Category: Covid-19 Vaccine

Politics | Coronavirus

(PAP) emer/mb/mrb August 03, 2022

Poland will allow a fourth dose of coronavirus vaccine to be received by people aged over 18 in September, the health minister has announced.

Since July 22 a second booster dose has been available for people in the 60-79 age group and an additional vaccination for people aged over 12 years with immune deficiency. Before, the fourth dose had been offered to everybody over 80.

On Wednesday, Health Minister Adam Niedzielski wrote on Twitter that "everything indicates that the fourth dose for the wider population, at least 18 plus, will be available in early September."

He added that so far 750,000 people from the 60 plus and 12 plus groups with immune deficiency had already registered for the second booster jab and that 300,000 had already taken the vaccine.

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Poland to offer fourth dose of Covid-19 vaccine to adults in September - The First News

Audio Interview: Updated Covid-19 Vaccines and a Look at Monkeypox | NEJM  nejm.org

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Audio Interview: Updated Covid-19 Vaccines and a Look at Monkeypox | NEJM - nejm.org

A year ago, longtime THE OFFSPRING drummer Pete Parada announced that was being dropped from the band's tour after refusing the COVID-19 vaccine for medical reasons. He has now taken to his social media to reflect on his decision to not go along with "the mainstream global narrative/response to the virus", calling it "the most harrowing ordeal of my life."

On Tuesday (August 2),Parada wrote: "What a difference a year makes. One year ago today, I made a statement about losing my gig. At the time it felt as if I was losing my entire career and the biggest piece of my identity.

"I spoke up because I needed to try to shape the world in a way that allowed for my children to make choices about what happens to their bodies - free of coercion. But I had fully expected to be cancelled, and that price tag was worth the hope of a shift in our collective consciousness. Then something amazing happened: people started showing up with overwhelming support.

"What I thought would be a flame war for myself and my career turned into a community of others who felt the same way but didn't have an outlet to express it, or didn't feel capable of speaking up," he continued.

"I can't count the number of messages I received from all over the world people who felt lost and devastated because they didn't agree with the mainstream global narrative/response to the virus. Many felt pressured by their jobs to accept an intervention they did not want, in order to provide for their families. Others reached out with stories of bad reactions to the jabs, while too many were ostracized for not complying. All felt lost and invisible in the conversation. As heartbreaking as your stories have been to hear, they kept me from feeling entirely isolated and kept me going through the most harrowing ordeal of my life.

"I can't thank you all enough for helping to hold me together when I felt I was falling apart. A year later I find myself somewhere I never thought I would be: happy. My career didn't end, it shifted into a new era.

"My primary focus has been working from my home studio writing and recording drum tracks, sound packs and loops for artists all around the world," Pete added. "It has been an incredible experience to feel creative again and appreciated for my contribution to so many works. I also found myself back onstage again, even playing the same venue as those who told me I would not be allowed. But most exciting of all, I have quite a few new band projects I am juggling, some of which I can't even talk about yet (soon I promise).

"It's an exciting time as I feel good about the work I am doing and re-energized about music again. To all those who have reached out with support, either publicly or privately, I offer my deepest gratitude. You lifted me and my family at a time when we needed it most.

"New people are still finding me every day and sharing their stories," Parada said. "I also really appreciate the civil exchanges with folks who don't understand my position, but have a deep love for me as a friend. These brave conversations give me hope that it is possible for us all to hold multiple perspectives. We gotta make room for growth our own and everyone else's.

"I've learned as much from the folks who don't share my view as I have from those who do. I refuse to be divided. Here's to finding our way back to each other."

When he first announced his departure from THE OFFSPRING, Pete said a doctor had advised him not to get the COVID-19 shot because he has a rare autoimmune disorder. The musician said he first experienced Guillain-Barr syndrome, where a person's immune system damages their nerves, in childhood and the effects had got "progressively worse over my lifetime". He also revealed that he contracted COVID-19 over a year earlier and only had mild symptoms, "so I am confident I'd be able to handle it again", he wrote.

At the time, Parada wrote on social media that he was "unable to comply with what is increasingly becoming an industry mandate". As a result, "it has recently been decided that I am unsafe to be around, in the studio and on tour", he said.

Parada added that he had "no negative feelings towards my band". He wrote: "They're doing what they believe is best for them, while I am doing the same."

Last year, THE OFFSPRING encouraged fans to receive their COVID-19 vaccines by reworking the chorus of its 1994 classic "Come Out And Play" to say "you gotta go get vaccinated." The new version of the song was shared in March 2021 on THE OFFSPRING's Instagram, featuring a snippet from the song's music video with the reworked lyrics.

THE OFFSPRING singer Bryan "Dexter" Holland has a Ph.D. in molecular biology and wrote his thesis on microRNA in HIV genomes. The 175-page research paper, titled "Identification of Human MicroRNA-Like Sequences Embedded within the Protein-Encoding Genes of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus", had been published in PLoS One. Holland had received his Ph.D. from University of Southern California in 2017.

Last October, THE OFFSPRING canceled its concerts in Denver and Salt Lake City after guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman tested positive for COVID-19. He later wrote on social media that the shows were scrapped "out of an abundance of caution." He also revealed that he "was sick for 2-3 days at most" and credited the fact that he was vaccinated for getting "over it very quickly" and possibly saving his life.

THE OFFSPRING's tenth studio album, "Let The Bad Times Roll", arrived in April 2021 via Concord Records.

Photo courtesy of Pete Parada's Instagram

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Ex-THE OFFSPRING Drummer PETE PARADA 'Expected To Be Canceled' After Going Public With His Refusal To Take COVID-19 Vaccine - BLABBERMOUTH.NET

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has claimed that there was no known association between heart inflammation and COVID-19 vaccines as late as October 2021.

CDC officials made the claim, which is false, in response to aFreedom of Information Act request for reports from a CDC team that is focused on analyzing the risk of post-vaccination myocarditis and pericarditis, two forms of heart inflammation. Both began detected at higher-than-expected rates after COVID-19 vaccination in the spring of 2021.

The team focuses on studying data from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), a passive surveillance system co-run by the CDC and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The date range for the search was April 2, 2021, to Oct. 2, 2021.

The National Center for Emerging Zoonotic Infectious Diseases performed a search of our records that failed to reveal any documents pertaining to your request, Roger Andoh, a CDC records officer, told The Epoch Times. The center is part of the CDC.

No abstractions or reports were available because an association between myocarditis and mRNA COVID-19 vaccination was not known at that time, Andoh added.

Both the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines are built on messenger RNA (mRNA) technology.

Reports of heart inflammation after COVID-19 vaccination were first made public in April 2021 by the U.S. military, which detected the issue along with Israeli authorities well before the CDC.

While Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDCs director, said that month that the agency had looked for a safety signal in its data and found none, by the end of June CDC researchers were saying that the available data suggest an association with immunization, and in August described (pdf) the issue as a harm from vaccination.

The claim that the link wasnt known is provably false, Barbara Loe Fisher, co-founder and president of the National Vaccine Information Center, told The Epoch Times via email.Either the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing at CDC, or federal health officials are disseminating misinformation about what they knew about myocarditis following mRNA COVID vaccines and when they knew it.

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) said that the FOIA response raises even more questions about the agencys honesty, transparency, and use, or lack thereof, of its safety surveillance systems, such as VAERS, to detect COVID-19 vaccine adverse events.

I have senttwolettersto the CDC about the agencys inability to find records demonstrating its use of the vaccine surveillance systems. To date, the CDC has failed to respond to my letters, he added.

Apparently CDC needs to make a correction! a spokeswoman for the agency told The Epoch Times in an email.

The agency is acknowledging that by June 2021, data began to indicate a link between the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines and heart inflammation, outlined that month in two presentations made to government vaccine advisory panels.

Additional data accumulated in subsequent months, ultimately leading to the conclusion that a causative association did indeed exist. However, such a conclusion required time to accumulate and analyze data, the spokeswoman said.

It remains unclear how the CDC looked for a signal in April 2021. The CDC has declined to provide any details.

The CDCs records office did not respond to a request for comment.

The correction is the second time in recent weeks that the agency has backtracked on a claim.

Andoh in June told the nonprofit Childrens Health Defense that staff from the agencys Immunization and Safety Office informed him that the agency would not perform data mining on VAERS, even though several CDC documents said the agency would perform the analyses.

Questioned about the matter,Dr. John Su, a CDC official,told The Epoch Times that the agency started performing the data mining in February 2021.

Noting the conflicting statements, Johnson wrote to Walensky asking her for answers.CDCs assertion and Dr. Sus statement cannot both be true, he said.

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Zachary Stieber covers U.S. and world news. He is based in Maryland.

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EXCLUSIVE: CDC Claims Link Between Heart Inflammation and COVID-19 Vaccines Wasn't Known for Most of 2021 - The Epoch Times

The most recent VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System) data shows that a 9-year-old died in California two weeks after getting one dose of a Pfizer-BioNTech jab.

The female child had no listed preexisting conditions and was not hospitalized.

She experienced 2-3 days of stomach ache, sore throat and chest pain; two weeks after receiving the vaccination, the database states.

United States VAERS data from Dec. 14, 2020, to July 22, 2022, show that there were 12,232 adverse events in 5- to 11-year-olds, including 313 serious cases and 9 deaths.

In addition, the database lists 24 cases of heart inflammation, 47 cases of blood clotting disorders, and 101 reports of seizures in the same age group.

The case was first reported on by The Defender.

According toOpenVAERS, VAERS is the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System put in place in 1990. It is a voluntary reporting system that has been estimated to account for only 1% of vaccine injuries.

The VAERS system is designed to send safety warnings on vaccines, but its reports are unverified and cannot be interpreted as evidence of a causal association between a vaccine and an adverse event, according to its disclaimer.

Lawrence B. Palevsky, MD, a pediatrician, told The Epoch Times that he has been reading about an increasing number of reported adverse reactions, and deaths, in the pediatric population soon after the administration of these injections. Unfortunately, they go unreported, and are tossed aside as having nothing to do with the COVID injections.

Before the implementation of the COVID injection into the pediatric population, it was uncommon to witness a healthy 9-year-old, without any medical conditions, simply die, out of the blue, for no apparent reason, Palevsky said.

Today, we are hearing many more stories about children of all ages simply dying, out of the blue, with no other medical conditions, other than a recent history of having received the COVID injections. Unfortunately, in todays culture, and in the dominant narrative, it is inconceivable and unfathomable that COVID injections which we are told were tested for safety and effectiveness by our supposedly trusted authorities, would have any adverse reactions to the point of causing children, and adults, to die.

Palevsky thinks that the COVID vaccines should have been studied and proven not to cause harm before being mandated on people, and especially on children who, he thinks, makes no sense to administer to, since they are not in serious danger from COVID.

Sadly, this child will be buried, and no one in a position of authority will investigate whether [her] death was related to an adverse reaction to the COVID injection. And, even if there is an investigation, you wont hear any news that [her] death was, in fact, related to an adverse reaction to the COVID injection, as has been the sad case for so many who have died, unnecessarily, before [her], Palevsky said.

On June 23,The director of the U.S.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) falsely said that COVID-19 has been one of the five top causes of death for children since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition, in March, the CDC removedtens of thousands of deaths linked to COVID-19, including nearly a quarter of deaths it had listed in those under 18 years old.

The health agency quietly made the change on itsdata tracker websiteon March 15.

The Epoch Times reached out to Pfizer and the CDC for comment.

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Enrico Trigoso is an Epoch Times reporter focusing on the NYC area.

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9-Year-Old Dies Two Weeks After Taking COVID-19 Vaccine: VAERS - The Epoch Times

Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) announce that more than 10 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in the State of Wisconsin, including over 2.5 million additional and booster doses. More than 60% of all Wisconsinites have completed their COVID-19 vaccine series and 35% have received an additional or booster dose.

Wisconsins vaccine providers have worked tirelessly these past few years, and weve been proud over the course of this pandemic to be a national leader in getting available shots in arms, said Gov. Evers. This is a tremendous milestone, and we couldnt have gotten here without the hard work and dedication of everyone involved. Whether youre administering shots, scheduling appointments, answering phones, or sanitizing workstations thank you.

Data continue to show that COVID-19 vaccines are doing their job by preventing severe illness, hospitalization, and death. In June, people who were unvaccinated were hospitalized at a rate nearly 5 times that of people who had been vaccinated with a primary series only, and 2.5 times the rate of those who had received their primary series and booster dose. Additionally, people who were unvaccinated died at a rate 6.4 times the rate of people who had been vaccinated with a primary series only, and 3.5 times the rate of those who had received their primary series and booster dose. DHS continues to recommend the use of COVID-19 vaccines and boosters to prevent severe illness and death. For maximum protection, DHS urges all Wisconsinites to get a booster dose as soon as they become eligible. COVID-19 therapeutics are also effective at preventing the severity of the virus if you do test positive.

Wisconsinites continue to have a number of options for COVID-19 vaccination. To find a vaccine provider in your community, visit vaccines.gov. Options for COVID-19 vaccination will also be expanding soon. In about two weeks, this will include the recently-authorized Novavax COVID-19 vaccine. The Novavax vaccine joins Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson as vaccines that adults 18 years and older can receive for COVID-19. The protein-based Novavax COVID-19 vaccine offers an alternative to the current mRNA (Pfizer and Moderna) and viral vector (Johnson & Johnson) vaccines. Protein-based vaccines have been used for decades, including for influenza, hepatitis B, and shingles.

After successful clinical trials and a rigorous review of all available data, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued Novavaxs request for an emergency use authorization for use of its vaccine in adults 18 years and older on July 13. On July 19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director confirmed the vaccine is safe and recommended the vaccine to this age group. People who want a Novavax vaccine may need to schedule an appointment to have it administered due to its short shelf life, and they are encouraged to check with their local health clinics, provider or visit vaccines.gov to find vaccination sites.

As we monitor cases and hospitalizations due to COVID-19 across Wisconsin, we urge those who are unvaccinated or eligible for booster doses to get vaccinated now, said DHS Secretary-designee Karen Timberlake. COVID-19 vaccination remains a critical tool to help you, your family, and your community from getting COVID-19 and its complications.

COVID-19 vaccines remain available to all Wisconsinites at no cost regardless of immigration or health insurance status. People can schedule an appointment for the vaccine using a variety of options, including with their health care provider at community-based vaccination clinics, local and tribal health departments, or pharmacies. Vaccination sites across Wisconsin may choose to provide vaccines to specific age groups. Wisconsinites are encouraged to check with their local health clinics or visit vaccines.gov to find vaccination sites for specific age groups.

For free, confidential support finding health care and community resources near you, dial 211. For information, resources, and data related to Wisconsins COVID-19 vaccination program, visit theCOVID-19 vaccinewebpage. We encourage you to follow @DHSWI onFacebook,Twitter, or dhs.wi onInstagram for more information aboutCOVID-19.

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Gov. Evers, DHS Announce Wisconsin Vaccinators Have Administered 10 Million Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine - Wisconsin Department of Health Services

Doctors are recommending parents don't wait to get the state-required vaccinations. Some doctors hope parents will consider the COVID-19 vaccine.

Author: 13newsnow.com

Published: 6:29 PM EDT August 1, 2022

Updated: 6:29 PM EDT August 1, 2022

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Parents consider COVID-19 vaccine for children as they get back-to-school immunizations - 13newsnow.com WVEC

For those with cancer, the threat of serious illness from COVID-19 is often a major concern. Cancer treatments can weaken your bodys immune system, increasing your risk of a serious infection.

Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that boosts and supports your immune system in responding against cancer. If you or a loved one is receiving immunotherapy treatment for cancer, you may have concerns about how the COVID vaccine may affect your immune system and your treatment.

This article will answer some common questions about immunotherapy cancer treatment and the COVID vaccines.

People with a weakened immune system due to cancer are at an increased risk for poor outcomes from COVID-19. No matter where you are in your treatment plan, vaccination can reduce your risk of developing severe COVID. Vaccination is important even for those with a robust immune system.

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) and the American Cancer Society recommend that people with cancer, including those receiving treatment, get vaccinated as soon as possible. NCCN notes a few exceptions regarding immediacy:

Since they weaken the immune system, some cancer treatments reduce but dont eliminate vaccine effectiveness. Even if youre getting one or more of these treatments, you will gain some protection from the vaccine. Treatments include:

Vaccination combined with protective measures, such as wearing a mask and avoiding large crowds, provides you with more protection from COVID than you would have without them. For that reason, experts strongly recommend vaccination for people with cancer or a history of cancer.

But check with your oncologist first about when you should get vaccinated. If you are currently receiving treatment for cancer, it may be best to wait until your immune system recovers from treatment. This will give you the best chance of mounting a strong immune response.

Both the Pfizer BioNTech and the Moderna mRNA vaccines are appropriate for use in people who take immunotherapy drugs. Neither vaccine is known to be better than the other for this population.

A 2021 study found that the Moderna vaccine was safe for people with solid tumors receiving chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or both. Their response to the vaccine was similar to those who did not have cancer. The groups also saw similar rates of side effects.

A separate 2021 study noted that people with solid tumors who had the Pfizer vaccine had similar antibody levels to those without cancer 6 months after vaccination. In the subgroup of people on immunotherapy, about 87% still had antibodies, compared to about 84% of the control group.

If you cannot get or do not want either of these vaccines, you can also get the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccine.

Having cancer or taking immunotherapy drugs does not increase the possibility of serious side effects, such as allergic reactions or myocarditis.

Swelling in the lymph nodes under the arm on the same side as the injection site is a potential side effect of vaccination. While temporary, this can be concerning for people with breast cancer and other cancers.

Tenderness and swollen lymph nodes caused by vaccination should subside within a few days to a few weeks. Let a healthcare professional know if the swelling increases or does not go away within this timeframe.

To date, researchers do not know definitively if immunotherapy drugs affect the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, either positively or negatively.

Scientific articles from 2021 and 2022 suggest that checkpoint inhibitors could theoretically boost your immune response to the COVID-19 vaccine. But both articles also state that no study has demonstrated such an effect.

Some immunotherapy drugs, such as CAR T-cells, may weaken the immune system temporarily. This may make the vaccine less effective. Other types of immunotherapy drugs, such as monoclonal antibodies, should not have this effect.

People with compromised immune systems may find it difficult to generate a robust response to the vaccine, no matter what type of cancer treatment they receive. This may be particularly true for people with blood cancers. For that reason, dosing protocols for people who are immunocompromised and have cancer differ from those used for the general public.

To date, no data indicate that the COVID vaccine reduces the effectiveness of immunotherapy medication. But there may be a 17% to 48% risk of side effects due to an overstimulated immune response, according to research.

A case report published in May 2021 suggests the potential for cytokine release syndrome after COVID vaccination in patients taking certain immunotherapy drugs. The study authors state that more data is needed and still favor vaccination for people with cancer.

A 2021 study involving 134 people found no adverse effects from immunotherapy drugs after receiving the Pfizer vaccine. The studys authors also stressed the need for larger studies and more data, but supported vaccination for people receiving immunotherapy.

However, the impact of certain immunotherapy treatments on your immune system makes the timing of vaccination important. Talk with your oncologist about when you should schedule your vaccine.

People taking immunotherapy drugs should receive an additional primary dose of the vaccine if they have active cancer or are immunocompromised. You may fall into one of these categories if any of the following situations apply:

Yes. Getting COVID does not ensure you will not get it again. In fact, with ever-changing variants continually emerging, contracting the virus more than once has become commonplace.

If youre on cancer treatments that cause you to be immunocompromised, it is vital to get vaccinated, even if youve already had COVID. Talk with your oncologist about when you should get vaccinated after having COVID-19.

If you have cancer, you may be more likely to experience serious complications from COVID-19. Cancer treatments, including certain immunotherapy drugs, may affect your scheduling for vaccination. Talk with your oncologist about when you should schedule your vaccines and how many doses you should get.

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Immunotherapy and COVID Vaccine: Your Questions Answered - Healthline

Amref Health Africa selected as implementing partner to provide technical assistance for the new peer-to-peer learning network

NAIROBI, Kenya, August 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Rockefeller Foundation announces the launch of the Vaccination Action Network (VAN), a USD$7.4 million locally-led, peer-to-peer learning initiative designed to engage public health decision-makers across sub-Saharan Africa and bolster their efforts to strengthen health systems while scaling up Covid-19 vaccine demand strategies. Sabin Vaccine Institute and Dalberg are the secretariat for the network, while Amref Health Africa(Amref) is playing a key role to guide and administer subgrants to local organizations in participating countries so that they can implement vaccine demand generation strategies discussed during the learning sessions.

The network is already connecting ministry of health officials, implementing partners, and other key actors across Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda through activities designed to take place within and between countries (intra- and cross-country), so participants can share lessons learned and best practices for boosting local demand for Covid-19 vaccines. Plans to expand to other countries in the region are underway as well.

"The Vaccination Action Network's community-based approach brings together our counterparts from across the region and country. This collaboration is the key to finding and implementing the right vaccination approach," said Dr. Diana Atwine, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Uganda. In a recent VAN learning session focused on Wakiso district, Dr. Mathias Lugoloobi, District Health Officer in Uganda's central Wakiso District echoed this sentiment, saying that "for strategies to be successful, the community alone must have the final say."

While more than 60 percent of people have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 globally, just 20 percent of people in Africa have received full doses. Inconsistent and inequitable access to supplies initially hindered the continent's vaccination campaigns. However, uptake is now primarily impacted by complex delivery scenarios, limited access to vaccination centers, and other ongoing demand barriers, such as vaccine hesitancy and waning concerns about Covid-19 infection.

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VAN's objective is to help decision-makers understand the drivers behind vaccination and support initiatives that will increase Covid-19 vaccine uptake, while strengthening routine immunization so that health systems are better equipped to respond when the next pandemic strikes.This reflects The Rockefeller Foundation's regional commitment to support localized solutions, empower community representatives, and create more resilient health systems.

"The Vaccination Action Network is helping to establish new channels of communication that will consistently elevate regional learnings, solutions, and leadership," said William Asiko, Vice President of The Rockefeller Foundation Africa Regional Office. "By making these discussions country-led, we want to create a space where those directly involved in vaccination campaigns are able to voice what is working, what isn't, and what needs to change to improve vaccination rates."

Peer-to-peer learning is an important tool for officials who are working to address these challenges. Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, this type of intra- and inter-country coordination has helped the continent scale up genomic sequencing and secure essential tools, including personal protective equipment and diagnostic tests.

"By encouraging officials to come together, the Vaccination Action Network is opening new dialogues that emphasize regional solutions to local challenges," said Githinji Gitahi, Group CEO at Amref. "This is essential to tackle vaccine equity issues, which are tied to national and regional contexts, but also offers countries an opportunity for longer-term coordination on other priorities."

VAN will host monthly intra-country sessions and multiple cross-country discussions before the end of the calendar year, with the goal of turning learnings from these sessions into actionable solutions. To facilitate this, VAN is supporting Amref through a USD$5 million grant to design and implement tailored strategies that better reflect local needs and address demand barriers for increased vaccine uptake.

Prior to the launch, VAN hosted two cross-country and five intra-country discussions, which have already yielded results. Following a May VAN session focused on improving vaccine understanding and uptake, the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda is now working to train "vaccination champions" in the Wakiso district. The goal is for champions to connect with communities about the benefits of vaccines, address their questions and concerns, and ultimately encourage vaccination through community-based strategies that have proved successful in past epidemic control settings in Uganda.

"One of our biggest takeaways from the VAN conversation was that we needed to do more to engage communities with accurate and approachable information on Covid-19 vaccines, leaning on lessons learned from other health challenges such as HIV and Ebola," said Mohammed Lamorde, Head of Global Health Security at IDI. "That's why our program focuses on working with trusted community members and leaders to equip them with the tools they need to encourage greater uptake of vaccines within their communities."

VAN represents the Global Vaccination Initiative (GVI)'s first major investment in overcoming low vaccine demand in Africa. Launched in April 2022, GVI is The Rockefeller Foundation's USD$55 million effort to support country-led efforts to fully vaccinate 90% of the most at-risk populations in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean over the next two years.

About The Rockefeller Foundation

The Rockefeller Foundation is a pioneering philanthropy built on collaborative partnerships at the frontiers of science, technology, and innovation to enable individuals, families, and communities to flourish. We work to promote the well-being of humanity and make opportunity universal. Our focus is on scaling renewable energy for all, stimulating economic mobility, and ensuring equitable access to healthy and nutritious food. For more information, sign up for our newsletter at rockefellerfoundation.organd follow us on Twitter@RockefellerFdn.

AboutAmref Health Africa

Amref Health Africa, headquartered in Kenya, is the largest Africa-based International Non-Governmental Organisation (INGO). With a focus on increasing sustainable health access, Amref runs programmes in over 35 countries in Africa, with lessons learnt over 60 years of engagement with governments, communities, and partners. Amref Health Africa also engages in programme development, fundraising, partnership, advocacy, monitoring and evaluation, and has offices in Europe and North America as well as subsidiaries:Amref Flying Doctors,Amref Enterprisesand theAmref International University.

About Dalberg

Dalberg is a leading social impact advisory group that brings together strategy consulting, design thinking, big data analytics, and research to address complex social and environmental challenges. It works collaboratively with communities, institutions, governments, and corporations to develop solutions that create impact at scale. The Dalberg Group is comprised of six businesses:Dalberg Advisors,Dalberg Data Insights, Dalberg Design, Dalberg Implement, Dalberg Media, and Dalberg Research, and a not-for-profit, Dalberg Catalyst. For more information, visitwww.dalberg.com.

About the Sabin Vaccine Institute

The Sabin Vaccine Instituteis a leading advocate for expanding vaccine access and uptake globally, advancing vaccine research and development, and amplifying vaccine knowledge and innovation. Unlocking the potential of vaccines through partnership, Sabin has built a robust ecosystem of funders, innovators, implementers, practitioners, policy makers and public stakeholders to advance its vision of a future free from preventable diseases. As a non-profit with more than two decades of experience, Sabin is committed to finding solutions that last and extending the full benefits of vaccines to all people, regardless of who they are or where they live. At Sabin, we believe in the power of vaccines to change the world. For more information, visitwww.sabin.organd follow us on Twitter,@SabinVaccine.

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The Rockefeller Foundation Launches the Vaccination Action Network to Strengthen Health Systems and Scale Up Covid-19 Vaccinations in sub-Saharan...

The Biden administration is expecting the FDA to approve a new vaccine in September. The new vaccine will protect against the omicron variant. According to ABC news, the government now has the option to buy 600 million new vaccines that are targeted toward the omicron variant, with plans to deliver 171 million this fall. The Biden administration says it's moved $10 billion to cover the cost of these vaccines. The vaccine is a bivalent meaning it protects against the alpha, delta and omicron variants. KOAT health expert Dr. Barry Ramo suggests if you're eligible to get a booster now you should get it, instead of waiting for the new shot. Right now, the idea of waiting for the new vaccine may be a mistake because we don't know what the dominant viral strain will be at the time that the vaccine is released," said Dr. Ramo. Dr. Ramo said it is proven the current vaccine still prevents serious illness hospitalization, and death, even when it comes to the omicron variant which is making up about 90% of U.S. cases. The variant is in high concentration now. People are getting sick with it. They're not getting seriously ill if they've been boosted, he said. If authorized and recommended, Dr Ramo said this is good news. I think what is encouraging is the ability to change the vaccine on a dime. So the idea that we have the technology to make a new vaccine so quickly is very important, Dr. Ramo said.

The Biden administration is expecting the FDA to approve a new vaccine in September. The new vaccine will protect against the omicron variant.

According to ABC news, the government now has the option to buy 600 million new vaccines that are targeted toward the omicron variant, with plans to deliver 171 million this fall.

The Biden administration says it's moved $10 billion to cover the cost of these vaccines.

The vaccine is a bivalent meaning it protects against the alpha, delta and omicron variants.

KOAT health expert Dr. Barry Ramo suggests if you're eligible to get a booster now you should get it, instead of waiting for the new shot.

Right now, the idea of waiting for the new vaccine may be a mistake because we don't know what the dominant viral strain will be at the time that the vaccine is released," said Dr. Ramo.

Dr. Ramo said it is proven the current vaccine still prevents serious illness hospitalization, and death, even when it comes to the omicron variant which is making up about 90% of U.S. cases.

The variant is in high concentration now. People are getting sick with it. They're not getting seriously ill if they've been boosted, he said.

If authorized and recommended, Dr Ramo said this is good news.

I think what is encouraging is the ability to change the vaccine on a dime. So the idea that we have the technology to make a new vaccine so quickly is very important, Dr. Ramo said.

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New COVID-19 vaccine expected to release in September; should people wait to get it? - KOAT New Mexico