Sunday, December 20, 2020

(SUNDAY) – Global – 75,100,000/1,700,000; USA – 17,600,000/315,300 See Deb’s notes below: 1. The Northern Plains, Upper Mid-West, Rocky Mountain States and Heartland continue to improve decreasing test positivity, cases, hospitalizations. Strong vigilance messaging should continue to ensure decline through the upcoming Holiday season. 2. The Coasts (80% of America's population) are now driving the increasing cases, hospitalizations and soon deaths. The rate of rise is deeply concerning as it is similar to the Northern Plain States. New strain of virus – B.1.1.1.7 arising in UK with concern that it is spreading much faster that other strains. Some EU countries are banning flights from UK. Probably an overreaction since there is no evidence that the strain is more virulent or that it escapes vaccineinduced immunity. We (VRC/NIAID) will start examining for these issues. PRESS: Despite the approval of Moderna vaccine a few days ago, I was not allowed on any Sunday TV shows. FOX and MTP wanted me. Need to emphasize the dysfunction of the White House Comms group, particularly Roma Daravi. It seems that she has a thing with me. Washington Post (Yasmeen Abutaleb et al): The inside story of how Trump’s denial, mismanagement and magical thinking led to the pandemic’s dark winter