This is Coronavirus 411, the latest on Omicron and other COVID variants and new hotspots for December 8th, 2021.

The World Health Organization's office for Europe said kids 5 to 14 now account for the highest infection rates in the region. Overall cases and deaths have more than doubled in the last two months in the 53-country region, and the Omicron variant has been seen in 21 of those 53 countries.

Early data out of South Africa suggests the Pfizer vaccine appears to be less effective against Omicron. Researchers found there was about a fortyfold reduction in vaccine-induced antibodies that could neutralize the new variant. That means Omicron seems more skilled at evading the antibodies generated by Pfizer than the beta variant, which only saw a threefold reduction.

More home COVID testing is good right? The US administration is even talking about reimbursing home test kit purchases. But is it? Some health officials are pointing out that tests taken at home, regardless of whether they’re positive or negative, never get reported and that is going to make tracking COVID data, which was already a challenge, even harder.

Speaking of testing, the FDA says the Omicron variant may be more successful at evading tests for it. There are three kinds of tests, serology or blood antibodies, antigen, and PCR. If there are enough mutations in a variant, Omicron has 32 of them, that could generate more false negatives.

Here’s the latest thing people are saying can help with COVID, seaweed. Well, actually sea lettuce. Lab experiments show an extract of this algae could be beneficial in the pandemic fight. Other studies of other edible seaweed have shown promise but this one has been tested specifically as an antiviral treatment against certain viruses. Scientists say more seaweed tests are needed to be sure.

In the United States cases were up 28%, deaths are up 13%, and hospitalizations are up 18% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since November 29.

The five states that had the most daily deaths per 100,000 are Wyoming, Montana, West Virginia, Michigan, and Kentucky.

There are 9,715,064 active cases in the United States.

The five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Delaware 62%, Connecticut 60%, Rhode Island 53%, and Indiana and Massachusetts 49%.

The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Fayette, IN. Bennington, VT. Allen, KS. Waseca, MN. Vermilion, IL. Socorro, NM. Sullivan, NH. Rush, IN. Neosho, KS. And Valencia, NM.

There have been at least 791,514 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.

The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 74%, Rhode Island at 73.7%, and Maine unchanged at 72.9%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Wyoming unchanged at 46%, Alabama unchanged at 46.5%, and Mississippi unchanged at 47.1%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 60%.

Globally, cases were up 10% and deaths were flat over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since October 15.

There are 21,338,368 active cases around the world.

The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 107,642. France 59,019. Germany 51,512. The U.K. 45,691. And Russia 31,096.

There have been at least 5,270,558 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.

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