We have a ton of developments today in the Coronavirus Vaccine situation. What we do know is encouraging in many waysramping up vaccine production. What we dont know about the effectiveness is terrifying. It makes you wonder if the u. S. Needs to dramatically rethink the current Vaccine Distribution strategy. Lets start with the good news. Today johnson and johnson leased some promising data from its phase three clinical trials. The vaccine is 72 effective in the u. S. At preventing moderate to severe illness. Experts consider that a strong level of protection. Here is the potential worrying news. The company disclosed the data suggests the vaccine was less effective against the South Africa Covid Variant we have been dropping. Effectiveness dropped from 72 to 57 . Its called that because it was south africa was the first place it was found which is more contagious and resistant to the vaccines we have. Its already in the United States and appears to be spreading. The more contagious u
ifection. but dr. anthony fauci says it s too soon to say whether omicron will help lead to the end of the pandemic. it is an open question as to whether or not omicron is going to be the live virus vaccination that everyone is hoping for, because you have such a great deal of variability with new variants emerging. reporter: and some experts say protection from natural infection with omicron won t last long if you are unvaccinated. i think what s going to happen is those individuals who have been infected and recovered and have not gotten vaccinated on top of it are going to be vulnerable to yet another wave. reporter: and, again, here s where you can get those free covid tests. visit the site, covidtests.gov. each household will be able to order up to four tests and they will ship out in 7 to 12 days. now, the white house says they will also launch a call line for those who don t have computer
beaumont health system overwhelmed with 800 covid patients at eight hospitals. now setting up outdoor triage centers to handle the surge. where we currently are, in our third surge, which is just like a runaway train right now. reporter: 24 of michigan s hospitals are at 90% capacity. the health-care workers are tired, they re frustrated. they re being told to do more with less. reporter: across the country covid cases climbing 31% in the last month. and today, frustration boiling over on capitol hill. dr. fauci facing off with congressman jim jordan. when do americans get their freedom back? when we get the level of ifection in this country low enough that it is not a really high what is low enough? give me a number. reporter: dr. fauci then saying this isn t about liberties. it s about the hundreds of thousands of lives lost. right now we have about 60,000 infections a day, which is a very large risk for a surge. we re not talking about liberties.
on behalf of a president? probably never. this goes back to john edwards. that was settled. it s settled now. it s different from john edwards. i think if these things came out during the kpacampaign, it wouldn t have made a lick of difference. i seen somebody who was in love with donald trump. i think still has an ifection. i voted for him. i never saw that side of him on the access hollywood tape. i still see someone who has warm feelings. if you look at where the polling was in december and where it is today. both trump and the republican party are in better shape. in mid-december he was sitting in the high 30s opinion he. he s sitting at 42. the generic ballot is about a six-point spread right now. in a couple of polls it s less than that. there have been people asking is this hurting donald trump.