Virus Update for Mid-Winter Very Interesting

Since January 1, 2020, I have written over 400 articles, with nearly 180 articles on coronavirus. It started in January 2020 as China Flu and progressed to be better known as COVID-19. It is not a subject that I enjoy researching or writing about it. However, headlines can be deceiving. For example, a headline might tell us that there are 15,000 new cases that day, yet the number of daily deaths does not increase.

Worldwide Update

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ I have not looked at the coronavirus statistics since before Christmas. However, I did write three or four articles on coronavirus and one or two on vaccines since then. Until my research today, I have been ignorant of any trend in local, state, national, or worldwide statistics about COVID-19.

I remember the doom and gloom forecasters telling us that the third, fourth, fifth, or whatever wave of coronavirus was coming with the colder weather this winter. I understand from the media that coronavirus, like seasonal influenza, spreads more efficiently during the year's colder months. I am confident that family trips for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's are causing new cases.

Regardless, the first thing I see on worldwide statistics is a definite trend downward in new cases and daily deaths. New cases are about at the same level as of October 2020. Deaths from COVID-19 lag new cases by two to three weeks. The daily deaths today are like the totals at the end of December 2020.

The decline in both new cases and daily deaths is the sharpest since early 2020. 0.4% of the new cases are considered severe or critical. Deaths from coronavirus are 3% worldwide. Early coronavirus deaths were not genuinely reflective as being caused only by the coronavirus. Deaths today are still reported from the virus and with the virus.

Vaccinations Worldwide

https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations Israel has distributed 71 vaccines per 100 people. In contrast, the UAE has done 49 (almost half of its country), the United Kingdom 21 (over one-fifth of its nation), and the United States has vaccinated 14 per 100 people.

Within the next two months, two or three new vaccine manufacturers will be providing additional vaccine doses. By summer, I expect over one-half of the United States will have received the COVID-19 vaccine.

United States Update

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/ and https://www.google.com/search?q=coronavirus+stats+us&spell=1&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwixgbXv1efuAhXIG80KHUfzC-MQBSgAegQIBhAx&biw=1920&bih=880 The statistical data for new cases in the United States for COVID-19 are similar to worldwide data. Current new COVID-19 cases reflect a total like the first week in November 2020, while daily deaths are about the same as early January 2021. The decline in the trend line for daily deaths is noticeable but not dramatic. However, the fall in American new cases is precipitous, again very apparent and reflective of worldwide decline.

California, Texas, New York, and Florida lead the United States with the highest daily death counts. The United States has done over 330 million tests, almost one per person. Only India (204 million), China (160 million), and Russia (106 million) have exceeded 100 million tests total worldwide.

United States Vaccinations

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/01/28/960901166/how-is-the-covid-19-vaccination-campaign-going-in-your-state Over half of the states have distributed vaccines (one dose) to at least ten percent of citizens. Between two and six percent of the state's citizens have received both doses. Only 70% of nearly 70 million doses distributed to date have made it to people.

Texas Update

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/usa/texas/ The data for both new cases and daily deaths follow closely with the worldwide and national trends. Nothing out of the ordinary to report on those two topics.

The hot spots for new cases are primarily in the heavily populated areas around Houston, Dallas, Austin, and San Antonia. The valley around Brownsville and El Paso have higher daily reports of new coronavirus cases.

It is not easy to find a good reference for national COVID-19 hospitalizations; however, Texas has good sources. The Texas Medical Center in Houston provides detailed data. https://www.tmc.edu/coronavirus-updates/tmc-daily-new-covid-19-hospitalizations/

The seven-day trend in hospitalizations from coronavirus is steadily decreasing since the first of 2021. The past ten days have shown a steady level of 0.61 for the Effective Reproduction Rate for viral infection. Anything above 1.0 indicates that the virus is spreading. Below 1.0 shows diminishing infections. The positive test rate for Houston hospitals today is just under 8%. A week ago, the rate was almost 10%.

The weekly average for coronavirus patients is trending downward and is now at about the same level as of late December. The trend-line is moving downward in this statistic prominently.

The Houston area hospital system has three phases for hospital occupancy. All beds (1330) in Phase 1 are full, with 34% of those belonging to COVID-19 patients. Another 110 ICU beds are full in Phase II, leaving another 273 ICU available. 27% of all Phase II beds are for COVID-19 patients. Phase III has 504 ICU beds available when needed. In Phase III, 21% of the ICU beds are for coronavirus needs.

Conclusion

I do not watch television news programs. I stopped that habit in 1987 for many reasons. I look at Internet news headlines for one or two sites daily to know what is happening globally. I usually pay zero attention to anything COVID-19-related. I rarely read any Internet articles unless the headline hooks me, and I will read a paragraph or two.

I do search 'heath headlines today' regularly to use ideas for my daily articles. There are many coronavirus headlines that I ignore and look for non-virus health issues. I see a steep decline in new COVID-19 cases worldwide, with trends similar at national and state levels. I am sure I would see the same thing if I looked explicitly at Italy, Spain, or other countries.

Will winter (coldest months) cause a rise in more coronavirus cases? I have no idea. I am happy the number of new COVID-19 cases is going down rapidly, and the number of daily deaths is declining at a steady rate. Additionally, the number of coronavirus tests continues to go up, and the number of vaccinations is increasing in all states.

Live Longer & Enjoy Life! – Red O'Laughlin – RedOLaughlin.com