COVID-19-vaccine

If you’re interested in sharing your opinion on any cultural, political or personal topic, create an account here and check out our how-to post to learn more.____2020 was a year like no other. The novel coronavirus ushered us into a global state of unprecedented emergency. Businesses were shut down, the economy was crushed and health was at the forefront of our minds — this being a first for many. For communities of color, the impact of COVID-19 was magnified. In addition to its disproportionate impact on Black Americans, the darkness of the pandemic brought light to health inequalities that have long been an issue in America.Now, as the emergence of COVID-19 vaccines shed light at the end of the tunnel for some, it presents another hurdle for others, namely those of diverse populations. Race is one of many factors that play a significant role in a person’s likelihood to get vaccinated for COVID-19, but for Black Americans, that impact is greater. The long-standing mistrust in health care by Black communities is one of many factors that continues to fuel the significant hesitancy Black Americans have toward the vaccine, with just 42% of Black Americans inclined to get the vaccine as of November, compared to 60% of the general population.Institutional mistrust, fostered by a history of medical experimentation and unequal access to care, has manifested deep within communities of color, and a change is long overdue. Bridging that divide is critical to Black, Hispanic and Indigenous communities receiving the COVID-19 vaccination, and the task falls on us – it’s the responsibility of health care systems like my own, AdventHealth. It’s the duty of leaders across multiple industries to commit to building trust within these communities, rather than simply pushing the message of the vaccine’s importance.As physicians, we must combat vaccine hesitancy in Black Americans by providing access, action and information. Cementing a foundation of trust by sharing information with the groups that have been hit the hardest is vital. The broader medical and scientific community still has some work to do in this space. A big part of that requires listening from a place of humility — understanding the misdeeds of the past still echo today, accepting responsibility for that history and taking the concerns of minority communities seriously.As a leading health care system with hospitals across nine states, AdventHealth strives to take action, backed by research, and lead by example. We recently conducted a survey to gauge consumers’ perceptions on COVID-19 vaccine readiness. As of January 25, 2021, 109,000 consumers, segmented by age, sex and region, had responded. Of those 109,000 responses, about 66,000 responses were analyzed based on race and diversity. 39% of Black survey participants reported a positive likelihood of getting the vaccine, compared to 62% likelihood for white participants. Women are also more hesitant to get the vaccine than men across all respondents.While the data is important, what we do with that data is even more important — how we leverage this research in a thoughtful manner to address the issue at-hand. From conducting this survey to proactive hiring efforts to a unique focus on addressing racial disparities, AdventHealth is using its resources to sharpen its focus in these important areas.As Black physicians, we must act as trust messengers to our patients and communities. We need Black leaders leading by example — encouraging participation in research, receiving and administering the vaccine, helping to push for accessible, equitable distribution. We must share our own stories so we can lead the narrative and offer a voice the Black community trusts. Our health systems, organizations and more must join in to help amplify our voices to make that institutional level change.More than 12 million COVID-19 vaccinations have been administered across the country, and while hope seems to be at arm’s length, our society is finally beginning to understand we will fail to control the current pandemic if issues of inequity are not thoughtfully addressed.“How do we reckon with the past while ensuring that these new vaccinations are safely distributed in a way with outreach that is intersectional and inclusive?”A problem of this magnitude that has lasted for generations will not be solved overnight, but opening and maintaining that dialogue is one step in the right direction.Progress is impossible without change. Change is what makes us grow — as an industry, as a society and as a nation.____Alric Simmonds, MD is the Chief Health Equity Officer, Chief Medical Officer and General Surgeon at...

If you’re interested in sharing your opinion on any cultural, political or personal topic, create an account here and check out our how-to post to learn more.____After millions contracted the coronavirus, trillions of dollars spent, and months in a cycle of lockdowns and loosenings, multiple COVID-19 vaccines have been developed. The vaccines will help end a global pandemic, which has left more than 400,000 Americans dead, and return the world to some semblance of normalcy — but only if people take them.While COVID-19 has hit America hard, it has been particularly harsh on the Black community. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black Americans have case rates 1.4 times higher than white Americans. After contracting COVID, Black Americans are hospitalized at a rate 3.7 times higher and die at a rate 2.8 times higher than that of white Americans. Black Americans are obviously disproportionately affected by COVID-19, and they are least likely to take a vaccine.A study by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and Langer Research Associates found that only 18% of Black Americans trust the effectiveness of the vaccines and only 14% believe they are safe.If traditional vaccines work by exposing individuals to a weakened version of the virus, then many Black Americans have already been vaccinated. Not against COVID-19, but against public health messaging and recommendations.In America, Black people receive second-class health care, coupled with an insurance and payment system that limits access to the weakened health-care systems in the first instance. These flawed systems have led to, for example, higher maternal mortality rates amongst Black women and misguided beliefs that Black people experience pain differently. Worst of all, Black Americans have also been subjected to horrific experiments conducted by the United States government. The most infamous event is the Tuskegee experiment in which, from 1932 until 1972, the federal government led 399 Black men to believe that they were receiving treatment for Syphilis, but actually denied them treatment in order to observe the effects of untreated Syphilis.So when medical experts say “most people need to take the vaccine,” it often falls on deaf (or immune) ears within the Black community. The onus is on the government and medical professionals to course-correct. Structural racism has been intentionally built into the American health system over generations. The same intention must be used to dismantle the system and make it more accessible, equitable and to increase the quality of care for Black Americans.There are four short-term steps that could help increase the number of Black Americans willing to take the vaccine.First, there needs to be a well-developed public information campaign. There has been a shockingly small amount of information circulated about the vaccines. Commercials, social media ads and physical flyers with information should be disseminated. Additionally, those distributing the shots should be capable and willing to answer questions.Second, celebrities and influencers need to be engaged and mobilized, similarly to the way celebrities are enlisted to drum up support for important elections. While mega-stars like Beyoncé and Jay-Z should be involved, local influencers like pastors and community leaders may ultimately prove to be more persuasive among Black constituents.Third, incentives (including monetary incentives) should be provided to those who are very hesitant about taking a vaccine. Many are likely to oppose this idea. However, paying people to stop a pandemic that has cost trillions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of lives is a good investment. A vaccine does no good if the people most at risk do not take it.Lastly, Black Americans (like everyone) must do their own research and evaluate the vaccines, using credible sources like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization and the European Medicines Agency.Even though vaccines are currently in short supply, steps need to be taken now to boost confidence in them. Neither vaccine authorized for emergency use has a long shelf-life. So when they are available in mass, people need to be willing to take them.Trillions of dollars have been spent to develop COVID-19 vaccines and provide relief to people and businesses suffering from its effects. Although large swathes of Black Americans are “vaccinated" against public health messaging, it’s time to test the effectiveness of that vaccine. While every American, Black or otherwise, will not get the vaccine, it’s important that the same amount of effort put into developing the vaccine is put into its distribution and...

If you’re interested in sharing your opinion on any cultural, political or personal topic, create an account here and check out our how-to post to learn more.____Now that about 41.4 million vaccinations have been distributed in the U.S. and the Biden administration is working to put their seven-point plan to combat COVID-19 into action, state and local governments nationwide face a new challenge — ensuring that enough people participate in the vaccinations to create the universally desired state of herd immunity. Officials face another uphill battle against the disease with the notion of herd immunity, because they have failed, yet again, to invest in an apolitical, non-commercial communications effort to educate everyday people with factual information that could aid with voluntary vaccine acceptance.The previous administration missed the opportunity to get ahead of vaccination fears and dispel misinformation. 21% of adults in the United States say they’re “pretty certain they will not get a COVID-19 vaccine and that more information will not change their minds. Public Health agencies can no longer neglect the obligation to arm the public with reliable sources of accessible and relatable information about the vaccine.  Vaccination reluctance and coercion in the United States both have histories rooted in lack of information and distrust. Suspicions around the COVID-19 vaccinations are on the rise as anti-vaxxers engage large numbers of unsure individuals. Historically, the flu vaccination has been met with similar trepidation. During the 2017–2018 flu season, the CDC noted a steep decline in inoculations, with only 37.1% of adults aged 18-49 vaccinated — a 6.2% drop from the previous year. Last year, studies found that about 1 in 15 U.S. parents (6.1%) are hesitant about routine childhood vaccines, and more than 1 in 4 (26%) are unsure about flu vaccines. Many children in the U.S. only receive vaccination because it is compulsory for school attendance.According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the percentage of people who need to be immune in order to achieve herd immunity varies with each disease. For example, herd immunity against measles requires about 95% of a population to be vaccinated, while for polio, the threshold is about 80%. Experts are unsure of the percentage needed for herd immunity for COVID-19, but assuming even a more modest 70%, we are headed for disaster.At PCI Media, we have made it our mission to develop campaigns that educate and have a positive impact on individual behavior when it comes to a health crisis. Our campaigns make change because they lead with the power of authentic storytelling and engagement that educates and informs our target audiences about health emergencies and how their individual and collective actions can create the greatest degree of resilience. In response to the 2014 West African Ebola outbreak, we acted swiftly and created the #ISurvived campaign using real stories to spread health messages and combat stigma around the virus. The campaign saw a 15% increase in prevention behaviors, an 18% increase in knowledge about Ebola and 22% of people changed their attitude about Ebola and survivors. The kind of work we and other agencies do is needed now more than ever.Data analysis from the social listening firm CulturIntel suggests that positive sentiment toward the COVID-19 has declined from 62% in August 2020 to a paltry 57% in late December. If these trends continue, the COVID-19 crisis will be prolonged and will continue to steal American lives and livelihoods.The science of COVID-19 is new and dynamic, the information individuals need to make decisions best for them must be customized, and the reservations and fears people have about a vaccine developed in record time are real. This is a problem that cannot be fixed by a few influencer videos. Nor, frankly, can politicized government agencies or profit-driven media outlets be trusted with this task. So, where do we go from here?The marathon ahead calls for a collective effort of releasing trustworthy and accurate information about vaccine results in real-time; responses that provide answers for “what have been the side effects, pros and cons?” and more. Answers that reassure communities and individuals when going through the process of deciding whether or not they will take the vaccine.____Meesha Brown is the President of PCI Media...

Medical experts are refuting statements from conspiracy theorists linking baseball legend Hank Aaron's death to the COVID-19 vaccine. The Hall of Famer, who died at the age of 86 on Friday, tweeted about the vaccine earlier this month."I was proud to get the COVID-19 vaccine earlier today at Morehouse School of Medicine," he wrote on Twitter on Jan. 5. "I hope you do the same!"I was proud to get the COVID-19 vaccine earlier today at Morehouse School of Medicine. I hope you do the same! https://t.co/RAlkmkCRra— Hank Aaron (@HenryLouisAaron) January 5,...

An affluent couple from Vancouver, Canada, has been charged after allegedly being dishonest about their eligibility to receive early access COVID-19 vaccinations designated for a Yukon community of Indigenous people. Last week, wealthy casino businessman Rodney Baker, 55, and his 32-year-old wife Ekaterina Baker, an actress, flew into Whitehorse, Yukon, and chartered a private plane to a nearby White River First Nation community of 100 people, The Washington Post reported. Once they arrived in the community, the couple allegedly misled medical professionals working in a mobile vaccination clinic, saying that they were employees of the local motel. After they received the shots they flew back to Whitehorse, but not before they drew the suspicion of some of the community members, who voiced their concerns to Yukon officials. Investigators eventually discovered the couple when they arrived in the Whitehouse airport, just before they were supposed to board a flight to their luxury condo in Vancouver, Vice reported. The Bakers each received two charges in accordance with Yukon's Civil Emergency Measures Act for not self-isolating and following the travel moratorium. They also face fines totaling about $900 for violating COVID-19 guidelines, per The Post. Not only:will they be fined 1050 dollars each.We'll also make them famous, bad-famous:Rodney and Ekaterina Baker pic.twitter.com/TSbqpfXtz0— Sandra Marcok (@skandhala) January 25, 2021 The White River First Nation released a statement to The Washington Post saying that the relatively meager penalties would be “essentially meaningless” for people as wealthy as the Bakers. “It’s clear to me that because we are a predominantly Indigenous community, that they assumed we were naive,” White River Chief Angela Demit said. Demit expressed being “deeply concerned by the actions of individuals who put our elders and vulnerable people at risk to jump the line for selfish purposes.” She shared that the First Nation community was chosen for priority vaccinations because of its large number of elderly people and limited healthcare resources. On Sunday, Rodney resigned as CEO of the Great Canadian Gaming Corporation, The Post reported. The 55-year-old earned $10.6 million in salary and compensation in 2019 from his former role. Ekaterina, an actress with minor roles in Fatman and Chickfight, was posting about the importance of social distancing and “staying home” to protect others on Instagram before the trip, but the account has since been deleted, Vice reported.  “I can’t believe I’ve ever seen or heard of such a despicable, disgusting sense of entitlement and lack of a moral compass,” Mike Farnworth, the British Columbia solicitor general, told The Vancouver Sun. White River leaders said the penalties weren’t nearly heavy enough considering the seriousness and potential medical implications of the incident. Janet Vander Meer, the head of the White River First Nation’s coronavirus response team, suggested that the couple should be held penalized in a way that will make others think twice about taking advantage of the same loophole, per The Post. On Monday, she released a statement calling the incident “another example of ongoing acts of oppression against Indigenous communities by wealthy individuals that thought they would get away with it,” and made the point that the couple’s actions could have put vulnerable elders living in the community at...

Ana Santos Rutschman, Saint Louis University____Editor’s note: The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the federal agency in charge of enforcing laws prohibiting discrimination in the workplace, on Dec. 16 said that employers can require employees to get vaccinated before entering the workplace. Now that two COVID-19 vaccines have received emergency use authorization in the U.S., some people are concerned they could be fired if they don’t want to take the vaccine. We asked legal scholar Ana Santos Rutschman, who teaches a course on vaccine law at Saint Louis University, to explain the decision and the rights employees and employers...

If you’re interested in sharing your opinion on any cultural, political or personal topic, create an account here and check out our how-to post to learn more.____Saferia Johnson, a mother of two young children, should still be alive. She contracted COVID-19 in federal prison, long after medical experts warned that jails, prisons and immigration detention centers would be tinderboxes for the virus. As a result of government neglect, more than 250,000 incarcerated people have contracted COVID-19. Johnson, and more than 1,600 others, have died.Medical experts agree that incarcerated people should be prioritized for vaccines because they live in crowded quarters with no ability to social distance and have limited access to masks and hygiene products. Immunizing incarcerated people is not only a moral imperative, it's a practical necessity to stop the spread of COVID-19 in facilities and communities.Staff, who cycle in and out of facilities each day, continue to bring COVID-19 into environments where people are powerless to protect themselves. Transmission works both ways. When outbreaks occur, staff spread the virus to their families and communities. One recent study found that 16% of COVID-19 cases in Chicago could be traced back to infections at the Cook County Jail.Yet only a handful of states have included incarcerated people in plans for priority vaccine distribution. Documents suggest that the Federal Bureau of Prisons system plans to give initial  vaccines to its staff, but not to incarcerated people, who are more vulnerable. This plan is unscientific — as well as cruel. Being accused or convicted of a criminal offense does not make a person disposable or less worthy of humane treatment.The Vera Institute of Justice has documented the experiences of people who are enduring the pandemic from inside prisons, where the COVID-19 mortality rate is at least twice as high as in the general population. They speak of fear, neglect and powerlessness. Johnson’s friend, Chalana McFarland, recalled sharing a bar of soap with 135 women in the federal correctional facility where they were incarcerated. McFarland was among the lucky few who received medical release. COVID-19 struck the prison soon after. McFarland was devastated to learn her friend, who had been serving a 40-month sentence for tax fraud, had died.“I don’t know what country in the world that tax fraud should turn into a death sentence,” McFarland said. “It sure shouldn’t be this one.”McFarland suffers from survivors’ guilt, but national leaders are responsible for allowing the crisis of COVID-19 in jails, prisons and immigration detention centers to rage largely unchecked.Now is the time to prevent further suffering. Government officials should follow the guidance of the American Medical Association and the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine and prioritize incarcerated people and people who work in carceral settings for COVID-19 vaccines.Above all, the United States needs to stop incarcerating so many people in the first place. When the pandemic struck, the United States had 2.3 million people confined in unsafe conditions, a greater percentage of its population than any other country. We can keep people out of jail and allow people to return to their communities from prison by taking two steps: End cash bail. More than two-thirds of the 700,000 people in our nation’s jails are being held not because they have committed a crime, but because they are too poor to purchase their freedom through bail. Cash bail is unjust during normal times. During a pandemic, people are dying in jail as they await trial for minor offenses. Release vulnerable people. People who are especially vulnerable to COVID-19, including pregnant women, the elderly and people with pre-existing medical conditions, should be freed from incarceration through discretionary release or medical furloughs. People who are close to the ends of their sentences for minor crimes should also be released on humanitarian grounds.Although Saferia Johnson had asthma and diabetes, her application for compassionate release from prison was denied. When she died at 36, her mother told her sons, ages four and seven,  that their mother was needed in heaven. This tragedy was preventable. Federal, state and local officials need to act quickly and in accordance with science to keep the COVID-19 death toll behind bars and in our communities from rising ever higher.____Nick Turner is the Vera Institute of Justice's fifth president and director. Under his leadership, Vera is pursuing core priorities of ending the misuse of jails, transforming conditions of confinement and ensuring that justice systems more effectively serve America's growing minority...

A Black nurse in Queens, New York, is the first U.S. citizen to get the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine according to The New York Times.Jewish Medical Center ICU nurse Sandra Lindsay received the dose on Monday. She was inoculated by Dr. Michelle Chester, who is also Black, according to ABC News."I want to instill public confidence that the vaccine is safe. We are in a pandemic and so we all need to do our part to put an end to the pandemic and to not give up so soon," Lindsay said. "There is light at the end of the tunnel but we still need to continue to wear our mask, to social distance."BREAKING: Critical care nurse in New York is among first in US to receive a coronavirus vaccine: "We all need to do our parts to put an end to the pandemic." pic.twitter.com/kGUI8o9h63— NBC News (@NBCNews) December 14, 2020Lindsay, who has been working at the Queens hospital since the beginning of the pandemic, begged Black people to trust science over any conspiracy theories they may see on YouTube or WhatsApp."I believe in science as a nurse. my practice is guided by science and so I trust science," Lindsay said after being inoculated. "What I don't trust is that if I contract COVID, I don't know how it will impact me or those who I come in contact with. So I encourage everyone to take the vaccine.""I would like to thank all of the frontline workers, all my colleagues who have been doing a yeoman's job to fight this pandemic all over the world. I am hopeful today, relieved. I hope this marks the beginning of the end of a very painful time in our history," she continued.The vaccine will first be distributed to healthcare workers and staff members and residents of nursing homes, however, White House employees will also be among the first to receive the inoculation, according to The New York Times. The newspaper reported that Pfizer has doses for 170,000 people available, and another 346,000 doses from the drugmaker Moderna are on the way. The U.S. struck a deal with Pfizer for an additional 100 million doses of the vaccine to be distributed sometime in March. The doses will be administered to the general public at no cost, according to the agreement.For months, doctors have sought to dispel unfounded conspiracy theories running rampant throughout the Black community that the COVID-19 vaccine was not safe. There have been dozens of op-eds and interviews from scientists trying their best to convince Black people that it was safe, and necessary, to take the vaccine. As Blavity previously reported, infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci attended a National Urban League event and reminded the audience that a Black woman played a pivotal role in developing the vaccine. The National Institute of Health immunologist Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett led a team of scientists in developing the vaccine that is being released by pharmaceutical company Moderna. "So, the first thing you might want to say to my African American brothers and sisters is that the vaccine that you're going to be taking was developed by an African American woman. And that is just a fact," Fauci said. "The very vaccine that’s one of the two that has absolutely exquisite levels — 94 to 95 percent efficacy against clinical disease and almost 100 percent efficacy against serious disease that are shown to be clearly safe — that vaccine was actually developed in my institute’s vaccine research center by a team of scientists led by Dr. Barney Graham and his close colleague, Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett, or Kizzy Corbett,” Fauci added.In her own interviews, Corbett has said she understands why so many Black people are not interested in taking the vaccine due to the long history of racism in U.S. healthcare and dozens of instances throughout history where Black communities were tested against their will. Many celebrities have caused controversy by spreading the idea that the vaccine is not safe in recent days. Hip-hop legend Pete Rock and actress Letitia Wright both made waves in recent weeks by either questioning the point of the vaccine or spreading conspiracy theories about its contents. The Joe Budden Podcast faced backlash online after their most recent episode featured an extended segment where they bashed one of the hosts for saying he would take the vaccine. Corbett said questioning the vaccine is not a bad thing and acknowledged the long list of valid reasons Black people have for not trusting doctors. In interviews, she has said it will take even more work from Black doctors and scientists to convince people that the vaccine is not only safe but vital for saving lives within the Black community, which is suffering from a disproportionate amount of deaths related to the virus. "I would say to people who are vaccine-hesitant that you've earned the right to ask the questions that you have around these vaccines and this vaccine development process," Corbett said, according to CNN."What I say to people firstly is that I empathize, and then secondly is that I’m going to do my part in laying those bricks. And I think that if everyone on our side, as physicians and scientists, went about it that way, then the trust would start to be rebuilt,” Corbett said, according to The Hill.While much of the world is starting to open back up, the United States is now facing an even worse outbreak than ever before, setting records for COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations and deaths last week due in part to months of internal fighting over mask mandates and lockdowns, according to CNBC.According to the COVID Tracking Project, 232,000 people tested positive for COVID-19, and 2,749 people died from the virus on Friday alone. There are nearly 110,000 people being hospitalized for COVID-19 infections and experts like Fauci say the numbers are sure to spike as people gather for the Christmas holiday.  The U.S. is now averaging 2,427 deaths per day. That's 300 deaths more per day than at the peak of the spring wave. pic.twitter.com/W8le35gaPr— The COVID Tracking Project (@COVID19Tracking) December 14, 2020Despite the troubling increase in deaths, infections and hospitalizations, surveys have shown that the vast majority of Black people do not trust the vaccine and do not plan to take it, even with hundreds of news stories and studies showing that Black and Latinx people are more likely to die from COVID-19 than other races. So far, one in 1,000 Black Americans has died from COVID-19 while one in 2,100 whites had died, according to...

Actress Letitia Wright has been receiving heat on social media after she tweeted a link to a YouTube video that contained misinformation about COVID-19 vaccinations in development.On Thursday, Wright posted a 69-minute video from the YouTube channel On The Table that includes speaking points from Light London Church leader Tomi Arayomi, according to Variety. The channel is known for Arayomi questioning the legitimacy of topics like COVID-19 vaccinations, climate change and China’s involvement in the creation of the pandemic.Variety reported that Wright's tweet has since been removed. YouTube has also banned the video for violating its terms of service policy.According to Buzzfeed, the video starts with Arayomi admitting, "I don't understand vaccines medically, but I've always been a little bit of a skeptic of them."“These are the dangers of the world we’re entering into today, where if you say a thing enough times people will actually believe it’s true,” he later adds.Fans of the Black Panther star took to social media to warn the 27-year-old about the dangers of spreading misinformation and sharing a video that also contains transphobic...

The race for a COVID-19 vaccine is coming to a head as multiple companies are in the middle of trials to test it out on humans. Pfizer, Moderna and other pharmaceutical companies are nearing the final stages of the vaccine process, and some states have already gotten in line for the first doses.MSNBC spoke with 16-year-old Melanie, who is participating in the trials for the Pfizer vaccine with her parents. "I knew that I was doing it for a good cause and its important that people of color and people of my age group are represented in the trial," she told MSNBC's Katy Tur.  "Both my parents did the trial as well and I did it about a month later. My mom asked me and I thought I was called to do it. With the U.S. surpassing 200,000 deaths, its hard as a teenager to watch. So it was really important to participate," Melanie said. She explained that one of the biggest misconceptions people have is that you can get the coronavirus from the vaccine, which is not true. "Its not possible to get COVID from the vaccine whatsoever. I did my first dose a couple weeks ago and I have a second one in mid December. Nothing other than a sore arm like after a flu shot. No fatigue, no headache," she said. "I'm proud to know that I'm a part of the change. And its really important for the people on the front lines. Quality of education is being affected and mental health is too, especially in my age group. Its really hard seeing people my age affected. Its giving Americans that glimpse of hope that we need and I'm glad to be a part of that," she added.The world has been battling COVID-19 for nearly an entire year, but unfortunately the pandemic has only worsened as time has passed.The United States set multiple records for COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations and deaths in November, and experts are concerned that numbers will skyrocket after the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. The cases that came in November alone represent a third of all the cases the country has ever had since the beginning of the pandemic, according to CNN. States reported 36,900 deaths in November, about 51 an hour, and a daily average of 1,231 COVID-19 deaths. Experts told CNN that the country will most likely hit 4,000 deaths per day in a few days. Wednesday was particularly devastating, with 2,733 dying from COVID-19 and a record of nearly 200,000 new cases. For the first time, the country has more than 100,000 people in the hospital because of the coronavirus, according to The COVID Tracking Project. Our daily update is published. States reported 1.4 million tests, 196k cases, and 2,733 deaths. There are 100,226 people currently hospitalized with COVID-19 in the US —the first time hospitalizations have exceeded 100k. pic.twitter.com/8QSKujBGao— The COVID Tracking Project (@COVID19Tracking) December 3, 2020On Wednesday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said Pfizer will be sending the state doses for 170,000 people by December 15.Gothamist reported that Cuomo said the Trump administration believes vaccine makers will have enough doses for 20 million people by the end of the month. The CDC has said that healthcare workers and nursing homes will be prioritized for the first doses. Teachers, firefighters and police officers will get the next round of vaccines, according to state guidelines. "This is going to be the largest governmental operation not just through COVID, this is going to be the largest governmental operation since World War II, in my opinion," Cuomo said. "To give you an idea of how massive this is... this nation has done about 130 million COVID tests since day one of COVID. We need to do 330 million vaccines twice. How long does that take?""This state, more testing than any state in the United States, we've done just about the population of the state doing everything we could. And that's taken us nine months to do a COVID test, and very few people refuse a COVID test, it's not a frightening test, it's a nasal swab. Now you're asking a person to take two vaccines, which is [a] more elaborate medical process, and they're distrusting about vaccine going in. So this is going to be an incredibly challenging period to undertake both of these at the same time," Cuomo...