CLEVELAND, Ohio - Though Ohios coronavirus case rate has been dropping and Gov. Mike DeWine announced Wednesday that his health orders will end in early June, 27 Ohio counties remain on red alert for concern over spread of COVID-19, according to the states weekly update Thursday.
The Level 3 red alert counties include Cuyahoga, Lake, Lorain, Portage and Summit in the Greater Cleveland area, while Geauga and Medina are listed at a step lower for concern at Level 2 orange.
Red alert, according to the health department, means there remains a public emergency for increased exposure and spread, and that people should exercise a high degree of caution. The alert system takes into account several factors, including case rates, hospitalizations and trips to doctors offices.
Though 27 counties were listed for red alert this week, the number has shrunk over the last couple of months. There were 38 red alert counties last week and 45 the week before that. During multiple weeks in January and February, 84 of Ohios 88 counties were on red alert.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, DeWine announced the new two-week rate of new cases of 119.9 per 100,000 residents.
This is down from 140.2 reported a week ago. However, there was a slight change in how the number reported was calculated, adding one more recent day. The number reported Thursday was for the two-week period ending Wednesday instead of the normal Tuesday, when DeWine said the rate was 123. Based on the old method, cleveland.com had projected the rate would be 122.9 on Thursday.
In Greater Cleveland, each county showed improvements this week:
* Cuyahoga - 178.9 cases per 100,000 versus 216.1, 231.5, 266.6 and 280.9 the previous four weeks.
* Geauga - 96.1 versus 100.4, 75.8, 124.9 and 154.8.
* Lake - 133 versus 138.2, 158.2, 207.3 and 235.9.
* Lorain - 130.7 versus 155.2, 164.6, 213.3 and 232.1.
* Medina - 87.3 versus 104.6, 121.8, 158.6 and 178.6.
* Portage - 118.8 versus 160.6, 156.3, 209.9 and 213.6.
* Summit - 149.2 versus 189.5, 216.8, 258 and 300.9.
The rate is based when people became sick or first learned they had the virus, not when cases were eventually reported by the state. The rate excludes cases involving incarcerated individuals.
The coronavirus report card for Cuyahoga County from the Ohio Department of Health.Ohio Department of Health
Heres a closer look at the advisory system introduced in early July. Alert levels are determined by the number of warning benchmarks met. But once a county reaches red alert, it does not drop unless its rate of new cases also drops below 100 per 100,000 over two weeks.
* 1. New cases - Alert triggered when there are 50 new cases per cases 100,000 residents over the last two weeks.
* 2. Increase in new cases - Alert triggered by an increase in cases for five straight days at any point over the last three weeks. This is based on the date of onset of symptoms, not when the cases are reported.
* 3. Non-congregate living cases - Alert triggered when at least 50% of the new cases in one of the last three weeks have occurred in outside congregate living spaces such as nursing homes and prisons.
* 4. Emergency rooms - Alert triggered when there is an increase in visits for COVID-like symptoms or a diagnosis for five straight days at any point in the last three weeks.
* 5. Doctor visits - Alert triggered when there is an increase in out-patient visits resulting in confirmed cases or suspected diagnosis for COVID-19 for five straight days at any point in the last three weeks.
* 6. Hospitalizations - Alert triggered when there is an increase in new COVID-19 patients for five straight days at any point over the last three weeks. This is based on the county or residence, not the location of the hospital.
* 7. Intensive Care Unit occupancy - Alert triggered when ICU occupancy in a region exceeds 80% of total ICU beds and at least 20% of the beds are being used for coronavirus patients for at least three days in the last week.
Rich Exner, data analysis editor for cleveland.com, writes about numbers on a variety of topics. Follow on Twitter @RichExner. See other data-related stories at cleveland.com/datacentral.
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Some 1.8 billion Muslims around the world are marking Eid al-Fitr, the festival ending the holy month of Ramadan, but the celebration is muted for a second year in a row due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Iranian women wearing protective face masks perform the Eid al-Fitr prayer and pray for Palestinians at Shah Abdol-Azim Shrine amid the coronavirus pandemic in Tehran, Iran on Thursday. Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images hide caption
Iranian women wearing protective face masks perform the Eid al-Fitr prayer and pray for Palestinians at Shah Abdol-Azim Shrine amid the coronavirus pandemic in Tehran, Iran on Thursday.
In the country with the largest Muslim population, Indonesia, worshippers wore masks as they joined in communal prayers, but in some areas considered at high risk for transmission of the coronavirus, mosques including Southeast Asia's largest, the Istiqlal Grand Mosque in the capital Jakarta closed their doors as a precaution, according to The Associated Press.
Indonesian Muslims walk after they perform an Eid al-Fitr prayer on the "sea of sands" in Yogyakarta, Indonesia on Thursday. Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images hide caption
Indonesia and neighboring Malaysia, which is in the midst of a nationwide lockdown, asked the faithful for a second year not to travel home for traditional celebrations with family to mark Eid, which concludes a month of dawn-to-dusk fasting, prayer and introspection.
Muslims perform the Eid al-Fitr prayer at Jamacadaha Football Stadium on Thursday in Mogadishu, Somalia. AFP via Getty Images hide caption
Muslims perform the Eid al-Fitr prayer at Jamacadaha Football Stadium on Thursday in Mogadishu, Somalia.
The lead-up to Eid last year saw Indonesia with the largest number of coronavirus cases in Southeast Asia. Despite the government's ban on travel in 2020, the country failed to stop the spread of the virus and it witnessed a jump in cases in the weeks following the holiday.
"I understand that we all miss our relatives at times like this, especially in the momentum of Eid," Indonesian President Joko Widodo said in televised remarks. "But let's prioritize safety together by not going back to our hometowns."
However, in Bangladesh, tens of thousands of people were heading home. Bangaldesh is experiencing a shortage of coronavirus vaccines but that didn't stop many in the capital, Dhaka, from joining loved ones in villages, leading experts to fear a surge of COVID-19 in the country.
A man wearing a protective face mask and maintaining social distancing performs the Eid al-Fitr prayer at Kocatepe Mosque in Ankara, Turkey on Thursday. Adem Altan/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
Muslim devotees takes a selfie using their mobile phones after offering special prayers at the historic Badshahi Mosque in Lahore, Pakistan. Arif Ali/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
Muslim devotees takes a selfie using their mobile phones after offering special prayers at the historic Badshahi Mosque in Lahore, Pakistan.
Pakistan's chairman of the official committee that announces the first sighting of the new moon there, marking the official end of Ramadan, urged the public to follow coronavirus precautions, such as wearing masks and avoiding physical contact, during Eid prayers.
In India, with a Muslim population second only to Indonesia, the festival takes place against the backdrop of an unprecedented surge in coronavirus cases and COVID-19 deaths. Many infections have been traced to a massive Hindu festival along the banks of the Ganges River.
Muslims celebrate in front of the Dome of the Rock mosque in Jerusalem's Old City. Ahmad Gharabli/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
Muslims celebrate in front of the Dome of the Rock mosque in Jerusalem's Old City.
People gather at a market in the old city of Hyderabad, India on the occasion of Eid as the government imposes a 10-day lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus on Thursday. Noah Seelam/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
Muslim worshippers perform the Eid al-Fitr morning prayer at the Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca to mark the end of the month of Ramadan. Abdulghani Essa/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
Coronavirus outbreaks and new fighting between government forces and Muslim insurgents in the southern Philippine island of Mindanao, has prevented large public prayers. Instead, most are worshipping in their homes. In Maguindanao province, many families displaced by the fighting celebrated as best they could in evacuation camps.
Filipino Muslims eat a meal together as they celebrate Eid at the Garden Mosque in Manila on Thursday. Ezra Acayan/Getty Images hide caption
Filipino Muslims eat a meal together as they celebrate Eid at the Garden Mosque in Manila on Thursday.
In the Gaza Strip, the call to prayer sounded amid the rubble of Israel airstrikes in the territory, in the worst outbreak of violence in years. Scores of people have been killed and there is no ceasefire in sight, despite the start of the Eid.
The chief imam in Ghana has issued directives against gatherings to offer Nawafil (optional prayers) to mark Eid. Instead, he has proposed small meetings that adhere to COVID-19 protocols.
Muslims pray on a street in Accra, Ghana, on Thursday to mark the end of Ramadan. Nipah Dennis/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
Muslim worshippers pray at al-Azhar mosque in Cairo. Khaled Desouki/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
Muslim worshippers pray at al-Azhar mosque in Cairo.
Albanian Muslims pray at Skenderbeg Square in Tirana to mark the end of Ramadan. Gent Shkullaku/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
A Hui Muslim woman wears a mask at Eid al-Fitr prayers on Thursday at the historic Niujie Mosque in Beijing, China. Kevin Frayer/Getty Images hide caption
Turkish Amphibious Marine Brigade soldiers attend Eid al-Fitr celebration ceremony as they spend the holiday on duty in Foca, Izmir, Turkey. Anadolu Agency/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images hide caption
Muslim worshippers pray at a soccer stadium in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Thursday as Muslims across the globe mark the end of Ramadan. Amanuel Sileshi/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
Muslims leave after the Eid al-Fitr prayer at Bradford Central Mosque in Bradford, northern England. Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
Muslim worshippers perform the Eid al-Fitr morning prayer at Dubai's Eid Musalla in the Gulf emirate's old port area. Karim Sahib/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
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The KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor is an ongoing research project tracking the publics attitudes and experiences with COVID-19 vaccinations. Using a combination of surveys and qualitative research, this project tracks the dynamic nature of public opinion as vaccine development and distribution unfold, including vaccine confidence and acceptance, information needs, trusted messengers and messages, as well as the publics experiences with vaccination.
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a stark disproportionate toll on people of color, including the Hispanic population. Hispanic people have faced increased risk of exposure to the virus as many are employed in essential jobs that cannot be done from home and live in larger, multigenerational households. Reflecting these increased risks, Hispanic people have suffered higher rates of COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and death compared to their White counterparts. Despite being harder hit by the pandemic, Hispanic people have been less likely than White people to receive a COVID-19 vaccine so far. These disparate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have exposed and exacerbated longstanding underlying disparities in health and health care facing Hispanic people. Prior to the pandemic, these disparities had already been compounded by immigration policies implemented during the Trump administration that increased fears among immigrant families and made some more reluctant to access programs and services, including health coverage and health care. Although the Biden administration has since reversed many of these policies, they may continue to have lingering effects among families.
This report from the KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor is based on interviews with 778 Hispanic adults in the U.S., including 334 conducted in Spanish and 408 with adults born outside the U.S., including 185 who indicated that they do not have lawful permanent resident status (referred to in this report as potentially undocumented). It provides insights into how Hispanic adults have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and their access, information, and experiences with COVID-19 vaccinations. Moreover, it illustrates the varied experiences within the Hispanic population, including describing the experiences of Hispanic immigrants, for whom data remain limited. Throughout this report, Hispanic adults include people of any race, other groups (i.e., White and Black adults) are non-Hispanic.
The survey findings reveal that Hispanic adults have substantial fears about getting sick from coronavirus, and that many have close connections to people who have gotten sick or died from COVID-19. They also highlight the widespread negative financial impacts of the pandemic for Hispanic adults. In addition, they provide insight into how immigration-related fears may be affecting Hispanic adults willingness to participate in assistance programs for food, housing, and health care, at a time when many have growing needs due to the financial impacts of the pandemic.
About two-thirds of Hispanic adults say they are worried that they or someone in their family will get sick from coronavirus, including 41% who say they are very worried. The share saying they are very worried is higher among Hispanic adults than among Black adults (30%) and is four times the rate among White adults (10%). Worries about getting sick from coronavirus are even more prevalent among Hispanic immigrants, particularly those without permanent resident status. Seven in ten (69%) of potentially undocumented Hispanic adults say they are very worried about themselves or a family member getting sick from COVID-19 as are over half (57%) of foreign-born Hispanic adults with permanent resident status. Among U.S.-born Hispanic adults (who are much younger on average than their foreign-born counterparts), one quarter (24%) express this level of worry. There also are stark differences in levels of concern among Hispanic adults by language spoken and household income, with nearly three in four (73%) of Hispanic adults who completed the survey in Spanish and over half (53%) of those in lower income households reporting being very worried about getting sick.
This higher level of worry is not unfounded, as Hispanic adults are more likely than White adults to report close connections to someone who has gotten sick or died from coronavirus. Nearly three in ten (28%) of Hispanic adults say they or someone in their household has tested positive for coronavirus, higher than the shares of Black (21%) and White adults (18%). This share rises among Hispanic adults born outside the United States, including 40% of the potentially undocumented. About four in ten (38%) Hispanic adults say a close friend or family member has died from coronavirus, similar to the 34% among Black adults and higher than the 18% among White adults. There were no major differences in the likelihood of having a close friend or family member die by immigration status.
The pandemic has also taken a disproportionate financial toll on Hispanic families in the United States. About half (48%) of Hispanic adults say the pandemic has had a negative effect on their personal financial situation, higher than the share of White adults who say the same (36%). Among those with lower household incomes (under $40,000 per year), 56% of Hispanic adults say their financial status has been negatively affected by the pandemic, higher than the shares among lower-income Black or White adults (42% each). There were no major differences in the likelihood of reporting negative financial effects by immigration status. However, a 55% majority of Hispanic adults who completed the survey in Spanish say their financial situation has been negatively impacted by the pandemic, higher than the four in ten (43%) of English-speaking Hispanic adults who report being negatively affected.
Some Hispanic adults, particularly those who are potentially undocumented, report that they have avoided seeking assistance for food, housing, and/or health care due to immigration-related fears. The Trump administration implemented a range of immigration policy changes, including changes to public charge policy, that increased fears among immigrant families and made some more reluctant to access programs and services, including health coverage and care. While the Biden administration has since reversed many of these policies, they may continue to have lingering effects among families at a time when many are facing growing needs due to the pandemic.
Overall, one in ten Hispanic adults (11%), say there was a time in the past 3 years when they or a family member decided not to apply for or stopped participating in a government assistance program because they were afraid it might negatively affect their or a family members immigration status. Across Hispanic adults overall, 6 percent say they did not apply for or stopped participating a program to help with food, 4 percent say assistance for housing, and 3 percent say a health care program.
The share saying they or a family member did not apply for or stopped participating in a program in the past 3 years due to immigration-related fears increased rises to 26% among potentially undocumented Hispanic adults. Among potentially undocumented Hispanic adults, 21% say they did not apply for or stopped participating a program to help their family with food, 12 percent say assistance for housing, and 11 percent say a health care program. While undocumented immigrants generally are not eligible for any federally-funded assistance, many live in mixed immigration status families, including other family members such as U.S.-born citizen children, who may qualify for assistance.
Nearly half (47%) of Hispanic adults say they have already received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and another 17% say they intend to get one as soon as they can. The share of Hispanic adults who say theyve received at least one dose of the vaccine is lower than the share among White adults (60%), while a larger share of Hispanic adults compared to White adults say they will wait and see how the vaccine is working for other people before getting vaccinated themselves (18% vs. 13%). Nearly one in five (17%) Hispanic adults report that they have not yet been vaccinated but want to get one as soon as possible, higher than the shares among White adults (6%) and Black adults (9%).
Among those who have not yet been vaccinated, Hispanic adults are twice as likely as White adults to say they want to get a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as they can, making them a key target for outreach and information. Looking just at those adults who have not yet received a COVID-19 vaccine, one-third of Hispanic adults say they want to get one as soon as they can compared to 16% of White adults and 17% of Black adults. By contrast, larger shares of unvaccinated White and Black adults compared to Hispanic adults say they will definitely not get a COVID-19 vaccine (34%, 26%, and 17%, respectively).
Some groups of Hispanic adults are more likely to say they have not yet gotten the vaccine but want to get one as soon as possible, suggesting they are particularly likely to face access barriers to getting the vaccine. For example, three in ten (31%) of potentially undocumented Hispanic adults report having gotten a COVID-19 vaccine, and nearly four in ten (37%) want one as soon as possible but havent yet gotten one. This finding is similar for uninsured nonelderly Hispanic adults, with about three in ten (29%) of this group reporting receiving the vaccine and another 30% wanting one as soon as possible. Adults who completed the survey in Spanish are also more likely than English speaking adults to say they want a vaccine as soon as possible, but this largely reflects a higher share of English-speaking Hispanic adults saying that they do not plan to get the vaccine.
Among Hispanic adults, divides in COVID-19 vaccination intention by age, education, and partisanship mirror those seen in the general population. Large majorities of Hispanic adults ages 50 and over say theyve already gotten at least one dose of the vaccine or will do so as soon as possible (85% of those ages 50-64 and 88% of those ages 65 and over). By contrast, larger shares of younger Hispanic adults say they want to wait and see how the vaccine is working (20% of those ages 30-49 and 31% of those ages 18-29). Similarly, Hispanic adults who identify as Democrats or lean that way are much more likely than those who identify or lean Republican to say they have either gotten a vaccine or will do so as soon as they can, while Republicans are more likely to say they will definitely not get vaccinated. Hispanic adults with a college degree are more likely than those with lower levels of education to say theyve already gotten a COVID-19 vaccine (61% vs. 45%), while those who are not college graduates are more likely to say they have not been vaccinated but want to do so as soon as possible (18% vs. 10%), suggesting possible access barriers for this less-educated group, similar to the groups mentioned above.
Among those who report receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, Hispanic adults are more likely than White and Black adults to report getting their vaccine through a community health clinic. The most common place people report receiving a COVID-19 vaccine across race and ethnicity groups is a large vaccination site. At least one-third of those who have received at least one dose of a vaccine reporting receiving it there (35% of vaccinated Hispanic adults, 37% of Black adults, and 35% of White adults). Consistent with other analysis showing community health centers are vaccinating larger shares of people of color, particularly Hispanic people, over one in five (22%) vaccinated Hispanic adults reported getting their vaccine at a community health clinic, twice the share of White (11%) and Black (10%) vaccinated adults who report the same. Among Hispanic adults, 30% of those who completed the interview in Spanish say they got vaccinated at a community health clinic compared to 17% of those who completed the interview in English. There were no significant differences in the share of Hispanic adults getting vaccinated at a community health clinic by immigration status or income.
Hispanic adults are less likely than White adults to report signing up for a vaccine appointment online. Among those who have gotten a vaccine or have tried to get an appointment, about half of Hispanic adults (48%) either signed up or tried to do so online compared to nearly six in ten White adults (58%). A quarter (25%) of Hispanic adults say they signed up or tried to sign up by phone, and another 16% scheduled or sought to schedule an appointment in person.
Many Hispanic adults report being asked for certain types of information or documentation when they signed up for or received a vaccine that may pose barriers to getting the vaccine for some. The COVID-19 vaccines are available for free regardless of insurance status. Some vaccine providers request health insurance information from people receiving the vaccine in order to bill for the cost of administering the vaccine, which may lead some people to be confused about whether uninsured people can get the vaccine or if they have to pay to receive one. The federal government has also clarified that vaccines are available to individuals regardless of immigration status. Despite this, requests for information and/or documentation to provide proof of identity or residency may vary across states, localities, and vaccination providers. For example, in some cases, individuals are being requested to provide government-issued identification or a Social Security number, while others provide a range of options to prove identity or residency, including self-attestation, and specify that a Social Security number is not required.
Among all Hispanic adults who made or attempted to make an appointment to receive a vaccine, about a third (32%) report being asked to provide health insurance information when making an appointment. Four in ten (42%) say they were asked to provide a government-issued identification and 14% say they were asked to provide a Social Security number. Among those who have been vaccinated for COVID-19, over half (56%) say they were asked for their ID at the vaccination site, 23% were asked for insurance information and 15% report being asked to provide a Social Security number.
Hispanic adults who have not yet been vaccinated for COVID-19 are more likely than White adults to express concerns that reflect access-related barriers to vaccination. Although potential side effects and vaccine safety are the top-ranked concerns among Hispanic adults who have not yet been vaccinated for COVID-19, many also report concerns related to potential challenges getting the vaccine. Among unvaccinated Hispanic adults, nearly two-thirds (64%) are concerned about missing work due to side effects, over half (52%) are worried they might have to pay out of pocket for the vaccine, and nearly half are concerned they wont be able to get the vaccine from a place they trust (49%), shares that are significantly larger than their White counterparts.
Notably, among Hispanic adults who say they have not yet been vaccinated but want to do so right away, six in ten are concerned that they wont be able to get the vaccine from a place they trust (61%) or that they might have to pay an out-of-pocket cost to get the vaccine (59%) and half (52%) are concerned about missing work due to vaccine side effects, highlighting that access remains a barrier even for those in the most eager group.
Because the Hispanic population includes higher shares of noncitizens compared to other groups, immigration-related concerns may also particularly affect this population. Four in ten unvaccinated Hispanic adults (39%) are concerned they might be required to provide a Social Security number or government-issued identification in order to get vaccinated, and just over a third (35%) are concerned that by getting the COVID-19 vaccine they might negatively affect their own or a family members immigration status.
Among unvaccinated Hispanic adults, those who are potentially undocumented, those without health insurance, and those with lower household incomes are more likely to express potential access-related barriers or immigration-related concerns to vaccination. The top access-related concern across these groups is that they might have to miss work due to side effects. Not surprisingly, potentially undocumented Hispanic adults are particularly concerned they may need to provide a Social Security number or government issued ID to get the vaccine (58%), and nearly two thirds (63%) are concerned getting the vaccine might negatively affect their or a family members immigration status.
In addition, unvaccinated Hispanic adults who are uninsured are more likely than those who have health insurance to say they are concerned about not being able to get the vaccine from a place they trust, being required to provide a Social Security number or government-issued ID, or negatively impacting their own or a family members immigration status.
Compared to their higher-income counterparts, unvaccinated Hispanic adults with incomes under $40,000 a year are more likely to say they are concerned about missing work due to COVID-19 vaccine side effects, having to pay an out-of-pocket cost to get vaccinated, negatively affecting someones immigration status, and having difficulty traveling to a vaccination site.
Strategies that address access-related concerns may be particularly effective for increasing enthusiasm to get the COVID-19 vaccine among Hispanic adults. For example, nearly half of Hispanic adults who have not gotten the vaccine and are not ready to get it right away (46%, rising to 64% among those born outside the U.S.) say theyd be more likely to get a COVID-19 vaccine if it was offered to them at a place they normally go to health care, compared to 23% of White adults. Four in ten Hispanic adults in this group (39%, rising to 49% of foreign-born) would be more likely to get vaccinated if they only needed to get one dose compared to a quarter (25%) of White adults. Over half (54%) of employed Hispanic adults who are not yet ready to get the vaccine say they would be more likely to get it if their employer gave them paid time off to recover from side effects compared to 19% of employed White adults. In addition, four in ten (38%) employed Hispanic adults in this group say they would be more likely to get vaccinated if their employer arranged for a medical provider to administer the vaccine at their workplace, compared to 14% of their White counterparts.
Certain financial and travel-related incentives may also be particularly effective in increasing vaccine enthusiasm among Hispanic adults, especially those born outside the United States. Over four in ten (41%) of Hispanic adults (including 63% of those born outside the US) who are not yet ready to get the vaccine say theyd be more likely to get vaccinated if it was required for international travel compared to 17% of White adults. There are also differences in responses to employer incentives to get vaccinated. Nearly four in ten (38%) of employed Hispanic adults who are not yet ready to get the vaccine said they would be more likely to get it if their employer offered them a $200 incentive to get vaccinated, versus 22% of their White counterparts.
Increased outreach and education about how, where, and when to the vaccine may also facilitate increased vaccinations among the Hispanic population. Increasing awareness that the vaccine is free regardless of insurance status and available to all individuals regardless of immigration status may also encourage vaccination among those concerned about costs or potential negative immigration-related consequences.
Larger shares of Hispanic adults compared to White adults report lacking information about when and how to the get the vaccine, with particularly large information gaps among those who are foreign-born, who are Spanish-speakers, and who have lower incomes. Despite broadened eligibility for vaccines across states, 42% of unvaccinated Hispanic adults (compared to 26% of unvaccinated White adults) say they are unsure if they are eligible to receive the vaccine in their state, with this share rising to 57% among the potentially undocumented, 49% among Spanish speakers, and 47% with household incomes below $40,000. Similarly, 29% of Hispanic adults overall say they dont have enough information about where to get a vaccine, including higher shares of potentially undocumented (43%) and Spanish-speaking (38%) Hispanic adults. Nearly half of all unvaccinated Hispanic adults (45%) say they lack information about when they can get a vaccine, and this share rises to more than half among those who are potentially undocumented (58%), those who completed the interview in Spanish (56%), and those with household incomes under $40,000 a year (54%).
Most Hispanic adults who completed the survey interview in Spanish (68%) say it is either very easy or somewhat easy to find COVID-19 vaccine information in Spanish, but 27% say it is at least somewhat difficult. Similarly, most Spanish speakers say they were able to access information or communicate in their preferred language when making their vaccine appointment (68%) and when getting their vaccine (77%), but some say they were not able to communicate in their preferred language when making an appointment (26%) or getting the vaccine (22%).
There are gaps in knowledge that the vaccine is available for free among unvaccinated Hispanic adults. Roughly half (46%) of unvaccinated Hispanic adults know that the vaccine is available for free even for those without health insurance while 9% believe this is not the case and four in ten (43%) are not sure. More than half (54%) of unvaccinated Hispanic women know that vaccines are available for free while four in ten (39%) of Hispanic men are also aware of this. Knowledge that the vaccine is available for free is higher among unvaccinated Hispanics who completed the survey in Spanish (60%) versus those who completed it in English (37%). Among Hispanic adults ages 18-64 who have not yet gotten vaccinated, similar shares of those with and without health insurance are aware that the vaccine is available regardless of health insurance status (47% and 44%, respectively).
There also are gaps in knowledge about the vaccine being available to all people regardless of immigration status among unvaccinated Hispanic adults. The federal government has clarified that all people are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine regardless of immigration status. Four in ten unvaccinated Hispanic adults (42%) are aware that all adults living in the U.S. are eligible to receive a vaccine regardless of their immigration status, larger than the share of unvaccinated Black adults (15%) and White adults (27%) who know this is true. Yet, 9% of Hispanic adults believe it is not the case that all adults are eligible to get the vaccine regardless of immigration status and nearly half (48%) are not sure. Among unvaccinated Hispanic adults, a larger share of those who completed the survey in Spanish know that the vaccine is available regardless of immigration status compared to those who completed the survey in English (55% vs. 33%). Hispanic adults who are potentially undocumented are somewhat more likely than those born in the U.S. to incorrectly say it is not true that U.S. residents are eligible to get the vaccine regardless of immigration status (14% vs. 5%), while those born in the U.S. are more likely to say theyre not sure (56% vs. 35%).
Together these findings suggest that addressing access barriers and providing information through outreach and education efforts will be key for closing ongoing racial disparities in COVID-19 vaccinations for Hispanic adults. They indicate that increasing access to paid time off to get and recover from any side effects from the vaccine and making vaccines easily accessible through trusted sites of care and workplaces may facilitate uptake of vaccinations among Hispanic adults. Moreover, they highlight continued needs for outreach and education efforts within the Hispanic community to communicate how and where to get the vaccine and to clarify that the vaccines are free regardless of insurance status, that they are available to all people regardless of immigration status, and that receiving a vaccine will not negatively affect an individuals current or future immigration status. The findings also reinforce why prioritizing equity in COVID-19 vaccinations is key, given the disproportionate health and economic impacts of the pandemic for Hispanic families and other people of color.
The global tally for the coronavirus-borne illness edged close to 159 million on Tuesday, according to data aggregated by Johns Hopkins University, while the death toll rose above 3.3 million. The U.S. continues to lead the world in cases and deaths by wide margins, with 32.7 million cases and 582,162 deaths, or about a fifth of the worldwide tallies. India is second to the U.S. by cases at 22.7 million and third by fatalities at 246,116. The crisis in India continues a day after the World Health Organization said the double-mutant variant that first emerged there is a "variant of concern" and is likely far more transmissible than the original virus. Called the B.1.627 variant, it has two spike proteins instead of one. There was good news on the vaccine front when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration expanded the emergency use authorization granted to the vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc. PFE, +1.03% and German partner BioNTech SE BNTX, -2.87% for use in 12- to 15-year-olds.Brazil is third with 15.2 million cases and second by fatalities at 423,229. Mexico has the fourth-highest death toll at 219,098 and 2.4 million cases, or 15th highest tally. The U.K. has 4.5 million cases and 127,870 deaths, the fifth-highest in the world and highest in Europe.
(May 13, 2021) Nantucket Cottage Hospital reported one new coronavirus case Thursday morning. There have been 11 cases in the past week, lowering the seven-day positivity rate to 3.3 percent, the lowest it's been in more than six months.
Thursday's results also included 34 negatives, and no tests are pending.
As of Monday, the hospital has administered 8,956 first-dose vaccinations, and 6,772 second-dose vaccinations at its New South Road VFW clinic. It plans to close the clinic by the end of the month as vaccine demand has declined, and instead offer vaccinations at the hospital and through a mobile clinic.
The town received 1,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and is planning to target job sites and other areas where workers might have trouble getting time off during business hours to be vaccinated.
Little by little we are getting through this, but whats important to understand with the numbers were seeing on Nantucket as well as across the state is that COVID is one of those illnesses thats going to be here to stay like the flu and the common cold," Nantucket health director Roberto Santamaria said.
The Board of Health on April 20lifted its outdoor mask mandate, a move Gov. Charlie Baker made statewide earlier in the week. Masks are still required indoors and where social distancing is not possible.
In addition to lifting the outdoor mask mandate, Baker's plan also includes raising gathering limits to 200 people indoors and 250 outdoors beginning May 29, which could have a major impact on the local wedding industry.
There have been five COVID-19 Nantucket deaths since the start of the pandemic, the most recent on April 7 a woman in her mid-50s.
Hospital staff have collected 32,323 nasal swabs for testing since last March. In addition to the 1,558 positive tests since the beginning of the pandemic 4.83 percent of the total number returned 30,765 have come back negative.
All COVID-19 testing is being conducted at the hospital's 57 Prospect St. drive-through portico to free up additional vaccination space at the New South Road VFW. Testing for those with symptoms and close contacts is held from 7-10 a.m. Monday-Friday.
COVID-19elective testing for asymptomatic patientsis by appointment only. Since drive-up testing ended April 28, the number of tests administered by the hospital has dropped by about 50 percent.
There have been 1,495 coronavirus cases confirmed on Nantucket in the past seven months, beginning Sept. 9, 2020 with a spike linked to workers in the trades, followed by a second surge in late September tied to a church function in which a communal meal was shared.
A third spike in early November was again tied to workers in the trades, followed by significant surges related to holiday gatherings and travel at Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's. A moderate surge in early March was tied to school-break-related travel, followed by the most recent rise in cases, which is believed to be linked to the arrival of additional COVID-19 variants on the island.
Prior to Sept. 9, Nantucket had one of the lowest COVID-19 rates in the state per 100,000 population, and the fewest confirmed cases of any county in Massachusetts.
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The WestVirginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) reportsas of May 13, 2021, there have been 2,817,189 total confirmatory laboratory resultsreceived for COVID-19, with 157,626 total cases and 2,751 deaths.
DHHR has confirmed the deaths of a 53-year old male from MingoCounty, a 70-year old male from Lewis County, and a 74-year old male fromBerkeley County.
COVID-19has hurt far too many West Virginia families, said Bill J. Crouch, DHHRCabinet Secretary. Building community immunity is our not-so-secret weapon toending the pandemic. I urge all who are eligible to schedule a COVID-19vaccine.
CASES PERCOUNTY: Barbour(1,436), Berkeley (12,397), Boone (2,043), Braxton (932), Brooke (2,196),Cabell (8,701), Calhoun (347), Clay (506), Doddridge (599), Fayette (3,448),Gilmer (857), Grant (1,279), Greenbrier (2,806), Hampshire (1,837), Hancock(2,805), Hardy (1,529), Harrison (5,732), Jackson (2,125), Jefferson (4,620),Kanawha (14,976), Lewis (1,199), Lincoln (1,478), Logan (3,138), Marion(4,454), Marshall (3,468), Mason (2,006), McDowell (1,573), Mercer (4,856),Mineral (2,860), Mingo (2,579), Monongalia (9,203), Monroe (1,140), Morgan(1,184), Nicholas (1,704), Ohio (4,216), Pendleton (703), Pleasants (893),Pocahontas (663), Preston (2,912), Putnam (5,166), Raleigh (6,790), Randolph(2,610), Ritchie (708), Roane (633), Summers (825), Taylor (1,229), Tucker (528),Tyler (718), Upshur (1,875), Wayne (3,098), Webster (490), Wetzel (1,345), Wirt(425), Wood (7,788), Wyoming (1,998).
Delays may be experienced with the reportingof information from the local health department to DHHR. As case surveillancecontinues at the local health department level, it may reveal that those testedin a certain county may not be a resident of that county, or even the state asan individual in question may have crossed the state border to be tested.
Following the action of the U.S.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and DrugAdministration expanding the emergency use authorization of Pfizers COVID-19vaccine for adolescents ages 12to 15, West Virginia will immediately begin offering the vaccine to this age group.The West Virginia Joint Interagency Task Force forCOVID-19 Vaccines will coordinate this effort across the state with the help ofpartners including the West Virginia Department of Education, local healthdepartments, pharmacies, and many others. Please visit www.coronavirus.wv.gov for informationon the COVID-19 vaccines.
Free pop-up COVID-19 testing is available todayin Barbour, Berkeley, Boone, Gilmer, Hampshire, Hardy, Jefferson, Lincoln, Logan,Mingo, Morgan, Putnam, and Raleigh counties.
Barbour County
9:00 AM 11:00 AM, Barbour County Health Department, 109 Wabash Avenue,Philippi, WV
3:00 PM 7:00 PM, Junior Volunteer Fire Department, 331 Row Avenue,Junior, WV
Berkeley County
10:00 AM 5:00 PM, 891 Auto Parts Place, Martinsburg, WV10:00 AM 5:00 PM, Ambrose Park, 25404 Mall Drive, Martinsburg, WV
Boone County
12:00 PM 5:00 PM, Boone County HealthDepartment, 213 Kenmore Drive, Danville, WV (optional pre-registration: https://wv.getmycovidresult.com/)
Gilmer County
7:00 AM 12:00 PM, Minnie Hamilton Health System WACO Center, 186Hospital Drive, Grantsville, WV
Hampshire County
10:00 AM 5:00 PM, Hampshire County HealthDepartment, 16189 Northwestern Turnpike, Augusta, WV
Hardy County
9:00 AM 12:00 PM, Hardy County EmergencyAmbulance Authority, 17940 SR 55, Baker, WV (optional pre-registration: https://wv.getmycovidresult.com/)
4:00 PM 7:00 PM, Moorefield High School,401 N. Main Street, Moorefield, WV (optional pre-registration: https://wv.getmycovidresult.com/)
Jefferson County10:00 AM 6:00 PM, Hollywood Casino, 750 HollywoodDrive, Charles Town, WV
12:00 PM 5:00 PM, Shepherd UniversityWellness Center Parking Lot, 164 University Drive, Shepherdstown, WV
Lincoln County
9:00 AM 3:00 PM, Lincoln County HealthDepartment, 8008 Court Avenue, Hamlin, WV (optional pre-registration: https://wv.getmycovidresult.com/)
Logan County
10:00 AM 4:00 PM, Tracy Vickers Community Center, 68 Boise Street,Chapmanville, WV
Mingo County
10:00 AM 2:00 PM, Delbarton Fire Department, County Highway 65/12,Delbarton, WV
Morgan County
11:00 AM 4:00 PM, Valley Health War Memorial Hospital, 1 Health Way,Berkeley Springs, WV
Putnam County
9:00 AM 4:00 PM, Liberty Square, 613 Putnam Village, Hurricane, WV (optionalpre-registration: bit.ly/pchd-covid)
RaleighCounty
10:00AM 5:00 PM Bradley-Prosperity Volunteer Fire Department, 5950 Robert C.Byrd Drive, Bradley, WV
Foradditional free COVID-19 testing opportunities across the state, please visit https://dhhr.wv.gov/COVID-19/pages/testing.aspx.
Six COVID-19-related deaths were reported in the Northland on Thursday, the most deaths reported in a single day in the region since Feb. 6. Douglas County, Wisconsin, and Cook County, Minnesota, each reported two deaths, while Carlton and St. Louis counties in Minnesota each had one death.
There were 11 deaths in the Northland in the last week, the highest weekly death toll since the week of March 12-18. However, positive cases were down, with 431 cases. This is the lowest the weekly total has been since that same week of March.
Positive testing rates declined compared to last week in St. Louis, Lake, Cook, Itasca and Koochiching counties, and increased by less than half a percentage point in Carlton and Aitkin counties. Itasca County, with 7.5%, is the only Minnesota county in the region that has a percent positive testing rate above 5%, which is the indicator for widespread community transmission.
Across the states, there were 1,011 new cases and 19 deaths in Minnesota and 485 cases and 11 deaths in Wisconsin on Thursday.
New cases and seven-day averages in Northland counties:
The COVID-19 vaccine world has seen a number of advancements this week, most notably the approval to administer the Pfizer vaccine to children between ages 12 and 15, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's new guidance for fully vaccinated people to no longer be required to wear masks in most settings, both indoor and outdoor.
Vaccinated people are still advised by health officials to wear masks and distance in places like hospitals, nursing homes, on public transportation or at transportation hubs like airports and bus stations, in prisons, or at homeless shelters. Anyone experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, regardless of vaccine status, should wear masks, stay distanced from others and get tested.
It's not yet been announced if or how the new CDC guidance will impact Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's plan to lift the statewide mask mandate for indoor spaces by July 1 or when 70% of the state has received at least one vaccine dose. Currently, 60.9% of the state has at least one dose.
The CDC also released guidance that COVID-19 vaccines can be safely administered at the same time as other vaccines. The previous recommendation was to wait at least 14 days between a COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccinations.
In the Northland, 474 new first doses of vaccine were administered as of Thursday, and 1,247 people became fully vaccinated. There are now 199,735 people with at least one dose in the Northland, about 50% of the total population, and 178,554, or 45%, are fully vaccinated.
Percentage of people with at least one vaccine dose in each county:
A Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine vial and syringe. An advisory panel to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine be administered to children ages 12 to 15. Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images hide caption
A Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine vial and syringe. An advisory panel to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine be administered to children ages 12 to 15.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine be given to adolescents ages 12-15.
CDC Director Rochelle Walensky issued a statement saying, "The CDC now recommends the vaccine be used among this population, and providers may begin vaccinating them right away."
An independent federal advisory committee on Wednesday had voted 14 in favor with one recusal to recommend that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine be quickly approved for those as young as 12.
Making younger people eligible could open a new front in the fight against COVID-19 as many states follow the recommendation.
Previously, COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S. had been authorized only for people age 16 and older. Pfizer is the first vaccine manufacturer to gain emergency use authorization for younger Americans after it demonstrated in a March clinical trial that its vaccine was 100% effective in preventing COVID-19 in study participants who were ages 12 to 15.
"We're ready," President Biden said in an address Wednesday afternoon. "This new population is going to find the vaccine rollout fast and efficient. As of tomorrow, more than 15,000 pharmacies across this country will be ready to vaccinate this age group."
While publicly waiting for the CDC and FDA authorization process to play out, the Biden administration began quietly laying the groundwork to immediately roll out vaccines to adolescents.
That included aggressively working to sign up pediatricians and family practitioners to begin administering doses to their patients, making sure pharmacies are ready to serve younger patients and reaching out to Medicaid providers, since 40% of the nation's children are insured through the Children's Health Insurance Program.
Notably, a White House official tells NPR, the administration plans to make sure smaller packages of Pfizer vaccines get to doctors' offices as soon as they become available. This has been a significant obstacle, since the Pfizer vaccine is currently delivered just in packages holding nearly 1,200 doses, more than many private practitioners can handle. Pfizer has said it plans to begin shipping smaller packages by the end of this month.
As summer winds down, there will be an additional back-to-school push to reach young people before they return to classrooms. The administration plans to work to have COVID-19 vaccines offered as part of annual physicals and sports physicals that kids and teens are often required to get before school starts.
Panel finds studies support use of the vaccine in adolescents
During a meeting lasting nearly four hours, the advisory committee heard details of studies showing the vaccine prevented COVID-19 in more than 1,000 adolescents in the age range, while 16 cases occurred in those who got a placebo. No serious side effects were reported.
Public health officials, including those from the CDC and the independent advisers on the committee, said the vaccine will further help control the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S. and in other countries that typically follow the U.S. lead. Data presented by the CDC showed that about 20% of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. have been in children and adolescents 17 years of age and younger.
The American Academy of Pediatrics endorsed the move in a statement read during the meeting.
"This is truly an exciting development that allows us to protect a large population of children and help them regain their lives after a really rough year," said AAP President Lee Savio Beers. "As a pediatrician and a parent, I have looked forward to getting my own children and patients vaccinated, and I am thrilled that those ages 12 and older can now be protected. The data continue to show that this vaccine is safe and effective. I urge all parents to call their pediatrician to learn more about how to get their children and teens vaccinated."
Comments from the public during an open session included questions of whether the relatively low risk of serious COVID-19 complications in children justifies the use of the vaccine in this age group before more studies are performed.
The study included more than 2,000 adolescents but was criticized by some public commenters for not being of sufficient size. Commenters also expressed concern that the studies were not sufficient to demonstrate whether there are any long-term effects associated with this or other COVID-19 vaccines.
CDC and Pfizer officials stressed study findings that show the vaccine is extremely safe in this age group, paralleling what has been seen in adults for several months now.
More than 150 million people in the U.S. have received at least one dose of one of the COVID-19 vaccines, with a very low rate of serious side effects.
Authorization comes in time for summer
The authorization and endorsement come in time for many adolescents to get vaccinated before participating in summer activities such as camping and group sports. Efforts to get as many adolescents vaccinated as possible before school restarts in August and September are already underway.
In the pediatric studies, the CDC and FDA evaluated the same two-dose regimen separated by three weeks that is used for people age 16 and up.
While children and adolescents generally have milder symptoms if they contract COVID-19 compared with adults, they can nonetheless pass the coronavirus on to others. That has parents worried about the prospect of schools fully reopening in the fall.
"I think we should be in full school, full in-person school, in the fall," the CDC's director, Walensky, said at a CNBC health summit on Tuesday.
Despite the Biden administration's push to get enough Americans inoculated against COVID-19 to establish herd immunity, the pace of vaccinations in the U.S. has slowed in recent weeks, with many adults opting not to get the shots.
CDC data shows that just over a third of Americans are fully vaccinated, with 46% having received at least one dose. While surveys have shown that only about 46% to 60% of parents have said they plan to have their adolescent children immunized, opening up vaccinations for millions of adolescents would likely get the U.S. closer to the goal of herd immunity.
To aid in persuasion, the White House official says the Biden administration has already held webinars and listening sessions with the American Academy of Pediatrics and numerous education associations.
There will be more sessions this week and into next week, including with the American Camp Association and Indian Health Service providers.
Over the coming days and weeks, there will be TV ads, social media campaigns and events with "celebrities and influencers who have the ability to reach out to teens and their parents." The White House declined to preview who these celebrities might be.
He's not a celebrity by any traditional definition, but U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy is set to host a roundtable discussion with parents next week, aimed at answering questions about the vaccine.
In March, both Pfizer and Moderna launched pediatric trials of their vaccines in children as young as 6 months. Results are expected in the early fall. Neither company has applied to the FDA for emergency use authorization in children younger than 12.
Johnson & Johnson resumed shipments of its one-dose vaccine last month after U.S. federal regulators ended a 10-day pause in administering the vaccine while a potential link to a rare form of blood clot was examined.
The Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are currently authorized only for adults age 18 and older.
Meanwhile, states had already begun sending the Pfizer vaccine to pediatricians in anticipation of Wednesday's recommendation, according to The Associated Press.
A woman in Italy accidentally received six doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine all at once, according to news reports.
The 23-year-old woman did not experience any serious side effects from the vaccine overdose, CBS News reported.
The accident happened Sunday (May 9) at the Noa Hospital in Tuscany, Italy, according to CBS News. The nurse administering the vaccine mistakenly injected the woman with an entire vial of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which contains six doses.
Related: Quick guide: COVID-19 vaccines in use and how they work
The error happened because the nurse thought that the vial she was injecting had already undergone a necessary dilution step before the vaccine can be administered, each of the six doses is taken out of the original vial and put into a new vial, where the dose is diluted, CBS News reported.
"She thought that the dilution had taken place," Dr. Tommaso Bellandi, director of patient security for the northwest Tuscany health authority, told CBS News. "They are both transparent liquids of the same density. Unfortunately, this contributed to the error."
The nurse quickly realized her mistake, and the patient was monitored for 24 hours at the hospital. She was given fluids and fever-reducing medications as a preventive measure, according to CBS News.
The only side effect the woman experienced was pain at the injection site, and she was released from the hospital Monday (May 10), officials said.
The hospital has launched an investigation into the error.
Several other cases of COVID-19 vaccine overdoses have made headlines in recent months, including the case of a 91-year-old man in Ohio who went into shock after he received two COVID-19 vaccine doses in one day, Live Science previously reported.
And in April, 77 inmates at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison each received up to six times the normal dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine due to human error, according to the Des Moines Register. None of the inmates required hospitalization after the vaccine overdose, but some experienced sore arms, body aches and fevers, the Register reported. The two nurses who were administering the vaccine at the prison have been placed on leave during an investigation into the incident, officials said.
Originally published on Live Science.
