The United States recorded its deadliest day of the Covid-19 pandemic on Tuesday, January 12, 2021, with 4,470 deaths in 24 hours, equating to three deaths per minute.
This winter surge has overwhelmed hospitals, particularly in areas like Apple Valley, California, where St. Mary Hospital’s palliative care supervisor, Kari McGuire, described the situation as the “darkest period” of her career.
Overcrowded facilities have forced coronavirus patients into hallways, makeshift ICU beds, and even pediatric wards, with the U.S. accounting for a fifth of the world’s nearly two million Covid-19 fatalities.
New U.S. Travel Restrictions
In response to the crisis, U.S. authorities announced that starting January 26, 2021, all air travelers entering the country must present a negative Covid-19 test before departure, aiming to curb the spread of the virus amid rising cases.
China’s Swift Lockdown Measures
In contrast, China, where the coronavirus was first detected in late 2019, implemented strict measures to contain a small outbreak. On Wednesday, January 13, 2021, Heilongjiang province, home to 37.5 million people, declared an “emergency state” after detecting 28 cases.
Over 20 million people in northern China faced lockdowns, with residents urged not to leave the province unless necessary. China is also accelerating its vaccination campaign with homegrown vaccines to mitigate risks ahead of the Lunar New Year travel season.
Global Context and Vaccine Efforts
Globally, Covid-19 infections have surpassed 91 million, prompting renewed lockdowns in Europe, where a second wave is raging, and in Canada, where Ontario’s healthcare system is “on the brink of collapse,” according to Premier Doug Ford. In Asia, Japan expanded its state of emergency to seven additional regions beyond Tokyo to address strained hospitals, despite a relatively low death toll of 4,100. Indonesia began a mass vaccination drive with China’s CoronaVac vaccine, which showed 50% efficacy in Brazilian trials, lower than Western vaccines like Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech. President Joko Widodo received the first shot on live television.
Challenges and Hope for Recovery
The World Health Organization warns that global vaccine coverage will not achieve population-level immunity in 2021. In Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky sought EU assistance to secure Western vaccines, rejecting Russia’s Sputnik V shot. Meanwhile, the European Union initiated approval for the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, offering hope amid criticism of slow rollouts in North America and Europe.
