Category: Covid-19 Vaccine

The COVID-19 pandemic is not over. Despite the success of safety protocols and life-saving vaccines, vaccine inequality has allowed dangerous variants to develop, threatening the lives of people everywhere.

Now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that the BA.5 variant is now the dominant strain of COVID-19 in the United States and has led to a surge in cases and hospitalizations.

I completely understand the frustration and the pandemic fatigue; Im feeling it, and I know other health care professionals are too, Dr. Purvi Parikh told Global Citizen. But the reality of the situation is, the virus is still here and were still seeing a lot of new cases.

Parikh is an immunologist based in New York City, where shes been involved with the COVID-19 vaccine trials at New York University since the beginning of the pandemic. Over the past few months, she has personally diagnosed patients with COVID-19 every single day.

More than 78% of Americans are at least partially vaccinated, but the latest wave of cases is making it difficult to know who is most at risk of contracting a serious case of COVID-19. For this reason, Parikh spoke to Global Citizen about adjusting to life with COVID-19 and how booster shots can help end the pandemic globally.

According to a poll from the Pew Research Center conducted between January and May of this year, fewer Americans think COVID-19 is a major threat to public health than at the beginning of the pandemic. Meanwhile, current data about the BA.5 variant suggests that it is the most contagious strain of COVID-19, with the added bonus of being able to partially evade immunity from past infection and vaccination.

One thing I want to clarify (thats a big misconception) is that the current variant is not mild, Parikh said. We are seeing an uptick in hospitalizations and deaths, though mostly in unvaccinated individuals.

Pandemic fatigue has led some people to take risks they would not have taken before, such as forgoing masks or ignoring symptoms. Though fully vaccinated individuals may experience more protection than those who have not received a COVID-19 vaccine, the risks of contracting the virus still exist. This means that getting a booster shot is more important than ever.

Dont underestimate this virus even if youre fully vaccinated because everyones risk profile is different. If youre immunocompromised, elderly, have heart disease youre still at high risk, Parikh added.

Additional risks that come with contracting COVID-19 are becoming clearer as health care professionals learn more about the virus. Parikh, in particular, is studying long COVID, or the illness in which people who have recovered from COVID-19 experience lingering symptoms.

Some of Parikhs patients plagued by long COVID report neurological symptoms like brain fog, loss of taste and smell, and prolonged ringing in their ears. Others are experiencing extreme fatigue, difficulty breathing, heart palpitations, and nausea, months or years after their initial diagnosis of COVID-19.

Its only been two years so we dont really know the long-term effects [of COVID-19], Parikh said. But there are centers around the country studying long COVID.

Parikh shared that sensationalist headlines can make it seem like booster shots are futile when up against contagious subvariants, but the data doesnt lie. According to the CDC, hospitalization rates are 4.6 times higher for unvaccinated adults than for those who are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccination.

The boosters still protect you against hospitalization, death, and the people were mostly seeing getting admitted to hospitals havent gotten their boosters, or havent gotten vaccinated at all, Parikh said.

Like many other vaccines, the COVID-19 vaccines lose part of their efficacy over time, but that doesnt mean they arent effective at all. Ongoing research and clinical trials prove that receiving an additional dose of the vaccine after the initial two-shot series improves immunity, keeping people from getting extremely sick.

The doctor also pointed out that antibodies arent the only factors to consider when it comes to immunity.

T cells [which are part of the immune system] are much more important for fighting viruses than antibodies and are still very effective against the newer variants, she said. You need that T cell immunity to keep you off a breathing machine in the ICU, to keep you from dying, or from getting bad complications.

Guidance about the COVID-19 vaccines cannot rely on a one-size-fits-all approach, which is why Parikh underscored the importance of speaking with a physician about your personal risk of COVID-19. Depending on your age and health status, getting one or two booster shots may be the best way to protect yourself and others.

[Boosters shots] are very effective, especially if youre in a high risk group. Most people should have a third [dose of a COVID-19 vaccine], and some people should have a fourth depending on their risk profile, Parikh said.

Additionally, getting a booster shot now can help end the pandemic faster. According to Our World in Data, only 19.9% of people in low-income countries have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, compared with 80% in wealthier nations. If COVID-19 continues to spread globally, newer variants will keep developing, putting more people at risk.

One of my favorite sayings from the UN Foundation is: An outbreak anywhere is an outbreak everywhere. This pandemic is case in point, Parikh said. The quicker everyone gets their vaccine, the quicker everyone is protected.

COVID-19 has been a scary, daily part of life for the past two years. While we cant let our guard down just yet, its important to recognize just how far weve come.

Were in a much better place than we were two years ago, Parikh said. If someone is diagnosed with COVID, I can treat them with an antiviral right away.

She added: The other good news is the vaccine. If you get sick, [being vaccinated] reduces your chances of death and hospitalization significantly.

Parikh also shared that clinical trials are continuously taking place, helping health care professionals get one step closer to ending the pandemic. Until we get there, however, we all have to do our part to protect each other.

Be up to date with your vaccines, whether thats with one booster or two boosters. Wash your hands, wear a high quality mask, and have a plan in place if you get sick because we do have the tools to fight this virus, she said. If you take these precautions, you can still live your life normally.

This article is part of a series focused on vaccine hesitancy funded by the Rockefeller Foundation.

See original here:

What a Vaccine Researcher Wants You to Know About COVID-19 Boosters - Global Citizen

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently issued the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) proposed rule for calendar year (CY) 2023,[1] which clarified the timeline for increased COVID-19 vaccine administration fees and coverage of monoclonal antibody (mAb) products for the remainder of the public health emergency (PHE) and into the future.

The CY 2023 PFS proposed rule will become effective in 2023, and the deadline for public comment is September 6, 2022.

More broadly, CMS has reiterated that its goal for CY 2023 includes program expansions that create a more equitable health care system by providing better accessibility, quality, affordability, and innovation.[2] CMSs CY 2023 PFS proposed rule highlights the federal agencys goals to promote broad and timely access to both COVID-19 vaccines and mAb products.[3]

This Insight highlights four Medicare coverage and payment changes related to COVID-19 vaccines and mAb products in the CY 2023 PFS proposed rule and provides key takeaways for the commercialization of preventive vaccines and mAb products in the near future.

Under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, COVID-19 was added to the vaccine coverage benefit under Part B of the Medicare program.[4] In its CY 2022 PFS final rule,[5] CMS established payments under Part B for COVID-19 vaccine administration at $40 per dose while existing preventive vaccines, such as pneumococcal, influenza, and Hepatitis B (HBV), remained at a payment rate of $30.[6]

CMS continues its efforts to establish payment for vaccine administration for the long-term in the CY 2023 PFS proposed rule. Through 2021, vaccine administration payment rates for pneumococcal, influenza, or HBV vaccines were established using a crosswalk for similar services paid under the PFS. In its CY 2022 PFS final rule, CMS responded to commenters concerns that the codes were improperly linked and did not reflect the unique costs of administering vaccines. Therefore, CMS finalized administration fees for non-COVID-19 vaccines (pneumococcal, influenza, and HBV) at $30, while establishing a $40 administration fee for COVID-19 vaccines.

CMS now proposes to update the payment for Part B vaccine administration by making adjustments to reflect cost differences for the geographic locality.[7]

CMS also proposes to continue the $40 administration fee for COVID-19. The agency anticipates vaccinating providers will continue to experience rising costs associated with staffing, scheduling, and reporting requirements as the number of patients increases, especially as boosters remain an important tool in the COVID-19 response. While CMS previously intended to maintain increased payment for COVID-19 vaccine administration through the end of the PHE, it has determined this transition will occur on January 1 in the year following the termination of the March 27, 2020, Emergency Use Authorization Declaration (EUA Declaration). The payment rate for COVID-19 vaccine administration will then be set at a rate that aligns with other Part B preventive vaccine administration payment rates, which are currently at $30.[8]

In June 2021, CMS announced an add-on payment with a national rate of $35 for COVID-19 vaccine in-home (at-home) administration, bringing the national average for at-home COVID-19 vaccine administration payments to $75 per dose ($40 for the COVID-19 vaccine administration and an additional $35 for administration in the home). By August 2021, CMS had expanded the circumstance for when the add-on payment was available, allowing providers and suppliers who administered the COVID-19 vaccine at a patients home to bill Medicare. These policies were established to ensure beneficiaries received access to COVID-19 vaccines during the PHE.

After hearing multiple requests from commenters to extend the add-on payment past the PHE, CMS acknowledged in the CY 2022 PFS final rule that the costs of at-home COVID-19 vaccine administration would not diminish immediately after the PHE, thereby stating that it would allow the $35 add-on payment to continue until the end of the calendar year of the PHE. CMSs CY 2023 PFS proposed rule suggests the continuation of the additional $35 payment for at-home vaccination beyond the PHE, which allows the agency to maintain expanded COVID-19 vaccine access for vulnerable housebound beneficiaries. The CY 2023 PFS proposed rule also underscores the agencys need to better understand COVID-19 vaccine inaccessibility barriers in the Medicare population.[9]

While the CY 2023 PFS proposed rule provides a continuation of the additional $35 payment for at-home COVID-19 vaccine administration, it does not include other preventive vaccines. CMS requests comments related to the inclusion of other Part B preventive vaccines (such as pneumococcal, influenza, and HBV).

Once COVID-19 mAb products for treatment and post-exposure prophylaxis were granted EUAs, CMSs CY 2022 PFS final rule finalized coverage and payment for COVID-19 mAb products under the Part B vaccine benefit. Notably, this determination absolved beneficiaries of cost-sharing responsibility for both the mAb product and its administration.

The payment for administration of mAb products for treatment or post-exposure prophylaxis under Part B ranges between $150.50 and $750.00. CMS intends to continue coverage under the Part B vaccine benefit at these reimbursement levels until the EUA Declaration is terminated. In the year following termination of the EUA Declaration, CMS intends to then transition coverage of these products to ordinary system coverage for complex biological products under Part B.

Following the CY 2022 PFS final rule, a mAb product was granted an EUA for use as pre-exposure prophylaxis prevention of COVID-19. Although the CMS policies regarding coverage of COVID-19 mAb products did not address mAb products used for prevention of COVID-19, the agency covered and paid for them without subjecting patients to out-of-pocket costs.

CMS proposes to continue coverage of preventive mAb products under the Part B vaccine benefit beyond the termination of the EUA Declaration, so long as a product has market authorization. CMS also proposes to maintain the current payment amounts for administration for pre-exposure prophylaxis mAb products under Part B of either $150.50 or $250.50, depending on a products administration setting.

While the Biden administration has yet to detail plans for a full market transition for COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics,[10] CMSs articulation of timelines for coverage of vaccines and monoclonals provides a degree of future payment clarity for these products under Medicare.

CMSs decision to cover mAb products the same as vaccines under the Part B benefit is potentially precedent setting as future prophylactic monoclonals are licensed.[11] The agencys decision to shift coverage of mAb products for treatment to ordinary biological product coverage under Part B means that patients will begin to bear out-of-pocket costs for these products once the EUA Declaration is terminated.

CMSs continued consideration of its methods for setting vaccine administration fees and intent to extend at-home administration add-ons provides opportunities for commenters to encourage policies that promote better access to vaccines for Medicare beneficiaries.

Nija Chappel, a Summer Associate (not admitted to the practice of law) in the firms Washington, DC, office, contributed to the preparation of this Insight.

[1] CMS Proposed Rule, CY 2023 Payment Policies under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Changes to Part B Payment Policies, 87 Fed. Reg. 45860 (July 29, 2022), available at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2022-07-29/pdf/2022-14562.pdf (hereinafter CMS CY 2023 PFS Proposed Rule).

[2] CMS Fact Sheet, Calendar Year (CY) 2023 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule (July 7, 2022), available at https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/calendar-year-cy-2023-medicare-physician-fee-schedule-proposed-rule.

[3] CMS CY 2023 PFS Proposed Rule, supra note 1, at 46225-46226.

[4] Id. at 46218.

[5] CMS Final Rule, Medicare Program; CY 2022 Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Changes to Part B Payment Policies (Nov. 19, 2021), available at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/11/19/2021-23972/medicare-program-cy-2022-payment-policies-under-the-physician-fee-schedule-and-other-changes-to-part.

[6] CMS CY 2023 PFS Proposed Rule, supra note 1, at 46219.

[7] Id. at 46222.

[8] Id.; CMS uses this example: [I]f the COVID-19 PHE ends in CY 2022, the payment amount for COVID-19 vaccine administration would change from $40 to $30 effective January 1, 2023, and would apply the proposed geographic adjustments and the proposed annual update as proposed for the other preventive vaccine administration services . . . .

[9] Inaccessibility barriers include patients having a condition due to illness or injury that limits their ability to leave home without a device or help from a caregiver, a condition that makes the patient more likely to contract COVID-19, or the patient is generally unable to leave the home and if they do, they consider it a considerable and taxing effort. CMS CY 2023 PFS Proposed Rule, supra note 1, at 46223.

[10] See Richard Hughes, As Congress, Biden administration squabble over COVID-19 funds, an ongoing pandemic response posture strains public health, HealthCareDive (July 14, 2022), available at https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/biden-administration-covid-19-funds-oped/627105/.

[11] Sara Rosenbaum, A Twenty-First Century Vaccines for Children Program, Health Affairs (July 12, 2022), available at https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/twenty-first-century-vaccines-children-program.

[View source.]

Follow this link:

COVID-19 Vaccine and Monoclonal Coverage: A Focus of the 2023 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule - JD Supra

Madison Czopek, PolitiFact.com| Austin American-Statesman

How are monkeypox cases, COVID-19 vaccines and shingles infections connected? They are not.

But if you believe claims circulating online, they are linked to a group of global elites that isusingthe coronavirus "as a tool to reorganize global societies and economies to their benefit at the expense of ordinary people, with the ultimate goal of a global totalitarian regime," according to the Anti-Defamation League.

Those claims are part of "The Great Reset" conspiracy theory, which PolitiFact hasrepeatedlydebunked. Other news outlets have alsodismissedthe idea asunsubstantiated.

One article pushing the narrative that monkeypox is tied to this conspiracy theory appeared on The Expos, a U.K.-focused blog that has repeatedlyspreadmisinformationabout thepandemicandCOVID-19 vaccine.

"Monkeypox is only circulating in countries where the Pfizer vaccine has been distributed and is being used to advance a Technocratic Great Reset," read aJuly 24Expos headline.

The article claimed that the monkeypox outbreak is actually shingles cases caused by Pfizers COVID-19 vaccines.

"Were seeing the consequences of injecting millions of people with an experimental mRNA injection that causes untold damage to the immune system," the article said. "And public health authorities are now scrambling to cover up COVID-19 vaccine-induced shingles and using it as an opportunity to advance their technocratic agenda of implementing The Great Reset."

The article was flagged as part of Facebooks efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed.

Available evidence directly rebutsthe articles claims.

Pfizers mRNA vaccine, marketed as Comirnaty, in August 2021 became thefirst COVID-19 vaccineto achieve full approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Millions of people have received the two-dose Pfizer vaccine, which is asafeand effective way to prevent COVID-19.

In the seven days after vaccination, it is common to experiencemild side effectsincluding fever, chills, fatigue or headaches, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More severe side effects including severe allergic reactions or myocarditis and pericarditis (especially for males ages 12 to 39) arerarebut can happen.

Pfizer told PolitiFact it had agreements to provide its vaccine to more than 140 countries.

As of July 28, cases of monkeypox have been reported in 77 countries, including 71 countries that have not historically reported monkeypox, the CDCreported.

Amapon Pfizers website shows where it has shipped vaccines, and a map on the CDCs site also showsmonkeypox casesaround the world.

Comparing these maps shows that the articles claim that monkeypox is "only circulating" where the Pfizer vaccine was distributed is false.

Venezuela reported one case of monkeypox as of July 28, but Pfizers map does not show any shipments of COVID-19 vaccines. Venezuela has approved the use of Russian COVID-19 vaccines Sputnik V and Sputnik Light, Cubas Abdala and Soberana COVID-19 vaccines and the Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines from China, according to theU.S. Embassy in Venezuela.

India reported four cases of monkeypox as of July 28. Pfizer has not sent COVID-19 vaccines to India, according to its map last updated July 3.

India is currently distributing four vaccines, per theBBC: the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, Corbevax, Covaxin and Sputnik V.

Also, not all the countries that received Pfizer vaccines have reported monkeypox cases. As of July 28, for example, Indonesia has not reported any monkeypox cases, but Pfizer has shipped nearly 69 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine there.

The CDC tracksadverse events reportedafter COVID-19 vaccinations, and has not indicated that the vaccines cause shingles.

Nearly 10,000 cases of shingles have been reported to the CDC and FDAsVaccine Adverse Event Reporting Systemafter doses of the Pfizer vaccine. This does not mean the vaccines caused shingles.

VAERS is anopen system, meaning anyone can submit a report to the database, "regardless of seriousness, and regardless of how likely the vaccine may have been to have caused the adverse event," per theCDC. On one occasion, a doctor said hed submitted a report that a flu vaccine had turned himinto the Hulk; that report was accepted and remained in the database for some time, he said.

Pfizer said it has not seen data that suggests its COVID-19 vaccine causes shingles.

Monkeypox and shingles cause skin rashes, but they look different on the body.

Shingles causes a painful rash that typically "occurs in a single stripe around either the left or the right side of the body" or on one side of the face, according to theCDC. In contrast, monkeypoxcauses"a rash that can look like pimples or blisters that appears on the face, inside the mouth, and on other parts of the body, like the hands, feet, chest, genitals, or anus."

The diseases are also caused by different viruses: Monkeypox is caused by an orthopoxvirus; shingles iscausedby reactivation of the varicella zoster virus that also causes chickenpox.

A blog post claimed that monkeypox "is only circulating in countries where the Pfizer vaccine has been distributed and is being used to advance a Technocratic Great Reset."

"The Great Reset" is an unsubstantiated and widely debunked conspiracy theory. Monkeypox has been reported in countries that dont have Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine. And there are countries that received Pfizers vaccine that have not yet reported monkeypox cases.

We rate this claim False.

See original here:

No evidence Pfizer vaccine is connected to the monkeypox outbreak - Austin American-Statesman

The Niagara County Fair will have everything fairgoers need to have a good experience while visiting.

NIAGARA COUNTY, N.Y. This summer theNiagara County Fair is making sure they have everything needed to give fairgoers a good experience.

The Niagara County Department of Health has teamed up with the fair to have baby changing, and breastfeeding stations on site for those with young ones.

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Niagara County has donated the space for the Breastfeeding and Baby Changing Station. Fairgoers should look for the easily-recognizable blue trailer, located next to the fairgrounds brick administration building. said Public Health Director Daniel J. Stapleton, and continued, Providing a cool and quiet space for breastfeeding mothers and babies, as well as an accessible changing area for all parents and children, supports the health and wellbeing of our community,

The breastfeeding station will have a temperature-controlled refrigerator for mothers to store breastmilk, a sink for washing hands, power outlets for expressing breastmilk, and air conditioning.

Along with this, there is a dual changing station available to all families, separate from the private breastfeeding area.

The NCSO said mothers are welcome to nurse their children under the shade of a blue trailer and those interested are encouraged to visit the station to learn more about the many benefits of breastfeeding for both mother and baby.

Along with those accommodations, the fair will be offering a COVID-19 vaccine clinic for the first, second, and third shots to all those eligible.

No appointment is required but is suggested in order to secure an appointment, and can be foundhere.

Although we encourage people to visit our website to register in advance, walk-ins are welcome, said Tracy Fricano Chalmers, Director of Public Health Planning and Emergency Preparedness. We are hoping that fairgoers will take advantage of this convenient opportunity to get vaccinated and protect themselves, their family, and their community, Ms. Fricano Chalmers added.

Other information will be available at the fair such as public health professionals present to discuss topics such as lead prevention, rabies prevention, immunizations, chronic disease reduction, breastfeeding support, services for children with functional needs, and public health emergency preparedness.

To learn more about dates, and events at the fair clickhere.

See original here:

Breastfeeding stations, COVID-19 vaccines available at the Niagara County Fair - WGRZ.com

Politics | Coronavirus

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

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

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

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

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

Go here to see the original:

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

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

More:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo courtesy of Pete Parada's Instagram

Originally posted here:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Follow

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

Go here to read the rest:

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

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

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

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

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

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

The case was first reported on by The Defender.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Follow

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

More here:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Visit link:

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