By The Associated Press
SACRAMENTO, Calif. Gov. Gavin Newsom says nearly half of Californians eligible for vaccination have received at least one shot against the coronavirus.
He is urging more residents to sign up for appointments and not let apprehension get in the way of getting protected against the illness.
The nationâs most populous state on Thursday began vaccinating anyone age 16 and over regardless of occupation or health condition.
The move comes as California and other states have seen vaccine supplies rise in recent weeks. But officials are working to address hesitancy, particularly in some of the communities hit hardest by the pandemic.
The Latest: COVID-19 blamed for large increase in US deaths
The Associated Press
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1of33FILE - In this April 10, 2021, file photo, registered nurse Ashleigh Velasco, right, administers the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to Olga Perez at a clinic held by Healthcare Network, in Immokalee, Fla. With coronavirus shots now in the arms of nearly half of American adults, the parts of the U.S. that are excelling and those that are struggling with vaccinations are starting to look like the nation’s political map: deeply divided between red and blue states.Lynne Sladky/APShow MoreShow Less
2of33FILE - In this March 23, 2020 file photo, a victim of the COVID-19 virus is evacuated from the Mulhouse civil hospital, eastern France. The picture is still grim in parts of Europe and Asia as variants of the virus fuel an increase in new cases and the worldwide death toll closes in on 3 million.Jean-Francois Badias/APShow MoreShow Less
France has become the third country in Europe after the U.K. and Italy to reach the unwanted milestone of 100,000 COVID-19-related deaths as new infections and deaths surged due to virus variants.
By The Associated Press
NEW YORK â New U.S. government data shows that the country saw somewhere around 600,000 more deaths than usual during a 13-month span. COVID-19 was blamed for most of those deaths.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the new estimate on Thursday. It covers the time period from January 26, 2020 to February 27, 2021. COVID-19 was first detected in the U.S. in late January of last year.
CDC researchers said the biggest spikes in the deaths occurred in early April, late July, and the very end of December.
At least 75% of the deaths were directly tied to COVID, but the estimate includes deaths from all causes.
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