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Indiana coronavirus updates for Sunday, May 16, 2021

The latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic from Sunday, May 16, 2021.

INDIANAPOLIS — Here are Sunday'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 select groups 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.

RELATED: Here's everything we know about the COVID-19 vaccine

State reports 17K more people fully vaccinated, 9 deaths

The Indiana State Department of Health reported 17,225 more people were fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Sunday morning, bringing the state's total number of fully vaccinated individuals to just under 2.3 million. Of those, 169,704 have received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The vast majority of others are listed by the state as receiving either of the two-dose Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.

ISDH also reported nine additional deaths from the virus that occurred between Feb. 14, 2021, and Thursday of this week. To date, 13,063 Hoosiers are confirmed to have died from COVID-19, with another 417 probable deaths reported based on clinical diagnoses in patients who died with no positive test on record.   

A total of 3,454,232 people have been tested for COVID-19 in Indiana, which represents more than half of the state's population. A total of 10,184,473 tests, including repeat tests for unique individuals, have been reported to the state Department of Health since Feb. 26, 2020. Since the start of the pandemic, 735,462 people have tested positive for COVID-19.

Sunday's vaccination clinic in Speedway

Hoosiers aged 12 and older can receive a COVID-19 vaccine; individuals younger than age 18 are eligible for the two-dose Pfizer vaccine only. To find a vaccination clinic near you, visit https://ourshot.in.gov or call 211 if you do not have access to a computer or require assistance. Appointments are preferred, but walk-ins are accepted at most sites. 

Today-Monday:
9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
IndyCar parking lot
4551 W. 16th St., Indianapolis, IN 46222 

Hoosiers with an appointment at a state-hosted public vaccination site can get a free UBER ride. Call 211 or (866) 211-9966 to receive a voucher to cover the cost of an Uber ride to and from vaccination appointments.

Latest US, world numbers

There have been more than 32.92 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States as of 6 a.m. ET Sunday, according to Johns Hopkins University. There have been more than 585,700 deaths in the U.S.

Worldwide there have been more than 162.5 million confirmed coronavirus cases with more than 3.37 million deaths. More than 1.43 billion vaccine doses have been administered worldwide. 

RELATED: See where confirmed Indiana coronavirus cases are with this interactive map

RELATED: VERIFY: Are Indiana's new COVID-19 case numbers inflated with multiple positive tests for the same person?

The actual number of people infected by the virus around the world is believed to be much higher — perhaps 10 times higher in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — given testing limitations and the many mild cases that have gone unreported or unrecognized.

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.

CDC recommends schools maintain mask requirements

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Saturday recommended that all schools continue to use masks during the 2020-2021 academic school year.

The CDC said that all K-12 schools should "implement and layer prevention strategies and should prioritize universal and correct use of masks and physical distancing."

Current guidance from the CDC recommends that masks are worn at all times by all students, teachers, and staff to prevent the spread of COVID-19. It says masks "should be required in all classroom and non-classroom settings" including hallways, restrooms, gyms, school buses, etc. The 3-feet distance rule for masked students should also remain in place, the CDC said. 

RELATED: CDC recommends schools maintain mask requirements

UK races to test, vaccinate as virus variant threatens plans

Britain has sent public health officials, backed by the army, to distribute coronavirus tests door-to-door in two northern England towns to contain a fast-spreading variant that threatens the country's lockdown-easing plans. 

Cases of a variant first identified in India have more than doubled in a week in Britain. Government scientific advisers say the variant is likely to be even more transmissible than the U.K.’s dominant strain, though it’s unclear by how much. 

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned that the variant "could be a serious disruption to our progress.” He said the next stage of reopening the economy would take place as planned on Monday, but warned that the variant might delay plans to lift all restrictions on June 21.

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