News of the Month — January 2021
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An NUHW member in Humboldt County was quoted in this Associated Press story about virus hesitancy, explaining why she chose to get vaccinated.
On his first day in office, President Joe Biden signed more than a dozen executive actions, some of which reverse decisions made by his predecessor, former President Donald Trump. Several executive actions will make changes to the U.S. response to COVID-19 and try to ease some of the financial strain on Americans resulting from the pandemic. Other executive actions directly target and undo Mr. Trump’s actions on the environment, immigration, the U.S. census, and regulatory changes.
The LA Times reported that the COVID-19 vaccine has been slow to reach residents of nursing homes in California.
Federal health officials have warned that a far more contagious variant of the coronavirus first identified in Britain could become the dominant source of infection in the United States by March, and would likely lead to a wrenching surge in cases and deaths that would further burden overwhelmed hospitals.
Latino residents in L.A. County are dying at an astonishing eight times the rate they once did — from 3½ daily deaths per 100,000 in early November to 28 deaths a day now for every 100,000. The death rate among Black residents soared from less than 1 daily death per 100,000 to more than 15 deaths a day per 100,000.
The COVID-19 pandemic is worsening the child mental health crisis in the United States.