The United States reported a record high of 306 cases of coronavirus variants on Sunday, with most concentrated in Florida, Michigan and Texas, according to USA Today.
New cases included 104 new infections in Florida, for a total of 605 in that state; 85 in Michigan, for a total of 421; and 41 in Texas, for a total of 102. Although several new strains are known to be circulating in the U.S., most cases of new and existing variants are B.1.1.7. strain native to the United Kingdom. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has said the British strain may become the most common in the country over the next month.
General coronavirus cases declined in February after reaching an all-time high in January, but there are indications that the decline is slowing or reversing. Most states on Sunday reported an increase in the count of cases for the past week for the first time in more than a month.
Both variants and trends arrive as the U.S. continues to administer the coronavirus vaccine. Over the weekend, Johnson & Johnson began distributing its shot after receiving emergency use authorization and becoming the third vaccine available.
The White House has said Johnson & Johnson will have shots at distribution sites as early as Tuesday and will distribute millions of single-shot vaccines nationwide over the next week along with existing Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. CDC data indicate that just under 50 million Americans have received at least one dose of the vaccine.
Anthony Fauci
Anthony Fauci ‘SNL’ sees Fauci as host of game programs, offering vaccines to winners Sunday shows: Trump’s re-emergence, COVID-19 vaccines and their variants dominate Fauci sets a timetable for vaccinating teens, children, the country’s leading infectious disease expert, has said vaccines will be largely effective against emerging mutations.
“When you get a variant that decreases the capacity of the vaccine, when you get a good vaccine … you can’t necessarily get the best possible response, but it’s still within the cushion of effectiveness,” he said. Fauci in the state of CNN of the Union ”Sunday.