Category: Covid-19 Vaccine

ATLANTA A Channel 2 Action News investigation has found that hundreds of thousands of COVID-19 vaccine doses had to be thrown away here in Georgia because they expired.

Channel 2 Investigative reporter Justin Gray requested the data from the state Department of Health.

DPH says that 682,999 does of the COVID-19 vaccine have expired here in Georgia since mid-December.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

To put that in perspective, that is enough doses to put a shot in the arm of every resident of the cities of Atlanta and Savannah combined.

Georgia State University public health professor Harry Heiman is also a family doctor. Heiman says this illustrates Georgias problems vaccinating residents.

Obviously it makes me very concerned. It really speaks to me as lots of missed opportunities, Heiman said.

MORE CHANNEL 2 INVESTIGATIONS:

Georgia continues to rank near the bottom nationwide in vaccination rate.

But this weekend, state officials say they saw positive signs.

More than 1,000 people lined up in DeKalb County on Saturday as $100 gift cards and basketball icons Dikembe Mutombo and Dominique Wilkins helped attract a crowd.

Georgia Director of Public Health Dr. Kathleen Toomey says mobile units at popular locations that do not require appointments are also helping.

Having the opportunity to be vaccinated at the time you are doing other activities, like grocery shopping, farmers market, is when people will make that decision ultimately, Toomey said.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

Even more doses of the vaccine are projected to expire soon here in Georgia.

The state estimates an additional 978,057 doses could expire by the end of November.

IN OTHER NEWS:

2021 Cox Media Group

Excerpt from:

Hundreds of thousands of expired COVID-19 vaccine doses thrown out in Georgia this year - WSB Atlanta

WASHINGTONThe Biden administration is expected to announce that Americans who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 should receive a booster shot to ensure continued protection, according to people familiar with the discussions.

The booster shot would be administered eight months after the second dose of the vaccine was received, the people said.

Senior Biden administration health and medical officials have been discussing the possibility of calling for booster shots for weeks and are nearing agreement on the issue, said the people, who added that a final decision hasnt been made. A formal announcement could come as soon as later this week.

The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this month that the Biden administration was preparing a booster-shot strategy, and that the shots could be needed as soon as in the next few weeks for people who were first to be vaccinated.

Pfizer Inc. and partner BioNTech SE , the companies behind a two-dose Covid-19 vaccine, are seeking clearance from the Food and Drug Administration to provide booster shots to the general public. If the FDA greenlights the shots, the first doses could be distributed in September, the people said, as the first Americans who were vaccinated reach the eight-month window.

Read the original post:

Biden Administration Expected to Call for Covid-19 Vaccine Booster Shots - The Wall Street Journal

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced today that all healthcare workers in New York State, including staff athospitals and long-term care facilities (LTCF), including nursing homes, adult care, and other congregate care settings, will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Monday, September 27.The State Department of Health will issue Section 16 Ordersrequiring all hospital,LTCF,and nursing homes to develop and implement a policy mandating employee vaccinations, with limitedexceptionsfor those withreligious ormedical reasons. To date, 75% of the state's ~450,000 hospital workers, 74% of the state's ~30,000 adult care facility workers, and 68% of the state's ~145,500 nursing home workers have completed their vaccine series. Lt. Governor KathyHochul'sadministration wasbriefed prior to the announcement.

"When COVID ambushed New York last year, New Yorkers acted, while the Federal Government denied the problem,"Governor Cuomo said."Now, the Delta variant is spreading across the nation and across New York --new daily positives are up over 1000% over the last six weeks,and over 80 percent of recent positives in New York State are linked to the Delta variant. We must now act again to stop the spread. Our healthcare heroes led the battle against the virus, and now we need them to lead the battle between the variant and the vaccine. We have always followed the science, and we're doing so again today, with these recommendations by Dr. Zucker and federal and state health experts. But we need to do more.Ihave strongly urged private businesses to implement vaccinated-only admission policies, and school districts to mandate vaccinations for teachers. Neither will occur without the state legally mandating the actions-- private businesses will not enforce a vaccine mandateunlessit'sthe law, and local school districts will behesitantto make these challenging decisions withoutlegal direction."

Governor Cuomo also announced that the Department of Health has authorizeda third COVID-19vaccinedose for New Yorkers withcompromised immune systems, followingthe Centers for Disease Control andPrevention'srecommendationlast week.Eligible New Yorkers can receive their third dose 28 days after the completion of their two-dose vaccineseries, effective immediately.

TheCDC is currentlyrecommending that moderately to severely immunocompromised people receive an additional dose, includingpeople who have:

New Yorkers should contacttheir healthcare provider about whether getting an additional dose is appropriate for them at this time.

New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said,"While we have made tremendous progress in getting New Yorkers vaccinated, this pandemic is far from over and more must be done. The data and science tell us that getting more people vaccinated as quickly as possible is the best way to keep people safe, prevent further mutations, and enable us to resume our daily routines. This mandate will both help close the vaccination gap and reduce the spread of the Delta variant. I want to thank all New York State's healthcare workers for stepping up once again and showing our state that getting vaccinated is safe, easy, and most importantly, effective."

ThesestepsfollowGovernor Cuomo's August 2 announcementthat MTA and Port Authority employees working in New York facilities will be required to be vaccinated for COVID-19 by Labor Day, and his July 28 announcementthat state employees and patient-facing employees in state-run hospitals will be required to get vaccinated for COVID-19 by Labor Day. State employees who choose to remain unvaccinated will be required to undergo weekly COVID testing.

Here is the original post:

Governor Cuomo Announces COVID-19 Vaccination Mandate for Healthcare Workers - Governor.NY.gov

Photo: OLIVIER DOULIERY / Contributor (Getty Images)

TikToklong known as an incubator for viral dance trends and memesis reportedly gaining a reputation as a breeding ground for a far more insidious type of viral content: the spread of hoaxes and misinformation, specifically those pertaining to the Covid-19 vaccines.

On Wednesday, Media Matters published new research findings that suggest that, despite community guidelines that specifically prohibit the spread of health misinformation, TikToks algorithm frequently amplifies lies about COVID-19 and vaccines to the platforms 1 billion-strong user base.

During the course of its research into Covid-19 misinformation on the platform, Media Matters engaged with anti-vaccination and COVID-19 misinformation by watching relevant videos all the way through and liking them. Sure enough, the positive engagement had the effect of filling the accounts For You PageTikToks landing page for algorithmically recommended contentwith videos that almost exclusively featured anti-vaccination and COVID-19 hoax content.

In its report, Media Matters also kept tabs on 18 specific vaccine misinformation videos and found that at the conclusion of its research, those videos had garnered a combined total of more than 57 million total views. The tracked content reportedly included a video that told viewers that your children and elderly that are not vaccinated will be removed permanently from your home, (3.9 million views) and a video promoting a hoax about vaccine bandits who will walk up to you on the street and they ask if youre vaccinated and if you hesitate at all, they inject you with a vaccine right on the spot, (6.3 million views).

TikTok did not immediately respond to Gizmodos request for comment and well update this post when they do.

G/O Media may get a commission

Since the beginning of the pandemic, TikTok has loudly affirmed its commitment to keeping Covid-19 disinformation off of its platform. After partnering with the World Health Organization (WHO) to provide trustworthy information that dispels myths around COVID-19, the company also established an in-app notice designed to pop up when users choose to explore hashtags related to the virus, which provides direct access to WHOs website and local public health agencies while also reminding them to report content that violates our Community Guidelines. But for one reason or another (far be it from us to suggest corporate greed and the desire for increased engagement metrics), TikToks algorithm continues to amplify the exact type of dangerous misinformation it has repeatedly pledged to clamp down on.

Like every other social media platform, TikTok has an acute responsibility to protect its users from harmful lies and medical disinformationa responsibility that is made particularly urgent by the fact that the age of TikToks average user skews young, making them more vulnerable to hoaxes and propaganda. If recent reports are to be believed, we still have a depressingly long road ahead of us before Covid-19 becomes a thing of the past; while we wait, the least TikTok could do is clean up its act and keep the promises its already made.

Read the original:

TikTok's Algorithm Is Speeding Up the Spread of Covid-19 Vaccine Lies - Gizmodo

The COVID-19 vaccine is not required for students but it is recommended for children 12 and older. We look into if schools will have a record of the shot.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. Kids 12 and up are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.

As students in North Carolina gear up to head back to school next week, some parents are wondering if the school will have your child's COVID-19 vaccine records.

THE QUESTION

Will the school have a record of your child's COVID-19 vaccine?

SOURCES

THE ANSWER

Yes, in most cases, the school will have a record of your child's COVID-19 vaccine.

WHAT WE FOUND

According to the toolkit K-12 administrators regularly maintain documents of people's immunization records.

In an email from NCDHHS, they tell us "typically all immunizations both required and recommended are consolidated into one record which is then submitted to the school.

They go on to tell us if the Covid 19 vaccine is administered at a different location than a student's primary doctor, it could also be entered into a different system which may not go to the schools.

According to Dr. Ohmstede, you can make sure your child's doctor has access to that record.

"As long as the center where the vaccine was given, is affiliated with ncir, that vaccine should be entered into that state registry. There may be some vaccine centers that don't enter into ncir and so there may be situations where even the pediatrician might not have access to that," Dr. Ohmstede said.

Atrium health had a similar response to our question that their documented vaccinations go into the ncir system, which would go to schools and they can provide vaccination records to parents to then pass onto schools.

If schools do have a record of your child's Covid 19 vaccine, the NC toolkit states schools must follow the laws and regulations, including privacy laws. Just like every other vaccine that's on file at your child's school.

Wake Up Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with the team at Wake Up Charlotte.SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify|| Stitcher|| TuneIn|| Google Podcasts

All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.

Continue reading here:

VERIFY: Yes, in most cases, the school will have a record of your child's COVID-19 vaccine - WCNC.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio Cuyahoga County officials are considering a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for employees, but for now are hoping to incentivize vaccinations through $100 payments, County Executive Armond Budish said Wednesday.

Budish, speaking at a Cuyahoga County Board of Health news conference, called on County Council to approve a plan to provide $100 payments for county employees who receive a vaccine. The plan would aim to include all 7,500-plus county employees, including those who work for the Common Pleas Courts, County Prosecutor Michael OMalley, and the County Council.

The county will facilitate vaccinations by setting up four locations where employees can get the shot during the work day, Budish said. Those locations, which will be run by MetroHealth, will open Aug. 23.

The states Medicaid program is also offering program recipients $100 to get vaccinated, Budish said. Medicaid is working to get an additional 900,000 Ohioans vaccinated between now and Sept. 15.

Just in Cuyahoga County alone, over 425,000 county residents are enrolled in Medicaid, Budish said. There are 32 pop-up and standing vaccination sites in our area. In neighborhoods like South Collinwood, Broadway, Glenville, Hough and Detroit-Shoreway, and also in many suburban communities.

People can find a Medicaid-eligible location by visiting covidvaxonthespot.com or calling the number on the back of their Medicaid health care member ID card.

The push for more vaccinations comes as the more-contagious delta variant of the coronavirus has driven a rise in infections and hospitalizations throughout Ohio. Cuyahoga County currently has 105 coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents compared to about 60 per 100,000 two weeks ago, Budish said.

Ohio ranks No. 28 in the U.S. in terms of overall vaccination rates, and Budish stressed the importance of more people getting vaccinated.

As of Wednesday, more than 56% of Cuyahoga County residents have started their vaccinations and 52% are fully vaccinated.

Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court is already requiring employees to be vaccinated beginning Oct. 15. Vaccine requirements have also been announced at Akron Childrens Hospital, Summa Health and the VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System.

Go here to see the original:

Cuyahoga County considering COVID-19 vaccine mandate for employees, but wants to try $100 incentives first - cleveland.com

COLUMBUS (WCMH) The number of students getting vaccinated against COVID-19 at The Ohio State University is on the rise.

According to university spokesperson Ben Johnson, more than 73 percent of returning students, staff, and faculty are vaccinated.

We said, at the beginning, we wanted to get to between 70 and 80 percent, Johnson said. The numbers are good enough here, a week before school starts, that now were hoping we can get to above 80 percent, maybe even 90 percent.

The university is requiring all students who will be on campus for any reason to be tested for COVID-19 upon their arrival. The tests are being administered at the Jesse Owens North Recreation Center, where vaccinations are also being offered.

Dana Moore, an incoming senior, was one of a number of students to get vaccinated there.

Its a blessing, Moore said. I was personally slow to doing it. Last year, they had all the walk-in opportunities and I just never got around to doing it, but now that its back here at a place Ive already been to a hundred times, I might as well get the vaccine here.

Johnson said more than 75 percent of classes will be held in-person when the new semester begins next week.

More than 80 percent of Ohio States students have reported their vaccination status to the university, as they are required to do.

Read this article:

COVID-19 vaccinations on the rise at OSU as semester set to begin - NBC4 WCMH-TV

A nurse prepares a dose of China's Sinovac Biotech vaccine against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) during a mass vaccination program for the elderly, at the Bolivarian Technology Institute in Guayaquil, Ecuador April 15, 2021. REUTERS/Santiago Arcos

QUITO, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Ecuador will administer a third dose of the coronavirus vaccine to people with weak immune systems and will carry out tests to determine if the rest of the inoculated population also needs a booster, Health Minister Ximena Garzon said on Tuesday.

The government of President Guillermo Lasso is using Pfizer (PFE.N), AstraZeneca (AZN.L) and Sinovac (SVA.O) shots as part of a broad vaccination plan that it hopes will spur an economy that has been struggling for years and was hit hard by the pandemic.

"At an international level, it has already been shown that people who have some type of immunodeficiency will need a third dose," Garzon told reporters.

"We will apply it, three months after the second dose, to people who meet certain parameters of immune disorders."

Official data shows that as of Sunday, Ecuador has vaccinated 4.8 million people with two doses and almost 10 million with one dose.

Garzon said that the government completes its initial vaccination plan, health officials will carry out research to determine if a booster should be used in the broader population.

The Health Ministry on Tuesday began to use the single-dose vaccine developed by the China's CanSino Biologics Inc in hard-to-reach areas and in prisons.

"We are already seeing ... decreases in the percentage (of hospital bed occupancy)," Garzon said.

Ecuador has reported about 500,000 infections and around 31,900 deaths confirmed or likely COVID-19 deaths.

Reporting by Alexandra Valencia; writing by Brian Ellsworth; Editing by Cynthia Osterman

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Read the original post:

Ecuador to give immune-weakened people third COVID-19 vaccine - Reuters

article

DALLAS - The COVID-19 vaccine will be available at Fair Park when the State Fair of Texas returns.

The Dallas County Health Department will set up a vaccination site near Big Tex.

Protection from the coronavirus wont be the only perk, though. People who get a vaccine during their State Fair of Texas visit will also receive $20 worth of fair coupons.

They can be redeemed on rides, corny dogs or any other fried delicacies the fair has to offer.

The fair starts Sept. 24.

RELATED:

Plano Balloon Festival canceled for second year due to COVID-19

Deep Fried I-35, brisket brittle among 2021's Big Tex Choice Awards finalists

Premium tickets for State Fair of Texas now on sale

State Fair of Texas to fully reopen in September 2021

Advertisement

State Fair of Texas fried food icon Fernie Winter dies at 95

View post:

COVID-19 vaccines at State Fair of Texas to come with free food and ride coupons - FOX 4 Dallas

ROCKFORD Two of the citys three hospitals are requiring their employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 while some of the areas largest businesses are strongly encouraging but not mandating their workers get the vaccine.

OSF HealthCare announced July 21 that it will require all of its employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by the end of September.

We did not make this decision lightly, OSF HealthCare Chief Operating Officer Dr. Mike Cruz said in a news release.As health care providers, it is our ethical obligation to be vigilant about the safety of our patients. Vaccinations are credited with the decline in COVID-19 hospitalizations and cases across the country and throughout our ministry, and we firmly believe that vaccination against COVID-19 is the best way to keep our patients and mission partners safe.

OSF HealthCare policies also require employees to get a flu shot annually and stay current with other vaccinations including measles, mumps, rubella and whooping cough. Exemptions are available for religious conscience or medical reasons.

More: Rockford doctors tout vaccines, mask usage as COVID-19 cases spike due to delta variant

SwedishAmerican Hospital, a division of UW Health, updated its vaccination policy on Aug. 4 to require COVID-19 vaccination for all employed providers and staff.

The safety of our patients and our associates is our top priority at SwedishAmerican, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Michael Polizzotto said in a news release. COVID-19 vaccines are proven to be safe and effective in preventing transmission and for those who do contract COVID-19, the vaccines reduce the possibility of serious illness, hospitalizations or even death. As we confront the rapid spread of COVID-19 driven by the delta variant, we want to do everything possible to protect our staff, our patients and our community.

Staff members who have a medical condition that prevents them from being vaccinated can file for an exemption and exemptions for religious convictions may also be filed.

Mercyhealth does not require its employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

"Mercyhealth strongly encourages all partners to get the COVID-19 vaccine and leadership continues to evaluate mandating the vaccine, Mercyhealth chief medical officer Dr. John Dorsey said in an email.

More: The COVID pandemic forced Rockford restaurants outside, and some have chosen to stay there

Representatives of some of the Rockford areas largest employers provided statements regarding their COVID-19 vaccination policy for employees:

From the onset of the vaccine availability, Woodward has strongly encouraged its members to get vaccinated. Woodward has had a global coronavirus response team in place for 17 months, meeting at least weekly to monitor COVID conditions at our locations around the world, to make or review policy decisions regarding COVID safety protocols for those facilities, as well as review local guidelines and policies. As you can imagine, our recommendations are always evolving based on whats happening with the statistics and our members.Paul Benson, vice president of human resources at Woodward

Since vaccines have become available, Stellantis has continued to strongly advocate for our employees to get vaccinated. To facilitate vaccine administration, we have coordinated vaccine clinics in the communities where we have manufacturing facilities through our near-site clinics and in partnership with local unions. At this time, we will not be mandating vaccines, but will continue to monitor the situation and evaluate the appropriate actions to take in the best interest of employee health and safety. Jodi Tinson, Stellantis spokesperson

More: Masks required as Belvidere Assembly Plant employees return to work Monday

In certain U.S. office locations where employees have been working remotely, UPSers must be vaccinated when they return to the office. These office environments are very different than our operating facilities, which have been safely staffed in-person since the beginning and throughout the pandemic. In all UPS locations, we encourage employees to get vaccinated. The CDC reports that the risk of hospitalization from the delta variant drops 25-fold after someone has been vaccinated. We have ensured that all of our employees are informed about the importance of vaccination through our 'Its Your Shot'internal communication campaign. We have also been facilitating access to the vaccines for our employees and their families, where needed, given the often after-hours shifts many of our people work to staff our global network. Matthew OConnor, UPS senior manager of media relations

In response to rising COVID-19 transmission rates, Raytheon Technologies is aligning to the CDCs latest guidance and will require all employees in substantial- or high-transmission areas to wear a face covering while working onsite in all U.S. facilities. Employees who have not voluntarily disclosed being fully vaccinated will still be required to wear a face covering. We strongly encourage our employees to get vaccinated. Megan Strader, senior media relations specialist, Collins Aerospace

More: Here are some places you'll be asked to wear a mask again in the Rockford region

Ken DeCoster: kdecoster@rrstar.com; @DeCosterKen

Continue reading here:

Here's where Rockford-area businesses stand on mandatory COVID vaccination for employees - Rockford Register Star