It'll be months before vaccines are widespread enough to turn the tide of the pandemic in the US, experts say

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Fri, 2021-01-01 10:42 — mike kraft

It'll be months before vaccines are widespread enough to turn the course of the pandemic in the US, experts say As the US ushered in 2021, more than 125,300 Covid-19 patients remained hospitalized -- another record for the fourth day in a row. Christina Maxouris, CNN CNN

(CNN) As the US ushered in 2021, more than 125,300 Covid-19 patients remained hospitalized -- another record for the fourth day in a row.

The high count is a grim reminder that even with 2020 behind us, the pandemic continues to ravage parts of the country. And some local leaders warn the worst is still ahead.

"We are still going to have our toughest and darkest days," Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti told CNN.

Los Angeles County, as well as the state of California, have battled brutal surges of infections, hospitalizations and deaths in the past weeks, all driven in part by Thanksgiving gatherings, health officials said. Surging hospitalizations in the county are pushing hospitals to the "brink of catastrophe," said Dr. Christina Ghaly, its health services director. ...

Vaccinations are ongoing across the country, but experts say it will be months before vaccines are widespread enough to turn the course of the pandemic.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards on Thursday announced doses of the Covid-19 vaccine will be available to pharmacies in limited supply starting Monday for people who are 70 and older, as well health care workers.

The initial supply, the governor's office said, will be "extremely limited and people must contact a designated pharmacy to make appointments before going in to be vaccinated."...

So far, more than 12.4 million vaccine doses have been distributed nationwide and more than 2.7 million have been administered. The rollout has been slower than many officials expected, but if the US is able to catch up in 2021, widespread vaccination could be possible starting in early spring, Dr. Anthony Fauci said....

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