INDIANAPOLIS — Here are Wednesday'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.
Eskenazi Health to host vaccine clinics on Indy's east side
Eskenazi Health will be hosting two free COVID-19 vaccination events on Indianapolis’ east side. The events are for walk-ins with no appointment needed and will offer the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Eskenazi Health will provide free vaccinations on Saturday, June 19, at the Avondale Meadows YMCA, at 3908 Meadows Dr., while on Sunday, June 20, free vaccinations will be administered at New Direction Church, at 5330 E. 38th St.
Both events are from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The vaccines are for anyone 18 and older. Eskenazi Health Center staff will be administering the vaccines.
ISDH update
Almost 13,000 more Hoosiers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. That brings the total number of Hoosiers fully vaccinated to more than 2.7 million.
The state also reported 12 additional deaths from the virus. Indiana's death toll from COVID-19 is now at 13,343.
European Union agrees to lift travel restrictions on US tourists
The European Union is recommending that its 27 member countries start lifting restrictions on tourists from the United States.
EU members agreed Wednesday to add the U.S. to the list of countries for which they should gradually remove restrictions on non-essential travel. The move was adopted during a meeting in Brussels of permanent representatives to the bloc.
The recommendation is non-binding, and national governments have authority to require test results or vaccination records and to set other entry conditions.
US buys another 200 million doses of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine
Moderna announced Wednesday that the United States has purchased an additional 200 million doses of the company's COVID-19 vaccine.
The agreement includes the option to buy other COVID-19 vaccines candidates that Moderna is developing, which could include booster shots or vaccines for children, the company announced in a press release.
Moderna's vaccine is currently authorized for ages 18 and older but said last week it has submitted a request to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to expand emergency use to kids as young as 12.
In total, the U.S. has now committed to buy 500 million doses of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine.
Latest US, world numbers
There have been more than 33.48 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States as of 3:30 a.m. ET Wednesday, according to Johns Hopkins University. There have been more than 600,000 deaths in the U.S.
Worldwide, there have been more than 176.64 million confirmed coronavirus cases with more than 3.82 million deaths. More than 2.4 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.
Vaccination clinics this week around central Indiana
June 16 (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.):
Morgan County:
Mooresville High School
550 N. Indiana St.
Mooresville, IN 46158
June 16-17 (9 a.m. to 6 p.m.):
Tippecanoe County:
Tippecanoe County Amphitheater
4449 State Road 43
West Lafayette, IN 47906
White County:
Reynolds parking lot
401 W. Second St.
Reynolds, IN 47980
June 17 (9 a.m. to 12 p.m.)
Marion County:
Near east side vaccine clinic at Eskenazi
2325 E. New York St.
Indianapolis, IN 46201
June 16-19 (9 a.m. to 6 p.m.):
Wayne County:
Ivy Tech, Richmond
2357 Chester Blvd.
Richmond, IN 47374
June 16-19 (4 to 9 p.m.):
Jennings County:
Jennings County Fair
4920 N. S.R. 3,
North Vernon, IN 47265
June 19 (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.)
Marion County:
Avondale Meadows YMCA
3908 Meadows Dr.
Indianapolis, IN 46205
June 20 (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.)
Marion County:
New Direction Church
5330 E. 38th St.
Indianapolis, IN 46205
US deaths hit 600K, equal to yearly cancer toll
The U.S. death toll from COVID-19 topped 600,000 on Tuesday, even as the vaccination drive has drastically brought down daily cases and fatalities and allowed the country to emerge from the gloom and look forward to summer.
The number of lives lost, as recorded by Johns Hopkins University, is greater than the population of Baltimore or Milwaukee. It is about equal to the number of Americans who died of cancer in 2019. Worldwide, the death toll stands at about 3.8 million.
With the arrival of the vaccine in mid-December, COVID-19 deaths per day in the U.S. have plummeted to an average of around 340, from a high of over 3,400 in mid-January. Cases are running at about 14,000 a day on average, down from a quarter-million per day over the winter.
The real death tolls in the U.S. and around the globe are thought to be significantly higher, with many cases overlooked or possibly concealed by some countries.
Masks are no longer required for vaccinated guests at Disney World
Many guests will start to feel a sense of "normalcy" at Walt Disney World.
Face-coverings for those who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are now optional in "most areas." The Florida theme park only notes that masks will continue to be required of all guests on Disney transportation like buses, monorails and the Skyliner.
Anyone who is not vaccinated is expected to keep their masks on in all indoor locations and when in line for a ride or transportation. Walt Disney World is not requiring guests to prove they have been vaccinated.
Physical distancing will also be relaxed for guests in areas like queues, shops, restaurants, and theaters, among others. Those visiting any of Disney World's four parks will continue to see limited capacity or closed experiences and entertainment.