New coronavirus infections begin to rise in US

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Mon, 2021-03-22 11:29 — mike kraft

Covid-19 live updates: As restrictions drop, new coronavirus infections in the U.S. begin to rise after months of declines The seven-day average of newly reported cases climbed 2.6 percent on Sunday, even as overall hospitalizations and deaths remain down. Erin Cunningham Washington Post

New coronavirus infections are rising in several U.S. states, despite record vaccinations — an increase experts attribute to the growing reach of new variants and widespread pandemic fatigue after a year of public health restrictions. The seven-day average of newly reported cases climbed 2.6 percent on Sunday, even as overall hospitalizations and deaths remain down.

In Florida, a state where coronavirus measures are lax, authorities in Miami Beach declared a state of emergency and imposed a nighttime curfew this weekend as large crowds of rowdy spring break revelers turned violent and disruptive. The city’s commissioner, David Richardson, blamed the unrest on “a lot of pent-up demand from the pandemic and people wanting to get out.”

“And our state has been publicly advertised as being open, so that’s contributed to the issue,” he said.

Other Developments:

Pregnant women who receive a coronavirus vaccine not only acquire protective antibodies against the virus for themselves but also may pass along immunity to their babies, emerging research shows.

Some people in the United Arab Emirates are being invited to receive a third shot of the Sinopharm coronavirus vaccine after antibody tests indicated they did not have a sufficient immune response following two doses of the Chinese-made shot. There has been a similar report out of China as well.
Miami Beach commissioners voted to impose an 8 p.m. curfew in the entertainment district on weekends until April 11, the end of the spring break period amid an uncontrolled flood of revelers.
At least 81.4 million people have received one or both doses of a coronavirus vaccine in the United States. More than 542,000 people have died from coronavirus in the country, out of roughly 29.8 million confirmed cases.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday on state television that he will get vaccinated Tuesday. The announcement could help improve Russian trust in the vaccine. The independent Levada Center said 62 percent of Russians were not willing to receive the Sputnik V vaccine in a poll conducted last month.

ALSO SEE: International cornonavirus briefs--Reuters roundup