cases and related deaths throughout the month, especially impacting unvaccinated parts of the population.
July 13th, 2021
The WHO reported 3.33 billion doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines administered globally as of July 13. Vaccinations are decreasing in Asia and North America, leveling off in Europe and Africa, and increasing in Oceania and South America.
The US CDC reported 33.7 million cumulative COVID-19 cases and 604,710 deaths. The US reported 17,753 new cases per day on July 9—a 55% increase from the low of 11,455 new cases per day on June 20—before decreasing to 15,497 on July 11.
June 25th, 2021
The US CDC reported 33.2 million cumulative cases and 596,059 deaths. After steady declines since mid-April, the United States’ daily incidence increased slightly on June 7-8. Notably, however, states have reported nearly 12,500 previously unreported cases over the past week—including more than 1,000 on June 3; more than 2,500 on June 8; and more than 7,500 on June 9—which is contributing to an artificially elevated average.
The US surpassed 600,000 cumulative deaths on June 22, the first country to do so:
- 1 death - 100K*: 84 days
- 100K - 200K: 113 days
- 200K - 300K: 86 days
- 300K - 400K: 33 days
- 400K - 500K: 33 days
- 500K - 600K: 130 days
*From February 29, 2020, the date of the first reported COVID-19 death in the US. Since then, health officials have identified more than 200 COVID-19 deaths that occurred prior to that date.
The CDC updated its SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance data. Including the new projection period, the Delta variant (B.1.617.2) prevalence has increased from less than 1% to 20.6% over a period of 8 weeks, more than doubling in every 2-week period. Based on the current projection, the Delta variant is now the #2 variant nationwide. Gamma variant (P.1) prevalence also continues to increase steadily, now up to 16.4% of new cases. While still technically dominant based on the estimated prevalence, Alpha variant (B.1.1.7) prevalence has noticeably decreased over the past 2 reporting periods, down from a high of 70% to 52.2% in the June 6-19 projection. Combined, the Alpha, Gamma, and Delta variants account for more than 90% of all new cases in the US.
The US has distributed 379 million doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and administered 321 million. A total of 178 million individuals in the US have received at least 1 dose of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, equivalent to 53.7% of the entire US population. Among adults, 65.7% have received at least 1 dose, and 8.5 million adolescents aged 12-17 years have received at least 1 dose. A total of 151 million individuals are fully vaccinated, which corresponds to 45.6% of the total population.
June 11th, 2021
The US CDC reported 33.2 million cumulative cases and 596,059 deaths. After steady declines since mid-April, the United States’ daily incidence increased slightly on June 7-8. Notably, however, states have reported nearly 12,500 previously unreported cases over the past week—including more than 1,000 on June 3; more than 2,500 on June 8; and more than 7,500 on June 9—which is contributing to an artificially elevated average.
The US has distributed 372.8 million doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and administered 305.7 million. Similar to daily incidence and mortality, the average daily vaccine doses administered* increased slightly over the past several days, likely stemming from delayed reporting over the Memorial Day holiday weekend. The US is averaging 867,109 doses per day, and 535,221 people are achieving fully vaccinated status per day, down from a high of 1.8 million per day on April 12.
A total of 172 million individuals in the US have received at least 1 dose of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, equivalent to 51.9% of the entire US population. Among adults, 64.0% have received at least 1 dose, and 7.3 million adolescents aged 12-17 years have received at least 1 dose. A total of 141.6 million people are fully vaccinated, which corresponds to 42.6% of the total population. Among adults, 53.4% are fully vaccinated, and 3.6 million adolescents aged 12-17 years are fully vaccinated.
*The US CDC does not provide a 7-day average for the most recent 5 days due to anticipated reporting delays for vaccine administration. This estimate is the most current value provided.
On June 8, the US updated its COVID-19 travel advisories for several dozen countries. Notably, the Department of State lowered 58 countries from Level 4 (Do Not Travel) to Level 3 (Reconsider Travel) and lowered another 27 countries to either Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) or Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution).
May 25th, 2021
The US CDC reported 32.9 million cumulative cases and 587,342 deaths. Daily incidence continues to decline, to the lowest levels since early in the pandemic. The current average daily incidence—22,877 new cases per day—is the lowest since June 14, 2020.
The US has distributed 357 million doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and administered 287 million. After more than a month of decline, the daily doses administered* has increased for 5 consecutive days, back up to 1.7 million doses per day. The increase over the past several days is due to an increase in the number of first doses administered—up from 554,890 individuals per day on May 12 to 882,463 on May 19, an increase of nearly 60% over that period.
A total of 164 million individuals in the US have received at least 1 dose of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, equivalent to 49% of the entire US population. Among adults, 62% have received at least 1 dose, and 5.2 million adolescents aged 12-17 years have received at least 1 dose. A total of 131 million people are fully vaccinated, which corresponds to 39% of the total population. Among adults, 50% are fully vaccinated, and 2.0 million adolescents aged 12-17 years are fully vaccinated.
*The US CDC does not provide a 7-day average for the most recent 5 days due to anticipated reporting delays for vaccine administration. This estimate is the most current value provided.
May 18th, 2021
Globally, the WHO reported 1.26 billion doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines have been administered, including 637 million individuals with at least 1 dose, but these data have not been updated since May 12. World in Data reported 1.50 billion cumulative doses administered globally, an increase of 13% over the previous week. Daily doses administered continues to increase, up to a new record of 24.7 million doses per day.
The US CDC reported 32.8 million cumulative cases and 583,074 deaths. On May 16, the US reported 17,724 new cases, the first day with fewer than 20,000 new cases since June 15, 2020, and the lowest single-day total since June 7, 2020. On May 14, the United States’ per capita daily incidence fell below 10 daily cases per 100,000 population for the first time since early in the country’s second surge.
In total, 10 states are reporting test positivity* of more than 5%. Of these states, only Montana is reporting an increasing trend, up from 3.52% on March 28 to 5.17% on May 15. Most of these states—including Florida (5.58%), Michigan (6.36%), Nebraska (5.89%), Oregon (5.02%), South Dakota (6.94%), Tennessee (5.18%), and West Virginia (5.97%)—have reported declines in test positivity since mid-to-late April, and if they continue on their respective current trajectories, they could fall below 5% in the near future.
The US has distributed 345 million doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine and administered 274 million. Daily doses administered* continues to decrease steadily, down from a high of 3.3 million on April 11 to 1.6 million. Approximately 1.1 million people are achieving fully vaccinated status per day, down from a high of 1.8 million per day on April 12. A total of 158 million individuals in the US have received at least 1 dose of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, equivalent to 48% of the entire US population and 60% of all adults. Of those, 124 million are fully vaccinated, which corresponds to 37% of the total population and 47% of adults.
*The US CDC does not provide a 7-day average for the most recent 5 days due to anticipated reporting delays for vaccine administration. This estimate is the most current value provided.
Following the US CDC’s announcement of updated mask guidance on May 14, federal health officials have spent the past several days “defending” the updated guidance. Numerous accounts describe the new guidance that eliminated recommendations for mask use and physical distancing for fully vaccinated individuals in most situations as “surprising” or “startling.” Reportedly, the CDC did not brief state and local health officials on the changes prior to the announcement, which resulted in many being caught off guard by the new guidance. Numerous states and businesses removed or relaxed mask mandates in response to the change, some with little or no advance notice. Some experts applauded the change, but others expressed concern about both the policy’s content and its rollout. While many felt guidance has evolved too slowly, the CDC is now being criticized for overcorrecting and moving too quickly. Some are concerned that the change—and subsequent end of mandates—will encourage individuals to forego COVID-19 protective measures, such as mask use, even if they are not yet vaccinated, which could increase the risk for individuals who are not yet fully protected.
On May 17, US President Joe Biden announced the US government will send an additional 20 million SARS-CoV-2 vaccine doses abroad. Previously, the US government announced a donation of 60 million doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine as soon as they are reviewed by the US FDA, and Monday’s announcement adds at least 20 million doses of vaccines already authorized in the US.
May 11th, 2021
The US CDC reported 32.5M total cumulative cases and 578,945 deaths. Daily incidence continues to decrease, down to 38,678 new cases per day, the lowest average since September 16, 2020. On May 9, the US reported just 24,080 new cases, the lowest single-day incidence since June 17, 2020 (23,984). In the period between the first and second surges in the US, the lowest average daily incidence was 34,666 new cases per day. If the US continues on its current trajectory, daily incidence could soon fall below that number. Daily mortality is declining slowly, down to 608 deaths per day.
The US has distributed 330 million doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine and administered 262 million. Daily doses administered* continues to decrease, down from a high of 3.3 million on April 11 to 2.0 million. A total of 152 million individuals have received at least 1 dose of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, equivalent to 46% of the entire US population and 58% of all adults. Of those, 116 million are fully vaccinated, which corresponds to 35% of the total population and 44% of adults.
*The US CDC does not provide a 7-day average for the most recent 5 days due to anticipated reporting delays for vaccine administration. This estimate is the most current value provided.
It appears that India’s second COVID-19 wave is peaking. Unless India’s daily incidence decreases dramatically, however, we expect it to surpass 25 million cumulative cases in the next 5-6 days. India has reported 249,992 cumulative deaths, and we expect it to pass 250,000 in its next report. Additionally, India reported more than 4,000 deaths on both May 7 and 8. To our knowledge, India is only the third country, after the US and Brazil, to report more than 4,000 deaths in a single day. Based on historical trends, we expect daily mortality to peak in the next 3-4 weeks.
April 27th, 2021
The US CDC reported 31.9M total cumulative cases and 569,272 deaths. Both daily incidence and mortality are decreasing in the US. Daily incidence is down to 54,405 new cases per day, a 22% decrease from the most recent peak on April 13 (69,878). Daily mortality fell to 661 deaths per day, which is still essentially equal to the low that preceded the autumn/winter 2020 surge (662).
The US has distributed 291 million doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine and administered 231 million doses. Daily doses administered* continue to decrease, down from a high of 3.2 million (April 11) to 2.6 million. Approximately 1.4 million people are achieving fully vaccinated status per day. A total of 141 million individuals have received at least 1 dose of the vaccine, equivalent to 43% of the entire US population and 54% of all adults. Of those, 96 million (29% of the total population; 37% of adults) are fully vaccinated. Among adults aged 65 years and older, progress has largely stalled at 82% with at least 1 dose and 68% fully vaccinated.
*The US CDC does not provide a 7-day average for the most recent 5 days due to anticipated reporting delays for vaccine administration. This estimate is the most current value provided.
The US CDC and US FDA on April 23 recommended resuming use of the J&J-Janssen SARS-CoV-2 vaccine following a temporary pause. The agencies issued a pause on April 13 due to reports of rare but potentially serious blood-clotting events among 6 vaccine recipients, out of nearly 7 million recipients at the time. The FDA has amended the vaccine’s Emergency Use Authorization to mention the potential for clotting issues and will add warnings on fact sheets for providers and vaccinees specifically mentioning blood clots occurring with low platelets.
Following the publication of preliminary findings detailing the effectiveness of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines in pregnant persons in the April 21 New England Journal of Medicine, US CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said during a briefing on April 23 that the agency recommends all pregnant persons receive a vaccine.
According to new US CDC data reported by multiple news media outlets, nearly 8% of people who received their first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna SARS-CoV-2 vaccines have not received their second dose. That is more than double the rate seen in the early part of vaccination campaigns, from December 2020 to February 2021. The CDC’s new data cover missed doses through April 9, including those who received a first Moderna dose by March 7 or a first Pfizer-BioNTech dose by March 14. Reasons for the lapses in dosing vary, ranging from a lack of supply, fears of side effects, or feelings among vaccine recipients that one dose provides sufficient protection, especially as vaccine administration becomes more widespread. But the increasing number of people missing or foregoing a second dose is fueling concern among state public health officials, some of whom are implementing reminder services and allocating doses to be used specifically for people who are overdue for their second shot. Data from clinical trials and real-world follow-up studies show that a single dose triggers a weaker immune response than two doses, potentially leaving those one-dose recipients more susceptible to infection.
April 23rd, 2021
The US CDC reported 31.7M total cumulative cases and 566,494 deaths. Daily incidence has decreased slightly over the past several days—down from 69,878 new cases per day on April 13 to 62,595 on April 21. The daily incidence fell below the summer 2020 peak, but it is still elevated compared to several weeks ago. Daily mortality continues to hold relatively steady at approximately 700 deaths per day (since April 12), which is approximately equal to the low reported immediately prior to the autumn/winter 2020 surge.
The US has distributed 282 million doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine and administered 219 million doses. Daily doses administered* has decreased over the past several days, down from a high of 3.2 million (April 11) to 2.8 million. The fully vaccinated population is increasing by 1.4 million people per day. A total of 136 million individuals have received at least 1 dose of the vaccine, equivalent to 41% of the entire US population and 52% of all adults. Of those, 89 million (27% of the total population; 34% of adults) are fully vaccinated. Progress among older adults has slowed considerably. Among adults aged 65 years and older, 81% have received at least 1 dose, and 66% are fully vaccinated.
*The US CDC does not provide a 7-day average for the most recent 5 days due to anticipated reporting delays for vaccine administration. This estimate is the most current value provided.
The US Department of State updated its travel advisories, resulting in nearly 80% of countries falling under the “Do Not Travel” category. Previously, the State Department issued Level 4 (Do Not Travel) guidance for only 34 countries, but the recent additions bring the total to more than 150. Among the Level 4 category countries are Austria, Brazil, France, India, Italy, Mexico, Russia, and the UK.
April 16th, 2021
The US CDC reported 31.2M total cases and 561,356 deaths. Daily incidence continues to increase, up more than 30% from the recent low on March 19. Daily mortality also has increased over the past several days, up from 642 deaths per day on April 7 to 712 on April 14, an 11% increase over that period.
The US has distributed 255 million doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine and administered nearly 198 million doses. Daily doses administered* has leveled off at approximately 3 million, including 1.6 million people fully vaccinated. A total of 126 million individuals have received at least 1 dose of the vaccine, equivalent to 38% of the entire US population and 48% of all adults. Of those, 78 million (24% of the total population; 30% of adults) are fully vaccinated. Among adults aged 65 years and older, 80% have received at least 1 dose, and 64% are fully vaccinated.
*The US CDC does not provide a 7-day average for the most recent 5 days due to anticipated reporting delays for vaccine administration. This estimate is the most current value provided.
On April 14, the US CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met to discuss data on blood clotting events—specifically, cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) with thrombocytopenia—in individuals who recently received the J&J-Janssen SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. ACIP was expected to vote on any updated recommendations in the meeting; however, committee members determined that additional data are needed before deciding on next steps. Reportedly, ACIP aims to hold a follow-up meeting in the next 7-10 days to avoid unnecessary delays in resuming the vaccine’s use. Some of the ACIP members acknowledged that continuing or extending the pause could have negative downstream effects on vaccination efforts, both in the US and around the world.
During an April 15 hearing of the US House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, US CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky discussed the agency’s investigation into “breakthrough” infections—ie, infections in individuals who are fully vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2. According to Dr. Walensky, the CDC has identified approximately 5,800 such infections, out of 77 million fully vaccinated individuals*. Among these infections, 396 required hospitalization and 74 died. The low number of hospitalizations and deaths is encouraging. No vaccine is 100% effective, and this is the first data reported by the CDC on breakthrough infections.
April 13th, 2021
The US CDC reported 31.0M total cases and 559,172 deaths. After leveling off briefly, potentially as a result of delayed reporting over the Easter holiday weekend, daily incidence is again increasing, up to 67,653 new cases per day, the highest average since February 19 and back above the summer 2020 peak.
The US has distributed 238 million doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine and administered nearly 190 million doses. The US is currently administering an average of 2.9 million doses per day*, including 1.4 million people fully vaccinated. A total of 121 million individuals have received at least 1 dose of the vaccine, equivalent to 36% of the entire US population and 47% of all adults. Of those, 74 million (22% of the total population; 29% of adults) are fully vaccinated. Among adults aged 65 years and older, 79% have received at least 1 dose, and 62% are fully vaccinated.
*The US CDC does not provide a 7-day average for the most recent 5 days due to anticipated reporting delays for vaccine administration. This estimate is the most current value provided. **As a 1-dose vaccine, all individuals receiving the J&J-Janssen vaccine are fully vaccinated.
The US CDC and FDA recommended federal and state officials temporarily pause the use of the J&J-Janssen SARS-CoV-2 vaccine while regulatory officials review data involving 6 cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot in individuals after vaccination. In a joint statement, CDC and FDA officials noted that as of April 12, 6.8 million people in the US have received the J&J-Janssen vaccine and emphasized these adverse events appear to be extremely rare. The agencies underlined they are recommending a pause in the vaccine’s use out of an abundance of caution while they evaluate the data. The CDC will convene its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) on April 14 to further review the cases and discuss their potential significance. The agencies are recommending the pause in part to alert healthcare providers to the potential for such adverse events and their unique management and treatment. The 6 cases occurred among women between the ages of 18 and 48, and the condition presented 6 to 13 days following vaccination. One woman died, and another is hospitalized in critical condition. In these cases, cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) was identified in combination with low levels of blood platelets (thrombocytopenia), according to the agencies. Typical treatment for blood clots often involves the administration of heparin (a blood thinner); however, the administration of heparin to treat CVST can be dangerous, so alternative treatments are recommended.
March 26th, 2021
The US CDC reported 30.5M total cases and 554,064 deaths.
The US surpassed 30M cumulative cases on March 27:
- 1 case - 5M: 200 days
- 5M - 10M: 92 days
- 10M - 15M: 29 days
- 15M - 20M: 24 days
- 20M - 25M: 24 days
- 25M - 30M: 62 days
The US surpassed 550,000 cumulative deaths on April 1:
- 1 death - 50K: 55 days
- 50K - 100K: 33 days
- 100K - 150K: 63 days
- 150K - 200K: 55 days
- 200K - 250K: 58 days
- 250K - 300K: 25 days
- 300K - 350K: 20 days
- 350K - 400K: 16 days
- 400K - 450K: 16 days
- 450K - 500K: 19 days
- 500K - 550K: 37 days
National-level data continue to indicate the start of a fourth COVID-19 surge, and more states are beginning to show the early signs as well. According to analysis published by Data USA, 29 states (and Puerto Rico) are reporting increasing daily COVID-19 incidence over the past 2 weeks (>+5%). Among these states, 16 are reporting increases of more than 20% over that period, including 5 with more than 30%: Michigan (+61.5%), Nebraska (+59.3%), Alaska (+45.0%), Maine (+31.4%), and Washington (+31.1%). Puerto Rico is reporting an increase of 61.1% over the past 2 weeks. There are concentrations of these states across the country, including all of New England, most of the Midwest and West Coast regions, and several states in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions as well as Alaska and Hawai’i.
The US surpassed 200 million SARS-CoV-2 vaccine doses distributed, and the US has administered 167.2 million doses. The US is currently administering 2.77 million doses per day*, including 1.24 million people fully vaccinated. More than 100 million individuals have received at least 1 dose of the vaccine, equivalent to nearly one-third of the entire US population and more than 40% of all adults. Of those, 62.4 million (18.8% of the total population; 23.2% of adults) are fully vaccinated. More than 75% of adults aged 65 years and older have received at least 1 dose, and more than half are fully vaccinated.
*The US CDC does not provide a 7-day average for the most recent 5 days due to anticipated reporting delays for vaccine administration. This estimate is the most current value provided. **As a 1-dose vaccine, all individuals receiving the J&J-Janssen vaccine are fully vaccinated.
On April 2, a team of researchers led by the US CDC COVID-19 Response Team published interim estimates of a prospective cohort study describing the effectiveness of the two-dose Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines among healthcare and other frontline workers. The unadjusted vaccine effectiveness for the partially immunized group was 82% (95% CI: 62-91) and 91% for the fully immunized group (95% CI: 73-97). The adjusted vaccine effectiveness for the partially immunized group was 80% (95% CI: 59-90) and 90% for the fully immunized group (95% CI: 68-97). Notably, a majority of infections were symptomatic with common COVID-19-associated symptoms (87.3%), but only two hospitalizations occurred and no deaths occurred. In light of these findings, the CDC encourages vaccinated individuals to continue taking public health precautions to prevent infection and transmission.
CDC guidance now states that fully vaccinated people “can travel safely within the United States” and “are less likely to get and spread COVID-19” while traveling internationally. Regarding domestic travel, fully vaccinated individuals are encouraged to continue following public health guidance such as masking, physical distancing, and increased handwashing or hand sanitizer use. Under the guidance, fully vaccinated domestic travelers do not have to self-quarantine or get tested pre- or post-travel unless their destination requires it.
Compared with domestic travel, CDC guidance notes that international travel is inherently riskier due to the possibility of becoming infected with and spreading new SARS-CoV-2 variants. Accordingly, all air passengers traveling to the US are required to show proof of a negative SARS-CoV-2 test within three days of travel or documentation of COVID-19 disease and recovery in the past three months prior to boarding their flight to a US destination. Additionally, fully vaccinated international travelers are encouraged to get tested 3-5 days after arriving in the US, follow advice for domestic travel, and adhere to local and state guidance.
March 26th, 2021
The US CDC reported 29.8M total cases and 542,584 deaths. Daily incidence has increased slightly over the past 5 days, from 53,501 new cases per day to 57,249 (+7%).
The US CDC reported 173.5 million SARS-CoV-2 vaccine doses distributed and 133.3 million doses administered. With 87.3 million individuals receiving at least 1 dose of the vaccine, more than a quarter of the entire US population (26.3%) and a third of all adults (33.7%) have been at least partially vaccinated. Of those, 47.4 million (14.3% of the total population; 18.3% of adults) are fully vaccinated. Among adults aged 65 years and older, 71.0% have received at least 1 dose and 44.8% are fully vaccinated. The average daily doses administered* decreased slightly to 2.2 million doses per day, including 823,570 individuals fully vaccinated (ie, second dose of a 2-dose vaccine or a single dose of a 1-dose vaccine).
*The US CDC does not provide a 7-day average for the most recent 5 days due to anticipated reporting delays for vaccine administration. This estimate is the most current value provided. **As a 1-dose vaccine, all individuals receiving the J&J-Janssen vaccine are fully vaccinated.
March 23rd, 2021
The US CDC reported 29.7M total cases and 539,517 deaths. Daily incidence continues to level off at approximately 53-54,000 new cases per day. While this is an 80% decrease from the peak in January 2021, it is only 20% less than the peak during the summer 2020 surge.
The US CDC reported 156.7 million SARS-CoV-2 vaccine doses distributed and 126.5 million doses administered. This includes 82.8 million people (24.9% of the entire US population; 32.0% of the adult population) who have received at least 1 dose of the vaccine, and 44.9 million (13.5%; 17.4%) who are fully vaccinated. Among adults aged 65 years and older, 69.2% have received at least 1 dose and 42.5% are fully vaccinated.
*The US CDC does not provide a 7-day average for the most recent 5 days due to anticipated reporting delays for vaccine administration. This estimate is the most current value provided. **As a 1-dose vaccine, all individuals receiving the J&J-Janssen vaccine are fully vaccinated.
March 19th, 2021
The US CDC reported 29.4M total cases and 535,217 deaths. After falling from nearly 250,000 new cases per day to fewer than 64,000 between January 11 and February 22, the national average has decreased just 9,998 new cases per day since then.
The US CDC reported 151.1 million SARS-CoV-2 vaccine doses distributed and 115.7 million doses administered. This includes 75.5 million people (22.7% of the entire US population; 29.2% of the adult population) who have received at least 1 dose of the vaccine, and 41.0 million (12.3%; 15.9%) who are fully vaccinated. Among adults aged 65 years and older, nearly two-thirds (66.3%) have received at least 1 dose and 38.6% are fully vaccinated.
*The US CDC does not provide a 7-day average for the most recent 5 days due to anticipated reporting delays for vaccine administration. This estimate is the most current value provided. **As a 1-dose vaccine, all individuals receiving the J&J-Janssen vaccine are fully vaccinated.
March 16th, 2021
The US CDC reported 29.3M total cases and 532,355 deaths. After several weeks of steady decline, the national daily incidence appears to have leveled off to some degree. The current 7-day window includes March 8, when Missouri reported more than 81,000 previously unreported cases, so the current average is still artificially inflated. We expect the actual average is closer to 55,000 new cases per day. This would indicate that daily incidence is still decreasing, but more slowly than it was previously. Daily mortality continues to decrease steadily, down to 1,212 deaths per day—the lowest average since November 15, 2020.
The US CDC surpassed 100 million SARS-CoV-2 vaccine doses administered on March 9. In total, the US has distributed 135.8 million doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and administered 109.1 million doses nationwide. This includes 71.1 million people (21.4% of the entire US population; 27.5% of the adult population) who have received at least 1 dose of the vaccine, and 38.3 million (11.5%; 14.8%) who are fully vaccinated. Among adults aged 65 years and older, 64.1% have received at least 1 dose and 35.9% are fully vaccinated.
*The US CDC does not provide a 7-day average for the most recent 5 days due to anticipated reporting delays for vaccine administration. This estimate is the most current value provided. **As a 1-dose vaccine, all individuals receiving the J&J-Janssen vaccine are fully vaccinated.
March 12th, 2021
The US CDC reported 29.1M total cases and 527,726 deaths. Daily incidence and mortality continue to decrease, but at a slower rate than over the past several weeks. Daily mortality is down to 1,484 deaths per day, falling below 1,500 for the first time since November 30, 2020. While the current daily mortality is less than half of the peak on January 13, 2021 (3,378), it is still nearly 30% higher than the summer 2020 peak (1,147).
The US CDC has distributed 131.1 million doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and administered 98.2 million doses nationwide. In total, 64.1 million people (19.3% of the entire US population; 25.1% of the adult population) have received at least 1 dose of the vaccine, and 33.9 million (10.2%; 13.3%) have received both doses. Among adults aged 65 years and older, 62.4% have received at least 1 dose and 32.2% are fully vaccinated.
*The US CDC does not provide a 7-day average for the most recent 5 days due to anticipated reporting delays for vaccine administration. This estimate is the most current value provided. **As a 1-dose vaccine, all individuals receiving the J&J-Janssen vaccine are fully vaccinated.
March 9th, 2021
The US CDC reported 28.81M total cases and 523,850 deaths. Daily incidence and mortality continue to decrease, but at a much slower rate than over the past several weeks. The US is averaging fewer than 60,000 new cases per day for the first time since October 20, 2020.
Since the start of the US vaccination effort in mid-December, weekly COVID-19 incidence and mortality has decreased substantially. At the peak (the week of December 20, 2020), the CDC reported 34,251 new cases among LTCF residents, and the weekly total has declined since then. During the week of February 28, 2021, the US reported only 1,474 new cases, a decrease of more than 95% from the peak. Similarly, the US reported 7,049 deaths among LTCF residents during the week of December 20, 2020, which fell to 1,350 the week of February 28, 2021—a decrease of more than 80%.
The US CDC has distributed 116.4 million doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and administered 92.1 million doses nationwide. In total, 60.0 million people (18.1% of the entire US population; 23.5% of the adult population) have received at least 1 dose of the vaccine, and 31.5 million (9.5%; 12.3%) have received both doses. The US continues to set new records for daily doses administered, up to 1.98 million doses per day*, including 815,748 individuals receiving their second dose. The breakdown of doses by manufacturer remains relatively steady, with slightly more Pfizer-BioNTech doses (46.8 million) than Moderna (44.9 million) administered nationwide. The CDC reported the first data for the J&J-Janssen vaccine, with 208,590 doses administered**.
*The US CDC does not provide a 7-day average for the most recent 5 days due to anticipated reporting delays for vaccine administration. This estimate is the most current value provided. **As a 1-dose vaccine, all individuals receiving the J&J-Janssen vaccine are fully vaccinated.
The US CDC published guidance for individuals who have been fully vaccinated. The guidance defines fully vaccinated individuals as those who have received the full course of doses for their vaccine—i.e., 2 doses of a 2-dose vaccine or 1 dose of a single-dose vaccine—and at least 2 weeks having passed since receiving the final dose. The highly anticipated guidance provides information for vaccinated individuals regarding activities and precautions, including among other vaccinated individuals and unvaccinated individuals.
In public settings, vaccinated individuals are recommended to follow existing COVID-19 risk mitigation measures, including physical distancing (e.g., 6-foot separation) and mask use, because much of the public remains unvaccinated and still at risk for COVID-19. In private settings, fully vaccinated individuals can meet with other fully vaccinated individuals or with unvaccinated individuals from one other household without wearing masks or physically distancing, as long as all unvaccinated individuals are at low risk for severe disease. Gatherings of more than 2 households or gatherings with unvaccinated high-risk individuals should still employ COVID-19 prevention measures, such as mask use, physical distancing, enhanced hygiene, and meeting in a well-ventilated space. The CDC has not yet issued travel-related guidance for vaccinated individuals, and health officials continue to recommend against non-essential travel for everyone, regardless of vaccination status.
Vaccinated individuals do not need to quarantine or get tested if exposed to a known COVID-19 case, as long as they remain asymptomatic, with the exception of those living in congregate settings (e.g., long-term care facilities [LTCFs], correctional facilities). If a vaccinated individual does test positive or exhibit COVID-19 symptoms, s/he should self-isolate for 10 days.
March 5th, 2021
The US CDC reported 28.58M total cases and 517,224 deaths. The decline in daily incidence and mortality that persisted for the past several weeks appears to have leveled off to some degree. Daily incidence has remained between approximately 63-67,000 new cases per day since February 20, and daily mortality has hovered between approximately 1,900 and 2,100 deaths per day since February 19. Some of this trend could be the result of states catching up on reporting after recovering from severe winter weather, but it could be an early sign that the steep decline is coming to an end. Notably, both the daily incidence and mortality remain elevated, on par with or higher than the first 2 peaks.
The US CDC surpassed 100 million vaccine doses distributed (109.9 million) and 80 million doses administered (82.6 million) nationwide. In total, 54.0 million people (16.3% of the entire US population; 21.2% of the adult population) have received at least 1 dose of the vaccine, and 27.8 million (8.4%; 10.9%) have received both doses. The US set a new record high for daily doses administered, with 1.8 million doses per day*.
*The US CDC does not provide a 7-day average for the most recent 5 days due to anticipated reporting delays for vaccine administration. This estimate is the most current value provided.
March 2nd, 2021
The US CDC reported 28.41M total cases and 511,839 deaths. The daily incidence in the US has fallen considerably from its highest peak—249,303 new cases per day on January 11—but the current average (66,594) still remains equal to or greater than both of the previous 2 peaks (67,316 on July 23, 2020, and 31,936 on April 12, 2020). The average daily mortality is currently 2,050 deaths per day, slightly less than the first peak in April 2020 (2,857*) but nearly double the peak in August 2020 (1,148).
The US CDC reported 96.40 million vaccine doses distributed and 76.90 million doses administered nationwide (79.8%). In total, 50.73 million people (15.3% of the entire US population; 19.9% of the adult population) have received at least 1 dose of the vaccine, and 25.47 million (7.7%; 10.0%) have received both doses. The average daily doses administered is rebounding from its brief decrease, which was likely caused by severe winter weather and now stands at 1.42 million doses per day*.
*The US CDC does not provide a 7-day average for the most recent 5 days due to anticipated reporting delays for vaccine administration. This estimate is the most current value provided.
On February 27, the US FDA issued an Emergency Use Authorization for the Johnson & Johnson (J&J)-Janssen Biotech SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. The EUA closely followed the review and recommendations by the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC). Additionally, the US CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended the vaccine for use in all adults aged 18 years and older. Reportedly, the US government could begin shipping available inventory of the J&J-Janssen vaccine across the country early this week, with some deliveries arriving as early as today. The federal government currently has 3.9 million doses available, and it expects to receive “another 16 million doses...by the end of March.” Because only one dose is required, there will be no need to schedule follow-up appointments for booster doses or maintain stockpiles at the state and local level to cover second doses.
February 26th, 2021
The US CDC reported 28.14M total cases and 503,587 deaths. After steep declines since mid-January 2021, the average daily incidence increased for 2 consecutive days, up to 66,347 new cases per day. Daily mortality increased slightly as well, once again above 2,000 deaths per day.
The US surpassed 500,000 cumulative deaths on February 23, less than 1 year from the first reported death on February 29, 2020. Despite reaching this tragic milestone, the daily mortality has decreased substantially over the past several weeks:
- 1 death - 50K: 55 days
- 50K - 100K: 33 days
- 100K - 150K: 63 days
- 150K - 200K: 55 days
- 200K - 250K: 58 days
- 250K - 300K: 25 days
- 300K - 350K: 20 days
- 350K - 400K: 16 days
- 400K - 450K: 16 days
- 450K - 500K: 19 days
The US CDC reported 91.67 million vaccine doses distributed and 68.27 million doses administered nationwide (74.5%). This percentage is a notable decrease from the previous briefing (85.3%), and it appears to stem from a combination of increased supply and slowing vaccine administration, potentially a result of the ongoing effects of severe winter weather affecting much of the country. In total, 46.07 million people (13.9% of the entire US population; 18.0% of the adult population) have received at least 1 dose of the vaccine, and 21.56 million (6.5%; 8.4%) have received both doses. The average daily doses administered continues to decrease, down from a peak of 1.64 million doses per day to 1.29 million, including 659,192 second doses per day*.
*The US CDC does not provide a 7-day average for the most recent 5 days due to anticipated reporting delays for vaccine administration. This estimate is the most current value provided.
February 23rd, 2021
The US CDC reported 27.94M total cases and 497,415 deaths. Daily incidence continues to fall sharply in the US, now down to fewer than 65,000 new cases per day - the lowest daily average since October 23, 2020. This trend is evident across the country, with daily incidence decreasing rapidly in all 4 regions. As daily COVID-19 incidence and mortality continue to decrease in the US, so do hospitalizations. According to data compiled by the COVID Tracking Project, current hospitalizations nationwide are down to 55,403, a decrease of 58% from the peak on January 6.
The US CDC reported 75.21 million vaccine doses distributed and 64.18 million doses administered nationwide (85.3%). In total, 44.14 million people (13.3% of the entire US population; 16.9% of the adult population) have received at least 1 dose of the vaccine, and 19.44 million (5.9%; 7.5%) have received both doses. The average daily doses administered decreased slightly to 1.46 million doses per day*, including 664,618 second doses per day*. These decreases could be a result of delays in vaccine distribution and administration stemming from severe winter weather affecting much of the country.
*The US CDC does not provide a 7-day average for the most recent 5 days due to anticipated reporting delays for vaccine administration. This estimate is the most current value provided.
February 19th, 2021
The US CDC reported 27.67M total cases and 489,067 deaths. Daily incidence in the US continues its steady decline, now down to 77,385 new cases per day - the lowest daily average since October 28, 2020. The daily mortality is currently 2,708 deaths per day, the lowest average since January 6, 2021; however, reporting irregularities due to previously unreported deaths and holiday delays are making it difficult to project the longer-term trajectory.
The US CDC reported 73.38 million vaccine doses distributed and 57.74 million doses administered nationwide (78.7%). In total, 41.02 million people (approximately 12.4% of the entire US population) have received at least 1 dose of the vaccine, and 16.16 million (4.9%) have received both doses. The average daily doses administered continues to increase, now up to a record high of 1.54 million doses per day*, including 679,199 second doses per day. The number of people receiving their second dose is increasing at nearly 600,000 per day*.
*The US CDC does not provide a 7-day average for the most recent 5 days due to anticipated reporting delays for vaccine administration. This estimate is the most current value provided.
February 16th, 2021
The US CDC did not update COVID-19 data yesterday due to the President's Day holiday. The data below correspond to the most recent update on February 14. The US CDC reported 27.42M total cases and 482,536 deaths. Daily incidence in the US continues its steady decline, falling below 100,000 new cases per day for the first time since November 3, 2020. On February 12, the US reported 5,520 new deaths. This is the second highest single-day total to date; however, the 3 highest single-day totals are the result of previously unreported deaths from a single state—New York (April 15, 2020), Indiana (February 4), and Ohio (February 12). The recent spikes in reported mortality make it difficult to get an accurate picture of the longer-term national trend.
The US CDC reported 70.06 million vaccine doses distributed and 52.88 million doses administered nationwide (75.5%). In total, 38.29 million people (11.6% of the entire US population) have received at least 1 dose of the vaccine, and 14.08 million (4.3%) have received both doses. The average daily doses administered continues to increase, now up to a record high of 1.50 million doses per day*. The number of people receiving their second dose is increasing at nearly 600,000 per day*.
*The US CDC does not provide a 7-day average for the most recent 5 days due to anticipated reporting delays for vaccine administration. This estimate is the most current value provided.
February 12th, 2021
The US CDC reported 27.13M total cases and 470,110 deaths. Daily incidence in the US continues its steady decline, now just slightly more than 100,000 new cases per day. Daily mortality continues to decrease as well, back down to the slightly more than 3,000 deaths per day.
The US CDC reported 68.29 million vaccine doses distributed and 46.39 million doses administered nationwide. In total, 34.72 million people (10.5% of the entire US population) have received at least 1 dose of the vaccine, and 11.19 million (3.4%) have received both doses. The number of people receiving their second dose is increasing at nearly 550,000 per day.
February 9th, 2021
The US CDC reported 26.85M total cases and 462,037 deaths. The US surpassed 450,000 cumulative deaths on February 4. Daily incidence in the US continues to decrease steadily, now down to 116,904 new cases per day. The US is still #1 globally in terms of total daily incidence, and is still reporting more than double the daily incidence of #2 Brazil (42,188).
The US CDC reported 59.31 million vaccine doses distributed and 42.42 million doses administered nationwide. The US has administered 71.5% of the distributed doses, an increase of more than 10 percentage points since Friday (61.2%). In total, 32.34 million people (nearly 10% of the entire US population) have received at least 1 dose of the vaccine, and 9.52 million (2.9%) have received both doses. The average daily doses administered is once again increasing, now up to a record high of 1.46 million doses per day.
February 5th, 2021
The US CDC reported 26.40M total cases and 449,020 deaths. The US is currently averaging 3,056 deaths per day, a decrease of 8% since January 26 (3,316). National-level daily incidence continues to decrease, down from nearly 134,523 new cases per day - a 46% decrease from the peak on January 8 (248,706). The US will almost certainly surpass 450,000 cumulative deaths in this afternoon's update:
- 1 death - 50K: 55 days
- 50K - 100K: 33 days
- 100K - 150K: 63 days
- 150K - 200K: 55 days
- 200K - 250K: 58 days
- 250K - 300K: 25 days
- 300K - 350K: 20 days
- 350K - 400K: 16 days
- 400K - 450K: 16 days
The US CDC reported 57.49 million vaccine doses distributed and 35.20 million doses administered. The US has administered 61.2% of the distributed doses, which is a slight decrease from Tuesday (64.5%). In total, 27.91 million people have received at least 1 dose of the vaccine, and 6.93 million have received both doses. The average daily doses administered fell sharply over the past several days, down from a high of 1.4 million doses per day on January 30 to 892,946 on February 3, a decrease of 36%.
February 2nd, 2021
The US CDC reported 26.03M total cases and 439,955 deaths. The US is currently averaging 3,145 deaths per day. National-level daily incidence continues to decrease, down from nearly 250,000 new cases in per day in mid-January to around 150,000.
The US CDC reported 49.94 million vaccine doses distributed and 32.22 million doses administered. The US has administered 64.5% of the distributed doses, which is an increase of more than 10 percentage points from Friday's update (54.1%). In total, 26.02 million people have received at least 1 dose of the vaccine, and 5.93 million have received both doses. The US is now averaging 1.36 million doses administered per day.
January 29th, 2021
The US CDC reported 25.46M total cases and 427,626 deaths. Daily incidence continues to decrease, down to 161,832, the lowest average since November 17 and 35% lower than the peak on January 8 (248,706).
The US CDC reported 48.39 million vaccine doses distributed and 26.19 million doses administered, including 3.10 million administered in long-term care facilities (LTCFs). The US has administered 54.1% of the distributed doses, which is actually a slight decrease from Monday's update (54.9%). In total, 21.70 million people have received at least 1 dose of the vaccine, and 4.26 million have received both doses. The US is now averaging 1.24 million doses administered per day.
The US CDC published new data on the incidence of allergic reactions following vaccination. The CDC reported 50 incidents of anaphylaxis after vaccination with the Pfizer product and 21 instances after receiving the Moderna vaccine, which corresponds to approximately 5 reactions per million doses for the Pfizer vaccine and 2.8 per million doses for the Moderna vaccine.
January 26th, 2021
The US CDC reported 25.02M total cases and 417,936 deaths. The US surpassed 25 million cumulative cases in yesterday's update. From the first case reported in the US, it took 200 days to reach 5 million cases. From there:
- 5M - 10M: 92 days
- 10M - 15M: 29 days
- 15M - 20M: 24 days
- 20M - 25M: 23 days
It is becoming more clear that the US has passed a peak in terms of daily incidence, and the current average is less than what it was prior to the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. In light of fluctuations in reporting over the winter holidays, it is difficult to determine when the daily incidence actually peaked; however, the peak in terms of reported incidence was 248,706 new cases per day on January 8.
The US CDC reported 41.42 million vaccine doses distributed and 22.73 million doses administered (54.9%), including 2.71 million administered in long-term care facilities (LTCFs). In total, 19.25 million people have received at least 1 dose of the vaccine, and 3.35 million have received both doses. The US is now averaging 1.13 million doses administered per day, an increase of 35% compared to this time last week.
January 22nd, 2021
The US CDC reported 24.32M total cases and 404,689 deaths. The US surpassed 400,000 cumulative deaths on January 19. From the first US death, it took 55 days to reach 50,000 deaths. From there:
- 50K - 100K: 33 days
- 100K - 150K: 63 days
- 150K - 200K: 55 days
- 200K - 250K: 58 days
- 250K - 300K: 25 days
- 300K - 350K: 20 days
- 350K - 400K: 16 days
On January 19, the US daily incidence fell below 200,000 new cases per day for the first time since January 1.
The US CDC reported 37.96 million vaccine doses distributed and 17.55 million doses administered (46.2%), including 2.09 million administered in long-term care facilities. In total, 15.05 million people have received at least 1 dose of the vaccine, and 2.39 million have received both doses.
January 19th, 2021
The US CDC reported 23.65M total cases and 394,495 deaths. COVID-19 incidence in the US has declined steadily since January 11, down from 248,367 new cases per day to 221,692, a decrease of nearly 11%. In light of interrupted reporting over the recent holidays, it is difficult to accurately determine the longer-term trend in COVID-19 data. If the US daily incidence is plateauing or peaking, the exact timing of this transition is unclear.
The US CDC reported 31.16 million vaccine doses distributed and 12.28 million doses administered (39.4%), as of January 15. This includes 1.38 million administered in long-term care facilities. In total, 10.60 million people have received at least 1 dose of the vaccine, and 1.61 million have received both doses.
Researchers from the US CDC COVID-19 Response Team projected that the B.1.1.7 variant would contribute to a rapid growth in cases in the US early in 2021. The B.1.1.7 has been identified in 122 cases in 20 US states, including California and Florida with at least 40 reported cases each. CDC officials projected that the B.1.1.7 variant is likely to become the dominant variant in the US. In order to avoid uncontrolled spread of this variant, health experts encourage individuals to recommit to recommended control measures such as mask wearing, physical distancing, and enhanced hygiene.
January 15th, 2021
The US CDC reported 22.97M total cases and 338,351 deaths. Since January 8, the average US daily incidence has hovered between 240-250,000 new cases per day, and it appears as though the daily incidence could be leveling off to some degree. On January 12 and 13, the US reported 4,131 and 4,096 deaths, respectively. These are the second and third highest daily totals to date*, and this is the first time since the onset of the pandemic that the US reported more than 4,000 deaths on consecutive days.
The US CDC reported 30.63 million vaccine doses distributed and 11.15 million doses administered (36.4%), including 1.23 million administered in long-term care facilities (LTCFs).
Last week, the incoming Biden Administration announced that it intends to make nearly all of the existing US SARS-CoV-2 vaccine inventory available to states, rather than the current plan of reserving vaccine to ensure availability for second doses. Following the release of the Biden Administration plan, US Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar announced that the federal government will begin distributing the remaining reserve inventory to states even before President-Elect Biden takes office. Secretary Azar also recommended that states expand eligibility to all adults aged 65 and older as well as adults under the age of 65 with underlying health conditions that could put them at risk for severe COVID-19 disease or death. As part of this recommendation, the federal government will allocate doses to states based on their respective populations aged 65 and older. Secretary Azar argued that some states’ strict adherence to limited initial priority groups has slowed vaccinations and that the new policy would speed progress. The sudden policy shift, with little warning and little financial or operational support for state and local officials responsible for implementing mass vaccination campaigns, has raised concerns among some experts. States are already conducting vaccination operations using their own priority groups—with substantial variation from state to state—some of which have caused confusion among the public regarding who is eligible or how to get vaccinated.
January 12th, 2021
The US CDC reported 22.32M total cases and 373,167 deaths. On January 8th, the US reported 314,093 new cases, becoming the first country to surpass 300,000 new cases in a single day. To our knowledge, the US remains the only country to report more than 100,000 new cases in a single day. The US reported a new record for single-day mortality* as well, with 4,180 deaths reported on January 7.
The US CDC reported 25.48 million vaccine doses distributed and 8.99 million doses administered (35.3%). These include 4.24 million doses distributed for use in long-term care facilities, of which 937,028 (22.1%) have been administered.
Distribution of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines continues to scale up nationwide, but the speed at which states are administering vaccinations varies widely. Among US states, all but 7 (and Washington DC) have received between 6,000 and 8,000 doses per 100,000 population from the federal government, illustrating that allocation has been largely consistent nationwide. While the per capita distribution is relatively consistent between states, vaccine administration is a much different story. Most US states have administered between 2,000 and 4,000 doses per 100,000 population. 9 states are reporting fewer than 2,000 vaccinations per 100,000 population, including Arkansas (1,355) and Georgia (1,346) with fewer than 1,500. Alabama (23.4%) and Arizona (24.5%) are also reporting fewer than 25% of doses administered. 10 states have administered more than half of their received doses. North and South Dakota are the top 2 states, with 72.6% and 70.0%, respectively.
As vaccination efforts continue in the US, operational and policy challenges continue to emerge, some of which are slowing progress. One of the biggest issues with the US vaccination effort is the national distribution system. Under the current plan, the federal government is reserving approximately half of the available vaccine doses in order to ensure that enough supply is available to provide second doses to all vaccinees. As vaccination efforts scale up nationwide, including expanded eligibility, state and local public health and healthcare officials are proceeding with plans to establish mass vaccination capacity. Some of these efforts are leveraging space available at large venues—such as stadiums, convention centers, and fairgrounds—which can provide space for many vaccinators that can process large crowds quickly.
Expanded sequencing and screening capacity and capabilities have helped identify several emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2 in the UK (B.1.1.7) and South Africa (B.1.351). More recently, similar variants were detected in Japan and Nigeria. Although the variants do not seem to cause increased morbidity or mortality, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that the continued emergence of highly transmissible variants is “highly problematic.” While these variants may each exhibit similar mutations and characteristics, it appears that they have all emerged independently. The wide geographic distribution of emerging variants is concerning for control efforts, because the emergence and evolution of the virus, including the effects on the virus’ characteristics, are unpredictable.
January 8th, 2021
The US CDC reported 21.26M total cases and 359,849 deaths. Yesterday, the US reported 299,904 new cases, a new single-day record. This brings the average daily incidence to 228,003 new cases per day, surpassing the pre-holiday peak and setting a new record—a 27% increase over the holiday low of 179,791. The US also reported a new record high for single-day mortality*, with 3,844 new deaths.
The US CDC reported 21.42 million vaccine doses distributed and 5.92 million doses administered (27.6%). These include 3.77 million doses distributed for use in long-term care facilities (LCTFs), of which 603,313 (16.0%) have been administered.
While many of the metrics tracked vary considerably over holiday weekends, hospitalizations tend to remain relatively consistent. Analysis reported by the COVID Tracking Project shows a 4.6% increase in hospitalizations for the last week of 2020, compared to the previous week. The number of nationwide hospitalizations does appear to be tapering off to some degree, but the US continues to set new records, now more than double the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients reported at the height of the previous 2 peaks.
The rollout of the United States’ SARS-CoV-2 vaccination program has faced a number of challenges. While the federal government is responsible for procuring and distributing the vaccine, public health and healthcare in the US are largely controlled at the state level. According to US CDC data, more than 15 million total doses have been distributed nationwide; however, only 4.5 million (29.5%) have been reported as administered. This total includes 2.5 million doses distributed for use at long-term care facilities (LTCFs), of which only 365,000 (14.4%) have been administered. While distribution to states is relatively balanced nationwide, on a per capita basis, the speed at which states are administering the vaccines varies widely.
Information and analyses continue to emerge about newly identified SARS-CoV-2 variants, most notably B.1.1.7 (first identified in the UK) and B.1.351 (first identified in South Africa). Both variants appear to be more transmissible than the variants that circulated earlier in the pandemic, including those that are still circulating widely in most places around the world, but research is ongoing to fully characterize them. Perhaps the biggest concern is the potential that these variants could be less susceptible to newly authorized vaccines or therapeutic drugs. Preliminary research (preprint), conducted by researchers at Pfizer and the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), provides evidence that the Pfizer vaccine is efficacious against both the B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 variants. Another study published recently (preprint) by researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Seattle, Washington, US), analyzed the effects of various mutations on the virus’ susceptibility to antibody treatments. The researchers found that variants with the E484K mutation, such as the B.1.351 variant, “have greatly reduced susceptibility to neutralization by the...serum antibodies of some individuals.” In fact, they observed decreased neutralization on the order of 10-fold or greater for variants with this mutation.
January 5th, 2021
The US CDC reported 20.56M total cases and 350,664 deaths. The US reported a new single day record incidence of 284,554 new cases on January 3, becoming the first country to report more than 250,000 new cases in a single day. The US surpassed 20 million cumulative cases on January 2. From the first case reported in the US, it took 200 days to reach 5 million cases. From there:
- 5M - 10M: 92 days
- 10M - 15M: 29 days
- 15M - 20M: 24 days
The US surpassed 325,000 cumulative deaths on December 23 and 350,000 deaths on January 4. The 9 days to increase from 300,000 to 325,000 deaths matched the rate at the peak of the initial surge in March. Notably, the 12 days between 325,000 and 350,000 included 2 major holiday weekends, which likely delayed reporting to some extent. From the first US death, it took 55 days to reach 50,000 deaths. From there:
- 50K - 100K: 33 days
- 100K - 150K: 63 days
- 150K - 200K: 55 days
- 200K - 250K: 58 days
- 250K - 300K: 25 days
- 300K - 350K: 20 days
While many of the metrics tracked vary considerably over holiday weekends, hospitalizations tend to remain relatively consistent. Analysis reported by the COVID Tracking Project shows a 4.6% increase in hospitalizations for the last week of 2020, compared to the previous week. The number of nationwide hospitalizations does appear to be tapering off to some degree, but the US continues to set new records, now more than double the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients reported at the height of the previous 2 peaks.
The rollout of the United States’ SARS-CoV-2 vaccination program has faced a number of challenges. While the federal government is responsible for procuring and distributing the vaccine, public health and healthcare in the US are largely controlled at the state level. According to US CDC data, more than 15 million total doses have been distributed nationwide; however, only 4.5 million (29.5%) have been reported as administered. This total includes 2.5 million doses distributed for use at long-term care facilities (LTCFs), of which only 365,000 (14.4%) have been administered. While distribution to states is relatively balanced nationwide, on a per capita basis, the speed at which states are administering the vaccines varies widely.
December 22nd, 2020
The US CDC reported 17.79M total cases and 316,844 deaths. On December 18, the US reported 403,359 new cases, far exceeding the previous single-day record; however, this included 171,505 previously unreported probable cases in Texas. Without this addition of historical cases, the US would have reported 231,854 new cases on that day, which would have been the third highest single-day total to date. Texas jumped from 1.37 million cumulative cases on December 17 to 1.56 million on December 18.
The US is averaging more than 2,600 deaths per day. While this is still the highest mortality since April 20-21*, it does appear that the US is approaching or has passed an inflection point in terms of COVID-19 mortality. Daily mortality was increasing exponentially leading up to Thanksgiving, and it appears to be increasing approximately linearly since then. This could be a sign that US mortality is starting to taper off; however, if incidence increases again as a result of holiday travel and gatherings, we would expect mortality to increase again as well.
On Friday, the US FDA issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for Moderna’s SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, the second vaccine authorized for use in the US. On Monday, the European Commission issued a conditional marketing authorization for the Pfizer/BioNTech SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, based in part on the recommendation of the European Medicines Agency.
A new SARS-CoV-2 variant has come to prominence in the UK, and there are concerns that it has increased transmissibility compared to other variants. The new variant was originally labeled as VUI-202012/01—variant under investigation; the first VUI in December 2020— and subsequently updated to VOC-202012/01—variant of concern. Other analysis labels the variant B.1.1.7. The variant is characterized by at least 17 specific mutations, including 8 for the spike protein, which attaches to the ACE2 receptor and allows the virus to enter cells. Preliminary research indicates that the change could make the virus more transmissible. UK researchers identified the mutations in specimens from as far back as September based on analysis of genetic sequencing data, and the variant “circulated at very low levels...until mid-November.” In the US, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo coordinated with 3 airlines that offer flights between the UK and New York City in order to implement mandatory testing for passengers before departing. Governor Cuomo called on the US government to strengthen restrictions for travelers arriving from the UK in response to the emerging variant.
On Sunday, the US CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) debated and voted on vaccine priority groups for Phases 1b and 1c, following the initiation of vaccination for healthcare workers and long-term care facility residents in Phase 1a. ACIP recommended that Phase 1b include adults aged 75 years and older as well as frontline essential workers. Frontline essential workers were defined as “first responders, teachers and other education workers including day care workers, food and agriculture workers, correctional facility staff, postal workers, public transit workers, and people who work in manufacturing and in grocery stores”who have direct contact with the public as part of their job. Some essential workers who are able to work remotely or do not interact with the public may not be eligible under this designation. ACIP recommended that Phase 1c include adults aged 65-74 as well as individuals aged 16-64 who have high-risk medical conditions.
December 18th, 2020
The US CDC reported 16.76M total cases and 306,427 deaths. Yesterday, the US reported 236,913 new cases, the second highest daily total to date. The US continues to average more than 210,000 new cases per day.
The US reported 3,435 deaths yesterday, the highest single-day total to date with the exception of April 15, when New York City reported more than 3,700 previously unreported probable deaths identified since the onset of its epidemic. The US is averaging more than 2,500 deaths per day and still increasing. At this pace, the US could surpass 330,000 cumulative deaths—approximately 1 death for every 1,000 people—in the next 9-10 days.
In total, 15 states are reporting cumulative mortality in excess of 100 deaths per 100,000 population (or 1 death per 1,000 population)—as well as Washington, DC, and New York City. This includes 4 states, and New York City (292), that are reporting more than 150 deaths per 100,000 population: Connecticut (153), Massachusetts (165), New Jersey (200), and North Dakota (153). With the exception of North Dakota, these states reported some of the earliest cases and were severely affected early in the US epidemic at a time when there were few available treatment options, critical supplies and equipment like ventilators were in short supply, and hospitals and health systems were overwhelmed. Among the rest of the states reporting more than 100 deaths per 100,000 population, several—including Arizona, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Mississippi, and North and South Dakota—were more severely affected later in the epidemic, in the summer surge or the ongoing autumn/winter surge.
A week after issuing a recommendation to authorize the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, the US Vaccine and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) recommended that the US FDA issue an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for Moderna’s candidate SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, based on Phase 3 clinical trial data. The FDA is expected to issue the EUA within the next day or so, which would make the Moderna vaccine the second vaccine authorized for use in the US. VRBPAC recommended the Moderna vaccine for adults aged 18 years and older, administered in 2 doses spaced 28 days apart. This differs slightly from the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, which was recommended for individuals aged 16 and older, with 2 doses given 21 days apart.
One major advantage of the Moderna vaccine over the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is its cold chain requirements. The Moderna vaccine can be stored at 36-46°F (2-8°C), which is similar to standard freezers and refrigerators, as opposed to -112°F to -76°F (-80°C to -60°C) for the Pfizer/BioNTech formulation. This would make distribution and storage much less resource intensive for health departments, health systems, and other organizations as they implement mass vaccination operations.
December 15th, 2020
The US CDC reported 16.11M total cases and 298,266 deaths. The US reported a new single day record for daily incidence on December 11, with more than 244,000 new cases. If the Thanksgiving holiday had major impact on the US epidemic, we expect to begin to see the early evidence over the next week or two.
In terms of mortality, the US is averaging 2,430 deaths per day, which corresponds to 1 US death every 36 seconds. To date, the US has only exceeded this rate for a 3-day period from April 19-21, at the very peak of the initial US surge and just days after New York City reported 3,700 previously unreported probable COVID-19 deaths from the onset of its epidemic. We expect the US to surpass 300,000 cumulative deaths in this afternoon’s CDC update. From the first US death reported on February 29, it took 46 days to reach 25,000 deaths. From there:
- 25K - 50K: 9 days
- 50K - 75K: 13 days
- 75K - 100K: 20 days
- 100K - 125K: 31 days
- 125K - 150K: 32 days
- 150K - 175K: 24 days
- 175K - 200K: 31 days
- 200K - 225K: 34 days
- 225K - 250K: 24 days
- 250K - 275K: 14 days
- 275K - 300K: 11 days
On December 11, the US FDA issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, which allowed Pfizer to begin distributing the first allotments of the vaccine nationwide. The FDA also published guidance for vaccinators—including storage, thawing, dilution, and dosing information—and recipients. The EUA specifically authorizes the vaccine for use in individuals aged 16 years and older, but as we covered previously, not everyone in this population will be immediately eligible for vaccination. Eligibility will be expanded slowly, starting with priority populations such as high-risk individuals and essential workers.
The first shipments of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine have already been sent out from Pfizer’s facility in Kalamazoo, Michigan, as well as a distribution center in Wisconsin, and vaccination efforts began across the country. Most of the initial reports indicated that healthcare workers were among the first to be vaccinated, as major hospitals are better equipped than many locations to maintain the resource-intensive storage requirements, including that the vaccine be maintained at -112°F (-80°C).
December 11th, 2020
The US CDC reported 15.27M total cases and 288,762 deaths. The US surpassed 15 million cases on December 8. From the first case reported in the US on January 22, it took 96 days to reach 1 million cases. From there:
- 1M - 5M: 200 days
- 5M - 10M: 92 days
- 10M - 15M: 29 days
The US daily COVID-19 incidence continues to increase, with 231,396 new cases reported yesterday, once again setting a record. The US is now averaging more than 207,000 new cases per day, which equates to more than 1 million cases every 5 days.
The US also reported 3,411 deaths yesterday, and the average daily mortality climbed to 2,319 deaths per day. On April 15 New York City reported more than 3,700 previously unreported probable deaths identified since the onset of its epidemic. The US COVID-19 epidemic is more deadly now than at any point to date, and it is still accelerating. At this rate, the US will reach a cumulative mortality of 300,000 deaths in the next 5 days. Additionally, the US could surpass 330,000 deaths—which corresponds to approximately 0.1% of the entire US population or 1 death for every 1,000 people—in the next 2.5 weeks. Currently, only 6 countries worldwide have surpassed that, including Andorra and San Marino, both of which are reporting fewer than 80 total deaths. The US represents one-third of all COVID-19 cases reported globally each day and more than one-fifth of global deaths.
December 8th, 2020
The US CDC reported 14.64M total cases and 281,253 deaths. The US reported 219,187 new cases on December 3, making it the first country to exceed 200,000 cases in a single day. After reporting more than 200,000 cases for the first time, the US exceeded 200,000 cases for 3 consecutive days - December 3-5. The US now ranks #11 globally in terms of per capita daily incidence, with 608 daily cases per million population. Of the 10 countries ahead of the US, 5 have populations of less than 1 million, and only Serbia (6.8 million) has a population greater than 5 million. Five (5) of those countries are averaging fewer than 600 total cases per day, and none are reporting more than 7,500.
Also on December 3, the US surpassed 14 million cumulative cases. From the first case reported in the US on January 22, it took 96 days to reach 1 million cases. From there:
- 1M - 2M: 44 days
- 2M - 3M: 27 days
- 3M - 4M: 15 days
- 4M - 5M: 17 days
- 5M - 6M: 22 days
- 6M - 7M: 25 days
- 7M - 8M: 21 days
- 8M - 9M: 14 days
- 9M - 10M: 10 days
- 10M - 11M: 7 days
- 11M - 12M: 5 days
- 12M - 13M: 7 days
- 13M - 14M: 5 days
The US surpassed 275,000 cumulative deaths on December 3 as well. From the first death reported on February 29, it took 46 days to surpass 25,000 deaths. From there:
- 25K - 50K: 9 days
- 50K - 75K: 13 days
- 75K - 100K: 20 days
- 100K - 125K: 31 days
- 125K - 150K: 32 days
- 150K - 175K: 24 days
- 175K - 200K: 31 days
- 200K - 225K: 34 days
- 225K - 250K: 24 days
- 250K - 275K: 14 days
As a reminder, the CDC data from last week included delayed cases and deaths from over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, which could have resulted in elevated figures over the past week. We expect that health departments and hospitals are caught up in their reporting, so this week will likely provide a more accurate representation of the current state of the US epidemic. It will still be at least another week before we could begin to see any effects on incidence stemming from Thanksgiving travel and gatherings.
December 4th, 2020
The US CDC reported 13.82M total cases and 272,525 deaths. Yesterday, the CDC reported 196,227 new cases. While this certainly includes delayed reports from last week, it does set a new record high for single-day incidence.
Additionally, the CDC reported 2,461 and 2,762 deaths, respectively, over the past 2 days. Again, these updates contain some delayed reports from the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, but they do represent the 8th and 4th highest single-day mortality, respectively, since the onset of the US epidemic. The US could surpass 14 million cumulative cases and 275,000 deaths in this afternoon's update.
No vaccine has yet received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the US FDA, but the FDA's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee is scheduled to meet on December 10 and 17 to discuss the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine candidates, respectively.
In anticipation of an EUA for one or both vaccines, the US Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) convened an emergency meeting on December 1 to vote on proposed recommendations for the Phase 1a allocation of the initial SARS-CoV-2 vaccine supply. ACIP voted 13-1 in favor of the including frontline healthcare workers and long-term care facility (LTCF) residents in Phase 1a, with the one objecting vote stemming from the lack of safety and efficacy data available for LTCF resident populations. The recommendation will prioritize about 21 million healthcare workers and about 3 million adults currently residing in LTCFs. ACIP did not vote on allocation for the rest of Phase 1, but other Phase 1 tiers are expected to include non-medical essential workers and others at risk for severe disease and death, including adults aged 65 years and older and those with underlying medical conditions.
December 1st, 2020
The US CDC reported 13.30M total cases and 266,051 deaths. The US surpassed 13 million cumulative cases on November 28. From the first case reported in the US on January 22, it took 96 days to reach 1 million cases. From there:
- 1M - 2M: 44 days
- 2M - 3M: 27 days
- 3M - 4M: 15 days
- 4M - 5M: 17 days
- 5M - 6M: 22 days
- 6M - 7M: 25 days
- 7M - 8M: 21 days
- 8M - 9M: 14 days
- 9M - 10M: 10 days
- 10M - 11M: 7 days
- 11M - 12M: 5 days
- 12M - 13M: 7 days
Last week, White House Coronavirus Task Force member ADM Brett Giroir commented that senior health officials are reevaluating the recommended time that individuals should quarantine after a known exposure to SARS-CoV-2 with an eye toward shortening the quarantine period. A recent study published in The Lancet found that the length of time that individuals can shed viable SARS-CoV-2 is shorter than previously believed. The US CDC currently recommends that exposed individuals quarantine for 2 weeks after their last close contact with a COVID-19 case and that infected individuals should isolate for at least 10 days after the onset of symptoms and at least 24 hours after the fever resolves. Updated CDC guidance could potentially include a provision to shorten quarantine or isolation if accompanied by negative results for a diagnostic test administered after a certain amount of time. This story was initially covered by news media outlets this time last week; however, no formal announcement has been made regarding changes to the official CDC guidance.
Reducing the quarantine or isolation period could potentially increase compliance by individuals who are not willing or able to isolate or quarantine for the full period currently recommended by the CDC. It could also reduce the impacts on employers and the US economy that result from workers being unavailable to perform in-person duties. There are concerns, however, that removing individuals from quarantine or isolation earlier could result in transmission by individuals who become or remain infectious after that point.
November 24th, 2020
The US CDC reported 12.18M total cases and 255,958 deaths. The US surpassed 12 million cumulative cases on November 21. From the first case reported in the US on January 22, it took 96 days to reach 1 million cases. From there:
- 1M - 2M: 44 days
- 2M - 3M: 27 days
- 3M - 4M: 15 days
- 4M - 5M: 17 days
- 5M - 6M: 22 days
- 6M - 7M: 25 days
- 7M - 8M: 21 days
- 8M - 9M: 14 days
- 9M - 10M: 10 days
- 10M - 11M: 7 days
- 11M - 12M: 5 days
The US reported its 3 highest single day totals on November 19-21, including a record high of 192,673 new cases on November 20. Additionally, the US is currently averaging more than 170,000 new cases per day, which corresponds to nearly 1.2 million new cases each week. The US also reported more than 2,000 deaths on November 19 for the first time since May 14 with the exception of 2,516 deaths reported on June 25, which included 1,854 probable deaths reported by New Jersey that were recorded from the onset of the pandemic to that date.
November 20th, 2020
The US CDC reported 11.47M total cases and 249,670 deaths. The US is averaging more than 160,000 new cases per day, which equates to nearly 1 million cases every 6 days. Notably, 250,000 deaths corresponds to one COVID-19 death for every 1,333 people in the US. Additionally, COVID-19 is estimated to be the third leading cause of death in the US. Based on US CDC data from 2018, the top 3 leading causes of death were heart disease (655,381 deaths), cancer (599,274), and accidents/unintentional injury (167,127).
Two-thirds of all US states now have reported more than 150,000 cumulative cases, including 20 with more than 200,000 cases.
- >1 million: California, Texas
- >800,000: Florida
- >600,000: Illinois
- >500,000: New York
- >400,000: Georgia
- >300,000: Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Wisconsin
- >200,000: Alabama, Arizona, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia
November 18th, 2020
The US CDC reported 11.14M total cases and 246,232 deaths. From the first case reported in the US on January 22, it took 96 days to reach 1 million cases. From there:
- 1M - 2M: 44 days
- 2M - 3M: 27 days
- 3M - 4M: 15 days
- 4M - 5M: 17 days
- 5M - 6M: 22 days
- 6M - 7M: 25 days
- 7M - 8M: 21 days
- 8M - 9M: 14 days
- 9M - 10M: 10 days
- 10M - 11M: 7 days
The daily incidence in the US has surpassed 150,000 new cases per day, just 11 days after first reporting more than 100,000 new cases in a single day. The US has reported more than 100,000 cases for 9 consecutive days and 12 of the last 13. Additionally, the US is reporting 1,214 deaths per day, the highest average since May 22. The US daily mortality has increased nearly 75% over the past month.
Two-thirds of all US states now have reported more than 150,000 cumulative cases, including 20 with more than 200,000 cases.
- >1 million: California, Texas
- >800,000: Florida
- >500,000: Illinois, New York
- >400,000: Georgia
- >300,000: North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Wisconsin
- >200,000: Alabama, Arizona, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia
November 16th, 2020
The US CDC reported 10.85M total cases and 244,810 deaths. The US is averaging 148,280 new cases per day, the highest since May 24. The US is averaging 1,180 deaths per day, and it could reach 250,000 cumulative deaths by the end of the week. The US reported a new single day record for daily incidence on Firday with 194,610 new cases. This is 36% more cases than the previous record, which was reported on the previous day.
Two-thirds of all US states now have reported more than 150,000 cumulative cases, and 20 have reported more than 200,000 cases.
- >1 million: California, Texas
- >800,000: Florida
- >500,000: Illinois, New York
- >400,000: Georgia
- >300,000: North Carolina, Tennessee, Wisconsin
- >200,000: Alabama, Arizona, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia
On a per capita basis, more than half of all US states are reporting higher cumulative incidence than New York City, the country's biggest hotspot early in the epidemic, including North and South Dakota, which are reporting more than twice the per capita cumulative incidence as New York City.
Moderna Therapeutics issued a series of press releases over the past several days regarding the progress for the Phase 3 clinical trials for its SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Last week, Moderna announce that it identified enough cases among study participants--ie, at least 53--to conduct the first interim analysis on the vaccine's efficacy. The study completed enrollment of 30,000 participants in late October, and the primary metric is preventing symptomatic COVID-19 disease, with secondary aims of preventing severe disease and preventing infection. The most noteworthy news, however, was the announcement that interim analysis of the data indicates that the candidate vaccine could be nearly 95% effective. Like Pfizer's announcement last week, this update was provided in a press release and the actual data still need to be published and reviewed, however the news is promising that multiple highly efficacious vaccines could be available in 2021.
Both Pfizer and Moderna are expected to file for Emergency Use Authorization with the US FDA, and regulatory authorities in other countries, including the European Medicines Agency, have also announced they will review the Moderna candidate. The news about both vaccine candidates has been received positively and with relief, especially as initial expectations about the efficacy of mRNA vaccines were somewhat low.
November 13th, 2020
The US CDC reported 10.31M total cases and 241,069 deaths. The US reported a new single day incidence record for the second consecutive day with 143,408 new cases and the average daily incidence surpassed 120,000 new cases per day, the highest average since August 1.
Half of all US states now have reported more than 150,000 cumulative cases, including 17 with more than 200,000 cases.
- >900,000: California, Texas
- >800,000: Florida
- >500,000: Illinois, New York
- >300,000: Georgia, North Carolina, Wisconsin
- >200,000: Alabama, Arizona, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee
November 11th, 2020
The US CDC reported 10.04M total cases and 237,731 deaths. A cumulative incidence of 10M cases corresponds to approximately 3% of the entire US population. From the first case reported in the US on January 22, it took 96 days to reach 1 million cases. From there:
- 1M - 2M: 44 days
- 2M - 3M: 27 days
- 3M - 4M: 15 days
- 4M - 5M: 17 days
- 5M - 6M: 22 days
- 6M - 7M: 25 days
- 7M - 8M: 21 days
- 8M - 9M: 14 days
- 9M - 10M: 10 days
The daily incidence in the US is nearly 110,000 new cases per day and still increasing exponentially. The US is also reporting 976 deaths per day, an increase of nearly 40% since October 18.
More than half of all US states now have reported more than 100,000 cumulative cases, including 17 with more than 200,000 cases.
- >900,000: California, Texas
- >800,000: Florida
- >500,000: New York
- >400,000: Illinois
- >300,000: Georgia
- >200,000: Alabama, Arizona, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Wisconsin
By essentially every metric, the US COVID-19 epidemic is accelerating at a concerning rate. The average daily incidence more than doubled in less than a month -- from approximately 50,000 new cases per day on October 12 to 110,000 daily cases on November 9 -- with no sign of slowing.
November 9th, 2020
The US CDC reported 9.81M total cases and 236,547 deaths, including 132,830 new cases reported on Saturday, which is more than 75% higher than any single day during the previous 2 peaks. The average daily COVID-19 incidence is nearly 100,000 new cases per day, almost triple the low reported in mid-September.
Most US states now have reported at least 100,000 cumulative cases, including 17 with more than 200,000 cases.
- >900,000: California, Texas
- >800,000: Florida
- >500,000: New York
- >400,000: Illinois
- >300,000: Georgia
- >200,000: Alabama, Arizona, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Wisconsin
Pfizer Pharmaceuticals and BioNTech announced interim efficacy results from the Phase 3 clinical trial of their candidate SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. According to press releases issued by both companies, preliminary analysis of trial data shows that the vaccine could be 90% efficacious. The study has enrolled 43,538 participants, including 38,955 who have received both doses of the vaccine (as of November 8). No serious adverse events have been reported so far among trial participants. The preliminary results were only reported via a press release and the full datasets have not been published publicly and have not been subjected to peer review. Pfizer has reported that 50 million doses of the vaccine could be available by the end of the year and 1.3 billion doses in 2021.
November 6th, 2020
The US CDC reported 9.46M total cases and 233,129 deaths, including 106,537 new cases reported yesterday, the first country to surpass 100,000 case in a single day. The daily COVID-19 incidence continues to increase and set new records, now up to an average of 89,912 new cases per day.
Most US states now have reported at least 100,000 cases, including 14 with more than 200,000 cases.
- >900,000: California, Texas
- >800,000: Florida
- >500,000: New York
- >400,000: Illinois
- >300,000: Georgia
- >200,000: Arizona, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Wisconsin
Alabama, Indiana, and Missouri are all expected to exceed 200,000 cumulative cases in the near future as well.
November 4th, 2020
The US CDC reported 9.27M total cases and 230,893 deaths, including 86,190 new cases reported yesterday, the fourth highest total to date. Most US states now have reported at least 100,000 cases, including 14 with more than 200,000 cases. California and Texas with more than 900,000, Florida with more than 800,000, New York with more than 500,000, Illinois with more than 400,000, Georgia with more than 300,000, and Arizona, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Wisconsin with more than 200,000.
November 2nd, 2020
The US CDC reported 9.1M total cases and 229,932 deaths. The average daily incidence is currently at 80,932 new cases, which is a slight decrease from the 83,851 new cases per day reported last week. Most US states now have reported at least 100,000 cases, including 13 with more than 200,000 cases. California and Texas with more than 900,000, Florida with more than 700,000, New York and Illinois with more than 400,000, Georgia with more than 300,000, and Arizona, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Wisconsin with more than 200,000.
October 30th, 2020
The US CDC reported 8.83M total cases and 227,045 deaths. Daily incidence continues to increase, now up to 81,599 new cases per day, representing a 22% increase in daily reported cases compared to last week and now surpassing the previous highest peak in mid-July. Most US states now have reported at least 100,000 cases, including 13 with more than 200,000 cases. California with more than 900,000, Texas with more than 800,000, Florida with more than 700,000, New York with more than 400,000, Georgia and Illinois with more than 300,000, and Arizona, New Jersey, North Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin with more than 200,000.
In terms of cases per 100,000 population, states in the West and Midwest including but not limited to Montana, North and South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming have reported at least 50 new cases per 100,000 population within the past 7 days. Idaho, which was in that category last week, reported 48 new cases per 100,000 and is still of concern for high levels of new cases. North and South Dakota have reported a staggering 114.2 and 112.6 cases per 100,000 population, after slow adoption of social distancing and public health measures.
October 28th, 2020
The US CDC reported 8.68M total cases and 225,084 deaths. Daily incidence continues to increase, now up to 63,589 new cases per day, compared to 59,699 new cases reported last Wednesday and almost as high as the peak incidence in late July. The 7 day moving average of US COVID-19 mortality was 797 for October 26th, compared to increasing numbers of daily deaths in recent weeks. Most US states now have reported at least 100,000 cases, including 12 with more than 200,000 cases. California and Texas with more than 800,000, Florida with more than 700,000, New York with more than 400,000, Georgia and Illinois with more than 300,000, and Arizona, New Jersey, North Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio, and Wisconsin with more than 200,000.
Healthcare systems across the United States are feeling the burden of increased COVID-19 incidence. Hospitals in communities across the country are nearing full capacity as the number of currently hospitalized patients exceeds 41,000. Despite this surge in new infections, the mortality rate for COVID-19 has remained relatively stable. This is good news considering the rise in new infections, but the quality of care could be at risk if availability of care becomes more limited.
October 26th, 2020
The US CDC reported 8.55M total cases and 224,221 deaths. Daily incidence continues to increase, now up to 83,851 new cases per day, the highest since August 3rd. The US COVID-19 mortality continues to hover around 900 deaths per day. More than half of all US states have reported more than 100,000 cases, including 11 with more than 200,000 cases. California and Texas lead with more than 800,000, Florida with more than 700,000, New York with more than 400,000, Georgia and Illinois with more than 300,000, and Arizona, New Jersey, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Wisconsin with more than 200,000.
October 23rd, 2020
The US CDC reported 8.31M total cases and 221,438 deaths. Daily incidence continues to increase, now up to 59,699 new cases per day, the highest since August 3rd. The US COVID-19 mortality increased from approximately 700 deaths per day to 773. More than half of all US states have reported more than 100,000 cases, including 10 with more than 200,000 cases. California and Texas lead with more than 800,000, Florida with more than 700,000, New York with more than 400,000, Georgia and Illinois with more than 300,000, and Arizona, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Tennessee with more than 200,000. The US CDC has updated its "close contact" definition from a 15 minute exposure within six feet of an infected individual to a cumulative 15 minute exposure within six feet of an infected individual over a 24 hour period.
October 21st, 2020
The US CDC reported 8.19M total cases and 219,499 deaths. Daily incidence continues to increase, now up to 57,291 new cases per day, the highest since August 5th. The US COVID-19 mortality increased from approximately 700 deaths per day to 721. More than half of all US states have reported more than 100,000 cases, including 10 with more than 200,000 cases. California and Texas lead with more than 800,000, Florida with more than 700,000, New York with more than 400,000, Georgia and Illinois with more than 300,000, and Arizona, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Tennessee with more than 200,000. Nationally, 37 states are reporting increasing COVID-19 hospitalizations, including 21 states that have recently reported new records or are near their previous record and still increasing.
October 19th, 2020
The US CDC reported 8.08M total cases and 218,511 deaths. Daily incidence continues to increase, now up to 55,323 new cases per day, the highest since August 5th. On Saturday, the CDC reported 70,078 new cases, the highest daily incidence since July 24th and the sixth highest daily total to date. The US surpassed 8 million cumulative cases. From the first case reported in the US on January 22nd, it took 96 days to reach 1 million cases.
From there:
- 1M to 2M: 44 days
- 2M to 3M: 27 days
- 3M to 4M: 15 days
- 4M to 5M: 17 days
- 5M to 6M: 22 days
- 6M to 7M: 25 days
- 7M to 8M: 21 days
More than half of all US states have reported more than 100,000 cases, including 10 with more than 200,000 cases. California and Texas lead with more than 800,000, Florida with more than 700,000, New York with more than 400,000, Georgia and Illinois with more than 300,000, and Arizona, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Tennessee with more than 200,000.
October 16th, 2020
The US CDC reported 7.89M total cases and 216,025 deaths, with daily incidence climbing up to 52,350 new cases per day, the highest since August 13th. At this rate, the US should surpass 8 million cumulative cases by tomorrow. US mortality continues to hold steady at approximately 700 daily deaths per day. More than half of all US states have reported more than 100,000 cases, including California and Texas with more than 800,000, Florida with more than 700,000, New York with more than 400,000, Georgia and Illinois with more than 300,000, and Arizona, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Tennessee with more than 200,000.
October 14th, 2020
The US CDC reported 7.87M total cases and 214,446 deaths, with daily incidence climbing up to 50,181 new cases per day, the first time above 50,000 daily cases since August 17th. The US should surpass 8 million cumulative cases in the next 4-5 days. US mortality continues to hold steady at approximately 675-700 daily deaths per day. More than half of all US states have reported more than 100,000 cases, including California with more than 800,000, Texas and Florida with more than 700,000, New York with more than 400,000, Georgia and Illinois with more than 300,000, and Arizona, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Tennessee with more than 200,000. Texas is expected to surpass 800,000 cumulative cases in the next several days.
October 12th, 2020
The US CDC reported 7.70M total cases and 213,614 deaths, with approximately 675-700 daily deaths over the past week. Half of all US states are reporting more than 100,000 cases, including California with more than 800,000, Texas and Florida with more than 700,000, New York with more than 400,000, Georgia and Illinois with more than 300,000, and Arizona, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Tennessee with more than 200,000.
The age distribution for COVID-19 cases has shifted toward younger adults over the past several months, in the US and elsewhere. Researchers from the US CDC COVID-19 Response Team sought to better characterize potential drivers of this phenomenon by evaluating patients between 18 and 23 years old in Winnebago, WI. The researchers identified exposure to misinformation, conflicting or inconsistent public health messaging, and low perceived severity of disease as factors that may contribute to riskier behavior among young adults. They also identified numerous barriers to consistent and effective mask use among this age group, including the absence of a local or national mask mandate, social or peer pressure to not wear a mask, and mixed perceptions regarding the effectiveness of mask use. The study was conducted in March-July.
October 9th, 2020
The US CDC reported 7.53M total cases and 211,132 deaths, averaging 675 deaths per day. Mortality trends tend to lag 2-3 weeks behind incidence, and incidence continues to climb in the US, now up to 44,984 new cases per day, so this will be important to monitor in the coming weeks. Half of all US states are reporting more than 100,000 cases, including California with more than 800,000, Texas and Florida with more than 700,000, New York with more than 400,000, Georgia and Illinois with more than 300,000, and Arizona, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Tennessee with more than 200,000.
October 5th, 2020
The US CDC reported 7.36M total cases and 208,821 deaths, averaging 684 deaths per day. In total, 24 states are reporting more than 100,000 cases, including California with more than 800,000, Texas and Florida with more than 700,000, New York with more than 400,000, Georgia and Illinois with more than 300,000, and Arizona, New Jersey, and North Carolina with more than 200,000.
On Friday, President Trump was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for treatment and monitoring. The exact timing of his SARS-CoV-2 tests and the onset of symptoms remain unclear. The President was subsequently discharged from the hospital yesterday. In addition to President Trump, a number of close advisers and Republican officials have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 over the past several days.
October 2nd, 2020
The US CDC reported 7.21M total cases and 206,402 deaths, averaging 713 deaths per day. In total, 22 states are reporting more than 100,000 cases, including California with more than 800,000, Texas with more than 700,000, Florida with more than 600,000, New York with more than 400,000, Georgia with more than 300,000, and Arizona, Illinois, New Jersey, and North Carolina with more than 200,000. Florida's COVID-19 website is reporting more than 700,000 cases and that is expected to be reflected in the CDC data in the coming days. Additionally, Minnesota's COVID-19 website is reporting more than 100,000 cases and should soon be reflected in the CDC data. Illinois is expected to surpass 300,000 cases, Tennessee to surpass 200,000 cases, and Mississippi to surpass 100,000 cases over the next several days.
Early this morning, President Trump announced that he and First Lady Melania Trump have both tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. The announcement follows a report that Hope Hicks, one of President Trump's closest advisers, tested positive earlier this week.
September 30th, 2020
The US CDC reported 7.13M total cases and 204,598 deaths, averaging 733 deaths per day. In total, 22 states are reporting more than 100,000 cases, including California with more than 800,000, Texas with more than 700,000, Florida with more than 600,000, New York with more than 400,000, Georgia with more than 300,000, and Arizona, Illinois, New Jersey, and North Carolina with more than 200,000. Florida's COVID-19 website is reporting more than 700,000 cases and that is expected to be reflected in the CDC data in the coming days. As daily COVID-19 is once again on the rise in the US, the Midwest region continues to drive the current resurgence. As a whole, Midwestern states (IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MN, MO, NE, ND, OH, SD, and WI) are currently reporting more than 12,500 new cases per day, more than a quarter of the national total. This daily incidence is more than 5 times the incidence at the minimum reported in mid-June and more than double the first peak in early May.
September 28th, 2020
The US CDC reported 7.06M total cases and 204,033 deaths, averaging 755 deaths per day. It took 96 days to reach 1 million cases.
From there:
- 1M to 2M: 44 days
- 2M to 3M: 27 days
- 3M to 4M: 15 days
- 4M to 5M: 17 days
- 5M to 6M: 22 days
- 6M to 7M: 25 days
In total, 22 states are reporting more than 100,000 cases, including California and Texas with more than 700,000, Florida with more than 600,000, New York with more than 400,000, Georgia with more than 300,000, and Arizona, Illinois, New Jersey, and North Carolina with more than 200,000. California's state COVID-19 website is currently reporting more than 800,000 cases, and Florida's COVID-19 website is reporting more than 700,000 cases. We expect both of those to be reflected in the CDC data in the coming days.
September 25th, 2020
The US CDC reported 6.92M total cases and 201,411 deaths, averaging 732 deaths per day. In total, 22 states are reporting more than 100,000 cases, including California and Texas with more than 700,000, Florida with more than 600,000, New York with more than 400,000, Georgia with more than 300,000, and Arizona, Illinois, and New Jersey with more than 200,000.
September 23rd, 2020
The US CDC reported 6.83M total cases and 199,462 deaths, averaging 767 deaths per day. In total, 22 states are reporting more than 100,000 cases, including California with more than 700,000, Florida and Texas with more than 600,000, New York with more than 400,000, Georgia with more than 300,000, and Arizona, Illinois, and New Jersey with more than 200,000.
September 21st, 2020
The US CDC reported 6.75M total cases and 198,754 deaths, averaging 794 deaths per day. In total, 22 states are reporting more than 100,000 cases, including California with more than 700,000, Florida and Texas with more than 600,000, New York with more than 400,000, Georgia with more than 300,000, and Arizona and Illinois with more than 200,000. The average daily incidence has increased by 11% over the last 3 days and daily mortality has increased by 17% over the last 4 days.
September 18th, 2020
The US CDC reported 6.61M total cases and 196,277 deaths, averaging 859 deaths per day. In total, 21 states are reporting more than 100,000 cases, including California with more than 700,000, Florida and Texas with more than 600,000, New York with more than 400,000, and Arizona, Georgia and Illinois with more than 200,000. The US is #2 in Total Daily Incidence with 40,691 daily cases. India leads all countries with 91,593 new cases per day.
September 16th, 2020
The US CDC reported 6.54M total cases and 194,092 deaths, averaging 772 deaths per day. In total, 21 states are reporting more than 100,000 cases, including California with more than 700,000, Florida and Texas with more than 600,000, New York with more than 400,000, and Arizona, Georgia and Illinois with more than 200,000. Globally, at least 11 countries are reporting test positivity greater than 15%, at least 3 times higher than the WHO's 5% benchmark. Of these countries, 4 are reporting test positivity greater than 30%. Those are Argentina (51.6%), Mexico (47.4%), Oman (38.9%), and Bolivia (32.5%). Additionally, a number of these countries are reporting increasing trends which indicates that testing capacity is not sufficient to accurately capture the existing level of community transmission. In the US, test positivity has increased sharply over the past several days as well, up from 4.8% to 6.1% from September 10th to 13th.
September 14th, 2020
The US CDC reported 6.47M total cases and 193,195 deaths, averaging 734 deaths per day. In total, 21 states are reporting more than 100,000 cases, including California with more than 700,000, Florida and Texas with more than 600,000, New York with more than 400,000, and Arizona, Georgia and Illinois with more than 200,000.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) published data on national economies for G20 countries in Quarter 2 of 2020. As a whole, the G20 economy contracted by 6.9% from Quarter 1. This contraction is an all-time record and more than 4 times what was observed during the peak of the 2009 global financial crisis. Of the G20 countries, China was the only one to report economic growth (+11.5%), likely in part due to its success in containing its epidemic. Excluding China, the combined economy of the rest of the G20 contracted by 11.8%.
Less than a week after suspending Phase 3 clinical trials for its candidate SARS-CoV-2 vaccine due to a serious adverse event, AstraZeneca announced that the trials have resumed in the UK.
The CEO of Pfizer, Inc. announced that the company could be ready to begin distributing its candidate SARS-CoV-2 vaccine to the American public by the end of 2020.
September 11th, 2020
The US CDC reported 6.34M total cases and 190,262 deaths, averaging 738 deaths per day. In total, 20 states are reporting more than 100,000 cases, including California with more than 700,000, Florida and Texas with more than 600,000, New York with more than 400,000, and Arizona, Georgia and Illinois with more than 200,000.
September 9th, 2020
The US CDC reported 6.29M total cases and 188,688 deaths, averaging 805 deaths per day. In total, 19 states are reporting more than 100,000 cases, including California with more than 700,000, Florida and Texas with more than 600,000, New York with more than 400,000, and Arizona, Georgia and Illinois with more than 200,000. The phase 3 clinical trial for AstraZeneca's candidate SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (developed in collaboration with Oxford University) has been paused following the identification of a serious adverse event in one of the participants. Neither AstraZeneca nor Oxford University have yet disclosed details of the adverse event, which reportedly occurred in the UK; however, The New York Times reports that the patient developed transverse myelitis. It has not yet been determined whether the condition was associated with the vaccine. An earlier clinical trial for the AstraZeneca vaccine was also paused following the diagnosis of transverse myelitis in a participant, but the trial resumed after a safety review determined that the condition was not related to the vaccine. These types of holds on Phase 3 trials are not uncommon. Phase 3 trials are designed to identify less common adverse events by recruiting tens of thousands of participants. Because these rarer side effects occur infrequently, they may not have been detected in smaller Phase 1 or Phase 2 trials.
September 4th, 2020
The US CDC reported 6.09M total cases and 185,092 deaths including 1,009 new deaths. In total, 19 states are reporting more than 100,000 cases, including California with more than 700,000, Florida and Texas with more than 600,000, New York with more than 400,000, and Arizona, Georgia and Illinois with more than 200,000. Countries and organizations around the world, including US colleges and universities, are launching mobile apps to support COVID-19 contact tracing and notification efforts using bluetooth technology.
September 2nd, 2020
The US CDC reported 6M total cases and 183,050 deaths including 428 new deaths. From the first case reported in the US on January 22nd, it took 98 days to reach 1 million cases.
From there:
- 1M to 2M: 44 days
- 2M to 3M: 27 days
- 3M to 4M: 14 days
- 4M to 5M: 18 days
- 5M to 6M: 21 days
In total, 19 states are reporting more than 100,000 cases, including California with more than 700,000, Florida and Texas with more than 600,000, New York with more than 400,000, and Arizona, Georgia and Illinois with more than 200,000. Case fatality in the US at a national level seems to be leveling off at approximately 3%, but that varies considerably from state to state. States affected early in the US epidemic are reporting elevated case fatality ratios, including Connecticut (8.4%), New Jersey (8.3%), Massachusetts (7.0%), Michigan (6.0%), New Hampshire (5.9%), New York (5.8%), and Pennsylvania (5.7%). This is largely driven by the early patient surge and associated impact on local health systems, under-reporting of cases due to an absence or dearth of testing early in the epidemic, and improved clinical care for COVID-19 patients over the past several months. These fatality ratios are weighted heavily by those initial patients. States that were severely affected during the summer resurgence—including Arizona (2.5%), California (1.8%), Florida (1.8%), and Texas (2.1%)—have fared much better in terms of case fatality. However, they had the advantage of advanced warning that provided additional time to improve preparedness and acquire necessary resources (eg, PPE, ventilators) as well as increased testing capacity, which identified many more cases than early in the pandemic.
August 31st, 2020
The US CDC reported 5.93M total cases and 182,149 deaths including 1,006 new deaths. In total, 19 states are reporting more than 100,000 cases, including California, Florida, and Texas with more than 600,000, New York with more than 400,000, and Arizona, Georgia and Illinois with more than 200,000. The US is currently averaging 928 deaths per day. Reinfection has been identified in at least 2 patients. A Hong Kong patient tested positive with 2 different strains of the virus with the second incidence being asymptomatic. A Nevada patient tested positive with a second strain of the virus a month after being discharged and receiving two negative diagnostic tests. The Nevada patient experienced much more severe disease during his second infection. While it appears that reinfection is relatively rare, researchers will inevitably identify more cases.
August 28th, 2020
The US CDC reported 5.80M total cases and 178,998 deaths including 1,239 new deaths. In total, 19 states are reporting more than 100,000 cases, including California with more than 600,000, Florida, and Texas with more than 500,000, New York with more than 400,000, and Georgia and Illinois with more than 200,000. Notably, the US fell out of the global top 10 in terms of per capita daily incidence. In total, there are 10 countries averaging more than 100 daily deaths. Brazil, India, and the US are all reporting essentially equal daily mortality, approximately 900-950 daily deaths. Mexico is reporting about half of that total with 498 deaths, and Colombia is reporting 326 daily deaths. The remaining 5 of the top 10 countries are reporting fewer than 250 daily deaths.
August 26th, 2020
The US CDC reported 5.72M total cases and 176,617 deaths including 394 new deaths. In total, 19 states are reporting more than 100,000 cases, including California with more than 600,000, Florida, and Texas with more than 500,000, New York with more than 400,000, and Georgia and Illinois with more than 200,000. The US represents approximately 24% of the total global COVID-19 incidence and 22% of the total global deaths, despite accounting for only 4% of the global population. The US passed its second COVID-19 peak in late July. Now, approximately 1 month after the peak daily incidence, the US seems to be exhibiting the start of a decline in mortality. The daily mortality has been slowly decreasing for at least the past week, dipping below 1,000 new deaths per day for the first time since July 27th.
August 24th, 2020
The US CDC reported 5.64M total cases and 175,651 deaths including 1,006 new deaths. In total, 19 states are reporting more than 100,000 cases, including California with more than 600,000, Florida, and Texas with more than 500,000, New York with more than 400,000, and Georgia and Illinois with more than 200,000. The US is averaging fewer than 1,000 deaths per day for the first time since July 27. Several US territories are exhibiting high per capita daily incidence, including the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Guam.
August 21st, 2020
The US CDC reported 5.51M total cases and 172,416 deaths including 1,404 new deaths. In total, 19 states are reporting more than 100,000 cases, including California with more than 600,000, Florida, and Texas with more than 500,000, New York with more than 400,000, and Georgia and Illinois with more than 200,000. For nearly 3 weeks, the US has averaged more than 1,000 deaths per day. Several US territories are exhibiting high per capita daily incidence, including the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Guam.
August 19th, 2020
The US CDC reported 5.42M total cases and 169,870 deaths including 520 new deaths. In total, 19 states are reporting more than 100,000 cases, including California with more than 600,000, Florida, and Texas with more than 500,000, New York with more than 400,000, and Georgia and Illinois with more than 200,000. For nearly 3 weeks, the US has averaged more than 1,000 deaths per day. The US epidemic passed its second peak around July 24th and has decreased steadily in incidence since then.
August 17th, 2020
The US CDC reported 5.34M total cases and 168,696 deaths including 1,150 new deaths. In total, 19 states are reporting more than 100,000 cases, including California with more than 600,000, Florida, and Texas with more than 500,000, New York with more than 400,000, and Georgia and Illinois with more than 200,000. For nearly 3 weeks, the US has averaged more than 1,000 deaths per day.
August 14th, 2020
The US CDC reported 5.18M total cases and 165,148 deaths including 1,497 new deaths. Following steady declines since July 24, the average daily incidence in the US increased slightly over the past 2 days, from 52,193 new cases per day to 53,361. In total, 17 states are reporting more than 100,000 cases, including California, Florida, and Texas with more than 500,000, New York with more than 400,000, and Georgia with more than 200,000. The US remains #2 globally in terms of total daily incidence and fell to #9 in terms of per capita daily incidence.
August 12th, 2020
The US CDC reported 5.06M total cases and 162,407 deaths including 565 new deaths. From the first case reported in the US on January 22nd, it took 98 days to reach 1 million (1M) cases.
From there:
- 1M to 2M: 44 days
- 2M to 3M: 27 days
- 3M to 4M: 14 days
- 4M to 5M: 18 days
In total, 17 states are reporting more than 100,000 cases to date, including California and Florida with more than 500,000 cases, New York and Texas with more than 400,000, and Georgia with more than 200,000. The US remains #2 globally in terms of total daily incidence and #8 in terms of per capita daily incidence.
August 7th, 2020
The US CDC reported 4.80M total cases and 157,631 deaths including 1,320 new deaths. The US will likely reach 5 million cases by the end of this weekend or Monday. In total, 13 states are reporting more than 100,000 cases, including California with more than 500,000, Florida with nearly 500,000, and Texas with more than 450,000. The US may be approaching a peak in terms of daily mortality. Numerous countries around the world that previously had success against COVID-19 are experiencing an increase in incidence. Several countries in East and Southeast Asia are now taking renewed action against COVID-19 due to increases in transmission, including Japan and South Korea.
August 5th, 2020
The US CDC reported 4.70M total cases and 155,204 deaths including 733 new deaths. The US has reported fewer than 1,000 new deaths for the second consecutive day but this may be due in part to delays in weekend reporting. 13 states are reporting more than 100,000 cases with California surpassing 500,000 cases while Florida has passed 475,000. The Florida Department of Health is reporting more than 500,000 cumulative cases so that should be reflected in the CDC's reporting in the next couple of days. New York and Texas are each reporting more than 400,000 cases. Clinicians and researchers are investigating potential lingering health effects after COVID-19 patients recover from the acute stage of the disease. Much of the early research addresses treatment for the acute symptoms, particularl severe and life-threatening disease. More longitudinal studies are tracking patients after their recovery to identify conditions and symptoms that could last for months or longer including respiratory symptoms, but also the possibility of infecting a broad range of tissues including cognitive function and cardiological symptoms.
August 3rd, 2020
The US CDC reported 4.60M total cases and 154,002 deaths including 1,132 new deaths. The US has reported more than 1,000 new deaths for 10 of the past 12 days. California has surpassed 500,000 cases while Florida is approaching 475,000. New York and Texas are each reporting more than 400,000 cases and 9 additional states are reporting 100,000+ cases. Several candidate vaccines have initiated Phase 3 clinical trials which are much larger (involving tens of thousands of people instead of dozens or hundreds) and will provide a wealth of detailed safety and efficacy data over the next several months. These Phase 3 trials will also help to indicate the long-term efficacy of potential vaccines, whether seasonal boosters are necessary or if a single one-time vaccination is sufficient. A cruise ship operating out of Norway has experienced an outbreak of at least 40 passengers and crew, forcing the cruise line to suspend all of its cruises.
July 31st, 2020
The US CDC reported 4.41M total cases with 65,935 new cases and 150,283 deaths including 1,417 new deaths. California is reporting more than 475,000 cases while Florida, New York and Texas are each reporting more than 400,000 cases. 10 additional states are reporting 100,000+ cases. Recent studies may indicate that despite SARS-CoV-2 persisting and shedding from the body for more than 80 days in some cases, it only remains viable and infectious for approximately one week after the onset of symptoms. The authors conclude that PCR testing is likely not a good tool for evaluating patient recovery, because viral RNA is detectable long after the end of the infectious period.
July 29th, 2020
The US CDC reported 4.28M total cases and 147,672 deaths including 1,126 new deaths. California is reporting more than 450,000 cases while Florida and New York are each reporting more than 400,000 cases and Texas reports more than 375,000 cases. 8 additional states are reporting 100,000+ cases.