Month: February 2021

California counties are struggling to keep up with the demand for the COVID-19 vaccine.Health officials in Sacramento, Yolo, San Joaquin, El Dorado and Placer counties said they would be able to administer more vaccines, if they had more supply.KCRA 3 spoke with Yolo County Public Health Officer Dr. Aimee Sisson about the supply and the challenges it creates.Here are three things to know:County health officials said supply is becoming the biggest barrierSisson said without the supply, officials cannot administer vaccines.She said Yolo County receives an average of 2,000 doses of the vaccine from the state each week.She estimates the county could administer about five times that number, if given the supply.“I think we could pretty comfortably do 7,000 to 10,000 doses a week on the cou...

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Six weeks ago, thousands of New Year’s revelers gathered beneath the neon-lit marquees on the Las Vegas Strip — even though the big annual fireworks show was called off due to the coronavirus pandemic. The sight of the big crowd, including many people without masks, spurred fears that COVID-19 infections would skyrocket, followed by hospitalizations and then deaths. That's exactly what happened. January was Nevada's deadliest month since the pandemic began, with 1,132 deaths. December was second. Now the virus is reshaping a tourist destination built for excess and known for bright lights, big crowds, indulgent meals and headline shows. Visitors arrive to find some freedoms curtailed and some familiar attractions closed, but parking and bargain prices are abundant. Big pe...

Even after being fully inoculated against Covid, some public health precautions are still needed until more data on the vaccines can be collected, Dr. Kavita Patel told CNBC on Friday. It's well understood the two-shot vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna are highly effective at preventing severe disease and death from Covid-19, Patel said in a "Squawk Box" interview. Less understood right now is how well the vaccines reduce transmission of the coronavirus. In other words, someone who has been vaccinated has sharply reduced their risk of getting really sick from the coronavirus, but Patel contended precautions are still needed in the coming months if a small group is gathering and a person in that group has not been vaccinated. "If you are in a household with small children [who do...

Couple separated after Hawaii doesn’t accept COVID-19 test from Mayo Clinic A Minnesota couple with vacation plans in Hawaii was separated after state officials didn't accept a negative COVID-19 test completed by a Mayo Clinic lab. (FOX 9) - Hawaii is the dream vacation offering lots of sun, beaches, and warm weather.   Travelers love it because you have access to luxury without flying international.   However, to get Hawaii, you need a negative COVID-19 test. But, it cannot be from the Mayo Clinic, as one Minnesota couple recently found out.   Joan and Grant Christianson are now in two different states because Hawaii doesn’t list the Mayo Clinic as one of its "trusted partners." "We said, ‘But it’s the Mayo Clinic, [one] of the biggest research labs in the Un...

The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported two new coronavirus-related deaths on Friday and 201 new cases.The total number of Mainers with COVID-19 who have died increased to 643. The 201 new cases bring the total since the beginning of the pandemic to 42,259. The seven-day PCR positivity rate is now 1.94 percent. It is the first time the positivity rate has fallen below 2 percent since Nov. 7, 2020, CDC officials said.MAINE CORONAVIRUS DATA:Deaths: 643Total cases: 42,259Confirmed cases: 33,713Probable cases: 8,546Cumulative positivity rate: 2.99%14-day positivity rate: 3.3%Currently hospitalized: 102Patients in intensive care: 24Patients on ventilators: 9Get more detailed COVID-19 data from the Maine CDCCOVID-19 symptomsPer the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and ...