Children under 5 can finally get vaccinated against COVID-19. But amid parents’ excitement, securing the much sought-after first dose might be easier said than done.
Florida, for example, got off to a rocky start—it was the only state in the U.S. where government officials blocked doctors and hospitals from initially preordering the pediatric vaccine, likely slowing the state’s rollout. (After much backlash, Gov. Ron DeSantis changed course on Friday, allowing doctors to order directly from the federal government.) While most pediatric appointments nationwide became available today, a handful of pharmacies offered the shots yesterday, including two individual Walgreens stores in New York and South Carolina. In Illinois, rumors of one pharmacy outside Chicago that received its shipment on Monday prompted families—including from other states—to camp out in hopes of securing an appointment.
Depending on a child’s age, vaccines will be available at pediatrician offices, pharmacies, and state-run clinics and vaccination hubs. Most states only allow pharmacists to vaccinate kids ages 3 and older. The earliest available slots at select Walgreens across the country start June 25. CVS’s MinuteClinics, meanwhile, are administering the vaccine to children 18 months and older. Parents with kids younger than that must take their infants to the pediatrician or check with their state clinics.
The federal government’s vaccine.gov website allows parents to find appointment locations by simply inputting their zip code, and many state vaccine-finder websites offer the same. Numerous factors will determine when shots become available at any given location—from when that provider receives their shipment to staffing shortages limiting appointment capacity and the fact that yesterday was a federal holiday, potentially delaying shipments. While it may be tricky for some to secure a shot today, supply should start to ramp up in the coming days and weeks.
TODAY'S CORONAVIRUS OUTLOOK
More than 539.7 million people around the world had been diagnosed with COVID-19 as of 3 a.m. E.T. today, and over 6.3 million people have died. On June 20, there were more than 744,000 new cases and 1,669 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 10 million cases:
The U.S. had recorded more than 86 million coronavirus cases as of 3 a.m. E.T. today. More than 1 million people have died. On June 20, 50,980 new cases were reported and 80 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 June 21, 12 a.m. E.T. To see larger, interactive versions of these maps and charts, click here.
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WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW
Even though COVID-19 infection rates continue to surge in the U.S., the number of deaths, severe illnesses, and hospitalizations are not rising as quickly, reports ABC News. Experts point to vaccines and booster shots for helping lessen the severity of infection.
A study released last week found that long-term exposure to dangerous air pollution levels increased people’s chances of dying from COVID-19. Specifically, looking at 2020 data, researchers found that prolonged exposure to nitrogen dioxide—released from car-exhaust fumes—increased the chance of being admitted to the ICU and requiring mechanical ventilation treatment.
Organizers of the upcoming U.N. biodiversity summit announced today that the conference will be held in Montreal, Canada, rather than China, due to China’s continued strict coronavirus policies. The country also recently withdrew as host nation for soccer’s 2023 Asian Cup, and has indefinitely postponed the 2022 Asian Games.
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 Kyla Mandel and edited by Angela Haupt.
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