(WXYZ) Omicron will most likely not be the last COVID variant, according to Senior Official Dr. Bruce Aylward from the World Health Organization.He says the high transmission levels worldwide give the coronavirus plenty of opportunities to replicate and mutate.
Globally, there have been almost 19 million cases of COVID-19 in the last week. Thats up 20% from the previous week. Unfortunately, theres just a lot of opportunity for the Omicron variant.
Part of the spreading is because of the low immunization rates in developing countries. The World Health Organization has pushed for equal distribution worldwide, but that has not happened. Shockingly, less than 10% of residents in developing countries have received one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Low immunization rates combined with an incredibly contagious variant means the door is wide open for the virus to mutate. Omicron is circulating at such intense levels right now, and I hope a more dangerous new variant doesnt emerge.
Endemic doesnt mean that the virus has disappeared. It just means that were living with it. Its circulating at lower levels and not causing many infections or significantly impacting our way of life. But itll still cause death because it will still find vulnerable people.
U.S. health officials are expecting a new wave of deaths from Omicron. Somewhere between 50,000 and 300,000 deceased. Hospitalizations follow case numbers, and deaths follow hospitalizations. Now I know people want to think that Omicron is mild. I get that because research shows people infected are less likely to get sick than if they were infected with Delta, but Omicron still kills.
Additional Coronavirus information and resources:
View a global coronavirus tracker with data from Johns Hopkins University.
See complete coverage on our Coronavirus Continuing Coverage page.
Lesson Overview
Featured Article: At-Home Coronavirus Tests Are Inaccessible to Blind People by Amanda Morris
At-home coronavirus tests have become a way for people to quickly know their Covid status before socializing or going to school or work. However, these tests rely on conducting complex steps and interpreting visual cues that often make them inaccessible to people who have limited vision or are blind.
In this lesson, you will learn about some low- and high-tech developments that could make at-home Covid testing more accessible. Then, you will reflect on other ways to make testing for the coronavirus more accessible for all people.
Have you ever taken an at-home Covid test? Have you been tested at school or at a health care facility? What experience do you have with coronavirus testing?
Consider the role that vision the ability to see plays in being able to safely and accurately test for Covid-19 during the pandemic. How is sight important or necessary as part of the testing process?
Read the article, then answer the following questions:
1. What are some of the obstacles that have prevented Christy Smith from ever being tested for the coronavirus?
2. What are low- and high-tech workarounds that might help people who are blind or who have limited vision get tested for the coronavirus? Discuss at least three ideas mentioned in the article.
3. For each workaround, describe a possible challenge to putting it in effect.
4. How does testing inaccessibility affect the quality of life for people who cannot go out for a Covid test or cannot use one at home?
5. Of all of the testing options and adjustments suggested in the article, which do you think sounds the most compelling? Why?
What is your reaction to the featured article? Are you surprised by the issues raised in the article? Do you feel hopeful about any of the solutions explored? Why or why not?
Can you think of any additional ideas that might be able to make testing more accessible for people who have limited vision or are blind?
Then consider the ways that testing for the coronavirus can be challenging or inaccessible for different people, whether they have a disability of not. You can consider a range of issues, including transportation, affordability, language and availability. Brainstorm some possible solutions that might make testing more accessible.
Additional Teaching and Learning Opportunities
Want more Lessons of the Day? You can find them all here.
Researchersbegan testing a new COVID-19 vaccine patch this month that they hope will provide long-lasting protection against the virus.
On Wednesday, researchers said the PepGNP-Covid19 vaccine is in an early-study phase, as the technology is much different than the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccines, Reuters reported.
Instead of producing an antibody response, the vaccine patch focuses on cellular immunity by targeting T-cells that could eliminate the coronavirus and prevent it from spreading in the body.
The vaccine works by putting a patch with microneedles on a person then taking it off.
"With this new vaccine that generates this cellular immunity we hope to have a longer period of protection ... we don't know yet, but it could be one year, two years, three years," professor Blaise Genton, head of the study, told Reuters.
The vaccine was developed by Emergex Vaccines Holding Ltd., and the trial will be conducted through Unisant medical research center in Lausanne, Switzerland, along with a local hospital.
The trial includes 26 candidates who will receive two patches of the COVID-19 vaccine, with the second one being slightly stronger. The people will then be tracked for six months, Reuters noted.
The first trial for the vaccine began on Jan. 10. Emergex announced the development of the new vaccine back in November.
Did your county make the list?
by: Gabby Urenda, Stacker.com
FILE Pharmacist Kenni Clark prepares a booster dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine during a vaccination clinic at City of Lawrences The Center, which serves seniors, families and the community, Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2021, in Lawrence, Mass. U.S. regulators, on Friday, Jan. 7, 2022, are shortening the time that people who received Modernas COVID-19 vaccine have to wait for a booster to five months rather than six. The Moderna vaccine is open to Americans 18 and older.(AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN/Stacker) With COVID-19 cases surging in Oregon due to the omicron variant, health officials are urging residents to get vaccinated and get boosted.
With the help of Stacker.com, KOIN 6 News compiled a list of counties with the highest COVID-19 vaccination rate in the state.
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 Jan. 13, 2022. Due to inconsistencies in reporting, some counties do not have vaccination data available.
According to the Oregon Health Authority, 81.8% of people ages 18 and older living in Oregon have initiated COVID-19 vaccination and have received at least one dose of any COVID-19 vaccine as of Wednesday, Jan. 19. 74.5% have completed their primary series, or have received one dose of Johnson & Johnson, two doses of Moderna or two doses of Pfizer vaccines.
38.5% have received a booster of any COVID-19 vaccine in addition to completing their primary series.
The United States as of Jan. 14 reached 846,638 COVID-19-related deaths and 64.1 million COVID-19 cases, according to Johns Hopkins University. Currently, 62.8% of the entire U.S. population is fully vaccinated, and 37.5% have received booster doses.
Below, youll find the top 10 counties in Oregon with the highest COVID-19 vaccination rate.
For a full list, click here.
Editors Note:KOIN 6 News edited this story originally published on stacker.com to include only 10 locations on the list, extract specific words and add more words as necessary. This article has been re-published pursuant to aCC BY-NC 4.0 License.
A recent study used surveillance data for the entire population of North Carolina to evaluate the durability of protection provided by the Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.
This large observational study showed that all vaccines provided a high degree of protection against hospitalizations and death at least 6 months after vaccination.
However, there was a gradual decline in the ability of these vaccines to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection following 1-2 months after vaccination, with the lowest level of protection observed in individuals receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
The studys first author Dr. Dan-Yu Lin, a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, told Medical News Today, Many decisions in the United States about COVID-19 vaccination and boosters were based on data from other countries, particularly Israeli data on the Pfizer vaccine.
Our study provides a precise and comprehensive characterization of the effectiveness of the three vaccines employed in the U.S. To my knowledge, this is the largest study on vaccine effectiveness, covering more than 10 million people.
The study appears in the journal New England Journal of Medicine.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted emergency approval for the use of the two-dose Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines and the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine against COVID-19 between December 2020 and February 2021.
They based the authorization of these vaccines on short-term safety and efficacy data from clinical trials. However, they did not know how long the protection afforded by the three approved COVID-19 vaccines would last.
Moreover, the rise in the number of vaccinated people developing COVID-19 a few months after immunization and the emergence of the Delta variant led to concerns about the durability of protection provided by these vaccines.
Multiple studies have since evaluated the long-term efficiency of these vaccines. These studies have reported a decline in protection a few months after receiving the last dose of the vaccine. However, this period also coincided with the emergence of the Delta variant.
Thus, whether this decline in efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines was due to waning immunity, the emergence of new variants, or both was unclear.
The objective of the present study was to characterize further the durability of protection provided by the three FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccines.
Previous studies have evaluated the effectiveness of vaccines by estimating the cumulative or overall incidence of breakthrough infections over 1-3 months after vaccination. Dr. Lin noted that Unlike other studies, we estimated the vaccine effectiveness in reducing the current risk of disease as a continuous function of time elapsed since vaccination, as opposed to cumulative incidence over a broad time interval.
To evaluate the long-term effectiveness of these vaccines, the researchers used data collected by the North Carolina COVID-19 Surveillance System and COVID-19 vaccine management system between December 2020 and September 8, 2021.
The North Carolina Covid-19 Surveillance System collects data on the number of COVID-19 cases and clinical outcomes for COVID-19 positive individuals for the entire population of North Carolina. On the other hand, the COVID-19 vaccine management system is an online repository of vaccination history.
The researchers found that Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were most effective at preventing a SARS-CoV-2 infection 2 months after the first dose, before gradually declining.
At 2 months after vaccination, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were 94.5% and 95.9% effective at preventing a SARS-CoV-2 infection, respectively. The effectiveness of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines subsequently declined to 66.6% and 80.3% after 7 months, respectively.
The greater effectiveness of the Moderna vaccine (100 microgram [mcg] per dose) could be due to the higher levels of mRNA present in each dose than the Pfizer vaccine (30 mcg per dose).
The single-dose Johnson and Johnson reached peak effectiveness of 74.8% 1 month after vaccination, which gradually reduced to 54.4% after 5 months.
These changes in the effectiveness of the three vaccines did not differ with sex, race, and ethnicity. However, the vaccine effectiveness was lower in individuals over the age of 64 years than in the younger population.
The researchers also compared the patterns of changes in vaccine effectiveness over time in individuals who received their vaccinations at different dates after the vaccines became available in December 2020.
The researchers found that these patterns of change in vaccine effectiveness over time were similar in individuals, regardless of when they received the vaccine. This similarity in patterns of changes in vaccine effectiveness suggests that there was a decline in immunity conferred by the vaccines, regardless of the emergence of the Delta variant.
Furthermore, in individuals who received their first dose of the mRNA vaccines before March 2021, the emergence of the Delta virus was associated with a further 10% and 15% decline in the effectiveness of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, respectively.
These data suggest a natural waning of the immunity the vaccines confer and a decline in immunity due to the emergence of the Delta variant.
The researchers then analyzed the effectiveness of the three vaccines in preventing hospitalizations and mortality.
Although more than 800,000 people in North Carolina reported COVID-19 during the study period between December 2020 and September 2021, the researchers only had access to hospitalization and survival data on 40% and 60% of these COVID-19 cases, respectively.
Analyzing these data, the researchers found that all three vaccines, especially the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines, provided high levels of protection against hospitalization and death at least 6 months after vaccination.
The Pfizer vaccine was 88.7% and 90.5% effective at preventing hospitalization and death, respectively, due to COVID-19 at 7 months after vaccination. Similarly, the Moderna vaccine had an effectiveness of over 94% against hospitalizations (94.1%) and death (95.5%) at the end of 7 months after the first dose.
At 6 months following vaccination, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was 80% effective in preventing hospitalizations and 70% effective in protecting against death.
Similar to the effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 infections, the efficacy of all three vaccines in preventing severe illness was lower in individuals aged 65 years and older.
Describing the implications of the study, Dr. Lin said, First, all three vaccines are durably effective against severe disease leading to hospitalization and death. Thus, unvaccinated people should get vaccinated right away.
Second, the Pfizer vaccine is less durable than the Moderna vaccine, so the Pfizer vaccine recipients should get boosters sooner than the Moderna vaccine recipients.
Third, older adults have lower vaccine effectiveness and higher risks of hospitalization and death than younger people, so there is a greater urgency for older adults to get booster shots.
Fourth, the effectiveness of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine starts to decline after 1 month, so perhaps the Johnson & Johnson vaccine recipients should be administered a second dose after 1 month; if a second dose needs to be taken soon after the first one, there is no practical advantage of taking the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Finally, because the majority of the vaccinees in the U.S. were vaccinated more than 7 months ago and only a small percentage of the population has received boosters, waning immunity is likely contributing to the breakthrough infections with the Omicron variant. Thus, vaccination and boosting is our best hope against the Omicron variant or any new variants that may arise in the future, added Dr. Lin.
For live updates on the latest developments regarding the novel coronavirus and COVID-19, click here.
New Hampshire is opening two more walk-in COVID-19 vaccination sites this week and has plans to open more, Gov. Chris Sununu said Wednesday.A new location has opened in Stratham, and a site will open Friday in Concord, Sununu said. There are already five state-run walk-in locations open.>> Latest COVID-19 impact coverage from WMURThe governor said other locations will open next week in Manchester, Nashua and Salem, and a location in Keene should open by the end of the month.Vaccination rates have been mostly flat in New Hampshire since the summer, but Sununu said vaccines remain the best tool available to fight the pandemic.>> COVID-19 in New Hampshire: Important informationWhile the omicron variant of COVID-19 spreads more easily than previous variants, research has shown that those fully up-to-date on vaccinations, including booster shots, are much more protected against hospitalization and death.New Hampshire is also working to increase the availability of at-home COVID-19 tests. Sununu said he's planning to ask lawmakers for $10 million to buy at-home tests that will then be distributed by the state.Granite Staters have been able to request at-home tests from the state twice, and the federal government launched its own site to request free tests Tuesday. Sununu said the at-home tests have been tough to find, and there's no guarantee that New Hampshire will be able to immediately locate enough tests to distribute.Sununu praised the federal site and urged people to order their tests. He said at-home tests are increasingly valuable to let people know when they have the virus and when they can return to work or school."The earlier you know, the faster you know, the easier it is to take preventative measures," he said.This is a breaking news story. It will be updated as more information comes in. ** Town-by-town: COVID-19 case data | Vaccination data **--
New Hampshire is opening two more walk-in COVID-19 vaccination sites this week and has plans to open more, Gov. Chris Sununu said Wednesday.
A new location has opened in Stratham, and a site will open Friday in Concord, Sununu said. There are already five state-run walk-in locations open.
>> Latest COVID-19 impact coverage from WMUR
The governor said other locations will open next week in Manchester, Nashua and Salem, and a location in Keene should open by the end of the month.
Vaccination rates have been mostly flat in New Hampshire since the summer, but Sununu said vaccines remain the best tool available to fight the pandemic.
>> COVID-19 in New Hampshire: Important information
While the omicron variant of COVID-19 spreads more easily than previous variants, research has shown that those fully up-to-date on vaccinations, including booster shots, are much more protected against hospitalization and death.
New Hampshire is also working to increase the availability of at-home COVID-19 tests. Sununu said he's planning to ask lawmakers for $10 million to buy at-home tests that will then be distributed by the state.
Granite Staters have been able to request at-home tests from the state twice, and the federal government launched its own site to request free tests Tuesday. Sununu said the at-home tests have been tough to find, and there's no guarantee that New Hampshire will be able to immediately locate enough tests to distribute.
Sununu praised the federal site and urged people to order their tests. He said at-home tests are increasingly valuable to let people know when they have the virus and when they can return to work or school.
"The earlier you know, the faster you know, the easier it is to take preventative measures," he said.
This is a breaking news story. It will be updated as more information comes in.
** Town-by-town: COVID-19 case data | Vaccination data **
--
Immigrant Food+, located just a few steps from the White House in the Planet Word museum, specializes in fusion cuisine. They take their inspiration not only from the great American melting pot, but also from DC's own vibrant diversity. Immigrant Food+ is also incredibly proud that two of the people who helped develop the COVID-19 vaccine are immigrants:researcher Katalin Karik'sprofile inThe New York Timesnotes that she comes from Hungary, while BioNTech co-founder zlem Treci is a German-born Turk (via NYT).
According to Washingtonian, the brunch offered by Immigrant Food+ over a recent mid-January weekend consisted of a number of "injectables" meant to honor the vaccine and those whose efforts have made it so widely available. The menu featured croquettes that came with pipettes of feta cream, blue cheese burgers complete with ketchup-filled syringes, and tiramisu churros with chocolate syringes.NBC4 also showed a cocktail that, upon receiving a shot of lemon juice, changed color from blue to purple. The restaurateurs intended the brunch to be a way to "celebrate science ... in a non-political, non-polarized way," and part of the proceeds went to support a local charity. The cause Immigrant Food+ chose to support was, appropriately enough, Mary's Center, an organization that provides vaccination services to DC's under-served and immigrant communities.
Amid a COVID-19 surge fueled by the omicron variant, hospitals and health systems in Florida must navigate conflicting positions at federal and state levels when it comes to vaccination mandates.
On Jan. 13, the Supreme Court upheld the CMS mandate for COVID-19 vaccination in healthcare facilities, setting aside challenges that blocked enforcement of the mandate in 24 states. This means CMS may implement andenforce the rule in every state but Texas, where a preliminary injunction remains in place. The rule requires healthcare facilities participating in the Medicare and Medicaid programs to establish a policy ensuring eligible workers are fully vaccinated, with exemptions allowed based on religious beliefs or recognized medical conditions.
On the same day of the Supreme Court decision, the office of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the statewill not enforce the federal mandate. Mr. DeSantis also signed a law Nov. 18 designed to counter mandates. The Florida legislation prohibits vaccination mandates for private employers unless also providing various exemptions, which include medical or religious concerns; pregnancy or anticipated future pregnancy; and past COVID-19 infection.The legislation also imposes a fine of up to $50,000 per employee violation.
A spokesperson for Mr. DeSantis said the state's prohibition on vaccine mandates "remains in effect for all industries, [and] we will be evaluating next steps for enforcement in the coming days," according to a statement shared with ABC affiliate WFTS.
Meanwhile, Florida hospitals must navigate conflicting state and federal positions.
Mary Mayhew, Florida Hospital Association president and CEO, toldNPR hospitals "don't want to be caught between the state government and the federal government," and they are working on addressing the situation.
"You can't be in compliance with both based upon the breadth of exemptions that exist within the state law," she said. "So, hospitals are working very closely with their staff, first of all, to encourage them to get vaccinated, but then to identify where there are exemptions that fit within the Medicare rule. Where we become potentially at odds with the state requirement is if an employee fails to fit."
Hospitals and health systems in Florida told Becker's via written statements Jan. 18 and 19 that they are working on compliance.
Orlando Health said the health system "continues to review the guidelines regarding COVID-19 vaccination requirements for healthcare organizations and will take appropriate steps. As a healthcare organization, we continue to strongly encourage vaccinations for all team members and physicians at Orlando Health."
Altamonte Springs-based AdventHealth emphasized the health system's support of vaccines.
"As part of our commitment to protecting the health and well-being of our team members, patients and communities, we strongly encourage all of our team members to receive the COVID-19 vaccine," the health system's statement said.
As of Jan. 18, about 96 percent of AdventHealth employees were in compliance with the CMS vaccination mandate.
The health system plans to "be in compliance with the legal requirements and continue to monitor developments impacting its enforcement," according to the organization's statement.
Jacksonville-based Baptist Health said the organization also continues to keep tabs on the evolving law and regulatory guidance regarding vaccination requirements.
As of Jan. 19, more than 99 percent of Baptist Health employees had met the COVID-19 vaccination or exemption requirement.
Additionally, "we recently extended the date for compliance by 30 days to allow time for our team members to submit exemptions utilizing the new state of Florida approved exemption forms, which we are currently honoring," the health system said.
Vaccines are a vital tool for mitigating illness from many infectious diseases, including COVID-19 and shingles.
The COVID-19 vaccine can protect you from becoming ill and lower your risk of serious illness or hospitalization.
For example, recent data from the United Kingdom has found that, compared to unvaccinated individuals, the risk of hospitalization with the Omicron variant is 65 percent and 81 percent lower in people whove had 2 doses and 3 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, respectively.
The shingles vaccine protects you from shingles and can also prevent postherpetic neuralgia, a common complication of shingles that can cause long-term pain. Compared to 2019, shingles vaccinations dropped by 89 percent early in the pandemic, although rates began climbing again later in 2020.
You may wonder how much time needs to pass between getting your shingles and COVID-19 vaccines. Keep reading as we explore the answer to this question and others.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults ages 50 and older receive 2 doses of the shingles vaccine, Shingrix. The doses are separated by 2 to 6 months.
Its important to get the shingles vaccine, even if you:
Shingrix is highly effective at protecting you from shingles and postherpetic neuralgia. According to the CDC, Shingrix is 90 percent effective at preventing these conditions after 2 doses. This protection remains high for at least 4 years.
You shouldnt receive the shingles vaccine if:
Having a mild illness like a cold isnt a reason to not get your shingles vaccine.
However, if you have a moderate to severe illness or a fever of 101.3 or higher, you should recover before getting your shingles vaccine.
The CDC guidelines state that the COVID-19 vaccine may be given without regard to the timing of other vaccines.
This means you dont have to wait to receive your COVID-19 and shingles vaccinations.
In fact, you can get your COVID-19 vaccine and shingles vaccine at the same time. If you choose to do this, make sure to receive your injections at two different sites.
Most side effects of the shingles vaccine are mild and typically last only 2 to 3 days.
One of the most common side effects of the shingles vaccine is an injection site reaction. This can include redness, swelling, or soreness where you got your shot.
Other side effects can include:
The most common side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine include:
Side effects felt throughout your body are typically more common after receiving the second and booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Like the shingles vaccine, COVID-19 vaccine side effects typically last only a couple of days.
When COVID-19 and flu circulate at the same time, it has the potential to cause many people to become ill and overburden the healthcare system. As such, its essential to receive both COVID-19 and flu vaccines.
Its safe to receive your COVID-19 and flu vaccine at the same time.
Though were still learning more about giving the COVID-19 vaccine with other vaccines, a November 2021 study found no safety concerns when the COVID-19 and flu vaccine were given at the same time. Also, participants produced expected antibody responses to both vaccines.
The CDC recommends that all people ages 6 months and older get a flu vaccine. The flu vaccine can help prevent illness and reduce the risk of serious flu-related complications in vulnerable individuals, such as:
Its important to get the COVID-19 and shingles vaccines when youre eligible. These vaccines can protect you from two illnesses that could potentially cause severe complications.
You dont have to wait between getting the COVID-19 vaccine and others, such as the shingles or flu vaccines.
Your doctor can answer any questions or concerns you may have about the timing of your COVID-19 and shingles vaccinations.
