U.S.                                                                 California

                                   CASES               DEATHS                                     CASES               DEATHS       

December 2020    19,111,443            341,149                                 2,120,610               24,241

2021   Timeline

January                  26,185,362            441,319                                 3,310,949              40,702

February                 28,602,101            513,137                                 3,563,578              51,953

March                    30,459,874             552,072                                 3,668,277              59,240

April                        32,225,012             574,280                                3,742,115              62,078

May                        33,261,284             594,468                                3,789,227              63,247

June                       33,624,871             603,966                                3,814,890              63,569

July                         34,434,136             610,859                                3,903,052              64,231 

August                   39,057,368             638,700                                4,326,204               65,757 

September            43,471,906             698,149                               4,720,860               69,130

October                45,979,056             746,021                                4,915,796              71,950

November            48,214,360             776,586                                5,060,666              74,152

December            54,859,966             825,816                               5,515,250               76,520

2022 Timeline

January                 74,333,528               884,265                            8,292,735                79,801

February               79,025,644                949,957                            8,961,636                85,043

March                   81,780,503             1,007,320                            9,102,677                89,052

April                       82,658,881             1,018,326                            9,192,666               90,145

May                      86,065,680              1,032,094                            9,574,768               91,591

June                     86,967,132              1,015,938                          10,024,838             92,113                           

UPDATED WEEKLY - Last updated on 26 June 2022, 2:19 pm PST, John Hopkins Corona Virus Dashboard and Worldometer

Cases Worldwide

                            John Hopkins                                                           Worldometer

• TOTAL CASES    -   543,512,914                                 TOTAL CASES     -   548,902,279

              Recovered     -                                                          Recovered      -   523,781,811

• TOTAL DEATHS  -      6,328,905                                  TOTAL DEATHS   -       6,350,698

POPULATION - is 334,839,943 as of 26 June 2022, 2:19 pm PST, based on Census U.S. and World Population Clock.

Cases in the U.S.

• TOTAL CASES     -   86,967,132                                  TOTAL CASES    -     88,784,914

              Recovered      -                                                          Recovered     -     84,439,833

• TOTAL DEATHS   -     1,015,938                                  TOTAL DEATHS   -       1,040,801
  • National unemployment rate for May remains steady at is 3.6%.  Rates were lower in 16 states and stable in 34 state and the District of Columbia,
  • The California unemployment rate for May was 4.6%.
  • Gasoline prices averaged $6.044 in the Los Angeles area.  In the Bay area prices averaged $6.19

Cases in California

• TOTAL CASES     -    10,024,838                                 TOTAL CASES     -       10,022,823

              Recovered      -                                                         Recovered      -         9,247,094

• TOTAL DEATHS   -           92,113                                 TOTAL DEATHS   -              92,356

06/26/2022                   Cases (WHO)                     Deaths (WHO)            Recovered (WHO)

• Texas                 -   7,119,248                              89,075                           6,818,238
• Florida               -   6,474,253                              75,754                           6,082,292
• New York          -   5,751,118                              70,054                           5,622,760
• Illinois                 -  3,407,189                               38,510                           3,222,133
• Pennsylvania    -   2,987,357                              45,657                           2,898,584
• N. Carolina       -   2,843,077                              25,151                           2,778,865
• Ohio                  -   2,831,228                              38,778                           2,741,909
• Georgia            -   2,626,597                              38,447                           2,518,359
• Tennessee         -   2,110,129                              26,630                          2,060,492
• Arizona              -   2,109,053                              30,452                          2,024,764
• Alabama          -   1,348,411                              19,734                          1,278,469
• Louisiana           -   1,296,861                              17,392                          1,242,338
• W. Virginia         -      529,262                                7,056                            520,071

  * correction

** no change

           *** reporting information is limited, reduced testing and increased cases

United States progress                                       Updated 26 June 2022, 2:19 pm PST,

• Doses Distributed                                                 762,236,905
• Doses Administered                                            593,739,529
• 1st dose administered                                        259,426,758               78.1%                   
• 2nd dose administered                                      222,123,223               66.9%
• Booster administered                                         105,093,591               47.3%
• 2nd Booster                                                           16,592,223                26.1%                   
• Total population                                                                  334,839,943

   *Updated information

• https://usafacts.org/visualizations/covid-vaccine-tracker-states/
• https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/us-states
• https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/
• https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/us-states
• https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations
• https://usafacts.org/visualizations/weekly-unemployment-claims/?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=ND-Jobs&msclkid=b11efd9b16dc12762fd79d422c12da27
• https://www.edd.ca.gov/newsroom/unemployment-may-2021.htm
• https://www.bls.gov/
• https://www.bls.gov/news.release/laus.nr0.htm

COVID UPDATE

VARIANT UPDATE

New variants are poised to keep Covid-19 circulating at high levels throughout the summer.

Updated 5:07 PM ET, Wed June 1, 2022.   The next influx of infections will most likely come from newer Omicron sub-variants.  BA.4 and BA.5, two closely related viruses, first characterized in South Africa and landed in the United States late March, according to GISAID, gene sequence sharing site. 

According to most recent updates from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Helix, BA.4 and BA.5 together accounted for an estimated 6% to 7% of new infections in the US in late May.  BA.4 has been detected in at least 30 countries, and BA.5 has been sampled in 32 countries, according to the website Outbreak.info, which is maintained by the Scripps Research Institute.  They found that that BA.4 and BA.5 viruses are more than four times as likely to escape antibodies in people who've been vaccinated and boosted compared with BA.2 viruses.

South Africa, which is ahead of the US in its BA.4/BA.5 cycle, has seen infections rise but has not seen a corresponding increase in deaths.   These branches of the Omicron family rose to prominence about the same time as BA.2.12.1.  BA.2.12.1 quickly took over the US while BA.4 and BA.5 were establishing themselves in South Africa.  They share some similarities, including changes at location 452 of their genome, a genetic address known for helping variants escape our immunity.

More breakthrough infections.  This means BA.4 and BA.5 are more likely to lead to breakthrough infections, even in those who've had Covid-19 before.  Without upgraded vaccines or boosters, Columbia University in New York City Professor of microbiology and immunology Dr. David Ho, “expects a lot of Americans will get sick in the coming weeks to months.  I think we will see lots of infections but not necessarily more severe disease or deaths."

Viruses square off.  BA.4 and BA.5 have gone against BA.2.12.1 in other parts of the world.  In the UK, scientists found the time it took the number of infections caused by a variant to double was about 5½ days for BA.2.12.1 and a day less for BA.4 and BA.5, indicating that those viruses are spreading faster.

Dr. Ho and his team, think they may have figured out what's giving BA.4 and BA.5 an extra edge.  In addition to the changes in other Omicron variants, these viruses pulled off a F486V mutation, a big change assisting in disguising them from our immune system.

One of the things that makes BA.4 and BA.5 stand out for virologists is a mutation of amino acids they share called F486V.  This mutation is found in the virus spike protein, near the area the protein binds to the ACE2 receptor of cells, an interaction that opens the door to infection.  Antibodies generated in response to COVID-19 vaccines and previous coronavirus infections neutralize the virus by adhering to that point.

Since last year, virologists began to notice the vulnerability at this point in laboratory experiments.  Virologist Benhur Lee, Icahn School of Medicine on Mount Sinai in New York, and his colleagues were helping examine a promising monoclonal antibody treatment by exposing it to an artificial virus that had many versions of the coronavirus spike protein.  Only one version of the Spike protein evaded its antibodies, which had a mutation almost identical to the F486V.

In the past, it came with a downside, making the virus' spike less likely to bind to cells, making them less competitive.  BA.4 and BA.5 have an additional mutation, R493Q, which restores their ability to bind to cells, restoring their ability to infect us.

“Battle Of Omicron” Being Won By New BA.4 And BA.5 Variants As Overlapping Covid Waves Hit U.S. May 31, 2022 8:50pm.  Estimates released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicated that cases tied to Omicron variants BA.4 and BA.5 increased 79% in the past week.  As the more transmissible BA.2.12.1 Omicron sub-variant officially dominant in the U.S. last week, is already being pushed out by newcomers BA.4 and BA.5.  The result would seem to be overlapping waves of Omicron.

California doesn’t separate the newer Omicron variants from the older ones. Its reporting page lumps them all in together under the heading “Omicron,” and the category has dominated the chart since January 20, offering little new data.  The California Department of Public Health confirmed to the Los Angeles Times that one case of BA.4 was identified in March and one case of BA.5 was documented in April.

VACCINE UPDATE

What COVID-19 vaccines, additional primary shots and boosters have been approved for kids in the U.S.?   In the U.S., COVID-19 vaccines are available to children by age group:

• Ages 5 - 11.  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA, has given emergency use authorization to a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for this age group.  It involves two shots, given three weeks apart. It is a lower dose than the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for those 12 and older.  Research indicates this vaccine is 91% effective in preventing COVID-19.
• Ages 12 - 15.  The FDA has given emergency use authorization to a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for this age group.  It involves two shots, with the second dose given three to eight weeks after the first dose. It contains the same doseage as the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for those 16 and older. Research indicates is 100% effective in preventing COVID-19. 
• Ages 16 and older.  The FDA has approved a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, Comirnaty, for this age group.  It involves two shots, with the second dose given three to eight weeks after the first dose. It is 91% effective in preventing severe illness with COVID-19

The shortest interval between the first and second doses of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines is still recommended for people who have weakened immune systems and others who need rapid protection due to concern about community transmission or risk of severe illness.  An eight-week interval between the first and second doses might be best for some people age 12 and older, especially males ages 12 to 39.

An additional primary shot of a COVID-19 vaccine can help people who are vaccinated and might not have had a strong enough immune response.  The CDC now recommends that children ages 5 and older who have moderately or severely weakened immune systems should get an additional dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. This shot should be given at least four weeks after the second shot.

Booster doses can help people who are vaccinated and whose immune response weakened over time.  Research suggests that getting a booster dose can decrease the risk of infection and severe illness with COVID-19. Kids ages 5 through 17 should get a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine booster shot if they have been given both doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech

Paxlovid: What you need to know.  Developed by Pfizer, Paxlovid is an oral antiviral treatment taken at home to prevent high-risk COVID-19 patients from becoming sick and hospitalized.  Individuals must be 12 years or older, weigh at least 88 pounds, tested positive for COVID-19, symptomatic, and at high risk for developing severe COVID-19 illness.

Paxlovid consists of two different medications:  nirmatrelvir, disrupts viral replication, and ritonavir, which boosts the effectiveness of nirmatrelvir by slowing the rate at which it is metabolized by the liver.

High risk Individuals who are 65 and older, individuals of any age with underlying conditions - cancer, diabetes, or obesity, are also included. Treatment must begin within five days of symptom onset to be most effective.  You are not eligible to take Paxlovid if you have had COVID-19 symptoms for more than five days. 

At-home tests may not return a positive result until several days after your first symptoms have appeared. If prescribed Paxlovid, you’ll take three pills twice daily for five days.

What to know about "rebound" in COVID symptoms after taking Paxlovid.  May 6, 2022, 11:17 AM.   Scientists and federal agencies are investigating reports of Americans experiencing a resurgence of COVID-19, "rebound" or "relapse," after finishing a course of Paxlovid, Pfizer's antiviral treatment for the disease.  

Veterans Affairs doctors described a 71-year-old man whose COVID symptoms quickly cleared up after two days of taking the drug, four days after finishing the full course, his symptoms returned for a few more days, including a runny nose and sore throat

FDA says "no evidence" taking more Paxlovid helps.  The Food and Drug Administration says that there is "no evidence" that taking more pills of Paxlovid will help patients who see a resurgence of the disease.  “That was why the second treatment can be given," Pfizer's CEO Albert Bourla told investors.

The NEJM Journal Watch, Harvard Medical School's Dr. Paul Sax said doctors have been told by Pfizer and the FDA they can prescribe another round of pills – treating the apparent rebound like they would a reinfection.  "In other words, the 5-day symptom clock starts over with the relapse.  However, doctors caution that an additional course remains tenuous not without its downsides.  In addition, some Paxlovid patients taking must put off taking other needed medications that can interact with the treatment.  

Paxlovid Update.

A big question has been, can Paxlovid actually prevent disease, rather than treat it after it's already there.  There was no difference between groups, getting infected at basically the same rate.

Coronavirus particles are constantly throwing off mutations in their RNA sequences as they replicate, getting immediate real-world testing as they get a chance to prove their fitness in infecting new hosts, entering their cells and producing more viral particles.  Every step, such as the ability to evade the human immune system in all its forms:  antibodies, T-cells or spread more easily due to the area of the airway that's being infected. 

Spikevax and Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine.

 January 31, 2022, the FDA announced the second approval of a COVID-19 vaccine.  The vaccine, known as the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, will now be marketed as Spikevax, for the prevention of COVID-19 in individuals 18 years of age and older.

The Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine is also authorized for use as a heterologous, “mix and match” single booster dose for individuals 18 years of age and older following completion of primary vaccination with a different available vaccine.

Example:  Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine and  vaccine recipients 18 years of age and older, may receive a single booster dose of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine.

WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF THE VACCINE?  There is a remote chance the vaccine could cause a severe allergic reaction a few minutes to one hour after getting a dose of the vaccine.  A severe allergic reaction has occurred in some who received the vaccine - more commonly in males under 40 years than females and older males.   Signs and symptoms can include:

• Difficulty breathing
• Swelling of your face and throat
• A fast heartbeat
• A bad rash all over your body
• Dizziness and weakness
• Myocarditis - inflammation of the heart muscle
• Pericarditis - inflammation of the lining outside the heart

In most of these people, symptoms began within a few days following receipt of the second dose of vaccine.  Side effects have been reported in clinical trials.  You should seek medical attention right away if you have any of the following symptoms after receiving the vaccine:

• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Feelings of a fast-beating, fluttering, or pounding heart

J&J (JNJ) Updates COVID Jab Label to Include Blood Clot Risk.  Mon, May 9, 2022, 8:09 AM.  Johnson & Johnson’s, JNJ, has updated the COVID-19 vaccine label to mention the risk of thrombosis.  The change indicated Thrombocytopenia syndrome, TTS, a rare syndrome characterized by blood clots and low platelet count.

The decision came on the heels of the FDA’s announcement May 5th to limit the authorized use of its vaccine due to the risk of TTS.  The FDA limited the use to adults, 18 and older.  Symptoms of TTS are visible approximately one to two weeks following administration.

A similar recommendation was issued by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, ACIP, of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, in December last year.  The committee recommended Pfizer PFE/BioNTech’s BNTX and Moderna’s mRNA vaccine be preferred over J&J’s COVID-19 vaccine, an adenovirus-based vaccine, both for primary vaccination as well as boosters due to the risk of TTS.

How to Protect Yourself?  Getting vaccinated is your best bet!

IT’S NOT OVER!

Stay safe.  Mask.  Social distance.  Frequent hand washing.  Avoid crowds

ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR PERSONAL HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL

• https://www.science.org/content/blog-post/paxlovid-update
• https://medical.mit.edu/covid-19-updates/2022/05/paxlovid
• https://finance.yahoo.com/news/j-j-jnj-updates-covid-150903073.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall
• https://cacmap.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/spikevax-and-moderna-covid-19-vaccine
• https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/covid-19/variants-concern
• https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/01/health/covid-new-omicron-variants/index.html
• https://deadline.com/2022/05/omicron-ba-4-ba-5-variants-increase-1235035960/