Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute for Allergies and Infectious Diseases, speaks to Alex Azar, the unpictured Secretary for Health and Human
California surpasses 27,000 Covid-19 deaths
From CNN s Cheri Mossburg
Funeral director Steven Correa moves the casket of Gilberto Arreguin Camacho, 58, in preparation for burial following his death due to Covid-19 at the Continental Funeral Home on December 31, in Los Angeles, California. Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/Getty Images
California reported 368 new Covid-19 fatalities Tuesday, bringing the state s total death toll to over 27,000 since the start of the pandemic.
Additionally, 31,440 new cases of the coronavirus bring the state’s total number of infections to 2.45 million.
California has averaged more than 38,000 new cases every day for the past two weeks.
Once again, hospitalizations are reaching all-time highs in the Golden State. More than 22,000 people are receiving in-patient treatment, the state reported Tuesday. About 21% of those patients are in intensive care units. Much of the state is still feeling the oppressive crush, with ICU capacity at 0% in Southern Cali
By CBS News Patrick Semansky/Associated Press/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Dr. Anthony Fauci, who for many became the face of the federal government s COVID-19 pandemic response, rolled up his sleeve and didn t flinch as he got his first dose of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine Tuesday. Fauci, the nation s top infectious disease expert, was joined by Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Francis Collins and several NIH Clinical Center frontline health workers.
Fauci, who said he wanted to show he was extremely confident in the vaccine, pointed out that the new coronavirus vaccines have their roots in research performed by the scientists and grantees at the NIH. He flashed a thumbs-up once his shot was over.