Coronavirus weekly need-to-know: Travel fines, breastfeeding, mask updates & more
Each week, we’ll offer you a round-up of our noteworthy coronavirus coverage.
More than 27.5 million people in the United States have tested positive for the coronavirus as of Saturday morning, Feb. 13, according to Johns Hopkins University. That includes more than 481,000 people who have died nationwide.
Globally, there are now more than 108.3 million confirmed cases of the highly infectious virus, with more than 2.3 million reported deaths.
About 34.7 million Americans have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as of Feb. 11, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tracker shows. More than 11.1 million of them have been inoculated with their second dose, meaning they’ve received maximum protection against the coronavirus.
Here’s what happened between Feb. 5 to Feb. 11.
Double masks may offer extra protection against infection
Wearing two masks — a cloth mask over a surgical mask — as well as modifying a surgical mask by knotting its ear loops reduced a healthy person’s risk of catching the coronavirus by more than 95%, according to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study.
This is the first laboratory study from the CDC that tested the effectiveness of double masking and other creative alterations. It comes amid discussions to update public health messaging on appropriate face coverings as at least three more contagious coronavirus strains spread in the U.S.
Here’s what the study found.
Do vaccinated people need to quarantine after COVID-19 exposure?
People who have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus and are later exposed to someone with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 are not required to quarantine if they meet three criteria, new CDC guidelines say.
Individuals who don’t meet all three of these criteria should follow the regular 14-day quarantine guidance after potential COVID-19 exposure. Officials say quarantine can be reduced depending on decisions made by local health authorities.
Continue reading to learn what three criteria need to be met to be free of quarantine post-COVID-19 exposure.
You may be fined up to $1,500 if you refuse to wear a mask while traveling
The Transportation Security Administration said it will recommend fining travelers anywhere between $250 and $1,500 for failing to comply with President Joe Biden’s executive order requiring people to wear face masks while traveling via plane, bus and train, as well as in airports and rail stations.
However, the TSA may consider more expensive fines depending on the manner of the offense. The mask requirement went into effect Tuesday and will remain active until May 11.
Arthritis drug reduces death, length of stay in hospitalized COVID-19 patients
A study of more than 4,000 hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19 found that an anti-inflammatory drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, combined with a steroid treatment, reduces risk of death by about one third for people requiring “simple” oxygen and by nearly half for those needing invasive mechanical ventilation.
The drug, called tocilizumab, also shortened the amount of time spent in the hospital and minimized the need for breathing help with machines.
Learn more about the study here.
Breast milk from coronavirus-infected mom contains antibodies
Breastfeeding mothers with COVID-19 could create antibodies in their milk that can offset the virus, a new study found.
A research team led by the University of Idaho said mothers with COVID-19 don’t pass on the coronavirus in their milk, but instead could transfer antibodies that can neutralize the virus.
Here’s what that means.
Can you visit loved ones after getting a COVID-19 vaccine?
Just because you’ve been vaccinated with one of the two authorized coronavirus vaccines doesn’t mean you’ve earned a golden ticket to brunch or wine night with loved ones, experts say.
That’s because there’s a lot scientists don’t yet know about how the vaccines work in real-life scenarios, such as mimosas with grandma. What they do know is that both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna shots are capable of preventing coronavirus-related death, as well as severe disease.
However, what’s largely unknown is if the vaccines prevent people from getting infected and unknowingly spreading the virus to others, even if they don’t get sick with symptoms themselves. So, while you may be in the clear, your unvaccinated loved ones may still face risks.
Families can soon apply for funds to cover COVID-19 funeral costs
Families that have lost loved ones to COVID-19 will soon be able to apply for funds to help cover funeral expenses, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez announced during a news conference in New York.
Two billion dollars in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds were approved in a December COVID-19 relief bill. Each family that provides documentation and receipts from funeral costs, as well as death certificates, can be reimbursed up to $7,000.
Here’s everything you need to know.
People with dementia more likely to catch and die from COVID-19
An analysis of more than 61.9 million patient records in the U.S. found that people with dementia are more than three times as likely to get infected with the coronavirus than individuals without dementia.
Even after researchers adjusted for COVID-19 risk factors that may have led to worse disease outcomes in patients with dementia, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and asthma — factors that also pose risks for dementia itself — those with dementia are still twice as likely to contract the coronavirus.
The group also faces increased risks of COVID-19 hospitalization and death.
Computer could help hospitals predict which patients will die of COVID-19
Researchers from Denmark developed artificial intelligence that can determine whether a person will die from COVID-19 with up to 90% accuracy, according to a new study, with body mass index, gender and blood pressure status contributing most to its nearly spot on forecasts.
The trained computer could also predict the number of coronavirus patients who will eventually need to be hospitalized, admitted into an intensive care unit or put on a ventilator with about 80% accuracy.
Learn more about it here.
In other coronavirus coverage...
Fauci says ‘virtually everybody’ could start getting COVID-19 vaccines in April
A Few Covid Vaccine Recipients Developed a Rare Blood Disorder
Delta CEO blasts Biden proposal to require COVID tests for domestic travelers
Uber and Walgreens partner to offer free rides to vaccination sites for communities of color
Vaccine hunters scour the internet for leftover doses of COVID-19 vaccine
Fast-spreading coronavirus variant is doubling every 10 days in the US
Moderna wants to put added doses in vials to speed COVID-19 vaccinations - The Boston Globe
This story was originally published February 12, 2021 at 7:56 AM.
