US may block citizens with COVID-19 from reentry; Russia approves vaccine — 6 updates

The number of COVID-19 cases surpassed 20 million globally late Aug. 10. It took about six months to reach 10 million global cases, and only six weeks for that figure to double, The Washington Post reports.

Six updates: 

1. The White House is considering blocking citizens from reentering the U.S. if they may have been exposed to or have COVID-19, according to a draft regulation viewed by The New York Times. The proposal would allow the government to prevent entry if an official "reasonably believes" the person had been exposed to or infected by the virus. The proposal relies on existing legal authorities of the CDC, and the agency expects any prohibition of citizens or legal permanent residents to "apply only in the rarest of circumstances" and be "limited in duration," the draft reads. Any order must "include appropriate protections to ensure that no constitutional rights are infringed," the draft says. Federal agencies have been asked to submit feedback on the proposal by Aug. 11.

2. Russia is the first country to approve a COVID-19 vaccine, though clinical trials for the experimental vaccine have not concluded yet, The Washington Post reports. Developed by Moscow-based Gamaleya Institute, the vaccine has been dubbed Sputnik V. Officials say millions will receive the vaccine this month, and Russian President Valdimir Putin said one of his daughters has already received it. Few details about the vaccine have been made public or undergone review. Russia's Health Ministry did not respond to the Post's requests for comment.

3. The U.S. plans to test 600,000 people daily for COVID-19 this month, according to state testing plans shared with HHS. This tally likely represents a decrease from July and is not expected to meet national demand, according to Axios' "Vitals" newsletter published Aug. 11. 

4. At least 49 state and local public health officials have resigned, retired or been fired in 23 states since April, according to a joint analysis from Kaiser Health News and The Associated Press. Many firings and resignations stemmed from conflicts over mask mandates or COVID-19-related shutdowns, according to Lori Tremmel Freeman, CEO of the National Association of County and City Health Officials.

5. Half of Americans know someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, up from 33 percent in early June, according to an Axios-Ipsos survey conducted Aug. 7-10. The poll also found 21 percent of Americans know someone who has died from the virus. 

6. Nearly 600 children and adolescents in the U.S. have developed a rare inflammatory syndrome linked to COVID-19, according to the CDC. As of July 29, 570 patients under age 20 have contracted the illness, known as Associated Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome. Forty states have reported cases with onset dates ranging from March 2 to July 18.

Snapshot of COVID-19 in the U.S.

Cases: 5,095,163
Deaths: 163,473
Recovered: 1,670,755

Counts reflect data available as of 8:32 a.m. CDT Aug. 11.

More articles on public health:
US coronavirus death rates by state: Aug. 11
22 states where COVID-19 is spreading fastest, slowest: Aug. 11
Number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, state by state: Aug. 11

 

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