Immune To COVID? New Study Suggests Why

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease official, says the U.S. could be ready to administer 100,000 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine by the end of the year.

Fauci said during a question and answer session Tuesday with the Journal of the American Medical Association that he was "cautiously optimistic" about vaccine development.

He said at least four vaccines are being tested, and one will move into third-stage trials with 30,000 participants around July 1. The U.S. will stockpile vaccines before the trials are finished and could have a "couple hundred million" doses available by early 2021, Fauci added.

"We’re going to start manufacturing doses of the vaccines way before we even know that the vaccine works," he said.

More than 6.4 million worldwide are known to have been infected with COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. More than 328,000 have died. More than 1.8 million cases are confirmed in the U.S., where the death toll is at least 106,553 people.

Latest Developments

United States:

-The Federal Emergency Management Agency released hurricane planning and response guidelines for state, local and tribal governments. The 59-page document includes details on how FEMA might respond to a hurricane while still dealing with the coronavirus pandemic and looks at elements emergency managers have to consider, including social distancing, decreased staffing and evacuations of coronavirus patients from hospitals and nursing homes.

-Most of Florida will move to phase two of reopening on Friday, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced. The move allows bars, movie theaters and bowling alleys to open at 50% capacity. Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, where Florida's COVID-19 outbreak has been centered, will remain in phase one. Florida has more than 58,000 known cases of COVID-19 and at least 2,566 people have died.

-Chicago is entering its third phase of reopening, with some limitations. Most businesses can resume operations, childcare centers can open and restaurants can serve patrons outside only, according to the city's website.

-The NBA will present a plan on Thursday for restarting its season with 22 teams sometime around July 31, The Associated Press reported. The plan has the teams playing eight games at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Disney World resort, followed by postseason play.

Worldwide:

-The World Health Organization is resuming trials of the malaria hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19, after temporarily suspending the program on May 25 due to safety concerns, CNBC reported.

-Spain's coronavirus state of emergency will be extended for two more weeks, but President Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said no further extensions would be requested after that, the AP reported. Sánchez declared his country has “overcome the worst of the pandemic." Spain has more than 240,000 known cases of COVID-19, the fifth highest in the world, and at least 27,128 deaths.

-Two more Pakistani lawmakers have died after testing positive for COVID-19, bringing the total of lawmakers in the country who have died to four, according to the AP. The latest victims were Mian Jamshed Kakakhel, a member of a provincial assembly in the northwest, and Punjab Assembly member Shaukat Manzoor Cheema. Pakistan recorded 4,131, new cases on Wednesday, its highest single-day increase.

For the latest coronavirus information in your county and a full list of important resources to help you make the smartest decisions regarding the disease, check out our dedicated COVID-19 page.

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