by: Alix Martichoux, Nexstar Media Wire
(NEXSTAR) In December, it will be one year since the first COVID vaccine was administered in the U.S. Its time to do a progress report.
While many health experts are moving away from the idea of herd immunity, vaccinating against COVID-19 is still the best way to protect people from the virus, they say especially when it comes to serious and deadly cases. How well are we doing at vaccinating people?
Below is the percentage of each states population that is fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
The states with the highest percentage of fully vaccinated people are some of the smallest, including Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Vermont. States in the rural West and the South have some of the lowest vaccination rates. West Virginia has the lowest rate of all 50 states, with just 41% of its population fully vaccinated.
A person is considered fully vaccinated when they receive two doses of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, or one dose of Johnson & Johnson.
Alabama: 46%Alaska: 54%Arizona: 54%Arkansas: 49%California: 62%Colorado: 63%Connecticut: 71%Delaware: 61%Florida: 61%Georgia: 49%Hawaii: 60%Idaho: 45%Illinois: 62%Indiana: 50%Iowa: 56%Kansas: 54%Kentucky: 52%Louisiana: 48%Maine: 72%Maryland: 67%Massachusetts: 70%Michigan: 54%Minnesota: 62%Mississippi: 46%Missouri: 50%Montana: 51%Nebraska: 57%Nevada: 54%New Hampshire: 64%New Jersey: 67%New Mexico: 63%New York: 68%North Carolina: 54%North Dakota: 48%Ohio: 53%Oklahoma: 51%Oregon: 64%Pennsylvania: 62%Rhode Island: 72%South Carolina: 51%South Dakota: 54%Tennessee: 49%Texas: 54%Utah: 55%Vermont: 72%Virginia: 64%Washington: 64%West Virginia: 41%Wisconsin: 59%Wyoming: 45%
The vaccination rates above are from the New York Times COVID-19 tracking project using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We rounded each number to the nearest percentage point.
Note that even if everyone who is eligible to receive a vaccine did so, the numbers in every state still wouldnt be 100%. Thats because there is no coronavirus vaccine approved for children under 5 years old, so they cant be vaccinated yet. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates about 6% of people in the country are under 5.
With the Pfizer vaccines emergency use authorization just recently expanding to children ages 5 to 11, we may see some jumps in states vaccination rates in the coming weeks.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) There were five new COVID-19 deaths reported in Tuesdays update from the South Dakota Department of Health, bringing the total to 2,294, up from 2,289 on Monday.
The new deaths include two women and three men in the following age ranges: 50-59 (3); 70-79 (1); 80+(1). New deaths were reported in the following counties: Codington, Jackson, Minnehaha, Tripp and Walworth.
Numbers in the Tuesday update are from Saturday at 1 p.m. Monday at 1p.m., according to Secretary of Health Kim Malsam-Rysdon.
There were 904 new total COVID-19 cases reported on Tuesday bringing the states total case count to 160,992, up from Monday (160,088).
The number of active cases reported on Tuesday is at 6,534, down from Monday (6,535).
Current hospitalizations are at 236, down from Monday (243). Total hospitalizations are at 8,188, up from 8,129 on Monday.
Total recovered cases are now at 152,164, up from Monday (151,264).
The DOH currently reports total tests each day. There have been 1,664,635, total tests reported as of Tuesday, up 6,245 from 1,658,390 total tests reported Monday.
The latest seven-day PCR test positivity rate for the state is 15.5% for Nov. 8 14.
Of South Dakotas 66 counties, 63 are listed as having high or substantial community spread. High community spread is 100 cases or greater per 100,000 or a 10% or greater PCR test positivity rate.
There have been 791 Delta variant cases (B.1.617.2, AY.1-AY.25) detected in South Dakota through sentinel monitoring, an increase of 16 over the previous report.
There have been 172 cases of the B.1.1.7 (Alpha variant), 3 cases of P.1. (Gamma variant) and 2 cases of the B.1.351 (Beta variant).
The DOH announced changes to how it reports vaccinations on the COVID-19 dashboard as of Monday, October 14. It now includes a breakout of how many people have received booster doses. Due to data clean-up efforts, the percentages of people whove received one dose or completed the series have changed. Findthe DOH explanation in this story.
As of Tuesday, 69.76% the population 12-years-old and above has received at least one dose while 58.79% have completed the vaccination series. 13.09% of those eligible have completed their booster dose.
There have been 534,110 doses of the Pfizer vaccine administered, 382,975 of the Moderna vaccine and 38,326 doses of the Janssen vaccine.
There have been 164,793 persons who have completed two doses of Moderna. There have been 226,174 persons who have received two doses of Pfizer.
As for booster doses, 57,862 people have received a 3rd Pfizer shot, 36,047 have received a 3rd Moderna dose and 914 have received a Janssen booster.
The state is also reporting updated numbers for the number of children under 12 years of age who have received a vaccine. It shows 5,938 have gotten the vaccine, which is 4.05% of that population.
Lower antibody level doesn't mean less protection from the coronavirus
If you got the COVID-19 shots back in early spring, your antibodies are likely waning. But its not something you need to be worried about, according to a new study from the University of Georgia.
Overall, antibody levels are decreasing, but their ability to protect against infection isnt, said Ted Ross, lead author and the director of UGAs Center for Vaccines and Immunology. The quality is still there even if the total quantity has gone down.
Published in Frontiers in Immunologys Vaccines and Molecular Therapeutics, the study found that vaccination results in a significantly more robust immune response than seen in people who contracted the coronavirus naturally.
The takeaway is that even if you have waning antibodies, the quality of those antibodies still protects you against severe disease and hospitalization. Ted Ross, Center for Vaccines and Immunology
Vaccinated participants showed higher levels of neutralizing antibodies, which serve as lookouts for viruses and alert the bodys immune system when its been infected. These individuals antibodies were also more effective at binding with the virus, which prevents it from latching onto and infecting cells.
Additionally, the study showed that for most people who were infected with the virus, a single shot of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine was enough to make them fully immune to the coronavirus. Some may require both shots to be fully protected, though, and theres currently no way to tell who does or doesnt. So, Ross recommends that everyoneeven those whove had COVID-19receive the second shot. It doesnt hurt you to get the second one, he said.
Ted Ross, the director of UGAs Center for Vaccines and Immunology, found that COVID-19 antibody quality is more important than quantity. (Photo by Peter Frey/UGA)
The research is part of a large-scale, multi-year surveillance program with more than 3,100 participants, ranging from 18 to 90 years old. They give blood and saliva samples each month so the researchers can track their immune response to vaccination or natural infection.
The takeaway is that even if you have waning antibodies, the quality of those antibodies still protects you against severe disease and hospitalization, said Ross, who is also a professor in UGAs College of Veterinary Medicine. People were concerned that if you had waning antibody levels, you would become susceptible to the virus again. But right now that doesnt seem to be the case for most people.
The CDC recently recommended booster shots for older adults, those with underlying medical conditions and people who work or live in high-risk settings if they received the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine series six or more months ago. The agency also encourages a booster for everyone who received the one-shot Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine.
Some health care experts questioned whether booster access should be expanded to all due to the uncertainty surrounding the vaccines long-term efficacy in staving off disease.
But people who were vaccinated in the spring and dont qualify for a booster shouldnt panic.
Now I dont know what will happen in another six months or another 12 months, but right now, if you were vaccinated in the spring, you should still have protective antibodies in you, Ross said. The elderly tend to lose their immunity more quickly. We see that with influenza too. Thats why they have to get vaccinated again. Younger people can maintain it longer.
Department of Public Health nurse Tricia Ellis gives a COVID-19 vaccine to undergraduate Zarae Allen at a pop-up vaccine clinic at the Tate Student Center. (Photo by Andrew Davis Tucker/UGA)
That being said, if youre eligible for a booster, go for it.
My attitude is that if youre offered one, you should get one. It cant hurt you, Ross said. And unfortunately, here in the U.S., many of the vaccines are being thrown away because they reached their expiration date. Its unfortunate that were not shipping them around the world to other people who need them, but if the alternative is throwing them away, I say get a booster shot.
In addition to getting the COVID-19 vaccine series, social distancing and wearing masks are still one of the most important ways to stop the spread of the disease.
This study was funded in part by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Co-authors include David Forgacs, Hyesun Jang, Rodrigo Abreu, Hannah Hanley, Jasper Gattiker and Alexandria Jefferson, all from UGAs Center for Vaccines and Immunology.
A total of 89 residents and staff -- many of whom were fully vaccinated -- have tested positive for Covid-19 in the last seven weeks, Geer Village Senior Community in North Canaan said Friday, and 11 residents and one staff member remain in isolation.
"Sadly, we have lost 8 residents with serious underlying health issues to Covid," the statement said.
CNN has reach out to Geer Village for further comment.
"Geer Nursing residents and staff will be eligible for the booster when we have gone two full weeks with no new positive cases," the nursing home said in their statement. All staff and residents are also subject to bi-weekly testing for Covid-19, and all visits to the center remain on hold until further notice.
"While we must continue with Covid-19 prevention protocols, we want to assure everyone we are doing our best to keep residents and staff safe," the statement said. "We continue to monitor the situation closely and will provide updates for residents, staff, families, and community stakeholders as the situation changes."
Only 10 of the 209 nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Connecticut, or 5%, have active Covid-19 cases, according to the most recent state data from October 27 through November 9. Of those 10 facilities, five facilities have only one active case.
By comparison, 20 of the 209 facilities, or 9.5%, had at least one Covid-19 case from September 15 through September 28, according to state data.
Amazon fulfillment center warehouse.
Getty Images
Amazon on Monday reached a settlement with California's attorney general over claims it concealed Covid-19 case numbers from its warehouse workers.
The company has agreed to notify warehouse workers within one day of new Covid cases, as well as provide the exact number of cases in their workplace, California State Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement. Amazon employs tens of thousands of warehouse workers in the state, he added.
Under the agreement, which is still subject to court approval, Amazon will also notify local health agencies within 48 hours of new Covid cases and pay $500,000 toward additional enforcement of California consumer protection laws, Bonta said.
Amazon spokesperson Barbara Agrait said there's no change to, nor allegations of any problems with, the company's protocols related to notifying employees who may have been exposed to Covid.
"We're glad to have this resolved and to see that the AG found no substantive issues with the safety measures in our buildings," Agrait said in a statement.
The settlement comes after California in January enacted stricter Covid workplace regulations as part of Assembly Bill 685, or the "right-to-know" law. The regulations require businesses to report Covid cases to workers within one business day, among other stipulations.
Throughout the pandemic, Bonta said Amazon inadequately notified warehouse workers and local health agencies of Covid case numbers, "often leaving them in the dark and unable to effectively track the spread of the virus."
Amazon sends notifications of new Covid cases to warehouse workers via its internal messaging portal, called A to Z, and works to determine if other employees came into contact with the person who tested positive by reviewing on site camera footage, as well as interviewing workers.
Warehouse and delivery workers have previously criticized Amazon's contact tracing and case notification protocols, claiming they're inadequate.
Last year, then-California Attorney General Xavier Becerra opened a probe into Amazon's treatment of warehouse workers during the pandemic.
California's division of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration also fined Amazon last October for coronavirus safety violations at two warehouses in the state. At one site, Amazon didn't notify contracted delivery drivers of confirmed cases, the citation said.
Amazon said at the time that it believed its coronavirus safety measures were "more than adequate."
WATCH: Inside the rapid growth of Amazon Logistics and how it's taking on third-party shipping
News Release
Monday, November 15, 2021
NIH-supported research will track effects of COVID-19 infection on children over three years.
A large, long-term study of the impacts of COVID-19 on children has enrolled its first participant at the National Institutes of Healths Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. The study, which is supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, will track up to 1,000 children and young adults who previously tested positive for COVID-19 and evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on their physical and mental health over three years. The study is expected to yield a detailed picture of COVID-19s effects on the overall health of children, their development and immune responses to infection, and their overall quality of life in the years following infection. This work is part of NIHs Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER) Initiative, to better understand the long-term consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, initial data suggested that children were less likely to suffer from severe cases of COVID-19 than older people. However, among the 6 million reported pediatric COVID-19 cases the United States, many children have experienced significant acute and long-term effects of the disease. Although increasing numbers of children are becoming eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, the lack of vaccine-derived protection for most children has made this age group especially vulnerable to infection. In addition, children can suffer from a suite of inflammatory symptoms, collectively called Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C), that can affect multiple organs and lead to severe illness. MIS-C can arise even when the child initially appeared to be asymptomatic for COVID.
Although we know that children are vulnerable to COVID-19, we still do not have a clear picture of how COVID-19 affects them in the long term, said NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. In adult patients, the long-term sequelae of COVID, including post-acute COVID-19, can significantly affect quality of life. Our investigations into the pediatric population will deepen our understanding of the public health impact that the pandemic has had and will continue to have in the months and years to come.
Study participants will be enrolled with the consent of their parents or guardians. The NIH Clinical Center will recruit children ranging from 3 to 21 years of age, and Childrens National Hospital in Washington, DC, will recruit children ranging in age from birth to 21 years. In addition to tracking the long-term health effects of COVID-19 and attempting to determine risk factors for complications, the study also will evaluate the long-term immune responses to the disease, screen for genetic factors that may affect how children respond to COVID-19 infection, and determine whether immunological factors influence long-term outcomes.
Children may be eligible to be enrolled if they have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past, even if they were asymptomatic. Participants will receive a full physical examination and undergo a complete medical history. Study physicians will collect a variety of baseline samples, including blood, nasal swabs, stool and urine. An optional genetic analysis may be performed to identify potential genetic risk factors for severe COVID-19 outcomes. Participants also will undergo scans of their hearts and other organs. Members of their households without a history of COVID infection also will be asked to enroll as part of a control cohort. In all, the study may enroll up to 2,000 people, the participants who have tested positive for COVID-19 and their household contacts.
Children and young adults who enroll within 12 weeks of a COVID-19 infection or a positive COVID-19 test will visit a clinic for follow-up at three and six months and then every six months for a total of three years. Those who enroll more than 12 weeks after a positive COVID-19 test will have clinic visits scheduled every six months for three years. At these follow-up visits, participants will undergo additional scans, sample analyses, questionnaires, and other means of tracking their health, development, and overall quality of life, including their mental and social well-being. Any re-infections or adverse events that may be linked to a prior COVID-19 infection will be documented. The researchers anticipate that the study will take approximately six years to complete.
For more information about the study, please visit ClinicalTrials.gov using the study identifier NCT04830852.
NIAID conducts and supports research at NIH, throughout the United States, and worldwide to study the causes of infectious and immune-mediated diseases, and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing and treating these illnesses. News releases, fact sheets and other NIAID-related materials are available on the NIAID website.
About the National Institutes of Health (NIH):NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.
NIHTurning Discovery Into Health
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