US Coronavirus: The number of US coronavirus deaths is projected to exceed 400,000 on the day of inauguration

Since the pandemic began, more than 388,000 people have died from Covid-19, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. And on Thursday, the US recorded its tenth consecutive day with more than 200,000 infections.

While frontline staff struggles to keep patients alive and the hospital’s ICU wards in operation, the success of vaccine implementation remains inconsistent.

Discrepancies in vaccine distribution

At least one state, however, says its distribution is ahead of the game.

West Virginia Governor Jim Justice told CNN that, as of Monday, all doses of vaccine received by the state were administered or designated to be administered in a day or two. The state leads the country in terms of first doses administered per capita, according to CDC data, almost doubling the national rate.

“We absolutely do not follow the federal model,” Justice told John King of CNN on Thursday. Instead of using drugstore chains to administer the vaccine, the governor said the state has relied on partnerships with local pharmacies, as well as the state health department and the National Guard to distribute vaccines effectively.

“It’s as simple as mud. If you can get shot at guns, it will save lives,” said Justice. “We don’t have to sit around trying to develop systems or meet with committees or anything. We needed to act. We needed to move.”

Other states are not having the same success as West Virginia.

However, about 10% of rural hospitals in Texas have yet to receive a single dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, according to a group representing rural hospitals in the state. A CEO of a rural hospital group reported that some employees had to obtain vaccines at a local supermarket, which had extra doses to spare.

A member of the Biden coronavirus advisory board on Thursday warned against the new parameters. Although nearly 180 million Americans are eligible for the vaccine under the plan, he said, the supply needed to deal with that number would not be reached until the summer, at best.

Precautions are still needed

Although the launch of the vaccine generally offers long-term hope for the country to overcome the pandemic, the national situation still requires preventive measures.

In Missouri, lawmakers canceled next week’s legislative session due to an increase in Covid-19 infections.

“Due to the growing number of COVID-19 cases in the building, we are taking great care to protect members, staff and visitors by canceling the session next week. Our goal is to get back to work the following week,” read the statement from the leadership of Missouri House.

Experts hope that precautions can help turn the tide of debilitating case numbers, like those faced in California.

The available ICU beds have reached their lowest level, according to the California Department of Public Health. Less than 1,100 ICU beds remain across the state, a number that has declined since the increase began in November.