March 11, 2021
Today marks the 3rd consecutive day of rising cases in Alabama, as we recorded 865 cases today (incl. 443 probables). Though hospitalizations remain low (4.18 patients per reporting hospital), there were 52 more Covid-related deaths. The 7-day moving average of positivity is 15.3%. All of this is a reminder that the virus will not simply vanish on its own. Science has done its part by producing incredible vaccines in record time. It is up to us to take the next step by getting vaccinated as soon as we have the opportunity.
Alabama has administered at least one dose of vaccine to 768,502 people, covering 29.5% of the prioritized population and 15.7% of the state’s entire population (national average = 18.8%). At least 430,554 people have been fully vaccinated, or 8.8% of the state’s population (national average = 9.8%). In the last week, an average of 24.8k doses per day were administered, an 8% increase over the week before.
As vaccine production ramps up, a growing number of states are expanding availability to more citizens. For instance, New Yorkers age 60 and older became eligible on Wednesday, and Texans age 50 and older will become eligible next week. In neighboring Georgia, people over 55 will be able to get a shot next week. And in Alaska, anyone age 16 and older who lives or works in the State is now eligible, as Alaska became the first in the nation to expand eligibility to the entire population.
One year ago today, the World Health Organization officially declared a global pandemic. It is therefore fitting to look back on the last 12 months. Consider that, with only 4% of the world’s population, the U.S. has witnessed: (i) 29.9 million confirmed cases, roughly one-quarter of the world’s 119 million cases; and (ii) 542,806 deaths, 20.6% of the world’s deaths. Czechia and Slovenia are the only countries with 1 million+ populations that have had more cases per capita than the U.S. and only 8 countries have had more per capita deaths.
Alabama’s first documented case of Covid-19 was recorded one year ago tomorrow, long after the State of Washington confirmed the first U.S. case on January 22. Even though Alabama’s population ranks 24th in the nation, over the last year we rank 13th in per capita cases and 10th in per capita deaths. How has Washington State fared? Due in no small part to early actions by local officials, many of which were politically unpopular, the Seattle area has the lowest 12-month death rate of the 20 largest metropolitan regions in the country. Indeed, if the rest of the United States had kept pace with Seattle, the nation could have avoided more than 300,000 coronavirus deaths.
I will leave you with this long-awaited good news precipitated by the successful vaccination program. Federal health officials on Wednesday substantially relaxed the guidelines for visiting family members in nursing homes. The recommendations urge nursing homes to permit indoor visits “at all times and for all residents,” regardless of whether people have been vaccinated. The totals:
2/22 - 677
2/23 - 1453
2/24 - 1247
2/25 - 890
2/26 - 739
2/27 - 834
3/2 - 652
3/3 - 2733
3/4 - 922
3/5 - 811
3/6 - 524
3/9 - 524
3/10- 782
3/11- 865