Category: Covid-19 Vaccine

May 9, 2022Updated: May 10, 2022 7:27a.m.

Dr Peter Hotez poses for a portrait in the Debakey Library and Museum at Baylor College of Medicine Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022 in Houston. Vaccine crusaders, Hotez and and Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi have been nominated for the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize by Rep. Lizzie Fletcher. The pair has spent the past two years creating Corbevax, an inexpensive and easy-to-produce COVID-19 vaccine that does not require refrigeration.

Houston vaccine expert Peter Hotez has tested positive for COVID-19, the physician said Monday.

"Looks like I've tested positive for COVID, moderate symptoms of fatigue, headache, sore throat, isolating at home doing zoom meetings," he posted on Twitter. "I'm grateful to have been vaccinated/boosted, which certainly prevented more severe illness. Just started Paxlovid. Transmission up, be careful."

On HoustonChronicle.com: Peter Hotez: What hybrid COVID variants like XE mean for Houston and what's ahead this summer

Hotez is the dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and co-director of the Center for Vaccine Development at Texas Children's Hospital.

At the start of the coronavirus pandemic, Hotez quickly became a prominent voice in local and national media. He has continued to chart infection rates in Texas and the U.S. His work stretches further, with other efforts focused on vaccinating people across the globe.

samantha.ketterer@houstonchronicle.com

Samantha Ketterer is a Houston Chronicle reporter covering state courts and criminal justice.

She joined the staff as a breaking news reporter in 2018 following a gig writing about tourism and Galveston City Hall for The Galveston County Daily News.

Samantha graduated from the University of Texas at Austin's School of Journalism and is a proud alumna of The Daily Texan. She was also a reporting fellow for the Dallas Morning News' state bureau.

Originally posted here:

Vaccine expert Peter Hotez tests positive for COVID-19: 'I'm grateful to have been vaccinated' - Houston Chronicle

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) reports as of May 11, 2022, there are currently 1,325 active COVID-19 cases statewide. There have been four deaths reported since the last report, with a total of 6,886 deaths attributed to COVID-19.

DHHR has confirmed the death of an 82-year old male from Marshall County.

Additional deaths reported on the dashboard as a result of the Bureau for Public Healths continuing data reconciliation with the official death certificate are a 90-year old female from Marion County, a 69-year old female from Fayette County, and a 69-year old female from Kanawha County. These deaths occurred in March and April 2022.

"The COVID-19 vaccine is life-saving and available to all West Virginians ages five and older, and the booster shot is available to those twelve and older," said Bill J. Crouch, DHHR Cabinet Secretary. "Please make the decision to protect yourself and your family."

CURRENT ACTIVE CASES PER COUNTY: Barbour (9), Berkeley (117), Boone (31), Braxton (8), Brooke (8), Cabell (64), Calhoun (2), Clay (2), Doddridge (1), Fayette (31), Gilmer (3), Grant (0), Greenbrier (85), Hampshire (6), Hancock (36), Hardy (4), Harrison (52), Jackson (6), Jefferson (77), Kanawha (98), Lewis (8), Lincoln (18), Logan (23), Marion (75), Marshall (17), Mason (13), McDowell (11), Mercer (34), Mineral (11), Mingo (4), Monongalia (103), Monroe (22), Morgan (6), Nicholas (24), Ohio (47), Pendleton (11), Pleasants (2), Pocahontas (3), Preston (18), Putnam (30), Raleigh (65), Randolph (11), Ritchie (1), Roane (1), Summers (8), Taylor (19), Tucker (3), Tyler (0), Upshur (25), Wayne (28), Webster (3), Wetzel (3), Wirt (0), Wood (30), Wyoming (8). To find the cumulative cases per county, please visit http://www.coronavirus.wv.gov and look on the Cumulative Summary tab which is sortable by county.

Delays may be experienced with the reporting of information from the local health department to DHHR. As case surveillance continues at the local health department level, it may reveal that those tested in a certain county may not be a resident of that county, or even the state as an individual in question may have crossed the state border to be tested. Please visit http://www.coronavirus.wv.gov for more detailed information.

West Virginians ages 5 years and older are eligible for COVID-19 vaccination; after the primary series, first booster shots are recommended for those 12 and older. Second booster shots for those age 50 and over that are 4 months or greater from their first booster have been authorized by FDA and recommended by CDC, as well as for younger individuals over 12 years old with serious and chronic health conditions that lead to being considered moderately to severely immunocompromised. To learn more about COVID-19 vaccines, or to find a vaccine site near you, visit vaccinate.wv.gov or call 1-833-734-0965.

Free pop-up COVID-19 testing is available today in Barbour, Berkeley, Braxton, Cabell, Clay, Fayette, Gilmer, Greenbrier, Jefferson, Lewis, Lincoln, Logan, Marion, Marshall, Mason, Mingo, Morgan, Nicholas, Ohio, Raleigh, Randolph, Ritchie, Taylor, Tyler/Wetzel, Upshur, Wayne, and Wood counties.

Barbour County

8:30 AM - 3:30 PM, Community Market, 107 South Main Street (across the street from Walgreens), Philippi, WV (optional pre-registration: https://labpass.com/en/registration?access_code=WVBBC)

1:00 PM - 5:00 PM, Junior Volunteer Fire Department, 331 Row Avenue, Junior, WV (optional pre-registration: https://unityphr.com/campaigns/wvlabs/covid)

Berkeley County

8:30 AM - 3:30 PM, Airborne Church, 172 Creative Place, Martinsburg, WV

8:30 AM - 4:00 PM, Shenandoah Community Health, 99 Tavern Road, Martinsburg, WV (optional pre-registration: https://unityphr.com/campaigns/wvlabs/covid)

9:00 AM - 3:00 PM, 891 Auto Parts Place, Martinsburg, WV (optional pre-registration: https://unityphr.com/campaigns/wvlabs/covid)

Braxton County

9:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Braxton County Memorial Hospital (parking lot), 100 Hoylman Drive, Gassaway, WV (optional pre-registration: https://labpass.com/en/registration?access_code=Braxton)

Cabell County

8:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Cabell-Huntington Health Department (parking lot), 703 Seventh Avenue, Huntington, WV (optional pre-registration: https://wv.getmycovidresult.com/)

Clay County

8:30 AM - 3:00 PM, Clay County Health Department, 452 Main Street, Clay, WV (optional pre-registration: https://labpass.com/en/registration?access_code=WVClayCounty)

Fayette County

10:00 AM - 2:00 PM, Fayette County Health Department, 5495 Maple Lane, Fayetteville, WV

Gilmer County

7:45 AM - 2:45 PM, Minnie Hamilton Health System (parking lot), 921 Mineral Road, Glenville, WV (optional pre-registration: https://labpass.com/en/registration?access_code=WVMHCT11)

Greenbrier County

9:30 AM - 3:00 PM, State Fair of WV, 891 Maplewood Avenue, Lewisburg, WV (optional pre-registration: https://labpass.com/en/registration?access_code=WVGBC)

Jefferson County

9:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Hollywood Casino, 750 Hollywood Drive, Charles Town, WV (optional pre-registration: https://unityphr.com/campaigns/wvlabs/covid)

Lewis County

8:30 AM - 3:00 PM, City Parking Lot, 95 West Second Street, Weston, WV (optional pre-registration: https://labpass.com/en/registration?access_code=WVMavLewis1)

Lincoln County

10:00 AM - 2:00 PM, Lincoln County Health Department, 8008 Court Avenue, Hamlin, WV (optional pre-registration: https://wv.getmycovidresult.com/)

Logan County

10:00 AM - 2:00 PM, Logan County Resource Center (Old 84 Lumber Building), 100 Peace Creek Road, Logan, WV

12:00 PM - 5:00 PM, Town of Man Fire Department, Administration Building, 110 North Bridge Street, Man, WV (optional pre-registration: https://wv.getmycovidresult.com/)

Marion County

10:00 AM - 6:00 PM, Dunbar School Foundation, 101 High Street, Fairmont, WV

Marshall County

11:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Benwood City Building, 430 Main Street, Benwood, WV

Mason County

8:30 AM - 3:00 PM, Krodel Park, 1186 Charleston Road, Point Pleasant, WV (optional pre-registration: https://labpass.com/en/registration?access_code=WVMavCOUNTY12)

Mingo County

9:00 AM - 3:00 PM, Chattaroy Volunteer Fire Department, 8 Firefighter Avenue, Chattaroy, WV (optional pre-registration: https://labpass.com/en/registration?access_code=WVMGC)

Morgan County

8:30 AM - 3:30 PM, The Blue (of First United Methodist Church), 440 Fearnow Road, Berkeley Springs, WV (optional pre-registration: https://labpass.com/en/registration?access_code=WVMavMorgan1)

Nicholas County

9:00 AM - 3:30 PM, Summersville Regional Medical Center, 400 Fairview Heights Road, Summersville, WV (optional pre-registration: https://labpass.com/en/registration?access_code=WVNL)

Ohio County

9:00 AM - 3:30 PM, Ohio Valley Medical Center (back parking lot at the top of 22nd Street), 2000 Eoff Street, Wheeling, WV

Raleigh County

9:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Beckley-Raleigh County Health Department, 1602 Harper Road, Beckley, WV (optional pre-registration: https://labpass.com/en/registration?access_code=MavBeckleyRaleigh)

Randolph County

8:30 AM - 3:30 PM, Davis Health Center, 812 Gorman Avenue, Elkins, WV (optional pre-registration: https://labpass.com/en/registration?access_code=WVRDC)

Ritchie County

1:00 PM - 4:00 PM, Ritchie Regional, 135 South Penn Avenue, Harrisville, WV

Taylor County

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM, Grafton-Taylor Health Department, 718 West Main Street (parking lot at Operations Trailer), Grafton, WV (optional pre-registration: https://wv.getmycovidresult.com/)

Tyler/Wetzel Counties

11:00 AM - 3:00 PM, Sistersville Volunteer Fire Department, 121 Maple Lane, Sistersville, WV

Upshur County

8:30 AM - 3:30 PM, Buckhannon Fire Department (parking lot), 22 South Florida Street, Buckhannon, WV (optional pre-registration: https://labpass.com/en/registration?access_code=WVUSC)

Wayne County

10:00 AM - 2:00 PM, Wayne County Health Department, 217 Kenova Avenue, Wayne, WV (optional pre-registration: https://unityphr.com/campaigns/wvlabs/covid)

Wood County

8:00 AM - 3:00 PM, Vienna Baptist Church, 3401 Grand Central Avenue, Vienna, WV (optional pre-registration: https://labpass.com/en/registration?access_code=WVMavWood1)

Please check with the testing site, DHHRs social media pages and the COVID-19 website https://dhhr.wv.gov/COVID-19/pages/testing.aspx for any last minute cancellations, and to find other free testing opportunities across West Virginia.

See the rest here:

COVID-19 Daily Update 5-11-2022 - West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources

During a Zoom call with Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson, Todd Callender, a lawyer and anti-vaccine advocate, claimed the COVID-19 vaccine causes vaccine-induced AIDS.

Author: kcentv.com

Published: 7:53 AM CDT May 11, 2022

Updated: 7:53 AM CDT May 11, 2022

Original post:

VERIFY | Can the Covid-19 vaccine cause AIDS? - KCENTV.com

A recent article published in Science Translational Medicinedemonstrated that mucosally delivered adenovirus type 5 (Ad5)-based coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination minimized COVID-19 transmission and severity.

The currently approved intramuscular (IM) severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccinations for clinical use can protect vaccinees from COVID-19-related hospitalization, symptomatic illness, and mortality. They do not, however, totally protect against SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Besides, messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccinated individuals with COVID-19 linked with the SARS-CoV-2 Delta (B.1.617.2) as well as Omicron (B.1.1.529) variants could shed infectious virus and viral RNA, possibly spreading SARS-CoV-2 to others. Hence, transmission-blocking techniques are required to restrict the spread of SARS-CoV-2 while also protecting against COVID-19.

Prior studies indicated that because the mucosal layer of the upper respiratory tract (URT) is the first location of SARS-CoV-2 replication and infection, therapies that produce strong mucosal immunitymighthave the utmost influence on attenuating the SARS-CoV-2 transmission. The authors of the present investigation previously developed an orally administered Ad5-vectored SARS-CoV-2 vaccine option that expresses the viral spike (S) protein (r-Ad-S). Available reports showed that this shelf-stable, replication-defective oral r-Ad-S COVID-19 vaccine candidate induced both mucosal and systemic immunity.

In the present study, the researchers employed unidirectional airflow chambers and a hamster infection model to investigate the possible influence of oral SARS-CoV-2 r-Ad-S vaccination on COVID-19 transmission to naive people.

The researchers used IM SARS-CoV-2 S protein, oral phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), and intranasal (IN) r-Ad-S as protein, mock, and mucosal stimulation controls, respectively, when they vaccinated index hamsters using oral r-Ad-S. Further, they inoculated a high SARS-CoV-2 titer intranasally in vaccinated hamsters to replicate a post-vaccination COVID-19. One day following the viral challenge, index hamsters were put in a compartment with vaccine-nave hamsters that facilitated airborne movement, yet no fomite or direct contact transmission.

The authors reported the virological and clinical responses of both the nave (SARS-CoV-2 exposed) and vaccinated (SARS-CoV-2-infected) hamsters. Besides, they presented mucosal antibody details from subjects from a phase I clinical study (NCT04563702) utilizing the same platform expressing the SARS-CoV-2 S and nucleocapsid proteins (NPs).

According to the study results, oral r-Ad-S vaccination decreased COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 transmission in a hamster model. Moreover, the scientists stated that it could elicit CoVcross-reactive, S protein-specific immunoglobulin A (IgA) in thehuman mouth and nose.

The team reported potent anti-SARS-CoV-2 S protein IgG responses after IN and oral r-Ad-S vaccination, as earlier shown in another oral r-Ad-S hamster trial. Furthermore, enhanced IgA was detected in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and serum of mucosally vaccinated animals. During an eight-hour airborne exposure period, mucosally vaccinated animals with COVID-19 exhibited decreased airborne SARS-CoV-2 transmission to nave animals. This was determined by lower nasal swab SARS-CoV-2 RNA titers in nave animals one and three days following transmission exposure to IN/oral r-Ad-S-immunized hamsters versus control exposed animals.

The authors hypothesized that mucosal antibodies in the URT could boost SARS-CoV-2 clearance in vaccinated animals, thus decreasing the infectiousness capacity of transmitted aerosols. Supporting this theory, anti-S protein IgA levels in the BAL fluid of IN and oral r-Ad-S vaccinated animals were higher than in mock- or IM protein-vaccinated animals. These findings indicated that SARS-CoV-2 transmission from vaccinated to non-vaccinated animals might be reduced by mucosal vaccination.

Additionally, the team showed serum IgG from all immunized hamsters bound to S protein of both the SARS-CoV-2 Delta and Beta variants of concern (VOCs). This indicated that mucosal immunization might result in cross-protective antibodies against novel SARS-CoV-2 VOCs.

The researchers presented data showing that immunization with the VXA-COV2-1 oral tablet S and NP vaccine resulted in substantial anti-S protein IgA in saliva and nasal swabs in a subgroup of people, which bonded to the S proteins of various CoVs. This included the four endemic human CoVs (HKU1, NL63, 229E, and OC43) and several pathogenic CoVs (SARS-CoV-1 and Middle East respiratory syndrome CoV (MERS-CoV)). Compared to systemic IgG antibodies, mucosal immunization against SARS-CoV-2 might generate IgA antibodies at the mucosal surface with enhancedcross-reactivity to CoVs.

The study findings showed that hamsters given an IN or oral r-Ad-S COVID-19 vaccinedeveloped cross-reactive and robust antibody responses. Followingthe SARS-CoV-2 challenge, IN or oral-vaccinated hamsters exhibited a lower infectious virus and viral RNA in the lungs/nose. They also demonstrated less lung pathology than mock-vaccinated hamsters.

Nave hamsters subjected to mucosally vaccinated hamsters with SARS-CoV-2 infection in a unidirectional airflow chamber had fewer clinical symptoms and reduced viral RNA in nasal swabs relative to control animals. These inferences implied that viral transmission via the mucosal route was decreased.

In addition, the authors reported that in one phase I clinical study, the same platform expressing the SARS-CoV-2 S and NP evoked mucosal cross-reactive SARS-CoV-2-selective IgA responses. Overall, the present study demonstrated that mucosal vaccination was a promising method for reducing the airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19.

Read the rest here:

The potential impact of oral vaccination against COVID-19 on transmission to nave individuals studied in a hamster infection model - News-Medical.Net

Nasal vaccines may be the next generation of protection against COVID  USA TODAY

Excerpt from:

Nasal vaccines may be the next generation of protection against COVID - USA TODAY

Nearly three out of four Coloradans older than 5 are now fully immunized with two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the states vaccination dashboard. Thats higher than the national average, which is about 66 percent, according to the New York Times, and puts Colorado at 16th highest among the 50 states.

Colorado recently topped a total of 4 million people who had gotten at least two doses, according to the state health department. More than half of all residents got the first two shots, plus a booster.

Colorados progress on the vaccination front comes at another uncertain point in the pandemic. The latest wildly transmissible variant BA.2.12.1 has infected increasing numbers of people in the state and around the country. But many of the tools to limit spread have been dropped, and surveillance and reporting of coronavirus trends are less robust than earlier in the pandemic.

Those younger than 5 are still not eligible though approval could come soon. The Food and Drug Administration issued a timetable last month for a decision about authorizing a COVID-19 vaccine for the youngest children in the U.S. It said June 8 is the earliest date itll present data to outside advisers for a recommendation.

Getting vaccinated helps prevent severe illness, said Dr. Jon Samet, dean of the CU School of Public Health.

One thing that's clear is if you had the first two shots, get the third, he said. Theres some data from Israel that that fourth shot helps, at least for a while.

The latest COVID-19 data in Colorado is a decidedly mixed bag.

COVID-19 hospitalizations rose to 110 last week up 33 since mid-April. But that's 1,500 fewer than the highest level recorded in the omicron wave.

The positivity rate for COVID-19 test is staying above the key 5 percent threshold as public health officials closely watch. As of Thursday, the positive test rate was 6.3 percent, according to state data. It's been above 6 percent for the last week and doubled since mid-March. But it's five times lower than January's omicron wave peak.

Wastewater surveillance data showed a pronounced spike in virus detected in mid-April and another smaller rise at the end of last month.

So much of what happens next in this pandemic depends on the next variant or variants, which is why continuing to encourage Coloradans to get vaccinated and boosted is key, Samet added. If we had one (variant) with a high degree of immune escape, that is vaccine acquired protection is not great against the variant, that would be a problem.

Other public health experts worry Colorado and the U.S. may be flying blind. Many governments dropped non-pharmaceutical interventions like masking and contact tracing, while not beefing up surveillance enough to give warning of a potential coming surge, said May Chu, an epidemiologist and clinical professor, also at the Colorado School of Public Health.

I think the trend away from contact tracing, from not promoting vaccination and boosters and the promotion of at home-testing, whose results are not seen by public health, because most are not reported to health departments, all point to an uneasy second half of the year, Chu said.

We are far from being endemic, the point where the pandemic has become predictable, Chu said. New variants are rising and most of the world is blind to that.

Two omicron subvariants, which have emerged since the start of the year account for nearly all of Colorados cases, after first delta, then the original omicron variant swamped the state. In the most recent data posted to the state dashboard, the BA.2 subvariant makes up 74 percent and BA.2.12.1 comprises 14 percent. But thats as of the week of April 10, so that data hasnt been updated in nearly a month, according to the states dashboard.

Billions in funding for further COVID-19 prevention and protection is stalled in Congress. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis in March urged Congress to approve more money to secure enough booster vaccine doses for all Americans and invest in variant-specific vaccines or a pan-COVID vaccine.

It would protect against a range of variants should the science and data demonstrate the need, he said.

Though vaccination has grown steadily in Colorado since vaccines first started to become available late in 2020, the pandemics first year, there's wide variability across the state and across populations.

One group has lagged consistently behind when it comes to COVID-19 vaccines: Hispanics. Just 40 percent of that population has been vaccinated with at least one dose, according to the states dashboard. State models suggest the actual number may be higher, 48 percent.

Either way its measured, that trails all other groups for which the state has recorded information including white Coloradans (78 percent), as well as Black or African-American (66 percent), Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander (69 percent), American Indian or Alaska Native (73 percent) residents.

I am still seeing first and second vaccines. We are leaving my community behind, said Julissa Soto, an independent health equity consultant who works with the state. Soto said she and others have helped vaccinate some 15,000 Latinos since last fall, but would like the numbers to be much higher. Everyone is talking about the fourth booster and my community still struggles to get their first and second dose.

Gaps persist as well, comparing the states urban, suburban and rural counties.

More than 80 percent of those residents 5 and up have gotten two doses in Denver, several metro counties, and some mountain counties.

The figure is better than 70 percent for other large Front Range counties: Jefferson, Douglas, Arapahoe, Adams and Larimer counties.

For El Paso County it's 67 percent, Pueblo County is at 61 percent and Mesa County, on the western slope, is at 54 percent.

Fewer than 50 percent of residents are vaccinated in many sparsely populated rural Colorado counties. In Kiowa, Rio Blanco, Cheyenne, Washington and Dolores counties the rate is below 40 percent.

The spotty coverage leaves under-vaccinated areas especially vulnerable to future outbreaks.

Even where vaccination rates are higher, vaccine effectiveness wanes over time and almost half of all Coloradans have yet to get a booster dose, on top of the first two shots.

Chu also worries about another virus taking off in the coming months: the flu. She said Colorado has essentially not had to battle much influenza for two flu seasons now, because COVID-19 precautions also limited the spread of the flu. But that could rise sharply this year, she said.

Chu said work is underway to develop a global platform to monitor exposure to COVID-19 and other diseases of public health concern, but this has many moving pieces. We cannot let our guard up just yet.

Read more here:

More Coloradans are vaccinated than ever but will the state see another wave coming? - Colorado Public Radio

(Precision Vaccinations)

A recent conversation with Dr. John Farley, director of the U.S. FDAs Office of Infectious Diseases, provided insights regarding Paxlovid, the preferred oral therapy for managing non-hospitalized adults with COVID-19.

The antiviral Paxlovid reduces the risk of hospitalization and death for patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 at high risk of disease progression.

On May 4, 2022, Dr. Farley stated We recognize that risk factors have changed over time and that it is now appropriate to consider vaccination status in assessing a patients risk for progression to severe COVID-19.

Adult patients who report a positive home test result from a rapid antigen diagnostic test to their provider are eligible for Paxlovid under the emergency use authorization (EUA).

A positive result on a PCR test also meets the requirement under the EUA to have a positive test result.

Additionally, the FDA is aware of the reports of some patients developing recurrent COVID-19 symptoms after completing a treatment course of Paxlovid. In some cases, patients tested negative on a direct SARS-CoV-2 viral test and then tested positive again.

In light of these reports, additional analyses of the Paxlovid clinical trial data have been performed.

In the Paxlovid clinical trial, some patients (range 1-2%) had one or more positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR tests after testing negative or an increase in the amount of SARS-CoV-2 detected by PCR after completing their treatment course.

This finding was observed in patients treated with the drug and patients who received a placebo, so it is unclear whether this is related to Paxlovid treatment.

Additional analyses show that most of the patients did not have symptoms at the time of a positive PCR test after testing negative. Most importantly, there was no increased occurrence of hospitalization or death, or development of drug resistance.

However, there is no evidence of benefit at this time for a longer course of treatment (e.g., ten days rather than five days) or repeating a treatment course of Paxlovid in patients with recurrent COVID-19 symptoms following completion of a treatment course.

I would like to reiterate there is strong scientific evidence that Paxlovid reduces the risk of hospitalization and death in patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 at high risk for progression to severe disease. It is also expected to be effective against the Omicron variant, commented Dr. Farley.

Separately, during a special edition of Doctor Radio Reports on May 6, 2022, Dr. Robert M. Califf, Commissioner of Food and Drugs at the FDA, discusses the vital role Paxlovid plays in treating Covid-19.

With regard to the so-called rebound, there will be a lot more said about this, but at least the data so far indicates that we see the same phenomenon in the placebo groups with the antivirals.

So that means that it's not probably a drug effect, it's really a biological effect that's not fully explained. So we're going to learn a lot more about it, but it shouldn't be a reason not to treat it.

We're going to have a flood of data from real-world evidence about the treatment of already vaccinated people. Based on the small amount of data we had at the time of the EUA, I expect that we'll see the same type of effect, the FDA Commissioner told Dr. Mark Siegel.

Paxlovid is now widely available at community pharmacies in the U.S.

The U.S. government maintains a locator tool for COVID-19 therapeutics that lists community pharmacies that have Paxlovid in stock.

Note: The FDA statements were edited for clarity and manually curated for mobile readership.

PrecisionVaccinations publishes fact-checked research-based news.

View original post here:

Oral COVID-19 Therapy Offers Measurable Benefits - Precision Vaccinations

NORTH CAROLINA (STACKER) The vaccine deployment in December 2020 signaled a turning point in the COVID-19 pandemic. By the end of May 2021, 40% of the U.S. population was fully vaccinated. But as vaccination rates lagged over the summer, new surges of COVID-19 came, including Delta in the summer of 2021, and now the Omicron variant, which comprises the majority of cases in the U.S.

The United States as of May 6 reached 997,023 COVID-19-related deaths and nearly 81.7 million COVID-19 cases, according to Johns Hopkins University. Currently, 66.3% of the population is fully vaccinated, and 45.9% of vaccinated people have received booster doses.

Stacker compiled a list of the counties with highest COVID-19 vaccination rates in North Carolina using data from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and Covid Act Now. Counties are ranked by the highest vaccination rate as of May 5, 2022. Due to inconsistencies in reporting, some counties do not have vaccination data available. Keep reading to see whether your county ranks among the highest COVID-19 vaccination rates in your state.

Population that is fully vaccinated: 53.5% (23,490 fully vaccinated) 13.6% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 218 (96 total deaths) 6.8% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 22,029 (9,679 total cases) 13.6% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 53.6% (96,914 fully vaccinated) 13.4% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 115 (207 total deaths) 50.9% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 29,099 (52,595 total cases) 14.2% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 53.7% (10,183 fully vaccinated) 13.2% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 359 (68 total deaths) 53.4% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 22,489 (4,261 total cases) 11.8% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 53.7% (26,870 fully vaccinated) 13.2% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 374 (187 total deaths) 59.8% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 27,956 (13,981 total cases) 9.7% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 54.0% (37,661 fully vaccinated) 12.8% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 113 (79 total deaths) 51.7% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 29,539 (20,584 total cases) 15.9% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 54.1% (113,353 fully vaccinated) 12.6% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 216 (452 total deaths) 7.7% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 28,649 (59,974 total cases) 12.4% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 54.2% (86,478 fully vaccinated) 12.4% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 376 (600 total deaths) 60.7% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 29,955 (47,793 total cases) 17.5% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 54.8% (14,906 fully vaccinated) 11.5% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 287 (78 total deaths) 22.6% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 23,674 (6,440 total cases) 7.1% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 54.9% (25,814 fully vaccinated) 11.3% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 366 (172 total deaths) 56.4% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 26,923 (12,652 total cases) 5.6% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 55.1% (10,881 fully vaccinated) 11.0% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 228 (45 total deaths) 2.6% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 22,047 (4,350 total cases) 13.5% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 55.2% (5,199 fully vaccinated) 10.8% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 414 (39 total deaths) 76.9% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 23,622 (2,225 total cases) 7.3% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 55.2% (30,889 fully vaccinated) 10.8% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 393 (220 total deaths) 67.9% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 28,247 (15,804 total cases) 10.8% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 55.2% (34,080 fully vaccinated) 10.8% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 244 (151 total deaths) 4.3% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 25,983 (16,052 total cases) 1.9% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 55.5% (19,087 fully vaccinated) 10.3% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 224 (77 total deaths) 4.3% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 17,967 (6,178 total cases) 29.5% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 55.5% (133,015 fully vaccinated) 10.3% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 204 (489 total deaths) 12.8% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 25,985 (62,328 total cases) 1.9% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 55.7% (7,090 fully vaccinated) 10.0% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 220 (28 total deaths) 6.0% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 20,556 (2,616 total cases) 19.4% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 55.8% (120,761 fully vaccinated) 9.9% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 228 (494 total deaths) 2.6% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 26,006 (56,290 total cases) 2.0% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 56.0% (31,465 fully vaccinated) 9.5% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 121 (68 total deaths) 48.3% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 22,735 (12,772 total cases) 10.8% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 56.5% (7,873 fully vaccinated) 8.7% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 437 (61 total deaths) 86.8% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 29,757 (4,149 total cases) 16.7% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 56.5% (12,301 fully vaccinated) 8.7% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 372 (81 total deaths) 59.0% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 23,742 (5,165 total cases) 6.9% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 56.7% (22,380 fully vaccinated) 8.4% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 276 (109 total deaths) 17.9% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 23,730 (9,371 total cases) 6.9% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 57.2% (8,160 fully vaccinated) 7.6% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 301 (43 total deaths) 28.6% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 25,660 (3,662 total cases) 0.7% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 57.3% (35,724 fully vaccinated) 7.4% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 355 (221 total deaths) 51.7% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 20,999 (13,086 total cases) 17.6% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 57.4% (24,605 fully vaccinated) 7.3% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 243 (104 total deaths) 3.8% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 26,261 (11,252 total cases) 3.0% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 57.6% (54,280 fully vaccinated) 6.9% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 328 (309 total deaths) 40.2% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 28,178 (26,571 total cases) 10.5% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 57.7% (25,718 fully vaccinated) 6.8% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 274 (122 total deaths) 17.1% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 26,707 (11,894 total cases) 4.8% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 57.8% (58,358 fully vaccinated) 6.6% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 320 (323 total deaths) 36.8% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 24,236 (24,449 total cases) 4.9% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 58.4% (6,508 fully vaccinated) 5.7% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 144 (16 total deaths) 38.5% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 26,632 (2,966 total cases) 4.5% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 58.8% (21,094 fully vaccinated) 5.0% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 337 (121 total deaths) 44.0% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 22,201 (7,961 total cases) 12.9% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 58.8% (43,803 fully vaccinated) 5.0% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 154 (115 total deaths) 34.2% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 17,575 (13,088 total cases) 31.0% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 59.0% (69,266 fully vaccinated) 4.7% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 269 (316 total deaths) 15.0% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 21,430 (25,162 total cases) 15.9% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 59.5% (100,858 fully vaccinated) 3.9% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 288 (488 total deaths) 23.1% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 27,957 (47,390 total cases) 9.7% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 60.5% (203,097 fully vaccinated) 2.3% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 188 (630 total deaths) 19.7% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 26,041 (87,369 total cases) 2.2% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 61.1% (121,005 fully vaccinated) 1.3% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 191 (378 total deaths) 18.4% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 26,308 (52,073 total cases) 3.2% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 61.5% (330,199 fully vaccinated) 0.6% lower vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 225 (1,208 total deaths) 3.8% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 22,346 (120,035 total cases) 12.3% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 62.1% (237,304 fully vaccinated) 0.3% higher vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 216 (824 total deaths) 7.7% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 24,457 (93,499 total cases) 4.0% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 62.4% (37,720 fully vaccinated) 0.8% higher vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 189 (114 total deaths) 19.2% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 23,884 (14,436 total cases) 6.3% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 62.7% (64,028 fully vaccinated) 1.3% higher vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 203 (207 total deaths) 13.2% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 24,018 (24,532 total cases) 5.8% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 62.9% (89,865 fully vaccinated) 1.6% higher vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 232 (332 total deaths) 0.9% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 21,195 (30,270 total cases) 16.8% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 63.5% (148,849 fully vaccinated) 2.6% higher vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 168 (393 total deaths) 28.2% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 21,818 (51,157 total cases) 14.4% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 63.6% (706,320 fully vaccinated) 2.7% higher vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 146 (1,622 total deaths) 37.6% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 25,453 (282,622 total cases) 0.1% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 64.3% (21,056 fully vaccinated) 3.9% higher vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 388 (127 total deaths) 65.8% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 28,543 (9,340 total cases) 12.0% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 64.9% (45,089 fully vaccinated) 4.8% higher vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 180 (125 total deaths) 23.1% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 20,401 (14,173 total cases) 20.0% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 65.2% (13,742 fully vaccinated) 5.3% higher vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 318 (67 total deaths) 35.9% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 27,595 (5,814 total cases) 8.3% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 66.0% (172,424 fully vaccinated) 6.6% higher vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 223 (582 total deaths) 4.7% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 20,495 (53,530 total cases) 19.6% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 67.3% (3,322 fully vaccinated) 8.7% higher vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 263 (13 total deaths) 12.4% more deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 26,777 (1,322 total cases) 5.1% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 71.1% (228,678 fully vaccinated) 14.9% higher vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 106 (340 total deaths) 54.7% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 22,941 (73,754 total cases) 10.0% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 73.0% (26,999 fully vaccinated) 17.9% higher vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 73 (27 total deaths) 68.8% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 20,276 (7,504 total cases) 20.5% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 73.5% (817,433 fully vaccinated) 18.7% higher vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 100 (1,117 total deaths) 57.3% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 26,688 (296,709 total cases) 4.7% more cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

Population that is fully vaccinated: 76.5% (113,597 fully vaccinated) 23.6% higher vaccination rate than North Carolina Cumulative deaths per 100k: 90 (134 total deaths) 61.5% less deaths per 100k residents than North Carolina Cumulative cases per 100k: 18,704 (27,771 total cases) 26.6% less cases per 100k residents than North Carolina

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Counties with the highest COVID-19 vaccination rate in North Carolina - Fox 46 Charlotte

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BioNTech On The Evolving COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy - Scrip

New research suggests that adults with severe obesity generate a s significantly weaker immune response to COVID-19 vaccination compared to those with normal weight.

Pfizer/BioNTech linked to a more robust antibody response than CoronaVac in people with severe obesity.

New research suggests that adults (aged 18 or older) with severe obesity generate a significantly weaker immune response to COVID-19 vaccination compared to those with normal weight. The study was conducted by Professor Volkan Demirhan Yumuk from Istanbul University in Turkey and colleagues and was presented at this years European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Maastricht, Netherlands (May 4-7).

The study also found that people with severe obesity (BMI of more than 40kg/m2) vaccinated with Pfizer/BioNTech BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine generated significantly more antibodies than those vaccinated with CoronaVac (inactivated SARSCoV2) vaccine, suggesting that the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine might be a better choice for this vulnerable population.

Obesity is a disease complicating the course of COVID-19, and the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine antibody response in adults with obesity may be compromised. Vaccines against influenza, hepatitis B, and rabies, have shown reduced responses in people with obesity.

To find out more, researchers investigated antibody responses following Pfizer/BioNTech and CoronaVac vaccination in 124 adults (average age 42-63 years) with severe obesity who visited the Obesity Center at Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty Hospitals, between August and November 2021. They also recruited a control group of 166 normal weight adults (BMI less than 25kg/m2, average age 39-47 years) who were visiting the Cerrahpasa Hospitals Vaccination Unit.

Researchers measured antibody levels in blood samples taken from patients and normal weight controls who had received two doses of either the Pfizer/BioNTech or CoronaVac vaccine and had their second dose four weeks earlier. The participants were classified by infection history as either previously having COVID-19 or not (confirmed by their antibody profile).

Overall, 130 participants received two doses of Pfizer/BioNTech and 160 participants two doses of CoronaVac, of whom 70 had previous SARS-CoV-2 infection (see tables in notes to editors).

In those without previous SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccinated with Pfizer/BioNTech, patients with severe obesity had antibody levels more than three times lower than normal weight controls (average 5,823 vs 19,371 AU/ml).

Similarly, in participants with no prior SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccinated with CoronaVac, patients with severe obesity had antibody levels 27 times lower than normal weight controls (average 178 vs 4,894 AU/ml).

However, in those with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, antibody levels in patients with severe obesity and vaccinated with Pfizer/BioNTech or CoronaVac were not significantly different from normal weight controls (average 39,043 vs 14,115 AU/ml and 3,221 vs 7,060 AU/ml, respectively).

Interestingly, the analyses found that in patients with severe obesity, with and without prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, antibody levels in those vaccinated with Pfizer/BioNTech were significantly higher than those vaccinated with CoronaVac.

These results provide new information on the antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in people with severe obesity and reinforce the importance of prioritizing and increasing vaccine uptake in this vulnerable group, says Professor Yumuk. Our study confirms that immune memory induced by prior infection alters the way in which people respond to vaccination and indicates that two doses of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine may generate significantly more antibodies than CoronaVac in people with severe obesity, regardless of infection history. However, further research is needed to determine whether these higher antibody levels provide greater protection against COVID-19.

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COVID-19 Vaccines May Be Significantly Less Effective in People With Severe Obesity - SciTechDaily