Coronavirus weekly-need-to-know: 1st new strain case, melatonin, vaccine guidance & more
Each week, McClatchy News offers you a round-up of our noteworthy coronavirus coverage from across the nation.
More than 20.2 million people in the United States have tested positive for the coronavirus as of Saturday, Jan. 2, according to Johns Hopkins University. That includes more than 348,000 people who have died nationwide.
Globally, there are now more than 84.2 million confirmed cases of the highly infectious virus, with more than 1.8 million reported deaths.
Here’s what happened between Dec. 25 and Dec. 31.
First US case of new COVID-19 strain in Colorado
Colorado officials confirmed the first U.S. case of a more contagious coronavirus strain on Dec. 29, which was first discovered in the United Kingdom. The person is a man in his 20s who has no prior travel history, officials said.
The Colorado State Laboratory confirmed the case and notified the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The man is in isolation in Elbert County and will stay there until cleared by officials.
Here’s everything scientists know about the new coronavirus strain that has been spotted in at least 19 countries.
CDC reveals new COVID-19 vaccine guidance
The CDC on Dec. 26 released updated guidance on COVID-19 vaccinations for people who have preexisting conditions, who face higher risks of severe illness if they contract the virus.
The new CDC recommendations say these individuals can get a vaccine as long as they “have not had a severe allergic reaction to any of the ingredients in the vaccine.”
Continue reading to learn what preexisting conditions qualify people for priority access to a coronavirus vaccine.
Can melatonin aid in the fight against COVID-19?
Studies have shown melatonin — a hormone naturally found in the body that regulates sleep cycles — can help lower high blood pressure, reduce anxiety and generally improve quality of sleep, but a paper published in November suggests the hormone can reduce the likelihood of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
It was one of the medicines given to President Donald Trump during his bout with the disease.
Melatonin was also found to help hospitalized coronavirus patients who required mechanical ventilation recover.
Read what science says about the hormone here.
Crowded hospitals raise your chances of dying from COVID-19
Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania found that adults hospitalized with COVID-19 have about a 1 in 10 chance of dying.
That’s “nearly four times higher than your likelihood of dying if you’re hospitalized with influenza, which is closer to 3%,” the study authors wrote.
The researchers blame shortages in staff, supplies and hospital beds for the lack of necessary care for patients that’s leading to increased deaths.
Learn more about how county-level coronavirus case rates affect each individual’s chances of surviving COVID-19.
Recalled mouthwash can be ‘unsafe’ for COVID-19 patients
The recall of GUM Paroex Chlorhexidine Gluconate Oral Rinse for a possible bacterial contamination has been expanded after the manufacturer learned of 29 people actually infected.
Using the contaminated mouthwash can lead to “oral and, potentially, systemic infections requiring antibacterial therapy. In the most at-risk populations, the use of the defective product may result in life-threatening infections, such as pneumonia and bacteremia.”
Also, “use of the contaminated product on patients with pre-existing respiratory conditions, including those infected with COVID-19, is particularly unsafe.”
Continue reading to learn more.
Wear this mask to better hear people when talking
For some, face masks make it hard to communicate with others by muffling speech and covering visual cues, especially for those with hearing loss.
Researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign discovered that disposable surgical masks “offer the best acoustic performance,” whereas masks with clear windows over the mouth — popular among people with hearing impairments — block the most sound of all masks tested.
Read on to learn why.
Biden vows to speed up vaccination process
President-elect Joe Biden on Dec. 29 criticized the current pace of coronavirus vaccination and promised to accelerate it when he takes office.
Biden said during remarks in Wilmington, Delaware, that as he “long feared and warned,” the distribution and administration of the COVID-19 vaccines is “not progressing as it should,” citing President Donald Trump’s administration’s plan to vaccinate 20 million Americans by the end of the year.
So far, the vaccination rate is far behind that goal with only a couple of days left in 2020.
Here’s what’s to know about the current vaccination process and Biden’s remarks.
Fauci says vaccine side effects ‘nothing serious’
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said he experienced minimal side effects after getting a coronavirus vaccine.
Fauci received the Moderna vaccine on camera Tuesday at the National Institutes of Health. He’s one of several public figures to do so in an effort to encourage other Americans to get the shot when it’s available to them.
Experts explain what to expect after getting a COVID-19 vaccine.
In other coronavirus coverage outside of McClatchy...
COVID-19 vaccine from Novavax is latest to enter Phase 3 trial in U.S.
Some states buck federal vaccine recommendations and prioritize the elderly over essential workers
New Vatican document: Refusing to get vaccinated can seriously jeopardize public health
ER nurse tests positive for COVID-19 eight days after receiving vaccine
This story was originally published December 31, 2020 at 6:26 AM with the headline "Coronavirus weekly-need-to-know: 1st new strain case, melatonin, vaccine guidance & more."
