Category: Covid-19 Vaccine

In partnership with the Monongalia County Health Department, West Virginia University will host weekly COVID-19 vaccination clinics on campus beginning Friday (Sept. 24).

When: Fridays from 1 to 3 p.m.

Where: WVU Student Recreation Center ( upstairs lobby area)

No appointment is necessary. Free parking will be available in lot ST-4.

At this time, the clinics only will offer the Pfizer vaccine. Those who are interested in receiving a vaccine may visit a clinic during operating hours.

Vaccines will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. First, second and third doses (for individuals who are moderately to severely immunocompromised) of the Pfizer vaccine will be available. Children aged 12 to 17 are eligible to receive a vaccine at the clinic if they are accompanied by a legal guardian.

In addition to the weekly vaccination clinics, WVU Medicine Student Health has the Pfizer vaccine available for WVU students at its clinic in the Health and Education Building. Walk-in appointments are offered during regular business hours (Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.).

The Monongalia County Health Department also is offering free vaccinations by appointment on most days at their facility at 453 Van Voorhis Rd. Anyone who wishes to be vaccinated can call the Monongalia County Health Department at 304-598-5119 to schedule an appointment.

Other vaccination opportunities can be found at vaccines.gov. Vaccines continue to be readily available across the country.

At this time, WVU students and employees are not required to be vaccinated. However, those on the Health Sciences Campus involved in patient care, including residents, fellows and students, are required to follow separate WVU Health System policies, including those related to COVID-19, such as masks, PPE and vaccinations.

The University strongly recommends all students and employees be vaccinated for COVID-19.

Anyone with questions about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine is encouraged to speak with their primary care physician or a representative from WVU Medicine Student Health.

This video with registered nurse Joanne Watson and Dr. Lisa Costello explains the impact COVID-19 is having on the health care workers, what they are seeing in the hospital setting and why it is incredibly important to become fully vaccinated.

Ivan Martinez joins Costello and Watson in this video to discuss that COVID-19 vaccines are safe for women who are pregnant, want to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding.

Vaccinated students and employees including those who had received the vaccine from a WVU or WVU Medicine vaccine clinic must verify their vaccine status by entering their information into the Vaccine Verification System.

COVID-19 Testing

Free COVID-19 community testing also is available at the Student Recreation Center ( lower gym):

Mondays 8 a.m. to noon

Tuesdays noon to 4 p.m.

Wednesdays noon to 4 p.m.

Thursdays 8 a.m. to noon

Fridays 8 a.m. to noon

Community testing is open to WVU employees and residents of Monongalia County. No appointment is required.

Students who are symptomatic or who have been identified as a close contact to someone who tested positive for COVID-19 also are welcome at the clinics.

Visit the Return to Campus website for more information and the latest COVID-19 updates. WVU Health Sciences has updated the coronavirus.wvu.edu website to reflect the most up-to-date information on vaccines and the delta variant.

Contact covidvaccine@mail.wvu.edu or returntocampus@mail.wvu.edu with any questions.

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E-News | WVU to begin hosting weekly COVID-19 vaccination clinics on campus Sept. 24 - WVU ENews

Researchers at Harvard University, Tufts University, and Brigham and Womens Hospital all three institutions based in Massachusetts argue that COVID-19 vaccination priorities in the state are an example of institutional racism.

In their research letter, which appears in the JAMA Health Forum, they assert that disparities in vaccine coverage highlight ongoing inequities in the approach to COVID-19 and imperil efforts to control the pandemic.

Scott Dryden-Peterson, M.D., M.Sc., the studys lead author, is an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and an associate physician at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston, MA.

Stay informed with live updates on the current COVID-19 outbreak and visit our coronavirus hub for more advice on prevention and treatment.

Dr. Dryden-Peterson and his team analyzed SARS-CoV-2 testing and vaccination data from early 2020 to the middle of 2021.

The data was compiled anonymously from over 6.5 million individuals in 293 communities throughout Boston and Massachusetts.

The researchers created a vaccination-to-infection risk (VIR) ratio to assess how vaccinations aligned with the risk of SARS-CoV-2.

They took cues from a 2018 study covering a regimen for HIV prevention. In an interview with Medical News Today, Dr. Dryden-Peterson explained:

We noticed that among our patients, those living and working in settings with increased COVID-19 risk were facing the largest challenges accessing vaccination, whereas those able to have lower risk were accessing easily. This paradox reminded us of our efforts to make HIV preventative therapy available.

The researchers used each communitys cumulative confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections as their best indicator of future infection risk.

They also used Lorenz curves to gauge equity in vaccine distributions. Variable predictors included the:

Dr. Dryden-Peterson and his co-authors observed 649,379 SARS-CoV-2 confirmed infections among 6,755,622 individuals. This total included 3,880,706 fully vaccinated people.

They reported, Cumulative incidence of confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection (minimum, 1.6%; maximum, 24.1%) and complete vaccination (minimum, 26.5%; maximum, 99.6%) varied considerably between communities.

Communities with higher socioeconomic vulnerability correlated with lower VIR ratios. This indicated a disparity in vaccinations relative to infection risk.

Communities where more than 20% of the population identified as Black, Latinx, or both had lower vaccinations relative to infection risk. However, communities with higher proportions of seniors showed improved community vaccine coverage.

Additionally, communities with fewer than 7,500 residents also showed higher vaccine coverage.

The researchers estimated that 810,000 full vaccinations would need to go to underserved communities to achieve equity.

The studys authors state that their analysis indicated structural disparity in vaccine distribution.

They emphasize the fact that Massachusetts ignored recommended steps to mitigate structural racism. Instead, the state channeled vaccinations to mass vaccination sites and large hospital systems.

However, the team admits that their research does not directly assess the mechanisms of disparity.

Jason Hall is the managing director at Avalere Health, a leading healthcare think tank. He has been instrumental in developing United States and global policies and strategies to improve vaccine access.

In speaking with MNT, Hall remarked: Its not unexpected to see variations based on race or ethnicity and socioeconomic vulnerability with regards to vaccination coverage.

Hall also pointed to data from the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showing similar trends.

Did the lack of access to vaccines or vaccine hesitancy pose a greater hindrance to COVID-19 vaccine equity among minoritized groups? Dr. Dryden-Peterson answered this question during his interview:

Our study did not directly examine this, but the Massachusetts experience suggests that access prevents vaccine hesitancy. In the few instances where vaccines were made available to high-risk communities early and by long-standing, trusted community organizations, uptake has been as high as in high-income towns.

Olveen Carrasquillo, M.D, M.P.H., is the Chief of the Division of General Internal Medicine at the University of Miamis Miller School of Medicine. He also heads Floridas statewide component of the National Institute of Healths Community Engagement Alliance Against COVID-19 program.

During an interview with MNT, Dr. Carrasquillo agreed that minority communities were left out of vaccination efforts in the early days of the pandemic. However, the doctor noted that the inequities are shrinking.

He also mentioned that some efforts understandably contributed to vaccination fears:

Lets say you want to reach out to uninsured, undocumented populations getting vaccinated. You dont [want to] have people dressed in army fatigues.

Fortunately, Dr. Carrasquillo said, changes in federal leadership earlier in 2021 have paved the way for greater vaccine access.

Now, experts assert, the greatest challenge to vaccine equity stems from a persistent slew of misinformation.

Hall has found that the reasons for vaccine hesitancy among minoritized groups include:

He stressed: [T]here certainly remains much work to be done with addressing the myths and misperceptions that prevent many people from seeking vaccinations.

Dr. Carrasquillo is working with community partners to counter anti-vax messages that have been very culturally competent [and] very targeted to specific minority subgroups.

Ultimately, the study maintains, disparities in vaccination coverage reflect structural inequities. The authors emphasize: Our approach needs to match this rather than blaming groups for being suspicious of a system that has left them out.

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COVID-19: Study highlights disparities in vaccination, infection risk - Medical News Today

COVID-19 boosters shots could become more widely available right as doctors recommend that people get their flu shots.

Thats because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are reviewing and considering authorizing COVID boosters just when the flu season typically starts.

An FDA advisory panel recently voted to recommend an emergency use authorization for third doses of Pfizers COVID vaccine for people 65 and older, and those at high risk for severe illness. A CDC advisory panel meets this week and is expected to further define whos in the high-risk group.

Health experts say that there shouldnt be any concern about getting both the COVID vaccine and a flu shot at the same time.

In general, there isnt any evidence that getting a flu vaccine and a COVID-19 vaccine at the same time poses any added risk, said Dr. Ed Belongia an infectious disease epidemiologist and vaccine researcher at the Marshfield Clinic Research Institute in Wisconsin.

The immune system is pretty good at handling multiple things at once, said Deepta Bhattacharya, a professor of immunobiology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. He noted how children often receive multiple vaccines at visits to their pediatrician.

Belongia suggested that, while theres no safety issue, older people who typically get a high-dose flu shot may want to space out the flu and COVID vaccines if they are concerned about side effects like fatigue, achiness and sore arms.

Health experts warn that this years flu season could be especially harsh -- and its return is not a question of if, but when. We do not know when [the flu] will come back in the United States, but we know it will come back, Sonja Olsen, a CDC epidemiologist, told The New York Times.

Heading into the fall, experts are concerned about a twin-demic, which could occur if surges in COVID cases coincide with the seasonal resurgence of the flu. As more and more people return to relatively normal lives -- socializing, going to school, dining out, traveling -- that could result in more flu circulating this year.

There is certainly a sense of concern that if the flu does come back, it could be more severe, Belongia said. If kids are back in school and theyre engaged in more normal activities that spread respiratory viruses, that could lead us to a robust flu season.

Last year, some scientists expressed similar concerns at a conference of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, according to reporting from Science News.

But with mask mandates in many states and many schools offering virtual learning options, there basically wasnt a flu season last winter.

Last year, the CDC estimated that 2,136 people tested positive for the influenza virus, and 748 deaths were attributable to the flu. These figures are much lower than in previous years. In the 2019-2020 flu season, for example, the CDC estimated there were 38 million illnesses and 22,000 deaths from the flu.

The decrease in flu cases last winter was good in terms of not having to deal with flu but that actually makes us more concerned now, because peoples immunity over time to flu has waned, Belongia said.

He said that although many people want to compare COVID and the flu, the two diseases present different scenarios for the immune system. While COVID is a new disease, most people already have had multiple encounters with influenza.

All that prior history of infections and vaccinations will shape your immune response to a subsequent exposure, he said.

With so little influenza circulating, he said that scientists had a challenge trying to identify which strains of the virus might circulate this year.

With all the uncertainty about what this years flu season might look like, the important thing to remember is to get a flu shot in September or October, he said.

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Is it OK to get a COVID-19 vaccine booster and a flu shot at the same time? - The Dallas Morning News

OLYMPIA Questions surrounding religious exemptions are pressing for those who dont want to be vaccinated.

But many large organized religions are not opposed to vaccines.

This collision of vaccine mandates, religion and personal choice could leave the issue up to individual employers whether it be government agencies, hospitals or private businesses to determine if a workers belief qualifies them to skip a COVID-19 shot.

Gov. Jay Inslees proclamation declared that those who have a medical accommodation or a sincerely held religious belief can opt out of the vaccine. Thousands of state workers hope to make use of that escape clause.

More than 6% of state workers have filed for religious exemptions, according to initial data released Tuesday. Another 1.5% have requested a medical exemption.

According to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism have no prohibition on vaccines. Some Christian denominations have an objection to vaccines, one of the most well-known being Christian Scientists.

But many religious leaders have actually encouraged their members to get the COVID-19 shot.

Pope Francis has urged Catholics to receive the vaccine. Leaders in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued a statement last month urging its members to get the vaccine.

Christian Scientists often opt out of vaccines, as many believe prayer can cure disease. Lance Matteson, a spokesperson for the Christian Science Committee on Publication for Washington, wrote in an email that choosing not to get vaccinated is a conscientious choice to seek help through spiritual means.

While the church urges members to make their own choices regarding vaccination, a statement from its board of directors also said it recognizes the importance of cooperating with measures considered necessary by public health officials.

And most of all, we hope that our collective care and effort can promote public health and healing to all affected by disease and contagion around the world, the statement reads.

Matteson said he knows some church members who have chosen to get vaccinated and some who have not. The church does not want any members to feel pressure either way, he said.

Matteson said the church has always appreciated the availability of religious accommodations from vaccine requirements.

But that privilege was never intended to pit the conscientious practice of Christian Scientists as a religious minority against the well-being of society at large, he wrote.

Getting those who are religious and hesitant of the vaccine may take the work of religious leaders and groups, a survey done by the Public Religion Research Institute and the Interfaith Youth Core showed.

The survey found Jewish Americans are the most likely to be accepting of the vaccine, with 85% of respondents at the time saying they accept the vaccines. Hispanic and white Catholics, other non-Christians, other Christians, religiously affiliated and white mainline Protestants all had more than 70% of respondents approve of the vaccine. White evangelical Protestants are the least likely to accept the vaccine with 24% saying they would not get vaccinated.

The survey, which reported results in both March and June, found that faith-based approaches to vaccine hesitancy, such as encouragement from religious leaders or religious groups giving out information, had a significant influence on increasing vaccine acceptance.

As more mandates come out, so do the questions of legality, specifically on violating religious freedom.

If any cases are brought to state or federal court, determining the legality of mandates and exemption responses will be based on numerous factors, said Shaakirrah Sanders, a University of Idaho law professor.

Religious freedom comes from two places in the First Amendment: the establishment clause, which says the government cannot establish a religion or programs that exclude religions, and the exercise clause, which says the government cant do anything to prevent free exercise of religion.

Exemptions to certain laws because of religion have been established both by statute and by case law from the U.S. Supreme Court.

But you dont get an exemption in every case, Sanders said.

On vaccine mandates, the government may argue theyre not forcing anyone to change their religious beliefs, only forcing them to change their behavior, Sanders said.

For any lawsuits that come out of these mandates, the court will likely take into account what alternatives to vaccine the mandate offers, such as testing, an individuals consistency on vaccines; whether their specific job can be accommodated in any way and the state of emergency brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

If a state or federal mandate offers a testing option instead of receiving the vaccine, for example, a court may decide that it does not violate a persons religious freedom because there are options, Sanders said.

The vaccine mandates in Washington state do not offer a testing option instead of vaccination. That could be a factor that turns a particular case, Sanders said.

The court may then have to look for which industries are subject to the mandate and if there are other options for a worker to stay employed, such as working from home.

Its hard to know definitively how a court will rule, she said.

Then, it may come down to the individuals own beliefs.

Under current law, individuals looking to get religious exemptions dont need to be a part of organized religion, Sanders said, and they dont have to believe in all tenets of that religion.

So, despite numerous religious leaders calling on their members to get vaccinated, those who refuse due to religious reasons can still do so as long as it is sincerely held.

However, anyone who brings a case to court will likely have to prove that they are opposed to all vaccines and not just the COVID-19 vaccine, Sanders said. If they only object to one, that could present problems for them.

Another factor could be the COVID-19 pandemic itself.

In the context of the First Amendment, there is no emergency exemption, Sanders said. However, the scope of those freedoms could be hindered, such as by not limiting the number of people allowed in a church at one time due to social distancing.

The state of the economy might play a role in these decisions as well, especially if there are industries still struggling to get workers, Sanders said.

Weve seen their inability to have any predictability on how a case will turn, Sanders said. Thats risky for people bringing a claim, and its also risky for the government making a regulation.

One thing that is predictable, however, is the timing of these cases.

Federal and state courts are still backed up, Sanders said, and no one knows how long the pandemic will continue. If the pandemic eases by the end of next spring, courts may find the cases on mandates moot.

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What really counts as a religious exemption to the COVID-19 vaccine? Employers are trying to figure it out - The Spokesman Review

Today, the City of St. Louis Department of Health announced the full rollout of its gift card incentive program at Department of Health and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) to further encourage COVID-19 vaccinations. Individuals will receive their gift cards on-site once they receive their vaccination. With community spread impacting every area of the region, the city is encouraging individuals to get vaccinated to protect young adults and schoolchildren, especially those under 12 who at this time cannot get vaccinated.

"Offering incentives is one way to encourage individuals to get vaccinated, especially those who are still undecided, and the health department's highest priority is to ensure people have accurate information so they can make informed decisions about their health," says Dr. Fredrick Echols, Acting Director and Health Commissioner for the City of St. Louis. Vaccination remains the best way to avoid severe complications from COVID-19 and stay out of the hospital. An incentive may be the extra push some need to get vaccinated.

Initially proposed by Alderwoman Shameem Clark-Hubbard (26), this $1.25 million gift card vaccination incentive program is one portion of the $135 million initial allocation of federal American Rescue Plan dollars passed by the St. Louis Board of Aldermen. This initial allocation includes $11.5 million in public health infrastructure, including mobile vaccine clinics, community canvasses and education, vaccine marketing, and more.

Upcoming Department of Health COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics:

Free, No Appointment Required, COVID-19 Testing Sites in the City St. Louis

Visit the Department of Health website at stlouis-mo.gov/health or call 314-657-1499 for updates on dates, times and locations free COVID-19 vaccination clinic and testing sites.

For FQHC testing events, contact the FQHC directly.

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City of St. Louis Implementing Gift Card Incentive for COVID-19 Vaccinations - City of St. Louis

The Australian state of New South Wales will begin a two-week trial of a COVID-19 vaccine passport app on 6 October.

This comes ahead of the possible reopening of hospitality venues on 11 October on the condition that the state fully vaccinates 70% of its population.

WHY IT MATTERS

Sydney Morning Herald reported that the vaccine passport app is being developed by Service NSW to simplify the check-in process at pubs, restaurants and other venues, so people do not need to move through separate apps for QR codes and proof of vaccination.

The app will integrate the check-in features in the Service NSW app with the proof of COVID-19 vaccination stored in the Medicare Express app of the federal government.

According to the news report, the trial will involve around 500 volunteers, including those from aged care facilities and community clubs.

The state government is currently obtaining vaccination information via the federal government's Australian Immunisation Register; prior consent from residents will be secured to store their vaccination status in the app.

Based on a news report by the Australian Financial Review, the NSW government opted to pilot the app across the state's regions instead of its capital Sydney to minimise the risk of infections spreading in hospitality venues.

THE LARGER CONTEXT

Fully vaccinated Australians can get their digital proof of vaccination via the Medicare Express app. Their COVID-19 digital vaccine certificate can also be added to their mobile wallets.

Last month, a software engineer found a bug in the Medicare app that could potentially lead to the creation of fake digital COVID-19 vaccine certificates. The federal agency has since acknowledged the report by Richard Nelson, who has taken part in research that previously unearthed flaws in the government's contact tracing app COVIDSafe.

Meanwhile, the federal government is also developing a smartphone app that can store digital vaccine certificates and test results. A tender for the digital health app was recently issued by the Australian Digital Health Agency. It is targeted to be introduced on iOS and Android devices by December.

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New South Wales to trial COVID-19 vaccine passport app in October - Healthcare IT News

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients may receive various treatments that are thought to interfere with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease progression and the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines. Early reports have suggested that patients receiving specific monoclonal antibody and receptor modulator treatments for MS are at greater risk of hospitalization and death from COVID-19.

Study: Impact of multiple sclerosis disease-modifying therapies on SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-induced antibody and T cell immunity. Image Credit: Lightspring/ Shutterstock

Several studies have demonstrated reduced antibody titers against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein in these individuals following vaccine administration. In a paper recently uploaded to the preprint server medRxiv *, the vaccine-induced cellular and immune response of MS patients receiving a range of therapies are assessed with special regard to spike-specific IgG CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses.

A preprint version of the study is available on the medRxiv* server while the article undergoes peer review.

67 MS patients receiving either no treatment, or one of glatiramer acetate (GA), dimethyl fumarate (DMF), natalizumab (NTZ), S1P receptor modulators, or anti-CD20 mAb (rituximab (RTX) or ocrelizumab (OCR)) therapies were recruited for the study, in addition to 13 individuals as healthy controls.

All participants had received both doses of any approved vaccine, and blood samples were collected from participants before and 2-4 weeks after vaccination, depending on the type of vaccine received.

Total SARS-CoV-2 spike IgG was found to be significantly elevated by similar magnitudes in almost all groups following vaccination, with patients receiving S1P, RTX, or OCR demonstrating reduced antibody responses, undetectable in some cases. While exhibiting similar levels of spike-specific antibodies to patients receiving other drugs, patients receiving DMF or NTZ exhibited higher levels of receptor-binding domain (RBD) specific antibodies.

In contrast, patients receiving S1P, RTX, or OCR also had significantly reduced RBD-specific antibody titers. Regarding IgG seropositivity, only RTX caused a significant drop in total spike IgG, while S1P, RTX, and OCR patients had significant reductions in total RBD IgG seropositivity.

S1P receptor modulators are known to influence CD4+ levels, and as expected, this group showed reduced CD4+ T-cell percentages both before and after vaccination compared to the no-treatment group. All other MS patients showed comparable CD4+ levels to those observed in the untreated. Patients receiving S1P receptor modulators, RTX, or OCR therapies exhibited reduced CD19+ B cell percentages before and after vaccination.

CD4+ cells from all groups produced similar percentages of cytokines such as interferon- (IFN), tumor necrosis factor- (TNF), and interleukin-2 (IL-2). However, frequencies of IL-4 and IL-10 secreting cells were unchanged post-vaccination in any MS treatment group. Spike-specific CD8+ T-cells were increased post-vaccination in all patients but those receiving GA, and again, IL-2, IFN, and TNF levels were produced by CD8+ cells to high levels with minimal IL-4 and IL-10.

Having observed vaccine inefficacy in those receiving the anti-CD20 mAb therapies RTX and OCR, the group employed a univariate analysis of antibody responses against several metrics, finding no association with gender, mRNA vaccine type, or last measured IgG levels compared to post-vaccination levels.

Pre- and post-vaccination percentages of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells were also found to have no association with human leukocyte antigen levels, which is the major risk factor for multiple sclerosis. However, these patients did see an increase in CD19+ B-cells, spike/RBD IgG, and spike/RBD seropositive patients post-vaccination.

Some prior reports have indicated that the variability in the timing of anti-CD20 mAb doses and vaccines could influence their efficacy. However, the group reported no correlation between infusion-vaccination interval and total spike/RBD IgG levels.

However, the time from the start of anti-CD20 mAb therapy to the time of vaccination (cumulative treatment duration) was found to influence seropositivity. The two patients treated for over 40 months were seronegative, and the two treated for less than 35 being seropositive.

The patients treated for a shorter duration had also specifically received the anti-CD20 mAb drug OCR. In comparison, those treated for a longer duration had received RTX, likely explaining the more detrimental effect observed from the latter regarding seropositivity.

In conclusion, S1P receptor modulators and anti-CD20 mAb therapies were found to significantly reduce total spike and RBD IgG generated by vaccination compared to untreated MS patients or healthy controls.

CD19+ cell percentage following vaccination was found to correlate strongly with spike seropositivity, suggesting that B-cell reconstitution in lymphoid tissue and subsequent circulation is responsible for antibody generation. This may explain seropositivity among anti-CD20 mAb patients with shorter treatment times, where B-cell reserves in lymphoid tissue are eventually depleted, ultimately resulting in a seronegative response.

MS treatment did not alter CD4+ or CD8+ cytokine output, though treatment with RTX resulted in increased CD8+ T-cell production and subsequent IFN secretion.

Despite the partial protection conferred by vaccination via cell-mediated immunity, most MS patients receiving these therapies remain highly vulnerable immunocompromised patients. Thus, they are at higher risk of infection, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19.

In particular, prolonged anti-CD20 mAb therapies have been demonstrated to eliminate the benefit of vaccination in many cases, meaning that individuals receiving these drugs will need to act and be treated with extreme caution regarding disease control for the foreseeable future.

medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.

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The impact of multiple sclerosis therapy on COVID-19 vaccine efficacy - News-Medical.Net

BRANDON, S.D. (KELO) -- The owners of a 143-year-old farm on the outskirts of Brandon are worried about their land. They believe the city of Brandon, which is rapidly growing, wants to annex their farm into the city. The Elofson family says they are looking for answers from the city, but so far, communication has been limited.

Like a lot of towns surrounding Sioux Falls, the city of Brandon is growing. Some landowners around Brandon welcome annexation into the city.

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Help for organizations, schools, businesses trying to set up COVID-19 vaccination events - KELOLAND.com

As coronavirus cases continue to rise, the number of hospitals and health systems requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for employees is growing.

At least 175 hospitals and health care systems nationwide have shifted from simply encouraging staff to get vaccinated to requiring the shots.

Exemptions will be granted for medical or religious reasons.

And earlier this month, President Joe Biden announced that approximately 17 million workers at health care facilities that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid also will have to be fully vaccinated.

Locally, health systems and hospitals that require or will require employees to be vaccinated include Highmark Health and Allegheny Health Network and WVU Medicine, and Pennsylvania required its 25,000 employees in state-run health care facilities to be fully vaccinated by Sept. 7.

Both Canonsburg Hospital and Uniontown Hospital-WVU Medicine are among those requiring the shot.

Washington Health System does not require employees to be vaccinated, but strongly encourages them to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

The Sept. 30 deadline for AHNs 21,000 eligible staff to be vaccinated is approaching.

It is abundantly clear, however, that the single most important thing an individual can do to protect themselves and others, and to help us bring this difficult pandemic to an end, is to receive the vaccine. We expect all of our employees to heed that call, and the new requirements we are putting in place are intended to help us achieve that goal, said Dr. Brian Parker, AHNs Chief Quality and Learning Officer.

Unvaccinated AHN employees are required to wear a face shield at all times while working in a hospital or clinical setting, in addition to wearing the face masks that are required of all employees and visitors at the networks facilities.

Unvaccinated Highmark Health employees, too, will be required to wear masks at all times when working in the organizations facilities.

WVU Medicine requires employees of its health system facilities in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Maryland, and Virginia to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 31.

Albert L. Wright, Jr., president and CEO of WVU Health System, said last month, Were doing this because it is the right thing to do. We are the states leading health care provider and largest employer, and we have a higher obligation to our patients as well as to each other. I want WVU Medicine hospitals and clinics to be as safe as possible for our patients and staff. A fully vaccinated workforce will help ensure that safety.

Wright said the vaccinations also could help prevent a situation from developing where several hundred employees at hospitals and health systems, which are bearing the brunt of the pandemic, are out due to COVID.

We know one thing for certain: the vaccine is extremely safe and effective, said Wright.

More than 50 prestigious national health care organizations have advocated that all health professionals be vaccinated, including the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Nurses Association, the American College of Surgeons and the Department of Veteran Affairs.

The AHA supports hospitals and health systems that adopt mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policies for health care personnel, with local factors and circumstances shaping whether and how these policies are implemented, the organization wrote in a statement. COVID-19 vaccines protect health care personnel when working both in health care facilities and in the community. They provide strong protection against workers unintentionally carrying the disease to work and spreading it to patients and peers.

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Number of hospitals mandating COVID-19 vaccinations increases - Observer-Reporter

IOWA CITY, Iowa (KWWL) - The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics have been studying COVID-19 vaccines since the very beginning. Iowans have stepped up and joined clinical trials for just as long, assisting in the research leading up to vaccine approval.

Iowans participated in the Pfizer vaccine trials before it received emergency use authorization, and now full FDA approval. Another vaccine option could be on the horizon, as a UIHC doctor says the world needs to keep studying the shots as the pandemic evolves.

I dont think we have a full understanding of the capability of the vaccines we have now," Executive Dean of the Carver College of Medicine Dr. Patricia Winokur said.

More than 400 Iowans have stepped up to be a part of the multiple vaccine trials since the start of the pandemic. If you take into consideration all of the other types of trials held for other COVID-19 research, the number of Iowans would go up to around 800.

I feel comfortable with my participation in the trial," Marion resident and vaccine trial participant Dawn Goodlove said.

Goodlove was one of 150 to take part in the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine trial that began in January 2020. It would be another vaccine option that expects to receive emergency use authorization in the upcoming months.

I thought this might be a way for me to contribute to a solution. A vaccine to try to end this pandemic," Goodlove said.

An additional vaccine can help open up the opportunity for those who might be allergic to ingredients in the current ones available. The Novavax shot is made differently than the Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson vaccines.

And then remember, we still have the rest of the world that needs to be vaccinated," Dr. Winokur said.

The UIHC doctor sharing the Novavax vaccine can be a vaccine that is easily accessible to other countries that might not have the greatest technology. The shots don't need to be stored in as cold of freezers as the ones currently authorized do. This vaccine would also be easier for more providers to offer to patients because of the easier storage option.

Dr. Winokur says many pharmaceutical companies have stalled or completely stopped their production and trial processes due to the lack of qualified participants. Many who wanted the vaccine have already received it, and a participant would need to be unvaccinated in order to qualify. Dr. Winokur believes everyone who is currently unvaccinated would most likely pass on the opportunity.

"I think the Novavax trial everyone has been fully vaccinated and we continue to follow them for the efficacy of the vaccine," Dr. Winokur said.

The Novavax company is expected to release its trial data to the FDA within the next couple of months in order to be approved for emergency use authorization.

As a participant in the UIHC study, Dawn Goodlove says she is confident in the Novavax vaccine. She says she has come into contact with multiple people who were positive with COVID-19 and has not contracted the virus herself after beginning the trial.

Its a pretty easy way to show how much you care about your community whether its just your family and friends or a broader worldwide community," Goodlove said.

UIHC is also currently making its way through a clinical trial to study the efficacy of the Pfizer booster shots. Those involved with the two vaccine trials agreed to log their symptoms and be monitored for two years.

If you would like to take a look at any of the clinical trials available to take part in, you can find them on the UIHC website.

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UIHC vaccine trials could lead to another COVID-19 vaccine option - kwwl.com