Starting on February 15th, people under the age of 65 with certain pre-existing conditions will now qualify for vaccination under the state's guidelines. The governors office released a list of qualifying conditions Friday afternoon.
Co-morbidities and age are the major factors in COVID mortality, Governor Andrew Cuomo said at a press briefing Friday morning, adding that most people who died from COVID-19 had some sort of pre-existing condition. State data shows COVID-19 fatalities are more common among New Yorkers with hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia and dementia than other pre-existing conditions.
The state had said people with pre-existing conditions would be eligible for vaccines in mid-January but then no updates were given for weeks. The delay left an estimated 4 million New Yorkers with pre-existing conditions in a perpetual state of anxiety.
According to the CDC, people with health conditions including chronic kidney disease, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, type 2 diabetics, obesity, smoking and sickle cell disease are at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Some preliminary connections have also been drawn between asthma, cystic fibrosis, hypertension or high blood pressure.
Editor's note: This story was updated to include the state's list of qualifying conditions.
Marisa Seubert works for Lancaster EMS, making her eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine.When she got the first shot on a Saturday, she was overcome with emotion.Joy, celebration and relief, she said.With the emotional reaction came a physical one: a sore arm and other symptoms.I started with a headache, chills. It just kind of progressed downward. I didn't feel anything alarming that I needed to call for 911 or anything, but I just felt sick, she said.The vaccines work by delivering a message to make the spike protein, which is the covering of the coronavirus.The body has an immune response. If the body later sees the live virus, the antibodies attack the spike protein and prevent infection.I wouldn't refer to it as a side effect. People are supposed to have a reaction to the vaccine. Thats the whole point of it, said Dr. Joseph Kontra, the chief of infectious diseases at Lancaster General Hospital.Kontra said not everyone is affected the same way.Seubert called in sick on the Monday after she was vaccinated, something she said she rarely does. She felt fine later, she said.It was like a lightbulb went off. Forty-eight hours later, I was back to myself, she said.Seubert wasnt deterred from getting her second dose. She experienced a similar reaction but doesnt want to discourage others.Its likely that you could get symptoms like myself, but at the end, its worth it, she said.She urged people to get vaccinated when its their turn.How to treat symptomsSeubert took Tylenol for her symptoms.Kontra said Tylenol is preferred because its not anti-inflammatory.He said ibuprofen's anti-inflammatory effects may reduce the effectiveness of the vaccine, although that has not been studied scientifically.The Food and Drug Administration said there are no contraindications or factors that would be a reason not to take pain relievers and fever reducers, but people should check with their doctor.Its not recommended that painkillers be taken prior to getting the vaccine.
Marisa Seubert works for Lancaster EMS, making her eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
When she got the first shot on a Saturday, she was overcome with emotion.
Joy, celebration and relief, she said.
With the emotional reaction came a physical one: a sore arm and other symptoms.
I started with a headache, chills. It just kind of progressed downward. I didn't feel anything alarming that I needed to call for 911 or anything, but I just felt sick, she said.
The vaccines work by delivering a message to make the spike protein, which is the covering of the coronavirus.
The body has an immune response. If the body later sees the live virus, the antibodies attack the spike protein and prevent infection.
I wouldn't refer to it as a side effect. People are supposed to have a reaction to the vaccine. Thats the whole point of it, said Dr. Joseph Kontra, the chief of infectious diseases at Lancaster General Hospital.
Kontra said not everyone is affected the same way.
Seubert called in sick on the Monday after she was vaccinated, something she said she rarely does. She felt fine later, she said.
It was like a lightbulb went off. Forty-eight hours later, I was back to myself, she said.
Seubert wasnt deterred from getting her second dose. She experienced a similar reaction but doesnt want to discourage others.
Its likely that you could get symptoms like myself, but at the end, its worth it, she said.
She urged people to get vaccinated when its their turn.
Seubert took Tylenol for her symptoms.
Kontra said Tylenol is preferred because its not anti-inflammatory.
He said ibuprofen's anti-inflammatory effects may reduce the effectiveness of the vaccine, although that has not been studied scientifically.
The Food and Drug Administration said there are no contraindications or factors that would be a reason not to take pain relievers and fever reducers, but people should check with their doctor.
Its not recommended that painkillers be taken prior to getting the vaccine.
The CDC hasn't identified any cases in which a vaccine caused a person's death.
February 3, 2021, 11:10 AM
6 min read
When a Florida doctor died just weeks after receiving a coronavirus vaccine, his story whipped around the internet and spurred fears that the COVID-19 vaccine might have had something to do with his death. But scientists warn that these isolated cases, while tragic, do not mean the vaccines are to blame.
These vaccines have had incredible safety profiles in the trials and post-authorization. So far, there has been nothing to confirm these awful events," said Dr. John Brownstein, an epidemiologist at Boston Children's Hospital and an ABC News contributor.
In fact, an average of 8,000 people die each day in the United States. Some of them may have just received a coronavirus vaccine.
We have to be very careful about causality," Brownstein said. "There are going to be spurious relationships, especially as the vaccine is targeting elderly or those with chronic conditions. Just because these events happen in proximity to the vaccine does not mean the vaccine caused these events."
Seniors 65 and older wait in line for hours to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at a first come first serve drive-thru vaccination site operated by the Lake County Health Department on Jan. 28, 2021 in Groveland, Fla.
"Nursing home centers and hospices are of particular concern, because they are homes to incredibly frail populations," Brownstein pointed out, "and you have to look at the background rate of these events within those populations.
Scientists say it's human nature to draw a connection between events -- especially when they happen close together -- but it doesn't mean one caused the other.
These medical events occur every single day, including unexplained illnesses," said Dr. William Schaffner, professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. "The question really is, do they occur at a greater rate in the vaccinated population than they do in the general population?
Janet Bennett, right, a registered nurse, receives her COVID-19 vaccine from clinical pharmacist Erica Jasper at UF Health Leesburg Hospital Urgent Care on Dec. 17, 2020, in Leesburg, Fla.
Every time someone gets sick or dies shortly after getting a vaccine, government agencies investigate to ensure there's no link.
The CDC, FDA, CMS and the Department of Defense are all collaborating on a series of surveillance activities for medical events that occur after vaccination," Schaffner said. "They are looking for these events, gathering and investigating them in a very systematic fashion."
"These events are taken very seriously," Schaffner said, adding that authorities conduct autopsies and also hunt for patterns, to ensure there's no association.
So far, more than 26 million people in the United States have received a dose of the vaccine for COVID-19. The CDC estimates that out of every 1 million people, two or three who receive the Moderna vaccine and around 11 who receive the Pfizer vaccine may suffer a severe allergic reaction. Some people experience side effects like fever, fatigue and a sore arm. But so far, the CDC hasn't identified a single case in which the vaccine caused a person's death.
In this Dec. 16, 2020, file photo, an ICU doctor receives the COVID-19 vaccine from an RN at the AdventHealth Tampa distribution tent, in Tampa.
Schaffner said that though these isolated deaths shortly after vaccination sound scary, we should all try to resist the temptation of assuming these events are related.
"We all know that the rooster crows before the dawn, but we dont think the rooster makes the sun come up, simply because they are related in time," he said.
Dr. Stephanie Widmer is an emergency medicine physician and medical toxicology fellow in New York and a contributor to the ABC News Medical Unit.
Vaccine production giant GlaxoSmithKline announced Wednesday that it would partner with German biotech CureVac to help manufacture its messenger RNA vaccine and jointly develop a separate vaccine to target new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
The next-generation vaccine may be a multivalent, meaning it would protect against several strains of the virus. The companies hope to be able to introduce an updated vaccine in 2022, pending approval from regulatory agencies.
We believe that next-generation vaccines will be crucial in the continued fight against Covid-19, Emma Walmsley, GSKs CEO, said in a statement. This new collaboration builds on our existing relationship with CureVac and means that together, we will combine our scientific expertise in mRNA and vaccine development to advance and accelerate the development of new Covid-19 vaccine candidates.
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This year, GSK will make up to 100 million doses of the vaccine currently in development by CureVac, based in Tbingen, Germany.
The deal, worth more than $180 million, is the latest in a string of moves in which major vaccine producers have joined forces with competitors to help them make Covid-19 vaccines.
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In recent days Novartis, which sold its vaccine business in 2014, announced it would use fill and finishing capacity in Switzerland to help Pfizer get additional doses of its successful vaccine to market. And Sanofi, which has suffered a setback with the vaccine it is making in partnership with GSK, has announced it will use some of its production capacity to make the Pfizer vaccine.
In the Sanofi-GSK partnership, the former is making the vaccine while the latter is providing proprietary adjuvants it has developed. Adjuvants are compounds that boost the power of the vaccine, sometimes allowing less vaccine to be used per person.
CureVac, which last month enlisted pharma giant Bayer to help it make vaccine doses, is currently conducting a Phase 2b/3 trial of its mRNA vaccine. This is the same type of vaccine made by Pfizer and Moderna, which use bits of genetic code to entice cells to make the protein on the exterior of the SARS-2 virus, known as the spike protein. That, in turn, provokes the immune system to develop antibodies and other immunity weapons with which to combat the virus.
CureVac plans to enroll 35,000 people aged 18 and older in the trial, which is being conducted in Europe and Latin America. It is testing a two-dose vaccine. The company says it expects to have interim data from the trial within the first quarter of this year.
CureVacs candidate vaccine can be stored for three months at 35 to 46 Fahrenheit, which is refrigerator temperature. That is a major advantage over both the Moderna and Pfizer mRNA vaccines, which both have more complex cold-chain requirements.
The recent emergence of variants in a number of parts of the world has raised concern about how long the first-generation Covid vaccines will be effective. A variant called B.1.351, first spotted in South Africa, in particular appears to lessen the protection conferred by a number of the vaccines in development.
GSK said next-generation Covid vaccines may either be used to protect people who have not been vaccinated before, or to serve as boosters in the event that immunity induced by first-generation vaccines is eroded by the evolution of the virus.
Under the terms of the agreement, GSK will be the marketing authorization holder for the next-generation vaccine, except in Switzerland, and will have exclusive rights to develop, manufacture, and commercialize the next-generation vaccine in all countries except Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
GSK will make an upfront payment of $90 million and a further payment of $90 million, contingent on meeting specific milestones.
In West Virginia, health officials credited a reliance on independent pharmacies, rather than national chains, for the states ability to inject at least 7.4% of its population with a first dose, the best rate in the country, the Associated Press reported. Philadelphia, which reported 105,306 first doses administered as of Monday, has given an injection to about 6.6% of the citys population. While noting West Virginia is quite different from urban Philly, Garrow said the city does want the independent pharmacies help.
In a bootcamp that launched in January, University of Washington School of Nursing students train other UW students and faculty who hope to help in COVID-19 vaccinations. (Kiyomi Taguchi / University of Washington Photo)
Lets start with the good news. The number of new COVID-19 cases in the greater Seattle area, Washington state and the national level have all been declining since early January, showing a recovery from whats known as the third wave of infections.
The potentially bad news? New models predict that a fourth wave could be on the horizon but if, when and how it crests is uncertain.
Were in a race against time, health officials warn, pitting our ability to quickly vaccinate as many people as possible against the emergence of more infectious and possibly more deadly variants of the COVID virus. They include strains from the United Kingdom, South Africa and Brazil.
Im yo-yoing between pessimism and optimism on a daily basis. I do think that there is a window where the worst of this is behind us, but there are too many open variables to be sure of it, said Dr. Joshua Schiffer, an infectious disease modeler at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
Depending on how the different factors play out, between 28-to-40% of the King County population will have been infected by the virus by the end of the year, according to a study from Schiffer and colleagues that posted Wednesday on medRxiv. Thats including verified cases and those that go undetected. (The scientists estimate that roughly 15% of the county, which includes tech hubs of Seattle, Bellevue and Redmond, have been infected to date; the official number of confirmed cases is less than 4%.)
Fred Hutch researchers ran 3,888 simulations in which they altered vaccination rates, vaccine effectiveness in preventing infection and transmission, and what level of infections would trigger the government to enforce a partial lockdown of business and social interactions. They wanted to know which measures matter most in controlling the virus.
Their conclusion: under all plausible scenarios, rapid vaccination and early enforcement of partial lockdown are the two most critical variables to save the greatest number of lives.
The research has not yet been peer-reviewed.
Washington so far has given more than 728,000 vaccinations. The state is averaging 28,000 doses administered per day, with a goal of 45,000. About 8% of the population has received one shot, and almost 2% are fully vaccinated. On Monday, eight Washington counties, including King and other populous Puget Sound area counties, were permitted by the state to ease their partial lockdowns.
Late last week, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) shared its updated COVID projections that run through the end of April. The IHME, a research center at the University of Washington, makes predictions at the global, national and state levels.
Heres what the two organizations forecast:
When it comes to a spring COVID surge, I dont think any state will allow this to happen, said Ali Mokdad, an IHME professor and chief strategy officer for Population Health at the UW.
If the downward trends in infections and deaths started reversing, lockdowns would quickly follow, Mokdad predicted. [States] will go and hit the breaks as fast as they can. As soon as we start hearing that the new variant is taking over, that its more likely to be transmitted and its deadlier, mask wearing will go up.
Mokdad had less certainty for fall and winter, which is when the U.S. and Washington saw its biggest wave in case numbers last year. He expects an increase when cold weather sets in, but the severity will depend on what percent of the population has been vaccinated or already infected, which variants are predominant, and how the vaccine performs against them.
Information is still emerging on the variants. B.1.1.7 has been found in multiple cases in the Puget Sound area and is estimated to be roughly 50% more contagious than the original virus. Last week the first cases of the Brazilian variant and the South African strain were found in the U.S.
The currently approved vaccines appear largely effective against B.1.1.7 and the Brazilian variant, but less so against the South African mutation. That said, the vaccines provide a tremendous benefit and the new variant makes vaccinations more urgent, particularly in the Pacific Northwest.
While Washington, Oregon and Hawaii have done a better job than many other states in terms of controlling the spread of COVID, when it comes to reaching herd immunity, that success puts these Western states at a disadvantage at least temporarily compared to states where the infections raged.
Eight states including North and South Dakota, Utah, Arizona and Tennessee have all had case totals of more than 10,000 per 100,000 residents, while Washington has tallied slightly more than 4,000 per 100,000. Epidemiologists estimate that the actual number of infections could be four times higher. That means some states are getting close to 50% infection rates, even before vaccinations are added in.
States with fewer total infections dont have nearly as many cases contributing to herd community, Schiffer said. And so the burden of vaccination is higher.
Heres more on what the COVID experts are thinking about, and want you to know:
Editors note: This story has been updated to correct that the state is averaging 28,000 vaccination doses daily, not weekly.
Here you can find up-to-the-minute information on the coronavirus in the Piedmont Triad, North Carolina and the surrounding region. Click the video player above for the latest information from North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper.Live Updates:4:05 p.m. Friday: The Alamance County Health Department will now offer coronavirus vaccinations to people who are 65 years and older, in coordination with the NCDHHS guidelines.3:30 p.m. Friday: The Forsyth County Health Department will start registration for 900 new appointments at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 6. The appointments are for Feb. 11 through Feb. 13.To schedule online, click here.1:50 p.m. Friday: The Forsyth County District Court will change the way it works for cases on the docket for the first time starting Monday because of coronavirus. A new ADVISE court, located on the Main Street (second floor) entrance of the Hall of Justice, will be where people are seen for their first time on the docket.During the pandemic, a limited number of people will be let in the building at one time, so people will most likely have to wait in a social-distanced line outside of the building for admittance.With weather conditions, people are strongly urged to dress appropriately and avoid bringing small children, "as the wait time outdoors could be relatively significant, given the number of people needing to be advised and the small number of individuals that will be allowed into the building at once," according to Chief District Court Judge Lisa Menefee.Masks will be required both in the building and while people are waiting in line outside.Individuals who have an attorney before the scheduled ADVISE court date do not have to be present, as attorneys can notify the office ahead of the date and secure a new court date on their behalf.1:35 p.m. Friday: NCDHHS reported 113 new deaths Friday as the number of patients in the hospital continues to trend downward.12:30 p.m. Friday: The Guilford County Health Department will start registration for 3,800 new appointments on Tuesday, Feb. 9, at 8 a.m.The county is following NCDHHS guidelines of offering vaccinations to people 65 years and older as part of groups 1 and 2.To schedule an appointment, click here or call 336-641-7944 (Option 2) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.Vaccine clinics are being held at:Mount Zion Baptist Church - 1301 Alamance Church Rd., GreensboroHigh Point University Community Center at Oak Hollow Mall - 921 Eastchester Dr., Suite 1230, High PointGreensboro Coliseum - 1921 W. Gate City Blvd., Greensboro 6:50 p.m. Thursday: A North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women Offender who tested positive for the coronavirus died Thursday. We are working hard to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 in our prisons. The health and safety of the staff and the offender population continues to be our top priority, said Todd Ishee, Commissioner of Prisons.The person tested positive on Dec. 24, was hospitalized on Jan. 3 and her condition worsened, officials said. She was a female in her early 70s with underlying health conditions.6 p.m. Thursday: While Wake Forest Baptist Health emergency medicine physicians Dr. Jennifer Hannum and Dr. Manoj Pariyadath always watched the Super Bowl together, they've never attended the game in person -- until now.Drs. Hannum, Dr. Pariyadath, and eight of their friends are part of a group of 7,500 vaccinated health care workers in the U.S. personally invited by the NFL to go to Super Bowl LV, which is Sunday in Tampa, Florida at Raymond James Stadium.Both WFBH doctors said they feel comfortable traveling to and attending the game."We looked into what the NFL was doing and the safety precautions and measures they were affording us and we felt good about it," said Dr. Hannum, who added it was another doctor in the group who personally wrote a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell explaining their Super Bowl tradition and hoping they would be among those chosen to go.Click the link below to read more.3:45 p.m. Thursday: Gov. Roy Cooper outlined a $4 billion budget plan Thursday to use COVID-19 relief funds for immediate needs and state resources during the coronavirus pandemic.This plan would be a part of the bill that passed in the House Thursday, according to Cooper's press conference.I appreciate the work of legislators to quickly pass vital relief as the state responded to the pandemic last year and I believe we can work together to get the job done again," Gov. Cooper said." Our communities and people face serious challenges and we must come together to identify areas of common ground and help our people beat the pandemic and thrive once again."According to Gov. Cooper, federal funds would go toward:About $2 billion for emergency assistance for public and private K-12 schools and higher education institutions$336 million for childcare and development block grantsAbout $700 million for access to vaccines and testing, tracing and prevention measures to slow the spread of the virus$546 million for emergency rental assistance, which will build on North Carolinas current work, such as the HOPE program$258 million for Highway Infrastructure and $65 million for airports$47 million for Community Mental Health ServicesFunding for food assistance programs, such as SNAP and school nutritionCooper said the state's budget remains strong, and he also recommends:$50 million for continued hazard duty pay for state employees on the frontlines of COVID-19, especially law enforcement and corrections personnel$64.5 million for the replenishment of the North Carolina State Health Plan$468 million for bonuses for educators and school personnel in public K-12 schools, community colleges and the university system$30 million to extend high-speed internet to all corners of the state and other urgent connectivity initiatives, such as IT infrastructure, security for community colleges and enhancement of 35,000 hotspots used for education$37 million to support small businesses that have suffered during the pandemic and often dont have large cash reserves, including small business counseling, marketing for tourism and hospitality, ReTOOLNC program for historically underutilized businesses (HUBs), and the business loan program at Golden L.E.A.F.Expansion of state unemployment benefits, which are still among the lowest in the country (North Carolinas Unemployment Trust Fund remains healthy, with a balance of more than $2.59 billion. North Carolina should increase the maximum duration of benefits to 26 weeks and increase the maximum benefit from $350 to $500 per week.)Click the link below to watch the full press conference.3:15 p.m. Thursday: NCDHHS reported 150 new coronavirus-related deaths Thursday as other data trends downward. 2:45 p.m. Thursday: The House unanimously approved a coronavirus relief bill Thursday that sends federal money approved by Congress in December to schools for reopening, public health officials distributing the vaccine and residents struggling to pay their rent.The bill also extends the Extra Credit grants for parts who didn't take advantage of the stimulus opportunity in 2020.Click the link below to learn more.2:40 p.m. Thursday: North Carolina senators gave preliminary approval for a bill Thursday that would require school districts in the state to offer at least partial in-person instruction for all K-12 public school students.Senate Bill 37, which was proposed by state Sens. Deanna Ballard, Michael Lee and Ralph Hise, would still allow parents to utilize an online-only option for their child.Click the link below to read more.1:45 p.m. Thursday: Gov. Roy Cooper is giving a coronavirus update at 3 p.m. to discuss the state's vaccine efforts and emergency budget supplement options.This will be streamed live on our Facebook and Twitter pages, WXII on TV, and in the lead video of this article.12:45 p.m. Thursday: North Carolina State Superintendent Catherine Truitt presented her vision and priorities to the State Board of Education Thursday to transform public education during the coronavirus.Truitt noted literacy, testing and accountability, and human capital will guide the Department of Public Instruction to address learning loss during the pandemic and make sure every student has a highly qualified teacher and education. Truitt addressed the three priorities in the following statement:If we want to truly address learning loss that has resulted from COVID, the conversation must begin with literacy. Reading and math proficiency has been a decades-long struggle in North Carolinaa struggle that certainly pre-dates COVID. If we want to change the statistics and improve reading proficiency, our state must start doing things differently. My goal is for us to shift from a one-by-one approach focused on individual students who struggle in reading to instead addressing the underlying issue: the methods used to teach reading. The department will share more on this priority in the coming weeks.As part of the departments continued COVID transition and recovery efforts, we will seek to change our current system of student testing and school accountability. Testing is an essential tool used by educators to see where knowledge gaps exist and will undoubtedly play a key role in navigating the path forward out of COVID. But it must be student-centered, allow teachers to make data-driven instructional decisions, and provide timely communication to parents regarding their childs performance. The fallout of the pandemic has also underscored the limitations of the current school accountability system in place. We need to reform the accountability model so that it better reflects the myriad ways schools are working to transform teaching and learning.Finally, I know that in order to equip students, we must invest in the very people on the frontlines who lead, teach and guide every day. This is why we will develop a human capital strategy that creates a robust pipeline of highly qualified teachers, principals, and school support personnel in every district. We know that many of our students do not have fully licensed math teachers, and our schools frequently lack teachers for exceptional children and secondary science. As students transition back into the classroom in the coming months, school support staff like school psychologists will play a pivotal role in helping students recovery emotionally and academically."12:10 p.m. Thursday: Multiple employees at Tyson Foods received their coronavirus vaccine from health officials at the Wilkesboro facility. This is part of the eligibility of Group 2 for North Carolina, including people who are older than 65.11:55 a.m. Thursday: Dr. Christopher Ohl, an infectious disease expert at Wake Forest Baptist Health, gave an update on the coronavirus in the Triad Thursday.He said he is concerned that people are letting their guard down when they should be putting it back up because of coronavirus variants."Its more important than ever actually to pay attention than ever to those details, Dr. Ohl said in regards to the 3 Ws. He said he has gotten a lot of questions about double masking, but reminded people that masking is to protect others rather than yourself. If you really are looking to protect yourself, you should consider a surgical mask, N-95 mask, or wearing a mask and a face shield. As for what he does, Dr. Ohl said he wears a double-lined, strong, form-fitting cloth mask on his nose and mouth. He doesn't see a need at this time to double mask.The major risk is when taking the mask on and off with your hands, because most people don't do it properly or wash their hands beforehand.When it comes to vaccines, Dr. Ohl said there is no reason at this time that pregnant people or women who are breastfeeding cannot get the shot. Those who have had COVID-19, but are no longer symptomatic can get the shot, but can also wait about three months because of antibodies if they want to let others who may have more of risk ahead of them in line.Once you have had the coronavirus or are vaccinated, Dr. Ohl stressed that it is not a free-for-all and people still need to take precautions. While there is more of an immunity to the virus, there is no data of whether a person can still transmit the disease at this time.11:20 a.m. Thursday: Hope Fest 4 Hunger, a multicultural dance festival, is going virtual in 2021.The premiere of "Dances for a Pandemic" will be streamed at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 28. for free with donations going to fight local hunger with Greensboro Urban Ministry and A Simple Gesture.The dances will include African, Cambodian, Hindu, Irish, Latin, and Native American cultures.10: 50 a.m. Thursday: The Davidson County Health Department announced Thursday that Ottendorf Labratories, LLC will provide free coronavirus tests at the Davidson County Fairgrounds.The testing center, located at 400 Greensboro St., Lexington, will be open every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. No appointments will be needed.2:45 p.m. Wednesday: Novant Health announced three Novant Health Express at Walgreens will open in North Carolina, with one of them opening in Winston-Salem.The healthcare company said it will open at the location on 1712 S. Stratford Road in Winston-Salem.At this time, COVID-19 vaccinations will not be offered at this site.Novant Health is excited to partner with Walgreens as this will help us make healthcare more convenient, affordable and accessible, said Dr. Pam Oliver, executive vice president and president of Novant Health Physician Network. Our new clinics at Walgreens create an additional venue for Novant Health to support and care for community members with chronic conditions as well as expand access to quality care for minor illnesses and injuries. 9:45 p.m. Tuesday: Walgreens announces plan to administer COVID-19 vaccines at 300 locations in North Carolina, thanks to a federal program.The CDC will allot more than 31,000 doses across the state. Vaccinations will begin Feb. 12.2:30 p.m. Tuesday: Gov. Roy Cooper and top state education leaders are urging on North Carolina's K-12 school districts to allow in-person instruction for all students. Cooper joined North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Dr. Mandy Cohen, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt and State Board of Education Chair Eric Davis to thank educators for their extraordinary work during an unprecedented time, to highlight ongoing research that shows that with proper mitigation measures, in-person learning is safe, and to emphasize the critical importance of ensuring all students have an opportunity to learn in a classroom. Protecting the health and safety of the people of this state, especially our children and our teachers, has been our goal, Cooper said. We know school is important for reasons beyond academic instruction. School is where students learn social skills, get reliable meals, and find their voices. Research done right here in North Carolina tells us that in-person learning is working and that students can be in classrooms safely with the right safety protocols in place. Since the beginning of the pandemic, state leaders have emphasized the importance of returning students to in-person learning as quickly and safely as possible. Children who rely solely on remote instruction are feeling the negative effects of isolation, including learning loss, mental health challenges and food insecurity. The states public health toolkit details specific health and safety protocols K-12 schools must implement to keep students and teachers safe during in-person instruction.Even with the thousands of students and teachers attending school in-person across the state, we have seen few COVID-19 clusters in our public schools, Cohen said. Our Department will continue to serve our school communities, offering resources and support so we can keep our school doors open. Increasing evidence suggests that, with prevention measures in place, there are low rates of COVID-19 transmission in primary and secondary school settings even with high rates of community transmission. In addition, ongoing medical studies and peer-reviewed data affirm that children infected with COVID-19 generally have mild or no symptoms, and are less likely to spread the disease. Learning loss resulting from COVID has the potential to be a generational hurdle, but the data we have seen shows us that schools can reopen safely if they adhere to COVID prevention policies, Truitt said. For many schools, the logistics of returning to in-person instruction five days per week will be a challenge, but this is absolutely a challenge we must face head on so that all students have a chance to fulfill their potential. With strong prevention measures in place, and the scientific research to back them, now is the time to act. North Carolinas students cannot lose any more time. Resources:
Here you can find up-to-the-minute information on the coronavirus in the Piedmont Triad, North Carolina and the surrounding region.
Click the video player above for the latest information from North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper.
4:05 p.m. Friday: The Alamance County Health Department will now offer coronavirus vaccinations to people who are 65 years and older, in coordination with the NCDHHS guidelines.
3:30 p.m. Friday: The Forsyth County Health Department will start registration for 900 new appointments at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 6. The appointments are for Feb. 11 through Feb. 13.
To schedule online, click here.
1:50 p.m. Friday: The Forsyth County District Court will change the way it works for cases on the docket for the first time starting Monday because of coronavirus.
A new ADVISE court, located on the Main Street (second floor) entrance of the Hall of Justice, will be where people are seen for their first time on the docket.
During the pandemic, a limited number of people will be let in the building at one time, so people will most likely have to wait in a social-distanced line outside of the building for admittance.
With weather conditions, people are strongly urged to dress appropriately and avoid bringing small children, "as the wait time outdoors could be relatively significant, given the number of people needing to be advised and the small number of individuals that will be allowed into the building at once," according to Chief District Court Judge Lisa Menefee.
Masks will be required both in the building and while people are waiting in line outside.
Individuals who have an attorney before the scheduled ADVISE court date do not have to be present, as attorneys can notify the office ahead of the date and secure a new court date on their behalf.
1:35 p.m. Friday: NCDHHS reported 113 new deaths Friday as the number of patients in the hospital continues to trend downward.
12:30 p.m. Friday: The Guilford County Health Department will start registration for 3,800 new appointments on Tuesday, Feb. 9, at 8 a.m.
The county is following NCDHHS guidelines of offering vaccinations to people 65 years and older as part of groups 1 and 2.
To schedule an appointment, click here or call 336-641-7944 (Option 2) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Vaccine clinics are being held at:
6:50 p.m. Thursday: A North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women Offender who tested positive for the coronavirus died Thursday.
We are working hard to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 in our prisons. The health and safety of the staff and the offender population continues to be our top priority, said Todd Ishee, Commissioner of Prisons.
The person tested positive on Dec. 24, was hospitalized on Jan. 3 and her condition worsened, officials said. She was a female in her early 70s with underlying health conditions.
6 p.m. Thursday: While Wake Forest Baptist Health emergency medicine physicians Dr. Jennifer Hannum and Dr. Manoj Pariyadath always watched the Super Bowl together, they've never attended the game in person -- until now.
Drs. Hannum, Dr. Pariyadath, and eight of their friends are part of a group of 7,500 vaccinated health care workers in the U.S. personally invited by the NFL to go to Super Bowl LV, which is Sunday in Tampa, Florida at Raymond James Stadium.
Both WFBH doctors said they feel comfortable traveling to and attending the game.
"We looked into what the NFL was doing and the safety precautions and measures they were affording us and we felt good about it," said Dr. Hannum, who added it was another doctor in the group who personally wrote a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell explaining their Super Bowl tradition and hoping they would be among those chosen to go.
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3:45 p.m. Thursday: Gov. Roy Cooper outlined a $4 billion budget plan Thursday to use COVID-19 relief funds for immediate needs and state resources during the coronavirus pandemic.
This plan would be a part of the bill that passed in the House Thursday, according to Cooper's press conference.
I appreciate the work of legislators to quickly pass vital relief as the state responded to the pandemic last year and I believe we can work together to get the job done again," Gov. Cooper said." Our communities and people face serious challenges and we must come together to identify areas of common ground and help our people beat the pandemic and thrive once again."
According to Gov. Cooper, federal funds would go toward:
Cooper said the state's budget remains strong, and he also recommends:
Click the link below to watch the full press conference.
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3:15 p.m. Thursday: NCDHHS reported 150 new coronavirus-related deaths Thursday as other data trends downward.
2:45 p.m. Thursday: The House unanimously approved a coronavirus relief bill Thursday that sends federal money approved by Congress in December to schools for reopening, public health officials distributing the vaccine and residents struggling to pay their rent.
The bill also extends the Extra Credit grants for parts who didn't take advantage of the stimulus opportunity in 2020.
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2:40 p.m. Thursday: North Carolina senators gave preliminary approval for a bill Thursday that would require school districts in the state to offer at least partial in-person instruction for all K-12 public school students.
Senate Bill 37, which was proposed by state Sens. Deanna Ballard, Michael Lee and Ralph Hise, would still allow parents to utilize an online-only option for their child.
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1:45 p.m. Thursday: Gov. Roy Cooper is giving a coronavirus update at 3 p.m. to discuss the state's vaccine efforts and emergency budget supplement options.
This will be streamed live on our Facebook and Twitter pages, WXII on TV, and in the lead video of this article.
12:45 p.m. Thursday: North Carolina State Superintendent Catherine Truitt presented her vision and priorities to the State Board of Education Thursday to transform public education during the coronavirus.
Truitt noted literacy, testing and accountability, and human capital will guide the Department of Public Instruction to address learning loss during the pandemic and make sure every student has a highly qualified teacher and education.
Truitt addressed the three priorities in the following statement:
12:10 p.m. Thursday: Multiple employees at Tyson Foods received their coronavirus vaccine from health officials at the Wilkesboro facility. This is part of the eligibility of Group 2 for North Carolina, including people who are older than 65.
11:55 a.m. Thursday: Dr. Christopher Ohl, an infectious disease expert at Wake Forest Baptist Health, gave an update on the coronavirus in the Triad Thursday.
He said he is concerned that people are letting their guard down when they should be putting it back up because of coronavirus variants.
"Its more important than ever actually to pay attention than ever to those details, Dr. Ohl said in regards to the 3 Ws.
He said he has gotten a lot of questions about double masking, but reminded people that masking is to protect others rather than yourself. If you really are looking to protect yourself, you should consider a surgical mask, N-95 mask, or wearing a mask and a face shield.
As for what he does, Dr. Ohl said he wears a double-lined, strong, form-fitting cloth mask on his nose and mouth. He doesn't see a need at this time to double mask.
The major risk is when taking the mask on and off with your hands, because most people don't do it properly or wash their hands beforehand.
When it comes to vaccines, Dr. Ohl said there is no reason at this time that pregnant people or women who are breastfeeding cannot get the shot. Those who have had COVID-19, but are no longer symptomatic can get the shot, but can also wait about three months because of antibodies if they want to let others who may have more of risk ahead of them in line.
Once you have had the coronavirus or are vaccinated, Dr. Ohl stressed that it is not a free-for-all and people still need to take precautions. While there is more of an immunity to the virus, there is no data of whether a person can still transmit the disease at this time.
11:20 a.m. Thursday: Hope Fest 4 Hunger, a multicultural dance festival, is going virtual in 2021.
The premiere of "Dances for a Pandemic" will be streamed at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 28. for free with donations going to fight local hunger with Greensboro Urban Ministry and A Simple Gesture.
The dances will include African, Cambodian, Hindu, Irish, Latin, and Native American cultures.
10: 50 a.m. Thursday: The Davidson County Health Department announced Thursday that Ottendorf Labratories, LLC will provide free coronavirus tests at the Davidson County Fairgrounds.
The testing center, located at 400 Greensboro St., Lexington, will be open every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. No appointments will be needed.
2:45 p.m. Wednesday: Novant Health announced three Novant Health Express at Walgreens will open in North Carolina, with one of them opening in Winston-Salem.
The healthcare company said it will open at the location on 1712 S. Stratford Road in Winston-Salem.
At this time, COVID-19 vaccinations will not be offered at this site.
Novant Health is excited to partner with Walgreens as this will help us make healthcare more convenient, affordable and accessible, said Dr. Pam Oliver, executive vice president and president of Novant Health Physician Network. Our new clinics at Walgreens create an additional venue for Novant Health to support and care for community members with chronic conditions as well as expand access to quality care for minor illnesses and injuries.
9:45 p.m. Tuesday: Walgreens announces plan to administer COVID-19 vaccines at 300 locations in North Carolina, thanks to a federal program.
The CDC will allot more than 31,000 doses across the state. Vaccinations will begin Feb. 12.
2:30 p.m. Tuesday: Gov. Roy Cooper and top state education leaders are urging on North Carolina's K-12 school districts to allow in-person instruction for all students.
Cooper joined North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Dr. Mandy Cohen, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt and State Board of Education Chair Eric Davis to thank educators for their extraordinary work during an unprecedented time, to highlight ongoing research that shows that with proper mitigation measures, in-person learning is safe, and to emphasize the critical importance of ensuring all students have an opportunity to learn in a classroom.
Protecting the health and safety of the people of this state, especially our children and our teachers, has been our goal, Cooper said. We know school is important for reasons beyond academic instruction. School is where students learn social skills, get reliable meals, and find their voices. Research done right here in North Carolina tells us that in-person learning is working and that students can be in classrooms safely with the right safety protocols in place.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, state leaders have emphasized the importance of returning students to in-person learning as quickly and safely as possible. Children who rely solely on remote instruction are feeling the negative effects of isolation, including learning loss, mental health challenges and food insecurity.
The states public health toolkit details specific health and safety protocols K-12 schools must implement to keep students and teachers safe during in-person instruction.
Even with the thousands of students and teachers attending school in-person across the state, we have seen few COVID-19 clusters in our public schools, Cohen said. Our Department will continue to serve our school communities, offering resources and support so we can keep our school doors open.
Increasing evidence suggests that, with prevention measures in place, there are low rates of COVID-19 transmission in primary and secondary school settings even with high rates of community transmission.
In addition, ongoing medical studies and peer-reviewed data affirm that children infected with COVID-19 generally have mild or no symptoms, and are less likely to spread the disease.
Learning loss resulting from COVID has the potential to be a generational hurdle, but the data we have seen shows us that schools can reopen safely if they adhere to COVID prevention policies, Truitt said. For many schools, the logistics of returning to in-person instruction five days per week will be a challenge, but this is absolutely a challenge we must face head on so that all students have a chance to fulfill their potential. With strong prevention measures in place, and the scientific research to back them, now is the time to act. North Carolinas students cannot lose any more time.
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How will the storage requirements of the Pfizer vaccine affect the programme?
The vaccine must be storedat -70C to be effective, meaning it can only be delivered to GPs with the facilities to keep it at that temperature.
It will be difficult to administer in care homes.Deputy chief medical officer professor Jonathan Van-Tam said: This is a complex product. It is not a yoghurt that can be taken out of the fridge and put back in several times.
It is understood the vaccine batches are being broken down into doses of 75, in order to give the vaccine toelderly residents and staff in homes with more than 50 beds to avoid wastage.
The Oxford vaccine does not need to be stored in such cold conditions - it can be kept at temperatures between 2C and 8C.
This means it is moremobile than the Pfizer jab and therefore more easily deployed into care homes of varying sizes and into private homes for individual doses.
Experts believe the Oxford jab will be easier to deploy beyond formal healthcare settings, in part because it does not need to be stored at such cold temperatures as the other approved vaccine.
Vaccine MinisterNadhimZahawi said that 8am-8pm inoculations will continue for those in the over-80s age group, but as more people in other age groupsbegin to receive the vaccine, "it becomes much more convenient for people to go late at night and in the early hours".
Mr Zahawi expected the scheme to be in operation in hospitals around London, and 50 vaccination centres, by February.
Additionally, three hospitals in Birmingham began offering 24-hour vaccinations for health and social staff from the night of Jan 20.
Offering vaccinations overnight will speed up the rollout, and allow the Government to reach their goal of vaccinating 32 million people - 60 per cent of the UK adult population by spring, which was announced on Jan 11.
The EU has threatened to block exports of the Pfizer vaccine following a row with the vaccine company, AstraZeneca.
On Jan 26, Brussels decided to impose tighter controls on exports afterreacting with furyto the news that AstraZenecawill deliver 50 million fewer doses to the EUthan it had expected.
The EU has said that it will "take any action required to protect its citizens", leading ministers to worry that the delivery ofPfizer vaccines to the UK will- at best - be delayed by extra paperwork.
This led the Governmentto say on Jan 31that it can "absolutely guarantee" its programme of delivery of the Covid-19 jab,amidthe row with the EU over vaccine supplies.
International trade secretary Liz Truss made the pledge on Jan 31 when askedif she could guarantee that everyone who has had the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine will get their second dose, stating that "contractual supplies won't be disrupted" following a conversation with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
Meanwhile, Minister Lucy Frazer said the MHRA"have looked very carefully at the scientific evidence and the studies and have concluded that it is appropriate to vaccinate the over-65s"after a German health advisory board warned against giving the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccineto anyone over that age.
The vaccine has since been approved for all adults in the EU.
Two of the first NHS staff to get the jab suffered allergic reactionsandtheMedicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency warned the vaccine should not be administered topeoplewith a history of significantallergic reactions.
ProfStephen Powis said that this was common for new vaccines and the staff haverecovered well.
Vulnerable people suffering from rare diseases are also being forced to wait for a coronavirus vaccine because of an algorithm used to determine the risks,according to a member of the expert committee that advises the health department.
The QCovid algorithm was used by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to identify who was most likely to die if they catch coronavirus and therefore who should be prioritised in thegovernment's vaccine roll out.
Although vulnerable people have been given priority in the Government's vaccine rollout, committee member Jeremy Brown, a professor of respiratory infection at University College London, said the QCovid algorithm was likely to underestimate the risk coronavirus poses to people suffering from rare diseases.
"There are limits to the detail," said Mr Brown. "The data for cancers is grouped as all cancers rather than different cancers and it is quite likely that some cancers are much more of a problem than others."
He added that people who are suffering from rare illnesses and have been shielding successfully are also unlikely to show up in the data.
The South African variant and the Brazilian variant have threatened to undermine the vaccine and testing gains of recent months.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is expecting some vaccine tweaks to be needed as it has already begun to look at how quickly an altered jab could be approved, and Matt Hancock has said he is "very worried".
On Feb 1, health officialssaid 105cases of the South Africa Covid-19 variant have been identified in the UK, and 11 people have tested positivewith no links to travel.
Due to the new cases of the South African variant,door-to-door testing will take place in some parts of England."Surge testing" will initially take place for residents of the Goldsworth Park and St Johns areas of Woking , where they willrequested to take a PCR test regardless of symptoms.
Matt Hancock told the Commons on Feb 2that testing will also be boosted in Liverpool and Bristol - where 11 and 32 cases have been identified respectively.
This comes as scientists have found that theKent coronavirus variantis mutating to mimic theSouth African variant,which could render current vaccines less effective.
However, vaccines against new coronavirus variants should be ready by October, the team behind theOxford University/AstraZeneca jabhas said.
In a media briefing hosted by AstraZeneca on Feb 3, Professor Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, said work on designing a new vaccine could be completed rapidly.
On Jan 25, Moderna Inc announced that its vaccine was effective against the Kent and South African variants. Deliveries of the vaccine will take place in the spring.
And now Britain ison the brink of approving a fourth coronavirus vaccine, after a jab trialed in the UK was shown to be highly effective against the Kent variant in what the Health Secretary hailed as a breakthrough.
Sixty million doses of the Novavax jab have been secured by the UK.
The Novavax vaccine, which Mr Zahawi was himself injected with as part of the trial, was shown to be 89.3 per cent effective in preventing coronavirus in participants.
Professor Paul Heath, the Novavax Phase 3 trial chief investigator, said he believed that vaccines could be adapted "at pace" to target new variants of coronavirus after the Novavax jab was found to be effective against the Kent variant.
Crucially, it was shown to be highly effective in preventing infection from the Kent variant whichBoris Johnson said on Jan 22 could be up to 30 per cent more deadly than the original.
Prof Neil Ferguson, who sits on Nervtag, the Government's virus advisory committee, said the latest data showed up to 13 in 1000 people aged 60 who contract the variant strain could die, compared with 10 in 1000 who caught the original variant.
"It is a realistic possibility that the new UK variant increases the risk of death, but there is considerable remaining uncertainty," Prof Ferguson told ITV.
"Four groups - Imperial, LSHTM, PHE and Exeter - have looked at the relationship between people testing positive for the variant vs old strains and the risk of death."
The professor said the data available on the new variant is patchy, but there is a "signal" that there is a "1.3-fold increased risk of death".
However, most promisingly, on Jan 16, The Telegraph exclusively revealed that Britain would have the capacity to vaccinate the entire nation against new coronavirus strains within four months, once a new super-factory opens this year.
The factory- which is worth 158m, will produce 70m doses of an emergency vaccine in the UK, Dr Matthew Duchars, chief executive of the Vaccines Manufacturing Innovation Centre (VMIC), shared.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Dr Duchars revealed: New Covid variants are absolutely part of the thinking. We probably will need to make seasonal vaccine variants because there may well be mutations in the virus, as well as vaccines for other diseases. You never know whats coming next.
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WORLD COULD FACE PANDEMIC WORSE THAN COVID
The world is at risk of a far worse pandemic than Covid "on the scale of the Black Death", warn experts.
Deadly microbes which have jumped from animals into humans could "kill tens of millions of people" they terrifyingly add.
Environmental writer John Vidal, who is working on a book revealing the links between nature anddisease, has published his dire prediction in theDaily Mail.
He says that governments must face up to "the nightmare scenario" of new diseases - or a new, more lethal strain of an older one - emerging "which is as contagious as measles, and as deadly asEbola".
Given the popularity of air travel and global trade, a virus could rampage across the world, unknowingly spread by asymptomatic carriers, "in a few weeks, killing tens of millions of people before borders could be closed", he adds.
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