Chris Duncan, whose 75-year-old mother Constance died from COVID-19 on her birthday, photographs a COVID-19 Memorial Project installation of 20,000 American flags on the National Mall as the United States crosses the 200,000 lives lost in the COVID-19 pandemic on Sept. 22, 2020 in Washington, D.C. The U.S. will likely cross the mark of half a million lives lost to COVID-19 in the coming days. Win McNamee/Getty Images hide caption

Chris Duncan, whose 75-year-old mother Constance died from COVID-19 on her birthday, photographs a COVID-19 Memorial Project installation of 20,000 American flags on the National Mall as the United States crosses the 200,000 lives lost in the COVID-19 pandemic on Sept. 22, 2020 in Washington, D.C. The U.S. will likely cross the mark of half a million lives lost to COVID-19 in the coming days.

The U.S. death toll from COVID-19 is on track to pass a number next week that once seemed unthinkable: Half a million people in this country dead from the coronavirus.

And while the pandemic isn't over yet, and the death toll keeps climbing, artists in every medium have already been thinking about how our country will pay tribute to those we lost.

Poets, muralists, and architects all have visions of what a COVID-19 memorial could be. Many of these ideas are about more than just honoring those we've lost to the pandemic. Artists are also thinking about the conditions in society that brought us here.

Tracy K. Smith, a former U.S. poet laureate, has already written one poem honoring transit workers in New York who died of the disease. Smith says she wants to see a COVID-19 memorial that has a broader mission and invites people to bridge a divide.

Paul Farber runs Monument Lab, an organization that works with cities and states that want to build new monuments. He says he wants to see a COVID-19 monument that is collective experience and evolves over time. He also wants it to serve as a bridge to understanding.

Farber's list describes one of the most powerful memorials in recent American history: the AIDS quilt. Mike Smith, co-founder of that memorial, says that one focus of the AIDS quilt project that he would like to see in a COVID-19 memorial is inspiring communities to come together and not to isolate in processing and remembering those who died.

In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment that will help you make sense of what's going on in your community.

Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

This episode was produced by Lee Hale, Noah Caldwell and Jonaki Mehta. It was edited by Sami Yenigun with help from Sarah Handel, Courtney Dorning and Wynne Davis. Our executive producer is Cara Tallo.

See the rest here:

COVID-19 Deaths Near 500,000 In The US; Artists Discuss Future Memorials : Consider This from NPR - NPR

Austin, Texas All Austin Public Health (APH) COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites will remain closed Friday, Feb. 19 due to inclement weather. The sites have been closed since Saturday, Feb. 12 for the same reason.

APH staff have and continue to diligently monitor the vaccine to ensure it is safe and secure during the winter weather event.

We know these are challenging times as our staff, their families, and our entire community are grappling with issues caused by the weather, said APH Director Stephanie Hayden-Howard. We assure you that as soon as we can safely give the vaccine again, we will notify the public.

People with current vaccination appointments will receive a cancellation email or text.It is not known when vaccine operations will be able to resume. Anyone who receives a cancellation will be contacted by APH to reschedule. However, APH will not send out new appointments until we are confident that we can safely restart operations.

We greatly appreciate the communitys patience as we work through these unprecedented times, said Dr. Mark Escott, Interim Austin-Travis County Health Authority. While there may be several days between the time your appointment is canceled and your new appointment information is sent, it is important to remember that there is flexibility allowed between doses without losing effectiveness.

Dr. Escott reiterated: Your body works with the vaccine to make the first dose strongerover time. The second dose is a booster and a delay will not diminish its efficacy.

Both first and second doses are provided by appointment only. Pleasedo notshow up at the vaccine sites without an appointment as that will interfere with the vaccine operations.

Vaccine Sites:

Testing Sites:

As testing sites remain closed, continue to checkwww.austintexas.gov/covid-testinfofor updates.If you are experiencingsymptoms of COVID-19and are unable to get a test, continue to self-isolate for at least 10 days since symptom onset and at least 1 day following the resolution of fever and improvement of other symptoms.

COVID-19 Hotel Facility:

For additional COVID-19 information and updates, visitwww.AustinTexas.gov/COVID19.

Read more here:

APH Provides Update on COVID-19 Testing and Vaccination Sites - AustinTexas.gov

Illinois has surpassed 2 million COVID-19 vaccinations, public health officials reported Friday. The state reached a total of 2,060,706 doses after 83,673 vaccinations were administered Thursday.

Over the past seven days, the state averaged 59,460 vaccinations administered daily, down from a high of 66,320 on Feb. 14. Vaccinations have been affected this week by the severe winter weather, as the state had warned earlier in the week.

The citys CARES Act spending drew an angry rebuke from activists and aldermen who said the money could have instead provided badly needed housing, health care and business lifelines to struggling residents.

Also on Friday, state officials announced 2,219 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 63 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 1,170,902 and the statewide death toll to 20,192 since the start of the pandemic.

Heres whats happening Friday with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:

6:05 p.m.: Pritzkers tax plan: Closing corporate tax loopholes, or the best way to shoot yourself in the foot?

Gov. J.B. Pritzker wants to close $932 million of what he called corporate tax loopholes to help Illinois balance its budget after the fiscal ruins of COVID-19, but the controversial proposal comes as cities and states gear up to land relocating jobs and strengthen an economy battered by the pandemic.

Trade groups spoke out against Pritzkers plan after it wasannounced Wednesday, saying businesses are struggling even without new costs.

Real estate experts said Pritzkers proposal to phase out or eliminate some tax breaks could add a hurdle at an unprecedented moment, when swathes of corporations are rethinking their space needs.

Raising taxes during a pandemic is the best way to shoot yourself in the foot, when it comes to attracting jobs, said John H. Boyd, principal of The Boyd Co., a corporate site selection consulting firm. Its ill-timed and shortsighted.

5:50 p.m.: Far fewer COVID-19 deaths in Illinois nursing homes

In another promising sign Illinois is beating back the COVID-19 pandemic, cases and deaths at Illinois long-term care facilities have dropped to levels not seen since late summer, according to state data released Friday.

Following weeks of focused vaccination of long-term care residents and workers, the state reported 33 residents died from the virus over the past week. Thats the lowest reported tally since mid-August and exponentially lower than the 650 weekly deaths reported in early December.

Long-term care residents not only have seen a sizable drop in the number of deaths, they also now make up a far smaller share of those who are dying of COVID-19 each week going from roughly half or more of these deaths in Illinois to near 10 percent now.

Long-term care residents were among the first groups prioritized for vaccination, and advocates for seniors and industry officials credit the vaccines for reducing the viruss toll in long-term care facilities. But both groups cautioned that the pandemic remains far from over.

We still need to remember were in a crisis, even though were seeing positive trends, said Ryan Gruenenfelder, a director of advocacy and outreach for AARP Illinois.

In the past week the state recorded its 9,689th death of a long-term care resident, leaving the state just a few hundred shy of 10,000 deaths among nearly 75,000 cases.

5:40 p.m.: Younger Hispanic Kane County residents hit harder by COVID-19 deaths, new data shows

Younger Hispanic residents of Kane County have been hospitalized for COVID-19 and have died with the virus at disproportionately high rates, new health department data shows.

The data confirms what community advocates say they have long known: that Kane County has faced the same COVID-19 inequities that have played out across the country. But public information about the local communities most affected by COVID-19 deaths has been hard to come by.

The data also highlights the need to reach the countys Black and Hispanic communities with vaccines, Kane County Assistant Director of Community Health Michael Isaacson said, as small fractions of the countys doses to date have been administered to Black and Hispanic residents.

At the high level, these inequities show us that as a society we have a long way to go to get everybody better access to good health, Isaacson said. Specific to COVID, I think this data shows how important it is that we get vaccine to our Black and Latinx communities.

The information obtained by the Beacon-News shows vast divides in those who have died of COVID-19 when broken down by age.

In those under age 60, Hispanic residents made up about 68% of Kane County COVID-19 deaths through February 8 and about 64% of hospitalizations among younger residents for severe cases of the illness. That stands in contrast to the 32% of Kane Countys population that is Hispanic.

5:10 p.m.: Lightfoot joins mayors statewide in urging Illinois congressional delegation to back Bidens COVID-19 relief package

Illinois municipal groups and mayors, including Lori Lightfoot, have sent a letter to Illinois congressional delegation urging passage of President Joe Bidens COVID-19 relief plan and its $350 billion in direct aid to state and local governments nationally.

In a letter released Friday by the White House, the mayors and groups representing nearly 1,300 municipalities warned that without local recovery, there is no national economic recovery.

As mayors on the front line of the pandemic response, we have taken necessary steps to keep our communities safe and continue flattening the curve to save lives, the letter sent Thursday said. Undoubtedly, these steps have come with severe financial hardship. Not only have tax revenues been dropping drastically, but funding essential services critical to the health and safety of our residents has and continues to be challenged.

Of the $350 billion in direct relief to states and municipalities under the plan approved by the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, Illinois state government would receive $7.55 billion while municipalities in the state would get $5.7 billion. Of the municipal share, Chicago would get more than $1.8 billion.

While the letter was sent to all 18 members of Illinois House delegation and Democratic Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, it was primarily aimed at the states five Republican congressmen: Reps. Adam Kinzinger of Channahon, Darin LaHood of Peoria, Rodney Davis of Taylorville, Mike Bost of Murphysboro and Mary Miller of Oakland. They have joined with other GOP members in opposing direct state and local pandemic relief funding.

2:13 p.m.: Suburbanites are getting COVID-19 vaccine appointments on Chicagos South and West sides. But should they?

Within the first couple days of vaccinating seniors and essential workers on the South Side of Chicago late last month, doctors at Howard Brown Health noticed something unusual: patients traveling from the North Side of the city to the clinics.

They werent the people that lived in the community, said Dr. Maya Green, Howard Browns regional medical director for the South and West sides. The fact is, the link (for appointments) was being communicated and shared faster on the North Side of Chicago, and not among Black and brown communities on the South and West sides of Chicago.

Its a scenario thats been playing out across the city in recent weeks since Illinois opened vaccinations to seniors and front-line essential workers Jan. 25. Many vaccine doses were sent to underserved parts of Chicago in an effort to make sure people in the communities hardest-hit by COVID-19 had access to shots. But with overall vaccines in short supply, people from outside those areas have been traveling to them to get vaccinated.

1:43 p.m.: Illinois surpasses 2 million COVID-19 vaccinations, but 7-day average down amid severe winter weather

The number of COVID-19 vaccinations administered in Illinois has surpassed 2 million, public health officials reported Friday.

The state reached a total of 2,060,706 doses after 83,673 vaccinations were administered Thursday. According to state records, that is the second-highest daily total, behind 95,375 doses on Feb. 11.

Over the past seven days, the state averaged 59,460 vaccinations administered daily, down from a high of 66,320 on Feb. 14. Vaccinations have been affected this week by the severe winter weather, as the state had warned earlier in the week.

The number of Illinois residents who have been fully vaccinated receiving both of the required two shots reached 507,862, or 3.99% of the total population. Over the past seven days, the state averaged 59,460 vaccines administered daily.

12:21 p.m.: Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot defends spending $281.5 million in federal COVID-19 relief money on police payroll, says criticism is just dumb

Mayor Lori Lightfoot defended Friday the citys decision to use $281.5 million in federal CARES Act money on Chicago police payroll costs, saying criticism from progressive aldermen and community groups on the issue is just dumb.

We saved taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars by saying yes to the federal government. Should we have said no? No, no, no federal government, well incur this expense, well put this burden entirely on city of Chicago taxpayers and you can take your money elsewhere? Lightfoot said. That would be foolish and of course we didnt do that.

The city took advantage of the federal CARES Act funding, which provided reimbursement money for COVID-19 related expenses, to avoid an even bigger deficit, Lightfoot said.

Criticism comes with the job of mayor but this ones just dumb, Lightfoot said.

The citys CARES Act spending drew an angry rebuke from activists and aldermen who said the money could have instead provided badly needed housing, health care and business lifelines to struggling residents.

12:13 p.m.: 2,219 new confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases and 63 additional deaths reported

Officials also reported 85,963 new tests in the last 24 hours. The seven-day statewide rolling positivity rate for cases as a share of total tests was 2.8% for the period ending Thursday.

10:13 a.m.: Chicago reports improvement in COVID-19 vaccine distribution efforts among citys Black and Latino population

The number of vaccines going to Black and Latino people in Chicago has gone up but the city still has work to do in closing the equity gap, according to newly released data.

The city has improved its vaccination record among minority groups since December, when Chicago began receiving doses for distribution. White people initially were receiving roughly 60% of doses per week, a figure thats dropped to about 40% in the past week as city officials pushed efforts to promote the vaccine in Black and Latino neighborhoods, city officials said.

Over the past month, we have doubled down on our efforts to not only drive vaccines into communities that need them most but ensure that our vaccination rates match the demographics of our city, Lightfoot said in a statement touting the citys efforts.

News of improving vaccination distribution efforts comes a week after state data showed that Black and Hispanic Illinoisans so far have been vaccinated at half the rate of white residents, confirming fears of inequity in COVID-19 vaccinations and spurring calls to action.

7:01 a.m.: Lightfoot, city officials to give vaccine update

Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Chicago health officials were scheduled to give an update on vaccine distribution in the city Friday morning.

Lightfoot and city Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady were to join other city officials at Ombudsman Chicago South high school in Englewood.

The news conference comes as Chicago-area counties have struggled to reach even the states low vaccination rates. The city, Cook and DuPage counties reported that less than 10% of their populations had received their first dose, while Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties each had vaccinated 8% or less.

The announcement also comes as state officials have tried to ramp up vaccine distribution in areas throughout the state with lower vaccination rates, opening mass vaccination sites, including by opening three new mass vaccination sites in central and southern Illinois this week.

Stay up to date with the latest information on coronavirus with our breaking news alerts.

Here are some recent stories related to COVID-19:

Read this article:

COVID-19 in Illinois updates: Heres whats happening Friday - Chicago Tribune

(KWWL) -- Iowa's COVID-19 dashboard is updating to reflect total positive tests in the state, rather than individuals who have tested positive.

This change was discussed by Gov. Reynolds and IDPH Director Kelly Garcia during a press conference on Wednesday.

Reynolds mentioned that back in October she said that "continuing to report results for individuals would become more complicated and less valuable overtime as repeat testing became the norm."

According to Garcia, the shift from individual tests to total tests means that their positivity rate will align with total test results.

Previously on the homepage of coronavirus.iowa.gov, the state showed individuals tested and individuals who tested positive. Now, they will show the total tests the state has administered and the total number of tests that have come back positive. The difference in these numbers is caused by individuals getting tested more than once.

The number of positive tests is not the same as the number of positive cases. COVID-19 positive people may be getting tested multiple times. Rather than just reporting the new positive tests, we want to continue to report how many new individual people have tested positive.

To see recoveries for the state you must also scroll down to the bottom of the homepage and look at the "grand total" row of the summary chart.

The number of individuals positive will still be available on the website's "Positive Case Analysis" page. KWWL will continue to add the individuals positive from PCR and Antigen tests, to give the total number of individuals who have tested positive. We will subtract that number from the previous day to provide the number of new cases within the 24 hour period.

KWWL will continue to draw statewide numbers and those for Johnson and Dubuque counties from coronavirus.iowa.gov. We will still be using the Black Hawk County and Linn County dashboards to report those numbers respectively.

Follow this link:

State COVID-19 dashboard changing to reflect total and positive tests - kwwl.com

New evidence from China is affirming what epidemiologists have long suspected: The coronavirus likely began spreading unnoticed around the Wuhan area in November 2019, before it exploded in multiple different locations throughout the city in December.

Chinese authorities have identified 174 confirmed Covid-19 cases around the city from December 2019, said World Health Organization researchers, enough to suggest there were many more mild, asymptomatic or otherwise undetected cases than previously thought.

Many of the 174 cases had no known connection to the market that was initially considered the source of the outbreak, according to information gathered by WHO investigators during the four-week mission to China to examine the origins of the virus. Chinese authorities declined to give the WHO team raw data on these cases and potential earlier ones, team members said.

In examining 13 genetic sequences of the virus from December, Chinese authorities found similar sequences among those linked to the market, but slight differences in those of people without any link to it, according to the WHO investigators. The two sets likely began to diverge between mid-November and early December, but could possibly indicate infections as far back as September, said Marion Koopmans, a Dutch virologist on the WHO team.

This, and other evidence, suggest the coronavirus might have jumped to humans sometime during or shortly before the second half of November, she said, sickening too few people to attract attention until it led to an explosive outbreak in Wuhan. By December, the virus was spreading much more widely, both among people who had a link to the market, as well as others with no tie.

More here:

Covid-19 Was Spreading in China Before First Confirmed Cases, Fresh Evidence Suggests - The Wall Street Journal

HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) On Friday, 10 On Your Side met with Gov. Ralph Northam while he was at Fort Monroe in Hampton.

10 On Your Sides Andy Fox asked Northam some of the pressing questions, including why it took so long to launch a statewide vaccination registration system, and why some health districts still dont have directors during a pandemic.

And finally, the question that many Americans are also wondering: When can the masks come off?

There are 10 healthdistricts in Virginiawhere the director isforcedto dodouble duty and manage multiple departments.That includes Dr.Demetria Lindsay,who isdistrict health director for Virginia Beach and Norfolk.

There are nine other directors just like Lindsay. Hampton and Newport News share a district health director, as do Portsmouth and the Western Tidewater Health District, which covers 1,500 square miles.

This pandemicis the likes we have never seen in decades,so we have been stretched thin, the governor said when 10 On Your Side inquired about the shortage of directors.

Some critics argue everything appears thin,from vaccinations to leadership at the top of some health districts.

We asked thegovernor why,during the worst global health crisis of our lifetime, do we have so many health districts without their own director? Does it look like we are not prepared?

Well,wevemade a lot ofmodifications. Wearein a very good place now compared to a year ago. We still have alot of work to do, Northam acknowledged.

And why donthealth districts,especially larger urbanones, havetheir own leadership?

The governor did not give a why when asked by 10 On Your Side.

10 On Your Side also pressed Northamabout therocky start to the statewide pre-registration vaccination website that crashed the morning it was launched. People in droves complained to WAVY.com.

As the site crashed, those residents also couldnt get their answers because Virginialaunched a help hotlinethe day after they launched the pre-registrationsite.

What about those issues?

We have had over300,000who havesuccessfully enrolled,and wehave transferred information from those who haveenrolledpreviouslythroughthehealthdepartmentinto the new system, Northam said.

So, is therelight at the end of the long, dark COVID-19 tunnel?

We havebeen at this a year. Numbersshowwe are moving in the right direction.Our positivity rates are going down, our number of vaccinations are going up, he said.

What about thisquestion: When does he think the masks can comeoff?

Hopefully, byearlyor mid-summer, we willhave folksvaccinatedand getto the herd immunity that we need to put COVID-19 in the rear-view mirror, he said.

But when will we be able to not wear masks anymore?

As theGovernor walkedaway to the next meeting, he declined to say.

Ill call you and let you know, Andy.In themeantime,keep it on.he told Andy Fox.

More here:

Gov. Northam takes questions on COVID-19 issues including about when he thinks masks can come off - WAVY.com

We're making this important information available without a subscription as a public service. But we depend on reader support to do this work. Please consider supporting independent journalism in Alaska, at just $1.99 for the first month of your subscription.

Coronavirus cases in Alaska have been steadily declining over the last few months after a surge of infections in November and early December that strained hospital capacity.

Hospitalizations in Alaska are now less than a quarter of what they were during November and December. By Friday, there were 33 people with COVID-19 in hospitals throughout the state, including four on ventilators. Another patient was suspected of having the virus.

The COVID-19 vaccine reached Alaska in mid-December. By Friday, 137,124 people nearly 19% of Alaskas population had received at least their first vaccine shot, according to the states vaccine monitoring dashboard. Thats far above the national average of 12.4%. Among Alaskans age 16 and older, 24% had received at least one dose of vaccine by Friday. The Pfizer vaccine has been authorized for use for people ages 16 and older, and Modernas has been cleared for use by people 18 and older.

Health care workers and nursing home staff and residents were the first people prioritized to receive the vaccine. Alaskans older than 65 became eligible in early January, and the state further widened eligibility criteria last week to include educators, people 50 and older with a high-risk medical condition, front-line essential workers 50 and older and people living or working in congregate settings like shelters and prisons.

Those eligible to receive the vaccine can visit covidvax.alaska.gov or call 907-646-3322 to sign up and to confirm eligibility. The phone line is staffed 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on weekends.

Despite the lower case numbers, public health officials continue to encourage Alaskans to keep up with personal virus mitigation efforts like hand-washing, mask-wearing and social distancing. A highly contagious variant of the virus reached Alaska in December.

Of the 185 cases reported among Alaska residents on Friday, there were 59 in Anchorage plus one in Chugiak and five in Eagle River; two in Kenai; one in Soldotna; one in Kodiak; 18 in Fairbanks plus one in North Pole; one in Big Lake; 11 in Palmer; one in Sutton-Alpine; 38 in Wasilla; two in Utqiagvik; six in Juneau; 15 in Ketchikan; one in Petersburg; two in Sitka; one in Wrangell; one in Unalaska; and one in Dillingham.

Among communities with populations under 1,000 not named to protect privacy, there were three in the Copper River Census Area; one in the southern Kenai Peninsula Borough; three in the Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area; one in Yakutat plus Hoonah Angoon region; and nine in the Bethel Census Area;

Twenty-five cases were also identified among nonresidents: one in Anchorage, one in Fairbanks, one in Juneau, and 22 in Unalaska.

While people might get tested more than once, each case reported by the state health department represents only one person.

The states data doesnt specify whether people testing positive for COVID-19 have symptoms. More than half of the nations infections are transmitted from asymptomatic people, according to CDC estimates.

Of all the tests conducted over the last seven days, an average of 2.27% came back positive.

Read more here:

Tracking COVID-19 in Alaska: 210 new infections and no deaths reported Friday - Anchorage Daily News

Posted: Feb 19, 2021 / 01:20 PM HST / Updated: Feb 19, 2021 / 01:26 PM HST

(AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

HONOLULU (KHON2) Imposters claiming to be Hawaii County officials have recently been reported to be spreading false information about COVID-19 policies in the Puna area.

Get Hawaiis latest news sent to your inbox, click here to subscribe to News 2 You, a daily newsletter.

Hawaii County Mayor Mitch Roths office has received reports that claim two women were seen at multiple businesses in the Puna Kai Shopping Center telling employees and customers that face coverings are no longer necessary. The women also allegedly made false claims about social-distancing practices.

In one report, two imposters claimed to be from the Hawaii County Assembly of Health and Safety Commission. No such commission exists, the mayors office said in Fridays news release.

Its disheartening to think that there are folks out there who are trying to trick people into abandoning the practices that have allowed us to keep our [COVID-19] counts some of the lowest in the nation, said Roth. We have done a great job of keeping each other safe and caring for our community in these uncertain times, and I truly believe that we are close to the finish line. As those most vulnerable continue to receive their vaccinations and are deemed truly safe, we will begin to ease restrictions, but we arent there just yet.

On Feb. 12, Roth extended the state of emergency through April 12, which maintains all COVID-19 policies and procedures.

Hawaii County officials are currently investigating the situation. Anyone who has encountered similar activity is asked to call police at 808-935-3311.

Continue reading here:

Imposters posing as county officials reported to be spreading false COVID-19 info in Puna - KHON2

Houston Health Department to resume COVID-19 vaccinations following winter storm

February 18, 2021

UPDATE (Feb. 18) - Houston Health Department-affiliated United Memorial Medical Center COVID-19 testing sites resume normal operations on Friday, February 19. Visit HoustonEmergency.org/covid19 for details.

HOUSTON- The Houston Health Department will resume COVID-19 vaccinations this weekend with 4,784 second dose appointments on Saturday and Sunday, February 20-21.

People who received their first dose from the department during the week of January 18-23 will be contacted Friday and Saturday to schedule appointments. People who do not hear from the department by Saturday afternoon should contact the COVID-19 call center at 832-393-4220.

The department will schedule additional second and first dose appointments next week.

Area Agency on Aging WaitlistThe Houston Health Departments COVID-19 vaccine waitlist remains open for people age 65 and older, people age 60 and older with chronic health conditions, and people with disabilities.

Those who qualify may call the departments Area Agency on Aging at 832-393-4301 to leave a voicemail with their name and phone number. Calls will be returned for screening and scheduling as supply is available. People only need to leave one message.

Testing SitesHouston Health Department-affiliated COVID-19 testing sites will remain closed Friday, February 19. An announcement about reopening will be provided Friday.

View post:

Houston Health Department to resume COVID-19 vaccinations following winter storm - City of Houston

Some rural counties in Western New York have some of the lowest population percentages in terms of first dose vaccinations. Allegany County is last in the state.

BUFFALO, N.Y. Amid so many challenges with the vaccine rollout, a couple local counties are among the lowest in the state with getting residents vaccinated.

Some health officials believe where they're located has something to do with getting significantly fewer doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

According to New York State's Vaccine Tracker, Allegany County, has the lowest population percentage with at least one vaccine dose at 7.4 percent of the county's population.

"I don't think there's anything particularly different we're doing or not doing, we're involved in the same hub calls the western region is involved in," said Tyler Shaw, public health director in Allegany County, "As of right now, we have no additional first doses to go out the door."

Also low in that category: Orleans County at 7.9 percent. For some perspective, Erie County leads all WNY counties with nearly 13 percent of the population with at least one shot of vaccine.

"We understand the population divide and making sure allocations are based appropriately based on population, but ultimately we need increases in our local communities and not just Genesee and Orleans, but all the rural counties," said Paul Pettit, the public health director for Genesee and Orleans counties.

Pettit says vaccine allocation in both counties has been either cut or remained flat in recent weeks. This at a time, when the federal government and the state have been promising modest increases in supply.

"The challenges continue, we continue to hear about increased allocations from the state, we've been hearing that for weeks coming from the feds to the state, but that has not translated into increased local allocations for specifically rural counties," Pettit said.

Meantime, in Erie County, the county health department expects to see a modest increase from last week to this week.

"I guess the biggest thing, we just want to know is and we'd like to see is that that vaccine starting to come into the rural areas a little more readily and a little more parity with where that vaccine is going," Pettit said.

2 On Your Side asked the state health department and the governor's office about vaccine allocation to rural counties.

A spokesperson for the health department says this is all due to recent winter storms slowing down vaccine delivery.

Here's the full statement:

Nola Goodrich-Kresse, public information officer in Orleans County wrote in an email:"Based on the most recent data, Orleans County has received the third lowest allocation of vaccine in the Finger Lakes Region since it was initially distributed to date. There are also fewer healthcare providers in the county resulting in less eligible in the 1A prioritization groups early on. According to the 2020 County Health Rankings and Roadmaps, Orleans has a ratio of 13,660 patients to 1 provider. We have seen by the allocations to date that rural counties continue to receive less vaccine proportionally than larger urban counties. We're hopeful that as initial vaccination data is released, it will continue to show these disparities and lead towards increased allocations reaching our residents. Access to health care and transportation issues are very prevalent in the rural areas which limits the ability of our residents to reach current state run mass vaccination sites. Today, Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming Counties formally requested from the Governor a state run mass vaccination site at GCC to increase closer access and increased allocations of vaccine to our residents."

Assemblymember Steve Hawley writes in a statement:"The vaccination distribution to rural parts of the state has been concerning thus far, to say the least. While it's bad enough vaccine allocations have remained flat in recent weeks throughout rural areas of the state, here in Orleans County distribution has slowed since the amount of doses the county received was cut from 400 to 200 for the week of February 8th. We have reached out to the state Health Department regarding this shortage and, while they said they would look into it, we have not heard back. This shortage must be addressed immediately to stop the spread of COVID-19 through rural upstate New York and to save lives. Because we are all New Yorkers, no matter where we live."

State Senator Ed Rath issued a statement:"The Federal government has informed New York that nearly all COVID-19 vaccine doses allocated for Week 10 which were scheduled to be delivered between February 12th and February 21st are delayed due to the winter storms continuing to impact much of the country. Every dose that should have shipped on Monday was held back, and only a limited number of Pfizer vaccines left shipping facilities on Tuesday and Wednesday. This delay will undoubtedly pose a logistical challenge for New York but as we have shown over the last 350-plus days, we are New York Tough, and we are up to the challenge. The Department of Health is working closely with all providers, including local health departments, hospitals, pharmacies, and FQHCs to minimize the impact on their operations and reduce the number of appointments that must be rescheduled. The vaccine is the weapon that will win the war against COVID, and we will continue to work with our federal partners to expedite the delayed shipments and will keep New Yorkers updated over the coming days."

See the article here:

Rural counties concerned over lack of COVID-19 vaccine supply for their residents - WGRZ.com

New Yorks attorney general, Letitia James, sued Amazon on Tuesday evening, arguing that the company provided inadequate safety protection for workers in New York City during the pandemic and retaliated against employees who raised concerns over the conditions.

The case focuses on two Amazon facilities: a large warehouse on Staten Island and a delivery depot in Queens. Ms. James argues that Amazon failed to properly clean its buildings, conducted inadequate contact tracing for known Covid-19 cases, and took swift retaliatory action to silence complaints from workers.

Amazons extreme profits and exponential growth rate came at the expense of the lives, health and safety of its frontline workers, Ms. James argued in the complaint, filed in New York Supreme Court.

Kelly Nantel, a spokeswoman for Amazon, said the company cared deeply about the health and safety of its workers.

We dont believe the attorney generals filing presents an accurate picture of Amazons industry-leading response to the pandemic, Ms. Nantel said.

Last week, Amazon preemptively sued Ms. James in federal court in an attempt to stop her from bringing the charges. The company argued that workplace safety was a matter of federal, not state, law.

Feb. 19, 2021, 7:57 p.m. ET

In its 64-page complaint last week, Amazon said its safety measures far exceed what is required under the law. It cited a surprise inspection by the New York City Sheriffs Office that found Amazon appeared to go above and beyond the current compliance requirements. The company also detailed other safety measures it had taken, including temperature checks and offering free Covid-19 testing on site.

New York, in its suit, said Amazon received written notification of at least 250 employees at the Staten Island warehouse who had Covid-19. In more than 90 of those cases, the infected employee had been at work in the previous week, yet Amazon did not close portions of the building to provide proper ventilation as the state required, the filing said.

Ms. James said that until at least late June, Amazon did not interview infected workers to determine their close contacts and instead relied on reviewing surveillance footage, which could take three days and did not cover the entire warehouse. The lack of interviews created a very time-consuming process which did not identify close contacts in a timely fashion, the complaint said.

She also argued that Amazon retaliated against Christian Smalls, a worker the company fired in the spring. Mr. Smalls had been raising safety concerns with managers and led a public protest in the parking lot of the Staten Island facility.

Amazon has said Mr. Smalls was fired for going to the work site for the protest even though he was on paid quarantine leave after he had been exposed to a colleague who had tested positive for the coronavirus.

Ms. Jamess filing said two Amazon human resources employees discussed Mr. Smallss situation in writing. The employees said they thought it was unfair to fire him because he did not enter the building and because Amazon had not told him that the companys quarantine policy prohibited him from being outside the facility.

Ms. James said that by firing Mr. Smalls and reprimanding another protest leader, Amazon sent a chilling message to others.

Amazon employees reasonably fear that if they make legitimate health and safety complaints about Amazons Covid-19 response, Amazon will retaliate against them as well, she argued.

The state said Amazon should change its policies, conduct training and undergo safety monitoring, and that it should pay lost wages and other damages to Mr. Smalls and offer him his job back.

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NY Sues Amazon, Saying It Inadequately Protected Workers From Covid-19 - The New York Times

Governor Cuomo Announces More Than 110,000 Doses of Covid-19 Vaccine Administered in 24 Hours | Governor Andrew M. Cuomo Skip to main content February 6, 2021

Albany, NY

111,316 First and Second Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine Administered in 24 Hours

As of 11AM today, New York's Health Care Distribution Sites Have Administered91% of the Total First Doses Received from Federal Government

Vaccine DashboardWill Update Daily to Provide Updates on the State's Vaccine Program; Go tony.gov/vaccinetracker

Dashboard Now Includes Demographic Data

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that111,316doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were administered in New York in24 hours. New York State's large distribution network of vaccination sites is capable of reaching many more New Yorkers than the current supply allows. The network remains ready for an increase in supply. As of 11AM today, New York's health care distribution sites have received1,768,135first doses and already administered91percent or1,602,686first dose vaccinations and78percent of first and second doses. The week 8 allocation from the federal government continues being delivered to providers for administration this week.

The Governor also announced that New York State's Vaccine Dashboard now includes demographic data. Yesterday,Governor Cuomo releasednew statewide demographic data on the vaccine acceptance rate across eligible populations.

"We're working hard every day to distribute the vaccine to as many New Yorkers as possible, as fast as possible, and we're now running out of supply each week before getting the next week's allocation,"Governor Cuomo said."New York has distributors at the ready that can greatly expand the number of people we're vaccinating every weekwe just need the vaccines themselves to make that happen. We're also continuing to prioritize fair and equitable distribution of the vaccine by targeting our underserved communities with mass vaccination sites like the one in Yankee Stadium. The more people we vaccinate, the better it is for all of us - so I encourage New Yorkers to keep wearing their masks and social distancing so we can beat this virus once and for all."

Approximately 7million New Yorkers are currently eligible to receive the vaccine. The federal government has increased the weekly supply by more than 20 percent over the next three weeks, but New York's vast distribution network and large population of eligible individuals still far exceed the supply coming from the federal government. Due to limited supply, New Yorkers are encouraged to remain patient and are advised not to show up at vaccination sites without an appointment.

The state'sVaccine Dashboardincludes a county-by-county breakdown for vaccinations administered through the Long Term Care Facility program and vaccine administration progress for hospital workers. Vaccination program numbers below are for doses distributed and delivered to New York for the state's vaccination program, and do not include those reserved for the federal government's Long Term Care Facility program. A breakdown of the data based on numbers reported to New York State as of 11:00 AM today is as follows. The allocation totals below include67percent of the week 8 allocation which will finish being distributed to New York provider sites on Sunday.

STATEWIDE BREAKDOWN

Region

Total Doses Received

Total Doses Administered

% of Total Doses Administered/Received

(1st and 2nd)

(1st and 2nd)

(1st and 2nd)

Capital Region

164,575

128,942

78%

Central New York

132,320

109,951

83%

Finger Lakes

161,175

136,135

84%

Long Island

326,455

263,323

81%

Mid-Hudson

249,615

186,020

75%

Mohawk Valley

71,040

52,402

74%

New York City

1,200,735

891,935

74%

North Country

74,460

71,528

96%

Southern Tier

77,595

70,653

91%

Western New York

174,415

153,294

88%

Statewide

2,632,385

2,064,183

78%

1st doses fully delivered to New York for Healthcare Distribution Sites

2nd doses fully delivered to New York for Healthcare Distribution Sites

TOTAL

CUMULATIVE

Week 1

Doses arriving 12/14 - 12/20

90,675

0

90,675

N/A

Week 2Doses arriving 12/21 - 12/27

392,025

0

392,025

482,700

Week 3

Doses arriving 12/28 - 01/03

201,500

0

201,500

684,200

Week 4

Doses arriving 01/04 - 01/10

160,050

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Governor Cuomo Announces More Than 110000 Doses of Covid-19 Vaccine Administered in 24 Hours - ny.gov

Governor Andrew Cuomo today announced additional COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites throughout downstate New York will suspend operations on Sunday, February 7 due to the impending winter storm. This follows the previously announced operation suspensions at the state-run mass vaccination sites at Jones Beach and Stony Brook. New Yorkers with testing or vaccination appointments at these sites will receive notification of these suspensions via text message and telephone. Appointments will be rescheduled for later in the week.

"Much of Downstate New York is expected to experience heavy snow and strong winds, creating the potential for dangerous travel conditions on Sunday. As we have already done at several state-run mass vaccination sites, we will be suspending operations at testing sites and community based 'pop up' vaccination sites to protect the safety of all those who work and have appointments at these locations,"Governor Cuomo said."Everyone with appointments can rest assured they will not lose their spots - all appointments will be rescheduled for later in the week and everyone will receive direct notification of these scheduling changes."

State-Run COVID-19 Test Sites

Operations at the following state-run COVID-19 testing sites will be suspended on February 7 due to the impending winter storm:

New Yorkers with appointments scheduled on Sunday, February 7 will receive notice of the closure via text message and telephone. Appointments will be rescheduled for later in the week.

Community-Based 'Pop Up' Vaccination Sites

Seven community-based 'pop up' vaccination sites will also be postponed due to the storm and rescheduled for later in the week. Those eight sites include:

Appointments at these community based 'pop up' vaccination sites are scheduled directly with the host site or partner providers SOMOS Community Care andNorthwellHealth. Those entities are notifying New Yorkers with appointments scheduled on Sunday, February 7 of these postponements and the new dates of operation via text message and telephone.

Additionally, the site atChristian Cultural Centeris cancelling Sunday operations as they were able to extend hours and fulfill all appointments on Saturday.

State-Run Mass Vaccination Sites

As Governor Cuomo previously announced, the state-run mass vaccination sites at Jones Beach and Stony Brook on Long Island will also suspend operations on Sunday, February 7 due to winter weather.New Yorkers with appointments these sites will receive an email or text message rescheduling their vaccination for later this week.As part of the rescheduling process and to the extent possible, timing of new appointments will be scheduled in alignment with the original appointment's time. If that new appointment time does not work for an individual given the change in day, they will be provided with a contact number to identify a different time that may work better for the individual.

Operations at the Westchester County Center, Yankee Stadium,JavitsCenter and Aqueduct Racetrack mass vaccination sites will continue as scheduled as those locations are located indoors and have the infrastructure and equipment in place to ensure New Yorkers with appointments can safely enter and exit the location. Operations at the remaining state-run mass vaccination sites throughout Upstate New York also remainunimpacted.

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Governor Cuomo Announces Additional Downstate Covid-19 Testing and Community-Based Vaccination Sites to Suspend Operations Due to Impending Winter...

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) reports as of February 6, 2021, there have been 1,983,050 total confirmatory laboratory results received for COVID-19, with 124,190 total cases and 2,119 total deaths.

DHHR has confirmed the deaths of a 93-year old male from Monongalia County, a 64-year old male from Mingo County, a 79-year old female from Upshur County, a 63-year old female from Pleasants County, a 69-year old male from Wood County, a 67-year old male from Wood County, a 71-year old female from Wood County, a 90-year old female from Wood County, a 73-year old male from Pleasants County, an 86-year old male from Mingo County, a 69-year old female from Wood County, a 61-year old female from Marshall County, an 88-year old female from Wood County, an 86-year old male from Harrison County, an 82-year old male from Greenbrier County, a 69-year old female from Mercer County, a 79-year old male from McDowell County, a 76-year old male from Mingo County, and a 79-year old female from Mason County.

Today is a difficult day as our state continues to feel the effects of this terrible pandemic, said Bill J. Crouch, DHHR Cabinet Secretary. Our hearts go out to the families who have lost loved ones and to those who are currently battling COVID-19.

CASES PER COUNTY: Barbour (1,146), Berkeley (9,156), Boone (1,474), Braxton (755), Brooke (1,940), Cabell (7,263), Calhoun (216), Clay (362), Doddridge (427), Fayette (2,478), Gilmer (659), Grant (1,015), Greenbrier (2,309), Hampshire (1,427), Hancock (2,527), Hardy (1,239), Harrison (4,607), Jackson (1,598), Jefferson (3,421), Kanawha (11,347), Lewis (904), Lincoln (1,154), Logan (2,529), Marion (3,488), Marshall (2,890), Mason (1,701), McDowell (1,287), Mercer (3,987), Mineral (2,522), Mingo (1,997), Monongalia (7,299), Monroe (900), Morgan (882), Nicholas (1,089), Ohio (3,463), Pendleton (598), Pleasants (778), Pocahontas (568), Preston (2,459), Putnam (3,940), Raleigh (4,315), Randolph (2,264), Ritchie (577), Roane (476), Summers (681), Taylor (1,039), Tucker (476), Tyler (588), Upshur (1,569), Wayne (2,452), Webster (272), Wetzel (1,027), Wirt (331), Wood (6,669), Wyoming (1,653).

Delays may be experienced with the reporting of information from the local health department to DHHR. As case surveillance continues at the local health department level, it may reveal that those tested in a certain county may not be a resident of that county, or even the state as an individual in question may have crossed the state border to be tested.

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COVID-19 Daily Update 2-6-2021 - West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources

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More than 600 people get second dose of COVID-19 vaccine thanks to Travis County, area healthcare providers - KXAN.com

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AP) For nearly a year, Ousseni Yanogo thought he was doing everything he could to protect himself from the coronavirus. The 63-year-old retired gendarme diligently wore a mask, washed his hands and stayed a safe distance from other adults.

When he held hands with his granddaughter to sing happy birthday when she turned 6, he never imagined hed find himself fighting to survive in a coronavirus isolation ward weeks later.

I didnt know contact (with children) was that dangerous, otherwise I wouldnt have allowed the party to be organized, Yanogo said while seated on his bed at the Bogodogo Medical Teaching Hospital in Ouagadougou, the capital of the West African country of roughly 20 million.

After managing to avoid a catastrophic initial wave of the virus for various reasons, including that its figures were almost surely undercounted, the conflict-riddled nation, like much of Africa, is trying to cope with a much deadlier resurgence. Although Burkina Fasos virus figures are still relatively small compared to those in many parts of the world, officials worry that a general lack of understanding and adherence to basic safeguards will make it hard to rein in and could overwhelm the countrys already strained health system.

When the pandemic started, Burkina Faso was already suffering from a humanitarian crisis fueled by conflict involving Islamic militants, the army and local defense groups that has displaced more than a million people, pushed hundreds of thousands to the brink of starvation and forced the closure of more than 130 health centers in the country roughly the size of Colorado, according to government and aid groups.

As of Sunday, the government had recorded 11,227 COVID-19 cases, since the pandemic started, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But since the beginning of December, the average number of daily cases has shot up nearly ninefold, from 15 to 130. The death toll has similarly spiked, from 68 at the end of November to 134 and counting. And while mass vaccinations are underway in some parts of the world and are already being credited with helping keep the disease from spreading as quickly, they arent expected to start in Burkina Faso until next month at the earliest.

Were concerned that in the upcoming weeks or months, the curve might not decrease like in the past. The virus is deep inside the community, said Chivanot Afavi, a supervising nurse with The Alliance for International Medical Action, an international aid group working on the front lines of the coronavirus response. People are not taking the proper precautions and dont seem to be worried about the disease, he said.

If the upward trend isnt reversed, the government warns that the countrys hospitals could be overrun.

If we dont manage to decrease the number of new cases, the risks are an increase in severe cases, which could lead to the inundation of hospitals capacity to ensure the care of severe patients, resulting in an increase in harm linked to the disease and maybe an increase in mortality, said Dr. Brice Bicaba, an epidemiologist in charge of coordinating the countrys coronavirus response.

During a rare visit Thursday to the Bogodogo hospitals coronavirus ward, there were only four patients. But when the secluded wing is full, which it has been for most of the past few months, there are generally four staff members to tend to 11 patients.

Workers told The Associated Press they were understaffed and overworked, and that the surge has taken an emotional toll. Last week, three patients died on the same day.

Its stressful work, said Dr. Dieudonne Wend-Kuni Kientega. Every time a patient dies, were impacted because theyre humans, theyre our brothers, and theyre our relatives.

Health experts worry that as COVID-19 cases and deaths rise, doctors and nurses will be diverted from treating patients with the countrys endemic diseases.

If this second wave of COVID-19 cases continues to rise, the additional strain placed on Burkinas health system, already weakened by the first wave and ongoing conflict, can likely increase disability and death from other causes such as malaria, malnutrition and other respiratory infections, said Donald Brooks, chief executive officer of Initiative: Eau, a U.S. aid group focused on water and sanitation that has been assisting in Burkina Fasos pandemic response.

Once it begins, the vaccine rollout will also likely use resources the country cant afford to reallocate, he said.

On Wednesday, COVAX, a global effort aimed at helping lower-income countries obtain shots, announced plans for an initial distribution of 100 million doses worldwide by the end of March. If certain criteria are fulfilled and the vaccine is approved by the World Health Organization, Burkina Faso could receive 1.6 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine within weeks.

While the country prepares for the vaccines arrival, those treating the virus and suffering from it are calling on their communities to take it more seriously.

Yanogo said when he started coughing and having trouble breathing after his granddaughters party, his son took him to a private clinic, where he tested positive and was then transferred to the public facility, where severe cases are taken. While his hospital stay and general medical care is free, patients have to pay out of pocket for tests such as X-rays and medicines that arent available at the hospital. Since getting sick, Yanogos been forced to ask relatives and friends to help pay approximately $360 for his care, which includes daily oxygen therapy.

Its hard for me. Many relatives contributed and friends contributed. I used all the money I had, said Yanogo, who wept softly into his shirt when talking about how touched he was by the support hes received.

Yanogo said hes faced tough situations before, but that hes never confronted anything like COVID-19. He also said he was feeling better and couldnt wait to get home to his worried family.

I want to return home because of my wife, my children and everyone, he said. As long as Im here, they are not at ease.

___

Follow AP coverage of the coronavirus pandemic at: https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic, https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

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Burkina Faso hospitals struggle with new wave of COVID-19 - The Associated Press

It depends on where youre going

by: The Associated Press, MATTHEW PERRONE

Credit: Peter Zelei Images/Moment/Getty Images

Which COVID-19 tests are required for international travel?

It depends on where youre going.

In an effort to limit the spread of new coronavirus variants, many countries are requiring incoming travelers to show a recent negative test.

The U.S., for example, will accept results from either a test that detects the genetic material of the virus considered the most sensitive type of test or a rapid test that looks for viral proteins called antigens. The tests must have been taken no more than three days before departing for the U.S.

Health professionals usually give more sensitive lab tests via a nasal swab that take a day or more to yield results. Rapid tests have a turnaround time of about 15 to 30 minutes and are increasingly used to screen people at testing sites, offices, schools and nursing homes. For some rapid tests, users can swab themselves at home.

With either test, the U.S. requires electronic or printed proof of the negative result from a medical laboratory. That means that even if you plan to get the faster test youll likely need to see a health care provider who can provide documentation.

England has a similar setup, accepting results from both types of tests. But health authorities there are imposing extra requirements, including that the tests meet certain thresholds for accuracy. Travelers are told to check to make sure their test meets the standards.

After countries instituted varying requirements, officials in the European Union agreed to standardize requirements across the 27-nation bloc.

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Which COVID-19 tests are required for international travel? - WKBN.com

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Hundreds of Austin-area veterans receive their first COVID-19 vaccine Saturday - KXAN.com

Vaccines going right to some pharmacies starting this week

Publix has led the way in the state, rolling out COVID-19 vaccines weeks ago in certain Florida counties. Two other popular pharmacies will join them this week.

Starting this week, three pharmacies in Florida will now offer the COVID-19 vaccine.

Publix has led the way in the state, rolling out COVID-19 vaccines weeks ago in certain Florida counties. Two other popular pharmacies, Winn Dixie and Walmart,will join them this week.

LIST: These are the Publix stores offering the COVID-19 vaccine

Shipments will begin as early as Monday, with a million doses going out every week to each provider among its locations nationwide.

So far, CVS and Walgreens pharmacies in Florida are not getting vaccine supplies. Congressman Darren Soto, who sits on the committee that oversees the Center for Disease Control (CDC), wants to see both pharmacies added to Florida's list.

RELATED:Florida Walmart's to receive COVID-19 vaccines: How to book appointment

In addition, local counties are handing out shipments that they also have at their own distribution sites. None of these supplies going to pharmacies will reportedlytakeaway from the supplies that the counties have to give to seniors and others.

Tune in to FOX 35 Orlando for the latest Central Florida news.

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Walmart, Winn-Dixie pharmacies to roll out COVID-19 vaccine this week - FOX 35 Orlando

As coronavirus vaccines started rolling out late last year, there was a palpable sense of excitement. People began browsing travel websites and airlines grew optimistic about flying again. Ryanair Holdings Plc even launched a Jab & Go campaign alongside images of 20-somethings on holiday, drinks in hand.

Its not working out that way.

For a start, it isnt clear the vaccines actually stop travelers spreading the disease, even if theyre less likely to catch it themselves. Neither are the shots proven against the more-infectious mutant strains that have startled governments from Australia to the U.K. into closing, rather than opening, borders. An ambitious push by carriers for digital health passports to replace the mandatory quarantines killing travel demand is also fraught with challenges and has yet to win over the World Health Organization.

This bleak reality has pushed back expectations of any meaningful recovery in global travel to 2022. That may be too late to save the many airlines with only a few months of cash remaining. And the delay threatens to kill the careers of hundreds of thousands of pilots, flight crew and airport workers whove already been out of work for close to a year. Rather than a return to worldwide connectivity one of the economic miracles of the jet era prolonged international isolation appears unavoidable.

Its very important for people to understand that at the moment, all we know about the vaccines is that they will very effectively reduce your risk of severe disease, said Margaret Harris, a WHO spokesperson in Geneva. We havent seen any evidence yet indicating whether or not they stop transmission.

To be sure, its possible a travel rebound will happen on its own without the need for vaccine passports. Should jabs start to drive down infection and death rates, governments might gain enough confidence to roll back quarantines and other border curbs, and rely more on passengers pre-flight Covid-19 tests.

The United Arab Emirates, for example, has largely done away with entry restrictions, other than the need for a negative test. While U.K. regulators banned Ryanairs Jab & Go ad as misleading, the discount airlines chief Michael OLeary still expects almost the entire population of Europe to be inoculated by the end of September. Thats the point where we are released from these restrictions, he said. Short-haul travel will recover strongly and quickly.

For now though, governments broadly remain skittish about welcoming international visitors and rules change at the slightest hint of trouble. Witness Australia, which slammed shut its borders with New Zealand last month after New Zealand reported one COVID-19 case in the community.

New Zealand and Australia, which have pursued a successful approach aimed at eliminating the virus, have both said their borders wont fully open this year. Travel bubbles, meanwhile, such as one proposed between the Asian financial hubs of Singapore and Hong Kong, have yet to take hold. France on Sunday tightened rules on international travel while Canada is preparing to impose tougher quarantine measures.

Air traffic and aviation is really way down the priority list for governments, said Phil Seymour, president and head of advisory at U.K-based aviation services firm IBA Group Ltd. Its going to be a long haul out of this.

The pace of vaccine rollouts is another sticking point.

While the rate of vaccinations has improved in the U.S. the worlds largest air-travel market before the virus struck inoculation programs have been far from aviations panacea. In some places, theyre just one more thing for people to squabble about. Vaccine nationalism in Europe has dissolved into a rows over supply and who should be protected first. The region is also fractured over whether a jab should be a ticket to unrestricted travel.

It all means a rebound in passenger air traffic is probably a 2022 thing, according to Joshua Ng, Singapore-based director at Alton Aviation Consultancy. Long-haul travel may not properly resume until 2023 or 2024, he predicts. The International Air Transport Association said this week that in a worst-case scenario, passenger traffic may only improve by 13% this year. Its official forecast for a 50% rebound was issued in December.

American Airlines Group Inc. on Wednesday warned 13,000 employees they could be laid off, many of them for the second time in six months.

At the end of 2020 we fully believed that we would be looking at a summer schedule where wed fly all of our airplanes and need the full strength of our team, Chief Executive Officer Doug Parker and President Robert Isom told workers. Regrettably, that is no longer the case.

The lack of progress is clear in the skies. Commercial flights worldwide as of Feb. 1 wallowed at less than half pre-pandemic levels, according to OAG Aviation Worldwide Ltd. Scheduled services in major markets including the U.K., Brazil, Spain are still falling, the data show.

Quarantines that lock up passengers upon arrival for weeks on end remain the great enemy of a real travel rebound. A better alternative, according to IATA, is a digital Travel Pass to store passengers vaccine and testing histories, allowing restrictions to be lifted. Many of the worlds largest airlines have rolled out apps from IATA and others, including Singapore Airlines Ltd., Emirates and British Airways.

We need to be working on as many options as possible, said Richard Treeves, British Airways head of business resilience. Were hopeful for integration on those apps and common standards.

But even IATA recognizes theres no guarantee every state will adopt its Travel Pass right away, if at all. Theres currently no consensus on vaccine passports within the 27-member European Union, with tourism-dependent countries like Greece and Portugal backing the idea and bigger members including France pushing back.

Were going to have a lack of harmony at the beginning, Nick Careen, IATAs senior vice president for passenger matters, said at a briefing last month. None of it is ideal.

The airline group has called on the WHO to determine that it is safe for inoculated people to fly without quarantining, in a bid to bolster the case for Travel Pass. But the global health body remains unmoved.

At this point, all we can do is say, yes, you were vaccinated on this date with this vaccine and you had your booster if its a two-course vaccine on this date, the WHOs Harris said. Were working very hard to get a secure electronic system so people have that information. But at this point, thats all it is. Its a record.

A vaccine passport wouldnt be able to demonstrate the quality or durability of any protective immunity gleaned from being inoculated, or from being infected with virus naturally, either, Harris said.

The idea that your natural immunity should be protective and that you could somehow use this as a way of saying Im good to travel is out completely.

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Even with COVID-19 vaccines, grim outlook puts robust travel recovery out a few ... years - OregonLive