The Latest on COVID-19

Updated on April 5, 2021 at 4:00 p.m. PDT

A “double mutant” strain of the coronavirus has been discovered in California. The strain, found in the Bay Area, is related to a coronavirus variant that originally appeared in India, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. It’s a double mutant because it has two mutations that may allow it to bind to cells more easily.
More than 4 million people received a COVID-19 vaccine on Saturday, according to the Washington Post. That’s a record for daily vaccinations in the U.S.
A new, cheaper vaccine candidate is being studied. The vaccine is called NDV-HXP-S, and it is the first one to use a new molecular design widely expected to create more potent antibodies than the current generation of vaccines. It can be mass-produced in chicken eggs, which can greatly decrease the cost.

Racism is killing members of the Asian American Pacific Islander community and we won’t stand in silence. Recent attacks on Asian Americans – particularly the elderly – have brought violence against Asian Americans into the headlines, but unfortunately these are not isolated incidents. It’s time to be better allies to the AAPI community. Read on for more resources on how to get involved.