Coronavirus watch: 'We can't vaccinate the planet every 4 to 6 months'

The U.S. and other developed countries are pondering a second booster for their populations, but a co-creator of the AstraZeneca vaccine warns that "we can't vaccinate the planet every four to six months."

"It's not sustainable or affordable," Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, told the Daily Telegraph. Pollard said the vaccination effort must target the vulnerable. 

"At some point, society has to open up. When we do open, there will be a period with a bump in infections, which is why winter is probably not the best time," he told the Telegraph. "But that's a decision for the policymakers, not the scientists."

It's Wednesday, and this is Coronavirus Watch from the Paste BN Network. Here's more news to know:

• The U.S. averaged 491,000 new infections daily over the last seven-day period, almost double the previous seven days, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said at a White House briefing Wednesday. Hospitalizations were up 63%, she said.
• The Mayo Clinic confirmed it is firing 700 employees who did not comply with its policy to get vaccinated against COVID-19 by Monday. The dismissed employees make up less than 1% of the Minnesota-based clinic’s workforce.
• Cloth masks do little to prevent tiny virus particles from getting into your nose or mouth and aren't effective against the omicron variant. The experts are urging the public to opt for three-ply surgical masks, KN95 or N95 masks.
• Teachers in the nation’s third-largest school district voted to switch to remote learning, prompting Chicago Public Schools to cancel Wednesday classes for its 330,000 students. The union wants the district to require negative tests from students and staff before returning to school.

Today's numbers: The U.S. has recorded more than 57 million confirmed COVID-19 cases – or one for every six people in the country – and more than 830,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Global totals: More than 295.5 million cases and 5.4 million deaths. More than 205.8 million Americans – 62% – are fully vaccinated, according to the CDC. 

Tracking the pandemic: See the numbers in your area here. See where cases are rising here. See vaccination rates here. And here, compare vaccinations rates worldwide and see which countries are using which vaccines.

– John Bacon, Paste BN @realjohnbacon