As national U.S. case numbers fall to their lowest point since March 2020, 15 states reported zero COVID-19 deaths yesterday.
The states, including Delaware, Georgia and Minnesota, are politically and geographically diverse, with no-death days reported in the South, Northeast, Midwest, and West coast.
The falling case counts are thanks to vaccinations. Over one-third of the U.S. population is now fully vaccinated, and more than 60 percent of American adults have had at least one dose, White House officials revealed Tuesday.
Nationwide, The U.S. reported 392 deaths on Monday, according to John Hopkins University. The seven-day average is now below 600 new COVID deaths per day for the first time since March 2020.
And cases are declining in all 50 states for the first time since the pandemic began, a historic sign that the end may be in sight.
Minnesota was one of 15 states to report zero new deaths on Monday, despite concern last month that high rates of the UK variant would make it the next hotspot after Michigan
The Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines all work against coronavirus variants – including the more-contagious variant from India now spreading in the U.S.
In 15 states, no deaths were reported at all on Monday. These states are: Alabama, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Vermont, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Minnesota, one of the states that reported zero deaths, recently saw a concerning rise in cases tied to the B.1.1.7 variant which has spread rapidly through both this state and its neighbor, Michigan.
Lower COVID case and death numbers are usually reported on Mondays compared to other days of the week, as many of the healthcare centers and local public health agencies that document COVID numbers do not report numbers over the weekend.
In other words, just because no COVID deaths were reported does not necessarily mean no deaths occurred.
Still, this reporting milestone marks how well vaccines have helped many U.S. communities control their COVID outbreaks.
Six of those 15 states reported an average of less than one COVID death per day for the past week, according to CNN. These states are Hawaii, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, Vermont and Wyoming.
The drop in COVID deaths has followed an even more dramatic drop in cases. The U.S. recorded about 29,000 new cases on Monday, bringing the seven-day average to 32,000.
Despite having one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country, Georgia has seen fewer than 10 deaths a day for about a month, with zero recorded Monday
Delaware has struggled to get its Covid figures under control, but reported zero deaths Monday
Cases have fallen by half from mid-April (when we saw 70,000 cases a day), and are now at a fraction of the numbers seen during the winter surge.
About 27,000 Americans are now in the hospital being treated for COVID – compared to over 120,000 in mid-January – according to the CDC.
These promising numbers may largely be attributed to vaccination. More than one-third of the U.S. population is now fully vaccinated, including 47 percent of adults (over age 18) and 73 percent of seniors (over age 65).
These fully vaccinated Americans are now able to safely go without a mask in many settings, as more and more states follow the CDC’s guidance to remove mask mandates for those who are fully immunized.
Almost one in two Americans – 48 percent – has received at least one dose.
In the week since the Pfizer vaccine was authorized for children ages 12-15, over 600,000 kids in this age group have already received shots, the White House COVID Response Team reported this morning.
The COVID vaccines are protecting the U.S. from another surge even as dangerous variants spread through the country.
B.1.1.7, the super-contagious UK variant, now causes two of every three cases in the U.S., if not more. But the Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines all protect against severe disease and death from this variant.
B.1.617, the variant linked to India’s recent COVID surge, has now been identified in several U.S. states. While it currently represents a tiny fraction of U.S. cases (around 1-3 percent), scientists are worried that it may spread rapidly and outcompete even the UK variant.
Luckily the COVID vaccines work against B.1.617, too.
At the White House COVID press briefing this morning, Dr. Anthony Fauci presented data from recent studies showing that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines prevent infection, severe disease, and death from this new variant.
‘In summary, this is just another example of the scientific data accruing… indicating another very strong reason why we should be getting vaccinated,’ Fauci said.