“In the next few months, masks — not vaccines — are the best defense against COVID-19. Experts say that wearing masks from now just until April would save 50,000 lives who otherwise will pass away if we don’t wear these masks. That’s why I’m asking the American people to mask up for the first 100 days. I’ve issued executive orders requiring masks on federal property and interstate travel — trains and planes and buses.”
The second year of the COVID-19 pandemic did not bring a change in terms of new infections: most cases are still registered in the USA (6.3 million), followed by Brazil (1.6 million) and – back in the Top 3 again – the UK (1.3 million). Spain, Russia, France, Germany, India, Colombia and Italy complete the top 10.
Most new deaths are registered in the USA (98,293), the UK (33,023) and Mexico (32,734), followed by Brazil, Germany and South Africa.
Read more on the chronology of the pandemic in our blog.