This Week in Coronavirus: January 29 to February 4

Here’s our recap of the past week in the coronavirus pandemic from our tracking, policy analysis, polling, and journalism.

The COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor reports on how and where the public is getting its relevant information about the vaccine. There are differences in peoples’ enthusiasm for getting a vaccine based on their sources of vaccine information, with those most hesitant about vaccination being more likely to turn to social media for information. Available through the Vaccine Monitor’s new online dashboard, the analysis examines how vaccine information from cable networks including Fox, MSNBC and CNN, and social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, affect hesitancy by age, race and ethnicity, and location (urban vs. suburban and rural communities).

KFF analysis of February 1 state-reported data on COVID-19 vaccinations, cases, and deaths by race/ethnicity indicate Black and Hispanic people continue to receive smaller shares of vaccinations compared to their shares of cases and deaths and compared to their proportions of the total population.

With the two COVID-19 vaccines authorized for use in the United States both being two-dose series, a new brief examines key issues related to multi-dose vaccination series generally as well as issues specific to COVID-19.

KHN’s coverage of the nation’s vaccination effort continues with a story on the divide between older Americans who have assistance from family and friends and/or have access to digital tools for scheduling vaccine appointments, and those with fewer social and technological resources. KHN is reporting from across the country with stories this week from Austin, Tampa, Philadelphia, rural California, Colorado, Michigan, and Montana.

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

Global Cases and Deaths: Total cases worldwide stand at nearly 105 million this week – with an increase of 3.4 million new confirmed cases in the past seven days. There were approximately 91,500 new confirmed deaths worldwide, bringing the total for confirmed deaths to nearly 2.3 million.

U.S. Cases and Deaths: Total confirmed cases in the U.S. approached 26.7 million this week. There was an increase of about 913,000 confirmed cases between Jan. 28 and Feb. 4. Approximately 22,700 confirmed deaths in the past week brought the total in the United States to 455,900.

State Social Distancing Actions (includes Washington D.C.) that went into effect this week:

Extensions: CO, GA, ID, NM, WI

Rollbacks: IL, ID, NE, NJ, RI, WA

The latest KFF COVID-19 resources:

• Latest Data on COVID-19 Vaccinations Race/Ethnicity (News Release, Issue Brief)
• KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor: January 2021 – Recent Sources of Information (News Release, Report)
• What Does a Multi-Dose Series Mean for the COVID-19 Vaccination Effort? (Issue Brief)
• Updated: COVID-19 Coronavirus Tracker – Updated as of February 5 (Interactive)
• Updated: State Data and Policy Actions to Address Coronavirus (Interactive)
• Updated: Medicaid Emergency Authority Tracker: Approved State Actions to Address COVID-19 (Issue Brief)

The latest KHN COVID-19 stories:

• Older Adults Without Family or Friends Lag in Race to Get Vaccines (KHN, CNN)
• Head-Scratching Over Newsom’s Choice of Blue Shield to Lead Vaccination Push (KHN, Chico ER)
• 100 Million Covid Shots in 100 Days Doesn’t Get Us Back to Normal (KHN, PolitiFact)
• With Demand Far Exceeding Supply, It Matters That People Are Jumping the Vaccine Line (KHN, New York Times)
• In Austin, Some Try to Address Vaccine Inequity, but a Broad Plan Is Elusive (KHN)
• Dispelling Vaccine Misinformation and Myths in California’s Breadbasket (KHN, Spanish Version, Radio Biligue)
• Long-Haul Covid Cases Cast New Light on Chronic Fatigue Sufferers (KHN, San Diego Tribune)
• When Your Chance for a Covid Shot Comes, Don’t Worry About the Numbers (KHN)
• A Recipe for Trouble? Reversal of California Outdoor Dining Ban Has Heads Spinning (KHN)
• Lost on the Frontline: New this week (KHN, The Guardian)
• In Philadelphia, a Scandal Erupts Over Vaccination Startup Led by 22-Year-Old (KHN, NPR)
• How a Bounty of Vaccines Flooded a Small Hospital and Its Nearby College (KHN, Daily Beast)
• Tampa’s Mayor vs. a Covid-Era Super Bowl (KHN, USA Today)
• The State of Vaccine Supply: ‘Opaque.’ Unpredictable. ‘Hard to Pin Down.’ (KHN, Politifact)
• ‘Cruel’ Digital Race For Vaccines Leaves Many Seniors Behind (KHN, NPR)
• Hard Bargain: Biden and Congress Agree on Basic Relief, but Chasms Remain on Covid Plan (KHN)
• California’s Rural Counties Endure a Deadly Covid Winter (KHN)
• California’s Smallest County Makes Big Vaccination Gains (KHN, Los Angeles Times)
• Comparing Death Tolls From Covid to Past Wars Is Fraught (KHN, NPR)
• As Demand for Mental Health Care Spikes, Budget Ax Set to Strike (KHN)
• KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Covid and Kids (KHN)
• Covid-Certified Businesses Try to Woo Leery Patrons (KHN, Fortune)
• Journalists Explore Inefficiency and Inequities of Vaccine Rollout (KHN)