January 11 coronavirus news

By Helen Regan, Adam Renton, Tara John, Florence Davey-Attlee and Ed Upright, CNN

Updated 12:01 a.m. ET, January 12, 2021
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11:07 p.m. ET, January 11, 2021

US reports over 200,000 new Covid-19 cases every single day for a week

From CNN's Amanda Watts and Virginia Langmaid 

For the past seven consecutive days, the United States has recorded more than 200,000 new Covid-19 cases every single day, according to Johns Hopkins University.

The nation has never hit this milestone before, JHU data shows.

Over the past week, the US recorded a total of more than 1.7 million Covid-19 cases and over 20,000 deaths.

CNN is tracking US cases:

10:48 p.m. ET, January 11, 2021

Moderna expects its vaccine will protect against coronavirus for at least a year

From CNN Health’s Maggie Fox

A dose of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine is administered to a staff member at the Ararat Nursing Facility in the Mission Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles on January 7.
A dose of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine is administered to a staff member at the Ararat Nursing Facility in the Mission Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles on January 7. Mario Tama/Getty Images

Biotechnology company Moderna believes its vaccine should protect people against Covid-19 for at least a year, a top official told investors Monday.

“Our expectation is that the vaccination should last you at least a year,” Moderna’s chief medical officer Tal Zaks told the JP Morgan 39th Annual Healthcare conference.

Moderna's coronavirus vaccine is one of two vaccines issued emergency use authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration. Pfizer and partner BioNTech also have EUA.

The company will have to test people to see if adding a third dose -- a boost -- might extend protection, Zaks said.

Currently, the vaccine is given as two doses about a month apart. Because both vaccines were only invented within the past year, no one knows how long they’ll protect people.

“We’ll have to boost people to see how well the boost works,” Zaks said. “We think there is an opportunity to boost, especially the ones at high risk, should you need it.”

10:35 p.m. ET, January 11, 2021

Chief Justice John Roberts has received both doses of Covid vaccine, court says

From CNN's Joan Biskupic

Chief Justice John Roberts has received his two doses of the coronavirus vaccine, the Supreme Court said Monday.

"The Chief Justice has taken steps to protect against infection, including minimizing contact with staff, regular testing, and receiving both doses of the Pfizer vaccine," public information officer Kathy Arberg wrote in an email, responding to questions from CNN about precautions to prevent exposure to the virus.

She declined to say when Roberts, who turns 66 on January 27, received the second dose.

Read more:

10:13 p.m. ET, January 11, 2021

Prince of Wales will "absolutely" get the vaccine once he's eligible

From CNN's Pamela Boykoff

Prince Charles wears a face mask during a visit to Gloucestershire Vaccination Centre at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital on December 17, 2020 in Gloucester, England.
Prince Charles wears a face mask during a visit to Gloucestershire Vaccination Centre at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital on December 17, 2020 in Gloucester, England. Chris Jackson/Getty Images

The Prince of Wales said he will “absolutely” get the Covid-19 vaccine once he's eligible under UK guidelines.

“I think vaccination is critical in order to ensure that we have a way out of this -- otherwise it is going to be very difficult," he said.

In an exclusive interview with CNN's Richard Quest, Prince Charles said he’s been communicating over the past year with AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot, who is a supporter of his Sustainable Markets Initiative, about the company’s vaccine development with Oxford University. 

“It is remarkable what AstraZeneca is doing in making it available to so many people around the world at cost. They are not making a profit of any kind,” he said. 

9:50 p.m. ET, January 11, 2021

Colombia's foreign minister tests positive for Covid-19

 From CNN's Stefano Pozzebon in Bogota, Colombia

Colombia's Foreign Minister Claudia Blum, who has tested positive for Covid-19, is seen in this December 3, 2019 file photo.
Colombia's Foreign Minister Claudia Blum, who has tested positive for Covid-19, is seen in this December 3, 2019 file photo. Raul Arboleda/AFP/Getty Images

Colombia’s Foreign Minister Claudia Blum has tested positive for Covid-19.

Blum announced the positive test on her Twitter account Monday afternoon.

The foreign minister said she self-isolated after a family member contracted the virus. A test confirmed Blum had also contracted Covid-19, she said.

Blum said she remains in good health and is continuing to work from home. 

9:24 p.m. ET, January 11, 2021

Los Angeles is experiencing its "worst disaster" in decades, health official says

From CNN's Alexandra Meeks

A nurse attends to a patient in a Covid-19 ICU at Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital on January 6 in the Willowbrook neighborhood of Los Angeles. 
A nurse attends to a patient in a Covid-19 ICU at Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital on January 6 in the Willowbrook neighborhood of Los Angeles.  Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/Getty Images

Los Angeles public health officials are advising that all essential workers countywide should wear masks inside of their own homes to prevent spreading the coronavirus within the household, as hospitalizations and deaths continue at alarming rates.

Officials are calling it the "worst disaster" experienced in the county in decades.

"Right now, because there is so much spread, we're recommending that people wear their face coverings on while they're inside the home. It will add a layer of protection while we get through this surge," Public Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer said at a news conference Monday. 
"We strongly recommend you keep your face covering on if you're a worker who is leaving every day or in fact you're somebody who has to run the essential errands in your family," Ferrer added.

Surge in cases: Los Angeles reported 12,617 new cases Monday, bringing the total number of infections in the county to 932,697. An additional 137 deaths were reported, raising the total number of fatalities to 12,387. 

Deaths increasing by 1,000%: In the past seven days, the county has reported more than 1,500 Covid-related deaths, according to latest health data. Since the surge began in November, LA County has seen deaths increase by more than a staggering 1,000%. 

Hospital resources strained: Nearly 8,000 people are currently hospitalized as officials continue to troubleshoot infrastructure issues like low oxygen supply, limited staffing resources, and scarce bed availability. There are 650 hospital beds and 46 ICU beds available in the entire county as of Monday afternoon, officials said.

Ten people test positive every minute: Ferrer said that, every minute, 10 people in LA County on average are testing positive for Covid-19. "The damaging impact to our families and our local hospitals from this surge is the worst disaster our county has experienced for decades," she said.

Vaccines: Despite the tragic loss of life, vaccines are making their way throughout the community, Ferrer said. Hospitals in Los Angeles received 220,000 vaccine doses and about 160,000 frontline healthcare workers have been vaccinated. Hospitals began providing their eligible staff second doses last week and more than 22,000 health care workers are now fully vaccinated.

Vaccine sites: There are more than 75 vaccination sites in Los Angeles that have been established to help facilitate the vaccine to individuals within the state's current phase 1A tier, where primarily non-hospital care workers and non-skilled nursing facility health care workers are being immunized. Some 20 vaccination sites are currently open to frontline health care workers and at least five more are expected to open in the near future.

9:09 p.m. ET, January 11, 2021

South African President announces extension of Covid-19 restrictions, closes land borders

From CNN’s David McKenzie in Johannesburg

A lab technician prepares equipment to perform Covid-19 swab tests at a drive-through testing center at Wits University, Johannesburg, on January 5.
A lab technician prepares equipment to perform Covid-19 swab tests at a drive-through testing center at Wits University, Johannesburg, on January 5. Luca Sola/AFP/Getty Images

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa extended coronavirus restrictions in the country Monday, citing a "massive increase" in Covid-19 cases driven by a variant discovered there last year.

The current measures were were due to expire on January 15 and include closing beaches and public parks, and banning the sale of alcohol.

“The pandemic in our country is now at its most devastating. The number of new infections, the number of hospital admissions, and the deaths that continue to take place come far higher than it has ever been since the first case was recorded in our country in March of 2020,” Ramaphosa said in a live national address. 

Closing borders: In addition to extending the existing measures, Ramaphosa announced that 20 land borders will be closed until February 15. The closures will have several exceptions such as those traveling for medical emergencies, he said. 

New variant: Ramaphosa said that the speed and intensity of the second wave in South Africa is due to the 501.v2 variant discovered by genomic scientists late last year.

“We do know that this new variant of the virus tends to spread much faster than the earlier variant. This explains that many more people have become infected in a far shorter space of time,” he said, adding that there was no evidence that the new variant caused people to get sicker. 

Ramaphosa said the restrictions will be reassessed when the current peak of infections eases. 

8:49 p.m. ET, January 11, 2021

"We don't have a public health infrastructure for mass vaccination," says FDA vaccine adviser

From CNN Health’s Lauren Mascarenhas

States are “making the decision to just get as many people vaccinated as they can,” bypassing recommendations for vaccine prioritization, a member of the US Food and Drug Administration said Monday.

“I think where people are right now is they have vaccine, and they just want to get it out there,” said Dr. Paul Offit, a member of the FDA's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee.

Many states are diverging from vaccine prioritization guidelines set by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to a report issued Monday by the non-profit Kaiser Family Foundation, which studies health care policy.

“On some level it's understandable and on some level, the more people that are getting vaccine -- especially two doses of vaccine -- that's more people who then aren't going to transmit this virus, and we get a greater and greater level of herd immunity,” Offit said. 

Offit said states are learning how to manage mass vaccinations in real-time, and some are learning more quickly than others. 

“We don't have a public health infrastructure for mass vaccination,” he noted.

Offit said he believes the United States will be able to meet and exceed a goal of administering 1 million doses a day. “I think we can do better than that, and can do better than that soon,” he said.

8:49 p.m. ET, January 11, 2021

California governor promises 1 million vaccines will be administered by week's end

From CNN's Cheri Mossburg

Gov. Gavin Newsom talks to the media after visiting Dodger Stadium on October 30, 2020.
Gov. Gavin Newsom talks to the media after visiting Dodger Stadium on October 30, 2020. Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images

One million California health care workers, nursing home residents and staff will receive the Covid-19 vaccine by week’s end, Gov. Gavin Newsom promised Monday in an “all hands on deck” push to get the vaccine to more vulnerable residents as the state continues to see an unrelenting surge of coronavirus hospitalizations and deaths.

As of Monday, the state has received more than 2.9 million vaccine doses, but administered about 783,000 of them, amounting to just 27% given. In order to loosen the backlog, California will use Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Padres Stadium in San Diego, and CalExpo in Sacramento as mass vaccination sites, and the governor said more large-scale sites will be announced in the coming days.

After an initial slow rollout of the vaccine in California, Newsom said Monday that “making sure we're taking care of our most vulnerable is top priority.”

Nearly 2,000 state and federal staff have been deployed to help ease the burden on overwhelmed hospitals treating a crush of Covid-19 patients, Newsom said, adding that 1,000 more health care workers will be deployed within the next week.

The announcement came on the same day the state surpassed more than 30,000 Covid-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic, according to Johns Hopkins University data, making it one of only three states to surpass the grim milestone.