Biden Announces plans for 25m Masks, Free to Vulnerable People–World Stats

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The Biden administration has just announced plans to deliver more than 25m masks to vulnerable communities who have been severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

According to a fact sheet released by the White House, the masks will be delivered to 1,300 community health centers and 60,000 food pantries and soup kitchens across the country.

At a press briefing, Jeff Zients, the White House coronavirus response team coordinator, said the action was needed to address some communities’ lack of access to masks, which have proved crucial in limiting the spread of coronavirus.

“These masks will be available at no cost,” Zients said. “With this action, we’re helping to level the playing field.”

Zients said it will cost the federal government $86 million to distribute more than 25 million masks to vulnerable communities.

The coordinator of the White House coronavirus response team said the Biden administration considered this initiative so crucial because many Americans still do not have access to masks, and this will help ensure a more equitable pandemic response.

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Long COVID May Adversely Effect People Up to a Year    

Dr Anthony Fauci delivered a presentation on long-term symptoms among coronavirus patients during the press conference today.

Fauci noted that studies have indicated some hospitalized coronavirus patients have reported symptoms — including fatigue, “brain fog” and gastrointestinal issues — for up to nine months after they returned home.

The National Institutes of Health has received funding to study what has come to be known as “long-haul syndrome.” Yesterday, the NIH made the first in a series of research opportunity announcements related to long-term coronavirus symptoms.

At the press briefing, Jeff Zients, the White House coronavirus response team coordinator, also addressed the positive news about the effectiveness of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Zients said he expected 3 to 4 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to be ready once the Food and Drug Administration grants the company an emergency use authorization, which could come as soon as this weekend.

Assuming the authorization comes through, Johnson & Johnson is expected to deliver about 20 million doses by the end of March, Zients said.

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“Hellish Days Await Us,” Czech Leader on Coronavirus Surge in His Country

Czech leader: 'Hellish days await us' as virus cases strain hospitals
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The Czech Republic faces “hellish” days ahead as the country faces a surge of hospitalizations resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, its prime minister said Wednesday.

Reuters reported that Andrej Babis told reporters that residents should expect further COVID-19 restrictions in the coming days as health officials attempt to gain control over the virus’s spread.

Nearly 1,400 people are hospitalized with COVID-19 and in serious condition in the Czech Republic, stressing the country’s health system and forcing the government to consider asking to transfer patients to German hospitals, according to the news service.

“Hellish days await us,” Babis said Wednesday, according to Reuters, while adding that plans to resume in-person learning for some grades had been halted due to the virus surge.

Just under 1.2 million COVID-19 infections have been confirmed in the country since the pandemic began, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The country is facing one of the highest rates of new cases per capita of any country, and is also rankled by political turmoil with the country’s parliament refusing to grant President Milos Zeman’s government the power to declare a national emergency on the issue earlier this month.

“The situation is serious,” Babis said earlier this month at a news conference. “It poses a threat for the health of our citizens.”

The country has recorded seven suspected cases of a highly-contagious South African variant of COVID-19 within its borders, and a similarly contagious strain originating from the U.K. is thought to be spreading across Europe as well.

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Coronavirus Cases:

112,853,727

Deaths:

2,500,699

Recovered:

88,429,998
ACTIVE CASES
21,923,030
Currently Infected Patients

21,830,846 (99.6%)

in Mild Condition

Reported Cases and Deaths by Country or Territory

Highlighted in green
= all cases have recovered from the infection
Highlighted in grey
= all cases have had an outcome (there are no active cases)

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