WCNC Charlotte learned there are no reports of COVID-19 among the vast majority of people whove received both doses in the Carolinas.
TEGA CAY, S.C. There are promising results about COVID-19 vaccine protection in the Carolinas.
WCNC Charlotte learned there are no reports of COVID-19 among the vast majority of people whove received both doses. There is a good sample of people whove had the two vaccines; tens of thousands in each state of the Carolinas. So far, there is only one known infection, according to state officials.
Sally Pardue said the pandemic would sometimes keep her up at night until she received the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
I have not lost any sleep over it, Pardue, a resident at the Wellmore of Tega Cay senior living community, said. I'm just glad I've had both of them and I feel doubly safe.
Pardue and Betty Boone are among dozens of residents and staff to receive their second vaccines at the Wellmore of Tega Cay.
I'm glad we're protected, Boone said.
Now, new data shows the initial impacts of vaccine protection across the Carolinas. In South Carolina, nearly 100,000 people have received both doses, according to state data. Theres not a single report of someone getting COVID 19 post-vaccination, according to South Carolina Emergency Management.
It builds confidence that what was tested is actually working in real life as well, David Dunn, the executive director of the Wellmore of Tega Cay, said.
There were similar results in North Carolina where state data shows more than 300,000 people have received the two vaccines. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said they work closely with local health departments to investigate reports of COVID-19 after the vaccination process has been completed.
However, NCDHHS tells WCNC Charlotte theyve only identified one case where someone was infected after receiving both vaccines, and that person had mild illness without hospitalization needed.
Scientists said the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines may give better immunity against the virus than natural infection.
I do think there's evidence at least for those two vaccines of inducing perhaps better immunity than natural infection, E. John Wherry, an immunology expert from the University of Pennsylvania, said.
I hope soon we will be able to go out in the community and do things we were used to doing, I need to get my taxes done, Boone said as she laughed.
The CDC said it typically takes a few weeks to build immunity after the vaccination, so its possible to become infected with COVID-19 just before or just after getting the shot.
Prisma Health announced late Monday afternoon that the hospital system would not be able to hold any walk-in vaccinations the rest of the week. A release from Prisma outlined the two factors that led to this decision:"First, the delivery of our supply was changed at the last minute on Friday. We were told our supply would come in stages over several days this week, instead of Monday and Tuesday mornings. This morning we received only a partial supply delivery for the Upstate and we still do not know the amount of the rest of supply we will receive this week for the Upstate or the Midlands. "The second factor is that the 65-69-year-old group showed up in overwhelming numbers today, and we have exhausted all of our walk-in vaccine supply for this week."People who are due for their second dose but who did not have an appointment should now make an appointment on Prisma Health MyChart, officials said. As a reminder, officials said, the vaccination card is not an appointment. Officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have said that second doses can occur anytime between 21-42 days after the first dose. "As we receive our additional vaccine supply this week, we will open up second-dose appointments that match our supply for the remainder of the week," officials said.For real-time updates at Prisma Health vaccination sites, visit www.PrismaHealth.org/Vaccine. Those without access to computers may also call 833-2PRISMA (833-277-4762) for assistance, which is currently experiencing very high volumes. We are working to expand the capacity.
Prisma Health announced late Monday afternoon that the hospital system would not be able to hold any walk-in vaccinations the rest of the week.
A release from Prisma outlined the two factors that led to this decision:
"First, the delivery of our supply was changed at the last minute on Friday. We were told our supply would come in stages over several days this week, instead of Monday and Tuesday mornings. This morning we received only a partial supply delivery for the Upstate and we still do not know the amount of the rest of supply we will receive this week for the Upstate or the Midlands.
"The second factor is that the 65-69-year-old group showed up in overwhelming numbers today, and we have exhausted all of our walk-in vaccine supply for this week."
People who are due for their second dose but who did not have an appointment should now make an appointment on Prisma Health MyChart, officials said.
As a reminder, officials said, the vaccination card is not an appointment.
Officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have said that second doses can occur anytime between 21-42 days after the first dose.
"As we receive our additional vaccine supply this week, we will open up second-dose appointments that match our supply for the remainder of the week," officials said.
For real-time updates at Prisma Health vaccination sites, visit www.PrismaHealth.org/Vaccine. Those without access to computers may also call 833-2PRISMA (833-277-4762) for assistance, which is currently experiencing very high volumes. We are working to expand the capacity.
The Pennsylvania House approved Friday for the National Guard to be involved in the states COVID-19 distribution process. The state will receive around $26 million from its opioid settlement with McKinsey. Traffic will be detoured in Lancaster County for seven months during as a bridge is replaced. Plus, over a dozen dogs and puppies were recused from an unlicensed kennel.
Those are the stories we cover in the latest episode of Today in Pa, a daily weekday podcast from PennLive.com and hosted by Claudia Dimuro. Today in Pa is dedicated to sharing the most important and interesting stories pertaining to Pennsylvania that lets you know, indeed, whats happening today in Pa.
Todays episode refers to the following articles:
If you enjoy Today in Pa, consider leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts or on Amazon. Reviews help others find the show and, besides, wed like to know what you think about the program, too.
A KREM viewer reached out to ask if getting the COVID-19 vaccine can then lead to positive coronavirus test.
SPOKANE, Wash. By late last week roughly 700,000 Washington residents had been vaccinated against COVID-19. Its a good start, but the numbers are far from where they need to be for the state to fully re-open.
Still, many Americans are eager to return to some form of normal, especially those who have received their vaccine.
One KREM 2 viewer named Dave reached out to the Verify Team to ask if getting the vaccine would make him test positive for COVID-19.
He wrote, I have had the first Moderna vaccine and am schedule for the second shot February 15. I consider myself fortunate. However, I am planning a trip to Hawaii mid-March and they require a negative COVID test before departure. Is it possible the vaccine alone could produce a positive test?"
To answer this question, the Verify Team reached out to Dr. Anna Wald, a board certified physician. She is also the head of the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Division at the University of Washingtons School of Medicine. In addition, Dr. Wald serves as the director of UWs Virology Research Clinic at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
We also looked to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Can the COVID-19 vaccine cause a positive test?
To the question of whether a COVID-19 vaccine alone could produce a positive test, Wald answered, No, it is not possible for the vaccine to produce a positive test.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also addresses this question. The CDC writes, Neither the recently authorized and recommended vaccines nor the other COVID-19 vaccines currently in clinical trials in the U.S. can cause you to test positive on viral tests which are used to see if you have a current infection.
The tests that are used prior to travel really rely on detection of either the antigen or the genomic material of the virus from the nose and the vaccines were currently using are injected into the muscle and its just a small piece of messenger RNA thats in the vaccine," Wald explained.
The CDC pointed out that if your body develops an immune response - which is the goal of the vaccine - there is a possibility that you may test positive on antibody tests. The antibody tests can show if youve had a previous infection, and that you may have some level of protection against the virus.
But back to KREM 2 viewer Daves question; Can the COVID-19 vaccine produce a positive viral test? We can verify that no, it is not possible.
Have something you want to see verified? Contact our VERIFY Team atverify@krem.com, text the word 'VERIFY' to 509-448-2000, or leave Mark Hanrahan a voicemail at 509-838-7334.
Overall we really havent seen too many quote-unquote side effects, said Dr. Rachael Kermis, a family medicine physician at Baton Rouge General. Generally my patients are coming in and theyre having some low-grade fever and sometimes theyll get a little bit of a cough but nothing where were seeing some bad autoimmune muscle issues from it. I havent seen any seizures or anyone getting Covid from it.
Seminole County giving COVID-19 vaccinations at churches this week
Seminole County officials discuss vaccine distribution at local churches and congregations.
SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. - Seminole Countys Emergency Manager Alan Harris saidthe State of Florida has been providing the county with fewer COVID-19 vaccines than it should have."It was determined that they had calculated us wrong so they were giving us less doses than the rest of the counties allocation per capita," Harris explained.The last two weeks, the county only received 1,950vaccine doses. This week, its getting 3,900.
SUPER BOWL 2021: Brady clinches record 7th ring with Bucs win"They corrected it this week and thats why were getting double the doses," Harris said.The Emergency Manager saidthe state admitted to the miscalculation and told him they weren't counting all individuals that were 65 and older by population in determining the allotment due to numbers being "transposed."Seminole County is now asking for a retroactive fix.
"We did ask them to retroactively fix that issue. They have fixed the issue. They have not retroactively fixed the issue," said Harris, "Hopefully that will take place. Were not going to stop that fight either."
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KALAMAZOO, MI When you become eligible for the coronavirus vaccination, will you take the shot?
Many are answering with an anxious and resounding, yes. Others may be more hesitant.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer established a commission last month with the goal of reaching those people who have not decided yet to take the vaccine, in hopes of educating and answering their questions. A main goal of the group is reaching herd immunity against COVID-19 in Michigan, through ongoing vaccination efforts.
Related: 11% of Michigan adults have gotten at least one Covid-19 vaccine dose; see numbers in your county
Kalamazoo City Commissioner Erin Knott is among those appointed to the governors Project Michigan Commission, which held its first meeting on Jan. 29.
The commission, created in December, is part of the states health and human services and will focus on vaccine awareness, education on COVID-19 and the overall health and safety of Michigan.
Currently, counties are reporting more demand for the vaccine than supply as they move through the phases of vaccinations. People 65 and older are currently in line and being vaccinated, along with others in the states phase 1B.
But the demand could wane before 70% of the general public, age 16 and older, are vaccinated in Michigan -- as not everyone has decided to get the vaccine. Bridging that gap is crucial for the group to achieve its goal of reaching herd immunity.
The lift of the work begins now so that we are changing hearts and minds of those folks that are unsure about taking the step to get the vaccine when theres one available to them, Knott said.
The group draws on the experience of leaders from historically marginalized populations, the city commissioner said.
Knott, who is openly gay, said she will help reach members of the LGBTQ community, and any others members of marginalized groups to provide information about the vaccine and vaccination efforts. Knott works as executive director at the Equality Michigan Education Fund, which provides education, victim services, and outreach to empowers LGBTQ+ people throughout the state to live in safe communities, take care of their families and create positive impact.
The new state commission is forming several workgroups, Knott said, and she may also be a part of multiple groups within the commission.
Related: See inside as Army National Guard helps with COVID-19 drive-thru vaccination clinic in Jackson County garage
The purpose of the workgroups is to break down and address barriers that may impede acceptance of the approved COVID-19 vaccines, as well as identifying resources to connect folks within a particular constituency, Knott said. The governors commission will work to disseminate critical information to community members, she said.
The commission will work to address issues such as distrust in government and other reasons people may have for hesitating to take the vaccine, and will work to answer questions about things such as the development of the vaccine.
The group will work to ensure equitable access to the vaccines, and that planning and distribution are inclusive. Members will work to engage with state and local governments, as well as public and private partners, Knott said.
Knott said she has been spending a lot of time at home because of the virus, first confirmed in Michigan almost a year ago. She said she feels the same as many others who want to be able to safely see family members again, and to be able to safely do more things outside the house and with other people.
Im absolutely going to get a vaccine when its my turn, Knott said on Friday, Feb. 5. I think, for myself, personally, like so many others, Im craving to get back to some level of normalcy. And for me, that means being able to go downtown Kalamazoo and enjoy a meal at my favorite restaurants, it means seeing my elderly grandparents, and my nieces and nephews.
There are just so many things that we take for granted that we get to do, and now if we make the choice to engage in those activities, we have to calculate the risk. And for me and my family, right now, weve calculated the risk as too high.
Related: Vaccinations continue as Kalamazoo County fights new COVID-19 variant
That means many meetings and social interactions are held virtually, Knott said. Separations of family and friends have come along with the coronavirus restrictions as people tried to stop the virus from spreading.
Vaccination efforts promise to ultimately spell an end to those restrictions, once enough people are dosed.
Vaccination efforts began in late 2020 and are now well underway. Michigan had administered 1,186,630 vaccine doses as of Thursday, Feb. 4.
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Kalamazoo County opens vaccine clinic for phase 1B
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The World Health Organization (WHO) said Friday that 75% of all COVID-19 vaccinations worldwide have been given in just 10 countries, while nearly 130 nations have not given a single vaccination.
At the agencys regular briefing in Geneva, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters that, globally, the number of vaccinations has now overtaken the number of reported COVID-19 infections.
He said that is basically good news and a remarkable achievement in such a short timeframe. But there are almost 130 countries with 2.5 billion people, that have not delivered a single dose of vaccine.
Tedros said there are some wealthier nations that have already vaccinated large proportions of their population at lower risk of severe disease or death.
The WHO chief said he recognizes that all governments have an obligation to protect their own people. But he said once wealthier nations have vaccinated their priority populations frontline health workers and the elderly the best way those nations can protect the rest of their population is to share surplus vaccines so other countries can do the same.
The longer it takes to vaccinate those most at risk everywhere, the more opportunity we give the virus to mutate and evade vaccines, said Tedros said, adding that unless the virus is suppressed everywhere, it could resurge globally.
One way to make poorer nations less dependent on the richer ones is to ramp up production of vaccines worldwide, he added, noting how the multi-national pharmaceutical company Sanofi announced it would make its manufacturing infrastructure available to support production of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.
Tedros called on other companies to do the same.
We encourage all manufacturers to share their data and technology to ensure global, equitable access to vaccines.
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Here are the latest developments with COVID-19 spread in Minnesota and Wisconsin, and the effort to vaccinate state residents.
ST PAUL, Minn. Monday, Feb. 8
Governor Tim Walz has announced another COVID-19 community vaccination site, this one in Rochester.
According to a press release from the governor's office, the "large-scale, permanent site" will launch this week, joining two others of its kind in Minneapolis and Duluth. Officials said the site will serve about 1,500 Minnesotans 65 and older.
The three sites are part of Minnesota's COVID-19 Community Vaccination Program. Officials said more than 220,000 Minnesotans have registered for the states COVID-19 vaccine registry for those 65 and older.
While announcing the new site, Walz continued his push for more vaccine doses from the federal government.
"We still need more supply, but we have to be ready when the federal government ramps up to meet the demand," Walz said in the release.
He said later this week, the state plans to release information on "a permanent tool for Minnesotans to sign up for information about vaccination opportunities."
Data released Monday by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reflects a drop in new COVID-19 case numbers, but recorded testing volume is also relatively low, which is often the case on weekends.
MDH recorded 564 cases of coronavirus in the past day, based on results from 18,567 tests (17,863 PCR, 704 antigen) processed in private and state labs. Health officials consider a positive PCR test a confirmed COVID case, while a positive antigen test is considered a probable case.
Monday's cases are more than 300 lower than cases reported Sunday, but Sunday's numbers were based on more than 9,000 more tests processed.
Deaths dropped Monday, with three people losing their lives to the virus. That's the first time deaths have been in single digits in nearly a week. State fatalities now sit at 6,302 since the pandemic began.
A federal announcement that vaccine shipments will be sent out to community pharmacies this week should provide another boost to vaccination numbers. As of Saturday the state's vaccine dashboard was reporting 556,482 Minnesotans have received at least one dose of COVID vaccine, with 158,763 of those people having completed the two-shot series.
Providers report administering 86% of the vaccine they've received within three days time, inching closer to the 90% goal set by Gov. Tim Walz in a recent directive.
The vaccine dashboard says nearly 10% of state residents have now received at least one dose of vaccine.
The number of hospital beds being used statewide to treat COVID patients is holding fairly steady. As of Sunday, 330 beds were filled with coronavirus patients, 80 of them in the ICU. Bed occupancy remains tight in the Twin Cities metro, with just 144 non-ICU beds (3.9%) not in use.
Total hospitalizations have climbed to 24,780 since the start of the pandemic, with 5,105 patients requiring ICU care. MDH says 454,290 people who at one time tested positive for COVID have recovered to the point they no longer need to be isolated.
Minnesotans in their 20s make up the largest group of the state's coronavirus cases. Those 20 to 24 account for 46,978 cases and three deaths, while their counterparts ages 25 to 29 have recorded 42,088 cases and six deaths. The group with the most COVID-19 fatalities are those ages 85 to 89, with 1,196 deaths in 6,132 diagnosed cases.
Hennepin County reports the highest amount of COVID activity with 97,297 cases and 1,550 deaths, following by Ramsey County with 41,779 cases and 780 deaths, Dakota County with 34,741 cases and 371 deaths, and Anoka County with 32,255 cases and 375 fatalities.
Cook County in northeastern Minnesota has recorded the least COVID activity, holding steady with just 116 diagnosed cases since the pandemic hit.
New cases dipped back below 1,000 Sunday, and close to 10% of Minnesota's population have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
A total of 554,102 people in the state have received at least one dose. Out of that group, 156,638 have received both doses. As there is a several-day delay in releasing vaccination data, these numbers are valid as of Feb. 5.
As for other COVID-19 data, today's newly-reported cases and deaths both fell since Saturday. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reported 914 new COVID-19 cases, along with 10 new deaths.
MDH's COVID-19 case definition includes both antigen testing and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. Positive PCR test results are considered confirmed cases, while positive antigen test results are considered probable cases.
Sunday's new case total includes 774 confirmed cases and 140 probable cases.
The total number of Minnesotans who have tested positive for the virus since the pandemic began is now 468,118, with 21,047 of those as antigen test results.
MDH says 10 new deaths from the virus were reported. That pushes the total number of fatalities in Minnesota to 6,299.
To date, 24,745 Minnesotans have been hospitalized with the coronavirus since the pandemic started, with 5,101 of them needing care in the ICU.
MDH reports that 453,225 people once diagnosed with the virus have passed the point where they are required to isolate.
Of those who have tested positive, people between the ages of 20-24 account for the most cases with 46,945 cases and three deaths, and ages 25-29 follow with 42,051 cases and six deaths. Those between 85 and 89 years old account for the highest number of fatalities in one age group with 1,196 out of 6,127 diagnosed cases.
In terms of likely exposure to the coronavirus, MDH says 102,839 cases were the result of community transmission with no known contact with an infected person, and 95,449 had known contact with a person who has a confirmed case.
A total of 38,502 cases involved exposure in a congregate living setting,7,874 were in a corrections setting, and 992 were in a homeless shelter. MDH data shows 18,421 were linked to an outbreak outside of congregate living or health care.
MDH says 31,879 cases were linked to travel. Health care workers or patients account for 14,441 diagnosed COVID-19 cases. The source of transmission for 157,721 cases is still unknown or missing.
MDH has prioritized testing for people in congregate care, hospitalized patients and health care workers, which may impact the scale of those numbers. However, now MDH is urging anyone who is symptomatic or even asymptomatic to be tested. Testing locations can be found online.
Hennepin County has had the most COVID activity in the state with 97,160 cases and 1,549 deaths, followed by Ramsey County with 41,742 cases and 780 deaths, Dakota County with 34,695 cases and 371 deaths, and Anoka County with 32,221 cases and 375 deaths.
Full data, including a breakdown of PCR and antigen test totals in some categories, can be found on MDH's website.
KARE 11s coverage of the coronavirus is rooted in Facts, not Fear. Visit kare11.com/coronavirus for comprehensive coverage, andkare11.com/vaccinefor answers to all of your questions about the race to get the U.S. vaccinated. Have a question? Text it to us at 763-797-7215. And get the latest coronavirus updates sent right to your inbox every morning. Subscribe to the KARE 11 Sunrise newsletter here. Help local families in need: www.kare11.com/give11.
The state of Minnesota has set up a data portal online at mn.gov/covid19.
