Coronavirus Watch: 'Degree of normality' by end of 2021, Fauci says
A COVID-19 vaccine is likely to be authorized before the end of the year, but that doesn't mean you'll be able to throw away your mask anytime soon.
"There is an end to this," said Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. But it will require effort on the part of the public to continue wearing masks, maintaining distance from others, avoiding crowds – and being willing to get a vaccine.
"If you have a very, very highly effective vaccine and we convince most of the people in the country to take the vaccine, we could get back to a degree of normality maybe by the end of 2021," he said.
It's Tuesday, and this is the Coronavirus Watch from the Paste BN Network. Here's the most significant news of the day, as of 12 p.m. ET:
- Cases are surging: All 50 states had more new COVID-19 cases in the latest week than in the week before, an analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows Tuesday. And it's not just due to more testing: 45 states had a higher rate of people testing positive than the week before, an analysis of COVID Tracking Project data shows.
- The Midwest may be leading the gloomy surge: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz plans to announce new restrictions Tuesday amid a surge in infections, possibly including stricter rules for bars and restaurants. In Illinois, stricter restrictions will go into effect Wednesday for some suburban counties. In North Dakota, hospitals are at full capacity.
- New restrictions out West: Dozens of protesters gathered outside the Utah governor's mansion on Monday as Gov. Gary Herbert's statewide mask mandate went into effect. Meanwhile in Colorado, Gov. Jared Polis announced he has extended the state's mask mandate for another 30 days.
- The Food and Drug Administration has authorized use of a drug that appears to protect infected people at high risk from getting very sick. The FDA issued an emergency use authorization to drug-maker Eli Lilly for bamlanivimab, a monoclonal antibody that mimics the immune system’s response to infection with the virus that causes COVID-19.
Today's numbers: The U.S. has reported more than 10.1 million cases and 238,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Globally, there have been nearly 51 million cases and 1.26 million fatalities. See the numbers in your area here, and check out where cases are rising here.
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– Grace Hauck, Paste BN breaking news reporter, @grace_hauck