Florida was one of the first states to throw open vaccine eligibility to members of the general public over 65, leading to rumors that tourists and day-trippers are swooping in solely for the jab. State officials have moved quickly to disavow such scuttlebutt. Gov. Ron DeSantis said stories of people flying to Florida, getting vaccinated and returning home are overblown. While there have been scattered reports of such interlopers, DeSantis said the nonresidents who are getting shots are almost entirely “snowbirds,” residents who live in the state for several months during the winter and who could infect others if they aren’t vaccinated. “I think it’s totally fine if they wanted to” be vaccinated, the Republican governor said at a recent news conference.

Two research studies on Israelis who received their first coronavirus vaccine dose found a significant drop of virus cases about two weeks afterward, Israeli media outlets reported. In addition, one study found that there was also a significant drop in cases in the non-vaccinated population as well. A study by Maccabi, one of Israel’s four Kupot Cholim (HMOs), of 400,000 Israelis who received the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, found a 60% drop in virus infections from 13 days afterward, Channel 12 News reported. Another study by Clalit, another HMO, on 200,000 Israelis over age 60, both those who received the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine and those who were not vaccinated, found a 33% drop in virus cases in the population from 14 days afterward, Channel 13 News reported.

Within a span of about 24 hours, three House Democrats have announced they tested positive for COVID-19, prompting concern that last week’s insurrection at the Capitol has also turned into a super-spreader event threatening the health of lawmakers and their staffs. Those who have tested positive were among the dozens of lawmakers whisked to a secure location when pro-Trump insurrectionists stormed the Capitol on Wednesday. Some members of Congress huddled for hours in the large room, while others were there for a shorter period. While it’s not certain where and when lawmakers caught the illness, the Capitol’s attending physician notified all House lawmakers of possible virus exposure and urged them to be tested. Dr.

California is transforming baseball stadiums, fairgrounds and even a Disneyland Resort parking lot into mass vaccination sites as the coronavirus surge overwhelms hospitals and sets a deadly new record in the state. California’s COVID-19 death toll reached 30,000 on Monday, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University. It took six months for the nation’s most populous state to reach 10,000 deaths but barely a month to jump from 20,000 to 30,000 deaths. California ranks third nationally for COVID-19-related deaths, behind Texas and New York, which is No. 1 with nearly 40,000. Public health officials have estimated about 12% of those who catch the virus will require hospital care, usually several weeks after infection as they get sicker. Gov.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte extended his country’s tough five-week lockdown by a further three weeks Tuesday amid concerns that infection rates are not falling quickly enough and fears about the new more transmissible variant first detected in the United Kingdom. “Almost everybody will understand that there was no other choice because numbers are not falling fast enough and we are now also have to face the threat of the British corona variant,” Rutte said, as he said the lockdown will last until Feb. 9. Under the lockdown, all schools and nonessential shops are closed, along with public venues such as cinemas, museums and libraries. There also are strict limits on the size of gatherings both indoors and outside.

Israel’s Health Ministry confirmed 9,025 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday morning, the second day that daily cases exceeded 9,000, with tests showing a positivity rate of 7.2%. There are currently 78,215 active virus patients, with 1,042 in serious condition, of whom 262 are ventilated. There were 66 additional fatalities recorded in the previous 24 hours, raising the death toll to 3,770. Israel’s coronavirus czar Prof. Nachman Ash told Kan News on Wednesday morning that it is likely that Israel’s lockdown will be extended for at least a week, adding that “there is great advantage in waiting another week, despite its cost, in order to more broadly reopen when it is over.” Dr.

Should I get a COVID-19 vaccine if I’ve had the virus? Yes. Regardless of previous infection, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says people should plan on getting vaccinated when it’s their turn. “It’s a pretty straightforward question,” said Johns Hopkins infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja. “Yes, you need to get vaccinated.” After someone recovers, their immune system should keep them from getting sick again right away. “Your immune system is able to identify the virus, and protect itself,” said Dr. Saskia Popescu, an infectious disease expert at George Mason University. Scientists still don’t know exactly how long this immunity lasts or how strong it is, though recent research suggests the protection could last for several months.

The caskets are stacked three high in the Meissen crematorium’s somber memorial hall, piled up in empty offices and stored in hallways. Many are sealed with plastic wrapping, others are labeled “infection risk,” “urgent” or simply “COVID.” A surge of coronavirus deaths in this corner of eastern Germany has boosted business for crematorium manager Joerg Schaldach and his staff, but nobody is celebrating. “The situation is a little bit tense for us at the moment,” Schaldach said as another undertaker’s van pulled up outside. The crematorium would typically have 70 to 100 caskets on site at this time of year, when the flu season takes its toll on the elderly. “It’s normal for more people to die in winter than in summer,” said Schaldach.

Several gorillas at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park have tested positive for the coronavirus in what is believed to be the first known cases among such primates in the United States and possibly the world. The park’s executive director, Lisa Peterson, told The Associated Press on Monday that eight gorillas that live together at the park are believed to have the virus and several have been coughing. It appears the infection came from a member of the park’s wildlife care team who also tested positive for the virus but has been asymptomatic and wore a mask at all times around the gorillas. The park has been closed to the public since Dec. 6 as part of the state of California’s lockdown efforts to curb coronavirus cases.

On the fifth day of Israel’s tight lockdown, the soaring infection rate continues as the Health Ministry confirmed a record-high number of 9,589 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday morning, with tests showing a 7.6% positivity rate. Israel has become the 29th country to confirm half a million confirmed virus cases, with the total number of cases reaching 504,269 on Tuesday. There are currently 1,027 seriously ill patients, of whom 247 are ventilated. Nineteen additional fatalities were recorded in the past 24 hours, raising the death toll to 3,704. Hospital wards are overflowing, with an unprecedented number of 1,759 hospitalized virus patients, compared to only 898 seriously ill patients during the second wave.