# Coronavirus COVID-19 (2019-nCoV) Thread - 2021 Breaking News

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428>\
**Category:** The Quarantine Zone\
**Tags:** covid-quarantine\
**Created:** [January 1, 2021, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428 "2021-01-01T08:03:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 56

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**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1131 "2021-04-18T16:09:56Z")

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Yeah, I was just noticing that [Time to Herd](https://timetoherd.com/) has Isreal reaching Herd (70% vaccinated\*) 179 days from now. I thought they’d already reached \>70%. Are they just not reporting data?

\*Yes, I’m aware that we don’t know what percent of the population needs to be vaccinated to reach herd immunity from Covid, but 70% is a useful target at this time.

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**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1132 "2021-04-18T16:23:34Z")

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They have a lot of kids too young to be eligible, and i think the Bloomberg number includes the occupied Palestinians, who are mostly not being offered vaccine. That seems really dumb of Israel, IMHO.

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**Author:** ![FigNorton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fignorton/32/5619_2.png) [@FigNorton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FigNorton)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1133 "2021-04-18T16:32:36Z")

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According to Reuters, they are actually above 80% for the over 16 living in Israel.

[https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-rescinds-outdoor-coronavirus-mask-requirement-2021-04-18/](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-rescinds-outdoor-coronavirus-mask-requirement-2021-04-18/)

> [@](#):
>
> With about 81% of citizens or residents over 16 - the age group eligible for the Pfizer/BioNTech [(PFE.N)](https://www.reuters.com/companies/PFE.N), [(22UAy.DE)](https://www.reuters.com/companies/22UAy.DE) vaccine in Israel - having received both doses, contagions and hospitalisations are down sharply.

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**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1134 "2021-04-18T16:58:30Z")

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> [@FigNorton](#):
>
> According to Reuters, they are actually above 80% for the over 16 living in Israel.

That’s a really excellent number at this early date, but they’ve still slowed down to almost nothing. Are the other 20% not willing?

> [@puzzlegal](#):
>
> …and i think the Bloomberg number includes the occupied Palestinians, who are mostly not being offered vaccine. That seems really dumb of Israel, IMHO.

That does seem rather unwise, but I’ll not belabor it in this thread (or forum, as it could get political real fast).

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**Author:** ![FigNorton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fignorton/32/5619_2.png) [@FigNorton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FigNorton)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1135 "2021-04-18T17:02:32Z")

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> [@DMC](#):
>
> That’s a really excellent number at this early date, but they’ve still slowed down to almost nothing. Are the other 20% not willing?

I’m not sure how the ultra conservative population is taking to the vaccine but I’ve heard some bad things about complying with mitigation efforts. Some decent percentage of the younger citizens could be waiting for the second shot.

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**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1136 "2021-04-18T17:04:53Z")

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> [@FigNorton](#):
>
> I’m not sure how the ultra conservative population is taking to the vaccine but I’ve heard some bad things about complying with mitigation efforts.

Then I hope that 81% is enough (and it very well may be, although I wouldn’t bet lives on it).

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**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1137 "2021-04-18T17:09:19Z")

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Yeah, i spent some time trying to match the Bloomberg number in the denominator with the population of Israel per various published sources, when i first noticed the rate slowing. I’m pretty certain the difference is kids and Palestinians. That’s probably worth it’s own thread if we don’t already have one.

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**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1138 "2021-04-18T18:02:26Z")

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> [@DMC](#):
>
> That’s a really excellent number at this early date, but they’ve still slowed down to almost nothing. Are the other 20% not willing?

Pretty much. While there are anti-vaxxers everywhere, the largest concentrations of holdouts seem to be among ultra-Orthodox Jews and among Israeli Arabs; the government has been pushing hard to get headway among these populations. There are also several court rulings pending that may allow employers to terminate workers who refuse to vaccinate, for cause. That might make some impact, especially if the government starts firing people.

As for the Palestinians… it’s a complex situation, legally and otherwise, with no easy answer. Just note that there are lots of them, and vaccinating them would cost Israel hundreds of millions of dollars - and as the Israeli health services have no infrastructure in the Territories, there’s no way to get vaccines to them other than handing them over to the notably corrupt Palestinian Authority. I’m not sure the Palestinian public would accept vaccines from Israel, anyway; there’s isn’t a high level of trust between the parties involved.

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**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1139 "2021-04-18T18:08:40Z")

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> [@Alessan](#):
>
> Pretty much. While there are anti-vaxxers everywhere, the largest concentrations of holdouts seem to be among ultra-Orthodox Jews and among Israeli Arabs

Sorry to hear that there are that many holdouts, but I’m pretty sure in places like America, where we seem to embrace the idiocracy, we’d be shocked if we could get to 81%. Here’s hoping it’s enough!

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**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1140 "2021-04-19T02:12:59Z")

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> **[‘Ripe for fraud’: Coronavirus vaccination cards support burgeoning scams](https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/04/18/scams-coronavirus-vaccination-cards/)**
>
> Officials warn that the falsified cards could endanger lives and undermine efforts to end the pandemic.

There’s one born every minute. Scammer, that is.

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**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1141 "2021-04-19T04:44:41Z")

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142,017,465 total cases  
3,033,003 dead  
120,554,503 recovered

In the US:

32,404,454 total cases  
581,061 dead  
24,961,229 recovered

Yesterday’s numbers for comparison:

> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#):
>
> 141,316,012 total cases  
> 3,023,911 dead  
> 119,923,164 recovered
> 
> In the US:
> 
> 32,372,119 total cases  
> 580,756 dead  
> 24,905,332 recovered

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**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1142 "2021-04-19T04:45:27Z")

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Half! 😃

> **[Half of US adults have received at least one COVID-19 shot](https://apnews.com/article/politics-anthony-fauci-coronavirus-pandemic-infectious-diseases-coronavirus-vaccine-6e3b18b44a05d1e49ed35337ec7ce969)**
>
> WASHINGTON (AP) — Half of all adults in the U.S. have received at least one COVID-19 shot, the government announced Sunday, marking another milestone in the nation’s largest-ever vaccination campaign but leaving more work to do to convince skeptical...

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**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1143 "2021-04-19T10:42:12Z")

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> [@rocking\_chair](#):
>
> in the us vaccines are at:
> 
> 13.5% of the population is fully vaccinated  
> 24.9% of the population has one dose  
> 126,509,736 doses administered  
> 156,734,555 doses distributed  
> 81% of doses used

I had a hard time to find matching statistics for the UK but it looks as though (for over 18s):

30% of the population is fully vaccinated  
60% of the population has one dose

[Vaccinations | Coronavirus in the UK (data.gov.uk)](https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/vaccinations)

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**Author:** ![Skypist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skypist/32/169_2.png) [@Skypist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skypist)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1144 "2021-04-19T12:15:52Z")

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Huh, that’s more than I thought.

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**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1145 "2021-04-19T12:54:02Z")

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On the Johns Hopkins site, only Puerto Tico, among US states and territories, has hit a new record high (seven-day average, as of yesterday). The other states, including Michigan, have retreated from their record highs, and even ones with rising levels aren’t going very fast.

On the other hand, India is just barely short of the record high the US posted back in January, and I expect them to set a new record in a day or so.

> **[New COVID-19 Cases Worldwide - Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center](https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/data/new-cases)**
>
> Have countries flattened the curve? Daily confirmed new COVID-19 cases for the most affected countries over time.

Furthermore, the world’s number of daily recorded cases is also just barely shy of the record high from a few months previously.

> **[COVID-19 Map - Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center](https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html)**
>
> Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University (JHU)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1146 "2021-04-19T17:42:30Z")

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So maybe we could use a “overseas destinations plans for opening to vaccinated tourists” thread that covers multiple countries, but a friend in Thailand just forwarded this proposal from the Thai government for opening tourism. All I have is this map:

[![Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/NsjxTUA.jpeg "imgur.com") ](https://imgur.com/NsjxTUA)

So (if I’m reading this right) basically for some tourist areas, vaccinated tourists would be able to not quarantine, but be restricted to the area they are visiting for 7 days; afterward they could go anywhere in Thailand. They would need to have a negative covid test on arrival and install a track/trace app on their phone. I figured at least @Siam_Sam would find this interesting, and perhaps we should have an omnibus thread for all countries opening to vaccinated tourists.

FWIW, I think the dates in that chart are fairly ambitious, since Thailand is in the middle of a big breakout in cases. I’d assume the areas open to tourists would need to have virtually all Thai residents vaccinated for this plan to work.

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**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1147 "2021-04-19T22:04:17Z")

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More bad news for Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

> **[Johnson & Johnson suffers another setback as FDA tells Md. vaccine maker...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/04/19/johnson-johnson-covid-vaccine-emergent/)**
>
> The pause in production follows the contamination of 15 million doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine in March.

FDA has stopped production of J&J vaccine at Emergent Biosolutions after inspecting.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1148 "2021-04-19T22:06:48Z")

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I talked to a friend today who has had one dose of the J&J vaccine, and now, of course, the second dose won’t be coming. Does anyone know if someone in her situation can just start over with the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines with dose #1, then dose #2? (She didn’t know and hadn’t had a chance to ask her PCP.)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1149 "2021-04-19T22:08:08Z")

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J&J is just one dose I think.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![sachertorte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sachertorte/32/3727_2.png) [@sachertorte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sachertorte)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1150 "2021-04-19T22:14:34Z")

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Jnj is one dose. No more shots are needed.

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