While mayhem descends on Washington, D.C. over U.S. President Donald Trump's last attempt to overturn the 2020 election results, our current state of affairs proves one thing: spreading disinformation on social media is an effective way to sow doubt and suspicion, even in the absence of evidence. Unfortunately, the same goes for COVID-19. Social media apps are rampant with lies about the disease, how it spreads, and whether or not vaccines are safe. Just as lies erode democracy, they also erode the public's trust in science.
That's why doctors, scientists and health care workers are swarming to the viral video app TikTok to debunk the misinformation about COVID-19, vaccines and treatments that run rampant on the platform. In her new story, my colleague Tara Law explores how health care professionals are amassing followers, becoming social media influencers and using TikTok to tell young people the truth about the dangers of COVID-19 and the safety and efficacy of vaccines.
It's a mission some consider to be just as important as their other responsibilities. "One thing that really struck me was their dedication to the project," Tara says. "They are all really dedicated to educating the public, and see it as an extension of their mission as healthcare workers."
Young people are a crucial demographic to reach as COVID-19 surges. Although they're less likely to suffer severe disease, they seed outbreaks among more vulnerable populations. They're also less likely than older people to take precautions against the virus—and more likely to get their news from social media, where lies about the disease are spreading like wildfire. Perhaps it's no wonder that polls show younger Americans are more hesitant about getting the coronavirus vaccine than those older than 65.
Spreading accurate messages about the virus on TikTok is vital. The app can't keep up with the false claims users make on it, so it's been left up to health care professionals to counteract misinformation young people see when scrolling through their feeds—even though none of them has much free time. "The nurse practitioner I spoke to has young children, and the resident has a really demanding schedule," Tara says, "but they really see education as a major priority."
The Moderna vaccine will soon become the second one available in Europe. Today, the European Medicines Agency—the drug regulator for the EU—recommended that the shot be granted authorization, and the European Commission is expected to do so shortly, the Associated Press reports. The EU has ordered 80 million doses of the vaccine, with the option to buy another 80 million.
Nearly 2 million first doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine were given between Dec. 14-23, 2020, and a new U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report shows that adverse reactions were extremely rare, happening only 0.2% of the time. Among these negative reactions, 21 involved anaphylaxis and four patients were hospitalized, but no one died. 81% of people who had an anaphylactic reaction to the vaccine had a known history of allergic reactions, and the vast majority experienced symptoms within 15 minutes of vaccination. While the risk of dying from COVID-19 is very real, the vaccine appears to be exceedingly safe, especially considering that providers are prepared to deal with rare negative events.
CVS Health said today that it's on track to meet its goal to finish the first round of vaccinations in U.S. nursing homes by Jan. 25, CNBC reports.Among the challenges so far: not as many nursing home staff are taking the vaccine as estimated, but that's likely because facilities want to stagger the shots in case staff have any side effects that temporarily prevent them from working, the company says. While no vaccines are yet available at CVS Pharmacy locations, they will be available there and at other pharmacies during the broader rollout.
TODAY'S CORONAVIRUS OUTLOOK
The Global Situation
More than 86.4 million people around the world had been diagnosed with COVID-19 as of 1 a.m. E.T. today, and more than 1.86 million people have died. On Jan. 5, there were 733,893 new cases and 15,434 new deaths confirmed globally.
Here's how the world as a whole is currently trending:
Here's where daily cases have risen or fallen over the last 14 days, shown in confirmed cases per 100,000 residents:
And here is every country with over 1.5 million confirmed cases:
As the World Health Organization strives to trace the origins of the novel coronavirus, China is blocking WHO experts from entering the country, Bloomberg reports. "I am very disappointed with this news given that two members had already begun their journeys and others were not able to travel at the last minute," said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus yesterday. "We are eager to get the mission underway as soon as possible." Beijing denies obstructing the WHO's efforts; a government official today said that they're working out details to arrange a visit.
Switzerland plans to extend lockdown restrictions by five weeks, through the end of February, CNN reports. The Swiss government said today that restaurants, cultural and recreational sites would continue to be shut down until then; the restrictions will be formally decided next week. Switzerland has reported more than 465,000 cases since the start of the pandemic and more than 8,000 total deaths. The new, hyper-contagious variant of COVID-19 first found in the U.K. has also recently been identified in Switzerland. "The number of infections, hospitalizations and deaths, as well as the pressure on health personnel are at very high levels," the government said today in a statement.
Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has gone into isolation after one of his staff members tested positive for COVID-19, CNN reports. Meanwhile, new infections in Portugal reached an all-time daily high today, the Portugal News reports, with more than 10,000 new cases. More than 436,000 people in Portugal have tested positive since the start of the pandemic.
The Situation in the U.S.
The U.S. had recorded more than 21 million coronavirus cases as of 1 a.m. E.T. today. More than 357,200 people have died. On Jan. 5, there were 357,258 new cases and 3,775 new deaths confirmed in the U.S.
Here's how the country as a whole is currently trending:
And here's where daily cases have risen or fallen over the last 14 days, shown in confirmed cases per 100,000 residents:
Some Americans won't immediately get their second stimulus check, the IRS told CNBC yesterday. People who receive a message that says "Payment Status #2—Not Available" on the agency's payment-tracking website will have to wait until they file their 2020 taxes to receive it as a tax credit. The issue seems to be affecting some people who filed their taxes last year through H&R Block and TurboTax, though no explanation was given.
Vaccine distribution in the U.S. continues to face hurdles at every turn, but one SNAFU ended happily: After the freezer at a Mendocino County, Calif. hospital storing more than 800 vials of the Moderna vaccine malfunctioned on Monday, staff had just two hours before the doses went bad to find willing recipients, NPR reports. They were able to find takers for every dose—among them jail staff and inmates, nursing homes and emergency vaccine clinics.
All numbers unless otherwise specified are from the Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering, and are accurate as of Jan. 6, 1 a.m. E.T. To see larger, interactive versions of these maps and charts, click here.
WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW
Help! My Roommate and I Don't Agree About COVID-19 Risks
In our ongoing series COVID Questions (send yours to covidquestions@time.com), my colleague Jamie Ducharme explains what to do when someone you live with doesn't take the same virus precautions that you do. It starts with having an honest conversation. Read more here.
Living Through the Pandemic With Grit
For many, the pandemic has been a crucible for building resilience. Here, Rebekah Taussig chronicles her experience enduring the pandemic with a new baby, a disability that requires a wheelchair and a husband with a new cancer diagnosis. Read more here.
The Top Risks for the World in 2021
Fresh off the global fiasco that was 2020, this year began with incredibly high stakes. Here, TIME contributor Ian Bremmer predicts the most pressing issues facing the world in 2021. Among them, of course, is addressing COVID-19, which continues not only to kill staggering numbers of people around the world but also to widen inequality, increase debt and erode trust. Read more here.
Florida Seniors Desperate for the Vaccine Ask a Journalist for Help
In Florida, high demand for the vaccine among seniors has overwhelmed health departments' abilities to distribute it. Journalists to the rescue: CD Davidson-Hiers, a 26-year-old education reporter at the Tallahassee Democrat, started helping seniors navigate the process when they began calling her. It's not uncommon for her to receive 75 messages a day. "It is the most rewarding that it's felt in nine months, even though I don't have answers all the time," she said. Read more here.
Thanks for reading. We hope you find the Coronavirus Brief newsletter to be a helpful tool to navigate this very complex situation, and welcome feedback at coronavirus.brief@time.com. If you have specific questions you'd like us to answer, please send them to covidquestions@time.com.
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Today's newsletter was written by Mandy Oaklander and edited by Alex Fitzpatrick.
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