The vaccine deployment in December 2020 signaled a turning point in the COVID-19 pandemic. By the end of May 2021, 40% of the U.S. population was fully vaccinated. But as vaccination rates lagged over the summer, new surges of COVID-19 came, including Delta in the summer of 2021, and now the Omicron variant, which comprises the majority of cases in the U.S.
The United States as of Jun. 18 reached 1 million COVID-19-related deaths and nearly 86 million COVID-19 cases, according to Johns Hopkins University. Currently, 66.8% of the population is fully vaccinated, and 47.2% of vaccinated people have received booster doses.
Stacker compiled a list of the counties with highest COVID-19 vaccination rates in Massachusetts using data from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and Covid Act Now. Counties are ranked by the highest vaccination rate as of June 15, 2022. Due to inconsistencies in reporting, some counties do not have vaccination data available. Keep reading to see whether your county ranks among the highest COVID-19 vaccination rates in your state.
Population that is fully vaccinated: 59.8% (74,746 fully vaccinated) 25.1% lower vaccination rate than Massachusetts Cumulative deaths per 100k: 313 (391 total deaths) 3.6% more deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts Cumulative cases per 100k: 22,722 (28,390 total cases) 17.6% less cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
Population that is fully vaccinated: 66.8% (377,510 fully vaccinated) 16.3% lower vaccination rate than Massachusetts Cumulative deaths per 100k: 388 (2,195 total deaths) 28.5% more deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts Cumulative cases per 100k: 28,334 (160,151 total cases) 2.8% more cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
Population that is fully vaccinated: 66.8% (311,408 fully vaccinated) 16.3% lower vaccination rate than Massachusetts Cumulative deaths per 100k: 392 (1,830 total deaths) 29.8% more deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts Cumulative cases per 100k: 31,156 (145,305 total cases) 13.0% more cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
Population that is fully vaccinated: 67.9% (109,223 fully vaccinated) 14.9% lower vaccination rate than Massachusetts Cumulative deaths per 100k: 224 (361 total deaths) 25.8% less deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts Cumulative cases per 100k: 20,473 (32,927 total cases) 25.7% less cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
Population that is fully vaccinated: 69.4% (48,693 fully vaccinated) 13.0% lower vaccination rate than Massachusetts Cumulative deaths per 100k: 212 (149 total deaths) 29.8% less deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts Cumulative cases per 100k: 17,193 (12,066 total cases) 37.6% less cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
Population that is fully vaccinated: 71.0% (589,520 fully vaccinated) 11.0% lower vaccination rate than Massachusetts Cumulative deaths per 100k: 319 (2,647 total deaths) 5.6% more deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts Cumulative cases per 100k: 25,237 (209,621 total cases) 8.5% less cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
Population that is fully vaccinated: 71.0% (369,977 fully vaccinated) 11.0% lower vaccination rate than Massachusetts Cumulative deaths per 100k: 329 (1,716 total deaths) 8.9% more deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts Cumulative cases per 100k: 23,941 (124,779 total cases) 13.2% less cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
Population that is fully vaccinated: 74.1% (595,758 fully vaccinated) 7.1% lower vaccination rate than Massachusetts Cumulative deaths per 100k: 253 (2,031 total deaths) 16.2% less deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts Cumulative cases per 100k: 29,318 (235,687 total cases) 6.3% more cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
Population that is fully vaccinated: 75.1% (592,861 fully vaccinated) 5.9% lower vaccination rate than Massachusetts Cumulative deaths per 100k: 355 (2,801 total deaths) 17.5% more deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts Cumulative cases per 100k: 28,234 (222,778 total cases) 2.4% more cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
Population that is fully vaccinated: 80.0% (565,466 fully vaccinated) 0.3% higher vaccination rate than Massachusetts Cumulative deaths per 100k: 276 (1,951 total deaths) 8.6% less deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts Cumulative cases per 100k: 21,107 (149,179 total cases) 23.4% less cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
Population that is fully vaccinated: 80.5% (1,297,364 fully vaccinated) 0.9% higher vaccination rate than Massachusetts Cumulative deaths per 100k: 254 (4,094 total deaths) 15.9% less deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts Cumulative cases per 100k: 23,199 (373,894 total cases) 15.9% less cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
This story was written by Stacker and has been re-published pursuant to aCC BY-NC 4.0 License.
This post was originally published on this site
Here's what some children and families who have lost young parents to the pandemic want everyone else to know.
Laila Dominguez never thought she'd have to grow up this fast.
When Covid-19 struck both her parents last winter, the 13-year-old helped watch her two younger siblings and take care of her mother, who was severely sick and had violent chills.
"The cold chills were bad. She was shivering like she was in Antarctica or something," said the girl from East Troy, Wisconsin.
Her mom, Amanda Nelson, felt like she got hit by a train. "It was hard to even get up and move," the 42-year-old said.
But "I couldn't go to the hospital because I was the only parent at home."
The children's father, Benny Dominguez, was already hospitalized with Covid-19 -- and in much worse condition.
The 43-year-old, who loved bike riding with his kids and playing with them at the park, was intubated and could no longer breathe on his own.
On January 10, when Dominguez's condition turned grave, Nelson faced an agonizing decision: try to see her longtime partner one last time, or stay with their children -- ages 13, 9 and 4 -- who couldn't go to the hospital.
"It was really hard to explain it to the kids because they weren't allowed to go up there because of their ages. So nobody got to say goodbye," Nelson said.
"I didn't go because I had to be here for the kids. I couldn't leave them because I knew what was occurring. ... They knew they were going to lose their dad."
For Laila, the nightmare didn't seem real.
"I was in a state of shock and disbelief and sadness. Sometimes, I still am in shock," Laila said. At times, "it will get really, really dark. And sometimes it's way too much for me."
Her family's home, which used to be filled with her dad's boisterous laugh, is now eerily quiet. And the grief is now exacerbated by anxiety about the future.
Dominguez was a stay-at-home dad who took care of Laila, 9-year-old Aurora and 4-year-old Benny, who has special needs. Nelson juggled bartending and waitressing to support the family.
But Nelson hasn't been able to work since her partner's death. She's been overwhelmed by her own grief while taking care of three despondent children by herself.
"I'm barely getting by and living off of whatever I had in savings," she said.
Nelson has only a few more months' worth of savings, she said. Soon, she will have to find a job.
And 13-year-old Laila will likely shoulder more responsibilities, including babysitting her brother and sister. Her last experience taking care of her traumatized siblings led to a panic attack.
"It's definitely been stressful for me. I can't explain it," Laila said.
But since her dad's death, Laila has gained a powerful new skill: the ability to stand up to bullies who make fun of her for wearing a mask.
Before, Laila would try to ignore such taunts. Now, she replies with a painfully blunt answer: "My dad died."
Some bullies were stunned and actually learned from her unexpected answer, Laila said. She hopes more kids learn from her story and take Covid-19 seriously.
"What I wish they knew about Covid is how dangerous it is ... and be more aware of what they say."
A 5-year-old boy witnessed his young mother collapse
As a four-time cancer survivor, Katie Klosterman always thought she would be the one who would have to worry about Covid-19 -- not her healthy, vivacious 24-year-old daughter, Tina Owens.
But during the height of the Delta variant surge, when more young people were getting hospitalized, Owens collapsed on the living room floor of her Texas apartment.
The only other person at home was Owens' 5-year-old son, Tye. He had just finished his first day of kindergarten.
"Knowing that his last vision of his mother is stuff coming out of her nose and her mouth ... it breaks my heart," Klosterman said.
Owens told her son to go get their neighbor -- a certified nursing assistant. The neighbor rushed in, called 911 and started performing chest compressions -- but to no avail.
Owens died at 6:44 p.m. That evening, Tye was taken into custody by Child Protective Services.
When Klosterman learned of her daughter's death a few hours later, she jumped on the next flight to San Antonio to bring her grandson to Florida.
"When I got there the next day and went and picked him up from CPS' care, I sat him down and I explained to him that Mommy's in heaven," Klosterman said.
"You can't see her or touch her like you can me. But she's here. She's always around you," the grandmother told the little boy. "It's OK to be sad. It's OK to cry."
Covid-19 stole not just Tye's mother, but also her plans for a new life for them.
Despite the challenges of becoming a teen mom, Owens excelled in school and was on her way to launching her dream career.
"She was actually a full-time student (studying) physical therapy -- a 4.0 student," Klosterman said. "She was absolutely loving it. She was getting her life going."
Klosterman said her daughter was also committed to getting vaccinated against Covid-19. But she fell ill before she became fully vaccinated.
"You don't expect a 24-year-old to pass away," Klosterman said.
Owens was an avid TikTok user and recorded many videos. Klosterman now shares her daughter's TikTok videos with her grandson.
"I'm trying to make sure he remembers her voice," she said. "I'll play them for him so it can feel more like she's alive to him."
But raising an orphan of Covid can be immensely challenging. Tye, now 6, sometimes talks about traumatic details such as "stuff was coming out mommy's nose and mouth."
Klosterman keeps her own grief bottled up and won't let herself cry until after Tye goes to sleep, she said.
And she's had to switch from a grandmother who spoils her grandchild to a parental figure who can command authority -- which can be difficult for a child to accept.
For others who are suddenly raising orphans of Covid, Klosterman advises getting therapy for every family member -- and parenting classes for grandparents like herself.
"A lot of parenting roles have changed from when we raised our children," Klosterman said. "And as a grandparent, now you're doing it all over again."
An EMT who was on the front lines of the pandemic won't see his son follow in his footsteps
While many teens try to detach from their parents, Connor Luensman couldn't get enough of his father, James.
Just like his dad, Connor became a star high school wrestler -- even making the varsity team his freshman year in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
They also shared a passion for helping others. James proudly served his community as an EMT. Connor has enrolled in an EMT program for next year.
"I always wanted to be in the medical field, for sure," said Connor, now 17. "I was surrounded by it my whole life. My dad did it since I was born. So that just felt natural."
But James will never see his son fulfill that dream. In October 2020, just weeks before health care workers became eligible to get vaccinated, James Luensman fell sick with Covid-19.
Even while seriously ill, Luensman was hoping to recover, get vaccinated and get back to helping patients as soon as possible.
"He didn't want others to feel the same way he did," Connor said.
But Luensman's condition deteriorated. Connor remembers his final conversation with his lifelong idol. He told him, "Don't give up, and that I loved him."
James Luensman died October 30, 2020. He was 43 years old.
A few months later, on the first day Connor became eligible to get vaccinated, he went and got a shot along with his mother Sallie Luensman.
"I wanted to do it for my dad because he never got the opportunity to," Connor said. "It almost felt like he was there."
Connor has now received three doses of Covid-19 vaccine, with no big side effects. That's stunning because Connor had always been allergic to vaccines.
"So anytime he gets a vaccine, we always have to do a high dose of antibiotics and a high dose of a steroid on top of it," Sallie Luensman said.
But with the Covid-19 shots, "that was the first vaccine he's never had a reaction to."
The Luenmans take some comfort knowing their tragedy has inspired others to get vaccinated.
"Other family members and other friends of ours got vaccinated specifically for James, in his honor, because we all know and have seen how traumatic it can be to lose somebody that has made a difference," Sallie Luensman said.
Connor wants everyone -- even children -- to understand the importance of getting vaccinated against Covid-19, he said.
"It's not just about you," he said. "It's about protecting everyone else."
A daddy's girl thought her papa bear was getting better. He didn't
For as long as she can remember, 13-year-old Jessica Barrios and her father had been inseparable.
She often dreamed about celebrating major milestones with her dad, Julio "Robert" Barrios. Her Sweet 16 celebration. Her first time behind the wheel of a car. Walking down the aisle at her wedding.
But Robert won't be there for any of those events. He fell ill with Covid-19 in June 2020 and was hospitalized for 81 days. After he was released, he grappled with long Covid for more than a year at his home in Seneca, South Carolina.
The nagging symptoms included shortness of breath from damaged lungs, extreme fatigue, memory problems and lack of stamina -- "not being able to do even simple housework," his wife Summer Barrios said.
"Staying up long enough to manage the dishes or even bend over to get clothes out of the dryer or taking a shower sometimes would be just debilitating to him, feeling like he had a severe case of the flu."
"Before Covid, I never thought I'd be a widow at 41," Summer Barrios said.
Jessica is still grappling with the reality of never seeing her Papa Bear again.
"I never thought we would be in this position so soon ... to think that he's not coming back," she said.
Jessica and her dad had a evening ritual of cuddling up on a big, comfy chair and watching TV until Jessica fell asleep in her dad's arms. Now, Jessica curls up on that chair alone.
Barrios and her daughter are trying to raise awareness about long Covid -- and how it can be excruciating physically, mentally, financially and emotionally.
"This isn't going to go away anytime soon," Summer Barrios said. "Long-haulers are having to decide between working or losing their jobs or choosing treatment -- if they're lucky enough to even get into a long-hauler clinic."
Kids need to take Covid-19 seriously, too, Jessica said.
"It's not just a bad flu. It's affecting not just older people; it's affecting kids, too," she said. "People need to start taking this seriously and do their part to help try and calm down this virus."
General description of participants
Of the 8,990 eligible participants included in the survey analysis, 3,788 (42.14%) were vaccinated in Shanghai, 2,258 (25.12%) were vaccinated in Fuzhou, and 2,944 (32.75%) were vaccinated in Chengdu (see Table 1). Participants mean age was 29.55 (SD=11.63), most were male (55.98%), unmarried (59.21%), non-disabled (98.87%), white-collars or students (67.91%) and had graduated from university or junior college (63.16%). Most (75.45%) reported a monthly household income of 20,000 or less. The sample was representative of general population in terms of gender and income.
Table 2 presents the distribution and the univariate analysis of the possible factors relevant in the vaccination process. Some of the factors associated with both consideration and accessibility phases were statistically significant; they were region, education, occupation, brand preference, vaccination hesitancy, and domestic risk awareness (p<0.05). Disability status (p=0.001) and GP (p<0.001) were associated only with the consideration phase, while household income (p=0.002) difference was observed in the accessibility phase.
The logistic regression models (Fig.1) included the following variables: region, SES (education, occupation, income), attitudes towards COVID-19 and vaccines (vaccine brand preference, vaccination hesitancy, risk awareness for the domestic epidemic), and other basic characteristics of participants (age, sex, disability, contacted with GPs). Above variables were tested and found to be significant in at least one phase. All two models were statistically significant (p<0.05).
Multivariate analysis of factors associated with the two phases of the vaccination process. Binary logistic regression models were used to predict factors influencing the length of time categories to make an appointment and the length of time categories to receive a vaccination. The * was representative for p<0.05. Only the independent variables of the three dimensions (region, SES and personal attitudes towards COVID-19/vaccines) which are emphatically discussed in the study were represented in this figure. Covariates like disability and contacted with GPs were not presented
In the consideration phase (Fig.1), the odds of an appointment decision taking longer than one month were 2.26 (95% CI: 1.90 to 2.68) times greater for participants in Fuzhou and 2.48 (95%CI: 2.17 to 2.83) times greater for participants in Chengdu than for participants in Shanghai. Moreover, such odds increased for participants with master and above degree compared with those who were illiterate or graduated from primary school (OR: 1.76, 95% CI: 1.07 to 2.88). Participants with higher monthly household incomes (reference category:<5000) were also more likely to consider longer than one month. Occupational disparity was also significant. Compared with farmers, other professions, except for medical staff, were less likely to make an appointment within a month of hearing about COVID-19 vaccinations. For instance, the odds of the consideration phase being longer than one month were 3.37 (95%CI: 1.69 to 6.75) times greater for those engaged only in housework and for the unemployed than for farmers. Compared with participants with specific brand preference, the odds of the consideration phase being longer than one month were 1.13 (95%CI: 1.02 to 1.26) times greater for those without brand preference. The results also indicated that the odds of the consideration phase lasting more than a month increased with vaccination hesitancy (high hesitancy, OR: 2.98, 95%CI:2.50 to 3.55; medium hesitancy, OR:2.64, 95%CI:2.372.94; reference category: low hesitancy).
In the accessibility phase (Fig.1), the odds of waiting longer than one week to receive a vaccination were 8.82 (95% CI: 7.28 to 10.68) times greater for participants in Fuzhou and 2.28 (95%CI: 1.98 to 2.63) times greater for those in Chengdu than for participants in Shanghai. Such odds decreased only for participants with master and above degree compared to those who were illiterate or graduated from primary school (OR: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.29 to 0.75). Compared with farmers, teachers (OR: 0.51, 95%CI: 0.32 to 0.80) and students (OR: 0.32, 95%CI: 0.21 to 0.48) were less likely to wait longer than one week. The significant influence of monthly household income ()was merely found in one category(>=5000 and<10,000, OR:0.86, 95%CI:0.76 to 0.98, reference category:<5000). Meanwhile, participants without a brand preference (OR: 0.86, 95%CI: 0.77 to 0.95) were less likely to wait longer than a week after making an appointment to receive a vaccination. Moreover, this likelihood increased with higher risk awareness of a domestic epidemic (medium risk awareness, OR: 1.24, 95%CI:1.12 to 1.37; reference category: low risk awareness).
The multiple subgroup factor analysis for the vaccination processes in Shanghai, Fuzhou, and Chengdu are shown in Fig.2. The multi-variate models included following variables: SES (education, occupation, income), attitudes towards COVID-19 and vaccines (vaccine brand preference, vaccination hesitancy, risk awareness for the domestic epidemic), and other basic characteristics of participants (age, sex, disability, contacted with GPs). In Chengdu, no vaccine brand preference extended the consideration phase (OR:1.13, 95%CI:1.05 to 1.22, reference category: specific brand preference) but shortened the accessibility phase (OR:0.84, 95%CI:0.78 to 0.92). In Shanghai, the participants with no brand preference also tended to wait shorter in accessibility phase (OR:0.91, 95%CI:0.85 to 0.97). Participants graduating from senior high school were found to get vaccinated earlier after the appointment than those with lowest level of education (OR:0.45, 95%CI:0.27 to 0.75) in Shanghai. Higher household income in Shanghai and Chengdu and higher vaccination hesitancy in all three cities were significantly associated with longer consideration phase. Occupational disparities were found mainly in Shanghai. For example, house-based and unemployed participants were 3.47 (95% CI: 1.60 to 7.54) times more likely to have a longer consideration period than farmers.
Subgroup analysis of three cities: Shanghai, Fuzhou, and Chengdu. All six models were statistically significant (p<0.05). The * was representative for p<0.05. Variables included were the same in models for all three cities, while only variables that have at least one category that was significant in one or both phases are shown in the figure. Insignificant variables were not presented in the figure
What You Should Know:
One of Californias longest-serving and most-experienced Medi-Cal partners,Health Net(a Centene plan), and virtual care and in-home health services providerMedArriveis collaborating to bring the most vulnerable, at-risk Medicaid members in-home access to COVID-19 vaccinations.
Eligible Health Net members in the Los Angeles, Sacramento, and Fresno regions who opt into the innovative program can schedule their home visit at their convenience. A licensed, trained EMT, or healthcare professional will administer the vaccine to them and any family member who wants to be vaccinated.
At-risk Medi-Cal Members Get Access to Vaccinations
Health Nets in-home vaccination initiative is part of its larger effort to get Californians vaccinated against COVID-19. The insurer also sets up vaccination clinics throughout key markets it operates, including Los Angeles, Sacramento, St. Stanislaus, and Tulare Counties.The MedArrive platform includes physician-led telehealth and home health services that are provided by its field provider network of thousands of highly trained and skilled paramedics, EMTs, and other healthcare professionals
This approach is critical becauseresearchshows that in-home medical appointments are an effective way to remove barriers to COVID-19 vaccination among Medicaid enrollees. The program has already vaccinated many Californians most at risk at a time when there is, once again, rising threats of new COVID-19 surges.
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX Multiple locations are available next week for COVID-19 vaccines and first and second-dose booster shots. City-County Public Health District vaccination clinics will be closed on Monday, June 20, for the Juneteenth holiday but will reopen on Tuesday, June 21. However, the clinics at La Palmera Mall and the former outlets at Corpus Christi Bay in Robstown will remain open as scheduled. Vaccinations for children are available at no cost with parental consent at all City-County Public Health District vaccination clinics.
Vaccines
The CDC recommends Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine be given to children ages five and older administered as a two-dose series, three weeks apart. Individuals aged 5 through 17 must have verbal or written parental consent to receive a Pfizer vaccination.
COVID-19 vaccine third doses are available for the following Pfizer and Moderna vaccine recipients who completed their initial series at least 28 days ago and are:
The CDC recommends immunocompromised people who have received one primary Johnson & Johnson vaccine get an additional Pfizer or Moderna vaccine four weeks after their initial dose.
Things to know:
Booster Shots
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated its clinical recommendations to include the following:
First Dose Booster Shots:
Second Dose Booster Shots
Visitwww.cctexas.com/coronavirusfor more information. You can also find updates on city social media channels Facebook@citygovand Twitter@cityofcc.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Vaccination hubs across the five boroughs are getting prepared to administer the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine to babies and children under the age of five as the city awaits the Centers for Disease Control approval.
On Friday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an emergency use authorization of the COVID-19 vaccine for children aged six months to five years old.
The CDCs Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is expected to meet this weekend and decide. If the vaccine is recommended, young children could begin get vaccinated as early as next week.
I know how long parents and caretakers of our little ones have been waiting for the moment their youngest would have access to a COVID-19 vaccine, and as soon as that moment comes, I want them to know we will be ready, Adams said.
We are looking to make this process as seamless as possible for parents, which is why were preparing, though city sites and partnerships with trusted pediatricians, to vaccinate and protect all of our children as soon as this vaccine is ready and shipped, Adams said.
Beginning June 21, parents and caregivers can use the citys Vaccine Finder website (vaccinefinder.nyc.gov) to find vaccine locations across the five boroughs, which includes 10 city Vaccine Hubs where the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine will be available for children aged six months through and including five years of age.
On Staten Island, the vaccination hub at Empire Outlets, located at 55 Richmond Terr., will have the vaccine available Monday through Sunday between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.
The city Department of Health has been conducting educational outreach to providers; it is also recommending that parents begin contacting their childrens pediatricians to see if their office will have the COVID-19 vaccine available.
Weve been waiting so long for a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine for our babies, and thankfully that time has arrived. While we still await formal federal guidance, we want parents to know that the vaccine is here, it is safe, and it protects against COVID-19 and its most severe complications, said city Health Commissioner Dr. Vasan.
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COVID-19 shots for U.S. infants, toddlers and preschoolers moved a step closer Wednesday.
The Food and Drug Administration's vaccine advisers gave a thumbs-up to vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer for the littlest kids.
The outside experts voted unanimously that the benefits of the shots outweigh any risks for children under 5 thats roughly 18 million youngsters. They are the last age group in the U.S. without access to COVID-19 vaccines and many parents have been anxious to protect their little children.
If all the regulatory steps are cleared,shots should be available next week.
This is a long-awaited vaccine, said one panel member, Dr. Jay Portnoy of Childrens Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. There are so many parents who are absolutely desperate to get this vaccine and I think we owe it to them to give them a choice to have the vaccine if they want to.
Dr. Peter Marks, FDAs vaccine chief, opened the meeting with data showing a quite troubling surge in young childrens hospitalizations during the omicron wave, and noted 442 children under 4 have died during the pandemic. Thats far fewer than adult deaths, but should not be dismissed in considering the need for vaccinating the youngest kids, he said.
Each child thats lost essentially fractures a family, Marks said.
An analysis from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration states that kid-sized doses of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine appears safe and effective for children under five, which would be a huge step towards vaccinating the nation's youngest children who were previously unprotected.
FDA reviewers said both brands appear to be safe and effective for children as young as 6 months old inanalyses postedahead of the all-day meeting. Side effects, including fever and fatigue, were generally minor in both, and less common than seen in adults.
The two vaccines use the same technology but there are differences. In a call with reporters earlier this week, vaccine experts noted that the shots haven't been tested against each other, so theres no way to tell parents if one is superior.
That is a really important point,"' said Dr. Jesse Goodman of Georgetown University, a former FDA vaccine chief. You cant compare the vaccines directly.
If the FDA agrees with its advisers and authorizes the shots, there's one more step. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will decide on a formal recommendation after its own advisers meet Saturday. If the CDC signs off, shots could be available as soon as Monday or Tuesday at doctor's offices, hospitals and pharmacies..
Pfizers vaccine is for children 6 months through 4 years; Modernas vaccine is for 6 months through 5 years.
Moderna submitted data to the Food and Drug Administration that it hopes will prove two low-dose shots can protect children under the age of 6.
Modernas shots are one-quarter the dose of the companys adult shots. Two doses appeared strong enough to prevent severe illness but only about 40% to 50% effective at preventing milder infections. Moderna has added a booster to its study and expects to eventually offer one.
Pfizer's shots are just one-tenth its adult dose. Pfizer and partner BioNTech found that two shots didnt provide enough protection in testing, so a third was added during the omicron wave.
Pfizers submitted data found no safety concerns and suggested that three shots were 80% effective in preventing symptomatic coronavirus infections. But that was based on just 10 COVID-19 cases; the calculation could change as more cases occur in the companys ongoing studies.
The sameFDA panel on Tuesday backed Moderna's half-sized shots for ages 6 to 11 and full-sized doses for teens.If authorized by the FDA, it would be the second option for those age groups. Currently Pfizer vaccine is their only choice.
The nations vaccination campaign started in December 2020 with the rollout of adult vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, with health care workers and nursing home residents first in line. Teens and school-age children were added last year.
With coronavirus vaccines soon to be available to children ages 5 through 11, kids may not be as excited as their parents to get their shots. Whether its their COVID-19 vaccine or their other routine vaccinations, heres how to help your child get through the stress of getting their shots.
Moderna said in April that it is also seeking regulatory approval outside the U.S. for its little kid shots. According to the World Health Organization, 12 other countries already vaccinate kids under 5, with other brands.
In the U.S., it remains uncertain how many parents want their youngest vaccinated. While COVID-19 is generally less dangerous for young children than older kids and adults, there have been serious cases and some deaths. Many parents trying to keep unvaccinated tots safe have put off family trips or enrolling children in daycare or preschool.
Still, by some estimates,three-quarters of all children have already been infected. Only about 29% of children aged 5 to 11 have been vaccinated since Pfizers shots opened to them last November, a rate far lower than public health authorities consider ideal.
Dr. Nimmi Rajagopal, a family medicine physician at Cook County Health in Chicago, said shes been preparing parents for months.
We have some that are hesitant, and some that are just raring to go, she said.
Editor's note: This story has been updated from its original version to better reflect the timing of Wednesday's approvals
Introduction: One of the challenges of surgery on patients with active SARS-CoV-2(severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) infection is the increased risk of postoperative morbidity and mortality.
Aim: This study will describe and compare the postoperative morbidity and mortality in asymptomatic patients or those with mild infection with those with severe COVID-19 infection undergoing elective or and emergency surgery.
Materials and methods: This is a retrospective study of 37 COVID19 patients who had the infection 7 days prior to and 30 days after emergency or elective surgery. Patients were divided to two groups. Group1: the asymptomatic or those with mild infection that is diagnosed just before surgery (14 patients). Group 2: those who were admitted to the hospital because of severe COVID-19 and were operated for COVID-19 related complications (23 patients). Morbidity and mortality of both groups was studied.
Results: There was no significant difference in gender between the two groups. There were 5 females (2 in group 1, and 3 in group 2) and 32 males (12 in group 1, and 20 in group 2). Mean age for all patients was 49.8years (38 for group 1 and 57 for group2). Median age for all patients was 50 years (37.5 for group 1 and 57 years for group 2). Sepsis developed in 7 patients (1 patient in group 1 and in 6 patients in group 2). Statistically there was no significant difference in occurrence of sepsis between the two groups. There was a significant difference in the intensive care stay between the two groups (higher in group 2). Four deaths were reported in group 1 and fourteen in group 2. Eighteen out of thirty-seven patients died.
Conclusion: Severity of COVID-19 infection will prolong the hospitalization and ICU stay in surgical patients with no significant effect on mortality.
Keywords: COVID-19; Morbidity; Mortality; Surgery.
This Video Library is at the core of the Stigma-Free COVID-19 Youth Wellness Toolkit and visitors to the website will find several videos in this section related to COVID-19 and mental health which can be used by teens, parents, and educators to stay informed and be inspired during this difficult time.
The number of Mainers hospitalized with COVID-19 went down slightly, the state reported Saturday.
There are 136 people hospitalized in Maine with the virus according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. On Friday, the state reported 138 Mainers in hospitals with coronavirus.
Of those 136 hospitalized, 23 are in critical care units and six on ventilators.
The state also reported 307 new cases of the virus Saturday with no additional deaths. Officials note the case number is underreported since many who take home tests do not report them.
In the past week the state has seen virtually no change in case counts or hospitalizations. Federal data released Thursday show no change in community levels or safety advice for Maines 16 counties, with all of Maine now classified as medium or low risk of community spread.
Maine has among the highest percentage of fully vaccinated residents, now 74.45 percent. That number will likely climb higher with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorizing vaccines for children ages of 6 months and up.
In Maine, shots are expected to begin being administered to preschoolers next week.
The Maine CDC expects 24,200 vaccine doses to arrive next week and be sent to hospitals and medical offices right away. The first shipment will be split between the two the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines.
There are an estimated 60,000 Maine children between ages of 6 months and 5 years. Maine ranks near the top nationally for vaccinations and boosters among older children and adults, according to Robert Long of the Maine CDC.
Since the pandemic began, Maine has officially recorded 267,707 cases and 2,408 deaths.
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