Category: Covid-19 Vaccine

Recently, my 1-year-old received her first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Ellie was a trooper, crying for only about 30 seconds after the nurse delivered the dose. She was bouncing around the house as soon as we got home.

I got my first dose while pregnant to protect Ellie and me, as the immunity I received transferred safely to her. I delivered a perfectly healthy baby, and Ellie had no reaction to the first dose she received.

Of course, my decisions to get us both vaccinated were made only after poring over data and consulting with my doctor.

As the senior adviser for the California Department of Public Healths vaccine task force, I am inundated with coronavirus infection trends, surrounded by research and data day-in and day-out. Ive learned that COVID-19 is one of the top five causes of child death. During last winters omicron surge, COVID-19 hospitalizations for kids ages 4 and under were five times higher than when the delta variant was circulating earlier and 1 in 5 kids hospitalized with the virus was admitted to the intensive care unit. My husband also works in health care, where he hears cases of patients in the ICU fighting for their lives.

These are all constant reminders of how COVID-19 continues to ravage families and why we need to continue to look out for one another.

Knowing these facts firsthand had made me anxious while pregnant and during Ellies infancy. As parents, we want to do everything we can to protect the proverbial lights of our lives. I felt helpless without a vaccine during Ellies delicate first year.

That concern for loved ones spills over into the home that we share with my parents. My mother takes care of Ellie while my husband and I work, and my dad is highly vulnerable to the most serious consequences of COVID-19. Years ago, he was diagnosed with lung cancer, and his surgical treatment left him with about 75% lung capacity.

Like other multigenerational households, weve taken extraordinary care to keep ourselves and one another protected against the virus masking, isolating if we dont feel well, limiting interactions with non-family members and receiving all eligible vaccine doses. We are extra careful to avoid places where the coronavirus might be circulating. Regrettably, our family has missed out on a lot of activities.

Thats why I was thrilled when vaccines for all family members finally became available. I was heartened to know that thousands of infants and toddlers as young as 6-months-old were part of robust clinical trials that demonstrated the vaccines safety and effectiveness for our youngest children.

I feel fortunate to live in a country that rigorously researches and tests vaccines before they are authorized by the Food and Drug Administration and endorsed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and for Californias added layer of review through an independent panel in partnership with Washington, Oregon and Nevada that examines the data.

In fact, the COVID-19 vaccine is just one of many proven vaccinations helping to keep my toddler healthy by protecting her from infectious diseases like whooping cough, measles and influenza, among others.

Now that our whole family has been vaccinated, we have a newfound peace of mind knowing that weve done everything we can to keep one another healthy. My parents can freely embrace Ellie with less worry, and she can safely spend more time with others outside our household.

We are among the nearly 29 million Californians who have been vaccinated against COVID-19. Nearly 67% of the states children ages 12 to 17 and more than 36% of those 5 to 11 have received doses of these safe and effective vaccines. This is good news, as research has shown that the vaccine protects children against the worst outcomes of COVID-19, including hospitalization, long COVID, multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children and death.

On Ellies first birthday, we celebrated her doljabi, a Korean tradition that determines ones destiny. As we watched her choose from a myriad of items before her, I secretly hoped shed choose the yarn that signifies long life. Of course, we knew wed be happy no matter what she chose, especially knowing she is better protected in her early years. We have so much to celebrate.

If you or other members of your family are not yet vaccinated against COVID-19, now is a good time to consider the tools available, including the recently authorized Novavax vaccine a new option for adults that uses a protein-based technology.

Whether to have your children vaccinated against COVID-19 is an important decision for every parent and caregiver to make. As a parent, I urge you to discuss any questions you have with your childs health care provider. If youre ready to take the step toward full-family protection against COVID-19, call your provider or community health clinic to get your child vaccinated. Or go to myturn.ca.gov or call 833-422-4255 to find a vaccination site near you.

Sonya Logman Harris is the senior adviser to Californias Vaccinate ALL 58 campaign and oversees the COVID-19 Vaccine Task Forces statewide outreach and education efforts. She previously served as chief of staff for the 2020 census in California.

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COVID is one of the top five causes of child death. I'm relieved my 1-year-old finally got her first vaccine dose - San Francisco Chronicle

Reactive synovitis of the knee joint after COVID19 vaccination: The first ultrastructural analysis of synovial fluid  Wiley

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Reactive synovitis of the knee joint after COVID19 vaccination: The first ultrastructural analysis of synovial fluid - Wiley

In this weeks look around the Air Force, Lt. Gen. B. Chance Saltzman is nominated to be the new chief of space operations, a new COVID-19 vaccine becomes available for service members, and Airmen can provide feedback on armor and other gear through the GearFit application. (Hosted by Tech. Sgt. Britt Crolley)

For previous episodes, click here for the Air Force TV page.

Related links:- Lt. Gen. Chance Saltzman nominated to be next Space Force CSO- Air Force prepares for newly approved COVID-19 vaccine: Novavax provides new option for unvaccinated Airmen, Guardians- GearFit shortens feedback loop

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Around the Air Force: Around the Air Force: Next Chief of Space Operations, New COVID-19 V - Air Force Link

The vaccine deployment in December 2020 signaled a turning point in the COVID-19 pandemic. By the end of May 2021, 40% of the U.S. population was fully vaccinated. But as vaccination rates lagged over the summer, new surges of COVID-19 came, including Delta in the summer of 2021, and now the Omicron variant, which comprises the majority of cases in the U.S.

The United States as of Aug. 5 reached over 1 million COVID-19-related deaths and 91.9 million COVID-19 cases, according to Johns Hopkins University. Currently, 67.2% of the population is fully vaccinated, and 48.2% of vaccinated people have received booster doses.

Stacker compiled a list of the counties with highest COVID-19 vaccination rates in Michigan using data from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and Covid Act Now. Counties are ranked by the highest vaccination rate as of Aug. 4, 2022. Due to inconsistencies in reporting, some counties do not have vaccination data available. Keep reading to see whether your county ranks among the highest COVID-19 vaccination rates in your state.

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Counties with the highest COVID-19 vaccination rate in Michigan - Longview News-Journal

President Joe Biden was officially cleared to emerge from isolation Sunday after a second negative COVID-19 test, his physician announced."This morning, the president's SARS-CoV-2 antigen testing was negative for a second consecutive day," presidential physician Kevin O'Connor wrote in a letter Sunday. "He will safely return to public engagement and presidential travel."Biden tested negative on an antigen test Saturday as well, but remained in isolation until Sunday morning before departing for Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.Departing the White House for Rehoboth Beach, the president told reporters he was "feeling good," saying, "After 18 days, I'm clear!"Biden had not left the White House since initially testing positive for COVID-19 on July 21. After taking a five-day course of Pfizer's antiviral drug, Paxlovid, he tested positive for a rebound case of COVID-19 last Saturday and resumed isolation. There are currently no events on his public schedule for the weekend.During isolation, the president has participated virtually in public events from the White House residence. On two occasions, he delivered socially distanced remarks to a restricted pool from the Blue Room balcony, announcing a successful strike that killed al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri Monday and signing two bills cracking down on COVID-19 relief fraud Friday.The president and first lady Jill Biden are scheduled to travel on Monday to visit Kentucky after deadly floods in the eastern part of the state killed dozens of people and devastated the area.According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "People with recurrence of COVID-19 symptoms or a new positive viral test after having tested negative should restart isolation and isolate again for at least 5 days."During Biden's first bout with the disease, he experienced mild symptoms, including runny nose, fatigue, high temperature and a cough, according to his doctor. The five-day course of Paxlovid the president completed requires a doctor's prescription and is available via emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in people 12 and older who are at high risk of severe illness.The CDC issued a health alert to doctors on May 24 advising that COVID-19 symptoms sometimes come back, and that may just be how the infection plays out in some people, regardless of whether they're vaccinated or treated with medications such as Paxlovid. The CDC said that most rebound cases involve mild disease and that there have been no reports of serious illness.Biden is fully vaccinated and received two booster shots. He received his first two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine ahead of his inauguration in January 2021, his first booster shot in September and his second booster vaccination in March.

President Joe Biden was officially cleared to emerge from isolation Sunday after a second negative COVID-19 test, his physician announced.

"This morning, the president's SARS-CoV-2 antigen testing was negative for a second consecutive day," presidential physician Kevin O'Connor wrote in a letter Sunday. "He will safely return to public engagement and presidential travel."

Biden tested negative on an antigen test Saturday as well, but remained in isolation until Sunday morning before departing for Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

Departing the White House for Rehoboth Beach, the president told reporters he was "feeling good," saying, "After 18 days, I'm clear!"

Biden had not left the White House since initially testing positive for COVID-19 on July 21. After taking a five-day course of Pfizer's antiviral drug, Paxlovid, he tested positive for a rebound case of COVID-19 last Saturday and resumed isolation. There are currently no events on his public schedule for the weekend.

During isolation, the president has participated virtually in public events from the White House residence. On two occasions, he delivered socially distanced remarks to a restricted pool from the Blue Room balcony, announcing a successful strike that killed al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri Monday and signing two bills cracking down on COVID-19 relief fraud Friday.

The president and first lady Jill Biden are scheduled to travel on Monday to visit Kentucky after deadly floods in the eastern part of the state killed dozens of people and devastated the area.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "People with recurrence of COVID-19 symptoms or a new positive viral test after having tested negative should restart isolation and isolate again for at least 5 days."

During Biden's first bout with the disease, he experienced mild symptoms, including runny nose, fatigue, high temperature and a cough, according to his doctor. The five-day course of Paxlovid the president completed requires a doctor's prescription and is available via emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in people 12 and older who are at high risk of severe illness.

The CDC issued a health alert to doctors on May 24 advising that COVID-19 symptoms sometimes come back, and that may just be how the infection plays out in some people, regardless of whether they're vaccinated or treated with medications such as Paxlovid. The CDC said that most rebound cases involve mild disease and that there have been no reports of serious illness.

Biden is fully vaccinated and received two booster shots. He received his first two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine ahead of his inauguration in January 2021, his first booster shot in September and his second booster vaccination in March.

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President Biden officially cleared to emerge from isolation following rebound COVID-19 case - KCRA Sacramento

A study out of the United Kingdom has shown that health care workers who received multiple COVID-19 vaccine boosters after initially being infected with the original virus strain from Wuhan are more prone to chronic reinfection from the Omicron variant.

This may help explain why the people who have received several COVID-19 vaccine boosters are increasingly the ones who end up in the hospital with severe COVID-19 symptoms, sometimes resulting in death, said scientist and physicianDr. Robert Malone.

In a July 21 interview for EpochTVs Crossroads program, Malone, an inventor of mRNA vaccine technology, said this phenomenon is the result of a process called immune imprinting,whereby initial exposure to a virus strain may prevent the body from producing enough neutralizing antibodies against a newer strain.

He added that this process is reinforced by multiple inoculations.

All over the world, we are seeing these datasets that show that,unfortunately, the people that are dyingand being hospitalized are overwhelmingly the highly vaccinated, he said. It is not those that have natural immunity.

The COVID-19 vaccines currently in circulation are based on the Wuhan strain of theCCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, also known as SARS-CoV-2, which causes the illness now identified as COVID-19.

A number of strains have emerged and become dominant since the Wuhan strain was prevalent, including the currently dominant Omicron variant.

The problem is that COVID-19 vaccines use only one of the components of the whole virus, which is a spike protein, so the immune system of a person who received an mRNA vaccine becomes trained to respond to only that component, Malone explained.

Ifthat antigen has changed slightly, if that virus has changed slightly, [the immune system] still reacts as if its the old one, he said.

The COVID-19 vaccines are based on the spike protein of the original virus identified in Wuhan. That strain of the virus no longer exists and is not circulating in the population anymore, Malone said.

If a vaccine based on a now-defunct viral strain is repeatedly administered, it trains the immune system to focus more and more on the antigen delivered through the vaccine and to disregard anything else thats slightly different, Malone explained, calling this phenomenon immune imprinting.

The literature on immune imprinting is bombproof, Malone said. Paper after paper after paper now, in the top peer-reviewed journals from the top laboratories all across the world, are documenting it.

The phenomenon has long been known in the field of vaccinology, said Malone, but the topic is verboten, and people who work in the field prefer not to discuss it, he said.

Health care workers in the UKmany of whom were infected with the Wuhan variant of the virus and also received three or four COVID-19 vaccine doseshave been developing chronic repeated infections from the Omicron variant, Malone said, citing a paper published in the academic journal Science.

Another paper published in Nature shows that the evolution of the virus is not coming from the general population, but rather from immunocompromised people who have received multiple vaccine doses, Malone said, and about 30 percent of the highly vaccinated population are having repeated infections.

This is contrary to the promoted narrative that the unvaccinated are putting the wider population at risk, Malone noted.

Natural immunity from a COVID-19 infection lasts for at least 14 months, including immunity against the Omicron strains, Malone said, citing a scientific paper from Qatar which has not yet been peer reviewed (pdf).

Vaccine-induced immunity, however, lasts only a couple of months, he added.

When someone gets infected with the original virus, that person will generate an immune response that includes all kinds of proteins from the virus, provided he or she hasnt experienced too much immune imprinting, Malone explained.

The problem with these monovalent vaccines, or the single-antigen vaccines, is theyre driving all your immune response against one thing as opposed to the whole virus. So all the virus has to do is genetically, through evolution, tweak a few knobs to escape that, he said. And that is exactly whats happened with Omicron.

The paradox is that most of the countries with emerging economies and low vaccination rates also have the lowest COVID-19 mortality rates in the world, Malone said.

Its likely that were going to continue to see this trend, he said.

According to Our World in Data, only 1.4 percent of Haitis population has been vaccinated, and the country has recorded 838 COVID-19 deaths, a rate of 73 deaths per 1 million people.

In South Africa,where 32 percent of the population is vaccinated, there have been nearly 102,000 deaths, a rate of 1,717 deaths per 1 million people.

In the UK,75 percent of the population is vaccinated, and more than 184,000 people have died, which is a rate of2,736 deaths per 1 million.

And in the United States, 67 percent of the population is vaccinated, and 1.03 million people have died from the virus, a rate of 3,058 deaths per 1 million people.

Malone pointed out a problem with the current mRNA vaccines.

When a vaccine is injected into a patients arm, the RNA from the vaccine, which is a modified RNA, is supposed to last for only a couple of hours, but a study from Stanford University shows that the RNA sticks around for at least 60 days, Malone said.

However, the government only accounts for vaccine reactions and illnesses that are recorded on the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS)within the first couple of weeks after vaccination, even though the drug is still in the body two months later, Malone said.

The RNA from the vaccine produces more spike protein than the natural infection does, he said. Now that makes sense about why we see more adverse events with the vaccines than we see with the infection itself, because spike is a toxin.

VAERS was established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration to collect and analyze data about the adverse effects of vaccination.

The system relies on individuals to send in reports and is not intended to determine if a reported health problem was caused by a vaccine, but it is especially useful for detecting unusual or unexpected patterns of adverse event reporting that might indicate a possible safety problem with a vaccine, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

Malone, president and co-founder of theInternational Alliance of Physicians and Medical Scientists, said over 17,000 doctors and scientists have signed a declaration statingunequivocallythat genetic vaccines need to be withdrawn.

These genetic vaccines are not working, he said.

Meiling Lee andZachary Stieber contributed to this report.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Epoch Health welcomes professional discussion and friendly debate. To submit an opinion piece, please follow these guidelines and submit through our form here.

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COVID-19 Vaccines Hinder the Immune System, Lead to More Severe Illness: Dr. Robert Malone - The Epoch Times

While the vaccines continue to provide critical, evidence-based protection against the coronavirus, rare cases of myocarditis and pericarditis have been reported.

The Moderna mRNA vaccine may be more likely to cause myocarditis in men aged 12 to 29 years than other vaccines, requiring more surveillance of patients following the administration of booster shots.1 In the United States, cases of myocarditis are 1 to 2 per 100,000 people, regardless of age, with COVID-19 vaccinations only causing 0.2 cases per million people and only causing 1.4 cases of pericarditis per million people.1

Jorge Moreno, MD, assistant professor of medicine at the Yale School of Medicine, although not involved in the study, noted in a discussion with Medical News Today that the data show that cases of myocarditis and pericarditis from COVID-19 vaccinations are quite rare.2

COVID-19, the illness, can also [cause] myocarditis, and that is much more likely than the vaccine itself [causing it], said Moreno in the interview.2

Additionally, dosing was relevant to case numbers as well. Following patients receiving 2 doses of the Moderna vaccine, cases for anyone between the age of 12 to 39 dropped if administered 31 days following the second dose .1 For men aged 18 to 29 years, the dosing interval may need to increase to 56 days or later to ensure a decreased risk of these conditions developing.1

Often caused by viral infections such as COVID-19, myocarditis is the inflammation of the heart muscle and pericarditis is the inflammation of the 2 layered sac surrounding the heart.2 Symptoms of both diseases are present as persistent chest pain, shortness of breath, palpitations, or all 3.1 Most people recover from mild cases, but some cases of myocarditis or pericarditis have become dangerous.1

During research assessing the correlation between reported cases of myocarditis and pericarditis and vaccinations, investigators at the University of Alberta went through 46 studies and analyzed 8000 reported cases. Based on their findings, they then narrowed the age range to being between the ages of 0 to 39 years. Subsequently, they observed that cases for males over the age of 40 years were very low to none, according to the data.2

While the study authors noted that the data made clear that the time between dosing of the Moderna mRNA vaccine should be prolonged, they also observed that the data did not make clear if young men should avoid the Moderna vaccine entirely and be advised to get the Pfizer mRNA vaccines.1

The FDA and the CDC here in the US did not find that the difference was substantial enough to make that recommendation [for young men to avoid the Pfizer vaccine], Morena said in the press release.2

The study authors also noted the importance of better communication of the risks and benefits of the vaccine for young men and their families, along with more access to non-mRNA vaccine alternatives.1 Although more research regarding personal risk factors and pre-existing conditions should be done to assess potential risk further, the authors explained that due to the evolving nature of COVID-19, study findings remain limited to the investigators understanding of mechanistic studies and how easily diagnosable the diseases are. Additionally, although pericarditis and myocarditis often coexist, myocarditis is more easily identifiable and diagnosed using imaging and troponin protein level testing.1

The authors also noted that long term follow-up may help investigators further understand the natural history, disease recurrence, and risks of COVID-19 even with its evolving nature. To address this, multicenter prospective studies could guide researchers to understand why the vaccines cause these rare cases of heart inflammation.1

References

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Myocarditis, Pericarditis Rare in Young Men After COVID-19 Vaccination With Moderna Vaccine - Pharmacy Times

Public Health Officials Announce 30,762 New Cases of Coronavirus Disease Over the Past Week  IDPH

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Public Health Officials Announce 30,762 New Cases of Coronavirus Disease Over the Past Week - IDPH

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an acute respiratory disease that is caused by infection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). As a result of the rapid transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and its high morbidity and mortality rates, COVID-19 remains a significant threat.

Study:Does Influenza vaccination reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19? Image Credit: alessandro guerriero / Shutterstock.com

Initially, the development of herd immunity once the vaccinated population reached 70% was believed to reduce the transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

However, the rate of vaccination in different nations varies depending on their specific economic situation. As a result, developed countries often have a higher vaccination rate as compared to underdeveloped countries. This increases the risk of prolonging the pandemic due to the emergence of mutated strains of SARS-CoV-2.

Several studies have observed that the risk of infection and disease transmission are independent of completing a COVID-19 vaccination regimen. Although the risk of developing a severe infection is lower in vaccinated people, the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 variants between vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals still occurs and can subsequently lead to the emergence of new variants.

Currently, ten SARS-CoV-2 variants are being monitored, two of which are considered variants of concern (VOCs). Thus, there remains an urgent need to better understand the evolution of SARS-CoV-2, as well as develop novel treatments and preventive measures that mitigate its spread and adverse effects on human health.

Previous studies have assessed whether countermeasures used to protect against other types of viruses could reduce the adverse effects of COVID-19. Influenza and COVID-19 are two respiratory viral diseases that have similar modes of transmission, clinical outcomes, hospitalizations, complications, and death rates. Additionally, the transmission of these viruses often peaks during the winter months.

The most effective strategy to prevent and control influenza epidemics is annual influenza vaccination. Similar vaccination campaigns have also been important in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic.

The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, which was first detected in South Africa on November 24, 2021, acquired at least one of its mutations from the common cold virus that was also present in the same infected cell. The symptoms of Omicron infection are also very similar to that of the common cold.

Notably, flu vaccination has previously been found to reduce intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, hospitalizations, and mortality from SARS-CoV-2 infections. However, such findings are contradictory and insufficient. Further research is needed to better understand the protective role of the flu vaccine on COVID-19 infections.

A new Spanish study published on the preprint server medRxiv* describes the association between the risk of contracting COVID-19 and the seasonal flu vaccine in patients for whom the flu vaccine is recommended.

The current study involved patients who were considered high-risk for flu complications and were, as a result, recommended for vaccination. The clinical history of the patients was collected to obtain information on COVID-19 diagnosis and flu vaccination.

Study participants living in nursing homes were studied separately due to different living conditions. Both trivalent and quadrivalent flu vaccines were administered to the study participants.

The Mortality in small Spanish areas and Socioeconomic and Environmental Inequalities (MEDEA) deprivation index was used for the analysis of health inequalities and identification of regions with socioeconomic vulnerability. Information on the gender, age, risk factors for flu vaccination, the incidence of COVID-19, and flu vaccine receipt were also collected.

Out of the 429,537 study participants, about 45% were vaccinated against the flu, while 56.8% were women. Participants over the age of 80 were most likely to be vaccinated. Moreover, about 4% of vaccinated people and 4.44% of unvaccinated people contracted COVID-19.

Patients with risk factors for flu complications, such as those with cardiovascular diseases, lung problems, diabetes mellitus, and kidney problems, who also received the flu vaccine were at a lower risk of contracting COVID-19.

Probability of contracting COVID-19 depending on whether or not the patient had received the flu vaccine.

High MEDEA values were associated with lower vaccination rates and a higher risk of COVID-19. Additionally, at high MEDEA index values, people under 60 years of age were associated with higher COVID-19 incidence rates as compared to those over the age of 60.

The current study demonstrates that the flu vaccine could reduce the risk of COVID-19 among individuals who are at high risk for flu complications. However, continuous and effective immunizations are required to reduce the burden of respiratory diseases, especially during a period in which influenza and COVID-19 overlap.

Further research is needed to develop preventive strategies against both diseases simultaneously, as there is a high probability of living with both viruses for a long time.

medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.

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How does the flu vaccine affect the risk of contracting COVID-19? - News-Medical.Net

The U.S. Department of Health is rolling out its "We Can Do This" COVID-19 education campaign ahead of the schoolyear, hoping to increase the vaccination rate among children by educating parents in trusted spaces, and the library is becoming a critical location in the effort.

Dr. Cameron Webb, a senior advisor on the White Houses COVID-19 team, was a special guest for Thursdays story time at Hyattsville's Library. He shared more than a book with families.

Back-to-school is right around the corner, so we want families, we want everybody to have their best protection, he said.

While vaccination rates for children 6 months to 5 years old are the lowest of any age group with 3% vaccinated, Webb hopes parents will step up before little ones reenter school and day care.

We want to make sure that everybody has that protection against COVID-19, but its coming at a time where a lot of people are processing how they look at the pandemic differently.

In Hyattsville, one of the most diverse communities in Prince George's County, it was clear early on that the approach to accessing the vaccine had to be different.

We were the community that was hardest struck in the region, yet we were the last to receive testing and the last to receive vaccines, Prince Georges County Council member Deni Taveras said.

Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information

The county's libraries stepped in to help improve access.

We would receive a phone call, and a customer would say, Im an undocumented immigrant. Im having trouble getting through to the vaccine clinic. Theyre telling me I cant get a vaccine, Prince George's County Memorial Library System acting co-CEO Nicholas A. Brown said. And we would tell them exactly what to say. Get on the phone with the vaccine provider to clarify what the policies are. And it was that level of library-to-family connection that helped people get to these resources really quickly.

Thursdays clinic reminded how libraries have pivoted, becoming more than just a place to check out books.

They have a such a nice space for children, so I think it's really great that they tied those two together to offer the vaccine to the community while having children's events here, mother Jillian Campbell said.

Parents said they are adjusting to the new reality and the back-to-school list is changing.

School is starting September or Aug. 22, and he needs to get vaccinated, so we are really, really glad that its being offered over here, mother Grace Burrell said.

It was only a one-day clinic, but the public library is open to share information on where to find other clinics like it by calling local branches during library business hours.

The American Library Association is working alongside the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to launch similar campaigns around the country.

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Libraries Help Educate About COVID-19 Vaccination Ahead of Schoolyear - NBC4 Washington