'80s-Themed 'Vax-A-Thon' Inoculates 7,000: U.S. Coronavirus Blog

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TX — Organizers at a coronavirus vaccination site in Texas had a little fun with the goal to inoculate 7,000 people over a 24-hour span over the weekend.

Family Hospital Systems in Williamson County hosted the "Vax-A-Thon" at the Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex, according to a KVUE report. Those waiting in line listened to 1980s music and came across movie references from the time period as well.

Staff and volunteers donned windbreaker tracksuits, shaggy wigs and leg warmers to add to the festive mood, according to the report, as many in line saw getting the vaccine as a huge relief.

"This is Austin, baby. This is the way people should look when you come to get a vaccine," Judy Brenstein, one of the thousands who got the vaccine at the 1980s-themed event, told KVUE.

Steve Krein said getting the vaccine put him "one step closer to normal."

"That's what I am looking forward to, and going out and having dinner with my wife," he said.

Read more from KVUE

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Even as more than 30 million Americans have received both doses of a coronavirus vaccine, some confusion exists on how safe it is to interact similarly to a pre-coronavirus world. Some guidance on the subject has come from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with the government agency stating that fully-vaccinated people can go without masks in public.

The CDC recommendations also say that vaccinated people can come together in the same way with people considered at low risk for severe disease, such as in the case of vaccinated grandparents visiting healthy children and grandchildren.

"We know that people want to get vaccinated, so they can get back to doing the things they enjoy with the people they love," CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a statement.

Of course, many haven't taken the CDC's guidance on masks, refusing to wear them even before coronavirus vaccines became available. In Boise, Idaho over the weekend, a video surfaced showing young children burning paper masks outside the Statehouse as adults nearby encouraged them.

The new mask guidance comes as more relief is in sight for cash-strapped Americans hit hard by the pandemic. An exhausted Senate narrowly approved a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill this weekend.

The passage of the bill will not only ease the financial burden on millions of Americans, but also will provide an influx of cash to some U.S. industries struggling to operate through the pandemic. The vote also signals a major legislative victory for President Joe Biden and his Democratic allies.

After laboring through the night on a mountain of amendments — nearly all from Republicans and rejected — bleary-eyed senators approved the sprawling package Saturday on a 50-49 party-line vote.

The bill now goes back to the House for approval, a necessary step before it's sent to Biden for his signature.

"We tell the American people, help is on the way," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, according to an Associated Press report. "Our job right now is to help our country get from this stormy present to that hopeful future."

The overall bill, aimed at battling the coronavirus virus and aiding the economy back to health, would provide direct payments of $1,400 to millions of Americans. The package also includes money for COVID-19 vaccines and testing, aid to state and local governments, help for schools and the airline industry, tax breaks for lower-earners and families with children, and subsidies for health insurance.

• Senate Passes Biden's $1.9 Trillion Virus Relief Plan

As the number of coronavirus deaths in the United States approached 525,000, more states are easing back on restrictions despite public health officials warning that the moves may be premature.

Arizona, California and South Carolina became the latest to join the growing list of states relaxing restrictions. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey ended capacity limits on businesses but stopped short of removing a mask mandate, according to The New York Times. In South Carolina, the state's Republican governor lifted the state's mask mandate in government buildings.

Meanwhile, California will allow amusement parks and outdoor sports and live events at stadiums to restart on April 1. Reduced capacity restrictions remain in place, as do mandatory masks.

The city of Chicago on Monday announced fans will be allowed at home baseball games for the city's two professional teams this upcoming season. Capacity at White Sox and Cubs home games will be capped at 20 percent, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said.

In Arkansas, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said over the weekend residents will be required to wear masks in public for at least the rest of the month, but that the state is looking for an "off-ramp" to back off virus-related restrictions.

Newest Numbers

As of Monday afternoon, the United States had reported more than 29 million cases and more than 525,200 deaths from COVID-19-related illnesses, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

At least 891 deaths and 42,248 new cases of coronavirus were reported in the United States on Sunday, according to a Washington Post database. The Post's reporting shows that over the past week, new daily cases have fallen 13.8 percent, new daily deaths have fallen 15.8 percent and COVID-19-related hospitalizations have fallen 13.6 percent.

More than 116.3 million vaccine doses have been distributed and more than 90.3 million administered in the United States as of Monday, according to the CDC. More than 58.8 million people have received one dose, and nearly 30.6 million have received two.

As of Monday, 23 states and U.S. territories remained above the positive testing rate recommended by the World Health Organization to safely reopen. To safely reopen, the WHO recommends states remain at 5 percent or lower for at least 14 days. Oregon is the only state with a positivity rate below 1 percent.

For more live coverage on the coronavirus, follow The New York Times or The Washington Post.

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