Coronavirus updates: Stimulus money on the way; Colorado may have another case of new strain; UK authorizes Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine

SA TODAY is keeping track of the news surrounding COVID-19 as a pair of vaccines join the U.S. fight against a virus that has killed more than 338,000 Americans since the first reported fatality in February. Keep refreshing this page for the latest updates on vaccine distribution, including who is getting the shots and where, as well as other COVID-19 news from across the USA TODAY Network. Sign up for our Coronavirus Watch newsletter for updates directly to your inbox, join our Facebook group or scroll through our in-depth answers to reader questions for everything you need to know about the coronavirus.

In the headlines:

►One day after confirming the first known U.S. case of a new coronavirus strain that was first identified in the United Kingdom, Colorado officials said they were investigating a possible second case of the variant.

 

►The United States on Tuesday reported a record 3,725 deaths, Johns Hopkins University data shows. That's more than double the deaths reported a day earlier. Holidays have closed labs, government offices and testing sites, creating delays.

►The COVID-19 quarantine period in New York state has been reduced to 10 days instead of 14 days under new state Department of Health rules.

►China's state-owned company Sinopharm said Wednesday that it has an efficacious coronavirus vaccine. Data from Phase III clinical trials shows the vaccine made by its Beijing Institute of Biological Products is 79% efficacious, according to a press release.

 

►Britain on Wednesday authorized emergency use of a second COVID-19 vaccine, developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, becoming the first country to greenlight an easy-to-handle shot that its developers hope will become the "vaccine for the world." Meanwhile, the British government has extended its highest tier of restrictions to three-quarters of England’s population, saying a fast-spreading variant of the coronavirus has reached most of the country.

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►California extended its regional stay-at-home order for Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley, where there is 0% ICU capacity. Dr. Mark Ghaly, the state's health and human services secretary, said the order is in effect "for the time being" with no set expiration date for the restrictions, the Los Angeles Times reported. Ghaly said ICU projections will determine when the orders will be lifted.

► A top Texas health official on Tuesday ordered providers to begin offering the COVID-19 vaccine to people over 65 and those with medical conditions, including pregnancy, who are at greater risk of a severe case of COVID-19.

► The Cleveland Browns added three more players to their COVID-19 list Tuesday just days before Sunday's game against Pittsburgh. There are now a total of nine players on the COVID-19 reserve list.

► Louisiana Congressman-elect Luke Letlow died Tuesday with COVID-19. Letlow, 41, was admitted to a hospital on Dec. 19, a day after announcing he tested positive for the virus. He won the 5th Congressional District seat earlier this month in a runoff election against fellow Republican state Rep. Lance Harris.

► Alaska's largest city will ease some COVID-19 restrictions starting Friday. Anchorage Acting Mayor Austin Quinn-Davidson on Tuesday announced that bars and restaurants can reopen for indoor service at 25% capacity; Gyms, retail and personal care services can operate at 50% capacity; and entrainment facilities can reopen at 25%.

►Americans who have direct deposit set up through the Internal Revenue Service could be receiving their stimulus payment as early as Tuesday night, according to Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin. Paper checks will begin to be mailed Wednesday, according to a press release from the Treasury Department. The new round of stimulus includes $600 direct payment to qualifying individual Americans, or $1,200 for couples.

 

📈 Today's numbers: The U.S. has more than 19.5 million confirmed coronavirus cases and 338,500 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. The global totals: More than 81.9 million cases and 1.78 million deaths.

📰 What we're reading: In New York, the nursing home death toll remains elusive, but it is certainly higher than the official total.

Here's a closer look at today's top stories:

Federal education campaign to emphasize power of vaccine set to launch in January

A long-delayed education campaign aimed at encouraging Americans to take the coronavirus vaccine will launch in January, federal health officials said Tuesday.

The new, science-based campaign will include TV, radio and print ads that officials say will emphasize the power of the vaccine to stop the spread of the virus and help communities. 

The public information campaign lags behind the nation's vaccination effort, which began on Dec. 14 with front line health care workers. But managing expectations is a crucial part of guiding the program, officials said.

– Elizabeth Weise

After receiving first vaccine dose, Kentucky official has COVID-19

Kentucky Auditor Mike Harmon and his wife tested positive for COVID-19, he announced Wednesday "in the spirit of full transparency and accountability." The announcement comes after Harmon received his first vaccination dose against the coronavirus alongside a bipartisan delegation in the Capitol Rotunda on Monday. 

Harmon and his wife have mild symptoms, he said in a statement. He was possibly exposed shortly before or after taking the vaccine, Harmon said.

 

"While the timing of my positive test comes one day after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine," he said in the statement, "I still have full faith in the vaccine itself, and the need for as many people to receive it as quickly as possible." 

It can take weeks for a person's body to build up immunity after getting vaccinated, per the CDC, and "That means it’s possible a person could be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 just before or just after vaccination and get sick. This is because the vaccine has not had enough time to provide protection." 

– Sarah Ladd, Louisville Courier Journal

Global COVID-19 deaths hit a record last week

The United States' fall surge is not alone, with record numbers popping up around the world, Johns Hopkins University data shows.

Global COVID-19 deaths hit a record last week, with 81,693 people dying in the week ending Dec. 23, with someone dying on average every 7.4 seconds in the world. The U.S. share of the deaths at the time was 22.9% – nearly double what it had been less than two months earlier.

Global coronavirus cases peaked in the week ending Dec. 16, when 5,247,355 cases were reported – or nearly 9 cases every second. The European Union peaked in mid-November, but other areas with large populations are surging now, including the United Kingdom, Brazil and Russia.

In recent weeks, the U.S. has accounted for roughly 30% of the world's cases, though it has about 4.3% of the world's population.

– Mike Stucka

Britain authorizes Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine

Britain on Wednesday authorized emergency use of a second COVID-19 vaccine, becoming the first country to greenlight an easy-to-handle shot that its developers hope will become the "vaccine for the world."

 

Britain has bought 100 million doses of the vaccine developed by Oxford University and U.K.-based drugmaker AstraZeneca, and plans to begin injections within days. The shot is expected to be relied on in many countries because of its low cost, availability and ease of use. It can be kept in refrigerators rather than the ultra-cold storage some other vaccines require.

Partial results from studies in almost 24,000 people in Britain, Brazil and South Africa suggest the shots are safe and about 70% effective for preventing illness from coronavirus infection.

China says it has an efficacious vaccine

China's state-owned company Sinopharm said Wednesday that is has an efficacious coronavirus vaccine. Data from Phase III clinical trials shows the vaccine made by its Beijing Institute of Biological Products is 79% efficacious, according to a brief press release.

Sinopharm said it had submitted an application for authorization to the State Food and Drug Administration, but the nation has already begun offering the vaccine to wide swaths of its population. China plans to vaccinated 50 million people before Lunar New Year in February, the South China Morning Post reported earlier this month.

Meanwhile, a new study from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention this week suggests that 10 times more people were infected with COVID-19 in its origin city of Wuhan, China, than previously reported.

Using a sample of 34,000 people in Wuhan and other cities, researchers found that about 4.43% of the Wuhan participants tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies. The finding suggests that half a million people in the city of 11 million – not 50,000, as reported by local officials – may have been infected with COVID-19.

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