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Indiana coronavirus update for Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020

Wednesday's headlines in the coronavirus pandemic

INDIANAPOLIS — Wednesday's latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic:

JCPL branches return to curbside service  

The Johnson County Public Library says it will modify its in-person services starting Thursday, Dec. 10. 

All four library branches will offer curbside service with JCPL-to-Go. In addition to curbside service, computer services continue to be available, by appointment, with a 30-minute time. 

Curbside and computer services will be available Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Document services (copying, scanning, faxing) will be available via Curbside JCPL-to-Go. 

JCPL’s free Wi-Fi access will continue to be open to anyone with a wireless device in all JCPL parking lots.  

Gov. Holcomb and state leaders provide updates on COVID-19 and its impact

In the governor's update, he announced that the state is asking that hospitals delay or postpone non-emergent or non-critical care procedures for three weeks in an effort to clear hospital beds for COVID-19 patients and relieve strain on health care workers. 

It was also announced that the first COVID-19 vaccines are expected to arrive in Indiana next week. The vaccine will first go to frontline health care workers and workers and residents in long-term care facilities. 

IU, Purdue cancel Old Oaken Bucket game 

IU and Purdue officials have mutually agreed to cancel Saturday's Old Oaken Bucket game due to a rise in COVID-19 cases at both universities. 

ISDH daily update

The Indiana State Department of Health is reporting 5,853 new cases of COVID-19 and 98 more deaths from the virus. That brings the state's total to 398,417 positive cases and 6,207 confirmed deaths since the start of the pandemic.

Community Health Network shares vaccine plan

Community Health Network is sharing details on its vaccine plan and how they'll be distributed.

Here are some highlights:

  • The hospital system expects 2,000 doses of a vaccine to arrive Dec. 17.
  • After initial vaccine arrival, the system expects 5,000 doses each week, for a total of 12,000 doses by the end of month.
  • Doctors expect to vaccinate 500 to 700 health care workers daily.

Hear more for Community Health Network's chief physician executive, Dr. Ram Yeleti, in the video below.

WH task force: Vaccines won't curb spread until late spring

While the U.S. is on track to approve its first coronavirus vaccine in the coming days, the White House coronavirus task force is warning states that the immunizations alone won't alter the course of the pandemic in the U.S. until well into the spring. 

“The current vaccine implementation will not substantially reduce viral spread, hospitalizations, or fatalities until the 100 million Americans with comorbidities can be fully immunized, which will take until the late spring,” the task force report sent to governors and obtained by multiple media outlets said.

While the U.S. is on track to approve its first coronavirus vaccine in the coming days, the White House coronavirus task force is warning states that the immunizations alone won't alter the course of the pandemic in the U.S. until well into the spring. 

“The current vaccine implementation will not substantially reduce viral spread, hospitalizations, or fatalities until the 100 million Americans with comorbidities can be fully immunized, which will take until the late spring,” the task force report sent to governors and obtained by multiple media outlets said.

UAE says Chinese coronavirus vaccine 86% effective

The United Arab Emirates said Wednesday a Chinese coronavirus vaccine tested in the federation of sheikhdoms is 86 percent effective, in a statement that provided few details but marked the first public release of information on the efficacy of the shot.

The announcement brought yet another shot into the worldwide race for a vaccine to end the pandemic, a scientific effort that has seen China and Russia compete with Western firms for an effective inoculation. While questions remain about the Sinopharm shot, already at least one country outside China plans to roll it out in a mass-vaccination campaign.

The UAE, home to Dubai and Abu Dhabi, conducted a trial beginning in September of the vaccine by Chinese state-owned pharmaceutical giant Sinopharm involving 31,000 volunteers from 125 nations. Volunteers between 18 and 60 years old received two doses of the vaccine over 28 days.

The UAE's Health and Prevention Ministry announced the results via a statement on the state-run WAM news agency, saying they “have reviewed Sinopharm CNBG’s interim analysis of the Phase III trials.”

UK reports 2 allergic reactions to Pfizer shot

U.K. regulators have had two reports of possible allergic reactions from people who took part in the first day of Britain's mass coronavirus vaccination program against COVID-19.

Dr. June Raine, head of the U.K.'s medical regulatory agency, reported those reactions as she testified Wednesday to a Parliamentary committee. The U.K. began vaccinating elderly people and medical workers with a vaccine developed by American drugmaker Pfizer and Germany's BioNTech on Tuesday, the world's first rollout of the vaccine.

“We're looking at two case reports of allergic reactions,’’ she said. “We know from the very extensive clinical trials that this wasn’t a feature.”

Raine’s comments came as part of a general discussion of how her agency will continue to monitor people who receive the Pfizer vaccine, which was authorized for emergency use last week.

Biden vows to reopen most schools after 1st 100 days on job

Joe Biden pledged Tuesday to bring the coronavirus pandemic under enough control to open most of the nation's schools during his first 100 days as president — going much further on the issue than he has in the past, even while warning that the U.S. is facing a “dark winter.”

The president-elect said that promise is dependent on Congress providing sufficient funding to protect returning students, teachers and campus staff.

Biden said he'd call for all Americans to wear masks for 100 days and would distribute at least 100 million vaccines during his first 100 days in the White House, in addition to seeking to reopen most of the nation's schools over the same period.

There were 130,930 K-12 schools in the U.S. in the 2017-18 school year, according to the latest data from the Education Department. At least half of those would have to resume in-person learning by the end of April for Biden to make good on his pledge, assuming sufficient funding is approved.

Biden provided few details on how he will achieve that goal except to say that officials will prioritize getting vaccines to educators “as soon as possible” after health care personnel and people in long-term care facilities have gotten them.

Latest US, world numbers

There have been more than 15 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. as of 3:45 a.m. ET Wednesday, according to Johns Hopkins University. There have been more than 286,300 deaths and 5.1 million people recovered.

Worldwide, there have been more than 68.2 million confirmed cases with more than 1.5 million deaths and 43.9 million recoveries.

The real number of people infected by the virus around the world is believed to be much higher — perhaps 10 times higher in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — given testing limitations and the many mild cases that have gone unreported or unrecognized.

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.

IU football pauses all team-related activities

The Indiana football team has paused all team-related activities due to an increase in COVID-19 cases within the program. No decision has been made on Saturday's game against Purdue.

The team did not practice Tuesday morning and all players and Tier I coaches and staff underwent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. The decision to pause was made by the IU Athletics Medical Advisory Group.

RELATED: See where confirmed Indiana coronavirus cases are with this interactive map

RELATED: VERIFY: Newly vaccinated people won’t spread COVID-19 to the immunocompromised

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