Category: Covid-19 Vaccine

In these brief videos, KFF Director of Public Opinion and Survey Research Liz Hamel examines Vaccine Monitor data to show how uptake of COVID-19 vaccines has changed over time, including the latest push for booster shots. The videos are the latest in the In Focus with KFF series, which features insights from our experts on health care issues in the news.

More:

'In Focus with KFF': A Look at the State of COVID-19 Vaccinations - Kaiser Family Foundation

The first generation ofCOVID-19 vaccines have been highly effective, but also have limitations: their efficacy can wane without a booster shot, and they may be less effective against some variants. Now scientists atThe Wistar Institutehave developed a more targeted vaccine that, in animal studies, shows stronger, broader, and more durable protection in a single, lowdose.

The vaccine combines three technologies immune focusing, self-assembling nanoparticles, andDNAdelivery into a single platform for the first time. In addition to its other advantages, the vaccine could be stored at room temperature, making it potentially easier to transport to remote or developing locations than existing mRNA vaccines, which require specialized coldstorage.

This is among the first next-generation vaccines that will have more advanced features and broader protection, saidDaniel Kulp, Ph.D., associate professor in the Vaccine&Immunotherapy Center at The Wistar Institute and corresponding author of thestudy.

The paper, Nucleic acid delivery of immune-focusedSARS-CoV-2 nanoparticles drive rapid and potent immunogenicity capable of single-dose protection, was published in the journalCell Reports.

Existing vaccines include an unmodifided receptor binding domain ofSARS-CoV-2 spike protein. The new vaccine includes a rationally engineered receptor binding domain using computational and structure-based design methodologies. The engineered receptor binding domain blocks immune distracting sites and can therefore elicit stronger levels of protective, neutralizingantibodies.

Researchers then used naturally self-assembling proteins to form nanoparticles which display these highly engineered immunogens. By arranging themselves into structures that resemble an actual virus, the nanoparticles are more easily recognized by the immune system and transported to the germinal centers, where they activate B cells which produce protectiveantibodies.

Using nucleic acid vaccine delivery technology similar to mRNA, the nanoparticle vaccine is encoded inDNAand delivered into cells thereby giving genetic instructions for the body to build the immunogen internally. This is an advance over traditional vaccines that must be manufactured in specialized factories through complex vaccine production processes. In contrast to other vaccines, Dr. Kulp noted that one advantage of theDNAplatform is that it doesnt require refrigeration and it can also be quickly reformulated to target newvariants.

In animal models, researchers found that theDNAdelivered immune-focused nanoparticle vaccine produced much higher levels of neutralizing antibodies than the vaccine that wasntimmune-focused.

A difficulty with current vaccines is that neutralizing antibodies decline over time, Kulp said. The nanoparticle vaccine produced durable responses after a single immunization out to six months in mice, unlike what we are seeing with currentSARS-CoV-2 vaccines inpeople.

The ultimate test forSARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidates is protection from death inSARS-CoV-2 challenge experiments. The researchers found that in a lethal challenge model 100% of mice who received the immune-focused nanoparticle vaccine were protected from death with a single low dose. Most mice who received the standard, non-immune focused vaccine died within 10 days ofchallenge.

The vaccine assessment was conducted in both wild-type mice and mice that were genetically engineered to mimic human immune systems, henoted.

Even without being updated, the immune-focused vaccine showed a comparable level of antibody production to Delta, and other variants, Kulp said. Thats partly because of the immune focusing approach itself, he noted; in blocking parts of the receptive binding domain for the purpose of inhibiting non-neutralizing antibodies, it also blocks many of the areas affected by spike protein mutations. Studies on the Omicron variant areunderway.

Researchers are seeking funding to begin human trials of thevaccine.

Co-authorDavid B. Weiner, Ph.D., executive vice president, director of the Vaccine&Immunotherapy Center and theW.W.Smith Charitable Trust Professor in Cancer Research, at The Wistar Institute, said the vaccine could provide a needed step forward to improve protection againstCOVID-19.

Current vaccine effects on reducing transmission ofSARS-CoV-2 variants of concern including Delta and Omicron could be improved for their breadth of protection as well as their immune potency, Weiner said. This study demonstrates that using a nucleic acid approach combined with in vivo structural assembly of a glycan immune-focused nanoparticle drives single protection and neutralization against diverse variants of concern in a dose-sparing formulation. Additional studies of this vaccine approach forSARS-CoV-2 appear timely andimportant.

Reference: Konrath KM, Liaw K, Wu Y, et al. Nucleic acid delivery of immune-focused SARS-CoV-2 nanoparticles drives rapid and potent immunogenicity capable of single-dose protection. Cell Reports. 2022;38(5). doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110318.

This article has been republished from the following materials. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.

Read more:

The First Next-Generation COVID-19 Vaccine Combines Three Technologies - Technology Networks

GRAND RAPIDS, MI The federal government has reached a settlement with Meijer Inc. over accessibility to the retailers COVID-19 vaccination portal.

People with certain disabilities were unable to access information about vaccines or book appointments online, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Michigan said in a statement.

Meijer agreed to eliminate barriers.

The U.S. Justice Department on Wednesday, Feb. 2, announced the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) settlement agreement.

The government has reached settlements with other major retailers over similar concerns.

The government said that those with particular disabilities, including those who use screen-reader software or have difficulty using a mouse, and instead used tab to navigate Meijers website, could not select a button that said, Click here to schedule an appointment.

The Vaccine Registration Portal also did not always tell people who use screen readers what information they were supposed to put on scheduling forms, including their first and last names, birthdate and zip code, the government statement said.

The ADA requires places like grocery stores to provide those with disabilities full access to goods and services, including vaccines.

Our office is dedicated to upholding the civil rights of all people in the United States, including those with disabilities, U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge said.

Those rights include full and equal access to health information and medical care, such as COVID-19 vaccinations. This agreement reflects our ongoing commitment to enforcing the ADA, protecting the rights of individuals with disabilities, and supporting our nations fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said Meijer agreed to make its website accessible to those with disabilities so they can obtain information about the vaccine and schedule appointments.

Kristen Clarke, an assistant attorney general for the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division, said that it is critical that (those with disabilities) have equal access to potentially life-saving vaccines.

Frank Guglielmi, Meijers senior director of communications, declined to comment beyond what was contained in the agreement.

The agreement said Meijer has cooperated fully to reach an amicable resolution. Meijer denied violating the ADA and disputed the allegation its vaccine-registration portal violated the ADA.

Meijer represents that it is dedicated to enriching lives in the communities that Meijer serves, the agreement said.

Meijer further represents that during the COVID pandemic and national emergency, Meijer rapidly responded in a number of ways. For example, Meijer states that it has maximized the ability of the community to access the COVID vaccine by providing customers various tools to schedule an appointment, such as through in person registration, via phone or the Vaccine Registration Portal.

Meijer noted its stores held many on- and off-site mass vaccination clinics and administered over 2 million vaccines. The agreement said Meijer had worked to ensure accessibility before being contacted by the government.

Meijer, based in Walker, has 258 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin.

Read more:

Prosecutor asks court to ban parents of accused Oxford High shooter from mouthing I love you during hearings

Fatal crash closes eastbound I-96

Will Michigans Adventure be sold? SeaWorld makes offer to buy Muskegon amusement park as part of larger deal

Read the original:

Meijer, government settle dispute over access to COVID-19 vaccination portal by those with disabilities - MLive.com

Although COVID-19 vaccination rates have increased since the survey was initially conducted, the researchers noted that their results are important when considering the possibility of an annual COVID-19 vaccine.

A new study from Rutgers finds that although most people living with HIV have received at least 1 dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, younger and Black individuals are hesitant to get vaccinated and have lower vaccination rates.

This study is one of the first to analyze COVID-19 vaccination efforts based on people living with HIV in the United States, according to a Rutgers press release.

The research team nationally surveyed people living with HIV between March and May 2021 at the onset of the vaccination program and found that certain subgroups had lower motivation to get vaccinated.

The participants who were older and had been living with HIV for a longer duration were more likely to have received at least 1 dose of the vaccine, showed less vaccine hesitancy, and had higher perceived vulnerability to COVID-19. Further, rates of vaccination were also highest among sexual and gender minority cisgender men and transgender participants, as well as those more likely to report an undetectable viral load, according to the researchers.

Among unvaccinated people living with HIV who completed the survey, sexual and gender minority individuals demonstrated higher intent to get vaccinated compared to non-sexual and gender minority individuals.

Additionally, the research team found that Black participants were least likely to be vaccinated, which was consistent with other studies that examined the relationship between race and residential segregation for individuals infected with HIV and COVID-19 in the United States.

Our findings suggest that successfully managing COVID-19 and HIV is predicated largely on continued access to trusted health care providers and trusted sources of health information, which likely affects decision-making around vaccine uptake as well as treatments for both HIV and COVID-19, said Perry N. Halkitis, dean of the Rutgers School of Public Health and Director of the Center for Health, Identity, Behavior & Prevention Studies, in the press release.

Although COVID-19 vaccination rates have increased since the survey was initially conducted, the researchers noted that their results are important when considering the possibility of an annual COVID-19 vaccine.

Increasing and maintaining access to vaccination for people living with HIV is crucial especially as we expect COVID-19 to become endemic, requiring an annual dose or booster, Halkitis said in the press release.

The research team highly suggests tailored public health messaging around the importance of vaccination for people living with HIV, specifically those who are younger, Black, Latinx, or do not have regular exposure to health messaging. It is also important for people living with HIV from various sociodemographic backgrounds that the communication of health information provides a genuine understanding of various communities concerns and acts in partnership to address their individual hesitancies.

The findings from this study also underscore the significance of having a multidimensional approach to promoting the importance of COVID-19 vaccines, said Kristen D. Krause, instructor at the Rutgers School of Public Health and deputy director of the Center for Health, Identity, Behavior & Prevention Studies, in the press release. It has become clear over time that a one-size-fits-all approach will not work for everyone, and those living with HIV/AIDS are no different, even if they are used to public health messaging.

REFERENCE

People living with HIV need tailored COVID-19 vaccination information. Rutgers University. January 21, 2022. Accessed January 25, 2022. https://www.rutgers.edu/news/people-living-hiv-need-tailored-covid-19-vaccination-information

See the article here:

Study: People Living With HIV Need Custom COVID-19 Vaccination Information - Pharmacy Times

February 2, 2022Media Contact: Brookie Crawford, brookie.crawford@vdh.virginia.gov

Southside Health District Adds Pfizer-BioNTech to Free COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic at Tabernacle of Zion in Brunswick County

LAWRENCEVILLE, Va. The Virginia Department of Healths Southside Health District will also offer the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine at its free COVID-19 vaccination clinic Friday, February 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Tabernacle of Zion Church, located at 602 S. Hicks St. in Lawrenceville.

The clinics will offer first, second, additional primary and booster doses of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna at no cost to the public. The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is available for anyone 5 and older. Additionally, 5 to 11-year-old vaccine recipients who are moderately or severely immunocompromised are eligible to receive a third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine 28 days after the second dose. A parent or guardian must accompany anyone under 18. The Moderna vaccine is available for anyone 18 and older.

The Pfizer BioNTech booster vaccine can be obtained by anyone 12 and older at least five months from the date of their second mRNA (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) COVID-19 vaccine or at least two months from the date of their Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.

The Moderna booster vaccine can be obtained by anyone 18 and older at least five months from the date of their second mRNA (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) COVID-19 vaccine or at least two months from the date of their Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.

When making an appointment, please make sure to select the appropriate vaccine and age group, if appropriate. To make an appointment, visit vase.vdh.virginia.gov/ or call 1-877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682, TTY users call 7-1-1). English- and Spanish-speaking operators are available. Translation services also are available in more than 100 languages. Individuals with an appointment should arrive no earlier than 20 minutes prior to the appointment time. Walk-ins will be served as time and supply allow.

Individuals who are eligible to receive a COVID-19 booster dose may choose which vaccine product they would like to receive as a booster. For those individuals that choose a different product than their primary series, VDH urges you to consult with your doctor or healthcare provider who can assist you in making the best decision for your own situation.

If you are coming for your second, third or booster dose, please bring your vaccine card to confirm the date and type of vaccine you received in previous doses.

Learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine, its safety and answers to frequently asked questions at VDHs website and CDCs website.

# # #

See original here:

Southside Health District Adds Pfizer-BioNTech to Free COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic at Tabernacle of Zion in Brunswick County - Newsroom - Virginia...

Zachary Horner, communications specialist at Chatham County Public Health Department.

Submitted photo

BY BILL HORNER III, Publisher

Nearing our third year of this pandemic, making sense of the numbers isnt always an easy thing to do. New changes in the state of North Carolinas COVID dashboard, for example, yield good news even more Chatham residents have received vaccination doses, thanks to a recalculation.

To address these and other related issues, the News + Record reached out to Zachary Horner, the communications specialist for the Chatham County Public Health Department. He is a former journalist who worked for the News + Record before joining CCPHD in June 2020. He is a graduate of Elon University who is currently in the Masters of Social Work program at the University of Kentucky. He lives in Sanford with his wife, Sarah, and cat, Holmes.

According to NCDHHS, the change was made to more accurately reflect the county of residence for the person vaccinated. This means that we now have a more accurate picture of how many Chatham residents have received at least one dose or received two doses of an mRNA vaccine or one dose of Johnson & Johnson. NCDHHS said that Chatham had among the highest upticks in terms of percentage points at 6%.

So, we are now, as of this past Friday, at 63% with at least one dose and 58% with two doses of Pfizer or Moderna or one dose of Johnson & Johnson.

There are a couple things to remember when assessing the 63% number. First, theres still a portion of the population, those younger than age 5, who are not eligible to receive the vaccine yet, and some people should not receive the vaccine due to allergies or medical conditions.

Second, and this is the important thing: we recognize that most people who wanted the vaccine have gotten it already, with many of them getting it early in the distribution process. We saw significant uptick from when the Pfizer vaccine was authorized in December 2020 to that 50% number you mentioned last July.

We recognize that there are many reasons why Chatham residents may be skeptical or hesitant about the COVID-19 vaccine. For example, some might be concerned about the companies that made them. We get it. Some pharmaceutical companies have been responsible for bad actions in the recent past, like the opioid epidemic. However, you need to look no further than the real-world results of the COVID-19 vaccines so far to know that they are safe and effective. And remember, vaccines are authorized by outside agencies after a thoughtful review that includes panels of experts.

So an assessment: our numbers fall in line with our neighbors and the state. Its not too surprising. Wed obviously love to see more, and were here to answer any questions and point people to where they can get vaccinated if they make that decision.

Chathams percentage seems to be an average of our neighbors. Counties like Wake, Orange and Durham are all above 70% with at least one dose, while Randolph, Lee and Harnett counties are all below 60%. Moore, Alamance and Guilford counties are all right around our percentage. Of the state, 65% of the population has received at least one dose.

When developing a communications strategy, you must consider the audience. The people who arent getting vaccinated are not a monolith. And while there are a lot of conspiracy theories floating around, they are not the reason for all 25% of those people youre mentioning. There are folks who have legitimate questions, as mentioned above, about pharmaceutical companies, the relative quickness of the development process and even the involvement of fetal cells from elective abortions. We cant communicate to all residents the same way. Not everyone has the same beliefs, the same fears or even the same level of internet connection. We must tailor our messaging and our messaging methods to the resident.

We dont want to be the public health department that shuns those concerns. We must ride a fine line between amplifying misinformation and ignoring it completely. So, were trying something.

We recently posted a new FAQ on COVID-19 on our website. This tool answers questions about why we should wear masks even if were vaccinated, if anyone has died from the vaccine, and the effectiveness of natural immunity. We picked out the questions based on social media comments on our page and others, as well as things we all have heard throughout the last two years. As I said above, we dont want to be the public health department that shuns tough questions or ignores valid concerns.

Whether or not our messages reach the population and convinces them, we dont know for sure. We are confident that we are not the primary source of COVID-19 information for most if not all of Chatham County. There are newspapers like the News + Record, television channels, podcasts, social media channels and so many more avenues for people to get information. But if people come to us, or want to know what we recommend, we want to be ready with accurate information that understands concerns and addresses them honestly.

Weve also relied on community partners to spread messages, whether that be churches, child care facilities, schools or other places. Survey after survey says that people are more likely to trust COVID messaging from people they trust like family, friends and their own medical provider. Were grateful to have partners weve worked alongside since the pandemic began for their efforts in helping us communicate.

What hasnt worked and weve done our best to avoid doing this is guilting people into getting vaccinated. We should be careful not to celebrate someone who is not vaccinated getting severely ill or dying from COVID-19. From a public health standpoint, that is what we work day in and day out to prevent. And any death is a tragedy. A core tenet of good human services, like public health, is that each person has dignity and is worthy of respect and care. We try to meet people where they are at while providing the best public health advice we have. Mocking people for not getting vaccinated or refusing to take their illness seriously is not respect. We can do better. We should do better.

There is misinformation out there, no question. You can see it on social media. Its hard to miss because just about everyone is talking about COVID.

A key point here is that we cant control what people read and consume. We wouldnt want to. What we can do is provide what is true and make it available to as many people as possible. The most recently example of that for us is our COVID Facts FAQ.

We know everyone is tired of COVID. We are too. There are so many problems that COVID-19 has exacerbated, like mental health and the opioid epidemic, or further exposed, like health inequities and social isolation, that we are working to tackle. Our registered dietitians, Laura Hearn and Ann Clark, have been hard at work over the last year doing practical things in our community to improve nutrition and better lives. We cant wait to continue that work alongside encouraging folks to get vaccinated and prevent the spread of COVID-19 the best they can.

Over the last couple weeks, Chatham County is averaging around 25% of tests returning positive, according to NCDHHS. Thats slightly lower than the state average of 30.4% and is basically stable from what the rate was a couple weeks ago.

There are several testing options in Chatham County, and you can find a full list at http://www.chathamcountync.gov/coronavirustesting. There are multiple drive-up options in Pittsboro, Siler City and Goldston, as well as pharmacies and urgent cares across the county. We would encourage everyone who is getting a test to try to make an appointment, but StarMed Healthcare is offering no-appointment testing in Pittsboro on Thursdays from 12-4 pm at CCCC, in Siler City on Mondays from 12-4 at CCCC and in Goldston on Wednesdays from 1-6 pm at the Town Hall.

Its not surprising that testing numbers are where they are. The Omicron variant is the most contagious version of SARS-CoV-2 yet, affecting both people who are vaccinated and unvaccinated. Thats because the COVID-19 vaccines, like most vaccines, are not 100% effective at preventing infection. They remain incredibly effective at preventing hospitalization and death. Real-world data shows this.

We are working hard to get additional N95 masks that we can share with the Chatham community. We received around 7,000 masks earlier this month and distributed them to where we felt they were most urgently needed, specifically high-priority locations like meat-processing plants, child care facilities and to other vulnerable populations. Once we are able to get masks to share with the broader community, we will spread the word through our website, social media channels and our other regular means.

Pharmacies like CVS, Walgreens and even Walmart should be receiving N95s in the coming days, or already have them, from distributions from the federal government. We encourage folks to call those pharmacies ahead of time to see if masks are available before going if they are going just to get masks. Its likely that supplies will go fast.

Stay at home, only leaving to get a COVID-19 test or flu test. With any sickness, its always been best practice to stay home to avoid sharing germs or passing the infection on to others. Thats what weve always encouraged. If your child is sick, you keep them home so they can rest and get better AND avoid spreading the sickness to other people. The same advice applies here. Also, get a COVID-19 test as soon as possible. Its best to either rule it out or find out thats what it is so you can take the appropriate next steps.

NCDHHS COVID-19 Page

Chatham County COVID-19 Page

Chatham County COVID-19 Vaccines

Chatham County COVID-19 Boosters

Chatham County COVID-19 Testing:

Chatham County COVID-19 Facts FAQ:

As always, people can call us at 919-545-8323 if they have COVID-specific questions. Were also regularly sharing information on our Facebook page, where you can message us directly.

Go here to read the rest:

How to make sense of North Carolina's updated COVID-19 vaccine data: Change sees Chatham up to 63% of population with at least one dose - The Chatham...

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 2, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- The intention to receive the COVID-19 vaccine has increased more rapidly in Black individuals versus White individuals, according to a study published online Jan. 21 in JAMA Network Open.

Tasleem J. Padamsee, Ph.D., from The Ohio State University in Columbus, and colleagues compared changes in vaccine hesitancy between Black and White individuals in the United States. The analysis included seven waves of data of 1,200 adults contacted monthly (Dec. 9, 2020, to June 16, 2021).

The researchers found that Black and White people had comparable vaccination intentions in December 2020, but Black individuals experienced significantly larger increases in vaccination intention than White individuals compared with baseline in March 2021, April 2021, May 2021, and June 2021. There were similar greater increases in the belief that the vaccines are necessary for protection among Black versus White individuals in March 2021 and April 2021. There was a positive association between beliefs that the vaccines are safe and effective and necessary with vaccination intention.

"Vaccination rates continue to be lower among Black individuals than White individuals, but these results suggest that this might be less likely the result of vaccine hesitancy than other factors," the authors write.

Abstract/Full Text

View original post here:

Intention to Receive COVID-19 Vaccine Has Grown Faster Among Black Adults - HealthDay News

Arlington, VA The Mine Safety and Health Administration has launched a pilot program intended to encourage and facilitate coronavirus vaccinations for Americas miners and their families.

With its Mine Vaccine Outreach Program, MSHA is targeting miners in Kentucky and Arizona. Citing data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, MSHA notes in a press release that fewer than 60% of residents in those states sites of substantial mine operations are vaccinated against COVID-19.

In January, MSHA delivered free vaccinations and educational resources to residents in mining communities in both states.

MSHA exists to protect the safety and health of the nations miners from hazards in their workplaces, acting agency administrator Jeannette Galanis said in the release. COVID-19 has killed more than 860,000 people in the U.S. alone, and like other mining hazards, it demands we take action to prevent workers from suffering needlessly. Providing free COVID-19 vaccinations is a natural extension of our efforts to ensure safe workplaces.

To mitigate the spread of COVID-19, MSHA recommends miners and mine operators:

Continued here:

MSHA pilot program aims to boost COVID-19 vaccination among workers - Safety+Health magazine

Reluctance or refusal to get jabbed against COVID-19 infection (vaccine hesitancy), may be linked to traumatic events in childhood, such as neglect, domestic violence or substance misuse in the family home, suggests research published in the open access journal BMJ Open.

Vaccine hesitancy was 3 times higher among people who had experienced 4 or more types of trauma as a child than it was among those who hadn't experienced any, the findings show.

Childhood adversity is strongly linked to poor mental health. And some studies have suggested that mistreatment as a child may undermine subsequent trust, including in health and other public services.

To explore this further, the researchers wanted to find out whether childhood trauma might be linked to current levels of trust in health systems information; support for, and compliance with, COVID-19 restrictions; and intention to get vaccinated against the infection.

They drew on the responses to a nationally representative telephone survey of adults living in Wales between December 2020 and March 2021, a period during which restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19 infection were in force.

Out of an initial 6763 people contacted, the responses of 2285 who met all the eligibility criteria and who had answered all the questions were included in the final analysis.

The survey asked about 9 types of childhood trauma before the age of 18: physical, verbal, and sexual abuse; parental separation; exposure to domestic violence; and living with a household member with mental illness, alcohol and/or drug misuse, or who was in prison.

And it collected personal details and experiences of long term health conditions, levels of trust in health service information on COVID-19, and attitudes towards COVID-19 restrictions and vaccination.

Around half (52%) of the respondents said that they hadn't experienced any childhood trauma. But around 1 in 5 said they had experienced 1 type; around 1 in 6 (17%) reported 2-3; and 1 in 10 (10%) reported 4 or more.

Respondents who expressed little or no trust in NHS COVID-19 information and who felt government restrictions were very unfair were more likely to favor the immediate ending of regulations on social distancing and mandatory face coverings.

And they were more likely to say they had flouted the regulations occasionally and to profess reluctance or refusal to get jabbed.

For example, four out of 10 of those reporting low levels of trust in NHS COVID-19 information also reported vaccine hesitancy, compared with just 6% of those who did trust this source of information.

And a similar proportion of those who didn't really trust NHS COVID-19 information admitted to flouting the regulations occasionally, compared with around 1 in 4 of those who did trust this source.

Increasing numbers of childhood traumas were independently associated with low levels of trust in NHS COVID-19 information, feeling that government restrictions were unfair, and wanting mandatory face coverings to be ditched.

Support for jettisoning mandatory face coverings was 4 times as high among those who had experienced 4 or more types of childhood trauma as it was among those who said they hadn't experienced any. Younger age, male gender, and no history of long term conditions were also significantly associated with this stance.

Experience of 4 or more types of childhood trauma was also associated with a desire to end social distancing.

The likelihood of admitting to flouting COVID-19 restrictions occasionally rose in tandem with the childhood trauma count.

It was around twice as high among those who had experienced 4 or more types of trauma as it was among those who hadn't experienced any38% vs 21%---after accounting for associations with sociodemographic factors and previous COVID-19 infection or a history of long term conditions.

Vaccine hesitancy was also 3 times higher among those with a childhood trauma count of 4 or more and higher in younger age groups.

Based on all their findings, the researchers estimated the likely rates of vaccine hesitancy according to childhood trauma and age: these ranged from around 3.5% among those aged 70 and above with no experience of childhood adversity, to 38% among 18-29-year-olds who had experienced 4 or more types of childhood trauma.

This is an observational study, and as such, can't establish cause. And the researchers acknowledge several caveats to their findings.

Although in line with telephone surveys, the response rate was only around 36%, and the findings relied on personal recall. Women were also overrepresented, while the numbers of people from ethnic minority backgrounds were underrepresented.

But the researchers point out that people who have experienced childhood trauma are "known to have greater health risks across the life-course. Results here suggest such individuals may have more difficulty with compliance with public health control measures and consequently require additional support."

This is important not only for the current pandemic but for other public health emergencies arising in the future, they suggest.

"A better understanding of how to increase their trust in health systems and compliance with health guidance is urgently required. Without consideration of how best to engage such individuals, some risk being effectively excluded from population health interventions, remaining at higher risks of infection and posing a potential transmission risk to others."

Source:

Journal reference:

Bellis, M.A., et al. (2022) Associations between adverse childhood experiences, attitudes towards COVID-19 restrictions and vaccine hesitancy: a cross-sectional study. BMJ Open. doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-053915.

Visit link:

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy may be associated with traumatic events in childhood - News-Medical.Net

02 February 2022

Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer

To print this article, all you need is to be registered or login on Mondaq.com.

Updated: 2.1.2022

Original Post Date: 1.26.2022

Executive Order No. 283, requires workers incertain health care settings, identified below, and employees athigh-risk congregate settings to be fully vaccinated againstCOVID-19, including a booster shot, or have their employmentterminated. Those workers will no longer be able to opt to undergoweekly testing instead of vaccination.

Health care facility covered employees, who are unvaccinated,and are subject to the Biden Administration's vaccine mandate(the CMS portion that was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court) andwork in health care settings had until January 27,2022, to receive their first dose of the primary series ofa vaccine and until February 28, 2022, to submitproof that they are up-to-date with their vaccination. According tothe state, which includes "having completed their primaryseries and any booster shots for which they are eligible."Similarly, covered workers, who are not subject to theBiden Administration's vaccine mandate, and work in health caresettings identified below, or in high-risk congregate settings haveuntil February 16, 2022, to receive the first doseof the primary series of a vaccine and submit proof of vaccinationcompletion by March 30, 2022.

Importantly, Executive Order No. 283 provides thataccommodations must be provided to employees who request andreceive an exemption because of a disability, medical condition, orsincerely held religious belief. If an employee doesreceive such exemption, they must submit to weekly or twice weeklytesting in accordance with Executive Order No. 252.

Takeaway: Employers under the covered settingswill have to move quickly to comply with the executive order.

The content of this article is intended to provide a generalguide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be soughtabout your specific circumstances.

POPULAR ARTICLES ON: Employment and HR from United States

Visit link:

Employment Law Update: New Jersey Executive Order To Require COVID-19 Vaccination & Booster For Workers In Certain Health Care Settings And...