Category: Covid-19 Vaccine

CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) With the approval of the COVID-19 vaccine for the age group of 5 to 11 still pending, are schools in West Virginia prepared for the rollout?

In Kanawha County, schools are working with the Kanawha Charleston Health Department on just how many vaccines the health department should prepare for.

Weve already given them preliminary enrollment numbers for each elementary school as well as each middle school, the 11-year-olds that would be eligible in the middle schools as well. Weve given them the numbers so that they can prepare to order the appropriate dose, said Alicia Warden, the head nurse for KCS.

There are approximately 10,800 kids aged 5 to 11 enrolled in Kanawha County Schools. Warden says they havent planned clinics for the age group yet, but when they do it will be similar to their flu clinics.

With flu shot clinics we would have it scheduled over several weeks so we would typically do maybe two schools in a day, they would have a clinic in the morning then they would change locations to the second and the school nurses just collaborate with their teammates and jump in where needed, said Warden.

Its a similar situation at Putnam County Schools. They told 13 News in a statement, Much like we did with the pending approval of vaccines for children 12 years of age and older, Putnam County Schools plans to put out a parent survey. to give us an idea of how many parents/families are interested. This will also help PCS plan clinics pending FDA approval.

We did talk with other school districts across the state, and many are still waiting on guidance from the county and state levels. School leaders like Warden say collaboration is key.

Were fortunate to have this collaborative relationship with our health department to try to reach the community and help get the word out there and these vaccines out to eligible students who want it, Warden said.

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Are schools prepared to roll out COVID-19 vaccine for 5 to 11-year-olds? - WOWK 13 News

The ideal time to be vaccinated during pregnancy is as soon as possible, as pregnant individuals are at heightened risk of severe Covid-19. Credit: Shutterstock

Need to know:

Infants of parents who were vaccinated with Covid-19 mRNA vaccines during pregnancy would still need to receive the first two injections once they reach six months old. These babies only acquired SARS-CoV-2 protection from passive immunity, which is likely to have waned at six months.

In parents who received a third dose, the infants Covid-19 vaccination may be delayed, but more data is needed to pinpoint specific timelines. Meanwhile, it is imperative for previously infected pregnant individuals to still be vaccinated, as antibodies from a natural infection are less likely to be transferred to the infant compared with ones triggered by vaccines.

Momentum is building for certain countries to start vaccinating children aged five to 11 years. But individuals who were vaccinated during pregnancy are asking if their babies should also receive the first two doses of a Covid-19 mRNA vaccine if vaccinations are authorised in children aged six months to five years. The ideal time to be vaccinated during pregnancy is as soon as possible, as pregnant individuals are at heightened risk of severe Covid-19. Earlier vaccination also increases the chance of higher antibody titres being passed on to the infant.

In the US, mRNA vaccines by Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech are recommended during pregnancy. A Pfizer spokesperson said initial results in the group of children aged six months to five years in the Phase I/II/III Comirnaty (BNT162b2) trial (NCT04816643) are expected at the end of 2021.

Moderna, which is running a Phase II/III Spikevax (mRNA-1273) trial (NCT04796896) in children aged six months to under 12 years, did not respond to a comment request. The trials ClinicalTrials.gov listings do not indicate if infants from vaccinated parents are included or excluded.

WhileJohnson & Johnsonsadenovirus-vectored vaccine is also okayed in the US during pregnancy, uptake in pregnant individuals has been low due to rare cases of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) being predominantly detected in adult women younger than 50 years old.

Infants from vaccinated individuals would still need the first two doses because immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies transferred via the placenta are likely to wane, Brigham and Womens Hospital maternal-fetal medicine attending physician Dr Kathryn Gray explained. Its not as if the baby is also vaccinated, she said, adding any immunological memory induced by the mRNA vaccine in the parent is not passed on to the infant. This is in line with existing vaccinations during pregnancy, Massachusetts General Hospital maternal-fetal medicine specialist Dr Andrea Edlow noted.

Right after birth, the infant is likely to have comparable IgG titres to the parent, Gray said. However, exact timelines showing how rapidly IgG wanes in babies are still unclear, Edlow added. Based on experience with existing vaccines, such as for influenza, infants would be candidates for the primary schedule from six months, which is the same as babies from nonvaccinated individuals, Gray explained. It is possible IgG levels in babies aged six months are not at high enough levels for protection, University of Nebraska Medical Center pediatrics professor Dr Ann Anderson-Berry noted.

On 23 July, this news service reported a third booster dose of mRNA vaccines in adults may increase side-effect frequency. However, IgG in infants is not their primary exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and so such side-effect issues may not be applicable in babies from vaccinated parents, Edlow said. At six months, IgG levels are likely to to have been in decline, easing concerns for such increased side-effect risks, added Sheba Medical Center fetal medicine unit head Dr Yoav Yinon.

The babys inherited IgG could still interfere with how responsive the infants own immune system would be to the prime-boost vaccination, Edlow noted. Data should be collected in this regard. Nevertheless, receiving the first dose at six months is still likely to be optimal, she said. In pregnant individuals with a natural infection, antibody titres may have waned at four months. So, the more potent, vaccine-induced IgG levels in the baby may have decreased at six months, she added.

In Israel, pregnant individuals are given boosters at least five months after the second dose. This may allow a higher level of IgG to be passed on to the infant, Yinon said. In effect, babies from these pregnancies may have a higher level of IgG than in infants whose parent only received the first two doses, he added. As such, the booster may allow for more sustained IgG levels in these babies, he explained, but noted more data should be collected to confirm this possibility. The Pfizer spokesperson said guidance on who should receive booster doses resides with regulatory authorities and national health agencies.

What is certain is that pregnant individuals who have recovered from Covid-19 should still be vaccinated. Vaccine-induced antibodies are more likely to be passed on to the infant than ones from a prior infection, Gray added.

Vaccines induce higher antibody titres than a natural infection, which means more antibodies are passed on to the infant, Gray explained. Everyone has variable immune system reaction from a natural infection, Anderson-Berry added. Also, there could be differences in the sugars attached to the antibodies induced by vaccines versus natural infections, which makes vaccines more likely for IgG transfer, Gray said.

Further supporting the argument for vaccination after Covid-19 recovery is the fact that it may lead to more IgG antibodies transferred to the infant, Anderson-Berry said. The higher the antibody levels passed on to the baby, the better, as correlates of protection are still nebulous, she explained.

Between the different Covid-19 vaccine technologies, mRNA vaccines with a longer gap between doses may induce a higher antibody titre, and double-dose vaccines would be superior to single-shot vaccines, Anderson-Berry said. While there could be some nuances on which vaccine induces a relatively higher rate of antibody titres, any of the authorized vaccines should induce enough IgG to be transferred to the infant, Edlow noted.

There is some confusion among pregnant individuals about optimal timelines for vaccination. However, vaccination should happen regardless of what stage, Gray said. In fact, the sooner the better, Anderson-Berry noted, adding vaccination should happen even if the parent does not complete the prime-boost series during pregnancy. If the individual is vaccinated earlier, it allows for the vaccine to work for longer, thus allowing for a higher chance of antibodies to be passed on, Edlow explained.

There are two types of vaccinations during pregnancy. The first is designed to protect the pregnant person as symptoms are more severe during pregnancy (such as the influenza vaccine), and the second is designed to primarily to protect the baby during the first months of life (such as the whooping cough vaccine).

Covid-19 vaccines belong to both types, as pregnant parents are more likely to be hospitalized when infected with SARS-CoV-2, Gray said. Pregnancy can lead to decreased lung capacity, to the detriment of the persons respiratory status, she explained. On top of IgG transferred via the placenta, breastfeeding also allows IgA antibodies to be passed on to the infant, she added.

The main reason for vaccine hesitation among pregnant individuals is adverse effect concerns for the infant. However, there is no evidence of increased risk of pregnancy loss, preterm birth, poor fetal outcomes or even birth defects, Edlow said. Impaired fertility is also an unfounded concern, Anderson-Berry noted.

Safety data is robust in pregnant individuals, with at least 168,000 pregnant people vaccinated in the US, and at least 81,000 in the UK who have received their first dose, Edlow said. Safety data in Covid-19 vaccines is more robust than in therapeutics, as vaccines have been used in more pregnant people, she noted. Covid-19 vaccines are efficacious in pregnant individuals, with the vaccines inducing the same immunogenic response in this group as in nonpregnant people, she added.

As for side effects in infants aged six months and older, accumulated data is not yet available, but early results indicate the vaccine is well tolerated overall, Anderson-Berry said. Although, while side effects in children and adults may be similar, there is still the risk it may lead to severe clinical outcomes in kids, this news service reportedon 17 September.

Because infants cannot articulate vaccine-related side effects, parents and vaccine givers would need to be cognizant of the baby's behaviour, including more fussiness, decreased energy, or a poor appetite, Anderson-Berry noted. Injection site redness and fever should also be monitored.

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Doses of the Pfizer vaccine are arriving in Iowa this week in anticipation of emergency use authorization by federal officials.

DES MOINES, Iowa Local and state health officials are making plans this week in anticipation of federal leaders approving the emergency use authorization of the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine for kids 5 to 11 years old.

According to an Iowa Department of Public Health spokesperson, 99,000 doses will begin arriving between Oct. 27 and Nov. 4 for the rollout of the shots to young children.

The vaccines will go to county health departments and other local vaccine providers for administration. Pediatricians, rural health care centers, pharmacies and family medical clinics will all be points of care for the vaccine administration.

In Webster County, the local county health department is making plans to host a clinic either the same day or the day after the CDC gives full authorization. That could come as early as Nov. 4.

"We will do whatever we need to do to canvass the community," said Kari Prescott, head of Webster County Health Department. "We'll go to small towns to make sure that the vaccination is accessible. And there's really no barriers to anybody that really wants the shot. We should be able to give it to them."

Prescott recognizes that newly eligible children will be in school during the day, unable to get the shot through big clinics. So the county is organizing drive-thru clinics for nights and weekends after the announcement is made.

That includes working with the school district to determine if there is an early out day to set up an on-site vaccination clinic.

Going into day care centers or families' homes are other options to administer the vaccine to kids, Prescott said.

Local 5 contacted several school districts in central Iowa: all of them pointed to local county health departments, pharmacies and medical centers as locations they are telling parents to vaccinate their kids.

IDPH estimates about 284,000 Iowa children fall into this age group. Kids 12 and up have been eligible for the Pfizer vaccine since May.

State officials said hey will be able to order more doses every week as necessary after the initial batch of 99,000 doses arrives.

Parents need to give consent to their children and must be present during the administration process.

Prescott said the Webster County Health Department is working to get larger spaces for the upcoming vaccination clinics to allow for more spacing and privacy for the young kids.

Do you have questions about the COVID vaccine rollout for kids?Email usor send us a text message at 515-457-1026!

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Here's the state's plan for administering the COVID-19 vaccine to kids 5-11 - Local 5 - weareiowa.com

AUBURN First-year Auburn football coach Bryan Harsin declined to disclose whether he has received a COVID-19 vaccine Monday.

He was asked about his vaccination status in regard to the new policy that was announced Friday,requiring all Auburn University employees to be fully vaccinated by Dec. 8.

Harsin said he is aware of the policy, which stems from an executive order signed by President Joe Biden on Sept. 9, but "it doesn't change the fact that I'm not going to discuss any individual's decision or status on the vaccine, or anyone else's, including my own."

"From the beginning, I think I've made it clear that that wasn't something that I was going to talk about or discuss," Harsin said. "I wasn't going to go down that road and don't feel like right now that's any different."

In July at SEC Media Days, Harsin declined to say whether he was vaccinated, calling it a personal choice and emphasizing that he wanted to bring in experts to educate his players on the vaccine. He tested positive for COVID-19 on Aug. 20 and missed 10 days of Auburn's preseason practices, rejoining the team five days before his first game as head coach.

While he was in quarantine, Harsin held a Zoom press conference in which he stated he is not anti-vaccine but did not share his status.

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Auburn University announced all faculty members are required to be fully vaccinated by Dec. 8. Only employees legally entitled to a religious or medical exception will be accommodated. As of Oct. 21, Auburn said at least 82% of employees with university-sponsored benefits were fully or partially vaccinated.

To be fully vaccinated by Dec. 8, employees receiving the Moderna shot are required to have their first dose by Oct. 27 and second dose by Nov. 24. Employees receiving the Pfizer shot are required to have the first dose by Nov. 3 and the second by Nov. 24. And those getting the Johnson & Johnson vaccine must receive the shot by Nov. 24.

Washington State football coach Nick Rolovich and four assistant coaches were fired last week after declining to follow the mandate for state employees to get vaccinated.

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Auburn football coach Bryan Harsin declines to say whether he received a COVID-19 vaccine - Montgomery Advertiser

With todays release of iOS 15.1, Apple now allows you to add your vaccination cards to the Apple Wallet application. This comes after the initial release of iOS 15 last month added new Health features for storing your COVID-19 immunizations and test results in the Health app.

Apple made the announcement in a post Apple Developer website last month. Apple is using the SMART Health Cards specification to power this feature. This means that if your healthcare provider or state is using the SMART Health Cards platform, you can share verifiable health records stored in the Health app with approved third-party apps requesting this information, including airlines, event venues, and other businesses.

With iOS 15.1, you can also choose to add your verifiable COVID-19 vaccination records to the Apple Wallet app to present at businesses and venues.

Apple says:

With iOS 15, users can download and store verifiable health records, including COVID-19 vaccinations and test results, in the Health app. Verifiable health records in the Health app are based on the SMART Health Cards specification. Users can choose to share verifiable health records stored in the Health app with approved third-party apps requesting this information, like airlines, event venues, and other businesses that facilitate in-person interactions. And in an upcoming software update, they can also choose to add verifiable COVID-19 vaccination records as a vaccination card in Apple Wallet to present to businesses, venues, and more.

Organizations that issue SMART Health Cards can use a new button to let users know that they can securely download and store their vaccination information in the Health app and quickly add and present it from Wallet.

As with many of these types of features, whether or not you get to take advantage of Apples implementation depends on your health care provider and state.

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iOS 15.1 lets you store your COVID-19 vaccination card in the Wallet app - 9to5Mac

Kalha is the IFPMA'sAssociate Director, Intellectual Property & Trade Policy: and has been tracking the IP COVID-19 waiver ever since it was proposed in October 2020. With COVID-19 vaccine supplies on track to outstrip global demand and collaborations set to change Africas vaccine manufacturing landscape, initiatives such as the proposed Intellectual Property TRIPS waiver are a distraction to the real challenges of getting shots in arms, she says.

She'll be exploring the topic in-depth during BioPharma-Reporter's Manufacture of Vaccines webinar this Thursday, October 28: register here for the free event.

Ahead of the webinar, we ask Kalha to explain the key issues around the waiver.

BPR: What, in a nutshell, is the COVID-19 IP waiver proposal; and what problem does it seek to address?

KK: The proposed Intellectual Property TRIPS waiver was tabled to help address an assumed shortage of vaccines as the solution to vaccine equity. While we are fully aligned with the goal to ensure COVID-19 vaccines are quickly and equitably shared around the world, we have consistently stated, that a waiver is a solution in search of a problem.

At present, there are two proposals being considered by the TRIPS Council. One proposal tabled by India and South Africa a year ago seeks a very broad waiver on all COVID-19 technologies on different types of IP. This includes patents, trade secrets, and designs for all products, including healthcare technologies and products dealing with the prevention, treatment and containment of COVID-19. The India and South Africa proposal aims to last for a minimum of three years and automatic extension until such time the TRIPS Council agrees by consensus to end it.

The other proposal has been put forward is by the EU member states, and seeks to expand the current flexibilities, in particular compulsory licensing provisions.

According to proponents of these proposals, a waiver or an expansion of current flexibilities would enable greater production.

BPR: What is the IFPMAs position on IP waivers?

KK: To quote one of the official statements made at TRIPS Council by one government official, it is an extreme measure trying to address an unproven problem.

To our knowledge, there has been no single incidence where IP has been a barrier to COVID-19 vaccines or treatments; to the contrary, IP has been an enabler.

It is because of the investment in R&D and a predictable IP system that we were able to bring to market more than one viable vaccine is less than a year as well as 127 vaccines that are currently in clinical trials.

We were able to enter into unencumbered voluntary licenses and technology transfer arrangements with trusted partners across the world.

If the aim is to address production capacity, then industry is already meeting the projected numbers for this year (12 billion doses) and next (24 billion by June 2022), which is enough to vaccinate the adult population.

Since May, the biopharmaceutical industry is committed to working with governments to support dose sharing efforts to urgently address vaccine equity. This month COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing output will pass the 9.3 billion dose mark.

Waiving intellectual property rights for COVID-19 technologies will not increase production nor provide practical solutions needed to battle this global health crisis. Neither will it address the issue of vaccination in countries. It will also not produce a single dose more, than already is.

On the contrary, it is likely to lead to disruption; while distracting from addressing the real challenges in scaling up production and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines globally.

BPR: Why have IP waiver proposals prompted so many reactions - from industry to governments to NGOs - and why has it become such a polarising topic?

KK: The IP Waiver is an extreme proposal. Such a substantial waiver of a treaty has not been attempted. That in itself raises questions.

As for differing view points, this is an old political debate, where some have put forth that IP is the barrier and the waiver would solve all problems of access, pricing, infrastructure in short, the entire healthcare system. Industry on the other hand has stated time and again, that in order to bring innovative products to market, you need a stable, predictable IP framework.

The reason we were able to respond to this pandemic in a relatively short time was because of a robust IP system that is in place. IP rules and laws are not barriers, but rather that they are core to a sustainable innovation ecosystem and enable technology transfers. Waiving IP is not the silver bullet that will solve everything. Each country and region has unique challenges that need to be addressed, universal health coverage and healthcare system strengthening being the primary ones.

During this COVID crisis, industry writ large, both innovative biopharmaceutical companies, as well as biotechs and developing world manufacturers have all demonstrated their resolve to make the most powerful contribution they can. Lest we forget, China and India are together with the USA and the EU the largest producers of COVID-19 vaccines. None of this would have been possible without the incentive framework we have place.

We have put science first and worked to bring to market safe and effective healthcare products to fight and end this pandemic. In order to overcome future pandemics and strengthen healthcare systems, industry has to be seen as a solution partner rather than an adversary

BPR: The IP waiver was initially proposed a year ago in October 2020. How has the vaccine manufacturing landscape changed since then?

KK: The vaccine manufacturing landscape has changed since the beginning of the pandemic and continues to evolve. Today, we have 14 vaccine candidates, with production taking place in every continent. According to Airfinity, by the end of 2021, the production will be at 12 billion doses, and, by June 2022, we will be at 24 billion, provided no new restrictions are put in place. Modelling by Airfinity indicates that even if the G7 countries vaccinate teenagers and adults and decide to give boosters to at-risk populations, there would still be over 1.2 billion doses available for redistribution in 2021 alone.

This means that each month for the foreseeable year, over 200 million doses would be, with effective planning, available for low- and lower-middle-income countries (LMICs). This has been achieved by industry entering into collaborations: 390 voluntary arrangements with over 220 including technology transfer for vaccine alone. As for therapeutics, our companies have already taken the lead and entered into voluntary licenses, 109 collaborations with 92 licensee companies, despite of their being a handful of therapeutics approved.

Dismantling IP, the very system that has allowed for this number of collaborations and R&D to take place, would be extremely unfortunate and negatively impact innovation across sectors in future.

The historic COVID-19 manufacturing scale up should now urgently shift attention to delivering vaccine equity including dose sharing. In May 2021, the innovative biopharmaceutical industry publicly committed to expend every effort to make additional uncommitted COVID-19 doses available to LMICs and to support governments that have significant domestic supplies of COVID-19 vaccine doses to share a meaningful proportion of their doses with LMICs in a responsible and timely way through COVAX or other efficient established mechanisms.

BPR: What, in your opinion, is one of the biggest challenges in getting shots in arms?

KK: We all share the same goal of getting people vaccinated and to end the pandemic. Manufacturing scale up is taking place, however it is only part of the solution, getting shots into arms and bringing therapeutics to market are other pieces to the puzzle. To this end, industry in its 5 step plan to advance vaccine equity, have listed factors that can achieve this goal.

BPR: What are the key takeaways you want to leave us with?

Industry has indicated that the problem is no longer the lack of supply but the distribution of the supply. If we are to end this pandemic, we cannot afford to throw away doses when they can get to people who need them. Nor should we get caught up in old political debates.

We understand that the issue is complex but with collective effort, planning and political will, we, together, can achieve the goal to get shots into arms and end the crisis.

Continued here:

COVID-19 vaccines and IP waiver proposals: One year on, where are we now? - BioPharma-Reporter.com

Children in Juneau ages 5 to 11 may be able to get the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in early November, pending approvals by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The City and Borough of Juneau in partnership with Juneau Public Health Center, Bartlett Regional Hospital, local pediatricians, and other community organizations is planning to host free pediatric vaccine clinics the week of November 8. Registration for these clinics could open as early as Tuesday, November 2.

Juneau has approximately 2,700 children aged 5-11. CBJ anticipates receiving about 1,200 Pfizer doses from the Alaska Department of Health & Social Services for this first round of clinics.Pediatric COVID-19 vaccine will also be available through SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC), some local pharmacies, and the Juneau Public Health Center.

The FDA meeting that will start the approval process to allow using Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11 is scheduled for Tuesday, October 26. You can watch the meeting here. Following the FDA meeting, the CDCs Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is expected to meet on November 2 and 3 to conclude the approval process.

The pediatric vaccine clinics will be located at Juneau schools, though the specific school buildings, dates, and times are still being finalized. When those details are confirmed, CBJ will notify the public. Again, appointment scheduling for pediatric COVID-19 vaccine may be available as early as Tuesday, November 2 for clinics taking place the week of November 8.

For more information, contact Emergency Operations Center Incident Commander/CBJ Deputy City Manager Robert Barr at 586-5240 or Robert.Barr@juneau.org, or email COVIDquestions@juneau.org.

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COVID-19 vaccine clinics for Juneau kids 5 to 11 tentatively scheduled for week of Nov. 8 City and Borough of Juneau - City and Borough of Juneau

The nation's top infectious disease expert expects COVID-19 vaccination to be made available for children aged 5 to 11 years by early November; Walmart recalls aromatherapy spray due to rare and deadly bacteria contamination; COVID-19related brain fog has been found to persist in patients for months after infection.

As reported by Reuters, children aged 5 to 11 years will likely be able to be vaccinated against COVID-19 starting in early November. The chief medical advisor to President Joe Biden, Anthony Fauci, MD, said yesterday that he predicts the regulatory approval and recommendation from the CDC to be issued by the first or second week of November. Currently, FDA officials are reviewing the Pfizer/BioNTech application of its 2-dose vaccine in younger children, with a panel of outside advisers scheduled to meet on October 26. The CDC will meet to discuss their recommendations on November 2 and 3.

Approximately 3900 bottles of an essential-oil aromatherapy spray from Walmart are being recalled due to potential contamination with a rare and deadly bacteria, Burkholderia pseudomallei. Reported by NPR, Walmart's Better Homes & Gardensbranded Essential Oil Infused Aromatherapy Room Spray with Gemstones has been associated with 4 confirmed cases, with 2 cases being fatal. The bacteria is known to cause meliodosis, a difficult-to-diagnose and deadly condition that typically develops in tropical climates, especially Southeast Asia and northern Australia.

Reported by CNN, cognitive impairment from COVID-19, also known as brain fog, was found in a recent study o persist for months after infection, even in those without cases of severe disease or hospitalization, according to JAMA Network Open. In the study, findings indicated that nearly 1 in 4 patients with COVID-19 from the Mount Sinai Health System registry experienced a cognitive-related issue, with hospitalized individuals shown to be more likely to have brain fog after infection. Overall, 23% of patients reported issues with memory recall, 18% showed deficits in their cognitive processing speed, and 15% had deficits in phonemic fluency in their speaking.

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What We're Reading: Fauci on Pediatric COVID-19 Vaccination; Aromatherapy Spray Recalled; Brain Fog Persists - AJMC.com Managed Markets Network

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 have passed 243.6 million globally, according to Johns Hopkins University. The number of confirmed deaths stands at more than 4.94 million. More than 6.84 billion vaccination doses have been administered globally, according to Our World in Data.

Urgent action is needed to support Papua New Guinea amid a surge in COVID-19 cases which threatens to overwhelm the country's health system, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has warned.

New Zealand has reported its second-highest tally of new daily COVID-19 cases - 109 - since the start of the pandemic.

Officials in Australia are planning a roll-out of COVID-19 booster shots to prevent a resurgence in cases.

It comes as the city of Melbourne announced plans to ease more curbs when its home state of Victoria reaches an 80% vaccination rate.

Britain has recorded its highest number of new COVID-19 cases since July over the past week, government figures have shown.

China's latest COVID-19 outbreak is likely to spread further, a health official said yesterday, with authorities urging regions to step up monitoring and called for a reduction in travel between provinces.

South Korea announced on Saturday that it has achieved its goal of vaccinating 70% of its 52 million people.

Russia reported 1,075 COVID-19 deaths on Saturday, its fifth straight record day.

Germany recorded the highest incidence of COVID-19 infections since mid-May on Saturday, reaching the threshold of 100 cases per 100,000 in the past seven days that used to be the yardstick for imposing a strict lockdown.

Daily new confirmed COVID-19 cases per million people in selected countries.

Image: Our World In Data

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in eastern Europe passed 20 million on Sunday, according to a Reuters tally. The region is currently dealing with its worst outbreak since the start of the pandemic.

Countries in the region also have among the lowest vaccination rate in Europe, with less than half the population having received a single dose, Reuters reports.

New infections in the region have steadily risen and now average over 83,700 new cases per day, the highest level since November last year, Reuters data through Friday showed. Although it has just 4% of the world's population, eastern Europe accounts for roughly 20% of all new cases reported globally.

The COVID Response Alliance for Social Entrepreneurship is a coalition of 85 global leaders, hosted by the World Economic Forum. Its mission: Join hands in support of social entrepreneurs everywhere as vital first responders to the pandemic and as pioneers of a green, inclusive economic reality.

Its COVID Social Enterprise Action Agenda, outlines 25 concrete recommendations for key stakeholder groups, including funders and philanthropists, investors, government institutions, support organizations, and corporations. In January of 2021, its members launched its 2021 Roadmap through which its members will roll out an ambitious set of 21 action projects in 10 areas of work. Including corporate access and policy change in support of a social economy.

For more information see the Alliance website or its impact story here.

Scientists at the US Food and Drug Administration said on Friday that the likely benefits of giving the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to 5- to 11-year-olds clearly outweigh the risks of rare cases of heart inflammation.

The vaccine makers had announced earlier that day that their shot showed 90.7% efficacy against the disease in a clinical trial of children in that age group.

The details were in briefing documents published ahead of a meeting of a panel of outside experts scheduled to vote on Tuesday whether to recommend the FDA authorize the shots for the young age group.

If the FDA authorizes the Pfizer/BioNTech immunization for children 5 to 11 years old, it would be the first COVID-19 vaccine for the age group and shots could be available in the United States in early November.

Written by

Joe Myers, Writer, Formative Content

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

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COVID-19: What you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic on 25 October - World Economic Forum

A rural Alabama town voted to offer its employees a $200 incentive to get the COVID-19 vaccine using federal pandemic relief money.

Leaders in the Walker County town of Dora said they hoped the move would boost the vaccination rate in the city of 2,200, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northwest of Birmingham, the Daily Mountain Eagle reported Thursday.

Mayor Randy Stephens, who is retired from the medical profession, said providing the vaccine bonus with federal funding is a really good idea.

I understand some people are opposed to it. It wouldnt make any difference if we gave them $1,000. They wouldnt take it, he said.

Opposition to vaccinations against the coronavirus has been persistent in some areas, particularly those with mostly white, conservative makeups. About 42% of the population is fully vaccinated in Walker County, roughly in line with the statewide average, according to statistics from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The citys 40 workers have until Dec. 31 to provide verification that they are vaccinated.

Officials initially discussed an incentive of $100 per worker, but Council member George Sides Jr. said he didnt know if that was enough since some people have reactions to the shots.

Good point, Stephens said. My son was on the couch for three days.

The panel increased the incentive to $200. Booster shots arent included, the mayor said.

More than 818,000 people have contracted COVID-19 in Alabama, and more than 15,370 have died, according to the state health agency.

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Alabama town offers workers $200 incentive to get COVID-19 vaccine shots - AL.com