Sisters Reunite To Get Vaccine Together: U.S. Coronavirus Blog

MULLICA HILL, NJ — For the past year, four elderly sisters from New Jersey have been missing their weekly get-togethers.

That changed this week when Edith Camp, 96, Bernice Cecil, 92, Nora McDonald, 86, and Rose Ramsey, 84, finally reunited at Inspira Medical Center in Mullica Hill, just south of Philadelphia. to get their second doses of the Pfizer vaccine.

It was Cecil's idea to get their shots together, Ramsey's daughter Lori Goldsmid told CNN.

It "was my aunt Bernice's idea to have them together, you know, for a little bit of support for each other because it's scary," Goldsmid told the news channel.

As the women received their second doses, they donned buttons with pictures of their other sisters — Pauline Taylor, who couldn't make it to the appointment, and Doris Papiano, who died in 2011.

Goldsmid said the sisters are already making plans for their next get-together — in 10 to 14 days, of course.

"We're already trying to make plans at this point, whether we're going to do it at someone's house or see if we can get a room at a restaurant for lunch," she told CNN.

Read more via CNN

The Latest

Even as about 30 million Americans have received both doses of a coronavirus vaccine, some confusion exists on how safe it is to interact similarly to a pre-coronavirus world. Guidance on the subject is expected soon from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert said on CBS' "Face The Nation" program Sunday morning.

"When you're talking about benchmarks of people who are vaccinated and how a vaccinated person can interact with an unvaccinated person or with unvaccinated people, those guidelines are coming out from the CDC really imminently," Fauci said. "I would imagine, within the next couple of days for sure

The new guidance is expected as more relief is in sight for cash-strapped Americans hit hard by the pandemic. An exhausted Senate narrowly approved a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill this weekend.

The passage of the bill will not only ease the financial burden on millions of Americans, but also will provide an influx of cash to some U.S. industries struggling to operate through the pandemic. The vote also signals a major legislative victory for President Joe Biden and his Democratic allies.

After laboring through the night on a mountain of amendments — nearly all from Republicans and rejected — bleary-eyed senators approved the sprawling package Saturday on a 50-49 party-line vote.

The bill now goes back to the House for approval, a necessary step before it's sent to Biden for his signature.

"We tell the American people, help is on the way," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, according to an Associated Press report. "Our job right now is to help our country get from this stormy present to that hopeful future."

The overall bill, aimed at battling the coronavirus virus and aiding the economy back to health, would provide direct payments of $1,400 to millions of Americans. The package also includes money for COVID-19 vaccines and testing, aid to state and local governments, help for schools and the airline industry, tax breaks for lower-earners and families with children, and subsidies for health insurance.

• Senate Passes Biden's $1.9 Trillion Virus Relief Plan

As the number of coronavirus deaths in the United States approached 525,000, more states are easing back on restrictions despite public health officials warning that the moves may be premature.

Arizona, California and South Carolina became the latest to join the growing list of states relaxing restrictions. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey ended capacity limits on businesses but stopped short of removing a mask mandate, according to The New York Times. In South Carolina, the state's Republican governor lifted the state's mask mandate in government buildings.

Meanwhile, California will allow amusement parks and outdoor sports and live events at stadiums to restart on April 1. Reduced capacity restrictions remain in place, as do mandatory masks.

In Arkansas, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said over the weekend residents will be required to wear masks in public for at least the rest of the month, but that the state is looking for an "off-ramp" to back off virus-related restrictions.

Last week, Texas and Mississippi were the targets of fierce backlash after governors of both states opted to lift mask mandates and reopen their states.

Among those criticizing their decisions was Fauci.

"I don't know why they're doing it, but it's certainly, from a public health standpoint, ill-advised," Fauci told CNN on Thursday.

Also, the average number of daily tests being conducted in America has plummeted by 33.6 percent since January, according to the Covid Tracking Project.

It's a statistic many health experts call "worrisome." Testing is a key tool to stopping coronavirus transmission, they told the Washington Post. Without it, the virus has the potential to spread unchecked.

Finally, the virus continues to impact the world of American sports. NBA All-Star Game festivities this weekend are all rolled into one day, Sunday, while in traditional years they are held over an entire weekend. The two best players on one of the league's best teams, Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons of the Philadelphia 76ers, will have to miss the game due to coming into contact with their Philadelphia-area barber who recently tested positive.

Newest Numbers

As of Sunday afternoon, the United States had reported more than 28.9 million cases and more than 524,600 deaths from COVID-19-related illnesses, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

At least 1,674 deaths and 60,736 new cases of coronavirus were reported in the United States on Saturday, according to a Washington Post database. The Post's reporting shows that over the past week, new cases have fallen 11.8 percent, new deaths have fallen 15.8 percent and COVID-19-related hospitalizations have fallen 15.8 percent.

More than 116.3 million vaccine doses have been distributed and more than 87.9 million administered in the United States as of Sunday, according to the CDC. More than 57.3 million people have received one dose, and nearly 29.7 million have received two.

As of Sunday, 20 states and U.S. territories remained above the positive testing rate recommended by the World Health Organization to safely reopen. To safely reopen, the WHO recommends states remain at 5 percent or lower for at least 14 days.

Two states, Hawaii and Oregon, have positive test rates below 1 percent.

For more live coverage on the coronavirus, follow The New York Times or The Washington Post.

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