Category: Covid-19 Vaccine

All children of primary school age in England will be eligible for a COVID-19 vaccination.

The decision followed arecommendation by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation(JCVI), which advised a non-urgent offer to all 5- to 11-year-olds of 2 (10mcg) doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech paediatric vaccine.

Despite children in this age group being at low risk of serious illness from SARS-CoV-2, a small proportion of children infected go on to develop severe disease.

Latest evidence suggested that offering the vaccine ahead of another potential wave would protect this cohort from serious illness and hospitalisation, the UK Health Security Agency said, and would also provide some short-term protection against mild infection.

Vaccinating this age groupwould also limit the risk of infection for surrounding adults. According to ONS data releasedWednesday, peopleworking in the education sector were more likely to test positivecompared to adults in other jobs, likely because of the recent high infections amongst school children.

The Scottish and Welsh governments had already announced they would be offering a vaccine to 5- to 11-year olds after they saw the draft guidance.

Dr Peter English, a retired consultant in communicable disease control, said that the UK had been "dragging its feet" on the issue, and welcomed the decision. He told the Science Media Centre: "The evidence is overwhelming that the vaccine is safe in children."

Commenting on its advice, Prof Wei Shen Lim, chair of COVID-19 immunisation on the JCVI, said: "The committee has carefully considered the potential direct health impacts of vaccination and potential indirect educational impacts.

"The main purpose of offering vaccination to 5- to 11-year olds is to increase their protection against severe illness in advance of a potential future wave of COVID-19."

The two doses of vaccine should be given at least 12 weeks apart, the JCVI advised.

England's Health Secretary, Sajid Javid, said on Wednesday that the NHS would "prepare to extend this non-urgent offer to all children during April".

'At-risk' 5- to 11-year olds started receiving a COVID vaccine earlier this month, following a recommendation by the JCVI in December.

In a statement, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health said: "The COVID vaccine has been certified as safe by the Medicines Healthcare Regulation Agency, and we would encourage all those who are eligible to have the vaccine to consider doing so."

It called for careful planning to "ensure a favourable experience for children", and ensuring that all children had equal access to a vaccine.

Prof Lim said broadening the COVID vaccine rollout to more young children must not impede catch-up in the childhood immunisation programme.

"Other important childhood vaccinations, such as MMR and HPV, have fallen behind due to the pandemic. It is vital these programmes continue and are not displaced by the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine to this age group," he said.

Matt Keeling, professor of populations and disease at the University of Warwick, who sits on the JCVI, said members "had to weigh the potential longer-term benefits of vaccinating 511-year-olds generating additional immunity against future variants against the potential disruptions that a new vaccination program could have on other immunisations and on the educational system in general.

Prof Keeling cautioned that the logistical problems of offering a COVID vaccine to children in this age group were "considerable". "It has recently been revealed that uptake of the MMR vaccine has dropped, and to young children measles is generally far more harmful than COVD-19 so it is important that vaccination against COVID is not prioritised over other existing programmes," he said.

Adam Finn, professor of paediatrics at the University of Bristol, who is also a JCVI member, agreed: "It will be important that the deployment of this part of the COVID vaccine programme does not result in children failing to receive doses of other important vaccines, for example against meningitis, cervical cancer, and measles, in a timely way."

Dr Brian Ferguson, associate professor of immunology at the University of Cambridge, said that improving protection against new variants of SARS-CoV-2 could be an important outcome of the latest programme, particularly as many children of primary school age have had COVID this winter. "We know that vaccination on top of prior infection generates an increased breadth of neutralising antibodies, which will very likely help to protect from future variants, should they arise and circulate in the UK," he commented. "Giving parents the choice to vaccinate their child with this safe, effective vaccine is reasonable, and many will be left wondering why it has not happened sooner."

Prof Adam Finn is a member of JCVI and also does vaccine policy advisory work for WHO. He is chief investigator of the Valneva and Sanofi COVID vaccine development programmes in the UK and investigator in other COVID vaccine trials, and trials of other non-COVID vaccines. He leads research projects on vaccine preventable disease epidemiology funded by Pfizer. He receives no personal remuneration for any of this work and his sole source of income is his salary from the University of Bristol.

Prof Matt Keeling is a member of SPI-M and JCVI but declares he is speaking here in a personal capacity.

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Children Aged 5 to 11 to be Offered COVID-19 Vaccine - Medscape

Third COVID-19 Vaccine Dose May Induce Response in Subset of Patients With Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia  Hematology Advisor

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Third COVID-19 Vaccine Dose May Induce Response in Subset of Patients With Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia - Hematology Advisor

Shes a globally renowned scientist and Covid-19 vaccine developer, yet Kizzmekia S. Corbett, Ph.D., modestly describes herself as a little ole girl from a small North Carolina town. Growing up, she saw firsthand the health challenges and disparities that proliferated in the Black community.

I am from the rural South where ailments such as obesity, hypertension and diabetes plague communities like my own, and actually plague my family to some extent, said Corbett, the keynote speaker at a Black History Month breakfast hosted by House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and Rep. Anthony Brown (D-MD) over the weekend. The theme of the 41st annual event was Black Health and Wellness.

I have grown to become invested in the health and wellness of all people, she told the virtual audience of several hundred people. But especially those who are oftentimes excluded from access and opportunities that afford them equal health and also at the end of the day, equal wealth.

Amid the coronavirus pandemic that has left 900,000 dead in the U.S. alone, Corbett has emerged as a leading voice in vaccine development research and health equity.

She was instrumental in groundbreaking research that directly led to development of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine, after spending more than six years as a research fellow at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Vaccine Research Center. It is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Last June, Corbett joined the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, as an assistant professor in the Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases. She heads Harvards new Coronaviruses & Other Relevant Emerging Infectious Diseases (CoreID) Lab. Its scientists study and seek to understand the interface between hosts immune systems and viruses that cause respiratory disease, with the goal of informing development of novel and potentially universal vaccines.

People always ask me: `Why vaccines? Why vaccines?, she told the virtual audience. They are oftentimes controversial, but at the end of the day taking all of the controversy aside, the one thing that remains is that vaccines happen to be the most life-saving way to prevent disease in this world.

Still, shes well aware that due to ideological differences, misinformation and partisan rancor theres often been vocal disagreement with that assessment.

Ive been in a bubble since 16 years old, trying to become a vaccine developer. I had been at science labs, I had been at prestigious universities, I had been at the most prestigious vaccine research center in the world. So I hadnt necessarily understood what it meant [for others] to mistrust medicine in the way I was faced with it, when it was my turn for my medicine to start to save lives.

Many of the people who were being disproportionately killed by this virus were unfortunately refusing to take the vaccine that I had made, she added.

As a young, Black woman scientist, Corbett has used her platform to address vaccine hesitancy, or as she has termed it, vaccine inquisitiveness, especially in the Black community. Shes sought to reassure skeptics of its safety and efficacy by speaking virtually at churches and various community organizations.

I expanded beyond being a Harvard professor to being the community vaccine teacher, she told the audience. Ive become an expert in empathy as much as an expert in immunobiology. And in the same breath that I was a vaccine inventor, I oftentimes served as the vaccines cheerleader.

Her efforts have earned praise from everyone from President Joe Biden to NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Fauci. In her introduction of Corbett at the event, Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL), a nurse who co-founded and co-chairs the Black Maternal Health Caucus also lauded her journey.

Corbett matriculated at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, where as an undergraduate she was part of the prestigious Meyerhoff Scholars Program and a NIH scholar. After earning a BS in biological sciences, with a secondary major in sociology, she went on to obtain her Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Dr. Corbett's research and contributions have undoubtedly saved countless lives thousands, perhaps millions, and alleviated untold suffering, Rep. Hoyer said at the gathering, which in previous years has drawn such luminaries as Barack Obama, Vice President Kamala Harris and the late John Lewis, to name a few.

Yet as we wade through a river, hope has stirred our hearts. Successful development and deployment of safe and effective Covid-19 vaccines last year breathed new life into our fight against this virus, he continued. The groundbreaking medical advances of mRNA vaccines expanded the boundaries of our scientific knowledge while helping to curb the spread and severity of the disease worldwide. Thank you, Dr. Corbett, and all those with whom you work.

I was very much mostly a Black woman with a mission and a duty, said Corbett of her efforts, which are ongoing. Because people are going to continue to have to hear about the science, about the new technology, and were going to have to continue to have the conversations. All the actions that we took in this moment, are going to have to continue to be tangible beyond this moment.

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Covid-19 vaccine developer Dr. Kizzmekia S. Corbett is taking on vaccine hesitancy in the Black community - MSNBC

So far, so many celebrities have received the COVID-19 vaccine to help the pandemic come to an end and keep everyone safe against the deadly virus.

However, at the time of this posting, numerous celebrities have revealed they have no intention of getting the vaccine at this time. Their choice is their own, and some provided reasoning as to why.

The vaccine is recommended by public health officials and have very little side effects in studies. With the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, public health officials are urging vaccination (and boosters) more than ever. Any statements made by these celebrities are their own and are not endorsements by Just Jared. You can learn more about the vaccine safety at the CDCs website.

Click through the slideshow to see which 19 celebrities are so far refusing the Coronavirus vaccine

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19 Celebrities Are Publicly Refusing to Get the COVID-19 Vaccine (So Far) & a Major New Celebrity Finally Confirmed He's Unvaccinated - Just Jared

MILWAUKEE Three members of the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) are being investigated for allegedly creating and using fraudulent COVID-19 vaccination records to attend out of state training.

The I-Team learned of the allegations in December when the Inspector General confirmed it was investigating.

Three individuals will be disciplined, the Inspector General said.

Two months ago when the I-Team began its investigation, the Inspector General confirmed it was looking into the matter.

My office is currently investigating allegations that a Milwaukee Police Lieutenant erroneously created two COVID Vaccination Record Cards for two members, a detective and officer, in order for them to attend a training provided by the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC).

As of 2021, the Milwaukee Police Department had a directive in place regarding travel for vaccinated and unvaccinated members.

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The first memo, dated March 8, 2021, Chief Jeffrey Norman stated, Effective immediately, department members will be required to show proof that they received the appropriate dose(s) of the COVID-19 vaccine with their COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card for non-emergency work related travel and travel training requests.

It continued, Members who elect not to receive the COVID-19 vaccine or do not receive the appropriate dose(s) of the COVID-19 vaccine will be considered for non-emergency work related travel on a case by case basis by the Executive Command Staff. Members who elect not to receive the COVID-19 vaccine or do not receive the appropriate dose(s) of the COVID-19 vaccine will only be considered for travel training requests if the training is required to maintain national or state recognized certification in an area that directly relates to their current job responsibilities.

The I-Team acquired documents showing the Lieutenant in question approved travel to a Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Glynco, Ga. for the detective and officer in question on May 21; more than two months after the internal Chiefs Directive. For both members, the Lieutenant wrote, Member is in compliance with Chiefs directive.

TMJ4 News is not naming the law enforcement individuals involved as the investigation is ongoing and no discipline or charges have been filed for their alleged actions.

While there is a stipulation allowing for unvaccinated members to attend trainings, FLETC provided a statement to the I-Team, saying, All students who attend FLETC training programs must attest to their vaccination status at the time of registration. FLETC takes seriously all allegations of misconduct involving our staff, students and training programs. To ensure program integrity, our Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) is available to assist state, local and tribal agencies with investigations involving their personnel at FLETC.

The I-Team confirmed with MPD about an internal review of the incident. While MPD would not provide specific comments on the situation, it provided a statement saying, The Milwaukee Police Department holds all of our members to the highest level of integrity. Any member that violates the code of conduct will be held accountable. This internal investigation remains under review.

All three members are working in their full capacity, until there is a conclusion to the investigation.

There have been other cases across the country of Law Enforcement members being suspended, resigning or losing their jobs for similar accusations of falsifying COVID-19 vaccination records.

While the matter is still under review, it is unclear what kind of discipline the members could face internally. However, it is possible it could go beyond the scope of discipline MPD or the Fire and Police Commission could file. The U.S. Attorneys Office tells the I-Team, creating a fake or fraudulent COVID-19 vaccination card could violate a variety of federal laws. For example, it is a felony punishable up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 to fraudulently or wrongfully attach the seal of a department or agency of the United States (including the CDC) to any certificate or document or to use, buy, procure, sell, or transfer such a document with fraudulent or wrongful intent. The same penalties would apply if someone knowingly used or made a materially false document in connect with the delivery of or payment for health care benefits or services. In addition, it is a crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison for someone to produce fake or fraudulent identification documents purporting to have been issued by or under the authority of the United States government.

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I-Team: 3 MPD officers to face discipline for creating fake COVID-19 vaccination cards - WTMJ-TV

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February 13, 2022 4:45 am

As the omicron variant continues to spread, the national vaccination effort is as urgent as it ever has been. Still, many Americans remain hesitant.

According to a recent survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, 23,830,000 Americans or 9.6% of the 18 and older population say they will either probably or definitely not agree to receive the vaccination.

The share of Americans who will likely refuse vaccination varies considerably nationwide, from as many as 20.5% of the adult population to as little as 3.6%, depending on the state.

Many Americans who have yet to be vaccinated cite one of three reasons: either they are concerned about possible side effects, or they want to wait to see if it is safe, or it is difficult for them to obtain a vaccination. Others cite different reasons.

Nationwide, 14,120,000 people, 5.7% of the adult population, do not trust the COVID-19 vaccines, and another 6,980,000, or 2.8%, do not think COVID-19 is a big threat. Additionally, 12,130,000 American adults, or 4.9% of the 18 and older population, have not been vaccinated because they do not trust the government.

Meanwhile, the virus continues to spread. Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been 76,448,067 confirmed cases of the virus and a total of 902,189 Americans have died as a result.

So far, 213,430,434 Americans or 65.2% of the total population have received the full course of vaccinations necessary to protect against COVID-19.

All survey data used in this story was published by the Census on Jan. 19, 2022. All data related to COVID-19 infections, fatalities, and vaccinations is current as of Feb. 10, 2022.

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States Where the Most People Are Refusing the COVID-19 Vaccine - 24/7 Wall St.

A COVID-19 vaccine sprayed in the nostrils might supplant shots in the arm.

Intranasal vaccines against COVID-19 are already in development worldwide and could provide more long-lasting protection, as it starts in the place where the pathogen lands: the mucous membranes in the airways.

The vaccines work by triggering the production of an antibody known as immunoglobulin A, which can block infection and reduce the risk of spreading the virus to others. Unlike the mRNA vaccines given as intramuscular injections in the upper arm that the United States has embraced, the spray would be painless an attractive feature for children and the needle-phobic.

Intranasal vaccines have not gotten the government support needed to develop the COVID-19 vaccines currently on the U.S. market. But researchers worldwide are in varied phases of studies. For instance, India-based Bharat Biotech, maker of the Covaxin COVID-19 vaccine, recently won approval from the countrys health regulators to enroll human subjects in clinical trials of an intranasal booster dose of immunity. The company plans to enroll nearly 5,000 people who received Covaxin in the trials.

CALIFORNIA INITIATIVE WOULD MANDATE COVID-19 VACCINES FOR ALL WORKERS

In Australia, respiratory scientist Daniela Traini at Sydneys Macquarie University received a $100,000 grant (around $72,000 U.S. dollars) from the Government of New South Wales to work with Sydney-based biotech company Medlab on an mRNA vaccine for COVID-19 to be delivered nasally.

If this study is successful, it would possibly allow other mRNA vaccines to be delivered by nasal spray, and it would bring a number of benefits, Traini said.

Researchers also believe the nasal spray vaccines could be transported more easily than the traditional mRNA vaccines, which require refrigeration at extremely low temperatures to stay viable around minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit. The relative ease the intranasal vaccines could be stored with would be a game-changer for vaccinating people in developing countries, according to Traini.

Another recent study of an intranasal vaccine using an engineered version of the coronavirus given to chimpanzees found it induced all-around immunity against the original strain of the coronavirus, as well as the alpha and beta strains. The group of Canadian immunologists behind the study concluded the intranasal vaccine represents an effective next-generation COVID-19 vaccine strategy to induce all-around mucosal immunity against current and future [variants of concern].

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Despite a general lack of funding for the development of intranasal COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S., they have received strong support from big names in the science field. Eric Topol, director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute and data scientist, said it is imperative that new investments in vaccine research and development include substantial funding for intranasal vaccines.

He and co-writer Daniel Oran, also a member of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, further called intranasal vaccines a smart bet.

COVID-19 is showing signs of transitioning from a pandemic to a phase in which the virus becomes a regular facet of normal life. But new variants are expected to arise and pose the risk of evading vaccine-conferred protection. A vaccine that coats the entire mucous membrane could help keep the coronavirus from taking up residence in the airways.

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COVID-19 vaccine sprayed in the nostrils could replace shots in arms - Washington Examiner

(Precision Vaccinations)

Texas-basedVaxxinity, Inc. announced results from studies demonstrating the ability of UB-612, its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, to elicit a broad immune response against multiple SARS-CoV-2 virus variants of concern (VoC).

Vaxxinity's press release issued on February 11, 2022, stated UB-612 generated more than three-times higher titers of neutralizing antibodies against the Omicron variantthan an approved mRNA vaccine with boosters.

Sera from 92 participants from UB-612's Phase 2 study, including eight placebos (randomized and tested blinded) and up to 36 participants in the Phase 1 study, half of the latter boosted with a third dose of UB-612, were used in these studies to analyze binding of IgG and neutralization against multiple VoCsand Variantsincluding Omicron.

UB-612 is the first multitope protein/peptide-based vaccine candidate for SARS-CoV-2.

The vaccine candidate is designed to activate both B and T-cell arms of the immune system.

"The ability of these sera to neutralize Omicron at these high levels is extraordinary and unprecedented considering that Omicron has more than 30 potential immune evading mutations and deletions across its spike protein, 15 of which are in the RBD region where our UB-612 vaccine is directed."

"Such data show that UB-612 could potentially be a unique vaccine candidate that is highly effective at mobilizing the immune system against a broad range of both current and future SARS-CoV-2 variants," said Farshad Guirakhoo, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer at Vaxxinity.

The studies were conducted by David Goldblatt, M.B. Ch.B., Ph.D., at University College Londonand VisMederi, a Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations-centralized laboratory.

Vaxxinity confirmed plans to publish these UB-612 data and present the findings at World Vaccine Congress in April 2022.

Vaxxinity, Inc. is a purpose-driven biotechnology company located in Dallas, TX, committed to democratizing healthcare globally.

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COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate Activates Both B and T-cell Arms of the Immune System - PrecisionVaccinations

ALIEF, Texas - A COVID-19 vaccination drive in Alief is making sure those who want protection against COVID-19 can get a shot.

On Saturday morning, Congressman Al Green, the City of Houston Health Department, Alief ISD, held the drive.

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First doses of the Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccine were made available to the public free of charge.

The drive was held at the Alief Center for Talent and Development Building, located at 14411 Westheimer Road.

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COVID-19 vaccination drive held in Alief - fox26houston.com

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, and the Centers Deputy Director for Science have expressed gratitude to the nations Cooperative Extension System, including University of Tennessee Extension, for addressing vaccine hesitancy by educating and raising awareness about the importance of getting vaccinated for COVID-19 in rural America.

Rural America continues to be especially hard hit by the pandemic, and the lives of families and communities continue to feel the impacts, said Director of the USDAs National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Dr. Carrie Castille. Because our communities are faced with making important decisions about vaccinations, having a trusted, independent community agent to aid in decision making is essential. Cooperative Extension agents and educators are well placed to have that discussion and provide objective educational information. Talk with your Extension agent, and then decide.

Through an interagency agreement with the CDC and NIFA, Cooperative Extension units at land-grant universities across the nation received funding and launched the Cooperative Extension Immunization Teaching and Engagement (EXCITE) in June 2021 to address health disparities among rural and other underserved communities.

Acting director of the CDC National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases Samuel F. Posner said in a letter to the U.S. Cooperative Extension System, Agents and educators are trusted messengers working in every county across the nation and are uniquely situated at local levels to engage with their communities and build partnerships to improve community health.

As my team listens to our partners in the field, we hear story upon story of the need for one-on-one, honest discussions with trusted messengers to address concerns about COVID-19 vaccines, said Posner.

UT Extension is proud to be one of the 24 Extension agencies across the nation addressing vaccine hesitancy issues. UT Extensions EXCITE project team includes state and county-based Family and Consumer Sciences personnel, as well as nursing faculty from the UT Health Science Center. To ensure maximal local involvement, participating counties have recruited Community Advisory Boards and held community conversations to uncover the attitudes and concerns that underlie vaccine hesitancy in their locations. Girded with this knowledge and support, the team is developing tailored educational campaigns to encourage COVID-19 and other adult vaccine uptake that are community-inspired and motivational, fully informed by county-based advisory boards and focus groups.

Tailored messaging in rural areas works, said Posner. As of today, over 76% of people in the United States have received their first COVID-19 vaccine dose. In rural areas, 71.4% of people ages 18 and older have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine with the percentage of those reporting that they definitely will get vaccinated on the incline. Thank you to those who helped realize these achievements by getting vaccinated and helping others do the same.

To reach the remaining individuals who are hesitant about receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, we are relying on trusted messengers to provide education about the vaccines, share information on how they were developed, and address myths about whats in the vaccines, he said. Theres an enormous need to cut through the confusion that exists about why everyone should receive a vaccination, how to get a vaccine, where to get vaccinated, and what services are available to get them to the point of vaccination (if needed).

The CDC recently published a COVID-19 Vaccination Field Guide Addendum: Rural Considerations for Vaccine Confidence and Uptake Strategies. This resource complements CDCs 12 COVID-19 Vaccination Strategies for Your Community and content on How to Conduct a Rapid Community Assessment, both designed to support the work of communities across the U.S. to increase vaccine confidence and vaccine uptake.

I know how hard field agents work, the long hours and distances traveled especially in rural and frontier areas, and how much you all care about the community members you serve. Thank you for all that you do! Posner said.

The Cooperative Extension System is operated through the nations land-grant university system in partnership with the federal and state and local governments. As the federal partner, NIFA develops methods to address national priorities, funds and awards grants, and provides program leadership. The agency supports both the universities and local Extension offices to bring science directly to the regional and county level.

NIFA invests in and advances agricultural research, education, and Extension across the nation to make transformative discoveries that solve societal challenges. NIFA supports initiatives that ensure the long-term viability of agriculture and applies an integrated approach to ensure that groundbreaking discoveries in agriculture-related sciences and technologies reach the people who can put them into practice. In FY2020, NIFAs total investment was $1.95 billion.

Through its land-grant mission of research, teaching and extension, the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. utia.tennessee.edu.

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UT Extension Playing Critical Role in COVID-19 Vaccine Education in Rural Tennessee - Therogersvillereview