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1. Publix opened up more COVID-19 vaccine appointments this morning:
Publix says more than 45,000 additional appointments were made available at 6 a.m., but seniors are having a hard time entering the system.
The page currently reads, "Our vaccine scheduling system is currently live, but full with other customers. There is tremendous demand for the vaccine and a limited supply, so please be patient and do not leave the page. If room becomes available, this page will display instructions on how to book an appointment."
As customers took their frustrations to Twitter, Publix posted "to make sure our site remains stable, we limit the number of people in the reservation system at a time. If you are on our waiting page, our reservation system is full. Every few minutes, more people are let in to book their appointments."
2. Who can get the vaccine? Floridians only:
Starting on Thursday, only Florida residents will be allowed to get their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in the Sunshine State.
State Surgeon General Dr. Scott Rivkees issued an order that "every vaccine provider in Florida should ensure the recipient of the vaccine is either: 1) a resident of the state of Florida able to demonstrate residency" or "an individual present in Florida for the purpose of providing health care services involving direct contact with patients."
This means seasonal residents who don't list Florida as their primary residence, along with visitors from other states, are not eligible to receive their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in Florida.
3. How many Americans have died from COVID-19? More than U.S. military deaths in WWII:
Just over 408,000 Americans have died from the coronavirus, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. That staggering number is higher than the number of American servicemembers who died during World War II.
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, 291,557 Americans died in battle between 1941 and 1945, and another 113,842 members of the military died in service during the war. That is a total of 405,399 deaths of servicemembers over the five-year period.
There were more than 100,000 deaths from COVID-19 in America in less than a month. On December 22, the country recorded 300,000 deaths, and by January 19, 400,000 deaths.
4. Dr. Fauci says return to podium feels 'liberating:'
During Thursday’s White House press briefing, Dr. Anthony Fauci opened up about the differences he’s noticed between the Trump and Biden administrations.
Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said one of the things that they’re doing differently under President Joe Biden is being “completely transparent” and the rule will be “if you don’t know the answer, don’t guess.”
Fauci said he didn’t feel that he could actually say something without any repercussions under former President Donald Trump.
WATCH THE BRIEFING BELOW:
5. Does Donald Trump want to form his own political party?
If former President Donald Trump is looking to make a comeback in 2024, it may not be as a Republican.
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Trump has recently spoken with associates about forming a new political party called the Patriot Party. As he left Washington for the final time as president, Trump hinted at a return.
"We will be back in some form," Trump said Wednesday before boarding Air Force One for the last time.
Today's Forecast
Warmer weather returning:
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On This Day In History
On Jan. 22, 1998, Theodore J. Kaczynski pleads guilty to all federal charges against him, acknowledging his responsibility for a 17-year campaign of package bombings attributed to the “Unabomber.”
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