Jefferson County has been moved up to the yellow, or medium, level on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) three-color COVID-19 warning system.
Prior to that recent change, the county had been in the green, or lowest, level of the system for 12 weeks.
For the last four to six weeks, we've kind of been seeing a little bit of an increase in our case numbers each week, said Brianne Zwiener, Jefferson County Health Department public information officer.
The Health Department reported that the county had about 630 active COVID-19 cases as of today, June 6..
The county also has had a total of 55,360 coronavirus cases and a total of 548 COVID-19-related deaths since the start of the pandemic, according to the Health Department dashboard.
Zwiener said she was anticipating the rise in cases because Jefferson County tends to follow what happens in St. Louis County, which now is at the red, or highest, level, on the warning system.
Also she predicted cases would rise after the Mothers Day and Memorial Day holidays.
People get together for things like that, and it can tend to be an opportunity for a virus to spread, she said.
The city of St. Louis also is in the red level again.
Zwiener said it's possible Jefferson County could soon find itself at the red level again.
However, we do have some control on some things that we can do to help, she said.
Zwiener said she recommends people wear a mask indoors and wash their hands, especially if they are immunocompromised.
She also advises people to stay home if they are sick.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force, which reports data from the four major hospital systems in the area, reported that as of today, June 6, there were a total of 201 inpatient confirmed COVID-19 positive hospitalizations and 18 COVID-19-positive patients in the intensive care unit. In addition, a total of seven COVID-19 positive patients were on ventilators as of today.
The Health Department also recommends people who are exposed to COVID-19 or have COVID-19 symptoms follow CDC recommendations for isolation and quarantine, including getting tested. Those who are immunocompromised or high risk for severe disease are advised to have a plan for rapid testing if needed and to talk to their healthcare provider about whether they need to take other steps to limit the spread of the diseases.
People may sign up for a vaccine appointment through the Health Department by going to the state vaccine Navigator website at covidvaccine.mo.gov/navigator. Or they may call 877-435-8411. Or, to find another local vaccine site, visit vaccinefinder.org.
The CDC website states: People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. Anyone can have mild to severe symptoms. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:
This list does not include all possible symptoms.
If you test positive for COVID-19, contact your health care provider to inquire about possible treatments for the virus.
Pulse oximeter devices, a common tool used to guide medical decision-making in COVID-19 patients, overestimated the blood oxygen levels in nonwhite patients with COVID-19 and made them appear healthier than they actually were, according to a new study published May 31 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
These findings add to the growing body of evidence about pulse oximetry inaccuracies in people of color, says the study's co-lead author Ashraf Fawzy, MD, MPH, an assistant professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. Our research is the first to show that the overestimation of oxygen saturation among Black and Hispanic patients led to a delayed recognition of the need for COVID-19 therapy compared with white patients, says Dr. Fawzy.
Thats because oxygen saturation levels are often used to determine whether or not certain more aggressive COVID-19 medications are used, as some treatments are only recommended for people whose oxygen saturation levels have dropped below a certain threshold. The consequences of these inaccuracies failure to receive appropriate treatment or delays in treatment should be examined as potential explanations for disparities in COVID-19 outcomes, according to the authors.
Black and Hispanic people are 70 percent and 80 percent more likely to die of COVID-19 than white people, respectively, according to an April 2022 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Healthy people have an oxygen saturation of between 95 and 100 percent. Many people with COVID-19 have low oxygen levels, which can be a life-threatening condition, according to the CDC. Warning signs of low oxygen include trouble breathing, confusion, difficulty staying awake, and bluish lips or face. Adults with low oxygen saturation may also have chest pain that doesnt go away.
Some people can have a low oxygen level and show no symptoms or warning signs, which is why pulse oximetry is typically performed. The CDC recommends oxygen therapy to any COVID-19 patient with any warning signs of low oxygen or if their pulse oximeter reading is 90 percent or less.
Researchers initially focused on data from 1,216 COVID-19 patients who had been given two different tests that measure blood oxygen levels: pulse oximetry and arterial blood gas (ABG) tests.
A pulse oximeter is a clip-on device thats placed on the finger, toe, or earlobe to measure oxygen saturation, or the percentage of oxygen in the blood; ABG tests require a blood sample for a direct measurement. Most patients take only a few, if any, ABG tests during an extended hospital stay the less-invasive pulse oximeter is used much more frequently, according to the authors.
The team compared the patients ABG test results with their pulse oximetry results and found that pulse oximetry overestimated blood oxygenation in racial and ethnic minorities. Compared with white patients, pulse oximetry overestimated blood oxygen levels by 1.2 percent for Black patients, 1.1 percent among non-Black Hispanic patients, and 1.7 percent for Asian patients.
To estimate the effect of this bias, the team then looked at more than 6,673 other patients with COVID-19; 352 people were Asian, 2,642 were Black, 1,170 were Hispanic, and 2,509 were white.
After applying a statistical prediction model, researchers found that more than 1 in 4 of the COVID-19 patients the majority of whom were members of racial or ethnic minorities probably qualified for additional COVID-19 therapy before the pulse oximeter identified it. Black patients were 29 percent less likely and non-Black Hispanic patients were 23 percent less likely to have their treatment eligibility recognized by pulse oximetry compared with white patients.
These findings are important given the large role that pulse oximetry has played in determining which patients are given certain COVID-19 medications; even a small inaccuracy could keep a patient from qualifying for more aggressive therapies, according to the authors.
Remdesivir, an antiviral medication that was initially authorized to treat hospitalized COVID-19 patients, is typically given only to patients with an oxygen saturation of 94 percent or less, or those who are on supplemental oxygen. Similarly, the corticosteroid dexamethasone is often used only for COVID-19 patients who require supplemental oxygen.
Overestimation of oxygen saturation may also cause a person to be taken off COVID-19 therapy or even discharged from the hospital sooner than they should be, the authors wrote.
While the inaccuracy of pulse oximeters has been known and recently reiterated, our study demonstrates that there's a clinical consequence to this inaccuracy that may impact how nonwhite patients are treated, says Fawzy.
A paper published in December 2020 in the New England Journal of Medicine found that Black patients were three times more likely than white patients to have low oxygen levels that were missed by pulse oximeters. The authors of that study estimated that as many as 1 in 10 oximetry readings for Black patients may be inaccurate.
Recognizing that pulse oximeters are less accurate among racial and ethnic minority patients is the most immediate step that medical practitioners can take, says Fawzy. This knowledge may lead them to decide to pursue further testing, such as an arterial blood gas test, particularly in cases where an inaccuracy is suspected, he says.
It's also important for patients to be aware of this when using a pulse oximeter at home, or to appropriately advocate for themselves in healthcare settings, he says.
In the long-term, pulse oximeters need to be reengineered to address this inaccuracy, which would improve care delivery for patients of color, says Fawzy.
Patient deaths: 1,008,585
Total vaccine doses distributed: 751,433,155
Patients whove received the first dose: 258,779,830
Patients whove received the second dose: 221,492,058
% of population fully vaccinated (both doses, not including boosters): 66.7%
% tied to Omicron variant: 99.9%
% tied to Other: 0.1%
Yes, you can now travel to the very beautiful Turkey, sans COVID restrictions. In a recent travel update, the government of Turkey has removed all the COVID-related restrictions for Indian travellers. Turkey Tourism Board said that with this move, the nation is hoping for the highest-ever number of Indian tourists this year. Before this, travellers from India were needed to provide a negative RT-PCR test report or vaccination certificate to enter the country.
However, starting today, Indian travellers can enter Turkey without any such requirements, making it easier. The board said that no proof of vaccination or proof of recovery or a negative RT-PCR report will be required for Indians to visit Turkey.
Among this huge number, 50000 were Indian tourists only! This is the reason why Turkey is so hopeful of a full recovery in tourism this year, now that people are eager to travel and experience unexplored destinations.
For those who dont know, Turkey was voted as one of the top destinations for Free Independent Travelers (FIT) and Meeting, Incentive Travel, Conferences and Events (MICE) tourists from across the globe.
Pop-up COVID-19 vaccine clinics
ACT Health is running free Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine clinics at the following locations:
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has expanded recommendations on winter COVID-19 booster doses for people at increased risk of severe COVID-19.
People should wait for 3 months after a confirmed COVID-19 infection before they get their next COVID-19 vaccine dose.
See ourlatest COVID-19 vaccine news.
DePauw students are required to be up to date with COVID-19 vaccines. The CDC defines someone as up to date with COVID-19 vaccines when they have received all doses in the primary series and all recommended boosters, when eligible. Medical and religious exemptions for all immunizations are permitted. See depauwhealth.org for more information.
DePauw also requires employees to provide proof of up to date COVID-19 vaccination. As with the required flu vaccine, employees who have a medical or religious reason, or philosophical belief, will be exempt from this requirement but will be required to follow the protocols outlined below.
Submission of Vaccination and Booster Shot Information.
Incoming students should report their vaccine and booster information on their immunization record through Med+Proctor (www.medproctor.com) due Aug. 1, 2022.
Returning students who have received their vaccine booster should provide a copy of their vaccination booster document here.
Employees should use this form to submit vaccination and booster information.
How to find COVID-19 vaccination locations.Pharmacies like Walgreens, CVS, Kroger and Target, among others, are now able to administer COVID-19 vaccinations, including booster shots. Visit their respective websites for information on how to schedule an appointment.
State of Indiana sponsored vaccination locations can be found by visiting ourshot.in.gov or by calling 2-1-1. For step by step instructions on how to schedule an appointment on ourshot.in.gov, click here.
Who to call if you have questions about getting vaccinated.DePauw students and employees who utilize the DePauw Health Wellness Clinic are welcome to call DePauw Health at 765-658-4555 to speak with a member of the Hendricks Regional Health staff with general questions about the COVID-19 vaccines or about COVID-19 vaccines and their specific health.
Novavax aims to bring new COVID shot option to US
Americans may soon get a new COVID-19 vaccine option a more traditional kind of shot known as a protein vaccine. It's late in the pandemic for a new choice, but Novavax is hoping to find a niche with those who are unvaccinated or need boosters. (June 2)
AP
A federal vaccine advisory committee meets Tuesday to decide whether Americans could soon get a fourth COVID-19 vaccine option.
Development of the vaccine, from Novavax, a Gaithersburg, Maryland-basedcompany, was started at the same time as others in 2020, but the company struggled to produce its shot in large quantities.
A more traditional vaccine than some of the others, it might encourage some vaccine holdouts to get the shots, experts said.
"There's a lot of reasons that are not scientifically based for not having taken the vaccine (yet)," saidVivian Riefberg,a professor at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. "This may convince some people because it's traditional technology."
The Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech shots, which have been given tothree-quarters of the American population,are based on mRNA technology, which teaches the body to make the spike protein found on the surface of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Once the immune system recognizes the spike protein, it will attack the viral cells.
The Novavax vaccine provides the spike protein directly, mass-producedin insect cells instead of the body,and delivered with an adjuvant that boosts its effectiveness. Such protein-based vaccines have been used to preventhepatitis B, pertussis, pneumonia andmeningococcal disease, among other diseases.
(The J&J vaccine, which regulators have said should be a secondary choice after the mRNA shots, uses a harmless virus to deliver the same spike protein.)
It's unclear how many people will want to get vaccinated with the two-dose Novavax shots, after decliningthe other three.
"I wouldn't put it at zero," saidPrashant Yadav, a lecturer at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health who studies healthcare supply chains.
But in the United States, Novavax is more likely to eventually play a role as a booster.
"There is this ongoing need, ongoing market, for a safe effective COVID vaccine into the foreseeable future," John Trizzino, the company's executive vice president, chief commercial officer and chief business officer, said in a recent call with media.
Novavax is currently only asking for permission to provide its shots as a primary, two-dose vaccine to people who are not yet protected. The companywill have to present more data to regulators before their vaccine can be offered as a booster.
The Novavax vaccine is already available in more than 40 countries and is expected to be particularly useful in low- and middle-income countries, which may not have the freezer capacity required for long-term storage of the mRNA vaccines.
Still, it's important to authorize its use here, Yadav said.
"We can't go and tell the rest of the world that we are not going to use it inour country but you should use it," he said.
Travel writer Troy Petenbrink had been such an enthusiastic supporter of Novavax's shot that he volunteered in 2020 to participate in its vaccine trial.
But he soured on the company after he was left in limbo by the vaccine's delays not considered fully vaccinated, but unable to get answers from Novavax about what he should do.
"We kept asking and nothing," he said. "I couldn't go to the theater. I couldn't travel. I had to get a 'real' shot."
The Washington, D.C., resident ended up dropping out of the trial and getting the two-dose Moderna vaccine on top of his two doses of Novavax.
Still, Petenbrink hopes Novavax'svaccine will proveas useful as the others.
"Maybe in the future they'll have their act together and they'll bring better products to market," he said.
Novavax had been a small company, with fewerthan 100 employees, no products on the market and a disappointing clinical trial when it was awarded a total of $1.8 billion in U.S. tax dollars to develop, test and produce a COVID-19 vaccine.
It quickly showed safe and effectivein lab and animal studies, though those took longer to complete than the mRNA research.
Novavax's clinical trials started in late 2020, aboutthe same time thetwo mRNA vaccines were authorized, and at a time when COVID-19 rates had started to fall so it took longer to get the required number of infections to prove the shots'effectiveness.
Then came production issues.
Yadav said he thinks the company tried to go after more than it could handle, producing vaccine at large scale in multiple countries "too quickly, too early."
Instead of focusing on perfecting the manufacturing process at their production plant in North Carolina,"they were going after a geographic footprint ofEurope, Asia, Latin America and North America, to come up simultaneously and start producing."
If the plan had worked, he said, Novavax's shots would have been the best in the world. But the company'splan "had hiccups," Yadav said, including trouble attracting skilled people to staff all those facilities. The rollout was delayed in every country.
The vaccine could have been available sooner if the company had more experience with vaccine development or paired with a more experienced company,like BioNTech did, Riefbergsaid.
Bringing a vaccine to market involves more than simply developing theshot. "We all tend to focus on the innovation in the creation of the new (vaccine) and not the innovation in the scaling, because it's not as sexy but it's as important, sometimes more important," she said.
Novavax submitted its vaccine application to theFood and Drug Administration on Feb. 1 and the agency has been considering it since.
To win emergency authorization, the company must show its vaccine is safe, effective and can be produced consistently at scale.
The Novavax vaccine appears somewhat less effective in people over 65, providing 79% protection against symptomatic disease, compared to 91% protection among younger adults. The study didn't have many older participants who fell ill, though, so those figures may not be accurate, the FDA review noted.
In its analysis of Novavax's data,the FDA raised questionsabout the cardiovascular impacts of the shot, which the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committeewill discuss in a daylong meeting Tuesday.
Six participants who received the active vaccine and one who got a placebo developed myocarditis or pericarditis, a swelling of the heart muscle that has also been seen with the mRNA vaccines.
Five of the events were reported within two weeks of the shots and are believed to be connected. Four occurred in young men, which is the group that has been the most vulnerable to myocarditis after other COVID-19 vaccines.
Real-world evidence suggests that the risk of myocarditis following the Novavax vaccine could be even higher than with mRNA vaccines, according to the FDA review.
In a statement released over the weekend, Novavax said myocarditis is relatively common and the cases seen may be coincidental, not caused by the vaccine.
"We believe there is insufficient evidence to establish a causal relationship," according to the statement. "We will continue to monitor all adverse events, including myocarditis and pericarditis."
The advisory committee will vote at the end of its eight-hour meeting Tuesdaywhether to authorize emergencyuse of the Novavax vaccine. If it does, the head of the FDA will need to sign off on the vaccine, before it is reviewed by aCenters for Disease Control and Prevention advisory panel and then itsdirector.
Contact Karen Weintraub at kweintraub@usatoday.com.
Health and patient safety coverage at USA TODAY is made possible in part by a grant from the Masimo Foundation for Ethics, Innovation and Competition in Healthcare. The Masimo Foundation does not provide editorial input.
Football players engaged in COVID-19 communication efforts
A recently launched awareness-raising campaign promotes the benefits of vaccination against COVID-19 and contributes to achieving the national vaccination targets. The campaign, launched in December last year in partnership with one of the countrys most popular football clubs, Dacia Buiucani, has so far reached over 100 000 people on social media channels alone.
Football is arguably the most popular sport in the country, with over 85% of the male population and over 51% of the female population watching the sport regularly.
Through this special partnership we want to reach all football fans, including young people and their parents, with the message that vaccines bring us closer to doing what we love with those we love. Vaccines bring us one step closer to achieving a world where no one suffers or dies from a vaccine-preventable disease, said Miljana Grbic, WHO Representative in the Republic of Moldova.
Echoing this sentiment, the captain of the Dacia Buiucani football team said, We football players have always been role models for the younger generations thats why we are very happy that in addition to the love for football, we can now also promote messages that help to keep our fans informed and healthy.
The campaign includes the distribution of posters, footballs and backpacks with vaccine-related messages during the home matches of the Chiinu-based football club, as well as awareness-raising activities during events held in schools and kindergartens, organized by the Dacia Buiucani club.
In close collaboration with the Republic of Moldovas Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education, together with the Moldovan Association of Students and Residents in Medicine, a large-scale awareness campaign is being implemented to inform students and young people about COVID-19.
The campaign, called Roll up your sleeve, get vaccinated, highlights the importance of immunization efforts against COVID-19 and seeks to involve young people by engaging with them in universities and other student spaces to pass on key information to their families and peers.
Informational materials are being widely distributed and a series of public lectures is being held to reach students at all stages of their studies.
By rolling up their sleeves to get vaccinated and by passing on key information to those at home and those around them, young people can help us to protect everyones health, said Ala Nemerenco, Minister of Health, during the campaign launch event.
Authorities observed a 22% increase in the number of vaccinations administered to young people aged 1824 years in October 2021, compared to the number in the previous month, prior to the start of the campaign.
The campaign is part of the European Union (EU) and WHO/Europe partnership to support the deployment of COVID-19 vaccines and routine vaccination in the 6 EU Eastern Partnership countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine.
The project, funded by the EU and implemented by WHO/Europe, covers all phases of COVID-19 vaccine deployment and vaccination, constituting end-to-end support. It also serves as a major investment to strengthen routine immunization systems in the 6 countries.
