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1/ A harsh winter is only just beginning as the COVID-19 pandemic rages on. Here’s what happened this week—starting with Wednesday, when the United States broke 100,000 coronavirus hospitalizations for the first time: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/12/darkest-stretch-pandemic-winter/617285/
2/ Every U.S. region has seen a rapid increase in the number of hospitalizations in recent weeks, @COVID19Tracking reports. Nationwide, the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 has more than doubled in the past month. https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/12/covid-numbers-hospitalizations-100000/617293/
3/ In October, Iowa already had between 1,700 and 5,500 cases a day. This week, the test-positivity rate reached 50 percent. The state is an example of what happens when a government does basically nothing to combat a deadly virus, @elainejgodfrey reports: https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/12/how-iowa-mishandled-coronavirus-pandemic/617252/
4/ Meanwhile, the first two U.S. COVID-19 vaccine trials went pretty much perfectly. AstraZeneca’s did not. As more trials conclude, @sarahZhang writes, there will be more news like this—sometimes good, sometimes confusing, and sometimes disappointing. https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/12/vaccine-trials-can-still-surprise-us/617247/
5/ To combat the loneliness of winter, Americans might be tempted to form pods. But answers to some basic questions are still unclear, which means the U.S. may be opening itself up to even more unnecessary sickness and death, @rachgutman warns. https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/11/pandemic-pod-bubble-concept-creep/617207/
6/6 Also this week, the CDC issued new guidance that reduces the recommended isolation time after exposure. Our staff writer @amandamull explained how to interpret the new directive: https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/archive/2020/12/donald-trump-presidential-transition/617286/#Q&A
