This is Coronavirus 411, the latest COVID-19 info and new hotspots… Just the facts… for September 6th, 2021.
 
Full steam ahead in the U.S. with booster shots, even though the EU, the World Health Organization, and even the CDC says it could be premature and possibly unnecessary right now. It’s believed boosters will be available September 20 for Pfizer, with Moderna’s rolling out a couple weeks later. The President said Americans should consider getting a booster 8 months after their second shot.
 
Israel is so bought into boosters they’re actually getting ready to administer fourth doses of the vaccines. Cases are soaring there despite world-leading vaccinations. Their national coronavirus czar said new injections could better protect against new variants of the virus and could be needed every few months. He said, “This is our life from now on.”
 
There's nothing yet to suggest the current vaccines won’t work against the new Mu variant. But as always, science doesn’t seem to know for sure. What is known is it’s already made its way to nearly every state in the U.S. and 39 countries. And it’s been here awhile. It was first detected in Colombia in January. Right now, the variant only accounts for less than 1% of all Covid-19 samples sequenced in the U.S.
 
Some vaccine passport news. They’ll be required in indoor venues in England starting the end of this month. There are critics but the Health Minister said this is the way to keep the economy open. And Japan will issue vaccination certificates starting mid-December. Those are mostly meant for overseas travel via a QR code on smartphones.
 
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady confirmed he tested positive for Covid-19 in February, soon after the team’s boat parade that celebrated their Super Bowl win. He’s since been vaccinated.
 
In the United States cases were up 8%, deaths are up 55%, and hospitalizations are up 11% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since July 5. 
 
There are 8,823,289 active cases in the United States.
 
With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the biggest 14-day increase in hospitalizations: North Dakota up 331%. South Dakota 88%. West Virginia 56%. Maine 53%. And Wyoming and Tennessee 51%.
 
The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Russell, KY. Perry, KY. Rusk, TX. Uvalde, TX. Bell, KY. Marion, TN. Clay, KY. Dorchester, SC. Glynn, GA. And Taylor, FL.
 
There have been at least 648,467 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.
 
The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 68%, Connecticut unchanged at 66.2%, and Massachusetts at 66.1%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 38.5%, Alabama at 38.6%, and Wyoming at 39.1%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 52.7%.
 
The 5 countries with the largest recent 24-hour increase in the number of fully vaccinated people: Panama and Kosovo up 3%. And Sri Lanka, Argentina, and Australia 2%.
 
Globally, cases were down 9% and deaths were down 7% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 27.
 
There are 18,924,449 active cases around the world.
 
The five countries with the most new cases: India 39,521. The U.K. 37,011. The United States 35,586. Iran 25,870. And Malaysia 20,396.
 
There have now been at least 4,566,726 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.
 
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