Updates from the States Archives

January 2021

1/28/2021

  • Out of the cases under investigation detected by U.S. surveillance, there are 25,456,670 total cases and 427,626 deaths. The CDC data closes out the day before reporting
  • Reports of new cases continue to fall sharply across the country. The U.S. is averaging about 90,000 fewer cases each day than at its peak earlier this month.
  • Over the past week, there has been an average of 163,182 cases per day, a decrease of 34 percent from the average two weeks earlier.
  • Alabama, Montana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Washington all reached seven-day death records on Wednesday.
  • Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) proposed a bill to Alaska’s legislature on Monday that would extend the state’s COVID-19 public health disaster declaration through September 30, 2021.
  • Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R) issued an advisory to accelerate the statewide distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine and move doses of vaccine to where they can be rapidly administered to Arizonans.
  • Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said that the state is now withholding COVID-19 vaccines to ensure seniors and health care workers can get their second doses rather than administering as many first doses as possible.
  • The Idaho House voted in favor of immediately lifting all COVID-related limits on gatherings statewide. The bill will go to the Idaho Senate next, before going to Idaho Gov. Brad Little (R).
  • Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) signed an EO that extended statewide reduction of capacity limits for gatherings, repealed mandatory night-time closing periods for certain businesses and activities, and rescinded time limitations on gatherings.
  • Missouri Gov. Mike Parson (R) is considering diverting thousands of unused vaccine doses from Walgreens and CVS and sending them to National Guard mass vaccination sites. Gov. Parson also announced the launch of a new COVID-19 vaccination dashboard containing Missouri-specific data submitted by providers from across the state.
  • North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R) announced that he is lowering the state's COVID-19 risk level to "low," which allows North Dakota bars and restaurants to serve up to 80 percent of their normal capacity with proper social distancing guidelines beginning at 8 AM Friday, Jan. 29. Gov. Burgum said that face coverings should be strongly recommended or required.
  • Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) announced the criteria for lifting the 10 PM statewide curfew as COVID-19 numbers continue to decline in the state. There will be gradual changes until there are fewer than 2,500 new cases for a week straight, at which point the curfew will be lifted.
  • Gov. DeWine said that employees in Ohio schools will begin receiving the COVID-19 vaccine this week with the goal of returning students to in-person learning by March 1.
  • New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced that coronavirus-related restrictions on nonessential businesses and indoor dining would be lifted in several areas across the state and that state officials are looking at whether New York City indoor dining could return at 25 percent capacity.
  • The Wisconsin Senate voted to end Gov. Tony Evers' (D) statewide face mask mandate.
  • California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced a series of improvements to the state’s vaccination plan. The state will launch a new system for Californians to learn when they are eligible for vaccination and how to make an appointment, will accelerate the administration of vaccines on hand, and will improve vaccination data tracking.
  • Delaware Gov. John Carney (D) announced an expansion of the state’s vaccination efforts by partnering with private and community organizations to begin expanding access to the COVID-19 vaccine among low-income, underserved seniors. The Delaware Department of Education will also begin vaccination pre-registration for educators and school staff.
  • Illinois is partnering with Hy-Vee pharmacies across central and northern Illinois to offer COVID-19 vaccines to eligible individuals.
  • Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly (D) announced that county-specific allocation data is now available on Kansas’s COVID-19 vaccine dashboard.
  • Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) appointed new members to the bipartisan Protect Michigan Commission which helps raise awareness of the safety and effectiveness of an approved COVID-19 vaccine, educates Michigan residents, and helps protect the health and safety of Michigan residents.
  • Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) announced updates to the registration process for the COVID-19 vaccination pilot program. The updated process eliminates the first come, first served system. Gov. Walz also announced a mass vaccination pilot event for metro area educators, school staff and childcare providers.
  • Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) wrote a letter to acting HHS Secretary Norris Cochran regarding the State’s federal allocation of the COVID-19 vaccine because Nevada has received the second-lowest number of vaccine doses per capita among all U.S. states so far.
  • Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, Gov. Polis, Gov. Carney, and Gov. Kelly each extended their state’s state of emergency declarations.
  • North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) announced that North Carolina’s Modified Stay At Home Order, requiring people to be at home from 10 pm – 5 am, will be extended. Face covering requirements and restrictions on individuals gathering in both indoor and outdoor settings are still in place.
  • Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) announced updates to county risk levels under the state's public health framework and announced modifications to the guidance for indoor activities in Extreme Risk counties.
  • The New York State attorney general accused the Cuomo administration of undercounting coronavirus-related deaths at nursing homes by as much as 50 percent, according to a report released on Thursday.
  • Useful state data:
    • Use Johns Hopkins University’s COVID-19 U.S. map as a resource for media, policymakers, and communities to view a collection of critical public health data in one online destination and better understand and track the COVID-19 pandemic in populations both large and small across the country. NPR's map can also be used to monitor you state's heat wave.
    • NASHP has developed a COVID-19 State Action Center which serves as a state-level policy dashboard. Governing is also keeping a running tally of coronavirus news and impacts at the intersection of the health and economic crises in the states and localities.
    • This site from the Kaiser Family Foundation provides state-level information on cases/deaths, social distancing measures, health policy actions, and more.
    • This series of maps shows how states are responding to COVID-19.

1/25/2021

  • Out of the cases under investigation detected by U.S. surveillance, there are 25,018,520 total cases and 417,936 deaths. The CDC data closes out the day before reporting
  • At least 1,926 new coronavirus deaths and 142,259 new cases were reported in the U.S. on Jan. 25.
  • Over the past week, there has been an average of 170,559 cases per day, a decrease of 33 percent from the average two weeks earlier.
  • Cases in the U.S. are decreasing everywhere except South Carolina, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Virginia, and North Dakota.
  • Parts of South Texas are struggling with new outbreaks. The Laredo and Eagle Pass metros have been adding cases at the highest rates in the country, 222.9 cases daily per 100,000 citizens and 186.6 per 100,000 citizens respectively.
  • Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) signed an EO ensuring that the vaccine is free for Coloradans, and insurance status will not be used to deny or deprioritize any patient from getting the vaccine.
  • Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) directed the Connecticut Department of Public Health to use a tiered approach with its Phase 1B vaccination by administering the vaccine based on the risk of adverse health outcomes from the virus.
  • Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) announced the state is launching a COVID-19 vaccine pilot program, partnering with local public health and school districts. The community vaccination pilot program will be the foundation for mass vaccination clinics in Minnesota communities once the federal government increases vaccine supply.
  • New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced that New York's health care distribution sites have administered 93 percent of first doses received from the federal government, and 91 percent of first and second doses.
  • New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said today that the openings of planned coronavirus vaccination sites at Yankee Stadium and Citi Field would be postponed because of the low supply of doses available.
  • Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) set a goal of vaccinating 45,000 Washingtonians per day. Included in the plan is the Washington State Vaccine Command and Coordination Center, a new statewide public-private partnership to boost vaccine distribution efforts. The collaboration includes Washington corporations, labor unions, health care groups, and government entities.
  • Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) extended the State of Civil Emergency through Feb. 17, 2021 and New Jersey Gov. Murphy (D) also extended the state’s Public Health Emergency.
  • Following a decrease in COVID-19 test positivity rates and hospitalizations throughout Illinois, Gov. JB Pritzker announced regions across the state are now eligible to move out of Tier 3 mitigations, the strictest tier of Illinois' resurgence mitigation plan.
  • Officials with the California Department of Public Health today ended the Regional Stay at Home Order, lifting the order for all regions statewide, including the three regions that had still been under the order – San Joaquin Valley, Bay Area, and Southern California. The state set up a promised website to help people find vaccination appointments, though it is still being described as a pilot site.
  • Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon (R) extended public face mask requirement through Feb. 14, but said the state will begin softening some existing restrictions as new COVID-19 cases in Wyoming continue to level off.
  • West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice (R) has opted out of a federal partnership with CVS and Walgreens to vaccinate people at long-term care facilities and assisted living communities. Instead, West Virginia will continue to work with small, local pharmacies and has used 83 percent of its allotted vaccines, among the best in the nation.
  • In New Hampshire, nonresidents are no longer eligible to get COVID-19 vaccinations after earlier rules allowed anyone who owned property in New Hampshire to get vaccinated in the state.
  • Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) signed an EO to ease requirements and allow more medically trained professionals to safely administer the COVID-19 vaccine.
  • Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D) announced the state is dedicating $2.2 billion in federal stimulus funds to K-12 school districts and charter schools affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to support food programs, technological improvements, and other education services.
  • Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) announced that the state has recorded its first case of the U.K. coronavirus variant.
  • Useful state data:
    • Use Johns Hopkins University’s COVID-19 U.S. map as a resource for media, policymakers, and communities to view a collection of critical public health data in one online destination and better understand and track the COVID-19 pandemic in populations both large and small across the country. NPR's map can also be used to monitor you state's heat wave.
    • NASHP has developed a COVID-19 State Action Center which serves as a state-level policy dashboard. Governing is also keeping a running tally of coronavirus news and impacts at the intersection of the health and economic crises in the states and localities.
    • This site from the Kaiser Family Foundation provides state-level information on cases/deaths, social distancing measures, health policy actions, and more.
    • This series of maps shows how states are responding to COVID-19.

1/21/2021

  • Out of the cases under investigation detected by U.S. surveillance, there are 24,323,846 total cases and 404,689 deaths. The CDC data closes out the day before reporting
  • The U.S. reported a record 4,440 COVID-19 deaths on Wednesday. More than 61,000 people have died of COVID-19 since the start of January, making this month already the second deadliest of the entire pandemic, after December 2020. New daily deaths have risen more than 30 percent in the last two weeks.
  • Over the past week, there has been an average of 194,754 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases per day, a decrease of 16 percent from the average recorded two weeks earlier.
  • Arizona, South Carolina, California, New York, and Georgia are reporting the highest rates of newly confirmed infections per capita.
  • In hard-hit California, the daily number of new COVID-19 cases fell below 20,000 on Wednesday, and the number of patients in hospitals is also on the decline.
  • Health providers across the country are grappling with the difficulty of coordinating vaccine appointments as supply lags behind demand:
    • New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Wednesday that 23,000 vaccination appointments scheduled for today and Friday were postponed because of a shipping delay.
    • San Francisco’s public health department expects to run out of vaccine doses today.
    • At Beaufort Memorial Hospital in South Carolina, hospital officials canceled 6,000 scheduled appointments through Mar. 30 after they were notified that thousands of vaccine doses they expected would not be arriving.
    • Georgia’s 10-county Northwest Health District was swamped with more than 10,000 appointment requests in one weekend. Left without far fewer available doses, it shut down its scheduling website and told people to call their local health department to arrange an appointment instead.
    • New Jersey’s Bergen County, the state’s most populous county, is expected to run out of vaccine doses Saturday.
  • A Columbus, Ohio, vaccine distributor has been suspended after authorities said the company mishandled – and subsequently spoiled – 890 doses of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine.
  • Missouri Gov. Mike Parson (R) announced on Wednesday that he has activated the state’s National Guard to accelerate Missouri’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout. One mass vaccination team will be assigned to each of the state’s nine Highway Patrol regions. Each team will have the capability to administer as many as 2,500 doses a day.
  • North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) announced on Thursday that the state will distribute $2.5 million to local transit agencies to provide residents with free rides to get their COVID-19 vaccinations.
  • Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) announced that the state will begin requiring proof of residency – either a utility bill or a Florida ID – for people getting COVID-19 vaccines.
  • The city of Chicago is moving to Tier 2 COVID-19 restrictions from Tier 3, allowing indoor group fitness classes, retail shops, movie theaters, performance venues, and museums to open at reduced capacity. Face coverings must be worn indoors at all times.
  • Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) on Tuesday signed two EOs extending both the state’s public health emergency and face mask requirement.
  • Kansas lawmakers on Thursday approved a bill that would extend the state’s pandemic emergency declaration. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly (D) has until Jan. 26 to act before the declaration expires. The bill expands the use of telemedicine and adds flexibility in health care licensing through Mar. 31 but limits the governor’s ability to close businesses and allows counties to opt out of mask mandates and other health orders she issues.
  • Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) on Thursday extended a statewide order requiring people to wear face masks in public until Mar. 5.
  • Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) on Tuesday extended 26 emergency proclamations issued in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Louisiana Gov. Jon Bel Edwards (D) on Thursday renewed his plea for businesses to move as many employees as possible to remote work as cases and hospitalizations continue to surge in the state.
  • Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser will allow indoor restaurants to reopen Friday, even as the rate of new daily COVID-19 infections in the city has remained above the target for reopening indoor dining and similar activities, considered Phase 2, for more than two months.
  • Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) and State Superintendent Karen Salmon on Thursday called for immediate efforts to return students to classrooms, at least part time, no later than Mar. 1.
  • The airport in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, plans next week to begin screening passengers for symptoms of COVID-19 before they go through security, implementing a first-of-its-kind plan.
  • Useful state data:
    • Use Johns Hopkins University’s COVID-19 U.S. map as a resource for media, policymakers, and communities to view a collection of critical public health data in one online destination and better understand and track the COVID-19 pandemic in populations both large and small across the country. NPR's map can also be used to monitor you state's heat wave.
    • NASHP has developed a COVID-19 State Action Center which serves as a state-level policy dashboard. Governing is also keeping a running tally of coronavirus news and impacts at the intersection of the health and economic crises in the states and localities.
    • This site from the Kaiser Family Foundation provides state-level information on cases/deaths, social distancing measures, health policy actions, and more.
    • This series of maps shows how states are responding to COVID-19.

1/19/2021

  • Out of the cases under investigation detected by U.S. surveillance, there are 23,653,919 total cases and 394,495 deaths. The CDC data closes out the day before reportingMost major news sources are reporting that the U.S. has surpassed 400,000 deaths and 24 million total cases.
  • The U.S. is currently averaging more than 3,300 new COVID-19 deaths per day. The country has recorded more than 52,000 deaths from the disease just since the start of the month, which is approximately one American death from COVID-19 every 30 seconds.
  • The U.S. accounts for nearly one of every five COVID-19 deaths reported worldwide.
  • There were 174,513 new cases of COVID-19 tallied in the U.S. on Sunday – the first time in two weeks the country has recorded fewer than 200,000 newly confirmed infections.
  • The number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 across the country dropped six percent over the last 10 days, reaching its lowest level since Jan. 2 on Sunday. Arizona, Nevada, and Alabama currently hold the highest COVID-19 hospitalizations rates per million people in the country.
  • California has become the first state in the U.S. to record more than 3 million COVID-19 cases.
  • Public health officials in Maine said Tuesday that 4,400 doses of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine exceeded the required temperature during their journey to 35 sites in the state. The sites have set the vaccine doses aside and will receive replacement doses on Tuesday and Wednesday.
  • Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) said the state has doubled the number of COVID-19 vaccinations administered to residents for the second straight week.
  • Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) on Monday called on hospitals and vaccination partners to vaccinate nearly 40,000 people for the first time using stored-up second doses of both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
  • New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday that the city is set to run out of vaccines by Thursday if the state doesn’t receive more doses.
  • South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) on Monday said he may use his executive powers to end elective surgeries in order to free up staff at the state’s major hospitals, so they can administer more doses of COVID-19 vaccines to residents. Major hospitals had 78,500 unused doses as of Monday.
  • Idaho Gov. Brad Little (R) announced he will increase the number of available Idaho National Guard personnel from 250 to 400 guardsmen later this week to aid the state’s vaccine distribution.
  • Gov. Little also announced Tuesday that the state will offer health care providers new grants to increase staffing to administer shots, purchase needed equipment and supplies, and improve vaccine access for hard-to-reach and vulnerable populations.
  • Nevada’s Health Response issued additional guidance to clarify a directive regarding who is qualified to be a vaccinator in order to maximize the workforce available to administer COVID-19 vaccines.
  • Minnesota is making COVID-19 vaccines accessible to the general public for the first time, opening nine sites as part of a pilot program where shots will be provided by appointment to people 65 or older, teachers, and child care providers.
  • California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced the Safe Schools for All Hub, a one-stop-shop for information about in-person instruction to increase transparency, accountability, and assistance regarding information on planning for face-to-face schooling.
  • The Oregon Department of Education released new guidance for schools to reopen safely, recommending that counties that maintain a positivity rate of less than 5 percent can offer fully in-person instruction.
  • Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) extended a disaster declaration issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic until Feb. 14.
  • Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) on Tuesday extended a coronavirus state of civil emergency for another 30 days.
  • Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox (R) ordered that the bells at the Utah State Capitol ring on Tuesday in honor of the lives lost to COVID-19.
  • Useful state data:
    • Use Johns Hopkins University’s COVID-19 U.S. map as a resource for media, policymakers, and communities to view a collection of critical public health data in one online destination and better understand and track the COVID-19 pandemic in populations both large and small across the country. NPR's map can also be used to monitor you state's heat wave.
    • NASHP has developed a COVID-19 State Action Center which serves as a state-level policy dashboard. Governing is also keeping a running tally of coronavirus news and impacts at the intersection of the health and economic crises in the states and localities.
    • This site from the Kaiser Family Foundation provides state-level information on cases/deaths, social distancing measures, health policy actions, and more.
    • This series of maps shows how states are responding to COVID-19.

1/14/2021

  • Out of the cases under investigation detected by U.S. surveillance, there are 22,965,957 total cases and 383,351 deaths. The CDC data closes out the day before reporting.
  • On Tuesday, the U.S. reported a record 4,327 COVID-19 deaths. The U.S. recorded another 4,131 deaths on Wednesday, the second day in a row that the country's daily COVID-19 death toll crossed 4,000.
  • The U.S. is averaging over 242,000 new COVID-19 cases per day. Wednesday marked the ninth straight day the country tallied more than 200,000 newly confirmed infections.
  • In the last week, 22 states and Washington, D.C. have reported a record seven-day average of daily cases. Arizona is recording the highest number of new COVID-19 cases per capita in the country.
  • Nearly all U.S. metro areas with over 500,000 people are in "full resurgence" of COVID-19, the White House Coronavirus Task Force said in its latest report. Several states, including Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, New Mexico, and South Carolina, are also in "full pandemic resurgence."
  • California has the most hospitalizations of any state with more than 22,000 patients, followed by Texas, New York, Florida, and Georgia. Arizona, Alabama, and Nevada currently hold the highest hospitalization rates per million people in the country.
  • Chicago is opening six mass coronavirus vaccination sites that expect to deliver roughly 25,000 weekly shots once fully operational.
  • Mississippi has allotted its entire supply of COVID-19 vaccines and doesn't expect more doses until mid-February, the state’s health department announced Wednesday.
  • Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) announced on Thursday that the state has become the first to administer one million doses of coronavirus vaccines.
  • Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) sent a letter to HHS Sec. Alex Azar requesting permission to directly purchase up to 100,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines for the state.
  • New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced five state-run vaccination sites have begun accepting appointments and are scheduled to open this week.
  • New York City’s property tax revenues are projected to decline by $2.5 billion next year, the largest such drop in at least three decades. The shortfall is largely driven by a projected drop in the value of office buildings and hotel properties, which have practically emptied out since the pandemic began. Roughly half of the city’s tax revenue comes from real estate.
  • New Jersey announced Wednesday that smokers will be among its residents who get earlier access to COVID-19 vaccines. The state expanded its vaccination program to include people over 65 and people with underlying health conditions, like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. It included people who smoke on that list.
  • Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) extended his modified Phase 2 order, keeping mitigation measures and a statewide mask mandate in place for another 28 days. Gov. Edwards strongly recommended that all businesses in Louisiana move to remote work for as many employees as possible.
  • Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) announced new COVID-19 guidelines for schools. Students and teachers exposed to someone who tests positive for COVID-19 no longer have to quarantine, as long as the exposure was in a school setting, masks were worn, and proper social distancing was in place. However, quarantining is still required if masks and social distancing were not in place.
  • Connecticut’s health department issued guidance over the weekend to the state’s universities and colleges regarding the upcoming spring semester. The guidance includes a recommendation that testing and quarantining of all residential students be done prior to fully opening campuses. The department is also advising universities and colleges to implement weekly testing of all residential and off-campus students who attend class in-person through the end of February 2021.
  • Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) announced Wednesday that he is removing existing health mandates issued by his predecessor. Under the new rules, which take effect Friday, restaurants, bars, breweries, distilleries, and casinos will no longer be required to close at 10 PM; capacity limits for businesses, previously set at 50 percent, are rescinded; and public gatherings, formerly restricted to 25 people when social distancing was not possible, no longer face a cap.
  • Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) extended an EO to increase the state’s Medicaid home health workforce and eliminate cost-sharing for COVID-19 testing and treatment for Medicaid enrollees.
  • Gov. Polis also amended an EO regarding the order of operations for surging hospital capacity for the state as it relates to elective surgery.
  • California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced yesterday that the state would open up eligibility for a coronavirus vaccine to anyone 65 or older.
  • Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) issued a proclamation that suspends the requirement that statewide elected officials be sworn in “at the capitol.” The waiver, which expires Friday at midnight, allows statewide elected officials to choose to either be sworn in remotely or in person.

1/11/2021

  • Out of the cases under investigation detected by U.S. surveillance, there are 22,322,956 total cases and 373,167 deaths. The CDC data closes out the day before reporting.
  • The U.S. has not seen a day with fewer than 100,000 new cases in more than two months, with a record-high average of 243,000 newly confirmed infections every day. Arizona, California, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, and South Carolina are averaging the most daily new cases per person.
  • The U.S. has recorded more than 100,000 COVID-19 hospitalizations for 40 days in a row. There are currently 129,223 people hospitalized with COVID-19 across the country, according to the COVID Tracking Project.
  • Sunday marked the 41st consecutive day with more than 1,000 fatalities from COVID-19 reported nationwide. California alone reported more than 3,300 coronavirus deaths in the week that ended Sunday. No state except New York has recorded more than that in a single week.
  • D.C. has been averaging 290 new coronavirus cases a day over the past week, its highest figure for any seven-day stretch of the pandemic. The rest of the Mid-Atlantic region, including Virginia, Maryland and Delaware, is also surging: all three states set weekly case records on Sunday.
  • North Dakota has reported no COVID-19 deaths for three days in a row.
  • Arizona’s top provider of COVID-19 tests, which operates 60 testing locations statewide, said it may have to close locations or start charging people for tests in order to continue operating as the state faces a massive surge in COVID-19 cases.
  • Five new coronavirus vaccination centers opened in New York. Two sites are mass vaccination centers that, starting Monday, will operate 24/7.
  • Florida, Louisiana, New York, and Texas have expanded who is eligible to get a vaccine now, even though many people in the first priority group recommended by the CDC — the nation’s 21 million health care workers and three million residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities — have yet to receive a shot.
  • Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) activated Oregon National Guard members to support vaccination efforts, beginning with the Salem Health vaccination event at the state fairgrounds.
  • Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) on Friday said the state will double the number of vaccine distribution locations available to residents after Mississippi’s vaccination rollout saw a slow start.
  • New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced the expansion of the state's vaccination distribution network to help accelerate the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine to New Yorkers currently eligible under group 1A and begin the vaccination of those eligible under group 1B.
  • Tennessee teachers, school staff, and child care workers must wait for COVID-19 vaccinations until after people age 70 and older receive their shots, state officials said Friday.
  • Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced that the state will make weekly COVID-19 pool testing available to Massachusetts schools within the next month to help bring more students back into the classroom.
  • The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services issued new guidance on school reopening, aiming to offer in-person learning options to all students no later than March 1. Teachers and other school staff began receiving vaccinations across the state today.
  • West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice (R) announced that schools can reopen for in-person learning for eighth grade and below starting on Jan. 19. Grades 9 to 12 will not be doing in-person learning.
  • Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) signed an EO prohibiting price-gouging during the COVID-19 state of emergency, extending a previous order.
  • Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) amended and extended an EO that expands the health care workforce to administer COVID-19 vaccinations in outpatient settings.
  • Useful state data:
    • Use Johns Hopkins University’s COVID-19 U.S. map as a resource for media, policymakers, and communities to view a collection of critical public health data in one online destination and better understand and track the COVID-19 pandemic in populations both large and small across the country. NPR's map can also be used to monitor you state's heat wave.
    • NASHP has developed a COVID-19 State Action Center which serves as a state-level policy dashboard. Governing is also keeping a running tally of coronavirus news and impacts at the intersection of the health and economic crises in the states and localities.
    • This site from the Kaiser Family Foundation provides state-level information on cases/deaths, social distancing measures, health policy actions, and more.
    • This series of maps shows how states are responding to COVID-19.

1/7/2021

  • Out of the cases under investigation detected by U.S. surveillance, there are 21,259,997 total cases and 359,849 deaths. The CDC data closes out the day before reporting.
  • Wednesday marked the deadliest day on record for the U.S., with 3,865 COVID-19 deaths reported – a record death toll for the second consecutive day. On Tuesday, the U.S. tallied 3,775 deaths. The daily death tolls in California, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania also set records.
  • Twelve states hit a record number of COVID-19 hospitalizations on Wednesday: Arizona, California, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia.
  • The average number of daily cases in the U.S. is now the highest it has been since the beginning of the pandemic, up by 21 percent in the last week after it surpassed 216,000 for the first time on Wednesday.
  • Illinois became the fifth state to record its millionth COVID-19 case since the start of the pandemic.
  • California officials are urging residents to limit all non-essential travel to within 120 miles from one’s home and avoid traveling to neighboring states or other countries.
  • Hard Rock Stadium in Miami is opening as Florida’s first state-operated drive-thru vaccination site for frontline health care workers and people ages 65 and older. The first few doses were administered during the site’s “soft launch” on Wednesday, and the location will become fully operational on Friday, offering 1,000 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine daily, free of charge.
  • North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) on Tuesday announced he is deploying the state’s National Guard to provide support to local health providers and increase the pace of vaccinations in the state.
  • Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) said the state is escalating all hospitals to Tier 4 status, the highest level of concern.
  • Gov. Baker also announced the extension of the restrictions on social gatherings and businesses through Jan. 24. Gatherings are limited to 10 people indoors and most businesses, including restaurants, are limited to 25 percent capacity.
  • Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) announced "Healthy Washington – Roadmap to Recovery," a new COVID-19 phased recovery plan. Beginning Monday, each of the state’s eight regions will enter Phase 1, in which indoor social gatherings are prohibited, most businesses are restricted to 25 percent capacity, and restaurants may offer outdoor dining only, with a maximum of six people from two households per table. To move to Phase 2 of the plan, which eases some restrictions, regions must meet four criteria: decreasing trend in two-week rate of COVID-19 cases, decreasing trend in two-week rate of new COVID-19 hospital admissions, a total ICU occupancy of less than 90 percent, and a COVID-19 test positivity rate of less than 10 percent.
  • Newly elected Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) said Tuesday that he plans to rescind the statewide mask mandate put in place by his predecessor once more vulnerable people have been vaccinated and liability protections exist for businesses that make a “good-faith effort” to shield people from the virus.
  • Officials at the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services said they plan to launch a new COVID-19 vaccine registration website in about two weeks and a telephone hotline in roughly 10 days. The system will allow people to register for a vaccine even if they aren’t eligible right away.
  • Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) extended three EO’s related to COVID-19: one related to learning pods, one that temporarily expands health care workforces at hospitals and other inpatient treatment facilities, and one that permits the operation of alternative care sites in response to the pandemic.
  • Delaware Gov. John Carney (D), the Delaware Division of Public Health, and the Delaware Department of Education sent a letter urging Delaware schools to return to hybrid instruction on Monday.
  • The superintendents of seven of California’s largest school districts on Wednesday blasted Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D) new school reopening plan, saying that it fails to address key factors keeping schools closed and does nothing to end the disproportionate impact the coronavirus pandemic is inflicting on low-income communities of color.
  • New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) renewed his call on the federal government to test all travelers from outside the U.S.
  • Kentucky's five former governors and their spouses, spanning five decades of service to the commonwealth, received COVID-19 vaccinations in the Capitol Rotunda to emphasize the bipartisan support for safe and effective vaccines and urge fellow Kentuckians to take the vaccine.

1/4/2021

  • Out of the cases under investigation detected by U.S. surveillance, there are 20,558,489 total cases and 350,664 deaths. The CDC data closes out the day before reporting.
  • In less than eight weeks, the U.S. has jumped from 10 million to over 20 million COVID-19 cases. Today is the third day in a row the U.S. has recorded more than 200,000 new confirmed infections.
  • New York has become the fourth state to record one million total COVID-19 cases. California has the highest total of any state by far with more than 2.4 million cases, followed by Texas's 1.8 million, and Florida's 1.3 million.
  • A record-breaking 125,544 Americans are currently hospitalized with COVID-19, with six states –Alabama, California, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas – reporting record hospitalizations on Jan. 3.
  • California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington’s Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup completed its review of the federal process and has concluded the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is safe and efficacious for use in the Western States.
  • Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts (R) announced updates to the state’s vaccine dashboard, which provides daily updates to the number of COVID-19 vaccinations distributed and administered across the state. Hospitalizations across the state have continued to decline in recent weeks since a peak in November, with 36 percent of hospital and ICU beds currently available.
  • New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) on Monday said hospitals in the state will now face fines of up to $100,000 and potentially lose the opportunity to distribute coronavirus vaccines if they do not step up the pace of inoculations. Approximately 300,000 people across the state have received their first dose of the vaccine thus far.
  • Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Monday warned that Florida hospitals may have future supplies of coronavirus vaccine reduced if they do not administer doses quickly enough. Long lines have formed when some county health departments in the state opened vaccination sites on a first-come, first-serve basis, and appointment hotlines and websites have been overwhelmed with demand – the Florida Department of Health’s own website crashed on Monday. So far, about 80 percent of Florida’s vaccine doses have been distributed to hospitals across the state.
  • Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) signed an EO that authorizes out-of-state pharmacists to administer vaccines in Minnesota during the COVID-19 Peacetime Emergency.
  • Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) announced that he has directed the Connecticut Department of Public Health to add Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine to the state's ongoing vaccination program following a recommendation from the governor's COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Group's Science Subcommittee that it be authorized in the state.
  • Gov. Lamont also signed an EO authorizing the continued temporary suspension of requirements for licensure, certification, or registration of out-of-state health care providers.
  • New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) announced New Mexicans may now order free, at-home, self-administered COVID-19 saliva tests, with accurate laboratory-confirmed results returned within 24 to 48 hours of receipt of the sample. The free tests are available to New Mexico residents regardless of exposure risk.
  • Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) announced the state will make available at-home COVID-19 saliva collection kits to every resident in the state, regardless of COVID-19 symptoms, at no cost.
  • California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced the state has opted into the federal COVID-19 Pharmacy Partnership. At no cost to the state or local government, CVS and Walgreens will administer the Pfizer vaccine to residents and staff in long-term care facilities.
  • Gov. Newsom also released California’s State Safe Schools for All plan, a framework to support schools to continue operating safely in person and to expand the number of schools safely resuming in-person instruction.
  • North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R) announced he will lower the state’s risk level for COVID-19 from high risk (orange) to moderate risk (yellow), increasing capacity limits for restaurants, bars, and social gatherings. Beginning Friday, bars, restaurants, and other food service businesses will be allowed to operate at 65 percent capacity, rather than 50 percent, and banquet, ballroom, and event venues, which have been limited to 25 percent capacity, will be allowed to operate at 50 percent capacity. A statewide mask mandate will remain in effect until Jan. 18. North Dakota’s 14-day rolling average positivity rate has decreased from 16 to 4.4 percent since Nov. 17.
  • Several governors extended COVID-19 emergency declarations. Delaware Gov. John Carney (D) formally extended a state of emergency declaration another 30 days to confront community spread of COVID-19; New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) extended the state's public health emergency for 30 days; and Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) extended a state of civil emergency declaration through Jan. 20.
  • Gov. Murphy also signed an EO postponing New Jersey’s upcoming February fire district elections, March special school elections, and all other special elections for filling vacancies to Apr. 20.
  • Gov. Mills also announced the extension of a statewide order for certain businesses to close by 9 PM.
  • Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) extended his modified Phase Two order, which includes a statewide mask mandate, through Jan. 13.
  • Several states issued extensions to bans on evictions. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D), Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D), North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D), Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D), and Gov. Lamont all signed EOs on eviction moratoriums.
  • Gov. Inslee announced a one-week extension of his "Stay Safe–Stay Healthy" proclamation, which will now expire on Jan. 11, and issued a 14-day quarantine requirement for anyone returning to the state from the U.K., South Africa, and other countries where a new coronavirus variant has been identified.
  • Gov. Inslee also updated a proclamation and guidance for houses of worship, weddings, and funerals. Currently, houses of worship are permitted to hold indoor services with up to 25 percent room capacity or 200 people, whichever is fewer. The 200-person attendance cap, previously a requirement, is now a recommendation in response to recent court rulings.
  • Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R), New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R), Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo (D), Vermont Gov. Phil Scott (R), and Govs. Murphy, Lamont, and Mills announced an extension of the suspension of interstate youth hockey competitions for public and private schools and youth hockey leagues through at least Jan. 31.
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