Parents in the U.S. have so far been reluctant to vaccinate their children against COVID-19. While vaccines for kids ages 5 to 11 have been available since November, only about 20% of kids in that age group had been vaccinated—even though just last month, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released data finding that vaccines are safe and effective for kids in that age group and that serious side effects are extremely rare.
There are signs, though, that parents are coming around to the idea. According to Kaiser Family Foundation polling released yesterday , a growing proportion of parents of kids ages 5 to 11 say that their child is already vaccinated, or that they plan to have them vaccinated right away: 46% in January 2022, versus 29% in November. Additionally, many children in this age group are in the process of being vaccinated. Nearly 10% of children ages 5 to 11 have received a single vaccine dose, suggesting that many will be fully vaccinated in the coming weeks. Factors that persuaded parents to get their kids vaccinated included growing worry that their kids would get sick and a desire to avoid disruptions to schooling and childcare.
Kids younger than five aren't yet eligible to be vaccinated, but they soon may be. Yesterday, Pfizer and BioNTech applied to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for emergency authorization for their two-dose COVID-19 vaccine for kids under age five. A group of outside advisers to the FDA will convene in mid-February to discuss the application—an unusual one, considering that the companies are still testing whether a third dose will be necessary. But if the authorization process goes smoothly, vaccines could be available for kids as young as six months in just a few weeks.
The new Kaiser Family Foundation polling data also show an increased vaccination interest among parents of kids in this age group. In January 2022, 31% of parents of kids under 5 said they planned to have their child vaccinated for as soon as they were eligible, up from 23% in September.
The U.S. still has a long way to go before it reaches a vaccination level high enough to prevent the virus from spreading from playmate to playmate. But as the pandemic wears on, it's clear that more and more parents are putting aside their hesitations in favor of the shot.
TODAY'S CORONAVIRUS OUTLOOK
Nearly 381.5 million people around the world had been diagnosed with COVID-19 as of 12 a.m. E.T. today, and almost 5.7 million people have died. On Feb. 1, there were more than 3.1 million new cases and 11,741 new deaths confirmed globally.
Here's how the world as a whole is currently trending, in terms of cases:
And in terms of deaths:
Here's where daily cases have risen or fallen over the last 14 days, shown in confirmed cases per 100,000 residents:
And here's every country that has reported over 5 million cases:
The U.S. had recorded more than 75 million coronavirus cases as of 12 a.m. E.T. today. Nearly 891,000 people have died. On Feb. 1, there were 398,914 new cases and 3,622 new deaths confirmed in the U.S.
Here's how the country as a whole is currently trending in terms of cases:
And in terms of deaths:
Here's where daily cases have risen or fallen over the last 14 days, shown in confirmed cases per 100,000 residents:
All numbers unless otherwise specified are from the Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering, and are accurate as of Feb. 2, 12 a.m. E.T. To see larger, interactive versions of these maps and charts, click here.
WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW
Tens of thousands of tons of extra medical waste generated by the pandemic response are threatening health and the environment,the World Health Organization warned in a report released yesterday. WHO said there is a “dire need to improve waste management practices,” warning that the issue could put health workers at risk of needlestick injuries, burns, and pathogens, while endangering communities with contaminated air, poor water quality, and disease-ridden pests. The report recommended more sustainable pandemic practices, including using recyclable or biodegradable materials for PPE and eco-friendly packaging and shipping.
Tonga will go into lockdown after two port workers there tested positive for the virus, Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni said yesterday, the BBC reports. The remote island nation had reported only a single COVID-19 case until a volcanic eruption and tsunami forced it to open to foreign aid. An additional three cases of the virus have been reported since the lockdown announcement. During the lockdown, which will be re-evaluated every 48 hours, the country will not allow travel between its 170 islands, schools will be closed and government workers will be given time off, the Washington Post reports.
The U.S. Army ordered commanders this week to start discharging unvaccinated soldiers who do not have an approved or pending religious or medical exemption. The discharged soldiers will be ineligible for separation pay but can receive an honorable or general discharge, unless they had additional misconduct. “Army readiness depends on Soldiers who are prepared to train, deploy, fight and win our nation’s wars,” Christine Wormuth, secretary of the Army, said in a statement . “Unvaccinated Soldiers present risk to the force and jeopardize readiness.”
COVID-19 cases are still high in Europe, but some countries there are lifting restrictions. Denmark became the first European Union country to drop most pandemic restrictions yesterday, including most face mask mandates and requirements to show vaccination passes to eat inside at restaurants according to the AP.While COVID-19 is still widespread in the country—cases spiked to nearly 54,000 on Jan. 28, a single day record—officials say the surge has not stretched the country’s health system, since more than 81% of the population is fully vaccinated and more than 60% of people over 12 have received boosters.
In Finland, Prime Minister Sanna Marin announced a plan to lift all COVID-19 restrictions at the beginning of March, Reuters reports. On Feb. 14, the country will undo restrictions on public gatherings and permit restaurants to stay open until midnight. Marin said the restrictions must stay in place for at least two more weeks in order to observe how the epidemic progresses in Norway and Denmark. “Finland is epidemiologically around two weeks behind other countries,” she told reporters. Finland has reported record numbers of cases in the last month, but it has been comparatively less affected by the pandemic than other countries; about 75% of the population is fully vaccinated, and fewer than 2,000 people have died there over the course of the outbreak.
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 Tara Law and edited by Mandy Oaklander.
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