The Johns Hopkins COVID Dashboard for Saturday, December 19, at 5:29 a.m.:

Worldwide cases:  75,841,837       Worldwide deaths:   1,678,339

U.S. cases: 17,485,578     U.S. deaths: 313,984

According to the Dashboard, the reported worldwide case report increased by 686,714  in the last 24 hours.  Deaths worldwide increased by 12,365.

According to the Johns Hopkins Dashboard, the United States has added 252,556  cases in the last 24 hours.  Since last Saturday, just one week ago, the U.S. case count has increased by more than 1.6 million.

In the last day, the number of people who have died in the U.S. from  COVID-19 increased by 2,974.

Hospitalizations of people with severe cases of COVID-19 around the country have been growing at a steady rate.  The COVID Tracking Project reports that 114,751 people were hospitalized nationwide with COVID-19 as of yesterday.  Hospitalization rates on the mainland have been increasing at an alarming rate, with some hospitals getting close to being overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients.    Health officials say that as hospitalization rates go up, deaths will continue to also increase.  Health officials in the U.S. note that what’s happening now with the increase is the result of gatherings around the Thanksgiving holiday.

The FDA has now approved two COVID-19 vaccines, made by Pfizer/BioNTech and by Moderna.   A CDC committee is meeting today to discuss the Moderna vaccine request and if it approves, as expected, then CDC Director Robert Redfield will give the final signoff.

The Phase 3 clinical trials for the two vaccines each showed an effective rate of greater than 90%.

Vaccines are being shipped out, including to Hawaii.  But in the last two days there has been confusion around the shipments.  The Federal Government is saying that Pfizer is having production problems that are causing shipping delays.  But Pfizer issued a press release on Thursday, which disputes that, and says, in part:  “Pfizer is not having any production issues with our COVID-19 vaccine, and no shipments containing the vaccine are on hold or delayed. This week, we successfully shipped all 2.9 million doses that we were asked to ship by the U.S. Government to the locations specified by them. We have millions more doses sitting in our warehouse but, as of now, we have not received any shipment instructions for additional doses. ”

Despite having two vaccines available, it will take well into 2021 for everybody who wishes to get vaccinated.  Dr. Anthony Fauci noted yesterday that the known precautions must stay in place–mask wearing, distancing, avoiding gatherings, and washing hands frequently.