This Week in Coronavirus: January 15 to January 21

Here is our recap of the past week in the coronavirus pandemic of tracking, policy analysis, polls, and journalism.

This week marked the one year anniversary since the first patient with COVID-19 was hospitalized in the United States. At this point, coinciding with the inauguration of President Joe Biden and a new administration leading the federal response, the country has exceeded 24.6 million COVID-19 cases and around 410,100 deaths as of Jan. 21.

On his first day in office, President Biden signed several executive orders, including a requirement for masks and physical distancing in federal buildings and on other federal properties. On Thursday, the president signed an ordinance mandating masks for interstate travel in the United States and released a national strategy to respond to the pandemic. KHN will outline what President Biden made promises during the presidential campaign and will follow up on government action on health and COVID-19 promises.

The latest COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor reports that half the public expects the vaccine rollout to get better under President Biden. The new report also highlights that a majority of the public, including prioritized groups like older adults and key workers, say they don't have enough information about where and when to get a vaccine.

An update to the January 19 data on state COVID-19 vaccine priorities shows that 12 states have redefined their priority populations or disclosed vaccine availability to people 65 and older, bringing the total number of states to 1a or 1b ranks category up to 28. Six states have also reconciled people under 65 with high-risk diseases.

A new analysis examines government-reported vaccination data by race / ethnicity and is updated regularly and is available in the COVID-19 condition data and in the KFF Policy Tracker. Preliminary data from 16 states show that the proportion of blacks and Hispanic Americans involved in vaccinations is lower than the proportion of cases and deaths in most of these reporting states. The data and our reporting at KHN have also shown that vaccination is lagging behind through various measures for colored people.

According to media reports, some healthcare workers choose not to be vaccinated, especially those who work in long-term care facilities. A new data memo examines the makeup (by race / ethnicity, income level, age, gender, education, and citizenship status) and health coverage of the estimated 15.5 million healthcare workers with direct patient exposure.

Here are the latest coronavirus stats from KFF's tracking resources:

Global Cases and Deaths: The total number of cases worldwide this week is 97.5 million – up from nearly 4.4 million newly confirmed cases in the past seven days. There have been approximately 95,400 new confirmed deaths worldwide, bringing the total confirmed deaths to nearly 2.1 million.

US Cases and Deaths: The total number of confirmed cases in the US hit 24.6 million this week. There was an increase of approximately 1.3 million confirmed cases between January 14 and 21. About 21,400 confirmed deaths last week brought the total in the United States to 410,100.

State social distancing measures (including Washington D.C.) that went into effect this week:

Extensions: AL, ME, MD, MA, MI, NJ, OH, RI, UT, WI

Rollbacks: DC, IL, MA, MI, ND, VT

The newest KFF COVID-19 resources:

The COVID-19 vaccination line: an update on government prioritization plans (press release, issue letter)
We need a better way to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine. Find out how to do it. (Washington Post Op-Ed)
The Vaccine Reluctance Challenge in Rural America (Full Column, Axios Column)
Factors related to COVID-19 cases and deaths in long-term care facilities: results of a literature review (press release, issue brief)
Patterns of COVID-19 Cases and Deaths in Long Term Care Facilities in 2020 (Issue Brief)
January 14th Web Event: A Shot in the Arm for Long Term Care Facilities? Early Lessons From COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout For High Priority Populations (Archived Record)
Vaccine Reluctance Among Hispanic Adults (Press Release, Survey Results)
Immigrant Access to COVID-19 Vaccines: Key Points to Consider (Issue Brief)
Updated: COVID-19 Coronavirus Tracker – Updated January 15 (Interactive)
Updated: Status data and policy actions to address coronavirus (interactive)
KFF COVID-19 vaccine monitor: January 2021 (press release, survey results)
Early state vaccination dates raise racial justice warning flags (press release, Policy Watch)
The priority line for COVID-19 vaccines continues to change as states make further updates (Policy Watch Post).
Key Features of Healthcare Workers and Impact on COVID-19 Vaccination (Issue Brief)
Updated: Analysis of Recent National Trends in Medicaid and CHIP Registration (Issue Brief)
Updated: COVID-19 Coronavirus Tracker – Updated January 21st (Interactive)
Updated: Status data and policy actions to address coronavirus (interactive)

The newest KHN COVID-19 stories:

Black Americans are vaccinated at lower rates than white Americans (KHN, NBC News)
Nation records 400,000 Covid deaths on Trump's last full day (KHN, NPR)
Patients are on their own to get access to highly prepared Covid antibody treatments (KHN).
California Overwrites Its Limits On Nursing Workload As Covid Surges (KHN, NPR)
Lost at the front: New this week (KHN, The Guardian)
Are Public Health Ads Worth the Price? Not when it comes to fear (KHN, Fortune)
Bidens Covid Challenge: 100 million vaccinations in the first 100 days. It will not be easy. (KHN)
Biden Term's Vaccine Rollout “A Dark Mistake” when introducing the Pandemic Response Plan (KHN)
Biden takes over the reins and calls for a united front against Covid and other threats (KHN)
Door to door in Miami's Little Havana to build confidence with testing and vaccinations (KHN, NPR)
With the introduction of Covid vaccines, most older adults are confused about where to take pictures (KHN)
Yurts, igloos and pop-up domes: how safe is it to eat out in restaurants this winter? (KHN, NPR)