In 2020, COVID-19 joined what had been a fairly stable list of leading causes of death in the United States, coming in at No. 3 behind heart disease and cancer. The pandemic also contributed heavily to a dip in projected lifespan compared to 2019.
Life expectancy at birth in 2020 was 77 years overall in the United States, down nearly two years from the projection for those born in 2019, according to data released Wednesday by the National Center for Health Statistics in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Females are expected to live 5.7 years longer than males, at 79.9 years vs. 74.2 years. Both those numbers dropped compared to 2019 predictions.
The age-adjusted death rate for the whole population rose from 715.2 per 100,000 in 2019 to 835.4 in 2020. Increases in the age-adjusted death rate for ethnic and racial groups varied from just over 12% for non-Hispanic white females to a nearly 48% jump for Hispanic males.
Overall, age-adjusted death rates rose the most for Hispanics, followed by non-Hispanic Blacks, whose rates were double those of non-Hispanic whites. An age-adjusted death rate weights age-specific rates for each group by the proportion of each group in the population. The new report notes that the age-specific death rate increased in each age group 15 and older between 2019 and 2020.
Unintentional injuries, stroke, chronic respiratory disease, Alzheimers, diabetes, influenza/pneumonia and kidney disease rounded out the top 10 list of leading causes of death in the U.S. in 2020.
Overall, the report said, 3,383,729 resident deaths were recorded in the United States in 2020, up 528,891 compared to 2019.
The 16.8% increase in the age-adjusted death rate for the total population was the biggest single-year increase since the data collection began, and the decrease in life expectancy was the largest single-year decrease in more than 75 years.
As of Dec. 20, 2021, 804,046 deaths had been attributed to COVID-19 on death certificates. In 90% of cases, CDC reported, COVID-19 was listed as the underlying cause of death, while the others listed it as a contributing cause of death. The report said the largest number of COVID-19 deaths reported in a single week came in early January of 2021, when 25,984 deaths were attributed to the pandemic.
COVID-19 changed a trajectory that had been trending toward longer life. A year ago, the final data on 2019 deaths compared to 2018 showed that life expectancy had increased for the second year in a row, despite an increase in deaths from drug overdoses and an all-time high of over 2.85 million deaths in the U.S., that earlier report said.
The CDC said that drug overdose deaths make up more than a third of all accidental deaths in the country and had increased in 2019, after they declined in 2018 for the first time in 28 years.
2020 brought other death-related challenges, as well. In July, the CDC reported that drug overdose deaths were up 30% compared to the previous year. And in October the agency reported that 2020 brought the largest one-year increase in the U.S. homicide rate.
Provisional data found that in 2020, the homicide rate in the United States was 7.8 per 100,000, compared to 6.0 the year before and the highest rate since 1995, but significantly lower than the early 1980s, which topped 10 homicides per 100,000.
The new report said 19,582 children younger than age 1 died in 2020, which was 1,339 fewer than in 2019.
Among infants, the leading causes of death were the same as in 2019: congenital malformations, low birth weight, sudden infant death syndrome, unintentional injuries, maternal complications, cord and placental complications, bacterial sepsis, respiratory distress, diseases of the circulatory system and neonatal hemorrhage.
There was a statistically significant increase in sudden infant death syndrome, from 33.3 to 38.4 per 100,000 live births in 2019 compared to 2020. Low birth weight was the only category where deaths among infants decreased meaningfully, from 91.9 to 86.9 per 100,000.
The CDC has an interactive web dashboard where the leading causes of death are regularly updated.
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As the omicron variant of COVID-19 threatens to fuel another surge of infections this winter, the states vaccination data shows demand for booster shots has outpaced the demand for first doses of the vaccine in the last few months even as millions of Texans remain unvaccinated.
The average number of people getting boosters in Texas every day has surpassed those getting their first shots since late September, according to the states data. As of Dec. 21, the daily average of Texans who received their booster shots over the last week was about 52,000 compared with the approximately 20,000 who received their first doses.
So far this month, at least 1.2 million Texans have gotten booster shots nearly triple the number of people who received their first doses of the vaccine during the same time.
Meanwhile, the number of people getting their first shot of the vaccine over the last few months has remained far below people getting boosters, though the rate of first shots slightly increased in November and December.
The rush for the fully vaccinated to get boosted comes at a time when hospitals and medical experts are bracing for a surge in cases amid the rapid spread of the omicron variant and Texans are having to alter their plans as COVID-19 looms large over the holiday season for a second year in a row. More than 50% of Texans are fully vaccinated, and nearly 15% have received their booster shots. Booster rates remain low across the country, but even so, Texas ranks in the bottom 10 states.
In Texas, counties along the border and major metro areas have higher vaccination and booster rates compared with other parts of the state.
Getting a booster shot helps to combat the virus tendency to evolve and variants that evade immune response, said Dr. Jason Bowling, an infectious disease specialist at University of Texas Health San Antonio. It also can help reduce the risk of having severe symptoms or being hospitalized.
The idea with this booster is really to bump up your protection better to account for the mutations that allow this variant to get around it, Bowling said.
Booster rates have gone up as the Food and Drug Administration has gradually authorized their use among different age groups. Adults 18 and older are allowed to get booster shots, and this month, the FDA authorized emergency use for 16- and 17-year-olds who had the Pfizer vaccine as their initial two-dose treatment, making them eligible to receive the same vaccine as a booster.
Meanwhile, the amount of people getting their first vaccine doses has waned in the last few months as vaccines have become more widely available and more people take the next steps in their vaccination regime. The states data shows a slight bump in first doses in November as Thanksgiving approached.
Even so, 10 million Texans remain unvaccinated.
And while there isnt one specific reason why first-dose rates lag behind booster shots, Dr. Emily Briggs, who specializes in family medicine and has seen the split in the demand for the vaccine from a private practice in New Braunfels, largely credits ideology.
We are at that point of anybody who believes in science acknowledges that we have had benefit from this vaccine. Those who are politically motivated or have been given fear and are focused on that fear are not vaccinated, she said.
Briggs said many in her community are highly motivated to get the booster including people over 65 years old, schoolteachers or residents who work in crowded places where exposure is high but others are still hesitant to do so.
Bowling said although he feels messages are reaching residents about getting vaccinated, hes unsure if people are heeding the call about boosters like they did when vaccines first became available partially due to pandemic fatigue and the frequency in which vaccine guidance seems to change.
Initially it was no vaccine versus getting a vaccine. So obviously that drew a lot of interest. ... There were a lot of initial people going to get vaccinated at first, Bowling said. Its harder to get excited about the boosters, although theyre also extremely important.
Among the unvaccinated, Briggs said, some have been motivated by the predicted holiday surge in infections to get their first shots, but she lamented that for some the motivation has already come too late.
The motivation comes once the persons in the hospital or they have a family member whos in the ICU, and thats well past the time, Briggs said. We wanted them to be able to protect themselves and their family long before it came to that.
Local government and public health officials across the state have been asking residents to take precautionary measures as they travel and gather ahead of the Christmas holiday, calling on them to get tested and vaccinated. Gov. Greg Abbott has continued to take on an approach of personal responsibility toward vaccination while promoting therapeutic infusion centers and vaccines as the best defense against COVID-19. He has staunchly opposed vaccine mandates.
In Dallas County, the health and human services department is doubling down its efforts to get the message out about vaccines, spokesperson Christian Grisales said. Strategies like going door to door and conducting block walks have enabled officials to engage in dialogue with residents and counter distrust and misinformation about vaccines, he said. Vaccination and booster rates in Dallas County closely mirror state-level numbers.
Although residents continue to get vaccinated, one problem that has emerged is that residents are getting their first shots of either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine but not returning for the second ones, Grisales said.
Dr. Anita Kurian, assistant director of the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, said the city has engaged with residents about vaccination rates by deploying an army of community health workers who spend almost every day doing outreach, particularly in areas that have been heavily impacted by COVID-19. The health district also organizes town hall discussions about COVID-19 and tries to reach out to residents virtually through social media and influencers, Kurian said. In Bexar County, about 60% of residents are fully vaccinated, and nearly 17% have received their boosters.
With the onset of the omicron variant, Kurian said, now is the time to get boosted and mitigate exposure by masking, social distancing and asking about the vaccination status of others in your immediate environment.
It is going to surge here, so its inevitable, Kurian said of the new variant.
Effects of BNT162b2 Covid-19 Vaccine Booster in Long-Term Care Facilities in Israel | NEJM nejm.org
Mayor Bill de Blasio at a news conference last week in Prospect Park, Brooklyn. He announced on Thursday that the Times Square celebration would go on, but with far fewer spectators.Credit...Dave Sanders for The New York Times
New York City will scale back the Times Square New Years Eve celebration as the Omicron variant spreads, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Thursday, the same day New York state reported its highest recorded daily coronavirus case total ever.
The mayor added that officials were still monitoring the situation and could take additional precautions in the coming days, if needed.
As of now, attendees will be required to show proof of full vaccination and wear masks. Fewer people 15,000, instead of the usual 58,000 will be allowed in designated viewing areas, to make social distancing more possible. Visitors will not be allowed in until about 3 p.m., later than past years.
The number of cases in the city reported over the past week is the highest since the start of the pandemic, though testing was severely limited in its early days.
Nearly 39,000 new cases were reported statewide on Thursday, about 10,000 more than on Wednesday, with nearly 23,000 of them in New York City. More than 60 percent of cases reported by New York State to the genetic tracking database GISAID in the last two weeks were of the Omicron variant, according to the governors office.
The citys seven-day average test positivity rate was 11 percent as of Tuesday, and there were hourslong waits for tests at many sites around the city.
Also, Thursday the band Phish, which regularly plays New Years Eve concerts at Madison Square Garden, postponed its upcoming run of shows, including a three-set performance originally planned for New Years Eve.
A short while before making the Times Square announcement, at an unrelated event in Park Slope, Mr. de Blasio insisted that the rise in virus cases would subside soon and that shutdowns were not necessary. He said the citys strategy of incentivizing vaccines and boosters and implementing strict vaccine mandates would suffice.
Its going to be a tough few weeks, but it will only be a few weeks, he said, adding, We are not falling back. Were going to fight our way through this.
Health experts were divided about the New Years Eve decision. Denis Nash, a professor of epidemiology at the CUNY School of Public Health, said that he did not think it was a good idea to hold the event.
Were in the middle of a pandemic with a big surge of a new variant whose risk were still really understanding, and I dont think we want to let it amplify, he said.
He added that he was concerned that people visiting New York from other states and countries could pick up the variant and bring it home with them.
Since New York is a global city and connected to everywhere, we have to be thinking about those places too, Dr. Nash said.
But Ashish K. Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, said that he was really pleased that the mayor chose not to cancel, noting the vaccine mandate and adding that the virus generally does not transmit efficiently outdoors.
The whole country watches this, so I think psychologically its very important for the country to have a sense that we can do these things again and that we can do them safely, Dr. Jha said.
The city said Thursday that spectators over 5 years old must have received both doses, if applicable, of an F.D.A. or World Health Organization-approved vaccine at least 14 days before Dec. 31.
The ball drop will take place on Mr. de Blasios last day in office, marking the end of his eight-year tenure. Mayor-elect Eric Adams said in a statement on Thursday that Mr. de Blasio made the right move to take precautionary measures as we learn to live with Covid and fight the Omicron variant.
Tom Harris, president of the Times Square Alliance, said the 15,000 number referred specifically to people who would be allowed into viewing pens. The pens will be reduced in number and will only be filled to about 25 percent capacity, he said.
A greater number of people generally watch the ball drop from the surrounding area, including from hotels, restaurants and office buildings.
Were really excited about welcoming revelers back, he said. Safety is our priority and we feel an outdoor event with fully vaccinated, masked people in a less dense environment is about as safe as we could get.
Grace Ashford contributed reporting.
The new law makes the falsification of cards a misdemeanor and creates a new felony of "computer tampering in the third degree for intentional entering, alteration or destruction of 'computer material' regarding COVID-19 vaccine provisions," Gov. Kathy Hochul's office said.The law comes amid a fresh tightening of rules requiring proof of vaccination in cities across the United States -- including New York -- as the Omicron coronavirus variant spreads rapidly ahead of the Christmas holiday.
"Individuals who misrepresent their vaccination history, not only jeopardize their own health, but the health of all those they come into contact with. This legislation ensures that as New York opens up and many businesses choose to rely on checking vaccination status, the falsification of vaccination records will not be tolerated," the release from Hochul's office states.
"The remarkable ease at which it appears that New Yorkers could falsify vaccination records to feign compliance is astonishing. This new law will undoubtedly help prosecutors and other law enforcement hold people accountable for the damage they are doing to public health," state Assembly member Jeffrey Dinowitz said.
"Countless employers, schools, small businesses, and communities are relying on genuine proof of vaccination status," state Sen. Anna Kaplan said. "It's never been more urgent that we protect this process from fraud."
For Kristen Cole, waiting for both of those signatures meant that for more than a month, she could not schedule a vaccination appointment for her two young children, who are in her foster care. The kids became eligible for the vaccine in early November, along with all other five to 11-year-olds. Cole, who has cared for the children for more than two years, desperately wanted them to be vaccinated. But while one biological parent had signed off on it, the other had not responded to the request for authorization. (Cole requested that the childrens names and identifying information be withheld, to protect their identities.)
Less than a month ago, the omicron variant, first detected in South Africa, was labeled a variant of concern. Since then, the world has braced for another wave of coronavirus, as Covid-19 is spiking across Europe and, now, the United States.
A lot of these countries particularly the United Kingdom and the United States are pushing aggressive booster campaigns in response. Three shots, rather than two, is becoming the refrain of many public health experts.
Yet the rest of the world is still woefully under-vaccinated. Not just booster shots, but first doses. Close to 60 percent of the worlds population has received at least one shot, according to New York Times data. But its an unequally distributed feat. About two-thirds of those doses have been administered in high or middle-income countries. According to the Africa CDC, only a little more than 8 percent of the continent is fully vaccinated. The One Campaign, an advocacy group, estimates that there are more than eight times as many boosters being given in high-income countries compared to first doses in low-income countries.
Omicron has offered another, if somewhat predictable, hiccup. According to some early data and of course, these things are still evolving omicron is pretty good at evading the two-dose regimen for a lot of the vaccines given worldwide. Vaccination still offers protection from severe illness, and some data suggests severe illness may be less likely with omicron on an individual level. But the mRNA vaccines specifically Moderna and Pfizer coupled with a booster, appear to be the best bets at preventing infection. Most of the world isnt getting those vaccines.
Though theres still a lot scientists dont know about omicron, it is unlikely to be the last variant that emerges from this pandemic. The question is whether omicron will now force the global vaccination campaign to recalibrate, especially if the definition of fully vaccinated begins to evolve from generally two doses, to three.
To get a better sense of the broad challenges, Vox spoke to Wafaa El-Sadr, an expert on infectious diseases and global health at Columbia University. The bottom line: Omicron complicates an already complicated process. And unless the rest of the world acts (and invests) in vaccination, the one truism of the pandemic will persist: Coronavirus spread in one place poses a threat everywhere.
The conversation, edited and condensed for clarity, is below.
Beyond needing to do more, does the emergence of this new omicron variant change the global vaccination picture?
I think it does, in terms of the choice of vaccines. Not only the choice of vaccines, but also the need for booster doses. So it gets even more complicated.
Weve seen data now that are pretty convincing that certainly, getting the third dose, a booster dose is associated with an increase in protective antibodies, as well as evidence of just the clinical protection from just getting sick or dying from Covid-19. And that adds complexities, of course, because now we not only have to make sure that people get the primary regimen of vaccines, but also the third dose, the booster dose.
As you said, so many places are still struggling to deliver the first doses of vaccines. But there is also evidence that vaccines that arent mRNA (Pfizer and Moderna) such as Johnson & Johnson, Oxford-AstraZeneca, or Chinas Sinovac and Sinopharm, or Russias Sputnik may not be effective in preventing omicron infections. So do should we even be giving people those vaccines, or is something better than nothing at this juncture?
This complexity with omicron is exactly what youre talking about. Evidence shows that the boosting of mRNA vaccines provides potentially superior protection against omicron. This, of course, complicates the picture even further, because there are lots of other vaccines that are being largely used globally.
Of course, it depends on the magnitude of the strain of omicron. Is this going to dominate in every country all over the world? Or is it going to be mostly the prevailing dominant variant in some countries, but not others? Thats whats going to largely determine what can we do about the use of current vaccines.
Its still sort of wait and see mode. But in terms of increasing access to mRNA vaccines, are there things we could be doing that were not doing to increase their dominance in global vaccination efforts?
There are things that can be done. One is, obviously, to increase the production of these vaccines. That will require substantial investments and resources to be able to scale up production. If theres commitment to doing it, then its quite doable, and I think thats probably the fastest way to get more supply of these mRNA vaccines.
Now, there were also discussions, of course, about, establishing regional hubs for production of these vaccines, and technology transfer, and so on. But I believe that the fastest way to get vaccines into peoples arms is to immediately work hard at increasing the production of the vaccines by expanding factories where theyre currently being produced, or redirecting current factories to be able to do this.
If its going to take resources, where are those resources coming from?
I think it has to be from the wealthy countries of the world. Theres no getting around that. It is also in their self-interest. It has to become the number one priority now. It is going to be incumbent upon wealthy countries to be able to make that happen, especially because of the urgency of the situation.
You mentioned technology transfer. A lot of groups have been advocating for a TRIPS waiver, which would temporarily loosen intellectual property rights for Covid-19 vaccines and treatments, which would allow other manufacturers to produce vaccines. Where do you see that fitting in?
Its a longer-term strategy, but it definitely should be part of the strategy. It wont get us to the current, immediate needs. The current immediate needs are increased production. But we need to be building regional factories and we need to tackle the issues around patents.
I wonder if you are a clinician in a place where vaccines are in short supply, how do you approach this news that some vaccines might not be as effective against omicron? Or that you might need more doses? What does this do to already challenging, large-scale vaccination efforts?
Were facing the same thing, even in this country. Theres always been this misconception or misperception that getting vaccinated means you are absolutely protected from ever getting infected with SARS-COV-2. That was never the case, from day one.
Weve been struggling with the messaging all along in terms of what do these vaccines do and what they dont. Thats a major issue. We need to have clear messaging and go back to basics and say, these vaccines decrease your risk of getting infection, but it doesnt go down to zero. They certainly decrease your risk of getting very sick and hospitalized, but it doesnt go down to zero, either. But thats been a struggle all along.
I think we dont know I havent seen data say, if youve got an AstraZeneca, for example, and you get a booster with mRNA, would that protect you against Omicron? We dont know that as of yet. In the context of omicron, the data I have seen have been largely people who got Pfizer, and they got a booster from Pfizer, or they got Moderna and got a Moderna booster.
Weve seen other data earlier that showed that, yes, if somebody got Johnson & Johnson and they got an mRNA boost that they did get a pretty robust response. But we dont know whether thats protective against omicron I dont see why not, but we havent seen those experiments. So its possible that for people to receive their primary vaccination with a non-mRNA vaccine, that getting a booster with an mRNA vaccine could offer them protection against omicron. Then the message is not like your vaccination was wasted. Theres waning of immunity and therefore the need for boosting. Having a new variant coming around, that also is the second reason why boosting is important.
I wonder about the infrastructure for the mRNA vaccines extreme cold chains, and the like. Does that remain a challenge if we want to include more mRNA vaccines in the global repertoire?
Thats why I always say that first, its necessary to have those vaccines, but its not sufficient. You have to have the resources, the systems to get the vaccine into peoples arms. You need to have the effective vaccination program, and not just sufficient supply of vaccines. Thats not enough.
I think we have to also put in the resources to help specific countries to be able to do it. That may involve training of the workforce, it may involve messaging communication to make sure that there are no misconceptions or misperceptions about the vaccines; it may include the need for vehicles and gasoline; it may mean the need for refrigerators and freezers. Thats all part and parcel of having an effective vaccination effort.
It does seem as if the global infrastructure failed us on this one. Knowing what we know know, what do we need to put in place now to prepare for the next big one?
There are so many things. How many hours do you have?
When you think back, from day one, this pandemic was politicized. And from that really emanated all the pitfalls and all the sadness weve had, because of the politicization and, as you recall, the antagonism to the World Health Organization, the lack of support to the WHO. Then, again, once your country was purchasing large amounts of vaccines for their own population, [there was a] lack of a global response, incoherence, all the travel restrictions that are popping up right and left without any rhyme or reason.
[There have been] poor investments in vaccine production and vaccine technology; I think we have a chance now with the mRNA technology to do better. We need to do better in terms of overall investments in public health overall, and surveillance systems, in laboratory systems. I feel like [we need] all of these bits and pieces of having strong public health systems to enable rapid and effective response.
Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center is now offering COVID- 19 vaccines to hospital patients prior to their discharge.
Vaccines are available via a physicians order. A parent or guardian must consent for vaccines administered to minors.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended that everyone aged 5 and older complete a COVID-19 vaccine series and that everyone eligible also receive a vaccine booster to help prevent serious illness that could lead to hospitalization. Vaccines have been proven to be effective at protecting against severe disease and death from the virus that causes COVID-19.
As we enter our second winter of this pandemic, we are proud to offer this added protection to hospital patients prior to their discharge from Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center, said Atrium Health Navicent President and CEO Delvecchio Finley. Vaccination remains our proven best method to reduce the spread of this deadly pandemic.
Atrium Health Navicent also offers vaccination by appointment at Atrium Health Navicent Primary Care West Macon and Atrium Health Navicent Childrens Care Downtown Macon. Visit COVIDSafeGa.org to schedule an appointment. Vaccine availability is allocated and managed by the state.
While were hopeful that the number of COVID-19 cases locally will remain few, case counts are rising in other areas of the country and many people are making plans to attend gatherings and travel for the holidays. If you havent yet been vaccinated, make an appointment today to protect yourself and your loved ones, said Dr. Patrice Walker, chief medical officer for Atrium Health Navicent.
Atrium Health Navicent physicians encourage the community to continue to practice COVID-safe behaviors including wearing a mask in public, social distancing and frequent handwashing.
The U.S. Army has developed a vaccine it says may provide protection against all COVID-19 variants.
The Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) developed a 24-sided object to which it attached various protein spikes from coronavirus variants. The vaccine has completed phase 1 trials, but researchers have yet to test it against the omicron variant, an Army spokesman told Fox News.
Researchers received a sample in early 2020 and focused efforts on developing a vaccine that would work against potential variants. Two years later, the initial results show promise.
FILE - Staff Sgt. Travis Snyder, left, receives the first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine given at Madigan Army Medical Center at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state, Dec. 16, 2020, south of Seattle. The Army says 98% of its active duty force had gotten at least one dose of the mandatory coronavirus vaccine as of this weeks deadline for the shots. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)
The phase 1 human trials commenced April 2021. Scientists hailed the early data as encouraging and will publish final phase 1 study results once they complete the analysis.
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The theory behind the development of the Spike Ferritin Nanoparticle Platform (SpFN) vaccine posits that introducing multiple copies of spike proteins in an "ordered fashion" may prove key to creating a "potent and broad response."
Part of the Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) in Washington, DC, USA, circa 1960. (Photo by Harvey Meston/Archive Photos/Getty Images)
"This vaccine stands out in the COVID-19 vaccine landscape," said Dr. Kayvon Modjarrad, director of the Emerging Infectious Diseases Brance at WRAIR. "The repetitive and ordered display of the coronavirus spike protein on a multi-faced nanoparticle may stimulate immunity in such a way as to translate into significantly broader protection."
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Pre-clinical studies published in Science Translational Medicine indicate protection against the original strain of COVID-19 as well as variants that emerged from the original SARS-CoV-1 virus from 2002.
BOSTON, MA - JANUARY 7: An LPN puts away a patient testing kit from behind a plexiglass compartment at a walk-up COVID-19 testing site at a tent on the North Bennet Street alleyway in Boston's North End on Jan. 7, 2021. (Getty Images)
"It's very exciting to get to this point for our entire team and I think for the entire Army as well," Modjarrad told DefenseOne. "With Omicron, there's no way really to escape this virus. You're not going to be able to avoid it. So I think pretty soon either the whole world will be vaccinated or have been infected."
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One of the chief points of interest concerns how the vaccine interacts with people who have already received a vaccination or had a previous infection.
WRAIR will work with a currently unnamed industry partner for a potential wider rollout, but that rollout likely wont happen for a year, Dr. Marty Makary told Fox News host Shannon Bream.
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"You're getting a lot of different levels of immunity, not just to the spike protein," Makary explained. "It's in phase one clinical trials. They just announced the results. So it's about a year away from being out there."
Fox News' Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report.
Andrea Arriaga Borges tested positive for COVID-19 on May 19, 2021. The mother of five told KCRA 3 she had no underlying health issues, does not have asthma and does not smoke. Six days later, the Cameron Park woman asked her husband to call 911 when she couldn't breathe or walk. The last thing she remembers is talking to family before being intubated at the hospital."That's all I remember," she said. "And then I was in a coma for two months."Borges had to undergo multiple blood transfusions and a tracheotomy, lost her motor skills and had to re-learn how to walk.She missed one of her daughter's high school graduations."The doctors told my kids and my husband I wasn't going to make it," she said, with tears in her eyes.After four months in multiple hospitals, she said her doctors were shocked by her recovery and ability to be sent home. Borges was not vaccinated when she tested positive for COVID-19."I was against the vaccine," she told KCRA 3. "After going through what I went through, I don't wish that upon anybody."She is now fully vaccinated against the virus. Her four-month battle inspired her husband, children and her friends to get the vaccine as well. "We would never think it would happen to us," Debeie York, Borges' best friend said. "You hear about other people and until it hits close to home, that's when it really sounds the alarm. You go, 'Oh, this is real.'" Borges believes it is a miracle that she will be home with her family for her holidays. She encourages anyone who is unsure or against the vaccine to educate themselves and talk to their doctors."For my own sanity and peace of mind, it just made me feel better to know that at least there's a layer of protection," she said. "I hope that whoever's watching this that is young and healthy, it's not that it won't even happen to you, because it could."
Andrea Arriaga Borges tested positive for COVID-19 on May 19, 2021. The mother of five told KCRA 3 she had no underlying health issues, does not have asthma and does not smoke.
Six days later, the Cameron Park woman asked her husband to call 911 when she couldn't breathe or walk.
The last thing she remembers is talking to family before being intubated at the hospital.
"That's all I remember," she said. "And then I was in a coma for two months."
Borges had to undergo multiple blood transfusions and a tracheotomy, lost her motor skills and had to re-learn how to walk.
She missed one of her daughter's high school graduations.
"The doctors told my kids and my husband I wasn't going to make it," she said, with tears in her eyes.
After four months in multiple hospitals, she said her doctors were shocked by her recovery and ability to be sent home.
Borges was not vaccinated when she tested positive for COVID-19.
"I was against the vaccine," she told KCRA 3. "After going through what I went through, I don't wish that upon anybody."
She is now fully vaccinated against the virus.
Her four-month battle inspired her husband, children and her friends to get the vaccine as well.
"We would never think it would happen to us," Debeie York, Borges' best friend said. "You hear about other people and until it hits close to home, that's when it really sounds the alarm. You go, 'Oh, this is real.'"
Borges believes it is a miracle that she will be home with her family for her holidays.
She encourages anyone who is unsure or against the vaccine to educate themselves and talk to their doctors.
"For my own sanity and peace of mind, it just made me feel better to know that at least there's a layer of protection," she said. "I hope that whoever's watching this that is young and healthy, it's not that it won't even happen to you, because it could."
