INDIANAPOLIS — Here are Thursday's latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic, including the latest news on COVID-19 vaccinations and testing in Indiana.
Registrations for the vaccine are now open for Hoosiers 12 and older through the Indiana State Department of Health. This story will be updated over the course of the day with more news on the COVID-19 pandemic.
ISO to require proof of vaccination
The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra will require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test to attend its concerts.
The symphony made the announcement in an email to patrons Thursday.
Attendees will need to prove they've been vaccinated or show a negative PCR test to attend all performances and events at Hilbert Circle Theatre before Nov. 1. After that, only fully vaccinated guests will be allowed to attend.
The mandate does not apply to children under 12, who must be accompanied by an adult who meets the vaccination or COVID-19 testing requirements.
Model: 100K more COVID deaths expected by Dec. 1 without masks, vaccinations
The U.S. is projected to see nearly 100,000 more COVID-19 deaths between now and Dec. 1, according to the nation's most closely watched forecasting model. But health experts say that toll could be cut in half if nearly everyone wore a mask in public spaces.
In other words, what the coronavirus has in store this fall depends on human behavior.
“Behavior is really going to determine if, when and how sustainably the current wave subsides,” said Lauren Ancel Meyers, director of the University of Texas COVID-19 Modeling Consortium. “We cannot stop delta in its tracks, but we can change our behavior overnight.”
That means doubling down again on masks, limiting social gatherings, staying home when sick and getting vaccinated. “Those things are within our control,” Meyers said.
The U.S. is in the grip of a fourth wave of infection this summer, powered by the highly contagious delta variant, which has sent cases, hospitalizations and deaths soaring again, swamped medical centers, burned out nurses and erased months of progress against the virus.
Deaths are running at over 1,100 a day on average, turning the clock back to mid-March. One influential model, from the University of Washington, projects an additional 98,000 Americans will die by the start of December, for an overall death toll of nearly 730,000.
The projection says deaths will rise to nearly 1,400 a day by mid-September, then decline slowly.
State reports 6,499 more fully vaccinated residents,12 additional deaths
The Indiana State Department of Health reported 6,499 more Hoosiers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Thursday morning. In total, 3,072,178 Indiana residents have now received either both shots of the FDA-approved Pfizer or the Moderna vaccine, or the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
ISDH also reported 5,027 new positive cases and an additional 12 deaths from COVID-19 that occurred between Aug. 21 and Wednesday. Indiana has now lost 13,915 residents to the virus. An additional 437 deaths have been recorded in people who died with COVID-19 symptoms but did not test positive for the virus.
Since the start of the pandemic in March, 2020, Indiana has recorded 838,869 total positive cases of COVID-19. A total of 3,864,626 unique individuals have been tested in Indiana.
US jobless claims rise by 4,000 to 353,000
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose for the first time in five weeks even though the economy and job market have been recovering briskly from the coronavirus pandemic.
The Labor Department reported Thursday that jobless claims edged up to 353,000 from 349,000 a week earlier. The weekly count has fallen more or less steadily since topping 900,000 in early January as the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines has helped the economy — encouraging businesses to reopen or expand hours and luring consumers out of their homes to restaurants, bars and shops.
Latest US, world numbers
There have been more than 38.22 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States as of 3:30 a.m. Thursday, according to Johns Hopkins University. There have been more than 632,200 deaths recorded in the U.S.
Worldwide, there have been more than 213.91 million confirmed coronavirus cases with more than 4.46 million deaths. More than 5.04 billion vaccine doses have been administered worldwide.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness like pneumonia, or death.
Hendricks Co. walk-in clinic today
Hendricks Regional Health is hosting a temporary walk-in vaccine clinic to help protect its associates and community.
The clinic today runs from 4-7 p.m.
Hendricks Danville Hospital
1000 East Main St
Danville, IN
Walk-ins are accepted. Park at the east entrance.
The clinic will offer the Pfizer vaccine, which now has full FDA approval, to any Hendricks Regional Health associate, patient or community member age 12 or older who would like to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Booster shots will also be available for high-risk individuals who were vaccinated with the Pfizer shot previously. The CDC recommends that booster shots should be the same brand vaccine as received for your first two doses.
Central Indiana mobile vaccine clinics this week
Today, 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.:
Statehouse Market
430 Robert D. Orr Plaza, Indianapolis, 46204
Saturday, 4-11 p.m.
Feast of Lanterns
1800 Nowland Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46201
Saturday, noon-4 p.m.
Phillips Temple Community Health and Wellness
210 E. 34th St., Indianapolis, IN 46205
Patients with an appointment at a state-hosted public vaccination site can get a free Uber or Lyft ride. Call 2-1-1 or (866) 211-9966 to receive a voucher to cover the cost of an Uber ride to and from your vaccination appointments. IU Health offers free Lyft rides to any vaccine site in the state. Call 1.888.IUHEALTH (888-484-3258) and choose option 9 if you need transportation to your vaccine appointment.
Moderna completes full FDA approval request of COVID-19 vaccine
Moderna announced Wednesday that it has completed the application process to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for full approval of its COVID-19 vaccine.
According to a press release from the company, the process has been ongoing for months, as Moderna has been submitting data for what's called a Biologics License Application (BLA) on a rolling basis since June of this year. This specific license would be for people ages 18 and older.
Moderna Chief Executive Officer Stéphane Bancel called the completion of the process, "an important milestone in our battle against COVID-19."
The latest submission to the FDA includes data from Moderna's phase 3 efficacy study, which showed a 93% efficacy rate through sixth months after the second dose.
It's not immediately clear how long the FDA will take to go over the data and issue a decision. Earlier this week, the administration approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID vaccine for people 16 and older. That application began in May 2021, so should the FDA take a similar amount of time to rule on Moderna's application, a decision might be expected by November 2021. Pfizer is currently the only COVID-19 vaccine with the FDA's full approval.