March 3 coronavirus news

By Zamira Rahim, Kareem Khadder, Hannah Strange and Jessie Yeung, CNN

Updated 2:17 AM ET, Thu March 4, 2021
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11:33 a.m. ET, March 3, 2021

Johnson & Johnson says vaccines for children under 18 could be available by September

From CNN’s Amanda Sealy

Johnson & Johnson is likely to have a Covid-19 vaccine available for children under the age of 18 by September, says CEO Alex Gorsky.

“I think it's likely to occur right in that timeline. The good news is, is that the FDA is already working with companies to establish the clear regulatory guidelines, so that the appropriate data can be collected,” Gorsky told David Ignatius during a Washington Post Live event on Wednesday

Gorksy said one benefit of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is that this particular type of vaccine has been used in lower age groups before.

“The AdVac 26 was used extensively among broad age groups, young and old in Africa when we were developing this for other conditions such as Ebola and HIV. So it gives us reasons to be optimistic regarding the safety profile in that in that patient population, but we still have to do the clinical work," he said.

Last week, Johnson & Johnson first announced their plans to study the vaccine in adolescents. Gorsky says it will begin testing in people ages 12 to 18, and it will go down from there.

"We will conduct several immunogenicity and safety studies in children from 17 years of age down to neonates,” Dr. Macaya Douoguih, head of clinical development & medical affairs with J&J’s vaccine arm Janssen, told a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory committee last week.

“We are also anticipating a study in pregnant women in the second and third trimesters toward the end of March, early April," Douoguih said. "We also plan to begin a study in immunocompromised individuals in the third quarter of this year."

Both Pfizer and Moderna are currently trialing their mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccines in children. 

11:47 a.m. ET, March 3, 2021

This US grocery chain will still require masks despite some states lifting mask mandates

From CNN's Konstantin Toropin

A Kroger worker assists a customer at the checkout counter in Versailles, Kentucky, in November 2020.
A Kroger worker assists a customer at the checkout counter in Versailles, Kentucky, in November 2020. Scotty Perry/Bloomberg/Getty Images

The grocery chain Kroger announced it will still require customers to wear masks inside its stores across the country despite the reversal of mask mandates in Texas and Mississippi, a statement said today.

The company, which bills itself as "America's largest grocer" said that it will "continue to require everyone in our stores across the country to wear masks until all our frontline grocery associates can receive the Covid-19 vaccine."

"We also continue to advocate to federal, state and local officials to prioritize frontline grocery workers for the vaccine rollout plan," the company added. 

Kroger offers a $100 one-time payment to employees who get fully vaccinated.

The company has recently also drawn controversy over its practice of closing stores in cities that mandated "hazard pay" for grocery employees working during the pandemic. Kroger announced closures of two stores in Seattle and two in Long Beach, California, after ordinances in both cities required grocery workers to be paid an extra $4 per hour.

10:51 a.m. ET, March 3, 2021

Johnson & Johnson aims to exceed current vaccine target with new Merck partnership

From CNN’s Amanda Sealy

This December 2020 photo provided by Johnson & Johnson shows vials of the Covid-19 vaccine in the United States.
This December 2020 photo provided by Johnson & Johnson shows vials of the Covid-19 vaccine in the United States. Johnson & Johnson/AP

Johnson & Johnson’s goal is to exceed its target of 100 million Covid-19 vaccine doses by the end of June now that it has a new partnership with Merck, says CEO Alex Gorsky. 

“We had previously announced 100 million by June, but in discussions with the government in trying to say, ‘Hey what else could we be doing? How else could we accelerate? Are there other ways that we could partner, even more broadly to not only reinforce that confidence, but to perhaps accelerate it even further?’ And that's when in conversations that we were able to sit down together and, and bring this partnership to fruition,” Gorsky told David Ignatius during a Washington Post Live event, on Wednesday.  

Gorksy said the two companies are working together “as we speak” and that he is confident about being able to accelerate.

“The early signs and the early data transfer and technology transfer has been encouraging. And we're committed to doing everything possible to make net acceleration possible," he said.

Yesterday, President Biden announced the partnership between the two pharmaceutical giants and declared there would be enough vaccine supply for all adult Americans by the end of May.

“We are pleased to collaborate with Merck as part of our global network to manufacture our COVID-19 vaccine. Merck has a long history of vaccine expertise, and we expect this manufacturing arrangement will enhance our production capacity so that we can supply beyond our current commitments,” said a statement from Johnson & Johnson. “Merck is the ninth manufacturer to join our global network and this significant collaboration will further enable us to deliver our COVID-19 vaccine worldwide.”

10:56 a.m. ET, March 3, 2021

Mississippi mayor calls governor's decision to lift mask mandate "reckless and premature"

From CNN's Tina Burnside 

The city of Greenville, Mississippi, will continue to enforce the citywide mask mandate after Gov. Tate Reeves announced on Tuesday that he was lifting the statewide mask mandate. 

"This unseen disease is still alive and well; and, there exist variants of Covid-19 in this country," Errick Simmons said in a news release Wednesday.  

Simmons called the decision to lift mask mandates "premature and reckless." 

"We cannot relax exercising good personal hygiene, social distancing, use of face masks and/or coverings, or let our guards down as we approach Spring Break, Easter, and other holidays," the mayor said. 

In a similar statement on Tuesday, the Mayor of Jackson, Mississippi, Chokwe Antar Lumumba said the mask mandate in the city of Jackson still stands.

“Now is not the time to let our guard down. Healthcare experts continue to advise that we are not yet at a place to remove masks. The continued evidence of Covid-19 variants supports this recommendation. The mask mandate in the City of Jackson and the Sixth Amended Stay Safe Jackson Executive Order remain in full force and effect,” Lumumba said.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott also repealed the mask mandate in his state on Tuesday.

10:47 a.m. ET, March 3, 2021

Netherlands looking into authorizing AstraZeneca vaccine for those over 65

From CNN’s Mick Krever in London

A vial of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine is pictured in Oss, Netherlands, on February 12.
A vial of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine is pictured in Oss, Netherlands, on February 12. Remko de Waal/ANP/AFP/Getty Images

The Netherlands government has asked the Health Council of the Netherlands for advice on administering the AstraZeneca vaccine for Covid-19 to those over age 65.

That vaccine is currently only being used in the Netherlands for those aged 60 to 64, those with Down’s Syndrome, and the “morbidly obese.”

The government has asked the Health Council, an independent scientific advisory body, “to issue an opinion on use of AstraZeneca for those over 65 years old,” Tim Bennebroek, a spokesperson for the Dutch Ministry of Health, Wellness, and Sport told CNN on Wednesday.

10:24 a.m. ET, March 3, 2021

CDC's ensemble forecast now projects up to 564,000 US Covid-19 deaths by March 27

From CNN's Ben Tinker

An ensemble forecast published Wednesday by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now projects there will be 540,000 to 564,000 coronavirus deaths in the United States by March 27.

Unlike some individual models, the CDC’s ensemble forecast only offers projections a few weeks into the future.

The previous ensemble forecast, published Feb. 24, projected up to 548,000 coronavirus deaths by March 20.

At least 516,616 people have died from Covid-19 in the United States, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

10:14 a.m. ET, March 3, 2021

Texas doctor says the nearly 350 straight days he's worked "go down the drain" after mask announcement

From CNN's Adrienne Vogt

Chief of Staff Doctor Joseph Varon looks across the Covid-19 ward at United Memorial Medical Center in Houston, Texas on December 4, 2020. 
Chief of Staff Doctor Joseph Varon looks across the Covid-19 ward at United Memorial Medical Center in Houston, Texas on December 4, 2020.  Mark Felix/AFP/Getty Images

Today marks the 349th straight day of work for Dr. Joseph Varon, chief medical officer at United Memorial Medical Center in Houston, Texas. 

But Varon “saw all those 348 days yesterday go down the drain” after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced the lifting of mask mandates and opening businesses 100% capacity.

Varon said he is very concerned and has met with staff at his hospital to go through different strategies and getting more personal protective equipment.  

“If we open the state on the 10th, I'm telling you, before the end of March, we're going to have problems. And we had a precedent for that. Remember last year when we opened the state at the end of April. My worst months were June and July last year. So unfortunately, this is starting to look like deja vu,” Varon said on CNN’s “New Day.” 

Varon said Abbott’s decision makes no sense and that many Texans may stop wearing their masks. 

As of Monday, 6.57% of Texans have been fully vaccinated, according to Johns Hopkins University.

“Despite being a huge state, we have less than 7% of vaccination. I don't know why he didn't wait until we have more percentage of the population vaccinated before he came with this move,” Varon said. 

Clay Jenkins, Dallas County judge, calls this “a political move on the part of the governor to take the attention off the power grid collapse” after devastating winter storms.  

“I wish he was more imaginative and had a better way to change the conversation than doing something dumb like this,” Jenkins said.

Jenkins added that stores can still refuse service to people who don't wear a mask, and “I think most stores will.” 

Watch:

8:05 a.m. ET, March 3, 2021

Mississippi lifting mask mandates will "sabotage" fight against Covid-19, Jackson mayor says

From CNN's Adrienne Vogt

Jackson, Mississippi, Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba said the governor’s announcement to end all county mask mandates will “sabotage our efforts” to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

“No one celebrates victory in the third quarter. And so, as we have the introduction of another vaccine and as we…ramp up opportunities to have more Americans vaccinated, it makes no sense that we're choosing to sabotage our efforts and put people and lives and businesses in jeopardy,” Lumumba said to CNN’s Alisyn Camerota. 

Lumumba said Gov. Tate Reeves is sending a contradictory message against health experts and that too many people won’t follow local mask mandates.

“He puts Jackson in an extremely dangerous position, because we're not only the capital of the state of Mississippi; we’re the capital of health care,” Lumumba said.

Lumumba said Jackson will continue its mask mandate until health officials say it is safe to lift it.

“That is an effort not only to protect lives, protect families, but to protect businesses, as well,” he said. 

Watch:

8:08 a.m. ET, March 3, 2021

Peru expects to receive 50,000 Pfizer/BioNTech doses today

From CNN’s Claudia Rebaza in London

Peru will receive a batch of 50,000 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine on Wednesday evening, President Francisco Sagasti has announced. 

The vaccines are expected to arrive on a flight landing around 7 p.m.. “We expect to receive similar amounts every week from now on,” he added Tuesday.

Peru’s government has secured 48 million doses to be delivered between now and the end of the year, Sagasti said. 

“There are few vaccines for the huge demand we have around the world. The [different] laboratories are negotiating directly with governments during this first stage when there is a global shortage of vaccines” Sagasti told journalists, referring to calls for local authorities and representatives of the private sector to be allowed to negotiate directly with vaccine producers. 

The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is the second to arrive in the country, after Peru secured 20 million doses. 

Peruvian President Francisco Sagasti receives a dose of the Chinese Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine in Lima, Peru, on February 9.
Peruvian President Francisco Sagasti receives a dose of the Chinese Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine in Lima, Peru, on February 9. Chine Nouvelle/SIPA/Shutterstock

Peru started its vaccination rollout at the beginning of February with one million Sinopharm doses and expects another two million doses of the same vaccine during March. 

The country also expects to receive 1,296,000 Oxford/AstraZeneca doses and 117,000 Pfizer doses through the Covax program between March and May this year. 

Around 300,000 health workers have been vaccinated so far with the doses provided by Sinopharm. Peru was the first country to roll out China’s Sinopharm after participating in the clinical trials. 

A total of 1,338,297 Covid-19 cases were reported by Peru’s Health Ministry on Tuesday evening with 5,358 new cases.

The country has been reporting an average of more than 6,000 new daily cases since the beginning of February and has faced a shortage of oxygen, hospital beds and ICU units during this second wave of the pandemic.