Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for April 27th, 2021

<p>This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for April 27th, 2021.</p><p><br></p><p>The President of the United States is expected to announce changes today to the CDC’s guidance and recommendations regarding outdoor masks. Dr. Anthony Fauci indicated over the weekend the changes will apply to what vaccinated people can do, with some changes also even for unvaccinated people.</p><p><br></p><p>The U.S. will start sharing its stock of AstraZeneca vaccines with the world, but first it has to clear America’s FDA. That could mean as many as 60 million doses being exported in the coming months. The U.S. has been under mounting pressure to give the vaccine it purchased to countries like India.</p><p><br></p><p>It doesn’t look like Israel needs help. The country leads the race to vaccinate citizens before variants can take hold by far, and it’s working. There were zero Covid-19 deaths last Thursday and new infections are plummeting. Citizens no longer have to wear masks outdoors, they can dine at indoor restaurants, attend concerts, and go to school in person.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>Italy’s trying to get there. There was a gradual reopening yesterday, but few people seem happy about it. Some say it’s too cautious, others say it’s too hasty. The 10pm curfew remains, preventing theater reopenings. But some virologists say the virus does not negotiate and the tentative reopening could usher in a new surge.</p><p><br></p><p>Health insurers seem ready to roll back consumer-friendly changes that were made early in the pandemic. Many had been waiving all deductibles, copayments and other costs for insured patients who got COVID-19. Now, a number of insurers are quietly ending those waivers. So, COVID patients can no longer assume they won’t have to pay deductibles, copayments and coinsurance.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>In the United States cases were down 16%, deaths are down 3%, and hospitalizations were up 5% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14.&nbsp;</p><p><br>