17 February 2021 Coronavirus Charts and News: White House Stepping Up COVID Testing, Manufacturing, And Virus Sequencing. New CDC Reports Warn Variants Could Lead To Rapid Rise In Covid

Written by Steven Hansen

The U.S. new cases 7-day rolling average are 25.5 % LOWER than the 7-day rolling average one week ago. U.S. hospitalizations due to COVID-19 are now 15.2 % LOWER than the rolling average one week ago. U.S. deaths due to coronavirus are now 6.6 % LOWER than the rolling average one week ago. Today’s posts include:

• U.S. Coronavirus New Cases are 62,398
• U.S. Coronavirus hospitalizations are at 64,533
• U.S. Coronavirus deaths are at 1,756
• U.S. Coronavirus immunizations have been administered to 16.5 % of the population
• The 7-day rolling average rate of growth of the pandemic shows new cases improved, hospitalizations improved, and deaths improved
• Hopefully, these current improving COVID trends will remain in play even with the new strains
• A next-generation coronavirus vaccine is in the works, but initial funding was denied
• The administration says it will spend $650 million to expand testing for K-8 schools and settings where people congregate such as homeless shelters
• HHS and DOD will also spend $815 million to increase domestic production of testing supplies and materials.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will spend $200 million to expand genomic sequencing of the virus – an effort to prepare for the spread of variants of the coronavirus.
• Scientists Paying People $6,000 to Catch COVID for Research
• Johnson and Johnson has only a few million Covid vaccine doses ready as it nears U.S. launch
• Going by train vs. plane: Is taking Amtrak safer than flying during COVID-19?
• Virologist: WHO Team Found No ‘Credible Link’ Between Wuhan Labs, COVID-19
• Russia and China seek to advance their interests abroad via vaccine diplomacy
• Fauci says a Covid-19 vaccine could be needed annually

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