More than 100,000 people have died from Covid-19 since January 1, JHU data shows

More than 100,000 people have died of Covid-19 in the United States so far this year, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

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WENATCHEE, WA – JANUARY 26: A pharmacist prepares COVID-19 vaccines for patients arriving at the Town Toyota Center on January 26, 2021 in Wenatchee, Washington. While Washington opens several mass vaccination sites this week, Governor Jay Inslee announced that 500,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in the state. (Photo by David Ryder / Getty Images)

Since January 1, the United States has reported a total of 100,317 deaths from Covid-19, bringing the total number of reported deaths in the United States since the pandemic began to 446,689 on Tuesday night.

The first Covid-19-related death occurred on February 29, 2020, in Washington State. Later in the spring, two previous deaths in California were posthumously confirmed to be from Covid-19.

The US had more deaths from Covid-19 than any other country, JHU data show. Brazil recorded more than 200,000 deaths. Mexico, India and the UK recorded more than 100,000 deaths.

There are now more vaccinations than reported cases

The number of people who received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine is now greater than the number of Covid-19 cases in the United States reported throughout the pandemic.

More than 26.3 million cases were reported last year, according to Johns Hopkins University.

And in less than two months, more than 26.4 million doses of the vaccine have been administered, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

But that does not mean that the pandemic is passing. Here’s why:

• The number of coronavirus infections can be four times greater than the number of cases actually reported, say the researchers. In mid-January, the CDC estimated that the United States actually saw 83.1 million cases of Covid-19 since the pandemic began. “Even after adjusting for underreporting, there remains a substantial gap between the estimated proportion of the infected population and the proportion of infected people needed to achieve collective immunity,” wrote the researchers.

• New highly contagious variants are spreading across the United States, threatening to reinfect people who once had the coronavirus.
• Only about 1.84% of the US population received both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine. And it will take at least several months before most Americans can be vaccinated.

As part of the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program, the CVS and Walgreens chains will begin administering vaccines from next week. The White House listed 21 national drugstore chains that will participate in the program’s initial phase.

Although CVS and Walgreens have received vaccines in some states using supplies from those states, this is the first time that CVS and Walgreens will receive the vaccine directly from the federal government.

‘This does not seem to be good news for the vaccine’s effectiveness’

Although viruses mutate all the time, some variants in particular are of concern to scientists:

– Strain B.1.1.7 first identified in the UK, which can be up to 70% more transmissible than others

– The B.1.351 strain first identified in South Africa, which may slightly reduce the vaccine’s effectiveness

– The P.1 strain detected for the first time in Brazil, which is suspected of fueling the resurgence of Covid-19 in that country

All three variants were found in the United States, and the B.1.1.7 strain was detected in at least 32 states.

Johnson & Johnson’s scientific director, Dr. Paul Stoffels, told Richard Quest of CNN on Tuesday that the world needs to vaccinate as many people as possible to limit the number of coronavirus variants.

“If we are unable to control the pandemic soon, variants will begin to appear and continue to appear, and this will result in more vaccinations annually,” said Stoffels. “The mission is to keep the virus under control so that it doesn’t mutate, grow and create new versions.”

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine has not yet been authorized, but the company said it will seek authorization for emergency use from the United States Food and Drug Administration this month.

Scientists have now discovered a mutation in at least 11 samples of the B.1.1.7 strain that could escape protection from antibodies, according to a report by Public Health England on Monday.

The mutation, called E484K, was already part of the genetic signature of variants linked to South Africa and Brazil.

A new laboratory study found that antibodies from vaccinated people were less effective in neutralizing a synthetic virus similar to samples from B.1.1.7 that developed an E484K mutation.

“This does not seem to be great news for the vaccine’s effectiveness,” said Joseph Fauver, an associate research scientist in epidemiology at the Yale School of Public Health.

Experts say this news could mean that the B.1.1.7 strain, already known to be more transmissible, may be somewhat resistant to the protection provided by vaccines, or more likely to cause reinfection among people who were already infected.

Previous studies suggest that E484K may be the main reason why certain vaccines appear less effective in South Africa. Laboratory research has also shown that antibodies appear less able to bind and neutralize spike proteins resulting from the mutation.

Likewise, Dr. Anthony Fauci told Chris Hayes of MSNBC on Tuesday that employees should keep an eye on variants, as they can become a problem if they become dominant.

“One of the wildcards Chris, that we have to keep an eye on, are the mutations, the mutants that are out there, because if they become dominant, it could lead to another wave, but the best way to prevent them from becoming dominant is the twice as many public health measures, “said Fauci.

However, Fauci said that “if” Americans double public health measures and continue to vaccinate, the country should continue to see a downward trend.

Former FDA scientist: stop using convalescent plasma for Covid-19

The United States should stop using convalescent plasma to treat the coronavirus because it can help the virus evolve into new and potentially more dangerous variants, said a former pandemic adviser to the Biden transition team.

Convalescent plasma – taken from the blood of Covid-19 survivors – just doesn’t work well and allows the virus to continue replicating and evolving in patients’ bodies, said Dr. Luciana Borio, a long-standing biodefense consultant for state governments. United .

“As an additional measure to reduce the chances of the virus developing more mutations that can escape the immune system, I would encourage the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to terminate the Emergency Use Authorization (USA) issued last year for convalescent plasma” , Borio said in a written statement submitted to the Chamber’s Energy and Commerce Committee before a hearing on Wednesday.

Last August, the FDA issued an emergency use authorization for convalescent plasma to treat Covid-19, saying that “the product’s known and potential benefits outweigh the product’s known and potential risks.”

“We already know that, together, this therapy does not help patients with COVID-19. But by using it in circumstances where it does not work, we are providing the virus with a roadmap that can help it develop mutations that escape the natural ones. and the vaccine elicited immune responses even more quickly, “wrote Borio, who is currently vice president of strategic investment firm In-Q-Tel.

“Convalescent plasma has been used in more than 150,000 patients, despite NIH (National Institutes of Health) recommendations that its use should be limited to randomized controlled trials, and now the possibility that its indiscriminate use may add more selective pressure about the virus and hasten the day when vaccines become less effective, “said Borio, who is also a former FDA chief acting scientist.

Pfizer will deliver 200 million doses of vaccine 2 months ahead of schedule

The manufacturer of one of the two vaccines currently administered in the United States confirmed on Tuesday that it expects to deliver 200 million doses to the United States by the end of May.

Pfizer was originally scheduled to deliver 200 million doses by July 31. But CEO Albert Bourla said last week that he expects the company’s production to be advanced in two months.

“In the US, we promise to supply 100 million doses by the end of the first quarter and we will be able to supply 120 now,” said Bourla last week.

“The same is true for the second quarter. We were planning to supply them with up to 200 million doses by the end of the second quarter, in fact the beginning of the third. At this point, we will be able to deliver the 200 million doses in two months early. ”

The Biden government has announced it will buy another 100 million doses of the company.

Pfizer said it had supplied the United States with 20 million doses by Sunday.

Both the Pfizer vaccine and the vaccine manufactured by Moderna require two doses, with an interval of 21 and 28 days.