INDIANAPOLIS — Here are Wednesday's latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic, including the latest news on COVID-19 vaccinations and testing in Indiana.
Registrations for the vaccine are now open for Hoosiers 12 and older through the Indiana State Department of Health. This story will be updated over the course of the day with more news on the COVID-19 pandemic.
Frontier Airlines adds COVID charge as travel ramps back up
Frontier Airlines has instituted a "COVID Recovery Charge." According to the airline's website, the surcharge, "offsets added costs to Frontier due to implementing Covid-19 related measures, such as increased sanitation and cleaning on board the aircraft and in the airport, shields at the ticket counters and gate areas, and personal protective equipment for employees." Both ABC and USA Today have reported that the surcharge is just $1.59, but that figure has not been independently confirmed.
The pandemic was just as hard on the airline industry as it was many others. Very few new fees were implemented at the height of the pandemic. In fact, many airlines got rid of fees, like Delta, which has permanently done away with change fees for all seats above "Basic Economy," in an effort to convince more people to fly during the pandemic.
ISDH update
The Indiana State Department of Health reported 8,025 people are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19, as of Wednesday morning. That brings the total number of Hoosiers fully vaccinated to 2,758,648.
ISDH also reported 213 new positive tests for the virus, along with six additional deaths that occurred May 31-June 20. Indiana has lost 13,392 people to COVID-19.
The new cases bring Indiana's total to 752,108 residents now known to have had the novel coronavirus.
Biden pushes shots for young adults as variant concern grows
The U.S. government is stepping up efforts to get younger Americans vaccinated for COVID-19 as concerns grow about the spread of a new variant that threatens to set the country back in the months ahead.
The push is underway as the delta variant, first identified in India, has come to represent more than 20% of coronavirus infections in the U.S. in the last two weeks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Tuesday. That's double what it was when the CDC last reported on the variant's prevalence.
Americans at highest risk for complications from COVID-19 are overwhelmingly vaccinated, according to CDC data, but only 53% aged 25-39 have received one dose. Among those 18-24, it's 47%.
"Where the country has more work to do is particularly with 18- to 26-year-olds," White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients said.
Zients and government experts said the rise of the delta variant should motivate younger Americans to get vaccinated.
"The reality is many younger Americans have felt like COVID-19 is not something that impacts them, and they've been less eager to get the shot," Zients said. "However, with the delta variant now spreading across the country, and infecting younger people worldwide, it's more important than ever that they get vaccinated."
Johnson County library to host COVID-19 vaccine clinics
The Johnson County Public Library is hoping a series of clinics will help as the number of people getting vaccinated against COVID-19 begins to plateau.
The clinics will be held at the following locations, days and times:
Trafalgar Library Branch
- June 23, 2021: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- July 14, 2021: 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.
- Aug. 6, 2021: 3 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
White River Library Branch
- July 13, 2021: 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.
- Aug. 3, 2021: 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Franklin Library Branch
- July 1, 2021: 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.
- July 22, 2021: 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.
The Pfizer vaccine will be given at all of the clinics, and Spanish translators will be available.
If a person does not have transportation, Access Johnson County’s Demand Response service offers curb-to-curb service between their home and the clinic and back. The cost is as little as $4 each way. If a person can’t afford the fare, Access will waive the fare. To schedule a ride, call 317-738-5523.
Colombia passes 100,000 deaths from COVID-19 as cases surge
Colombia has reached 100,000 confirmed deaths from COVID-19 this week, becoming just the 10th country in the world to hit the grim milestone.
The South American nation of 50 million has been registering a growing number of daily cases since April, and over the past seven days, it had the world’s third-highest per capita death rate from COVID-19, according to data published by Oxford University.
President Iván Duque has blamed antigovernment protests that began at the end of April for many of the fatalities. But epidemiologists in Colombia said it’s too soon to tell how much of an impact the protests had on the current COVID-19 surge.
Latest US, world numbers
There have been more than 33.55 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States as of 4:30 a.m. ET Wednesday, according to Johns Hopkins University. There have been more than 602,000 deaths in the U.S.
Worldwide, there have been more than 178.7 million confirmed coronavirus cases with more than 3.88 million deaths. More than 2.6 billion vaccine doses have been administered worldwide.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness like pneumonia, or death.