As the coronavirus made an end-of-the-year surge across New York, few nursing homes escaped unscathed. But some proved especially helpless at stopping the spread of COVID-19, despite having nine months to stockpile protective equipment and refine preventative measures. At least 15 homes each saw at least 30 patients die between November and early February, with most of the deaths occurring in a matter of weeks, recently released public records show. Seven homes had more than 40 patients die, a tally that does not include specialized nursing homes that treat only COVID-19 patients. The unusually swift and deadly outbreaks stand out in a state where the great majority of nursing homes reported fatalities in the single digits during that time period. The Commons on St.

I got the COVID-19 vaccine. What can I safely do? You can enjoy small gatherings again, but should continue wearing a mask and social distancing in public. In the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says fully vaccinated people can gather maskless with other vaccinated people indoors. It also says you can meet with unvaccinated people from one household at a time, if those people are considered at low risk of severe COVID-19. In other countries, the guidance may vary. In public, the CDC recommends that vaccinated people continue wearing masks, avoid large gatherings and stay apart from others. A person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the last required dose of vaccine. Guidance on other activities for vaccinated people remains cautious.

Israel’s coronavirus czar Prof. Nachman Ash joked around this week that some Israelis have been pleading with him to impose limits on gatherings ahead of Pesach so they have an excuse not to host a large crowd for the Seder. “I think that 20 people for the Seder dinner is good enough this year,” Ash said jokingly in an interview with Ynet. “I get requests to decrease that amount by people who want to host a smaller crowd.” Fortunately it appears as if those anxious Israeli hosts won’t get their way as Israel’s infection rate and number of seriously ill patients continue to dramatically decrease. The Health Ministry recorded 1,496 new coronavirus cases on Thursday morning, with tests showing a record-low positivity rate of only 2%.

Seven Israelis who arrived in Israel on a flight from Ethiopia on Tuesday were diagnosed with the coronavirus, Kan News reported on Wednesday evening. Some of the Israelis were diagnosed with the South African variant and some with the British variant. Additionally, health officials said on Wednesday that isolated cases of a new coronavirus variant have been identified in Israel – two cases of the B1.525 Nigerian variant. Officials said that both carriers were isolated and prevented from having contact with others and continuing the chain of infection.

A senior Health Ministry official slammed the ruling of the Supreme Court on Wednesday deeming the government’s daily quota of returning travelers as illegal. “I was afraid that political elements would make such decisions on the eve of the election, but it was the Supreme Court who stabbed us in the back,” the official said. Regarding claims by other health officials who agreed with the ruling, saying that the only way to prevent variants from spreading is enforcing quarantine, he said: “There’s no enforcement and there won’t be.” Meanwhile, Kan News reported on Wednesday night that seven Israelis who arrived in Israel on a flight from Ethiopia on Tuesday were diagnosed with the coronavirus, with some of them carrying the South African variant. Coronavirus czar Prof.

Scientists in the U.S. and Canada are opening new fronts in the war against so-called murder hornets as the giant insects begin establishing nests this spring. The scientists said Wednesday that the battle to prevent the apex predators from establishing a foothold in North America is being fought mostly in Whatcom County, Washington, and the nearby Fraser Valley of British Columbia, where the hornets have been spotted in recent years. “This is not a species we want to tolerate here in the United States,” said Sven-Erik Spichiger of the Washington state Department of Agriculture, which eradicated a nest of the Asian giant hornets last year.

Israel’s largest voluntary emergency services provider, United Hatzalah, dismissed 288 of its 6,000 volunteers who refused to be vaccinated against the coronavirus. “All the volunteers of United Hatzalah, our EMTs, paramedics, and doctors who go out and respond to nearly 2,000 medical emergencies a day, bear a responsibility to protect the health of those they treat, as well as their health and the health of their families,” stated Eli Beer, president and founder of the organization. “It is for this reason that I instructed the management of the organization that every last volunteer be required to get vaccinated. The vast majority of our volunteers understood the importance of this and complied with our request.” “I personally suffered from this disease.

Optimism is spreading in the U.S. as COVID-19 deaths plummet and states ease restrictions and open vaccinations to younger adults. But across Europe, dread is setting in with another wave of infections that is closing schools and cafes and bringing new lockdowns. The pandemic’s diverging paths on the two continents can be linked in part to the much more successful vaccine rollout in the U.S. and the spread of more contagious variants in Europe. Health experts in the U.S., though, say what’s happening in Europe should serve as a warning against ignoring social distancing or dropping other safeguards too early. “Each of these countries has had nadirs like we are having now, and each took an upward trend after they disregarded known mitigation strategies,” said Dr.

The number of seriously ill coronavirus patients in Israel has dropped to under 600 for the first time since December 25. Israel’s basic reproduction or R number, how many people each carrier infects, was only 0.7 on Wednesday, the lowest figure since October, and an indication that the spread of the coronavirus is receding despite the reopening of Israel’s economy. The Health Ministry reported 1,472 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday morning, with tests showing a positivity rate of only 2.1%, the lowest rate since December 1. Over half of the new cases were diagnosed in Israelis under the age of 19. There are currently 578 seriously ill patients, of whom 270 are in critical condition, and 202 are ventilated. The death toll has risen to 6,051. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

The European Union’s drug regulator insisted Tuesday that there is “no indication” the AstraZeneca vaccine causes blood clots as governments around the world faced the grimmest of dilemmas: push on with a vaccine known to save lives or suspend its use over reports of clotting in some recipients. The European Medicines Agency urged governments not to halt use of the vaccine at a time when the pandemic is still taking thousands of lives each day. And already there are concerns that even brief suspensions could have disastrous effects on confidence in inoculation campaigns the world over, many of which are already struggling to overcome logistical hurdles and widespread hesitancy about vaccines.