Although COVID-19 has been the most frequently discussed respiratory virus for the past couple of years, seasonal influenza is coming back in full force.
Young children are at heightened risk of severe influenza and related complications, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. To ensure the best protection for this high-risk demographic, CSL Seqirus tested the safety and immunogenicity of their cell-based quadrivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (QIVc) in children 6 months to 5 years of age.
The results of this phase 3 clinical study were published this week in Pediatrics. The randomized, observer-blind, comparator-controlled, multicenter study was conducted during the Northern Hemispheres 2019-2020 flu season.
The QIVc was compared against a US-licensed influenza vaccine (QIV). The children enrolled in the trial were randomized 2:1 to receive the QIVc or QIV. They received either 1 or 2 doses, depending on their influenza vaccination history.
The currently approved influenza vaccines protect against 2 type A subtypes and 2 type B-lineage viruses. Pediatric populations experience a high burden of type B infections, with a disproportionate number of type B deaths. Thus, there is a need for updated vaccines with expanded protection against both type B viruses.
Investigators assessed safety for 180 days after the last vaccine was administered and sera were collected, as well as 28 days after last vaccination to measure antibody titers in hemagglutination inhibition and microneutralization assays. They evaluated immunogenicity of the two vaccines with 1092 participants in the QIVc cohort and 575 participants in the QIV cohort. They reported a successful criteria was met for strains used for the vaccines.
The data showed that the following: the geometric mean titer ratios (upper bound 95% CI) were A/H1N1, 0.73 (0.84); A/H3N2, 1.04 (1.16); B/Yamagata, 0.73 (0.81); and B/Victoria, 0.88 (0.97). Seroconversion differences (upper bound 95% CI) were 11.46% (6.42), 3.13% (7.81), 14.87% (9.98), and 5.96% (1.44) for A/H1N1, A/H3N2, B/Yamagata, and B/Victoria, respectively.
They also reported that adverse effects were similar between the two cohorts and there were no serious adverse events. QIVc was well-tolerated and immune responses were similar to a US-licensed QIV in children 6 through 47 months of age, the investigators concluded.
AMA Update covers a range of health care topics affecting the lives of physicians, residents, medical students and patients. From private practice and health system leaders to scientists and public health officials, hear from the experts inmedicineon COVID-19, monkeypox, medical education, advocacy issues, burnout, vaccines and more.
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In todays AMA Update, AMA Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH,shares a new study that shows why getting a COVID booster matters. Also covering the importance of the flu shot, including a new flu campaign and talking points for physicians, and what a CDC Health Advisory for the Ebola outbreak in Uganda means to physicians and patients. AMA Chief Experience Officer Todd Unger hosts.
#FluFOMO to highlight how getting vaccinated can help people avoid missing out on fun moments like spending time with family and friends. VisitGetMyFluShot.org for more information.
Learn more at the AMA COVID-19 resource center.
Unger: Hello and welcome to the AMA Update video and podcast. Today, we have our weekly look at the headlines with the AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia in Chicago. I'm Todd Unger, AMA's chief experience officer in Chicago. Welcome back, Andrea.
Garcia: Thanks for having me. It's good to be here.
Unger: Andrea, physicians and public health experts have been urging people to get both their flu shot and COVID booster ahead of the holidays. And the government's COVID czar, Dr. Ashish Jha, who was just on the show this past week, has said to get your booster by Halloween.
We now have a new analysis that shows how important getting that booster may be. Tell us more about that.
Garcia: So there was a new modeling study that was published last week by the Commonwealth Fund. And it suggested that if more people in the U.S. got their boosters by the end of the year, we'd see about 90,000 COVID deaths prevented over the fall and winter. And that really is an incredible number of vaccine preventable deaths.
That study looked at three different scenarios. So the baseline, which is daily vaccination rates, remain the same. And then two scenarios in which booster uptake is increased by the end of the year. So one of those was a similar rate to the uptake of flu shot, so that's around 50% of those eligible or to 80% of those eligible.
And then the researchers estimated the impacts of these scenarios on COVID infections, hospitalizations, deaths and medical costs, and looked at what would be expected between October 1 and March 31.
Unger: And what specifically did they find? Because I think some of the numbers are pretty large.
Garcia: Yeah, they found that an uptake similar to the uptake of last year's flu vaccination would prevent more than 75,000 deaths and more than 745,000 hospitalizations. And it would generate a medical cost savings of $44 billion by the end of march.
A better scenario is 80% of all eligible people receiving that updated booster dose, that's where we would see a 90,000 and more than 936,000 hospitalizations prevented. And that scenario presents a projected savings of $56 billion in medical costs in the next six months. These numbers really show us the potential upside of broadening and increasing our uptake of these new COVID vaccine booster doses.
Unger: That's a huge numbers of lives saved and obviously, huge cost savings for health care. Do we have a hope of achieving either of those scenarios?
Garcia: Well, not at the current pace. That same study suggested that if booster vaccinations continue with what we're seeing now, we could see a potential winter surge with a peak of 16,000 hospitalizations and 1,200 deaths per day by March.
If we look at the CDC data, about two-thirds of the U.S. population has completed their primary vaccine series but only one-third has received a booster dose. And you mentioned Dr. Jha. And I know, when he was on the show last week, he really emphasized that physicians play a critical role in getting this message out.
We know these conversations are happening in exam rooms, in these conversations with patients. And the importance of those conversations in strongly recommending getting this booster dose can't be overstated.
Unger: If you haven't had a chance to see that particular conversation with Dr. Jha, I urge you to find that on our YouTube channel. And a big point of that was about communication, and just how important physicians are in these discussions around boosters.
Andrea, where are we right now with the numbers? Any indication of trends? We talked about possibility, what we're seeing out in the U.K. And where do we stand now?
Garcia: Well, reported cases are around 40,000 per day. That's a decrease of about 25% over the past two weeks. And they're at their lowest point since April. Hospitalizations have fallen. They're below 30,000 for the first time since June.
We talked last week about the Northeast, where cases went up slightly in September. They're still rising in some of those states. However, they've already begun to fall in some states, like New Jersey and New York.
Deaths, on the other hand, have remained high. But the good news is, we're experiencedexperiencing what appears to be the first sustained decline of deaths we've seen in the past several months. In the past two weeks alone, the number of deaths have fallen by 12% or back down to about 380 deaths per day, which we know is still way too many.
Unger: So positive news from a trend standpoint. And we're also seeing that the CDC is ending travel advisories for individual countries. How will that work going forward?
Garcia: Well, that's right. On October 3, the CDC dropped their country by country travel health notices that they really started in the early days of the pandemic. And the rationale for doing so is that fewer countries are testing for the virus or reporting on their COVID cases. So the ability to calculate risk for travelers at this point is limited. And it's simplythe CDC doesn't have enough data for accurate assessments.
Going forward, they will only post a travel advisory for a country if the situation is such that a concerning COVID variant is identified, that changes CDC travel recommendations for that country.
Unger: And that's certainly important to note if people are planning on traveling overseas for the holidays. The other big concern looming right now is flu season. In past weeks, we've talked about how U.S. officials are expecting a much more severe season this year.
Andrea, how is the uptake on the flu vaccine? Is it lagging, similar to what we're seeing with the COVID booster?
Garcia: Well, a recent survey from the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases found that only 49% of respondents planned to get their flu vaccine this flu season. That is even though almost seven in 10 of those respondents know that a flu vaccine is the best measure to protect them against those serious outcomes, hospitalizations and death.
The main reason respondents gave for the decision is that they believe the vaccine does not work well or would have side effects. I think the upside of that survey was that 58% of respondents said they plan to sometimes wear a mask during flu season, which really reflects a significant change in pre-pandemic flu behaviors.
Unger: Well, given that challenge, what are we seeing from the AMA in response?
Garcia: So the AMA is launching its annual Get My Flu Shot campaign. And that's in partnership with the Ad Council, the CDC and the CDC Foundation. Those ads are going to appear in nationwide print, TV, radio, social media and digital PSA formats.
This year, we're also releasing FAQ videos featuring medical professionals and other trusted messengers to help address questions and concerns about the flu vaccine, and provide fact-based messaging and resources. And the goal is really to remind the public that getting an annual flu shot is the best way to reduce your risk from flu, its potential serious complications and to protect your loved ones. So you can enjoy the holiday season and you don't miss out on those special moments with family and friends.
The campaign also specifically addresses Black and Hispanic individuals and communities. And that is because we know that there are long standing health inequities that place these populations at higher risk of severe illness from the flu.
Unger: Again, physicians are going to play a critical role in talking with their patients about this. Do you have any tips for these conversations that have any particular points that physicians should be sure to get across?
Garcia: Well, it's important to stress that getting a flu vaccine is the one thing we can all do to help slow the spread of flu, keep ourselves, our families and our communities safe and healthy during most flu season. Flu causes tens of millions of illnesses, hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations, and tens of thousands of deaths in the U.S.
Some people think it's mild, but this is not a mild impact. Getting a flu shot can also help prevent lost earnings and added medical costs. And physicians can direct people to getmyflushot.org for more information. It also provides a link to where people can go in their community to get a flu vaccine. And just as a reminder, you can get the flu shot at the same time as your COVID booster, if you are eligible for both.
Unger: Well, if it didn't seem like we have enough viruses to worry about, in addition to COVID, the flu and the continuing monkeypox outbreak, we've got a new viral threat that's been making headlines this week. And the CDC has issued a health advisory on that. Andrea, what's going on there?
Garcia: Yeah. So there is currently an Ebola virus disease outbreak happening in Uganda. So far, there are no suspected probable or confirmed cases related to this outbreak reported in The United States.
The health advisory issued by CDC last week was issued as a precaution. It's reminding clinicians about best practices. And the CDC is communicating with health departments, with public health labs and with health care personnel in the U.S. to raise awareness about this outbreak.
And I think the big reason for alarm here is that this is a deadly disease. And the Sudan strain of the virus, which is behind the current outbreak, has been vaccine-resistant. So Sudan Ebola virus outbreaks have been rare. And so while there are some vaccine candidates, researchers have not been able to test them thoroughly. Scientists and health officials are pushing now for those clinical trials to ramp up quickly for those vaccine candidates before this virus overburdens the health system in this East African country.
We'll be covering more of this in the coming weeks. But as background, on September 20, the Ministry of Health of Uganda officially declared an outbreak of Ebola virus disease. That first confirmed case was in a 25-year-old man. He has since died. Further investigation into that case revealed a cluster of unexplained deaths in the community in the previous month.
So far, the WHO has confirmed 63 confirmed and probable cases of Ebola virus, 29 deaths, 10 infected health care workers, four of whom had died, and four people who recovered and are receiving follow up care.
Unger: While those cases are seem far away, we know from past experience that the best time to prepare is right now. What do U.S. physicians need to know?
Garcia: Well, clinicians who evaluate patients with clinical symptoms, so fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, loss of appetite, GI symptoms or unexplained bleeding should suspect possible viral hemorrhagic fever or Ebola virus and immediately take a travel history.
Patient suspected of having viral hemorrhagic fever or Ebola virus should be placed in a private room. Health care personnel should follow the recommended IPC guidance when caring for a patient under investigation or with confirmed Ebola virus. And now is a great time to refresh your memory about the IPC guidance for Ebola, which is available on the CDC website.
Generally, you're avoiding touching the patient's bodily fluids, contaminated medical supplies, contaminated environmental services and splashes to protectsplashes to unprotected mucous membranes. So think about your eyes, your nose or your mouth are particularly hazardous. Given this, procedures that can increase environmental contamination or create aerosols should be minimized.
And physicians with concerns about a patient with suspected Ebola virus should be contacting their health department immediately. We know that early recognition and identification of Ebola virus disease is really critical.
Unger: And as you said, we'll continue to keep an eye on that as we know more. Andrea, that wraps up today's episode. Thanks for joining us.
We'll be back soon with another AMA Update. And you can find all our videos and podcasts at ama-assn.org/podcasts. Thanks for joining us today. Please take care.
Disclaimer: The viewpoints expressed in this video are those of the participants and/or do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the AMA.
The Florida Department of Health in Lee County is hosting free clinics offering Tdap and flu vaccines this week.
The Tdap vaccine is critical to preventing tetanus, which is important for those who may have sustained cuts or scratches from cleaning up debris after the hurricane and whose last booster was 10 or more years ago.
Events will be held at these times and places:
Pine Manor Community, 5547 10th Avenue, Fort Myers, FL 33907
All Souls Episcopal Church, 14640 North Cleveland Avenue, North Fort Myers, FL 33903
Suncoast Community Center, 2241 Case Lane, North Fort Myers, FL 33917
Caf of Life, 26724 Nomad Drive Bonita Springs, FL 34135
People age 11 and older can get Tdap. Pregnant individuals may receive Tdap during their 27-36th week of pregnancy if they have not already received a dose during the current pregnancy.
Flu vaccine is recommended for anyone aged 6 months to 64 years. People 65 and older should consult with their doctor for a high dose flu shot for optimal protection. Minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian, and shots are first come, first served.
WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong anddonate now. Thank you.
Drag Recording Artist Helps Bring SoCal Together to Donate to LA Black, Asian, Hispanic and Jewish Workers while Promoting Vaccine Awareness
Press Release - Aug 30, 2022
LOS ANGELES, August 30, 2022 (Newswire.com) - SoCal drag recording artist Jackette Knightley's dance album, Neon Love, drops this September in time for LGBTQ+ Pride events and the upcoming holiday season. It's a timely release, as SoCal entertainment concert events are in full swing post-pandemic restrictions. Following all CDC guidelines to prevent resurgence and the increasing spread of Monkey Pox, vaccination location info will be available during all Jackette Knightley Neon Love performances.
Serendipitously, Neon Love streams upbeat dance anthems and memorable lyrics while depicting resiliency in the face of adversity. It includes The National Anthem - a Labor Day favorite and previously released dance single.
After performing the opening act for West Hollywood Pride Music Festival, Ms. Knightley states, "It's an honor to share Neon Love with LGBTQ+ communities and beyond." Touring across SoCal, she'll appear at Rocco's for Labor Day weekend, Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2022 (WEST HOLLYWOOD). And she'll perform Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022, at Arceo Park as Host of San Gabriel Valley's LGBTQ+ Pride Music Event (EL MONTE).
Host of this summer's West Hollywood Pride Music Festival and Dragged Out Show at Rocco's Nightclub, Billy Francesca notes, "We fully support SGV Pride in bringing its community and surrounding SoCal areas together. Jackette Knightley will make it happen. Together, we always put the unity in community. We loved having her as our opening act at Weho Pride. And we're excited for her to kick off our Rocco's Labor Day festivities."
SGV Pride sponsor 340 Nightclub is the largest LGBTQ+ complex in SGV, offering sensational drag shows, outstanding go-go dancers, and the hottest nightlife each week. It's also one of Jackette Knightley's favorite performance venues. 340 Nightclub owner, Wesley Hull, chimes, "You'll always find us at the heart of local LGBTQ+ entertainment. We go where the love is. There's only one race, the human race. Ms. Knightley makes that clear with Neon Love and SGV Pride."
From September - October 2022, all Neon Love proceeds will go to LA Pride performers, LA's Black Worker Center, KIWA KoreaTown Immigrant Worker Alliance, UFW Foundation for migrant farm workers and The Jewish Federation. It's available everyplace music is sold starting Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022, including Youtube and Amazon.
Ms. Knightley will continue her SoCal Neon Love Tour as she hosts Burbank's first LGBTQ+ celebration at a family-friendly fun zone called, "Ms. Knightley's Kids Zone", when Burbank Pride presents Family Pride in the Park at Magnolia Park's Nights Out on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, from 6pm - 9pm (BURBANK). Additional performance dates are: Anchor Line Bar's Hide Away Show on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022, and Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2022 (LAGUNA); and The Boulevard Bar's Bloom Bloom Show on Friday, Oct. 14, 2022 (PASADENA).
Source: Jackette Knightley Entertainment
The Office of Personnel Management is making it a little easier for federal employees to get their booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Employees now have up to four hours of paid administrative leave, after OPM authorized the time off on Oct. 6. Feds can also use time off to take family members to get their doses of the vaccine. And any employees who are not yet vaccinated against COVID-19 can use the time off...
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The Office of Personnel Management is making it a little easier for federal employees to get their booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Employees now have up to four hours of paid administrative leave, after OPM authorized the time off on Oct. 6. Feds can also use time off to take family members to get their doses of the vaccine. And any employees who are not yet vaccinated against COVID-19 can use the time off toward getting their first dose.
The authorized leave followed recent efforts from the Biden administration, encouraging Americans to get vaccinated this fall to try to prevent the spread of the illness and minimize disruptions from the pandemic. OPMs federal leave authorization aims to further that comprehensive effort, the agency wrote.
The updated vaccine provides the strongest available protection from the Omicron strain of the COVID virus, which did not exist when the original vaccine was developed, OPM wrote. Given the potential for infections to increase in the fall and winter, it is critical that Americans get a new, updated COVID-19 vaccine to stay protected.
The allotted four hours of paid administrative leave will cover the time it takes to get the shot, as well as travel time both to and from the vaccination site. Employees should also get approval from their agencies before taking the leave, OPM said.
Additionally, federal employees are eligible for up to two days off if they have an adverse reaction to the vaccine. Beyond the initial two days, employees can use their own sick leave to take additional time off until they recover.
The announcement from OPM was also in line with guidance from the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force, which said agencies must offer administrative leave to eligible employees, to receive COVID-19 vaccinations. In August, the task force also loosened its COVID-19 screening guidance for employees, contractors and other visitors to federal facilities.
Agencies can also extend some paid time off to federal employees who were directly impacted by the recent severe weather from Hurricanes Ian and Fiona.
Federal employees can use weather and safety leave in certain circumstances, including these two hurricanes, OPM said in an Oct. 7 announcement. Agencies can also authorize advance payments and travel reimbursements to employees who need to relocate due to a local emergency.
Typically, teleworking employees cannot use this type of leave, unless the conditions are directly affecting their telework location, such as a home office.
Telework continues to play a significant role during emergency situations by enabling a greater number of federal employees to work and supporting continuity of operations. Agencies should continue to promote and incorporate telework into their agency emergency planning, OPM wrote.
Currently, there are more than 3,400 federal workers deployed to Florida and the southeastern U.S. to help with response and recovery efforts. The number of federal teams supporting search and rescue operations has also doubled, adding six more groups to the response efforts, the White House wrote in an Oct. 1 fact sheet. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) leads these operations.
OPM is also currently assessing the need for an Emergency Leave Transfer Program for employees impacted by Hurricane Ian. The agency authorizes ELTPs in emergency situations to let federal employees transfer their unused leave to employees who may need it as a result of a natural disaster.
There are some stipulations for the program, though. Agencies can only substitute advanced annual leave, sick leave or leave without pay thats used because of the given emergency.
This is very important, because if an ELTP is later established, employees will not be able to retroactively substitute donated annual leave for any accrued annual leave or sick leave they used because [of] the adverse effects of the disaster or emergency, OPM wrote.
There is also now some temporary flexibility from OPM for agencies that need to hire more staff to aid recovery efforts following Hurricanes Fiona and Ian.
The temporary federal hires can serve up to one year, and only work in roles that are directly related to hurricane recovery and relief efforts, OPM wrote in an Oct. 7 announcement. Agencies can extend the appointments in increments of one year at a time, for as long as the positions are needed.
Although public notice is not required when filling positions in the excepted service, OPM strongly encourages agencies to conduct appropriate recruiting and notice to meet agencies technical needs, the agency wrote.
The employees hired to the temporary positions for more than 90 days will generally be eligible for health, vision and dental benefits, but will not have access to the Thrift Savings Plan, life insurance or retirement benefits.
EAST ST. LOUIS Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Director Dr. Sameer Vohra received a COVID-19 booster and a flu shot today in East St. Louis at the East Side Health District. Director Vohra appeared with State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Swansea) and State Representative LaToya Greenwood (D-East St. Louis) and stressed the importance of getting fully up-to-date with protection from COVID-19 and the flu ahead of the oncoming winter season.
The event was held as the CDC released data showing that 14 counties in Illinois are rated at Medium Community Level for COVID-19. IDPH is reporting 11,447 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 in Illinois, including 62 deaths since September 30.
I feel very fortunate to have received both the COVID-19 bivalent booster and the flu shot today to protect myself and my family, said Director Vohra. With fall underway, its vitally important for everyone to protect themselves from both COVID-19 and the flu. We now have two powerful tools readily available to keep us safe, healthy, and protected during the fall and winter respiratory virus season. The new COVID-19 bivalent vaccines are designed to offer extra protection against the now-dominant Omicron strain of the virus.
Additionally, the seasonal influenza vaccines are designed to keep us protected from this seasons influenza strain. As we return to our pre-pandemic activities this winter, I encourage all of you to use these important tools to keep yourself and your loved ones healthy this upcoming holiday season.
More than 637,000 Illinoisans have received a dose of the new, bivalent COVID-19 vaccines since they were approved for use in early September, including 144,200 doses in the last week. Daily vaccination numbers are at the highest level seen since early February, during the major surge in illnesses caused by the Omicron variant.
I strongly encourage everyone to not hesitate and make arrangements now to get protected from both COVID-19 and the flu, Senator Belt said. Call the East Side Health District or your local healthcare provider and make sure that you and your family stay safe during the coming cold weather months and the family gatherings we all look forward to in the holiday season.
The new bivalent COVID-19 vaccines offer great protection against the virus, said Rep. Greenwood, who is the chairperson of the House Health Care Availability and Access Committee. I applaud the East Side Health District for making it easy for everyone in East St. Louis and the surrounding communities to get both a flu shot and the updated COVID booster.
Public health officials stress that the vaccines are especially important for those most vulnerable to severe illness, such as those individuals over 50, those with underlying medical conditions, and those who are immunocompromised.
IDPH reported that over the last week, an average of more than 20,000 doses of the new bivalent vaccines have been administered across the state each day. This is more than double the daily average for all vaccinations for most of the summer.
The CDC authorized two new bivalent booster vaccines on September 2 that include an mRNA component of the original strain to provide an immune response that is broadly protective against COVID-19 and an added mRNA component in common between the Omicron variant BA.4 and BA.5 lineages to provide better protection against COVID-19 caused by that variant.
The Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent, is authorized for use as a single booster dose in individuals 18 years of age and older. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent, is authorized for use as a single booster dose in individuals 12 years of age and older.
The updated boosters are available at pharmacies, hospitals, and other healthcare providers. The best way to locate a vaccine provider near you is to visit www.vaccines.gov and search for bivalent booster availability.
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 3,773,667 cases, including 35,073 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois since the beginning of the pandemic.
As of last night, 929 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 111 patients were in the ICU and 28 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators. The preliminary seven-day statewide case rate is 90 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 Illinoisans.
In counties at the Medium Community Level, persons who are elderly or immunocompromised (at risk of severe outcomes) are advised to wear a mask in indoor public places. They should also get up to date on COVID-19 vaccines or get their bivalent booster, if eligible.
IDPH has been supporting pharmacies and healthcare providers in efforts to increase their inventories of the various FDA-authorized treatments. There are over 1,200 treatment locations in Illinois - including all the major retail pharmacies. More than 96.7% of the states population is within a 10-mile radius of one of these locations.
A total of 23,981,588 vaccines have been administered in Illinois. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 23,388 doses, including the bivalent booster and first doses. Since September 30, 163,713 doses were reported administered in Illinois. Of Illinois total population, more than 77% has received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, more than 70% of Illinois total population is fully vaccinated, and more than 55% of the vaccinated population has an initial booster according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Data indicates that the risk of hospitalization and severe outcomes from COVID-19 is much higher for unvaccinated people than for those who are up to date on their vaccinations. All data are provisional and are subject to change. Additional information and COVID-19 data can be found at https://dph.illinois.gov/covid19.html.
Vaccination is the key to ending this pandemic. To find a COVID-19 vaccination location near you, go to www.vaccines.gov. The federal government has established a new website that provides an all-purpose toolkit with information on how to obtain masks, treatment, vaccines and testing resources for all areas of the country at: https://www.covid.gov/.
With 19,082 cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 children in the population, said Emmanuel B. Walter, MD, MPH, professor of Pediatrics, Duke Human Vaccine Institute Duke University School of Medicine, Durham North Carolina, and the explosion of variants in 2022, the rationale for the COVID-19 vaccine for children is simple, and something to continue to remind caregivers: it will prevent severe COVID-19 disease, hospitalizations, death, and complications such as MIS-C in children; and it will decrease the number of infections in children and thereby further decrease transmission of infection to others.
Walter went through a careful review of the current vaccines available and those being studies for children of various age groups, which includre AZD1222 (the AstraZeneca vaccine); Janssen COVID-19 vaccine; NVX-CoV2373 (Novavaxs COVID-19 vaccine); and BNT162b2 (Pfizer/BioNTech).
The future challenges, observed Walter, is in evaluating vaccines containing contemporary variants in children (Omicron BA.4/BA.5); development of a more broadly protective vaccine against coronaviruses in general; and increasing parental confidence in COVID-19 vaccines.
Finally, Walter urged clinicians, Consistently recommend and offer COVID-19 vaccines for children and adolescents in your practice, and monitor uptake of COVID-19 vaccine among vaccine eligible children and adolescents in your practice.
ReferenceWalter EB. Covid vaccines protect children: Where are we now and how did we get here? 2022 AAP National Conference & Exhibition. October 8, 2022. Anaheim, California.
Attorney General Paxton has joined a Kentucky-led amicus brief filed in the Cincinnati-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, seeking judicial protection for members of the Air Force who are being coerced to take the Covid-19 vaccine against their will and in violation of their religious beliefs. A district court previously granted a narrow preliminary injunction protecting the Airmen seeking religious exemptions. The coalition is now asking the Sixth Circuit to affirm that decision.
Despite many of these Airmen fully exhausting every administrative outlet to receive an exemption, including providing a chaplains confirmation that the vaccine significantly burdened their religious beliefs, the Air Force has refused to grant exemptions. The brief also responds to some of the Air Forces defenses of these forced vaccinations, which stem from what was clearly a politically-motivated mandate from the Biden Administration.
Far from infringing on military decision-making, the courts decision to affirm would safeguard the religious freedom of those who are willing to sacrifice everything for our country. It would also likely boost morale and military recruitment by protecting the rights of not just current service members, but also future service members who may now decide not to join our military for fear of being forced to take a vaccine that violates their religious beliefs.
No doubt, each of those Airmen serves his country for various reasons. But likely one, perhaps common to all, is to help protect others rightsincluding those of religious liberty. Surely, the Airmen do not do that at the expense of their own such rights, the brief reads.
To read the full brief, click here.
This is one of several actions Attorney General Paxton has taken in recent months to defend the American heroes facing forced vaccination that violates their religious beliefs, including joining a similar amicus filed in late August.
(Precision Vaccinations)
Maryland-based Novavax Inc. recently announced new international authorizations for its U.S. FDA-approvedNuvaxovid(NVX-CoV2373) vaccine.
On October 10, 2022, the company announced that Switzerland's Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) had recommended Nuvaxovid as a heterologous and homologous booster for active immunization to prevent COVID-19caused by the SARS-CoV-2 in adults.
The FOPH now recommends using Nuvaxovid as an adult booster regardless of previous vaccine history.
AndNovavax announced yesterday that its partner, SK bioscience, has submitted a Post Approval Change Application to the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (KMFDS) for Nuvaxovidfor use as a similar booster for adults.
KMFDS approved Nuvaxovid for use in adultsinJanuary 2022and for use in adolescents aged 12 through 17 inJuly 2022.
Separately,Stanley Erck, Presidentand CEO of Novavax, stated in a media releaseand commented to theEuropean Parliament COVI Committee Hearing on October 10, 2022, "We know that vaccines don't save lives, vaccinations do."
"To realize the benefits of vaccines, there must be robust uptake."
"Critical to uptake is both access and availability of COVID-19 vaccines, as well as public confidence in the safety and efficacy of these products. And to that end, Novavax is committed to transparency and accountability."
"Our company has been transparent around our clinical trial protocols and scientific data, which we believe is one of the best ways to ensure public confidence in any vaccine that is ultimately authorized and recommended for use."
"We also know that pandemics don't observe country borders."
"And although there is a worldwide surplus of COVID-19 vaccines, this will not always be the case."
"Novavax is committed to reasonable pricing, equitable distribution and allocation, and expansive vaccine access."
Nuvaxovid is also available in theEuropean Union,Japan,Australia,New Zealand, andIsraelas a booster and is actively under review in other countries.Nuvaxovid is the only protein-based COVID-19 vaccine currently available in the EU and the U.S.
Note:The trade name Nuvaxovid has not been approved by the U.S. FDA. And this news article was manually curated for mobile readers and is not paid content.
The new bivalent Covid-19 booster vaccine is available and is specifically targeted at the omicron variant. The ability to tweak a vaccine and mass produce it to a specific variant this quickly is truly groundbreaking.
Still, for the most part, Americans say, meh.
Americans are not showing great enthusiasm for the new bivalent Covid-19 booster vaccine if theyve even heard about it,
A recent Kaiser Family Foundation survey says about two-thirds of respondents say theyre not getting the booster vaccine anytime soon, if at all. Twelve percent said they definitely would not get the updated booster, 10% said theyd only get it if required, and 18% said theyd wait and see, the survey showed. Twenty-seven percent said they were not eligible to get the booster vaccine because they are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated.
About a third of respondents had a favorable response, with 5% saying theyd gotten the booster and 27% saying theyd get it as soon as possible.
About half the survey respondents said they had little or no knowledge about the Covid-19 booster vaccine.
America is not rushing out to get the new booster, KFF President Drew Altman told The New York Times. Most are only dimly aware of it, which is not surprising in a country that seems to have mostly moved on.
So Whats Bedford Thinking? Have you heard about the new bivalent Covid-19 booster vaccine? Are you planning on getting one soon? For the purpose of this poll lets define soon as in the next month
Ready to be counted? Vote in the poll until noon next Saturday. Youll find the poll in the right-hand column on The Citizens main page, or by scrolling to the bottom of your phone or tablet
