Category: Covid-19 Vaccine

The number of U.S. workers choosing to be vaccinated plateaued earlier this summer. As a result, employers, many of which hoped to return employees to the workplace in early fall, were left to debate whether to require employees to get vaccinated or to merely strongly encourage vaccination. Although many mandatory vaccination policies may pass legal scrutiny, they may nonetheless raise cultural tensions and raise the risk of losing employees in an already tight labor market.

For these and other reasons, many employers have delayed implementation of mandatory vaccination policies and instead have attempted to incentivize their employees to get vaccinated. For example, employers have offered paid time off, gift cards, cash, and other financial incentives to motivate their employees to get more fully vaccinated. The results of these efforts appeared to have been effective initially, but vaccination rates have stalled as of late. Moreover, once the Delta variant began driving up infection rates and hospitalizations, employers started looking for other ways to boost vaccination rates among their employees. In particular, employers may be wonderingif the carrot had not driven up the vaccination rates among employees, would the stick work?

In response, some employers have started adding health coverage surcharges for unvaccinated employees as a way to increase vaccination rates. A vaccination surcharge of $20 to $50 per month would be in the same range as the surcharge some employers impose on smokers. While surcharges are intended to motivate employees to get vaccinated, they also address the issues employers may experience when employees become ill with COVID-19. As President Joe Biden noted in a recent speech, long-term COVID-19related medical issues can sometimes rise to the level of a disability.

Employers that are considering whether to implement a surcharge may want to first examine their workplace cultures. Employers may want to determine whether such a measurewhich some employees might view as punitivecould cause employees to quit, and thus whether in the balance of issues, that is an acceptable outcome.

Employers may also want to look at the context in which the stick would be applied. If it is a matter of an added cost to a health care premium, which applies only to those unvaccinated employees who are enrolled in the companys health plan, the program would be covered by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) wellness rules. Employers considering such a move may want to be mindful of the HIPAA limits on financial incentives and provide a reasonable alternative standard for employees who cannot get vaccinated due to an adverse health status factor.

If an employer, instead, considers reducing or deducting from employees pay (which are two distinct approaches) instead of imposing additional charges on employee health plans, the majority of states would not allow such deductions. Employers considering these approaches may want to carefully review the laws of the relevant jurisdictions in which they would intend to implement them.

As the Delta variant continues to spread, employers hoping to avoid implementing mandatory vaccinations will likely continue to examine ways to encourage as many employees as possible to get vaccinated. If these programs fail to move the needle sufficiently, more employers may find the mandatory route attractive.

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Encouraging Employees to Get COVID-19 Vaccinations: Are Healthcare Surcharges the Answer? - JD Supra

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) All guests looking to attend shows at the NorVA will be required to bring something more than their ticket proof or vaccination or a negative PCR COVID-19 test.

NorVAs parent company, AEG Presents, said online that they will implement this policy at their venues nationwide by October 1.

We have come to the conclusion that, as a market leader, it was up to us to take a real stand on vaccination status, said Jay Marciano, COO of AEG and Chairman and CEO, AEG Presents. Just a few weeks ago, we were optimistic about where our business, and country, were heading. The Delta variant, combined with vaccine hesitancy, is pushing us in the wrong direction again. We realize that some people might look at this as a dramatic step, but its the right one. We also are aware that there might be some initial pushback, but Im confident and hopeful that, at the end of the day, we will be on the right side of history and doing whats best for artists, fans, and live event workers.

Fully vaccinated guests can show proof of vaccination by showing a physical copy of a COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card, a digital copy of such card or such other proof as is permitted locally.

Those guests who are not fully vaccinated will be required to show a negative PCR COVID-19 test within 72 hours prior to attending an event. Children under the age of 12 will be required to show a negative COVID-19 test.

Masks will not be mandatory, however, they are encouraged.

Get the free WAVY News App, available for download in the App Store and Google Play, to stay up to date with all your local news, weather and sports, live newscasts and other live events.

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NorVA to require proof of COVID-19 vaccine or negative test starting in October - WAVY.com

CVS and Walgreen's are accepting appointments and Methodist Hospital has the vaccine for people who are qualified.

HOUSTON Houston Methodist has started giving COVID-19 vaccine booster shots to those who qualify. Anyone who does qualify can make an appointment and no prescription is needed.

CVS and Walgreens also said they're accepting appointments for the booster shot.

Federal health officials have been actively looking at whether extra shots for the vaccinated may be needed. They've been reviewing case numbers in the U.S. almost daily as well as the situation in other countries such as Israel, where preliminary studies suggest the vaccines protection against serious illness dropped among those vaccinated in January.

Israel has been offering a coronavirus booster to people over 60 who were already vaccinated more than five months ago.

Moderna President Stephen Hoge said seeing some breakthrough infections emerge among the vaccinated within six months has been surprising, even if most symptoms so far have not been life-threatening. I think that suggests we are going to need booster vaccines to get through the winter, he said.

Last week, the Food and Drug Administration said people with weakened immune systemscan get an extra dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines to better protect them as the delta variant continues to surge.

Currently, about 60% of the U.S. population has gotten at least one dose and nearly 51% are fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventio. Areas with low vaccination rates have been particularly hit hard with infections, such as Louisiana, Texas, Florida and Mississippi.

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COVID-19 vaccine booster shots offered in Houston - KHOU.com

UPMC will host a covid-19 vaccine clinic in Millvale on Friday, followed by a series of clinics across the area next week.

Vaccine appointments will be available to people ages 12 and older during the event at the Boys & Girls Club, 100 Howard St., Millvale.

The clinic is scheduled for 5 to 7 p.m.

UPMC Public Relations Manager Stephanie Stanley said the events are a continued effort to bring covid-19 vaccines into communities, and distribute them where people feel comfortable.

Other clinics scheduled across the area include:

- 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at the 7th Annual Oakland Ramp Crawl, Schenley Plaza Oval Tent, 4100 Forbes Ave.

- 3 to 5 p.m. Aug. 27 at McKeesport Family Center, 339 Fifth Ave.

- Noon to 3 p.m. Aug. 28 at Enon Baptist Church, 110 Erin Street, Pittsburgh.

- 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 28 at URNOT4GOT10 Community Outreach, Unity Baptist Church, 531 Jones Ave., North Braddock.

- 1 to 3 p.m. Aug. 29 at Kingdom Light Ministries International, 6378 Centre Ave., Pittsburgh.

Since vaccine clinics first opened to all Pennsylvanians in April, 682,802 people in Allegheny County have received two vaccine doses and 68,012 people have received one dose, according to data from the state Department of Health.

Anyone seeking an appointment is asked to register but walk-ins are accepted.

For more, visit Vaccine.UPMC.com or call 844-876-2822.

Tawnya Panizzi is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tawnya at 724-226-7726, tpanizzi@triblive.com or via Twitter .

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UPMC hosts series of covid-19 vaccination clinics in Millvale, Braddock and more - TribLIVE

Abstract

The rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines is a tremendous scientific response to the current global pandemic. However, vaccines per se do not save lives and restart economies. Their success depends on the number of people getting vaccinated. We used a survey experiment to examine the impact on vaccine intentions of a variety of public health messages identified as particularly promising: three messages that emphasize different benefits from the vaccines (personal health, the health of others, and the recovery of local and national economies) and one message that emphasizes vaccine safety. Because people will likely be exposed to multiple messages in the real world, we also examined the effect of these messages in combination. Based on a nationally quota representative sample of 3,048 adults in the United States, our findings suggest that several forms of public messages can increase vaccine intentions, but messaging that emphasizes personal health benefits had the largest impact.

The COVID-19 pandemic remains a global threat to lives, livelihoods, and lifestyles. Related deaths worldwide exceeded 2.6 million 12 mo after the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a global pandemic, and the economic costs in the United States alone are estimated at $16 trillion when accounting for health costs and lost gross domestic product (1). The rapid development of effective vaccines and their widespread distribution can greatly curtail the threat, but the potential for saving lives and livelihoods depends on how many people get vaccinated. Recent surveys suggest that 60 to 70% of United States adults intend to get a COVID-19 vaccine, which falls short of the threshold identified by public health experts for herd immunity (2, 3).

Vaccine hesitancy, however, may be malleable, enabling public information campaigns to reduce hesitancy. Studies show nearly half of hesitant people indicate they will reconsider after more information is available (2). Research preceding the COVID-19 pandemic offer mixed results about the effectiveness of information on vaccinations in general (46), but recent studies suggest that public health messaging may increase COVID-19 vaccinations. Messages about vaccine safety (7, 8), benefits to self (9) and others (810), as well as vaccines allowing life to return to normal (8) have been found to increase intended or actual vaccinations for the studied population as a whole or for subgroups.

However, it is unclear what messages have the greatest effect on vaccinations, and whether it is important to emphasize one message or if combinations of multiple messages aimed to encourage vaccinations may be more or less effective. We examined what message, or combination of messages, generated the largest effect on COVID-19 vaccine intentions. The COVID-19 vaccine presents a novel context to study hesitancy because of the speed of the vaccine development and political polarization related to the pandemic and the vaccine. We focused on messages that appeal to motivations to take or abstain from taking vaccines (e.g., rather than to psychological effects) (11), and identified messages with particularly high potential to increase COVID-19 vaccinations, based on literature that examines messages aimed to boost childhood vaccines (12) and other COVID-19 preventive behavior (13), as well as worries that deter COVID-19 preventive behavior (14, 15).

We compared three messages that described the benefits from taking the vaccinebenefits from vaccination to personal health; benefits to the health of family, friends, and community members; and benefits to local and national economiesand a fourth message that emphasized the rigor and safety protocols of the vaccine development process. Henceforth we refer to these treatments as private benefit, social benefit, economic benefit, and vaccine safety messages. We designed a survey experiment (a quota representative sample of the United States population with n = 3,048) to examine the effect on vaccine intentions from the four information treatments alone and in combinations. Participants were randomly assigned to one of nine information treatments (Table 1) and then asked about their willingness to take a vaccine.

Description of information treatments and number of participants in each treatment

Fig. 1 shows the proportion of participants who intend to get vaccinated across treatment groups. In the control group, 49% of participants were willing to take a COVID-19 vaccine, which falls within the range of similar studies around the same time period (16). The group exposed to the private benefit message had the highest intended vaccination rate (65% vs. 49% for the control group; adjusted P < 0.001). Intentions to vaccinate among participants exposed to messages that emphasized social benefits and economic benefits were 9 percentage points higher than in the control group (adjusted P = 0.063 and 0.062, respectively). According to our results, a message that highlights private health benefits is the most effective at increasing vaccine intentions. Previous research also indicates that a private benefits message may be at least as effective as a prosocial message in boosting COVID-19 vaccinations (9). Vaccine uptake may therefore respond differently to information, compared to other behaviors that protect against COVID-19. Intentions to maintain physical distance and wear masks seem more affected by prosocial messages than by messages that emphasize personal benefits (17, 18).

Share who intends to get a COVID-19 vaccine across a control treatment, a vaccine safety information treatment, and different types of benefit information treatments.

Even though safety concerns are a primary reason for COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy (14), intentions to vaccinate were only slightly higher in the group exposed to the vaccine safety message than in the control group (53% vs. 49%; adjusted P = 0.250). Combinations of private and social benefit messages, social and economic benefit messages, and economic and private benefit messages all increased the proportion who would vaccinate by about 9 percentage points relative to the control group (adjusted P = 0.057, 0.048, and 0.068, respectively).

Intentions to vaccinate in the treatment group that received all three types of benefit messages was second highest among all groups (61%), representing a 12-percentage point increase, or 24% increase, relative to the control group (adjusted P = 0.010). Compared to the treatment that presented private benefits alone, intended vaccination rates were lower in the treatments with combined messages, although differences are not statistically significant. This suggests there are no benefits to communicating several different types of benefits (potentially due to information overload) (19).

In an exploratory analysis (not preregistered), we found some evidence of modest heterogeneity in the response of vaccine intentions to different types of information, especially across annual individual income. Low income (less than $25,000) earners responded the most to the combined social, private, and economic benefit messages; medium income ($25,000 to $99,999) earners to the private benefit message only; high income ($100,000 and above) earners to the combined social and private benefit message. If we target each income group with their most effective type of information, the overall intended vaccination rate increases by 20 percentage points, compared to 16 percentage points with the uniform private benefit message, or 12 percentage points with the combination of all benefit messages. Targeted information campaigns have been used in other health contexts with some success (20), but it is unclear whether the estimated 4- to 8-percentage point increase in vaccination rates would justify the costs of targeting the messages, especially considering the likelihood of imperfect targeting in the field.

Marginal effects from a probit model indicate that women are 8 percentage points less likely to want a vaccine, and those with low (high) trust in government agencies are 14 percentage points less (6 percentage points more) likely to want a vaccine, compared to those with medium trust. Participants who had a flu vaccine in the last 2 y are 14 percentage points more likely to want a COVID-19 vaccine, and those confident in vaccines are 24 percentage points more likely, compared to those who lack such confidence. All effects are highly statistically significant (P < 0.001). Survey responses imply that of those who do not want the vaccine, 90% worry about the vaccines side effects and novelty, and 75% lack trust in vaccine developers and the Food and Drug Administration to truthfully disclose a vaccines efficacy and risks. Our vaccine safety message did little to overcome a lack of confidence in the vaccine.

Vaccine intentions seem responsive to information messages, which suggests that public information campaigns may boost COVID-19 vaccinations in the United States. Consistent with studies about flu and MMR vaccines (12, 21), we found the most effective message communicates private health benefits of vaccinating, which increased intended vaccinations by 16 percentage points, one-third larger than the rate of intended vaccinations in the control group. The strong response to the private benefit message may partly reflect the political polarization of vaccine hesitancy in the United States. Conservatives are more hesitant and have particularly individualistic worldview (16, 22). They might, therefore, be particularly responsive to information that stresses private benefits. Our data offer some support for this idea: the effect of the private benefit message on vaccine intentions is larger for conservatives than for moderates or liberals.

Three limitations of our study should be noted. First, we considered one-shot information treatments, which may understate the potential impact from an ongoing information campaign. Second, while we purposefully focused on messages that appeal to different motivations, messages that appeal to psychological effects (e.g., the endowment effect) also have been found to increase COVID-19 vaccinations (11). Third, we examined intentions to get vaccinated, rather than actual behavior, because the timing of the survey preceded widespread availability of COVID-19 vaccines. It has been found that vaccine intentions and actual behavior are highly correlated (23), but an intentionbehavior gap has been documented in the context of flu vaccines and other health behaviors (4).

The source of information also likely matters, and trusted sources may vary across subgroups. For example, messages promoting social distancing are more effective coming from a family physician than from a governor or private citizen (24). Also, those who obtain most of their COVID-19 vaccine information from social media are the most vaccine hesitant (25), which suggests social media may be an effective information channel to target those who could most benefit from information about the vaccines. Future research may explore the effectiveness of different information channels for promoting COVID-19 vaccines.

After informed consent, study participants were exposed to one of nine information message treatments and then asked if they would take a hypothetical COVID-19 vaccine that was 85% effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 and had a 15% chance of causing mild side effects. See SI Appendix for a full description of the survey experiment. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board at the University of Wyoming and preregistered in the American Economic Associations registry for randomized controlled trials (AEARCTR-0006885). Participants were recruited by Qualtrics, with the requirement of being quota representative of the general United States population with respect to gender, age, regional residency, income, and education. Data were collected mid-December 2020 to mid-January 2021. We found no meaningful pairwise differences in normalized means of covariates across treatment groups, suggesting our randomization worked (26). To control the rate of type 1 errors when testing multiple hypotheses, we corrected for multiple comparisons using a bootstrap procedure (27). When presenting results, we show adjusted P values from Pearson 2 tests. We have deposited data and code in openICPSR https://www.openicpsr.org/openicpsr/project/139461/version/V8/view (28).

This project was funded by the Wyoming Health and Bioscience Innovation Hub COVID Grant-1044 (Project nr: CARES-HUB3).

Author contributions: M.A., L.T., T.L.C., S.C.N., and D.C.F. designed research; M.A. performed research; M.A. contributed new reagents/analytic tools; M.A. analyzed data; and M.A., L.T., T.L.C., S.C.N., and D.C.F. wrote the paper.

The authors declare no competing interest.

This article contains supporting information online at https://www.pnas.org/lookup/suppl/doi:10.1073/pnas.2108225118/-/DCSupplemental.

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Emphasize personal health benefits to boost COVID-19 vaccination rates - pnas.org

As the United States experiences another surge in coronavirus infections fueled by the rise of the delta variant, the Los Angeles Lakers have joined a growing list of corporations mandating the COVID-19 vaccine for all full-time employees who work in their offices, with limited exceptions.

The Lakers joined with several other professional sports franchises and ticketing venues in Southern California to announce the news in the following statement:

CEOs from the two largest live entertainment and ticketing companies, and ownership of five Southern California professional sports franchises have each decided to require that all full-time employees working at eligible company offices in the U.S. be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 with limited exceptions as required by law.

The organizations include Live Nation Entertainment, AEG, Goldenvoice, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, AXS, Los Angeles Lakers, LA Kings, Anaheim Ducks, LA Galaxy and Los Angeles Chargers. Each organization has or will be implementing policies designed to expand on health department guidelines and ensure the best interests of employees.

In addition to mandating vaccines for full-time U.S. office employees, these organizations are working closely with public health officials to ensure that they are following or exceeding the latest guidance as it relates to vaccination, testing and masking requirements for fans and event staff in their venues.

We must work together and across sectors to ensure that we are increasing vaccination rates especially now as we see an increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions due to the highly contagious Delta variant, said California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly. Vaccination against COVID-19 is the most effective means of preventing infection from COVID-19 virus, and subsequent transmission and outbreaks. These organizations are setting a good example for other companies, and I applaud their efforts.

This news follows companies like Disney, Google, Facebook, Walmart and others requiring their own employees returning to offices to get the COVID-19 vaccine as part of a growing movement in corporate America.

This requirement will not apply to players at least not yet as not only are they not office employees, but they are also represented by a powerful union, the NBPA, which would need to negotiate with the league and collectively bargain any new mandates for players.

The Lakers did reach the threshold of having 85% of their roster and traveling party fully vaccinated by the end of the 2020-21 season, but have almost entirely overhauled their roster, so it is unclear whether they would still meet that benchmark when the new season begins. At least two of their new additions, Dwight Howard and Kent Bazemore, have expressed vaccine hesitancy in the past.

As my colleagues at Vox.com point out, more than 60 percent of adults and 80 percent of people over 65 are fully vaccinated, giving them excellent protection against severe illness or death from Covid; so far less than 0.004 percent of fully vaccinated people have been hospitalized with Covid, and less than 0.001 percent have died.

For more information on the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, and for help in making an appointment to get the vaccine in Los Angeles, visit the County of Los Angeles Public Health website.

For more Lakers talk, subscribe to the Silver Screen and Roll podcast feed on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or Google Podcasts. You can follow Harrison on Twitter at @hmfaigen.

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Lakers to require all office employees to get COVID-19 vaccine - Silver Screen and Roll

U.S. Customs and Border Protectionhas seized thousands of falsified COVID-19 vaccine cards from China in Memphis, Tenn.

Border Patrol agents have had 121 seizures of fake vaccination cards so far this fiscal year, amounting to 3,017 falsified cards confiscated, according to a statement from the agency on released Friday.

One of the shipments described in the statement included was a package from Shenzhen, China, going to New Orleans labeled PAPER CARD, PAPER. The shipment contained 51 falsified vaccination cards.

Officers already knew the shipment would contain false documents, according to the statement. The shipments with fake vaccination cards are always from China and are commonly labeled Paper Greeting Cards/ Use For-Greeting Card and PAPER PAPER CARD.

The fake cards have the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) logo along with blank lines to fill in information such as name and the dates the shots were given. The cards normally come in packs of 20, 50 or 100.

However, the statement says there are multiple ways to tell these cards are fake. For example, the cards contain typos, misspelled Spanish verbiage on the back and they are not imported from a medical facility.

These vaccinations are free and available everywhere, Michael Neipert, Area Port Director of Memphis, said.

If you do not wish to receive a vaccine, that is your decision. But dont order a counterfeit, waste my officers time, break the law, and misrepresent yourself. CBP Officers at the Area Port of Memphis remain committed to stopping counterfeit smuggling and helping to protect our communities. But just know that when you order a fake vaxx card, you are using my officers time as they also seize fentanyl and methamphetamines, Neipert added.

Falsifying vaccination cards is a crime that can land someone a fine and five years of prison time.

News of the false cards come as cities across the U.S. have begun to mandate proof of vaccination via a vaccine card in restaurants, theaters and other indoor businesses.

The newest requirement by localities was driven in part by the spread of the delta variant of the coronavirus, which has shown to penetrate the vaccine, causing breakthrough infections. However, the majority of those with breakthrough infections have reported mild symptoms.

Matthew Dyman, a public affairs specialist for the CBP, told The Hill he has looked to see if fake vaccine cards were confiscated by border patrol agents in other areas, but as of right now the cards are only being found shipped through Memphis.

The cards have only been found in Memphis as it is the "shipping hub location" for the CBP and "has the ability to screen cargo," Dyman said.

Updated 10:30 p.m.

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Border Patrol seizes thousands of falsified COVID-19 vaccine cards in Tennessee | TheHill - The Hill

North Carolina providers have now administered more than10 million dosesof COVID-19 vaccine, with vaccinations trending upward as the highly contagious Delta variant of the virus spreads through the state, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services announced today.

COVID-19 vaccines are tested, safe and have been shown to be highly effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19. Sixty-two percent of adults 18 and older in the state have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, while 58% of the adult population is fully vaccinated against the virus.

Last week, overall doses administered for COVID-19 vaccines were up more than 16% and first doses increased more than 30% compared to two weeks prior.

Thank you to the many North Carolinians who are protecting themselves and their friends, family and neighbors by getting a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccination, said Kody Kinsley, NCDHHS Chief Deputy Secretary for Health. This pandemic is not over. The Delta variant is racing across the state, fueled by high rates of unvaccinated individuals. COVID-19 vaccines are our best tool to slow the spread, save lives and put this pandemic in the rearview mirror. Dont wait vaccinate.

The highly contagious Delta variant is currently spreading rapidly throughout the state and North Carolinas COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are increasing, particularly among those ages 18-49. An average of more than 5,100 new cases have been reported each day over the last week, more than doubling since July 31, 2021.Hospitalizations have more than doubled since July 27 and are at the highest they have been since Feb. 5, 2021.

NCDHHS recommends that everyone wear a mask in indoor public spaces if you live in area of high or substantial levels of transmission asdefined by the CDCuntil more people are vaccinated and viral transmission decreases. In North Carolina, that is now all 100 counties. We are at a critical point in the trajectory of this pandemic. Layered protection is crucial to fight this more contagious Delta variant and weather the storm vax up, mask up and urge others to do the same, said Dr. Elizabeth Tilson, NCDHHS State Health Director and Chief Medical Officer.

All unvaccinated North Carolinians age 12 and older are encouraged to get a COVID-19 vaccine to protect against severe illness, hospitalization and death. Rigorous clinical trials among thousands of people ages 12 and older have proven vaccines are safe and effective. More than 165 million Americans have been safely vaccinated. Vaccines are the best protection from COVID-19 related hospitalizations and deaths, as well as complications from the virus. Research has shown even people who had a mild case of COVID-19 may struggle with long-term effects like shortness of breath, chest pain and brain fog.

Free COVID-19 vaccines are widely available across the state to anyone 12 and older. To get a vaccine near you, visit MySpot.nc.gov or call 888-675-4567. You can also text your zip code to 438829 to find vaccine locations near you.

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NC Hits 10M Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine Administered; Pace of Vaccinations Accelerating as Delta Variant Spreads - Island Free Press

CICERO, NY When Walker Clary, 9. saw a poster at his doctors office saying he could sign up for the Covid-19 vaccine trials for younger kids, he immediately wanted to volunteer.

His older brother, Jack, 14, had participated in the earlier trials last year, and Walker said he wanted to help, too.

I want to help out other kids,' said Walker, who will be in fourth grade in the fall at Cicero Elementary School. And its exciting to be one of the first my age to get the shot.

Walker is enrolled in whats called the KidCOVE research Covid-19 vaccine study conducted by Moderna for kids ages 6 months to 11 years. Walker is one of about 7,000 participants in the trial, according to Moderna.

The trial is staggered and is starting with children between the ages of 6 years to less than 12 years old. Participants have to be in good health and never contracted Covid-19.

Walker got his shot at Child Health Care Associates, an Upstate University Hospital study, in Kirkville Wednesday, said his dad, Bob Clary. Clary said Walkers arm was sore and he had trouble sleeping last night. Clary said that makes him think his son got the actual vaccine rather than the placebo.

He will get his second shot after 28 days.

Clary said the trial is well-organized, and theres an app to record side effects and a number he can call with questions or concerns.

Despite his arm, Walker said hes not concerned. His brother, 12-year-old sister Stella and parents all are vaccinated.

Im not really worried about it at all,' he said. I dont want to get Covid.

Walker said he hopes he can reassure other kids who are hesitant to get the vaccine.

His father said he was cautious about getting the vaccine at first until he educated himself on it. He said his family believes in the vaccine. There is so much misinformation out there that he hopes his sons experience will convince others.

We trust in the science of the vaccines,' he said. We are proud of Walker for volunteering.

Elizabeth Doran covers education, suburban government and development, breaking news and more. Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact her anytime at 315-470-3012 or email edoran@syracuse.com

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CNY 9-year-old in Covid-19 vaccine trial gets 1st shot: I want to help out other kids - syracuse.com

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

HARRISBURG (KDKA) After the FDA and CDC approved an additional dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine for certain immunocompromised individuals on Thursday and Friday, the Pennsylvania Department of Health on Saturday announced it has notified vaccine providers that those people in Pennsylvania can receive a third dose.

We are pleased that the federal government is taking steps to ensure individuals who are immunocompromised have the opportunity to receive another layer of protection against COVID-19, Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam said in a release. The department is already working with vaccine providers on this important protection for these vulnerable Pennsylvanians. We are confident in our ability to meet the needs of this critical population by our previous successful vaccination efforts and current vaccine supply.

The FDA specified in its release that this allowance only applies to those who have undergone organ transplants, certain cancers and other types of disorders that put their immune systems at the same level of vulnerability.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health recommends the individuals who this applies to speak to their health care provider before scheduling an appointment.

A third dose is not approved or recommended for those who are fully vaccinated and have no health conditions that would make the potential fight against COVID-19 difficult.

The recommendation was made as the Delta variant continues to surge across the United States.

More information on the Coronavirus pandemic:

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Pa. Dept. Of Health In Contact With COVID-19 Vaccine Providers On Newly Approved Third Dose For Certain Immunocompromised People - CBS Pittsburgh