Nearly three out of four Coloradans older than 5 are now fully immunized with two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the states vaccination dashboard. Thats higher than the national average, which is about 66 percent, according to the New York Times, and puts Colorado at 16th highest among the 50 states.
Colorado recently topped a total of 4 million people who had gotten at least two doses, according to the state health department. More than half of all residents got the first two shots, plus a booster.
Colorados progress on the vaccination front comes at another uncertain point in the pandemic. The latest wildly transmissible variant BA.2.12.1 has infected increasing numbers of people in the state and around the country. But many of the tools to limit spread have been dropped, and surveillance and reporting of coronavirus trends are less robust than earlier in the pandemic.
Those younger than 5 are still not eligible though approval could come soon. The Food and Drug Administration issued a timetable last month for a decision about authorizing a COVID-19 vaccine for the youngest children in the U.S. It said June 8 is the earliest date itll present data to outside advisers for a recommendation.
Getting vaccinated helps prevent severe illness, said Dr. Jon Samet, dean of the CU School of Public Health.
One thing that's clear is if you had the first two shots, get the third, he said. Theres some data from Israel that that fourth shot helps, at least for a while.
The latest COVID-19 data in Colorado is a decidedly mixed bag.
COVID-19 hospitalizations rose to 110 last week up 33 since mid-April. But that's 1,500 fewer than the highest level recorded in the omicron wave.
The positivity rate for COVID-19 test is staying above the key 5 percent threshold as public health officials closely watch. As of Thursday, the positive test rate was 6.3 percent, according to state data. It's been above 6 percent for the last week and doubled since mid-March. But it's five times lower than January's omicron wave peak.
Wastewater surveillance data showed a pronounced spike in virus detected in mid-April and another smaller rise at the end of last month.
So much of what happens next in this pandemic depends on the next variant or variants, which is why continuing to encourage Coloradans to get vaccinated and boosted is key, Samet added. If we had one (variant) with a high degree of immune escape, that is vaccine acquired protection is not great against the variant, that would be a problem.
Other public health experts worry Colorado and the U.S. may be flying blind. Many governments dropped non-pharmaceutical interventions like masking and contact tracing, while not beefing up surveillance enough to give warning of a potential coming surge, said May Chu, an epidemiologist and clinical professor, also at the Colorado School of Public Health.
I think the trend away from contact tracing, from not promoting vaccination and boosters and the promotion of at home-testing, whose results are not seen by public health, because most are not reported to health departments, all point to an uneasy second half of the year, Chu said.
We are far from being endemic, the point where the pandemic has become predictable, Chu said. New variants are rising and most of the world is blind to that.
Two omicron subvariants, which have emerged since the start of the year account for nearly all of Colorados cases, after first delta, then the original omicron variant swamped the state. In the most recent data posted to the state dashboard, the BA.2 subvariant makes up 74 percent and BA.2.12.1 comprises 14 percent. But thats as of the week of April 10, so that data hasnt been updated in nearly a month, according to the states dashboard.
Billions in funding for further COVID-19 prevention and protection is stalled in Congress. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis in March urged Congress to approve more money to secure enough booster vaccine doses for all Americans and invest in variant-specific vaccines or a pan-COVID vaccine.
It would protect against a range of variants should the science and data demonstrate the need, he said.
Though vaccination has grown steadily in Colorado since vaccines first started to become available late in 2020, the pandemics first year, there's wide variability across the state and across populations.
One group has lagged consistently behind when it comes to COVID-19 vaccines: Hispanics. Just 40 percent of that population has been vaccinated with at least one dose, according to the states dashboard. State models suggest the actual number may be higher, 48 percent.
Either way its measured, that trails all other groups for which the state has recorded information including white Coloradans (78 percent), as well as Black or African-American (66 percent), Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander (69 percent), American Indian or Alaska Native (73 percent) residents.
I am still seeing first and second vaccines. We are leaving my community behind, said Julissa Soto, an independent health equity consultant who works with the state. Soto said she and others have helped vaccinate some 15,000 Latinos since last fall, but would like the numbers to be much higher. Everyone is talking about the fourth booster and my community still struggles to get their first and second dose.
Gaps persist as well, comparing the states urban, suburban and rural counties.
More than 80 percent of those residents 5 and up have gotten two doses in Denver, several metro counties, and some mountain counties.
The figure is better than 70 percent for other large Front Range counties: Jefferson, Douglas, Arapahoe, Adams and Larimer counties.
For El Paso County it's 67 percent, Pueblo County is at 61 percent and Mesa County, on the western slope, is at 54 percent.
Fewer than 50 percent of residents are vaccinated in many sparsely populated rural Colorado counties. In Kiowa, Rio Blanco, Cheyenne, Washington and Dolores counties the rate is below 40 percent.
The spotty coverage leaves under-vaccinated areas especially vulnerable to future outbreaks.
Even where vaccination rates are higher, vaccine effectiveness wanes over time and almost half of all Coloradans have yet to get a booster dose, on top of the first two shots.
Chu also worries about another virus taking off in the coming months: the flu. She said Colorado has essentially not had to battle much influenza for two flu seasons now, because COVID-19 precautions also limited the spread of the flu. But that could rise sharply this year, she said.
Chu said work is underway to develop a global platform to monitor exposure to COVID-19 and other diseases of public health concern, but this has many moving pieces. We cannot let our guard up just yet.
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New research suggests that adults with severe obesity generate a s significantly weaker immune response to COVID-19 vaccination compared to those with normal weight.
Pfizer/BioNTech linked to a more robust antibody response than CoronaVac in people with severe obesity.
New research suggests that adults (aged 18 or older) with severe obesity generate a significantly weaker immune response to COVID-19 vaccination compared to those with normal weight. The study was conducted by Professor Volkan Demirhan Yumuk from Istanbul University in Turkey and colleagues and was presented at this years European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Maastricht, Netherlands (May 4-7).
The study also found that people with severe obesity (BMI of more than 40kg/m2) vaccinated with Pfizer/BioNTech BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine generated significantly more antibodies than those vaccinated with CoronaVac (inactivated SARSCoV2) vaccine, suggesting that the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine might be a better choice for this vulnerable population.
Obesity is a disease complicating the course of COVID-19, and the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine antibody response in adults with obesity may be compromised. Vaccines against influenza, hepatitis B, and rabies, have shown reduced responses in people with obesity.
To find out more, researchers investigated antibody responses following Pfizer/BioNTech and CoronaVac vaccination in 124 adults (average age 42-63 years) with severe obesity who visited the Obesity Center at Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty Hospitals, between August and November 2021. They also recruited a control group of 166 normal weight adults (BMI less than 25kg/m2, average age 39-47 years) who were visiting the Cerrahpasa Hospitals Vaccination Unit.
Researchers measured antibody levels in blood samples taken from patients and normal weight controls who had received two doses of either the Pfizer/BioNTech or CoronaVac vaccine and had their second dose four weeks earlier. The participants were classified by infection history as either previously having COVID-19 or not (confirmed by their antibody profile).
Overall, 130 participants received two doses of Pfizer/BioNTech and 160 participants two doses of CoronaVac, of whom 70 had previous SARS-CoV-2 infection (see tables in notes to editors).
In those without previous SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccinated with Pfizer/BioNTech, patients with severe obesity had antibody levels more than three times lower than normal weight controls (average 5,823 vs 19,371 AU/ml).
Similarly, in participants with no prior SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccinated with CoronaVac, patients with severe obesity had antibody levels 27 times lower than normal weight controls (average 178 vs 4,894 AU/ml).
However, in those with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, antibody levels in patients with severe obesity and vaccinated with Pfizer/BioNTech or CoronaVac were not significantly different from normal weight controls (average 39,043 vs 14,115 AU/ml and 3,221 vs 7,060 AU/ml, respectively).
Interestingly, the analyses found that in patients with severe obesity, with and without prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, antibody levels in those vaccinated with Pfizer/BioNTech were significantly higher than those vaccinated with CoronaVac.
These results provide new information on the antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in people with severe obesity and reinforce the importance of prioritizing and increasing vaccine uptake in this vulnerable group, says Professor Yumuk. Our study confirms that immune memory induced by prior infection alters the way in which people respond to vaccination and indicates that two doses of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine may generate significantly more antibodies than CoronaVac in people with severe obesity, regardless of infection history. However, further research is needed to determine whether these higher antibody levels provide greater protection against COVID-19.
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COVID-19 Vaccines May Be Significantly Less Effective in People With Severe Obesity - SciTechDaily
(Precision Vaccinations)
A recent conversation with Dr. John Farley, director of the U.S. FDAs Office of Infectious Diseases, provided insights regarding Paxlovid, the preferred oral therapy for managing non-hospitalized adults with COVID-19.
The antiviral Paxlovid reduces the risk of hospitalization and death for patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 at high risk of disease progression.
On May 4, 2022, Dr. Farley stated We recognize that risk factors have changed over time and that it is now appropriate to consider vaccination status in assessing a patients risk for progression to severe COVID-19.
Adult patients who report a positive home test result from a rapid antigen diagnostic test to their provider are eligible for Paxlovid under the emergency use authorization (EUA).
A positive result on a PCR test also meets the requirement under the EUA to have a positive test result.
Additionally, the FDA is aware of the reports of some patients developing recurrent COVID-19 symptoms after completing a treatment course of Paxlovid. In some cases, patients tested negative on a direct SARS-CoV-2 viral test and then tested positive again.
In light of these reports, additional analyses of the Paxlovid clinical trial data have been performed.
In the Paxlovid clinical trial, some patients (range 1-2%) had one or more positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR tests after testing negative or an increase in the amount of SARS-CoV-2 detected by PCR after completing their treatment course.
This finding was observed in patients treated with the drug and patients who received a placebo, so it is unclear whether this is related to Paxlovid treatment.
Additional analyses show that most of the patients did not have symptoms at the time of a positive PCR test after testing negative. Most importantly, there was no increased occurrence of hospitalization or death, or development of drug resistance.
However, there is no evidence of benefit at this time for a longer course of treatment (e.g., ten days rather than five days) or repeating a treatment course of Paxlovid in patients with recurrent COVID-19 symptoms following completion of a treatment course.
I would like to reiterate there is strong scientific evidence that Paxlovid reduces the risk of hospitalization and death in patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 at high risk for progression to severe disease. It is also expected to be effective against the Omicron variant, commented Dr. Farley.
Separately, during a special edition of Doctor Radio Reports on May 6, 2022, Dr. Robert M. Califf, Commissioner of Food and Drugs at the FDA, discusses the vital role Paxlovid plays in treating Covid-19.
With regard to the so-called rebound, there will be a lot more said about this, but at least the data so far indicates that we see the same phenomenon in the placebo groups with the antivirals.
So that means that it's not probably a drug effect, it's really a biological effect that's not fully explained. So we're going to learn a lot more about it, but it shouldn't be a reason not to treat it.
We're going to have a flood of data from real-world evidence about the treatment of already vaccinated people. Based on the small amount of data we had at the time of the EUA, I expect that we'll see the same type of effect, the FDA Commissioner told Dr. Mark Siegel.
Paxlovid is now widely available at community pharmacies in the U.S.
The U.S. government maintains a locator tool for COVID-19 therapeutics that lists community pharmacies that have Paxlovid in stock.
Note: The FDA statements were edited for clarity and manually curated for mobile readership.
PrecisionVaccinations publishes fact-checked research-based news.
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Oral COVID-19 Therapy Offers Measurable Benefits - Precision Vaccinations
NORTH CAROLINA (STACKER) 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 May 6 reached 997,023 COVID-19-related deaths and nearly 81.7 million COVID-19 cases, according to Johns Hopkins University. Currently, 66.3% of the population is fully vaccinated, and 45.9% of vaccinated people have received booster doses.
Stacker compiled a list of the counties with highest COVID-19 vaccination rates in North Carolina 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 May 5, 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.
Population that is fully vaccinated: 53.5% (23,490 fully vaccinated) 13.6% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 218 (96 total deaths) 6.8% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 22,029 (9,679 total cases) 13.6% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 53.6% (96,914 fully vaccinated) 13.4% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 115 (207 total deaths) 50.9% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 29,099 (52,595 total cases) 14.2% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 53.7% (10,183 fully vaccinated) 13.2% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 359 (68 total deaths) 53.4% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 22,489 (4,261 total cases) 11.8% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 53.7% (26,870 fully vaccinated) 13.2% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 374 (187 total deaths) 59.8% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 27,956 (13,981 total cases) 9.7% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 54.0% (37,661 fully vaccinated) 12.8% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 113 (79 total deaths) 51.7% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 29,539 (20,584 total cases) 15.9% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 54.1% (113,353 fully vaccinated) 12.6% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 216 (452 total deaths) 7.7% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 28,649 (59,974 total cases) 12.4% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 54.2% (86,478 fully vaccinated) 12.4% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 376 (600 total deaths) 60.7% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 29,955 (47,793 total cases) 17.5% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 54.8% (14,906 fully vaccinated) 11.5% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 287 (78 total deaths) 22.6% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 23,674 (6,440 total cases) 7.1% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 54.9% (25,814 fully vaccinated) 11.3% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 366 (172 total deaths) 56.4% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 26,923 (12,652 total cases) 5.6% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 55.1% (10,881 fully vaccinated) 11.0% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 228 (45 total deaths) 2.6% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 22,047 (4,350 total cases) 13.5% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 55.2% (5,199 fully vaccinated) 10.8% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 414 (39 total deaths) 76.9% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 23,622 (2,225 total cases) 7.3% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 55.2% (30,889 fully vaccinated) 10.8% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 393 (220 total deaths) 67.9% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 28,247 (15,804 total cases) 10.8% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 55.2% (34,080 fully vaccinated) 10.8% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 244 (151 total deaths) 4.3% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 25,983 (16,052 total cases) 1.9% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 55.5% (19,087 fully vaccinated) 10.3% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 224 (77 total deaths) 4.3% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 17,967 (6,178 total cases) 29.5% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 55.5% (133,015 fully vaccinated) 10.3% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 204 (489 total deaths) 12.8% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 25,985 (62,328 total cases) 1.9% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 55.7% (7,090 fully vaccinated) 10.0% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 220 (28 total deaths) 6.0% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 20,556 (2,616 total cases) 19.4% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 55.8% (120,761 fully vaccinated) 9.9% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 228 (494 total deaths) 2.6% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 26,006 (56,290 total cases) 2.0% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 56.0% (31,465 fully vaccinated) 9.5% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 121 (68 total deaths) 48.3% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 22,735 (12,772 total cases) 10.8% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 56.5% (7,873 fully vaccinated) 8.7% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 437 (61 total deaths) 86.8% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 29,757 (4,149 total cases) 16.7% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 56.5% (12,301 fully vaccinated) 8.7% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 372 (81 total deaths) 59.0% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 23,742 (5,165 total cases) 6.9% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 56.7% (22,380 fully vaccinated) 8.4% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 276 (109 total deaths) 17.9% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 23,730 (9,371 total cases) 6.9% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 57.2% (8,160 fully vaccinated) 7.6% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 301 (43 total deaths) 28.6% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 25,660 (3,662 total cases) 0.7% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 57.3% (35,724 fully vaccinated) 7.4% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 355 (221 total deaths) 51.7% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 20,999 (13,086 total cases) 17.6% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 57.4% (24,605 fully vaccinated) 7.3% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 243 (104 total deaths) 3.8% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 26,261 (11,252 total cases) 3.0% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 57.6% (54,280 fully vaccinated) 6.9% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 328 (309 total deaths) 40.2% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 28,178 (26,571 total cases) 10.5% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 57.7% (25,718 fully vaccinated) 6.8% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 274 (122 total deaths) 17.1% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 26,707 (11,894 total cases) 4.8% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 57.8% (58,358 fully vaccinated) 6.6% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 320 (323 total deaths) 36.8% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 24,236 (24,449 total cases) 4.9% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 58.4% (6,508 fully vaccinated) 5.7% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 144 (16 total deaths) 38.5% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 26,632 (2,966 total cases) 4.5% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 58.8% (21,094 fully vaccinated) 5.0% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 337 (121 total deaths) 44.0% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 22,201 (7,961 total cases) 12.9% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 58.8% (43,803 fully vaccinated) 5.0% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 154 (115 total deaths) 34.2% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 17,575 (13,088 total cases) 31.0% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 59.0% (69,266 fully vaccinated) 4.7% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 269 (316 total deaths) 15.0% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 21,430 (25,162 total cases) 15.9% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 59.5% (100,858 fully vaccinated) 3.9% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 288 (488 total deaths) 23.1% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 27,957 (47,390 total cases) 9.7% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 60.5% (203,097 fully vaccinated) 2.3% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 188 (630 total deaths) 19.7% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 26,041 (87,369 total cases) 2.2% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 61.1% (121,005 fully vaccinated) 1.3% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 191 (378 total deaths) 18.4% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 26,308 (52,073 total cases) 3.2% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 61.5% (330,199 fully vaccinated) 0.6% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 225 (1,208 total deaths) 3.8% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 22,346 (120,035 total cases) 12.3% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 62.1% (237,304 fully vaccinated) 0.3% higher vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 216 (824 total deaths) 7.7% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 24,457 (93,499 total cases) 4.0% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 62.4% (37,720 fully vaccinated) 0.8% higher vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 189 (114 total deaths) 19.2% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 23,884 (14,436 total cases) 6.3% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 62.7% (64,028 fully vaccinated) 1.3% higher vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 203 (207 total deaths) 13.2% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 24,018 (24,532 total cases) 5.8% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 62.9% (89,865 fully vaccinated) 1.6% higher vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 232 (332 total deaths) 0.9% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 21,195 (30,270 total cases) 16.8% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 63.5% (148,849 fully vaccinated) 2.6% higher vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 168 (393 total deaths) 28.2% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 21,818 (51,157 total cases) 14.4% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 63.6% (706,320 fully vaccinated) 2.7% higher vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 146 (1,622 total deaths) 37.6% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 25,453 (282,622 total cases) 0.1% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 64.3% (21,056 fully vaccinated) 3.9% higher vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 388 (127 total deaths) 65.8% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 28,543 (9,340 total cases) 12.0% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 64.9% (45,089 fully vaccinated) 4.8% higher vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 180 (125 total deaths) 23.1% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 20,401 (14,173 total cases) 20.0% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 65.2% (13,742 fully vaccinated) 5.3% higher vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 318 (67 total deaths) 35.9% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 27,595 (5,814 total cases) 8.3% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 66.0% (172,424 fully vaccinated) 6.6% higher vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 223 (582 total deaths) 4.7% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 20,495 (53,530 total cases) 19.6% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 67.3% (3,322 fully vaccinated) 8.7% higher vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 263 (13 total deaths) 12.4% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 26,777 (1,322 total cases) 5.1% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 71.1% (228,678 fully vaccinated) 14.9% higher vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 106 (340 total deaths) 54.7% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 22,941 (73,754 total cases) 10.0% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 73.0% (26,999 fully vaccinated) 17.9% higher vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 73 (27 total deaths) 68.8% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 20,276 (7,504 total cases) 20.5% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 73.5% (817,433 fully vaccinated) 18.7% higher vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 100 (1,117 total deaths) 57.3% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 26,688 (296,709 total cases) 4.7% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
Population that is fully vaccinated: 76.5% (113,597 fully vaccinated) 23.6% higher vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 90 (134 total deaths) 61.5% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 18,704 (27,771 total cases) 26.6% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina
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Counties with the highest COVID-19 vaccination rate in North Carolina - Fox 46 Charlotte
Study shows that 10% of minorities refused COVID-19 vaccines because of past racial discrimination experiences
One in ten people from ethnic minority groups who refused a vaccine experienced racial discrimination in a medical setting since the start of the pandemic. They also experienced twice as many incidents of racial discrimination compared to those who were vaccinated, according to a study published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine.
The study authors said that this illustrates how the effects of racial discrimination creates low confidence in the health system to handle the pandemic, which led to vaccine refusal.
The study participants included 633 adults belonging to ethnic minority groups who were offered a COVID-19 vaccine between December 2020 and June 2021. 6.69% of participants who had refused the vaccine reported they had experienced poorer service or treatment than other people in a medical setting because of their race or ethnicity.
The researchers said that the findings underscore how government agencies must work to regain trust from ethnic minority groups to increase vaccination rates among these diverse groups. Public health campaigns to increase COVID-19 vaccination rates should not only focus on building trust in the vaccines, but also to prevent racial and ethnic discrimination and support people who have experienced it.
They also pointed out that failure to tackle racial discrimination would lead to a widening of systemic inequalities putting more ethnic minority lives at risk.
This article was originally published by sister publication Medical Economics.
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The Center of Excellence for Emerging Threats (CEVT) at LSU Health Shreveport continues to offerCOVID-19 vaccinations at the North Campussite located at 2627 Linwood Avenue, Monday Friday, 10 a.m. 6 p.m.
All vaccinations take place without an individual needing to leave the vehicle.No appointments are needed for vaccinations.It is recommended that individuals who received their first and second dose of the vaccine from a non-LSUHS location should pre-register for a booster dose appointment atwww.lsuhs.edu/covid19/vaccine.Individuals should provide ID and insurance information when they arrive at any LSUHS vaccine distribution site. Those that are without insurance are still eligible to receive the vaccine.
COVID-19 TESTING REMINDER:COVID-19 testing is no longer available at the North Campus site as of Tuesday, April 19. Testing is still available at many pharmacies, primary care facilities, health units, and urgent care facilities. For a list of COVID-19 testing sites in your area, visitldh.la.gov/coronavirus.
MAY 2022 LSUHS COVID-19VACCINATIONSITES
LSU Health Shreveport vaccination sites will beCLOSEDonMonday, May 30in observance of the Memorial Day holiday. Vaccination sites will resume all regularly scheduled operation on Tuesday, May 31.
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LSU Health Shreveport COVID-19 Vaccination Schedule Thru May 20 - Bossier Press-Tribune Online
The BA.2.12.1 variant of COVID-19 makes up about 37% of new coronavirus cases across the country, according to the latest data from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention.
The growth of BA.2.12.1 and other variants is to be expected, health experts said.
SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is constantly changing and accumulating mutations in its genetic code over time. New variants of SARS-CoV-2 are expected to continue to emerge. Some variants will emerge and disappear, while others will emerge and continue to spread and may replace previous variants, the CDC said.
BA.2.12.1 is a descendant of the BA.2 virus, a subvariant of the omicron strain of COVID. BA.2.12.1 has the ability transmit easier than its predecessors and experts said it could become the dominant strain of COVID-19 within a few weeks.
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What are symptoms of BA.2.12.1?
Like the previous BA.2 variant, BA.2.12.1 most often presents with upper respiratory symptoms similar to that of the flu. Original COVID-19 symptoms include:
The omicron variant most often presented with sneezing, coughing and sore throat. Additional symptoms from BA.2 include fatigue and dizziness.
.The best way to lessen the effects of COVID and its variants is vaccinations, experts said.
Breakthrough infections in people who are vaccinated are expected, but being up to date on recommended vaccines is effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalizations, and death. The emergence of the Omicron variant further emphasizes the importance of vaccination and boosters, the CDC said.
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BA.2.12.1 COVID variant: Here are the symptoms to look out for - AL.com
Online articles shared hundreds of thousands of times on social media claim the global outbreak of severe hepatitis in children is linked to Covid-19 vaccines, citing an April 2022 study as evidence. But health authorities and independent experts dismissed the idea that the shots are to blame, saying most of those affected were too young to be vaccinated and that the study refers to the case of an adult with a different type of hepatitis.
"New Study confirming COVID Vaccine causes Severe Autoimmune-Hepatitis is published days after W.H.O issued Global Alert about new Severe Hepatitis among Children," says the headline of an April 28, 2022 article from The Expose, a website with a history of circulating inaccurate health information.
The story cites a case study of a 52-year-old male who developed autoimmune hepatitis following Covid-19 infection and vaccination, then says: "The findings come just days after the World Health Organization issued a 'global alert' about a new form of severe hepatitis affecting children."
Screenshot of an online article taken on May 5, 2022
A severe hepatitis strain of unknown origin has been identified in nearly 230 children in 20 countries, including three in Indonesia who died from the condition.
The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a notice on the topic April 23, which dismissed the hypothesis that the illness could be a side effect from Covid-19 vaccines because "the vast majority of affected children did not receive Covid-19 vaccination."
The organization told AFP: "There is nothing to suggest a link."
UK health authorities also alerted the public to an increase in hepatitis cases in children, describing a "sudden onset" that had been identified since January 2022.
A Public Health England spokesperson said: "There is no link to the coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine. None of the currently confirmed cases in under-10-year-olds in the UK is known to have been vaccinated."
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The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a health advisory "to notify clinicians and public health authorities about a cluster of children identified with hepatitis and adenovirus infection."
Nine young children from Alabama affected by hepatitis all tested positive for a common pathogen called adenovirus 41, a study from the health agency released on April 29 said.
"At this time, we believe adenovirus may be the cause for these reported cases, but other potential environmental and situational factors are still being investigated," the CDC said in a statement accompanying the study.
Regarding claims that the cases are connected to Covid-19 vaccination, CDC spokesperson Kristen Nordlund said: "The ages for the cases ranged from 11 months to five years and 9 months, most of which are not eligible for a Covid-19 vaccination."
Everyone five years of age and older is currently eligible to get a Covid-19 vaccine in the United States.
A similar claim appeared on The Gateway Pundit, another website that has repeatedly spread inaccurate information.
"Madrid's Deputy Minister for Public Health Claims Cases of Hepatitis on Young Kids are 'Related to Covid-19 Vaccine'" says the headline of the April 27 article on the site.
Screenshot of an online article taken on May 5, 2022
A Spanish health agency spokesperson clarified that Deputy Minister Antonio Zapatero had actually said the opposite, and referred to a media report that said Covid-19 vaccines had been ruled out as a cause for the pediatric hepatitis cases.
Sara Hassan, a pediatric transplant hepatologist with Mayo Clinic Children's Center, said the illness in young children being flagged by health agencies is different from the one described in the study used as evidence for the claim.
"This study was performed on an adult trying to link Covid-19 vaccines and autoimmune hepatitis, which is a distinct separate entity" from the hepatitis impacting children, she said.
Rima Fawaz, medical director of pediatric hepatology at Yale University School of Medicine, said the acute severe hepatitis reported in children is thought to be infectious, while autoimmune hepatitis -- experienced by the man in the study -- is not.
Autoimmune hepatitis is "an immune dysregulation, where your body has an abnormal response and you attack your liver," and is treated by suppressing the immune system, she explained.
By contrast, the sick children are presenting with infectious symptoms such as fever, and receive different treatment, Fawaz said.
She concluded that evidence does not support the idea that the pediatric hepatitis case spike is connected to Covid-19 vaccines. "To say this is related to Covid vaccination doesn't make any sense," Fawaz said.
Infectious diseases expert John Swartzberg agreed, saying that the outbreak of hepatitis among children and the one case of autoimmune hepatitis found in a man who was vaccinated against Covid-19 are "completely unrelated" and "have nothing to do with each other."
Swartzberg, an emeritus professor at UC Berkeley School of Public Health, said that the case of autoimmune hepatitis following Covid-19 vaccination reported in the study should "absolutely not" deter people from getting the shots.
"The risks of getting Covid... far, far, exceed the risks of getting the vaccine based upon any of the complications we've seen for the vaccine," he said.
AFP has debunked hundreds of other examples of inaccurate information about Covid-19 here.
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Hepatitis outbreak in children misleadingly linked to Covid-19 vaccination - Yahoo News
