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White House pushes back on criticism of isolation guidance, says omicron likely less severe

December 30, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defended the latest guidelines shortening the isolation period for certain people who test positive for COVID amid criticism from public health experts who believe a negative test should also be included in the recommendation.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said that the new guidelines of five days isolation for asymptomatic people or people who have seen their symptoms largely resolve stemmed from “two years of understanding transmissibility,” and that the period was shortened from 10 days to reduce staffing shortages in hospitals. The guidance recommends an additional five days of masking after the isolation period.

“Let me make clear that we are standing on the shoulders of two years of science, two years of understanding transmissibility, and a lot of information that we have gleaned from the wild type virus, as well as the alpha and delta variants and more that we continue to learn every single day about omicron,” Walensky said on Wednesday at a White House briefing on the virus.

She also said the CDC did not recommend getting a negative test before leaving isolation because scientists aren’t confident that rapid tests provide a good indication of contagiousness and PCR tests can show a positive result for months. But, she said, data shows people are largely less infectious after five days.

“We do know the vast majority of viral transmission happens in those first five days, somewhere in the 85 to 90% range. So if a person can isolate for the first five days they absolutely should,” she said.

“We also don’t know that antigen tests give a good indication of transmissibility at this stage of infection. On the other hand, we know that after five days people are much less likely to transmit the virus and that masking further reduces that risk. And this is why people need to mask for five days after the five days of isolation,” she said.

Some infectious disease experts expressed frustration with the new guidlines on social media, with Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, saying rapid antigen tests are a good additional layer of assurance before leaving isolation.

“The CDC should have included a negative antigen tests to end isolation,” Jha wrote, and rapid tests are “great when used properly.”

Dr. Jerome Adams, the U.S. surgeon general under former President Donald Trump, also slammed the CDC in a Twitter thread, criticizing the agency’s decision to omit the recommendation for COVID-19-positive individuals to take a test prior to ending isolation.

The current guidelines are that a person with a positive COVID-19 test should isolate for five days, regardless of their vaccination status. If a person never had or no longer has symptoms after five days, they can leave isolation. They should then wear a mask for the next five days, even at home, according to the guidance.

“After five days, if you’re asymptomatic or if your symptoms have largely resolved, you may leave isolation as long as you continue to wear a mask around others, even in the home for an additional five days,” Walensky said.

Rapid tests, which are a faster and often more convenient option for testing, have always been slightly less accurate than PCR tests, which can take days to get back.

Most major test makers, such as Abbott, say their rapid tests still work to detect the omicron variant. But without naming specific tests, the Food and Drug Administration said preliminary research indicates some of these tests could be less sensitive.

The FDA says rapid tests still work, and the agency is now studying how much of an impact the omicron variant might make on accuracy. Walensky and other members of the White House COVID team said Wednesday that the FDA did not intend to dissuade Americans from taking the tests but wanted to be “transparent.”

“What the FDA was saying was that when they were looking at the sensitivity with regard to omicron in some of the tests, there appears to be somewhat of a diminution, not a disappearance, but a diminution of the sensitivity,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical advisor to the White House, said at the briefing.

“The fact that the sensitivity is diminished somewhat does not obviate the importance of the still advantage and usefulness of these tests under different circumstances,” Fauci said.

“That was the message of the FDA. They wanted to make sure they were totally transparent in saying the sensitivity might come down a bit, but they did emphasize there still is an important use of these tests,” Fauci said.

Walensky added that “another important use is where we use them for serial testing in places like tests to stay, to keep children in school, in higher ed to keep our college campuses safe” — all situations in which the quantity of tests being used can make them more useful.

Fauci also presented some data from around the world about the apparent lessened severity of omicron.

In the U.K., a study has found the risk of hospitalization admission with omicron was 40% of that for delta, and in Scotland, preliminary data suggested a two-thirds reduction in the risk of COVID-19 hospitalization with omicron, Fauci said.

Meanwhile, in the U.S., data from the last 14 days shows “the spike in cases is out of proportion to the increase in hospitalization,” he said.

There has been a 126% increase in cases and an 11% increase in hospitalizations, and while deaths and hospitalizations tend to lag weeks behind cases, “the pattern and disparity between cases and hospitalization strongly suggest that there will be a lower hospitalization to case ratio when the situation becomes more clear,” he said.

“So in conclusion, the data are encouraging, but still, in many respects, preliminary, yet they are getting stronger and stronger as additional data are accumulated,” he said.

“All indications point to a lesser severity of omicron versus delta.”

Still, Fauci warned that severity on its own is good news, but it is paired with higher transmissibility.

“Increased transmissibility of omicron resulting in an extremely high volume of cases may override some of the impact of the lower disease severity,” he said.

“And so we should not become complacent since our hospital system could still be stressed in certain areas of the country.”

ABC News’ Arielle Mitropoulos conributed to this report.

Jan. 6 committee chairman could seek interview with GOP leader Kevin McCarthy

December 30, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., the chairman of the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, invited House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., on Wednesday to sit for an interview with investigators.

“If he has information he wants to share with us, and is willing to voluntarily come in, I’m not taking the invitation off the table,” Thompson said in a phone interview with ABC News.

Earlier this week, McCarthy, who spoke to then-President Donald Trump during the riot, was asked in a local television interview whether he would cooperate with the committee’s investigation.

“I don’t have anything to add. I have been very public, but I wouldn’t hide from anything, other,” he said in an interview with KBAK.

“If Leader McCarthy has nothing to hide, he can voluntarily come before the committee,” Thompson told ABC News, adding that he would consider sending McCarthy a formal request to appear.

A McCarthy spokesman did not respond to a message seeking comment on Thompson’s remarks.

The select committee has formally requested interviews with Reps. Scott Perry, R-Pa., and Jim Jordan, R-Ohio. Jordan is of interest to investigators for his conversations with Trump on Jan. 6, while Perry has been linked to unsuccessful efforts to get the Trump Justice Department to investigate claims of election fraud in late 2020.

Both have rejected the committee’s requests.

The Mississippi Democrat also told ABC News that the panel could formally invite other GOP lawmakers — House members or senators — to appear before the committee in the coming weeks.

McCarthy told at least one colleague that Trump dismissed his request to help stop the riot, Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Wash., said in a statement during Trump’s second impeachment trial.

In an interview with Fox News in April, McCarthy said Trump “didn’t see” the riot was unfolding until they spoke.

“What he ended the call with saying was telling me he’ll put something out to make sure to stop this. And that’s what he did. He put a video out later,” McCarthy said.

While committee vice chair Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., has said the committee could subpoena McCarthy or other lawmakers who don’t voluntarily cooperate with their inquiry, Thompson expressed reservations about doing so.

“If we subpoena them and they choose not to come, I’m not aware of a real vehicle that we can force compliance,” Thompson said of lawmakers.

A committee aide subsequently told ABC News the committee has not ruled out issuing subpoenas to sitting lawmakers.

Stan Brand, an ethics expert who served as House general counsel under Democratic Speaker Tip O’Neal, said such a move could be a “precedential danger” that future GOP-led committees could similarly attempt.

He also argued that lawmakers, unlike other witnesses, could argue that their actions around Jan. 6 were related to legislative activity, and protected under the speech and debate clause of the Constitution.

Jan. 6 committee enters new, public phase

Ahead of the first anniversary of the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, Thompson also expanded on the committee’s plans for public hearings in the new year.

He said the committee would hear from state and local election officials about the 2020 election, to debunk Trump’s unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud and the dozens of unsuccessful lawsuits he launched to reverse the results after the presidential race was called.

“We have to look at that to dispel, or at least put before the public for their consumption, the people tasked with the responsibility of running those elections and whether or not they were legitimate or not,” Thompson said.

The select committee also plans to explore “the role of right-wing organizations” on Jan. 6, Thompson said, noting that some members of the far-right Proud Boys and Oath Keeper groups have been linked to the Capitol riot.

The committee will also publicly explore “whether or not we were prepared from an intelligence gathering position,” he said.

The panel aims to issue an interim report on its inquiry next summer, ahead of a final report in fall 2022.

“Part of what we will show is what went on to stoke the flames that ultimately led to Jan. 6.,” Thompson said. “What we will do in our hearings is put the pieces of the puzzle together, so the average man and woman on the street will understand how close we came to losing our democracy.”

Five tips for parents as omicron spreads and pediatric hospitalizations rise

December 30, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — As the highly transmissible omicron variant of COVID-19 spreads across the country, children are being impacted, too.

Last week, nearly 200,000 children in the U.S. tested positive for COVID-19, up by about 50% since the beginning of December, according to new data from American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association.

And federal data shows more than 2,100 children are currently hospitalized with confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 — up by approximately 800 pediatric patients compared to just a month ago.

The increasing numbers are colliding with the holidays as well as cold and flu season and the upcoming return to school from the holiday break.

Amid the uncertainty of omicron, here are five tips for parents from two experts, Dr. Allison Messina, chief of infectious diseases at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida, and Dr. Sarah Ash Combs, an emergency medicine physician at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C.

1. Take omicron seriously, especially if your child is not yet vaccinated.

Severe illness due to COVID-19, including the omicron variant, remains “uncommon” among children, according to the AAP and CHA. But experts say young people are not immune from the virus, or from severe illness and death.

“I personally have seen many previously healthy children get really taken out by COVID,” said Ash Combs. “I think as a parent, you just want to do anything you can to prevent putting your kid in that situation, and unfortunately, there isn’t a strong predictor of is your kid going to be the unlucky one who gets harder hit by getting this strain.”

With omicron, experts say the rise in case numbers and hospitalizations among children isn’t because the variant attacks children differently, but more likely due to the fact that most children under age 18 are still not vaccinated.

In the U.S., less than a third of eligible children — ages 5 to 17 — have been fully vaccinated.

Messina said she worries that researchers do not know yet if omicron itself causes milder symptoms or if adults who are contracting the variant are experiencing milder systems because they are vaccinated against COVID-19 or have already had the virus.

“What I worry about is children are relatively unvaccinated, if you look at them as a group, and they may have less of a chance of having and recovering from coronavirus in the past,” she said. “It makes me worry a little bit that children by and large don’t have the baseline immunity that adults do.”

Messina continued, “That’s why when we’re treating omicron in children, we want to treat it seriously because we don’t know if it’s less serious or not.”

Both Messina and Ash Combs said the No. 1 thing parents can do to protect their children is to get them vaccinated and boosted if they are eligible and to make sure that all eligible adults who interact with their kids are vaccinated and boosted, too.

2. Go back to masking in public, especially indoors.

While omicron spreads and COVID-19 cases continue to increase, both Messina and Ash Combs said families should go back to mask-wearing when in public, especially in indoor spaces like grocery stores.

“I would tell parents, yes, go back to those previous measures you used to take, like masking,” said Ash Combs. “I would advocate for sending children to school both vaccinated and in masks because any multi-level protection you can get is better.”

Following coronavirus safety guidelines like hand washing and social distancing is also important for families during this surge, according to Ash Combs.

3. When in doubt, assume COVID-19.

Many of the symptoms of omicron — including sore throat, runny nose, fever and cough — closely mimic those of the flu and common cold.

As a result, according to both experts, the only way to truly diagnose your child is to get them tested for COVID-19.

“To be absolutely safe, especially if it’s a household exposure, or you’re just not sure, getting tested is key,” said Ash Combs. “You want to either get that at a facility or try and get your hands on an at home test if you can, and I recognize that’s hard to do … but if you can, as a parent, it’s good to have those on hand.”

If a parent is not sure whether their child has COVID-19 or a cold, for example, Ash Combs said to assume it’s COVID and follow CDC guidelines to isolate.

“You want to act as that could be a positive COVID case,” she said. “You certainly don’t want to go out and about if you or your child is feeling unwell, you don’t know the status of a test and you still have active symptoms.”

4. Slow down on large gatherings with other families.

If your family is gathering with people outside of your household, the best protection is to make sure that everyone your family will be in contact with is vaccinated, according to Messina, who added that families should also think about slowing down their social calendars.

“In a time like this with omicron when we’re seeing so many cases right now and we really probably haven’t hit our peak yet, this is the time to pay more attention to limiting play dates and limiting large gatherings, at least until case numbers start to drop,” she said. “Be a little bit more cautious.”

Whether or not a parent decides to let their child go on a play date or gather with friends can also depend on their age, according to Ash Combs, who noted that children who are older and vaccinated can have more flexibility to be together.

Like so much of what has happened during the pandemic, Ash Combs said that circumstances can change and parents should adjust accordingly.

“Every situation is going to change so reassess day by day, week by week,” she said. “See where you are at.”

5. Keep up good hand hygiene, but don’t overly stress about washing shared toys, door handles.

The early days of the pandemic saw people sanitizing everything that kids especially were in contact with, but experts say now that we know more about the virus, parents do not need to stress to that level.

“We know that COVID doesn’t seem to be super well transmitted by what we call fomites, those inanimate objects that you touch,” said Ash Combs. “I don’t think we need to freak out the way we did originally in quarantine with our groceries and our mail.”

Experts say it’s always a good idea to teach children good hand hygiene, including washing hands frequently for at least 20 seconds.

According to Ash Combs, one age group parents should be concerned about are young toddlers and infants who may put toys in their mouths, which is why she recommends being more cautious about gatherings of kids that young.

“I’d say play dates from multiple households of little kids who just love to share their saliva and their sneezes and coughs, that’s probably not a good idea,” she said. “But really for the bigger kids who are able to use a tissue and keep their hands to themselves, they don’t need to get super worried if they’re sharing a book or another object.”

ABC News’ Arielle Mitropoulos contributed to this report.

Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell guilty on 5 of 6 counts in sex trafficking case

December 30, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — A jury has convicted Ghislaine Maxwell, the longtime associate of serial sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, on five of six counts related to the abuse and trafficking of underage girls.

Maxwell faced a six-count indictment for allegedly conspiring with and aiding Epstein in his sexual abuse of underage girls between 1994 and 2004.

She showed no visible emotion as the jury’s verdict was read in the New York City courtroom. Following the verdict, her family members exited the courtroom without comment.

The verdict came on the sixth day of jury deliberations, after about 40 hours of deliberation.

“A unanimous jury has found Ghislaine Maxwell guilty of one of the worst crimes imaginable — facilitating and participating in the sexual abuse of children,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement following the verdict. “I want to commend the bravery of the girls — now grown women — who stepped out of the shadows and into the courtroom. Their courage and willingness to face their abuser made this case, and today’s result, possible.”

“This Office will always stand with victims, will always follow the facts wherever they lead, and will always fight to ensure that no one, no matter how powerful and well connected, is above the law,” Williams added.

Epstein, the one-time millionaire hedge fund manager, died by suicide in jail in 2019.

Prosecutors alleged that Maxwell played a “key role” in a multi-state sex trafficking scheme in which she allegedly “befriended” and later “enticed and groomed multiple minor girls to engage in sex acts with Epstein” and was also, at times, “present for and involved” in the abuse herself.

“We believe firmly in our sister’s innocence — we are very disappointed with the verdict,” the Maxwell family said in a statement. “We have already started the appeal tonight and we believe that she will ultimately be vindicated.”

Former U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman, who brought the original 2019 indictment against Epstein, told ABC News in his first public comment about the Maxwell case, “I congratulate the prosecution team for delivering justice for the victims.”

“I am so relieved and grateful that the jury recognized the pattern of predatory behavior that Maxwell engaged in for years and found her guilty of these crimes,” said Annie Farmer, one of four accusers who testified against Maxwell. “I hope that this verdict brings solace to all who need it … even those with great power and privilege will be held accountable when they sexually abuse and exploit the young.”

“The jury’s verdict vindicates the courage and commitment of our clients who stood up against all odds for many years to bring Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell to justice,” said attorney David Boies, who represented Farmer. However, said Boies, “They did not act, and could not have acted, alone. The scope and scale and duration of their sex trafficking crimes depended on many wealthy and powerful collaborators and co-conspirators. They too are not above the law. They too must be brought to justice.”

“Satisfaction with Maxwell’s conviction is tempered by the knowledge that other co-conspirators have yet to be held responsible for their involvement in Jeffrey Epstein’s extraordinary criminal enterprise,” said attorney Jack Scarola, who represented the Maxwell accuser who testified under the name Carolyn. “Doors closed by Epstein’s death may be opened by the very strong motivation Maxwell now has to unlock every door to which she holds a key.”

Maxwell has been held without bail since her arrest in July 2020. She now faces decades in prison.

A sentencing date has not yet been set.

Two doses of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine 85% effective against hospitalizations, South Africa study shows

December 30, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — A real-world study of South African health care workers found that two doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine offer 85% protection against hospitalization from the omicron variant.

Separately, the company announced new data from a laboratory study that shows its vaccine likely also works well as a booster for people who got the Pfizer shots originally.

The lab study specifically tested two types of immune system responses — antibody and T-cell responses — against the omicron variant.

Using the J&J vaccine as a booster raised people’s antibodies and T-cells to levels higher than those seen among people who got a third dose of Pfizer — according to samples taken four weeks after each booster.

The new data adds weight to the argument that mixing and matching vaccine types could be an effective strategy, but the data is limited because it was a laboratory study, not real-world data.

The new findings were described in a press release and submitted to pre-print journals.

“As the Omicron variant has mutated from the original SARS-CoV-2 strain, there is a need to understand how effective currently authorized COVID-19 vaccines remain at protecting against severe disease,” Dr. Dan Barouch, Ph.D., director of the Center for Virology and Vaccine Research at BIDMC, said in a statement. “Our analysis shows that a booster shot of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine generated a robust increase in both neutralizing antibodies and T-cells to Omicron.”

Since its launch, the single-shot J&J vaccine has been dogged by the perception that it is less effective than Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccines. And indeed, many experts agree that one dose of J&J isn’t as effective as two shots from the other brands; but when given as two doses, the J&J shot seems to be an effective vaccine.

“While one dose to prevent COVID was always desirable to improve vaccine access and acceptance, we now have irrefutable evidence that two doses provides significantly more protection,” said John Brownstein, Ph.D, chief innovation officer at Boston Children’s Hospital and ABC News contributor. “The second dose triggers the immune system to produce antibodies and memory cells that ultimately yield longer term vaccine effectiveness.”

Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that anyone considering getting vaccinated should get the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, if available, over the J&J single-shot vaccine. This isn’t because the single-shot J&J vaccine — which has been associated with a risk of very rare blood clots — isn’t safe and effective, CDC researchers said, but because the Pfizer and Modern two-shot vaccines appear to work even better. Collectively, this means the risk-benefit analysis is more favorable for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, the CDC said.

COVID-19 live updates: Three Americans testing positive every second

December 30, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the globe, more than 5.4 million people have died from the disease worldwide, including over 821,000 Americans, according to real-time data compiled by Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering.

About 61.9% of the population in the United States is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:

Dec 30, 5:34 am
UK plans surge hospitals as ‘war footing’ for omicron

Hospitals across England were setting up “Nightingale surge hubs,” temporary structures capable of handling 100 patients, as they prepared for a potential wave of omicron patients.

The United Kingdom’s National Health Service announced the plan on Thursday, a day after health officials recorded a new daily high for COVD-19 infections.

“Given the high level of COVID-19 infections and increasing hospital admissions, the NHS is now on a war footing,” NHS National Medical Director Professor Stephen Powis said in a statement on Thursday.

The NHS said it would start with hubs at eight hospitals around the country. Health Secretary Sajid Javid said in a statement that an additional 4,000 beds could be added if necessary.

“We do not yet know exactly how many of those who catch the virus will need hospital treatment, but given the number of infections we cannot wait to find out before we act and so work is beginning from today to ensure these facilities are in place,” Powis said.

Dec 30, 4:14 am
UK, Italy, Greece report record new daily cases

The United Kingdom, Italy and Greece broke records on Wednesday for daily new COVID-19 cases, according to government health officials.

The Greek government reported a record increase for new cases for a third consecutive day with 28,828 new cases and 72 COVID-19-related deaths.

About 64.3% of the population is fully vaccinated and 26.5% have received a booster or third dose, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

Health Minister Thanos Plevris announced on Wednesday that new restrictions will go into effect on Jan. 3, but Greece’s Kathimerini newspaper reported that the government has decided to put them into effect at 6 p.m. local time on Thursday.

Italian health authorities recorded another record increase on Wednesday with 98,0303 new COVID-19 cases and 148 deaths.

Semi-official ANSA reported Wednesday’s positivity rate is 9.5% and there are 1,185 patients in ICUs. About 51.7% of Italy’s residents are fully vaccinated and 24.9% have received a booster or 3rd dose, per the ECDC.

UK health officials recorded 183,037 new cases and 57 deaths. The record-setting new case number included five days of data from Northern Ireland, which last published data on Dec. 24, according to health officials.

About 82.3% of adults in the UK have received two vaccine doses and 57.5% have received a booster, according to government data.

-ABC News’ Christine Theodorou

Dec 29, 7:35 pm
Fauci backs CDC isolation recommendations

Dr. Anthony Fauci appeared on ABC News Live Wednesday and shared his thoughts on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s decision to lower its recommended isolation period to five days for asymptomatic patients.

Fauci also said that while new evidence shows omicron may be less severe than delta, people should still be cautious of contracting and spreading the virus.

“You can get people safely back out in a five day period so long as they wear a mask, if they are without symptoms. That is the science,” he told ABC News Live. “The impact of that is to try and not be in a situation where we essentially have to shut down the entire country.”

Fauci also said it would be too premature to be less worried based on evidence that omicron may be less severe.

“We are heartened by the fact that from the South African data, the data from the U.K., and the accumulating data in the United States that it looks like it is less severe,” he said. “It’s much more transmissible, which is something you need to take seriously.”

Dec 29, 6:10 pm
FDA authorizes 2 new at-home COVID-19 test kits

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave emergency use authorization to two over-the-counter COVID-19 tests.

The tests are manufactured by SD Biosensor and Siemens.

“Combined, it is estimated the companies can produce tens of millions of tests per month for use in the U.S.,” the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement.

-ABC News’ Sony Salzman

Dec 29, 2:24 pm
4 Smithsonian locations closed

Four Smithsonian locations in Washington, D.C., have closed due to an increase in COVID-19 cases over the last few days.

The four museums — the National Museum of African Art, the National Postal Museum, the Anacostia Community Museum and the National Museum of Asian Art — are expected to reopen Jan. 3.

The Smithsonian said the cases and quarantine periods impacted “essential and operational staff,” so these closures “will allow the Smithsonian to reallocate staff and keep all other museums open for the remainder of the week.”

The Smithsonian closed in March 2020 due to COVID-19 and loccations started to reopen in May 2021.

-ABC News’ Beatrice Peterson

US shatters COVID case records, as experts predict infection rates will continue to grow

December 29, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Amid a record-breaking surge, the U.S. is now averaging more COVID-19 cases per day than at any other point in the pandemic, according to new data updated on Wednesday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Federal data shows the nation is now reporting an average of more than 277,000 new cases a day, shattering the previous record of 250,000 cases per day from last January.
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“These numbers are absolutely staggering, especially considering we are two years into the pandemic,” said John Brownstein, Ph.D., an epidemiologist at Boston Children’s Hospital and an ABC News contributor.

The record average comes after the U.S. reported two consecutive days of more than 430,000 new cases, following soaring demand for tests and a backlog of holiday reporting data.

Over the last month, the U.S. daily case average has tripled, and the nation has reported more than 1.9 million new cases in the last week alone — an average of about three Americans testing positive for COVID-19 every second.

“The combination of the most transmissible variant to date alongside holiday travel and gatherings is a recipe for record-breaking case counts,” Brownstein said, referring to the omicron variant. “These numbers are likely to be a significant undercount given, the shortages in testing and the absence of home test results in official counts.”

Although the significantly high case total is due, in large part, to the country’s latest surge, a number of factors, including data backlogs from the holiday weekend, and a surge in testing demand, may artificially increase the totals.

In addition, more than 30 states are not reporting consistently over the holiday stretch, which can also significantly skew data.

However, on Tuesday, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky told NPR in an interview that given the shortage in COVID-19 tests right now, ultimately, the official number of positive cases is likely undercounted.

The nation’s latest surge is widespread, with every state in the country currently experiencing high community transmission. In June, no states were reporting high community transmission.

Hospitalizations are also on the rise, according to federal data, albeit about two-thirds the levels experienced last winter.

Across the country, more than 84,000 Americans are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 — up by 40,000 patients in the last seven weeks. On average, more than 9,400 Americans are being admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 every day, up by nearly 20% in the last week.

With increased demand in testing and a renewed strain on the hospital system, the federal government has deployed surge teams to help to support the national COVID-19 response, from vaccinations, to testing, to clinical care.

More than 13,000 National Guard members have been activated in 48 states to support the nation’s COVID-19 response, including vaccinations, testing and clinical care.

On Monday, Dr. Anthony Fauci told ABC News’ Whit Johnson that it is difficult to know exactly when the country’s latest surge will peak, given the fact that so many Americans remain unvaccinated.

“It’s going to get worse before it gets better — that’s for sure. We don’t expect things are going to turn around in a few days to a week. It likely will take much longer than that, but that’s unpredictable,” Fauci said.

At this time, 89 million Americans remain completely unvaccinated, and less than a third of fully vaccinated people have been boosted.

Jury reaches verdict in trial of Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell

December 29, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — A jury has reached a verdict in the criminal trial of Ghislaine Maxwell, the longtime associate of serial sex offender Jeffrey Epstein who is facing charges related to the alleged abuse and trafficking of underage girls.

Maxwell faces a six-count indictment for allegedly conspiring with and aiding Epstein in his sexual abuse of underage girls between 1994 and 2004. She has been held without bail since her arrest in July 2020 and has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

If convicted, Maxwell could spend decades in prison.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

COVID-19 live updates: 3 Americans testing positive every second

December 29, 2021 by WDNY Radio

About 61.9% of the population in the United States is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Latest headlines:
-3 Americans testing positive every second
-Fauci recommends against big New Year’s parties
-WHO concerned omicron, delta leading to ‘tsunami’ of cases
-US daily case average nearly triples in 1 month

Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern.

Dec 29, 4:01 pm
3 Americans testing positive every second

The U.S. reported more than 1.9 million new cases this week, which equals about three Americans testing positive for COVID-19 every second.

The U.S. is now averaging 277,000 new cases each day, shattering the previous record average from Jan. 11, 2021, which was 250,000 cases each day, according to federal data.

Although this significantly high number is in large part due to the latest surge, it’s also attributable to the soaring demand for tests and backlogs of data following Christmas weekend.

ABC News’ Arielle Mitropoulos

Dec 29, 3:01 pm
30% of New York City’s EMS out on COVID sick leave

In New York City, 30% of emergency medical workers and 17% of firefighters are out on leave tied to COVID-19 — and the fire department is reminding New Yorkers to only call 911 in a true emergency.

“If you are not severely ill, allow first responders to assist those most in need,” the FDNY said in a video message.

Meanwhile, the New York Police Department has canceled regular days off for Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 due to COVID-19 and staffing needs for New Year’s Eve.

ABC News’ Mark Crudele, Aaron Katersky

Dec 29, 2:24 pm
4 Smithsonian locations closed

Four Smithsonian locations in Washington, D.C., have closed due to an increase in COVID-19 cases over the last few days.

The four museums — the National Museum of African Art, the National Postal Museum, the Anacostia Community Museum and the National Museum of Asian Art — are expected to reopen Jan. 3.

The Smithsonian closed in March 2020 due to COVID-19 and loccations started to reopen in May 2021.

ABC News’ Beatrice Peterson

Dec 29, 2:00 pm
DC public school students, staff must test before returning to classrooms

All public school students and staff in Washington, D.C., must test when they return to the classroom after winter break.

Free rapid tests will be provided by the city to the over 90,000 students in the largest data collection D.C. has done since the pandemic began, Mayor Muriel Bowser said.

The tests will be distributed on Jan. 3 and Jan. 4. Families are asked to upload results to the city by Jan. 4 at 4 p.m.

“Any student that does not have their results loaded by Jan. 4, will not be allowed to attend school on Jan. 5,” school chancellor Lewis Ferebee told reporters.

Bowser told reporters, “We expect that we’re going to be in this winter surge for a few more weeks, so throughout January we’re going to have to maintain vigilance.”

ABC News’ Beatrice Peterson

Lake Tahoe sees 16 feet of snow in December, crushing records

December 29, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Following a year of both extreme heat and drought, Lake Tahoe has seen a record-breaking amount of snow this December, according to the U.C. Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab.

The Tahoe area has seen 210 inches of snow since the beginning of the month, the lab, based in Soda Springs, California, reported Wednesday. That makes this month the third snowiest on record and the snowiest December ever, per tracking from the lab that started in 1970.

If weather modeling holds up, it’s possible December could also overtake the current No. 2 record holder, February 2019, which saw a whopping 221 inches of snow, Dr. Andrew Schwartz, who works at the lab, told ABC News.

According to data from the lab, typically about 110 inches of snow will have fallen by Jan. 1 in a given water year, which begins on Oct. 1. But, so far, 2021 has already seen 264 inches of snowfall, putting the region at 258% of its average for this point in the year and breaking the 51-year-old October through December snowfall record of 260 inches set in 1970.

California recorded its second driest water year on record in 2021, according to a report from the state’s Department of Water Resources. But there’s hope that the abnormal amount of snow the Sierra has seen could help break the state’s ongoing drought.

“The snowfall that we’ve received has given us an amazing start to the water year and developed a solid foundation for upcoming snow,” Schwartz said, “but we still need average or above average snowfall in the upcoming months for it to impact the drought.”

Schwartz added that the lab has recorded receiving 70% of its average annual snowfall already, “which is great because the remaining four months with snow only need to make up that remaining 30%.”

He cautioned, however, that if those months end up being dry, then California could end up short of its average snowfall and there won’t be any improvement in the drought at all.

The Sierra snowpack typically holds about a third of California’s water reservoirs, but several are still running lower than normal, even with the increased precipitation.

Data from the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has shown mild improvement in California’s drought, with 79% of the state in an extreme or exceptional drought as of Dec. 21, down from 88% three months ago.

“So, we’re off to an incredibly promising and exciting start,” Schwartz said, “but we need some cautious optimism going forward.”

ABC News’ Hope Osemwenkhae and Daniel Manzo contributed to this report.

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