Category: Covid-19 Vaccine

If you had COVID and were double vaccinated you may not need a booster

Research suggests COVID infection plus vaccination provides the strongest protection against a wide range of variants, possibly for a long time.

Just The FAQs, USA TODAY

Adults with pre-existing medical conditions who have already received the Moderna or Pfizer double vaccinations and a third shot will be able to get a fourth one, federal health officials say.

"People who are moderately and severely immunocompromised may receive a total of four COVID-19 vaccine doses," the Centers for Disease Control said in its guidelines updated Tuesday.

The CDCauthorized a third doseforimmunocompromised people 18 and older in August. The fourth shot should be received at least six months after the third, the CDC said. The CDC does not consider the third shots now being approved for Moderna and Pfizer vaccines as boosters.

Some medical conditions and treatments can make it difficult for immunocompromised people to build and retain immunity, resulting in the need for a fourth shot, the CDC says.

Also in the news:

The Los Angeles City Council has delayed the date when city workers will have to be vaccinated against COVID-19 until Dec. 18, but in the meantime those who haven't had the shots need to get tested twice weekly at their expense ($65 a pop), the Los Angeles Times reports.

More than 75% of Maines eligible population and about 70% of the entire population arefully vaccinated, according to state data released Wednesday. About 58% of the entire U.S. population is fully vaccinated.

Massachusetts education officials have extended the mask requirement in all K-12 public schools through at leastJan.15.School officials can lift the local mandate if they can demonstrate that at least 80% of all students and staff are vaccinated.

Australian Health Minister Greg Hunt announced that double-vaccinated Australians will be allowedto travel abroad and/or return home starting Monday. Many families have been split apart by thetight border closure that went into effect in March 2020.

A Brazilian Senate committee recommended on Tuesday thatPresident Jair Bolsonaroface a series of criminal indictments for actions and omissions related to the worlds second-highest COVID-19 death toll.

Today's numbers:The U.S. has recorded45.6 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than739,000 deaths,accordingtoJohns Hopkins Universitydata. Global totals: More than 244.8million cases and 4.96 million deaths. More than 190.8 million Americans 57.8% of the populationare fully vaccinated,according to theCDC.

What we're reading: Own an iPhone? You can now keep a digital version of your COVID-19 vaccine card right in your phone's Apple Wallet.

Keep refreshing this page for the latest news. Want more?Sign up forUSA TODAY's Coronavirus Watch newsletterto receive updates directly to your inbox andjoin our Facebook group.

President Joe Biden has encountered an ignorance problem in his attempts to lead the country out ofthe pandemic, and it's affecting the public's trust in his administration.

A newAxios/Ipsos poll finds Americans are uncertain about how well the COVID-19 vaccines work, despite reams of data about their ability to protect people from severe disease, hospitalization and death, and to a lesser extent infection. That lack of knowledge is likely contributing to the continued vaccine holdout of 60 million people who are eligible for the shots, and to diminished faith in the Biden administration.

Confidence that his government can make sure the economy recovers quickly after the pandemic dropped from 52% in late January to 44% in the latest poll.

Some of that eroding confidence may be rooted in how little Americans know about the vaccines, which are central to Biden's plan for the U.S. to escapethe pandemic. In the poll, only slightly more than 25% of respondents correctly said that a vaccinated 80-year-old is at greater risk of dying of COVID-19 than an unvaccinated 30-year-old. And only 40% knew that vaccinated people are less likely to test positive for the coronavirus than those who haven't been inoculated.

In the wake of an FDA advisory panel supporting the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for kids 5-11, the White House COVID-19 response team on Wednesday said millions of doses would be sent to pediatricians, family doctors, pharmacies, children's hospitals and other healthcare entities as soon as the inoculations are authorized.

About 28 million children in that age range could become eligible for thePfizer vaccine as early as next week.

"We will be ready immediately following FDA and CDC's decisions so that parents can get their kids vaccinated quickly, easily and conveniently,'' said Jeff Zients, the team's coordinator.

Other team members illustrated the importance of getting children vaccinated. Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC, said COVID-19 has become one of the 10 leading causes of death among children ages 5-11, and that 8,300 kids those ages have been hospitalized with the illness. A recent CDC study found 42%of American children ages 5-11 had contracted the coronavirus by the end of June.

Presidential adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci reported that a study in the UK showed 4.4% of school-age children who had the disease experienced long-COVID, a number of debilitating and enduring symptoms, for at least four weeks.

For answers to many parents' questions about the kids' vaccine, click here.

Pete Vegas had just returned from vacation with his five grandkids when he received a strange text telling him he'd won $1 million. He thought it was a hoax.Vegas, a Colorado resident, was a winner of the state's COVID-19 vaccine lottery, designed to incentivize people to get the shot. He's planning to use the money to fight climate change.

"My immediate reaction was guilt," said Vegas, 65. "Both my wife and I said, wow, we can't keep this money. We have to do something good with it."

Several states funded vaccines lotteries, and at least 24 people nationwide claimed a $1 million prize.Here's a look at what some other vaccine millionaires did with the loot. Read more here.

The number ofmeatpacking workers who contracted the coronavirus was more than 2 1/2 times higher than previously believed, and 269 employeesdied when COVID-19 tore through the industry last year, according to a new U.S. House report released Wednesday.

The U.S. House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, which used internal documents from five of the biggest meatpacking companies for its report, said companieswere slow to take protective steps such as checking employee temperatures, providing face masks and installing barriers between work stations.

The report estimated the number of infections at more than 59,000, considerably higher than the22,400 figure from the United Food and Commercial Workers. A large percentage of the workers in the industry are immigrants.

Instead of addressing the clear indications that workers were contracting the coronavirus at alarming rates due to conditions in meatpacking facilities, meatpacking companies prioritized profits and production over worker safety, continuing to employ practices that led to crowded facilities in which the virus spread easily, the report said.

In a statement e-mailed to USA TODAY, UFCW PresidentMarc Perrone called on Congress and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to bolster protections for meatpacking workers.

"With federal regulators asleep at the switch when the pandemic began and many non-union plants refusing to disclose the full number of COVID worker infections, far too many Americans on the frontlines were defenseless against the virus,'' Perrone said.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards lifted his statewide COVID mask mandateexcept for schools, which must heed recommended quarantine policies before shedding face coverings.Edwards cited a dramatic fall in the state's infection rate and hospitalizations for his decision.He also noted the potential for children to be eligible for vaccines within weeks, while bemoaning Louisiana's lagging vaccination rate as 45th in the nation: "We have to do better."Individual city and parish government leaders, such as New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell, and business owners may still mandate masks at their discretion.

"We have made tremendous progress and I have no doubt that reinstating the mask mandate was a key to this," Edwards said.

Greg Hilburn, Lafayette Daily Advertiser

U.S.-based pharmaceutical giant Merck announced a licensing agreement to provide "affordable" global access to its coronavirus drugmolnupiravir. The oral, antiviral medicine is fortreatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults who are at risk for progressing to severe COVID-19 and/or hospitalization. The agreement with the Medicines Patent Pool, which works to make medical treatment and technologies globally accessible, will provide 105 low- and middle-income countries with access to the drug.

Mercks mission to save and improve lives is a truly global commitment," said Frank Clyburn, president of Merck's Human Health division. "This agreement with MPP is another important element in our multi-faceted strategy to accelerate broad, affordable access to molnupiravir."

The United States has passed one important milestone in its recovery from a delta variant-driven surge of coronavirus and is close to another.Johns Hopkins University data shows the U.S.reported fewer than 500,000 cases a week through Monday, a number that fell to 476,873 in the seven-day period ending Tuesday. The country hadn't been below 500,000 since July 29, and went on to record some 1.15 million cases in the week ending Sept. 4.

With cases falling for nearly two months, deaths have also been dropping and appear likely to soon dip below 10,000 per week. There were 10,346 COVID-19 deaths in the seven-day period ending Tuesday, the lowest figure since Sept. 6, a holiday, after which every week has reported at least 10,000 deaths. Deaths in the delta-driven wave peaked at 14,648 on Sept. 22, or about 2,100 per day.

Mike Stucka

Another COVID-19 vaccine maker is hoping to enter the U.S. market, this time with a traditional type of shot that has already been delivered more than 100 million times in India.

OcugenInc., a publicly traded company based in Malvern, Pennsylvania, announced Wednesday morning that it has submitted an application to the FDA to begin a trial of its vaccine, COVAXIN.

The vaccine uses a whole-killed virus, meaning it delivers into the body an inactivated form of the coronavirus. This stimulates a broader immune response than vaccines currently available in the United States, and is more similar to the immune protection provided by a COVID-19 infection, according to Dr. Bruce Forrest, Ocugens acting chief medical officer.

Contributing: The Associated Press

Read the original post:

Only 40% of Americans know vaccinated people are less likely to test positive, poll says: COVID-19 updates - USA TODAY

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) More than 74% of Virginians, 18 and older, are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, putting the commonwealth in the top 10 states with the most vaccinations.

According to Virginia Gov. Ralph Northams office, nearly six million people have received vaccinations and nearly 12 million shots have been administered among the 8.5 million people who live in Virginia.

Weve reached the top ten because so manyVirginians have worked so hard for so long,said Governor Northam in a release Wednesday. Its something we can all be proud of. Vaccines will soon be available for children, and thousands of adults are getting boosters. This is all great news.

As of Oct. 26, COVID-19 cases have declined to1,500 per day a drop of 40% over the last two weeks, the governors office said in a release. Hospitalizations have also dropped by 42% in the last couple of weeks.

The Food and Drug Administration recently approved COVID-19 booster shots. More than 403,000Virginians have received a booster so far.

The Virginia Department of Health is also preparing to vaccinate children ages 5 to 11, pending approval from the federal government. There are more than 700,000 children ages 5 to 11 living in the state.

Virginians who have not been vaccinated yet are encouraged to go tovaccinate.virginia.govor call 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682, TTY users call 7-1-1) to find a nearby vaccination clinic.

View post:

Virginia now ranks 10th in the country for COVID-19 vaccinations - WAVY.com

If youre planning to see a hockey or basketball game at Ball Arena or attend a concert at Paramount Theatre, be prepared to show proof youre vaccinated against COVID-19.

Starting Nov. 10, both Denver venues will require all event attendees, working staff and team personnel to show proof of vaccination, operator Kroenke Sports & Entertainment announced Wednesday. The venues will also accept a negative COVID-19 test result within 72 hours of the event. The rules apply to anyone over age 12 and are in place until further notice, KSE said.

Additionally, staff and attendees will be required to wear a face mask at all times inside Ball Arena or Paramount Theatre, except while eating and drinking, the company said.

The decision to institute these protocols for all events reinforces KSEs continued commitment to ensure that the health, safety and wellness of our fans, frontline workers, staff, performers and athletes is our top priority, said Matt Hutchings, executive vice president and chief operating officer, noting the company consulted local, state and federal government officials and health agencies as well as national sports leagues for guidance.

Proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test will be verified at the entrance to each venue, Hutchings added.

Ball Arena and Paramount Theatre are just the latest event spaces to employ such safety protocols. Since the summer, independently owned restaurants and music venues in Colorado have instituted their own vaccine protocols in response to the spread of the highly contagious delta variant. Since Oct. 1, concert promoter AEG has required fans to show proof of vaccination to attend events at its venues nationwide. Similarly, Live Nation requires proof of vaccination or a negative test result.

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, In The Know, to get entertainment news sent straight to your inbox.

Go here to read the rest:

Denvers Ball Arena, Paramount Theatre will soon require proof of COVID-19 vaccine or negative test - The Denver Post

CHICAGO (CBS) Next week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to approve mini-doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for kids as young as 5.

We found a lot of questions and misinformation floating around online. CBS 2s Chris Tye spent the day Wednesday unpacking myths and cleaning up concerns as families decide whats best for their little ones.

Doctors told Tye the same misinformation that was out there last winter when adult vaccines first rolled out now is being recirculated as our kids are now the ones eligible.

Minutes after the news broke Tuesday, Tye tweeted the Food and Drug Administration recommendation had endorsed the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for kids as young as 5, and the CDC would need to offer approval next.

Later this year, kids as young as 6 months will be evaluated for vaccination.

The responses came in by the hundreds

Im ready to get my two grands vaccinated!!!. one person wrote.

But others the majority had a different view.

No way would I expose my young child to an experimental vaccine that has shown to cause blood clots, autoimmune and cardiovascular reactions, one person tweeted back.

That little sound bite has a lot in there to unpack, said Dr. Allison Bartlett of the University of Chicagos Comer Childrens Hospital.

So we asked Bartlett to unpack it for us. First, is the vaccine really experimental?

COVID vaccines are a relatively recent development based on decades and careers worth of science, she said. Across the world, about 7 billion doses have been given.

She said blood clots have been associated with vaccinations, but none administered in the U.S.

Individuals who have autoimmune diseases are recommended to get vaccinated because they may be more at risk for disease, Bartlett said.

As far as cardiovascular concerns known as myocarditis?

We do not know overall what the risk of myocarditis will be in the 5- to 11-year-old group, Bartlett said. There were no individuals that developed it during the trial.

Another tweet we received claimed: The risk from vax outweighs the risk from COVID in young kids. That is all you need to know to make an informed decision. Dont make your kids take part in this clinical trial.

Bartlett countered: It is just the opposite. The risk of COVID infection and the long-haul COVID and post-COVID issues risk of that far outweigh any risk of vaccination of these kids.

For parents on Twitter and elsewhere worried about long-term vaccination effects?

There has never been a vaccine that has effects felt beyond the week or two after its administered, so that is not a scientifically-based concern either, Bartlett said.

Bartlett said if the timeline holds and kids ages 5 to 11 can get fully vaccinated by mid -December, it really will change the landscape and open up options for families planning their winter break.

More here:

COVID-19 Vaccination For Kids Ages 5 To 11: Clearing Up Myths And Misinformation - CBS Chicago

NEW HANOVER COUNTY (WWAY) When it comes to vaccines for children, Pfizer is one step down, with several more to go.

According to Assistant New Hanover County Health Director Carla Turner, kids ages 5 through 11 could get a vaccine as soon as next week.

At one-third the regular adult dose, Turner says the vaccine has proven extremely effective on kids.

They were shown in studies to be 90.7 percent effective at preventing illness, she said, which is phenomenal.

Vaccines for children 5 through 11 cleared one hurdle Tuesday, when and FDA panel recommended it for emergency authorization use.

And though the FDA, CDC panel, CDC director, and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services still need to approve it, the vaccine is on many parents minds.

Some, like Rita Perini, are strongly opposed.

Theyre more resilient to stuff than adults are, she said. And they dont know enough about it. I do not want my grandchildren vaccinated, I do not want my grown children vaccinated.

Others, like Amber Stepnoski are excited to complete the set, getting the shot for every member of their family.

I say better safe than sorry, Stepnoski explained. Im actually just excited. Im excited to hear that we did the five. And hopefully, maybe at the beginning of the new year well have the five and under.

Mother, Sidney Phoenix worried the vaccine wasnt studied enough, an admitted anxiety over the shots side effects.

That makes me pretty nervous. Im not going to lie. Theres been a lot of side effects and stuff with the vaccine for adults, I can only imagine what that would put children through, said Phoenix.

Though its a widely held concern in the Cape Fear, Turner said according to the FDA, the vaccine studies were in depth. By making this decision, their conclusion was the reward outweighed the risk.

This vaccine for this age group did go under any less rigorous testing than any of these other vaccines, said Turner. They all have gone through the same rigorous testing that any vaccine or new drug has to go through before its approved.

See more here:

Children and the COVID-19 vaccine: parents on vaccines for kids ages 5 to 11 - WWAY NewsChannel 3

Financial incentives, public-health messages and other tactics used by state and local governments and employers to encourage people to get the Covid-19 vaccine didnt have a noticeable impact on vaccination rates among those who already were hesitant about getting the shot, new research shows.

Whats more, the strategies sometimes had the opposite effect of their intended design on certain groups of people, illustrating how difficult it has been to lift U.S. vaccination rates as the pandemic drags on, according to a recent study published in the National Bureau of Economic Research.

Read more:

It Turns Out Paying People to Take the Covid-19 Vaccine Doesnt Really Work - The Wall Street Journal

Planning underway in Tarrant County to administer COVID-19 vaccine once it's approved for kids

A Wednesday morning conference call gave insight into how Tarrant County school districts are preparing to administer COVID-19 Pfizer vaccinations for children 5-11 years old.

FORT WORTH, Texas - A Wednesday morning conference call gave insight into how Tarrant County school districts are preparing to administer COVID-19 Pfizer vaccinations for children 5-11 years old.

"We probably had over 40 people on the call, I think just about all, if not every, district in Tarrant County," Tarrant County Judge Glenn Whitley said.

There was even a desired timeline discussed.

"I think everybody on the call said, ideally, they would love to have the first shot given before Thanksgiving, which would allow then the second shot to be given before the district closed down for Christmas break," Whitley said. "That way, when the kids went off for the Christmas break, it would be much safer and they could go and not be as concerned about trying to distance themselves."

RELATED: FDA panel endorses Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine for children 5-11

With FDA approval expected in a matter of days, Judge Whitley said the county is assisting districts that have expressed the desire to set up clinics.

"Itll be a partnership with the city of Fort Worth, certainly guided by advice from the county health department," Fort Worth ISD Superintendent Dr. Kent Scribner said.

Scribner said Fort Worth ISD will focus on convenience for families and staff.

"We are collaborating right now the county health department and the city of Fort Worth, and we look to have drive-thru clinics here in our district for any parent who would like their child to be vaccinated," he explained.

Arlington ISD said details are in progress. A statement from the district Wednesday said: "The Arlington ISD is discussing the possibility of hosting a vaccine clinic for students ages 5-11, district families and staff members in the near future."

The district held a similar vaccination clinic at its athletics center when Pfizer shots were approved for students 12 and older.

"I did not hear a single school district or single individual say they werent willing to participate," Whitley added. "They were all saying let us go back and look at our calendars and find if we have a location that would feel like is best."

Whitley said there will likely be community partners to assist giving shots, in addition to pharmacies and pediatrician offices. He also wants families to have flexibility in getting the vaccine in districts other than their own.

"If, by chance, a parent and a child, who might be in the Mansfield ISD, and a more convenient day was in Arlington ISD, just publicizing these things and allowing folks to go when they could go and where they can go," he said.

Read the original post:

Planning underway in Tarrant County to administer COVID-19 vaccine once it's approved for kids - FOX 4 Dallas

As the deadline for the Biden administrations COVID-19 vaccine mandate for federal contractors looms, the chief executive officer of Raytheon Technologies said the company could potentially lose several thousand people who dont plan to get vaccinated.

Greg Hayes said in an interview with CNBC on Tuesday that 3 percent of the Waltham-based defense contractors 125,000-person workforce will likely refuse to get the vaccine before the Dec. 8 deadline. Thats roughly 3,500 people who will be at risk of losing their jobs.

Now this is a tough thing, but we are preparing for it. Were out hiring today, Hayes said. Frankly, its the right thing to do. We need to have people vaccinated to get this pandemic under control.

Hayes said more than 80 percent of the companys workforce is fully vaccinated.

Raytheon told employees on Sept. 15 that they would need to be fully vaccinated by Jan. 1, but a week later, the Biden administration announced the deadline for federal contractors would be Dec. 8.

Hayes said about 7,500 as-yet-unvaccinated employees have indicated that they would be vaccinated by the deadline, and another 3,500 have asked for a religious or medical exemption. (The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has not yet released more information on the broader COVID-19 vaccine mandate that would apply to all private employers with more than 100 employees).

Raytheon declined to provide vaccination status data for its 14,700 employees based in Massachusetts.

The issue facing Raytheon is playing out across the state, as companies that do business with the federal government have less than two months to ensure their workforces are fully vaccinated.

At Boston-based General Electric, the mandate has led to a union fight, with workers claiming GE didnt give them enough time to bargain over how the policy will play out.

Justin Richards, a business agent for IUE-CWA Local 201, said he thinks more than half of the unions 1,200 members in Lynn are unvaccinated. They still have questions over what will happen if they dont meet the deadline, since being fired, laid off, or furloughed would have different impacts on benefits such as health care or severance packages, he said.

A GE spokesperson said in an e-mail that the company is complying with the executive order on vaccine mandates, which is not subject to bargaining. We have and will continue to have open discussions with union leadership regarding our COVID protocols, including the recent vaccine mandate, as we have throughout the pandemic.

Anissa Gardizy can be reached at anissa.gardizy@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @anissagardizy8.

View post:

Raytheon, GE grapple with losing employees over COVID-19 vaccine mandate - BetaBoston

Utahns with children under 18 are split over vaccinating them against COVID-19, according to a new Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics poll as federal approval nears for 5- to 11-year-olds to get the shots as soon as early November.

An advisory panel to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday recommended a pediatric dose of the Pfizer vaccine for children as young as 5. There are several more steps in the approval process, including by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, set to meet next week on the issue.

Vaccines are already available across the United States to anyone 12 and older, including the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson brands for those over 18 years old. The FDA panel was told that COVID-19 is one of the top 10 causes of death among children 5-11, with nearly 100 dying nationwide from the virus.

In Utah, COVID-19 has claimed the lives of two young people under 18 years old. In March, months before the vaccination age limit was lowered from 16, a Salt Lake County boy between 1 and 14 years old died from the virus and in September, the death of an unvaccinated girl believed to be 15 to 17 years old was reported.

Less than 48% of Utahns 12 to 15 years old are fully vaccinated against the deadly virus, meaning its been two weeks or more since their final dose, while 55% of all Utahns, including more that 86% of those 65 and older who are considered the most vulnerable to COVID-19, can say the same.

The results of the new poll for the Deseret News and the University of Utahs Hinckley Institute of Politics suggests why.

Just over half the Utahns polled, 53%, said they did not have children under 18 when asked to describe their reactions to children and teenagers getting a COVID-19 vaccine as the parent or guardian of a child in that age group.

The rest were divided in their support of vaccinating children and teens, with 10% saying their children were already eligible for the shots and had gotten them, and another 12% planning to get their children vaccinated as soon as they became eligible.

But another 10% said they wanted to wait and see how the vaccine works before theyd get their children the shots, while 8% had determined their children would not receive a COVID-19 vaccine and 6% had not yet decided what to do.

Among the Utah parents whod made up their minds not to vaccinate their children against COVID-19, most said their main reason was that they didnt believe the vaccine was necessary, 46%. Another 16% said they were worried about side effects, 11% dont trust vaccines, 3% objected for religious reasons and 24% had other reasons.

The poll was conducted Oct 14-21 by Dan Jones & Associates of 746 registered Utah voters and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.54 percentage points for the full sample. For the question asked only of parents who said they were not getting their children vaccinated, the margin of error is plus or minus 12.25 percentage points.

Dr. Neal Davis, medical director of pediatric community-based care for Intermountain Healthcare, said he wasnt surprised by the results.

I think that kind of squares with my experience in clinic, in talking with parents, Davis said. I have a lot of families in my clinic that are very anxious to be able to get their kids vaccinated. So yes. Then there are some who are kind of that wait-and-see group, and then some who dont want to. Then we have a good conversation.

The Murray-based pediatrician said the two concerns parents most often bring up about the COVID-19 vaccine is whether it is needed since cases tend to be milder in children and if what theyve heard about possible side effects is true.

While children typically arent hit as hard as adults by the virus, he said he tries to make it clear they also can become seriously ill.

COVID doesnt impact children and teenagers as much as it impacts adults, especially adults at risk. And its also true that children can be impacted significantly. Its very important to protect them when we can. Those are not mutually exclusive statements, Davis said.

Parents are told the vaccine is needed, he said, because we have had many children hospitalized in our state with COVID, and some suffer really significant after effects, including multisymptom inflammatory syndrome or MIS-C, as well as lingering symptoms known as long COVID.

The doctor said he focuses on building trust with parents, by answering their questions about the vaccine.

I think its really important to listen to people and help them feel respected, Davis said. Then I talk about their concerns and make sure I understand them. I present the data that Im aware of and then I let them know that I respect their view. We will work together and always do what they want to do for their child.

Many come around, he said, although it can take time. If the vaccine is approved for children, Davis said his hope is that all of them can be protected by the shots, but he also wants every parent to feel respected as they care for their child.

Jason Perry, director of the Hinckley Institute of Politics, said parents appear to be taking an extra measure of caution as they consider the COVID-19 vaccine for their children, compared to earlier polls that asked adults about taking the vaccine themselves.

Those polls found about two-thirds of Utah adults said theyd gotten the shots or wanted to right away, compared to about half of the parents in the new poll who had or intended to vaccinate their children or teenagers. Perry said the pandemic has been about weighing risks for Utahns, and those change when it comes to children.

When it comes to making decisions for others, particularly their children, they have been more cautious, he said Although physicians and medical experts have been clear that there is little risk of harm for children getting the vaccine, the risk analysis has shifted for parents and more have decided to wait.

Dr. Andrew Pavia, chief of the division of pediatric infectious diseases at University of Utah Health and director of hospital epidemiology at Intermountain Primary Childrens Hospital in Salt Lake City, said its understandable that people worry more about vaccinating their children than themselves.

Thats what we do as parents, is we worry a lot about our kids, Pavia said.

In a state with mandatory masking in schools and a much higher vaccination rate than Utah, watching and waiting before vaccinating children may be a reasonable strategy, he said. Unfortunately, we dont live there. We have a lot of COVID spreading in our schools affecting kids in this age group.

That means parents should balance whats not known yet about the vaccine, Pavia said, after studies that included some 3,200 children. None showed any serious side effects, including myocarditis. an inflammation of the heart muscle that affected some adolescent and young adult males.

We dont know everything there is to know about this vaccine yet. We know enough to know that its safe and effective. We are going to learn more, Pavia said, such as whether children will eventually need booster shots that are now being given to many adults.

With approximately 365,000 Utah children between the ages of 5-11, they would be one of the largest newly eligible groups since vaccinations against the COVID-19 virus began last December, according to the Utah Department of Health.

The state health department said Tuesday that 109,000 pediatric doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been pre-ordered from the federal government and should begin shipping at the end of this week. But the department said the doses cannot be administered until federal regulators give final approval, likely next week.

The pediatric doses would be able to be administered by the same providers who offer adult COVID-19 shots, including local health departments, pharmacies and doctors offices. Vaccine providers can be found on the states coronavirus website, coronavirus.utah.gov/vaccine-distribution.

The FDA advisory panel recommendation is for giving children 5 to 11 one-third of the dose offered to those 12 and older in two shots, three weeks apart. About 28 million children around the country would be eligible for the shots under the recommendation.

It next goes to the agencys acting director, Dr. Janet Woodcock, then her decision is reviewed by a CDC advisory panel that is scheduled to meet Nov. 2 and 3, and finally, the CDCs director, Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky. Walensky will issue the final guidance for vaccinating children.

The rest is here:

Poll: Utahn parents split over getting kids vaccinated against COVID-19 - Deseret News

Auburn University will offer COVID-19 vaccine clinics at Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum on Nov. 1, 2, 22 and 23 to increase access for those interested in receiving an initial dose, second dose or booster of the vaccine. Officials plan to have all three types of the vaccine available (Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson), with available supply based on the level of demand for any given vaccine. While the clinics are offered, booster doses will be available only on the Nov. 1, 2, 22 and 23 dates to ensure the university meets demand for first doses of the COVID-19 vaccines.

Schedule a COVID-19 vaccine appointment

See the rest here:

COVID-19 vaccine clinics to be held at Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum in November - Office of Communications and Marketing