February 26, 2021
As we close in on the one year anniversary of Alabama’s first diagnosed case (March 12, 2020), Alabama’s topline data continues to improve - 739 cases (incl 150 probables) and 5,448 tests produce a 13.6% positivity rate for the day and a 7-day moving average of around 19%. For the first time since June, reported hospitalizations fell below 700, as 106 reporting hospitals recorded 691 patients, or 6.5 patients per hospital. There were also 38 more deaths reported, just below the average of 43 deaths per day for the last 7 days.
An updated weekly K-12 dashboard was released by ADPH and the results were unsurprising. A total of 848 new cases among students, teachers and staff were reported by the State’s public schools, a decline of 133 new cases compared to last week. Baldwin County schools reported the most new cases - 60 as compared to only 43 last week. Shelby County schools also reported a significant increase from 22 cases to 42 cases. Hoover’s schools likewise showed an increase from 22 cases to 32 cases.
According to the CDC, as of this afternoon, Alabama has now administered a single dose to 613,100 individuals (12.5% of the State’s population) and both doses to 279,000 individuals (5.7%). Four states - Tennessee, Texas, Georgia and Utah - have administered a lower percentage than Alabama on the first dose. Three states - Illinois, Utah and Iowa - are doing worse than Alabama with regard to the second dose. The national averages are 14.2% (1st dose) and 6.8% (both doses).
The big news today is the FDA Advisory Committee’s unanimous approval of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. J&J’s vaccine is a single dose and can be stored at normal refrigeration temperatures. The scale and size of the J&J trial was especially vast, spanning eight countries, three continents and nearly 45,000 participants. Although the vaccine works with one shot, studies are underway to determine if a second dose would increase its protective effects. By early next week, shots of this third vaccine will become available to the U.S. public.
For people who already have had Covid, a single dose of the Pfizer vaccine is enough to provide robust protection from the coronavirus, according to two new studies published late Thursday in the British medical journal, The Lancet. The studies provide strong support for the case of inoculating people who already have antibodies against the virus — but only with one dose of the Pfizer vaccine. This finding could accelerate vaccine rollout and reduce the emergence of variants, according to the studies.
In more good news, representatives of Pfizer and Moderna told Congress on Tuesday that they project a major increase in delivery of 140 million more doses over the next five weeks, saying they have solved manufacturing challenges that had plagued them earlier in the process.
As we near the end of Year 1 of this global pandemic, it’s all about vaccines and variants. There are hopeful signs that this long national nightmare may soon end, but the global battle still has a long way to go. Be careful and stay safe everyone. The totals:
2/11 - 1503
2/12 - 1097
2/13 - 1189
2/16 - 883
2/17 - 679
2/18 - 1198
2/19 - 847
2/20 - 774
2/21 - 857
2/22 - 677
2/23 - 1453
2/24 - 1247
2/25 - 890
2/26 - 739