Category: Corona Virus Vaccine

Two women wearing protective face masks amid COVID-19 pandemic visit the Parthenon temple atop the Acropolis hill in Athens, Greece, June 8, 2021. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis/File Photo

ATHENS, Aug 24 (Reuters) - Greece said on Tuesday it would end free testing for unvaccinated people to encourage them to get inoculated and head off any renewed spike in Delta variant infections of the coronavirus.

Health authorities reported 4,608 new confirmed cases and 32 related deaths on Tuesday, with the daily tally of infections hitting a new record, surpassing 4,340 cases in March this year.

The country has recorded a total of 566,812 confirmed cases of COVID-19 infections and 13,466 deaths since reporting its first COVID-19 outbreak in February 2020.

Health authorities said that only 27 cases in Tuesday's infection tally were "imported", meaning they were detected after checks at border entry points.

New measures to come into effect on Sept. 13 stop short of forcing people to take a jab, but end free testing and oblige unvaccinated persons to test either once or twice a week, depending on their profession.

The costs of the rapid test, set at 10 euros ($12), is a sizeable chunk of money for people in crisis-hit Greece where salaries average 1,161 euros ($1,363.48) a month.

Authorities said some six million people in the country of 11 million had already received one or two doses of a coronavirus vaccine, but that a million more were needed to build adequate immunity through the population.

"In contrast to autumn of last year, this autumn everyone can be vaccinated," said Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias. "Do we live, or play Russian roulette with the coronavirus?"

Free testing for vaccinated people will continue, he said.

"These measures are not punitive. They are our duty to all those who went through 18 months of the pandemic carefully, those who lost their shops, jobs, had to work from home to protect themselves."

About 53 percent of the Greek population is fully vaccinated. Authorities hope to increase that figure to 70 percent by the autumn.

($1 = 0.8515 euros)

Reporting by George GeorgiopoulosEditing by David Holmes and Mark Heinrich

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Greece to end free COVID-19 tests for unvaccinated, infections hit new record - Reuters

The already high number of hospitalizations for COVID-19 in North Texas is expected to rise dramatically in the coming weeks as the delta variant of the coronavirus spreads nearly unchecked through the regions unvaccinated residents.

The latest model from forecasters at UT Southwestern Medical Center shows that hospitalizations for the virus in Dallas and Tarrant counties could eclipse their winter peaks by early September.

Dallas County is predicted to have 1,500 or more hospitalizations by Sept. 9, along with 1,600 new cases each day. The same model shows 1,900 hospitalizations and 1,700 daily cases in Tarrant County on the same date.

In early January, Dallas County reached its high of more than 1,200 COVID-19 patients, and Tarrant County peaked above 1,500.

UTSW said the more-contagious delta variant now accounts for 95% of its positive coronavirus tests and that, compared to earlier surges, it is leading to a greater number of severe cases in younger people who have lower vaccination rates. About 50% more children are hospitalized with COVID-19 now than at the January peak in Dallas, Collin, Denton and Tarrant counties, and about 30% more people ages 18-49.

But there is some good news, the forecasters said: Wearing of masks in public has increased in North Texas in recent weeks, according to a Carnegie Mellon University survey. The forecast said this simple but powerful intervention can help mitigate the spread of the virus as the pace of vaccinations continues to increase.

The current rate of vaccinations, however, needs to rise further to avoid the worst scenarios, the forecast found.

Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said in a written statement that Mondays full approval of Pfizers vaccine by the FDA showed just how effective and safe it is, adding that he hoped it would spur more people to get inoculated.

Although the pace of vaccinations has accelerated in Dallas County during the past month, we need to see it increase even more to turn the tide against delta, Jenkins said.

Dallas County reported 32 more COVID-19 deaths and 9,138 new coronavirus cases in the past week.

Of the new cases, 7,372 were confirmed and 1,766 were probable. The numbers bring the countys overall case total to 340,244, including 290,954 confirmed and 49,290 probable. The death toll is 4,280.

The average number of new daily cases in the county for the last two weeks is 1,184. For the previous 14-day period, the average was 768.

The county reported that 846 people were hospitalized with the virus.

According to the state, 1,457,952 people in Dallas County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 1,201,072 55.1% of the countys population 12 and older are fully vaccinated.

The state reported 122,627 more cases in the past week, including 101,272 confirmed cases and 21,355 probable cases.

The state also reported 923 COVID-19 deaths over the past week, raising its toll to 54,023. The deaths were the most in a week since March.

The states case total is now 3,450,934, including 2,914,188 confirmed and 536,746 probable.

There are a total of 13,163 hospitalizations in the state, including 3,137 in North Texas.

According to the state, 16,096,758 people in Texas have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 13,370,501 55.6% of the states population 12 and older are fully vaccinated.

Tarrant County reported 48 deaths and 7,254 cases in the past week. The number of deaths was nearly double the previous weeks 26.

Of the new cases, 5,997 were confirmed and 1,257 were probable. The numbers bring the countys case total to 294,498, including 245,613 confirmed and 48,885 probable. The death toll is 3,755.

The county reported that 1,067 people were hospitalized with the virus.

According to the state, 1,087,092 people in Tarrant County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 924,796 53.2% of the countys population 12 and older are fully vaccinated.

The state added seven deaths and 2,775 cases to Collin Countys totals in the past week.

Of the new cases, 2,439 were confirmed and 336 were probable. The numbers bring the countys case total to 105,208, including 86,161 confirmed and 19,047 probable. The death toll is 883.

The county reported that 451 people were hospitalized with the virus.

According to the state, 650,275 people in Collin County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 565,371 65.3% of the countys population 12 and older are fully vaccinated.

Denton County reported eight deaths and 2,271 cases in the past week.

The numbers bring the countys case total to 86,481, including 63,106 confirmed and 23,375 probable. The death toll is 642.

The county reported that 180 people were hospitalized with the virus.

According to the state, 507,253 people in Denton County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 446,264 59.5% of the countys population 12 and older are fully vaccinated.

The Texas Department of State Health Services has taken over reporting for these other North Texas counties. In some counties, new data may not be reported every day.

The latest numbers are:

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Dramatic rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations is predicted to surpass Dallas-Fort Worths winter peak - The Dallas Morning News

Vaccine verification is becoming even more common throughout Orange County following a Wednesday state mandate requiring residents show proof of vaccinations for indoor events with more than 1,000 people.

The new mandate kicks in Sept. 20.

Editors Note: As Orange Countys only nonprofit & nonpartisan newsroom, Voice of OC brings you the best, most comprehensive local Coronavirus news absolutely free. No ads, no paywalls. We need your help. Please, make a tax-deductible donation todayto support your local news.

It essentially lowers the threshold on an existing mandate that requires proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID test before people can go to large indoor events with more than 5,000 people.

The Delta variant has proven to be highly transmissible, making it easier to spread in large crowds where people are near each other for long periods of time, said Dr. Toms J. Aragn, the state Department of Public Health director.

Aragn, also the state health officer, said the mandate should reduce hospitalizations and deaths.

By requiring individuals to be vaccinated, or test negative for COVID-19 at large events, we are decreasing the risk of infection, hospitalization and death, he said in a Wednesday afternoon news release.

State public health officials have already mandated people show theyre either vaccinated or tested negative in the past 72 hours before being able to visit someone in hospitals or nursing homes.

And state public health orders require virtually all school staff and state employees to either verify theyre fully vaccinated or undergo a weekly testing regiment.

Hospital workers will have to be fully vaccinated by Sept. 30.

State public health officials have so far resisted bringing back a mask mandate, with Gov. Gavin Newsom instead pushing for more vaccinations since the June 15 statewide reopening.

Newsom is facing a recall election next month.

Cases began to increase shortly after the statewide reopening, when nearly all pandemic measures were dropped.

UC Irvine epidemiologist and public health expert, Sanghyuk Shin, said these types of mandates like vaccine verification could help reduce virus transmission.

I would say at this point were in the middle of a pandemic its a crisis. People are dying on a daily basis. The more policies and measures that are in place, the better I would say, Shin said in Wednesday phone interview.

Orange County saw 1,213 new coronavirus cases Wednesday, according to the OC Health

Care Agency.

Wednesday also saw 568 people hospitalized, including 125 in intensive care units, according to the OC Health Care Agency.

The vaccine and testing mandates dont apply to the county workforce and OC officials are instead relying on a self attestation process.

[Read: Orange County Continues to See COVID-19 Cases Rise in Workforce]

Outbreak data provided by an Orange County Employee Association official to Voice of OC shows eight workplaces are currently facing virus outbreaks.

Half of them are at the OC Social Services Agency, which helps provide welfare benefits to struggling families.

The agency has been hit particularly hard because many employees work indoors with residents to help them fill out benefit application forms, said numerous employees interviewed over the past week.

[Read: COVID Outbreaks Hit OC Social Services; Workers Want Return to Outdoor Operations]

Spencer Custodio is a Voice of OC staff reporter. You can reach him at scustodio@voiceofoc.org. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerCustodio

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OC Residents Need Proof of COVID Vaccine or Recent Negative Test For More Indoor Events - Voice of OC

LONDON, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Britain reported 33,904 new cases of COVID-19, government data showed on Wednesday, meaning cases between Aug. 12 and Aug. 18 were up by 7.6% compared with the previous seven days.

The daily cases figure was the highest since July 23 but the success of Britain's coronavirus vaccination campaigns has reduced the number of deaths sharply from earlier this year.

Wednesday's data showed a further 111 people were reported as having died within 28 days of a positive test for COVID-19, taking the seven-day increase to nearly 8%.

In mid-January, when daily cases were also running at about 30,000 a day, deaths within 28 days of a positive COVID-19 test were averaging more than 1,000 a day.

A total of 47.41 million people had received a first dose of a vaccine against coronavirus by the end of Aug. 17 and 40.99 million people had received a second dose.

Writing by William Schomberg; editing by William James

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Britain's COVID-19 cases up by 7.6% over past week - Reuters

While some breakthrough cases among those who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 are inevitable, they are unlikely to result in hospitalization or death. But one important question about breakthrough infection that remains unanswered is: Can the vaccinated develop so-called long Covid?

Long Covid refers to a set of symptoms such as severe fatigue, brain fog, headache, muscle pain and sleep problems that can persist for weeks or months after the active infection has ended. The syndrome is poorly understood, but studies suggest that between 10 and 30 percent of adults who catch the virus may experience long Covid, including those who experienced only mild illness or no symptoms at all.

But the vast majority of data collected about long Covid has been in the unvaccinated population. The risk of developing long Covid for the fully vaccinated who get infected after vaccination hasnt been studied.

While preliminary research suggests that it is, in fact, possible for a breakthrough case to lead to symptoms that can persist for weeks to months, there are still more questions than answers. What percent of breakthrough cases result in lingering symptoms? How many of those people recover? Are the persistent symptoms after breakthrough infection as severe as those that occur in the unvaccinated?

I just dont think there is enough data, said Dr. Zijian Chen, medical director at the Center for Post-Covid Care at Mount Sinai Health System in New York. Its too early to tell. The population of people getting sick post vaccination isnt that high right now, and theres no good tracking mechanism for these patients.

One recent study of Israeli health care workers published in the New England Journal of Medicine offers a glimpse of the risk of long Covid after a breakthrough infection. Among 1,497 fully vaccinated health care workers, 39 of them about 2.6 percent developed breakthrough infections. (All of the workers were believed to be infected after contact with an unvaccinated person, and the study was conducted before the Delta variant became dominant.)

While most of the breakthrough cases were mild or asymptomatic, seven out of 36 workers tracked at six weeks (19 percent) still had persistent symptoms. These long Covid symptoms included a mix of prolonged loss of smell, persistent cough, fatigue, weakness, labored breathing or muscle pain.

But the studys authors caution against drawing too many conclusions from the research. The sample size just seven patients is small. And the research was designed to study antibody levels in the infected, said Dr. Gili Regev-Yochay, director of the infectious disease epidemiology unit at Sheba Medical Center. It was not designed to study the risk of long Covid after a breakthrough infection.

It was not the scope of this paper, Dr. Regev-Yochay said. I dont think we have an answer to that.

Even so, the fact that one in five of the health care workers who had breakthrough infections still had lingering symptoms after six weeks appears to be the first indication from a peer-reviewed study that long Covid is possible after a breakthrough infection.

Aug. 16, 2021, 1:10 p.m. ET

People have said to me, Youre fully vaccinated. Why are you being so careful? said Dr. Robert M. Wachter, professor and chair of the department of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. Im still in the camp of I dont want to get Covid. I dont want to get a breakthrough infection.

Dr. Wachter said that despite the many limitations of the Israeli study, the data offer more evidence that the vaccinated should keep taking reasonable precautions to avoid the virus.

Im going to take it at face value that one in five people, six weeks after a breakthrough case, continued to feel crummy, Dr. Wachter said. Thats enough to make me want to wear two masks when I go into the grocery store, which is not that burdensome anyway.

Understandthe State of Vaccine and Mask Mandates in the U.S.

Complicating the study of breakthrough infections is the fact that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention only tracks post-vaccination infections that result in hospitalization or death. While the C.D.C. does continue to study breakthrough infections in several large cohorts, the lack of data on all breakthrough cases remains a source of frustration among scientists and patient advocacy groups.

Its very frustrating not to have data at this point in the pandemic to know what happens to breakthrough cases, said Akiko Iwasaki, an immunologist at Yale School of Medicine who is conducting studies of long Covid. If mild breakthrough infection is turning into long Covid, we dont have a grasp of that number.

Diana Berrent, founder of Survivor Corps, a Facebook group for people affected by Covid-19 that has about 171,000 members, took an informal poll and found 24 people who said they had lingering symptoms after a breakthrough infection. Its not a scientific sample, and the cases havent been validated, but the poll shows the need for more data on breakthrough cases, Ms. Berrent said.

You cant extrapolate it to the general population, but its a very strong signal that the C.D.C. needs to be mandating reporting of every breakthrough case, Ms. Berrent said. We cant know what were not counting.

But some experts predict the surge of new cases caused by the spread of the Delta variant will, unfortunately, lead to more breakthrough cases in the coming months. Dr. Chen of Mount Sinai said it will take several months before patients with long Covid from a breakthrough infection are enrolled in studies.

Were waiting for these patients to show up at our doors, Dr. Chen said.

Despite the lack of data, one thing is clear: Getting vaccinated will reduce the risk of getting infected and getting long Covid, said Athena Akrami, a neuroscientist at University College London who collected and published data from nearly 4,000 long Covid patients after developing long Covid herself after a March 2020 bout with Covid-19.

Its simple math, said Dr. Akrami. If you reduce infections, then the likelihood of long Covid will drop automatically.

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Can the Vaccinated Develop Long Covid After a Breakthrough Infection? - The New York Times

For Immediate Release: August 12, 2021

Espaol

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration amended the emergency use authorizations (EUAs) for both the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine and the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine to allow for the use of an additional dose in certain immunocompromised individuals, specifically, solid organ transplant recipients or those who are diagnosed with conditions that are considered to have an equivalent level of immunocompromise. The Centers for Disease Control and Preventions Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is scheduled to meet Friday to discuss further clinical recommendations regarding immunocompromised individuals. Todays action does not apply to people who are not immunocompromised.

The country has entered yet another wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the FDA is especially cognizant that immunocompromised people are particularly at risk for severe disease. After a thorough review of the available data, the FDA determined that this small, vulnerable group may benefit from a third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna Vaccines, said Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock, M.D. Todays action allows doctors to boost immunity in certain immunocompromised individuals who need extra protection from COVID-19. As weve previously stated, other individuals who are fully vaccinated are adequately protected and do not need an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine at this time. The FDA is actively engaged in a science-based, rigorous process with our federal partners to consider whether an additional dose may be needed in the future.

People who are immunocompromised in a manner similar to those who have undergone solid organ transplantation have a reduced ability to fight infections and other diseases, and they are especially vulnerable to infections, including COVID-19. The FDA evaluated information on the use of a third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna Vaccines in these individuals and determined that the administration of third vaccine doses may increase protection in this population. These patients should be counseled to maintain physical precautions to help prevent COVID-19. In addition, close contacts of immunocompromised persons should get vaccinated, as appropriate for their health status, to provide increased protection to their loved ones.

It is recommended that immunocompromised individuals discuss monoclonal antibody treatment options with their health care provider should they contract or be exposed to COVID-19. The FDA has authorized monoclonal antibody treatments for emergency use during this public health emergency for adults and pediatric patients (ages 12 and older weighing at least 40 kilograms or about 88 pounds) with positive results of direct SARS-CoV-2 viral testing, and who are at high risk for progressing to severe COVID-19 and/or hospitalization. One authorized product includes use for preventative (prophylaxis) treatment after being exposed to SARS-CoV-2; however, this product is not a substitute for vaccination.

The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine is currently authorized for emergency use in individuals ages 12 and older, and the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine is authorized for emergency use in individuals ages 18 and older. Both vaccines are administered as a series of two shots: the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine is administered three weeks apart, and the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine is administered one month apart. The authorizations for these vaccines have been amended to allow for an additional, or third, dose to be administered at least 28 days following the two-dose regimen of the same vaccine to individuals 18 years of age or older (ages 12 or older for Pfizer-BioNTech) who have undergone solid organ transplantation, or who are diagnosed with conditions that are considered to have an equivalent level of immunocompromise.

The EUA amendments for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine and the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine were issued to Pfizer Inc. and ModernaTX Inc., respectively.

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The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nations food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products.

08/12/2021

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Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Authorizes Additional Vaccine Dose for Certain Immunocompromised Individuals | FDA - FDA.gov

Thousands of people in Germany have been urged to get another shot of coronavirus vaccine, after it emerged that a Red Cross nurse may have injected them with a saline solution instead.

A police investigation is under way, with the nurse suspected of injecting people with a solution instead of genuine COVID jabs at a vaccination centre in Friesland - a rural district near the North Sea coast.

A saline solution is harmless but most people who were vaccinated between March and April in Germany - when the suspected switch took place - are elderly and at high risk from coronavirus.

"I am totally shocked by this episode," Sven Ambrosy, a local councillor, said on Facebook, as local authorities issued the call to around 8,600 residents who may have been affected.

"The district of Friesland will do everything possible to ensure that the affected people receive their vaccination protection as soon as possible."

Peter Beer, a police investigator, said to local media that based on witness statements there was "a reasonable suspicion of danger".

The motive of the nurse, who has not been not named, was not clear - but she had aired sceptical views about vaccines in social media posts, police investigators said.

It was not immediately clear whether the suspect had been arrested or charged in the case, which according to broadcaster NDR has been handed to a special unit that investigates politically motivated crimes.

Local police declined to comment outside of normal working hours.

Continued here:

COVID-19: Nurse suspected of injecting thousands with saline solution instead of coronavirus vaccine in Germany - Sky News

A health worker wearing a protective suit labels a sample tube at the National Convention Center, the venue for the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Hanoi, Vietnam January 29, 2021. REUTERS/Kham/File Photo

HANOI, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Vietnam's government on Thursday said it was facing a tense situation over rising coronavirus cases and a shortage of vaccines, as the country saw another day of near-record cases from its longest and most severe outbreak yet.

Most of the 9,667 new infections were in the epicentre Ho Chi Minh City and its neighbouring industrial provinces of Binh Duong and Dong Nai. The health ministry said there were 326 new COVID-19 deaths on Thursday, taking overall fatalities to 4,813.

"The disease situation is very tense, and we face a vaccine shortage nationwide," said deputy prime minister Vu Duc Dam, who heads Vietnam's coronavirus taskforce.

Dam said deals and commitments had been secured for hundreds of millions of vaccines but delivery was slow. Vietnamese leaders have over the past months made around 20 phone calls to foreign counterparts to try to secure more.

Vietnam until recently has had one of Asia's best coronavirus containment records, but the situation has deteriorated lately, with infection numbers on a typical day exceeding those recorded over the whole of last year.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at a cabinet meeting on Thursday urged domestic production of Vietnam's homegrown coronavirus vaccines to be brought forward.

Fewer than 1.1 million of Vietnam's 98 million people have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to official data, one of Asia's lowest rates of immunisation. It has received around 18 million doses so far.

The country has recorded more than 246,500 infections, the overwhelming majority of those since late April.

Editing by Martin Petty

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Vietnam concerned over vaccine supply as COVID-19 cases near record - Reuters

Even though they can contract the delta variant, vaccinated people are far less likely to end up in the hospital.

The highly contagiousdelta variantis continuing to spread across the US, causing a spike in COVID-19 infections -- especially in areas with low vaccination rates. What's different about this variant? It's alsobreaking through to infect fully vaccinated people. Studies by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say the delta infection has similarly high viral loads in vaccinated and unvaccinated people. So what does that mean asmore of these breakthrough casescontinue happening?

Currently,167 million peoplein the US have been fully vaccinated, a little over half the country's total population. The CDC's researchsuggesting that vaccinated people infected with delta can also easily transmit the virus was the key factor motivating the new federal guidance that fully vaccinated individuals continue to wear masks indoors. At the same time, the CDC report underlines that the number of cases and deaths among fully vaccinated people is small compared with the unvaccinated.

CNET's experts deliver everything you need to know to live a happy and balanced life. Delivered Thursdays.

Should you be concerned about getting COVID-19if you've already been inoculated? Since there's more community spread and there are more breakthrough cases despite vaccination, new data suggests yes. We'll explain what a breakthrough coronavirus infection is, how it's possible for fully vaccinated people to become infected and what it all means. This information comes from the CDC, the World Health Organization and other experts.

A breakthrough COVID-19 infection is when a fully vaccinated person becomes infected with the coronavirus without any symptoms or experiences symptoms, is hospitalized or dies from the infection. A small percentage of fully vaccinated people can get COVID-19 if exposed to the virus, but they're much less likely to become sick, according to the CDC.

If someone's fully vaccinated and does test positive for coronavirus, it's likely they'll have milder symptoms (see below) or be asymptomatic asDr. Clare Rock, a Johns Hopkins medical professor, told me.

Now that it's been determined fully vaccinated people can be infected with high viral amounts of the delta variant, the CDC is concerned they can transmit the virus. If you do become ill, experts urge you to isolate yourself to prevent others from getting sick, especially people with medical vulnerabilities.

Now playing: Watch this: What to do if you lose your vaccination card, and how...

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Someone can become infected with COVID-19 just before or right after they get the vaccination, because it takes roughly two weeks before the vaccine is most effective. However, even after the immunity builds up, there's still a chance they can become infected, according to the WHO, since the vaccines aren't silver bullets against disease (though they're highly effective).

With millions of unvaccinated people around the world, new variants will emerge, Rock says. For example, the delta variant can pose a threat to people who are fully vaccinated -- especially those who have high-risk medical conditions (see the next section).

Dr. Anthony Fauci saidthat more COVID-19 testing needs to be done on fully vaccinated people to better understand the breakthrough cases.

Someone who's fully vaccinated has a much smaller risk of experiencing severe symptoms from COVID-19. People who've received all their doses of a vaccine are less likely to be hospitalized or die than those who haven't been vaccinated,the CDC says. Vaccinated people typically see symptoms like a runny nose, which they mistake for a sign of a common cold, Rock said.

But that's not to say serious cases can't happen. The CDC says some fully vaccinated people can still be hospitalized and die. This can include people who have medical conditions that make them immunocompromised, Rock said, including those with cancer and people who've had organ transplants -- in general, people who are more vulnerable. Data released in Israel by the Israeli Health Ministry shows that people who are unvaccinated are five times more likely to experience a severe infection, as opposed to the elderly who are fully vaccinated, Haaretz reported.

It's possible for a fully vaccinated person to become infected with COVID-19.

If you're fully vaccinated but worried about getting sick, you can take the following precautions.

Given the current circumstances, it's likely a booster shot will be necessary. The Food and Drug Administration is expected to authorize a COVID-19 booster shot by the weekend, but the CDC will need to also give authorization before booster shots can be distributed. The shot would be a third dose of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

Scientists are continuing to study the immunity of fully vaccinated people to get a better idea of how well the vaccines protect them.Moderna is currently researchingwhen a booster shot may be necessary. For instance, Rock said vulnerable people who don't have a robust immune system -- such as those with chronic medical conditions -- may need an additional shot.

Pfizer says it's working on a booster shot for its COVID-19 vaccine (PDF) to enhance immunity among those who've already received both doses. The UK is also prepping for booster shots, with vaccine experts in the UKsaying a booster shot may be needed before winter.

The variant causing the most concern right now is thedelta variant, which is now thedominant strain in the USand other countries. This variant has caused an increase in COVID-19 cases, which is also affecting people who are fully vaccinated.

In comparison with the alpha variant, researchers have found delta to be60% more transmissible, and hospitalization risks are much higher in unvaccinated people.

In most instances, the cases are happening in areas with low vaccination rates. For instance, US states like Louisiana and Florida havelow vaccination ratesand their COVID-19 cases are surging again.

Wearing a mask can help you protect yourself from COVID-19.

The breakthrough infections don't mean the vaccines aren't powerful.

"The effectiveness against severe disease is still substantial," Fauci said during a White House press briefing July 22. "Get vaccinated. It offers good protection against disease."

The main reason for breakthrough cases is the number of people who still haven't been vaccinated. Once more people are fully vaccinated, the virus likely won't infect as many people. Until then, the virus can continue to mutate and spread, creating new variants.

For more information, here's everything to know about the delta variant. Also, here are more details about a potential COVID-19 booster shot, and info on the debate over whether fully vaccinated people should wear masks.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

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Fully vaccinated people experiencing breakthrough COVID infections: What to know - CNET

Hanks shared a video on Instagram in which he initially pretended to encourage followers to get vaccinated. He then screamed "Sike!" and shouted: "You ain't sticking me with that m*therf**king needle," before erroneously comparing Covid-19 to the flu.

The musician's parents were among the first well-known people to contract the virus last March and isolated in an Australian hospital with severe symptoms.

The Covid-19 vaccines approved in the United States have been found to be safe and highly effective, and real-world data from around the world shows that the shots are reducing transmission and drastically lowering the chances of hospitalization and death.

Chet Hanks told followers he won't be getting a shot because he "never had Covid," and said those who suffer from the disease should "get over it ... Why we working around y'all?"

He also turned on mask-wearing in his evidence-free rant, saying he was "tired" of wearing a face covering. Last year, his father told reporters that wearing a mask is "so simple, so easy, if anybody cannot find it in themselves to practice those three very basic things -- I just think shame on you."

"My Lord, it's common sense," Tom Hanks added of mask-wearing and other health precautions like hand-washing and social distancing.

Tom Hanks and Wilson caught Covid-19 just as the disease was beginning to spread around the world and days before Europe and the United States imposed their first lockdowns.

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Chet Hanks, whose parents were hospitalized with Covid-19, rants against vaccines and masks - CNN