Over-the-counter home test for COVID-19 gets U.S. green light French theater, cinema workers protest against virus closure Pandemic backlash jeopardizes public health powers, leaders Sweden’s prime minister says health officials misjudged new infection wave U.S. COVID-19 deaths top 300,000 just as vaccinations begin
HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. Florida’s largest hospital system said it was on track to immunize nearly 20,000 health care workers against COVID-19 as Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday announced a delay in hundreds of thousands of doses of the Pfizer vaccine.
But DeSantis said the first batch of the Moderna vaccine 370,000 doses could begin heading to his state as soon as this weekend and would allow wider distribution of the medicine to hospitals across the state, pending federal authorization.
9 & 10 News
December 16, 2020
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan The number of daily COVID-19 deaths in Pakistan crossed 100 for the first time in five months with the virus spreading fast in the financial capital of Karachi.
The 105 fatalities in the last 24 hours increased Pakistan’s death toll 9,010 since February. Pakistan also reported 2,731 new cases, increasing its total to 445,977.
Karachi has been especially hard hit with the positivity rate of 18.76% compared to 7.2% nationwide.
Despite repeated requests from the government, most Pakistanis appear to still not adhere to social distancing rules, causing a fresh surge in the country that until recently had kept COVID-19 deaths in double digits.
9 & 10 News
December 16, 2020
SEOUL, South Korea South Korea has reported another high in daily coronavirus increases as health officials face growing pressure to enforce stricter social distancing to slow the spread in the capital area.
The 1,078 cases confirmed by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on Wednesday brought the national caseload to 45,442. The death toll was 612 after 25 COVID-19 patients died in the past 48 hours, the two deadliest days since the outbreak began.
The agency said 226 among 11,883 active patients were in serious or critical condition, which was also the most since the start of the pandemic, as fears grow about a possible shortage in hospital capacities.
Over-the-counter home test for COVID-19 gets U.S. green light French theater, cinema workers protest against virus closure Pandemic backlash jeopardizes public health powers, leaders Sweden’s prime minister says health officials misjudged new infection wave U.S. COVID-19 deaths top 300,000 just as vaccinations begin
HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:
SALT LAKE CITY An intensive care nurse in Salt Lake City became the first person in Utah to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Utah hospitals began administering vaccinations to front-line healthcare workers with the highest risk of exposure. Hospital leaders expect about a total of 100 doses to be administered across the state on Tuesday.
The Latest: Alaska reports 2nd adverse reaction to vaccine
Charles Hill, on the housekeeping staff at Kaiser Permanente in San Rafael, Calif., is the first to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in Marin County, administered by registered nurse Itamar Bikszer, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020. (Alan Dep/Marin Independent Journal via AP) December 16, 2020 - 8:31 PM
JUNEAU, Alaska Health officials in Alaska have reported that a second health care worker had an adverse reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine.
Bartlett Regional Hospital in Juneau says the two workers showed adverse reactions about 10 minutes after receiving the vaccine and were treated. One received the vaccine Tuesday and will remain in the hospital another night under observation while the other, vaccinated Wednesday, has fully recovered.