Category: Covid-19 Vaccine

On Thursday, Kay Ivey, the unimpeachably conservative governor of a deep red state, treated her Alabama constituents to some straight talk. I want folks to get vaccinated. Thats the cure, she said. The data proves that it works. And it doesnt cost you anything. It saves lives.

Asked what it would take to get more of her states population vaccinated, Gov. Ivey grew visibly frustrated. I dont know, she said. But its time to start blaming the unvaccinated folks, not the regular folks.

In her state, it isnt so easy to determine who the regular folks are. On the day she spoke, 59.8% of adult Americans had been fully vaccinated, compared with only 42.6% in Alabama. The reason is not a vaccine shortage, or huge obstacles to getting vaccinated. Some Alabamians are not bothering to get the shot, others say they are waiting, and the rest are refusing outright.

Around the country, vaccinations have been ensnared in the partisan polarization that suffuses just about everything these days. Joe Biden carried the 20 states with the highest vaccination rates; Donald Trump prevailed in 19 of the 20 with the lowest rates. (The 10 states in the middle, which include five swing states, were split almost evenly.) The same pattern prevails at the county level. And this red-blue gap is growing.

Nearly 90% of Democrats say they have already gotten vaccinated or intend to do so soon, compared with 54% of Republicans, a number that has not budged since April. Some 23% of Republicans insist that they wont get vaccinated under any circumstances, and another 8% say that they will not get vaccinated unless they are required to do so. And despite the hopes of policy analysts, only 8% of those who are refusing would change their minds if the Food and Drug Administrations current emergency-use authorization shifted to full and final approval, as it is likely to do this fall.

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Its Time to Start Requiring Covid Vaccines - The Wall Street Journal

It has been quite a week for vaccine mandates in the United States. The Department of Justices Office of Legal Counsel (the presidents lawyer) expressed its opinion that it is legal to mandate vaccination with vaccines distributed under emergency use authorization. The Department of Veterans Affairs became the first federal agency to mandate Covid-19 vaccination for its frontline health care workers. New York City and the state of California declared vaccination or regular Covid-19 testing obligatory for their workforces.

Vaccination is the key weapon in our nations battle against Covid-19. Either we quickly get closer to full immunity as a nation or we are doomed to another fall and winter of school shutdowns, business closures, fewer recreational opportunities, and more masking and social distancing, with all the likely deaths that new strains of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, entail.

Despite this grim reality, vaccine uptake is inadequate. Leaders have tried begging, pleading, and cajoling, but full vaccination in many states and counties hovers around 30%. Some states and cities have tried incentives such as free meals, drinks, lottery tickets, hunting licenses, vacations, cookies, and even marijuana, but to little avail.

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We believe that the solution to this public health crisis is to institute vaccine mandates, set by government or by private businesses and institutions. A vaccine mandate refers to imposing a consequence for vaccine refusal. The consequence can be a fine or denial of access to a service, job, or venues like hotels, cruise ships, and sports events.

Vaccination has historically been mandated for legal immigration into the U.S., for the military, and for school children and college students and health care workers. So what is holding up mandates for Covid-19 vaccination?

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The biggest obstacle is that the three main vaccines used in the U.S. are not yet fully licensed and there is legal uncertainty surrounding whether a vaccine distributed under emergency use authorization can be mandated.

Many employers, agencies, and schools have been hesitant to impose mandates because they are concerned that courts will find it illegal to mandate a vaccine that is distributed under emergency use authorization, rather than under full Food and Drug Administration authorization.

The opinion from the Department of Justice should give them confidence, but does not really solve the dilemma. Although this opinion is well-reasoned and persuasive, it carries little legal authority outside the federal government, and would likely get limited deference in court. But the opinion includes a way to remove legal hurdles: The FDA can amend the emergency use authorization documents for the Covid-19 vaccines to make it clear that mandates are permitted.

The current law allowing the secretary of Health and Human Services to give emergency use authorization for drugs and vaccines was enacted into law in 2004. Under its provisions, the HHS secretary can, under some circumstances, allow use of an unapproved product on an emergency basis. The secretary has delegated that power to the FDA, and the FDA has given emergency use authorization for the three Covid-19 vaccines.

This is a new situation: It is the first time a vaccine is being given to the entire population. What creates the uncertainty is that the law requires the HHS secretary to make sure vaccine recipients know of the option to accept or refuse administration of the product, of the consequences, if any, of refusing administration of the product Some read this language as prohibiting mandates: If someone can legally refuse the product, a mandate is not possible. Others argue an argument accepted recently by a Texas court that the provision speaks only to the HHS secretary, not to states, employers, universities and others who may mandate.

So the legal situation is murky. And full licensure of the vaccines is still months away, leaving many entities that could impose mandates hemming and hawing while new strains of SARS-CoV-2 spread rapidly.

But no one needs to wait for licensure. The solution for mandates is obvious: Either the HHS secretary or the FDA commissioner can and should edit the emergency use authorizations to say that refusing the vaccine may lead to one or more of the following consequences: loss of employment, limits on access to education, or limits on access to businesses and private enterprises.

The FDA has more than enough safety and efficacy evidence to support such a modification, and should act promptly to change the emergency use authorizations. If the FDA wont do it, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra should do it.

The nation should not tolerate more deaths, hospitalizations, shutdowns, and economic and personal ruin. The key solution to promptly getting mandates requires our health bureaucracy to act, and act now, to rewrite the emergency use authorizations.

Arthur L. Caplan is professor of bioethics and the founding head of New York University School of Medicines Division of Medical Ethics. Dorit R. Reiss is a professor of law at UC Hastings College of Law.

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Rewriting EUAs can pave the way for Covid-19 vaccine mandates - STAT - STAT

CHICAGO (CBS) With the Delta variant spread, there is renewed talk of a future booster shot to fight COVID-19.

This week, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said a booster likely will be needed especially for people whose immune systems are compromised.

But CBS 2s Marie Saavedra found that some of those patients are already getting third doses of vaccine now.

If you search on social media, youll find posts from people who say theyve had more than just their first dose of vaccine. That has some wondering if they should look into a booster.

But its important to note that in a lot of these cases, its not technically a booster. Its more like trying, for a second time, to get those patients protected.

As someone whos immune-suppressed, I had to be very careful, said David Baron.

David Baron, a pilot, said the risk of COVID kept him grounded since the start of the pandemic.

I actually havent worked since March of 2020, he said. Ive been on leave because it was just too risky.

Baron lives with an autoimmune disorder of the skin so to stay healthy, he got two shots of Moderna as soon as he could. To no avail.

Not at all, he said. I had no detectible antibody response.

He says his medications kept the vaccine from taking, so his doctor at a well-known Chicago hospital suggested getting another dose.

The option was given to me by my treating physician, Baron said. It was my decision. He did not push on me. He just kind of laid the information out.

Baron got a Johnson & Johnson shot in June. Since he had no antibodies after the first round, technically, its not a booster. Its just another attempt to get him protected.

But discussions about giving extra shots to the immune-suppressed are happening.

The data that were accumulating now is really real-time data that started with the vaccines that were available in December, said Dr. John Fung, co-director of the University of Chicago Medicines Transplant Institute.

Fung said recent studies, including one published Friday in the New England Journal of Medicine, show a third dose of vaccine in organ transplant patients significantly improves their ability to fight COVID.

But it is still early, and boosters in those who did have some antibodies, but want more, is not yet approved by the Food and Drug Administration or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Let them figure out whether or not the third dose makes sense or not, Fung said.

For Baron, his third dose acted like a first. And he is grateful finally to put up a fight against the virus.

I can see family and friends, I can go out to restaurants with my wife, I can return to work and get my career back on track, he said, and its my gateway to returning to normal.

If you are someone who is immunocompromised and not sure if your first round of vaccine took, you can talk to your doctor about getting an antibody test.From there, they can determine whether another shot of vaccine is worth it, or not.

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Some Immunocompromised Patients Are Already Getting Third Doses Of COVID-19 Vaccine - CBS Chicago

COVID-19 vaccination has become yet another front in the war by elected officials and media figures to draw the military into politics. Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, has introduced legislation to prohibit vaccinations being made mandatory in the armed forces and has been scaremongering on Twitter about potential dangers that vaccine mandates pose to military readiness. A group of seven Democratic lawmakers led by Representative Jimmy Panetta of California recently wrote to President Joe Biden, urging that his administration make vaccinations mandatory for everyone in the military.

As a matter of military preparedness, service members should be vaccinated. This isnt even a close call. The vaccines are highly effective against a virus that continues to spread rapidly and mutate into new variants, and serious side effects from the shots are extremely rare. Few acts contribute more to operational readiness than getting vaccinated against a disease thats killed more than 600,000 Americans and has previously hamstrung the operations of a carrier group.

David Frum: Vaccinated America has had enough

As of June 30, about 68 percent of active-duty troops have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, Military Times reported. When National Guard and Reserve component forces are included, though, only 51 percent of service members are even partially vaccinated. In comparison, 49 percent of the general U.S. population is fully vaccinated. Given that both of the vaccines most commonly used in the United States require two shots, the military as a whole appears to be lagging behind the general public in COVID-19 vaccination.

The proportion varies across military services too. The Navy leads the other branches in vaccination; 77 percent of active-duty members have received at least one dose, compared with 70 percent in the Army, 61 percent in the Air Force, and 58 percent in the Marine Corps. The acceptance rate has increased since the vaccines were first offered to the military in mid-April (at that time, 48,000 Marines declined to take the vaccine). In March, Army Lieutenant General Ronald Place said, Were seeing individuals who may have been initially wary about the vaccine now come forward and ask for it. But rates have slowed in recent weeks.

More than a dozen vaccines are mandatory for service men and women, including annual flu shots. Those who decline to be vaccinated for COVID-19 face no penalties, but they remain responsible for their duties and deployments. As the journalist and Navy veteran Andrew McCormick has pointed out, the leaders of a hierarchical organization have been left pleading with subordinates to follow their example.

So far, the Pentagon hasnt required service members to be vaccinated because the vaccines have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration only under an emergency-use authorization. Service men and women have to give their informed consent to receiving a medical intervention that has not yet received full approval. Removing that legal requirement would take a presidential waiver. And Biden has previously said he did not believe that COVID-19 vaccines should be mandatory for anyone.

The federal law prohibiting mandatory military vaccination before full FDA approval is designed to prevent the military from being used as a test bed for medical treatments before their use in the general population. In the current situation, though, civilians are already being vaccinated, so the military isnt being asked to do something to prove the case for general use. Moreover, the operational readiness of military units would be compromised by coronavirus outbreaks. Finally, many service men and women live among civilian communities and could be vectors for spread of the disease.

Kori Schake: What is happening to our apolitical military?

Military commanders have wide latitude to determine potential restrictions on service members based on local conditions. For example, at the beginning of the pandemic, General Robert Abrams, the commander of U.S. forces in Korea, tailored force-protection measures in coordination with the South Korean government. The decisions caused friction with the White House because then-President Donald Trump was still disavowing the seriousness of the pandemic. The current commander in South Korea, General Paul LaCamera, has just reinstituted mask mandates and restricted travel.

The reasons vaccination rates vary across the branches probably have little to do with politics. The Navys higher rate of uptake is likely attributable to publicity over the 1,200 sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt who contracted the virus last year during a cruise of the Western Pacific. Because of the outbreak, the vessels commander, Captain Brett Crozier, asked to evacuate and quarantine the ships sailors and was subsequently relieved of command by the secretary of the Navy. General awareness may also be higher in the Navy because of the pandemic requirement to quarantine for two weeks before and after being at sea, and also between port calls.

One practical reason that vaccinations in the military lag the general population is that service members are younger and healthier. Across the country, young adults, who have a relatively low risk of death from serious disease, have substantially lower vaccination rates than older adults. The national median age is about 38. Enlisted men and women in the U.S. military as a whole are, on average, 27. The average age of even officers in the U.S. military is 34.5.

But the main drivers of vaccine refusal in the military community are worrisome. A survey in December 2020 by the advocacy group Blue Star Families showed that 49 percent of service members did not plan to be vaccinated, and 54 percent of military spouses werent planning to. The reasons for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine mirrored those of the general public: 70 percent of people surveyed who declined to be vaccinated expressed distrust of vaccines development or timeline, or concerns about safety, and 58 percent preferred to wait and see if additional side effects arose. A full 28 percent reported in December 2020 that they didnt believe the coronavirus was a threat to them or their families; 27 percent distrusted most or all vaccines.

Medical experts consider concerns about vaccine safety to be largely unfounded. As Marine Lieutenant Colonel Thomas B. Turner, responsible for vaccine efforts at Camp Lejeune, said, We have to inoculate the force from the virus, and we have to inoculate the force for vaccine misinformation The key to addressing this pandemic is building vaccine confidence.

The Army is reportedly making some preparations for mandatory vaccinations in September if the FDA gives the vaccines full approval. In the meantime, the Pentagons reluctance to take a stronger stand for vaccination may itself be undermining confidence. Not long ago, I had a casual conversation about the issue with a soldier at Fort Hood in Texas. I didnt take down his name at the time, but in hindsight his explanation of why many werent getting a shot was revelatory: Because if it was really important, he said, reflecting the time-honored cynicism of the rank and file, the military would make us do it.

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Why Isn't the Military Mandating COVID-19 Vaccines? - The Atlantic

The first ever large-scale study on the tolerance of the COVID-19 vaccine in people with lupus found that the vaccine is largely well tolerated. Researchers assessed side effects, including flares, after receiving at least one shot among 696 people with lupus across 30 different countries. While about half the people (45% after the first dose and 53% after the second dose) reported some side effects, the majority (83%) reported minor or moderate symptoms that did not interfere with daily tasks.

There were no differences in side effects observed related to gender, age, or vaccine type. Additionally, neither lupus medications nor previous lupus disease characteristics were associated with side effects of risk of flare following vaccination. People who reported side effects after the first vaccine, however, were more likely to experience side effects after the second shot.

Just 3% of participants (21 people out of 693) reported a medically confirmed lupus flare roughly 3 days after vaccination. In most cases (71%), this resulted in a change in lupus treatment, and four of the 21 people were hospitalized due to the flare up.

The American College of Rheumatology recommends COVID-19 vaccination for people with lupus and other rheumatic diseases, except for patients with a known allergy to a vaccine component or life-threatening illness (currently resulting in intensive care). Consult with your doctor if you have questions or concerns about the vaccine and learn more about COVID-19 and lupus.

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COVID-19 Vaccine is Largely Well Tolerated in People with Lupus - Lupus Foundation of America

Santa Rosa, CA July 27, 2021 County of Sonoma health officials announced today that more than 70 percent of residents age 12 and older are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19. County Health Officer Dr. Sundari Mase and Vaccine Chief Dr. Urmila Shende told the Board of Supervisors during their COVID update today that another 8 percent of County residents have received a single dose of vaccine, meaning 78 percent of residents are either fully or partially vaccinated.

Statewide, 62 percent of residents are vaccinated while an additional 9 percent are partially vaccinated. Nationwide, roughly 56 percent of those ages 12 and up in the U.S. are fully vaccinated.

All told, as of July 26, 619,721 doses of vaccine have been administered in the County of Sonoma with 33,132 residents partially vaccinated and 301,923 residents fully vaccinated. While reaching 70 percent fully vaccinated is an encouraging milestone, we plan to continue to encourage vaccinations until we get to a higher goal level of herd immunity, Dr. Shende told the supervisors.

The achievement comes as COVID-19 cases and related hospitalizations are at the highest rates since March. County health officials say this increase coincides with the arrival of the more contagious delta variant. According to Dr. Mase, 72 percent of those who have tested positive recently are under the age of 49, with the most impacted age group being those between the ages of 12 and 39.

Meanwhile, the Countys six hospitals are seeing an average of more than 40 COVID patients a day. Of those, 83 percent are unvaccinated while 100 percent of those COVID patients in intensive care are people who are unvaccinated.

The delta variant is playing a big part in this increase in cases, as we are seeing throughout the country and throughout the state, said Dr. Mase. Its highly transmissible and now accounts for 83 percent of cases in the United States. She noted that it has been identified in 135 COVID-positive patients in Sonoma County and now represents the most dominant variant detected in the County. Those who are unvaccinated are particularly vulnerable to the delta variant and to the worst outcomes of the virus including hospitalization and death.

Since July 16, 2021, the Association of Bay Area Health Officials has recommended that all people, regardless of vaccination status, wear masks in public settings indoors, in response to increased circulation of COVID-19. County health officials also encourage unvaccinated residents to wear their masks, avoid gatherings, practice social distancing and get vaccinated as soon as possible. Its safe, effective and free. Household transmission and gatherings are the primary current contributors to transmission.

Sonoma County health officials, in partnership with hospitals, health centers and pharmacies, have operated or supported a network of vaccine clinics throughout the community with a focus on equity and underserved communities. The countys vaccination campaign is designed to make it more convenient for people to get vaccinated, including through mobile clinics and events at schools. The county continues to support three large vaccination clinics at the Roseland Library, the Jockey Club at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds and the Rohnert Park Community Center.

Walk-ups are accepted though residents may also make appointments here: https://myturn.ca.gov/

Residents who need help making an appointment are encouraged to call the County COVID-19 hotline at 707-565-4667.

A complete list of vaccination clinics is available here: https://socoemergency.org/emergency/novel-coronavirus/vaccineinformation/clinics/

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Sonoma County achieves 70 percent COVID-19 vaccination rate, but cases continue to climb among unvaccinated residents | Press Releases | County...

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) Norfolk State University is joining other colleges, health care groups and more in requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for the fall semester, with some exceptions.

NSU leadership recently announced that all students, faculty, and staffmust be vaccinated, except for those with medical or religious reasons.

Its a change from previous guidance. NSU said back in June that it expects and strongly encourages all employees and students to get fully vaccinated prior to the start of the Fall 2021 semester or as soon as possible but did not require COVID-19 vaccinations.

We believe that this is in the best interest of our university. Some will say that there are fully vaccinated people who have gotten the virus, so why should we? Our response is simple, those persons are not getting seriously ill and more importantly, they are not dying, NSU said in a statement. please know that we care deeply for every single member of the Norfolk State family and will ensure the safety of our community by implementing this measure.

Nearly all COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. are now among unvaccinated people, and the vaccine has proven to be effective against the more contagious delta variant. Some breakthrough cases have been reported in which fully vaccinated people are infected with the virus, but most of those people have mild illness or no symptoms.

While we have come a long way in battling this horrible pandemic, we are now faced with a more infectious Delta variant that threatens to derail the progress of the last few months with a resurgence nationally and here in the Commonwealth of Virginia, NSU said. Data shows that most of the recent cases are among unvaccinated people. Sadly, this may also disproportionately affect people of color, many of whom are already at high risk and suffer from other underlying conditions.

Norfolk State, Hampton and other HBCUs have been holding clinics and other outreach methods to encourage those in the Black community to get vaccinated. Hampton even has its own mobile health RV.

So far 64.7% of adults in Virginia are fully vaccinated and 53.7% of the total population is fully vaccinated.

NSU joins Old Dominion University, Hampton, Howard University and more in requiring the vaccine.

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Norfolk State University requiring COVID-19 vaccines, with some exceptions - WAVY.com

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Is it legal for employers to require the COVID-19 vaccine? - WSMV Nashville

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Concern is building in Florida's medical community that resistance by many people to getting a COVID-19 vaccine means the end of the pandemic is nowhere in sight.

New case counts soared 60.6% last week in Florida, with 73,199 new cases for the seven-day period ended Thursday, up from 45,584 a week earlier. The most recent weekly case count was more than triple what it was two weeks ago, when the figure was 23,554.

"These numbers don't lie," said Dr. Frederick Southwick, an infectious disease specialist in Gainesville who has cared for more than 150 COVID-19 patients.

Southwick said, with the current dominance of the faster-spreading COVID-19delta variant, the state needs toget to 80% to 85% of the population vaccinated to get the virus under control.

More: Public not yet changing attitudes with COVID-19 case counts rising

More: COVID-19 case counts continue spiking in Brevard County, with 2,166 new cases last week

"These new variants have been spreading like wildfire," Southwick said during a conference call with reporters that was organized by the Committee to Protect Health Care.

"Herd immunity is quickly slipping out of our reach," with many Americans refusing to get the vaccine, said Dr. Mona Mangat, an immunologist in St. Petersburg and board member for the Committee to Protect Health Care.

Dr. Bernard Ashby, a cardiologist in Miami and Florida state lead for the Committee to Protect Health Care, said the pandemic "is not going anywhere any time soon. It's going to be around for a long time."

Ashby said doctors are "feeling like we're back atsquare one again" in the pandemic, and that not enough is being done by Gov. Ron DeSantis and his administration to proactively combat the pandemic.

During a news conference and ceremonial bill-signing Thursday in Fort Pierce, DeSantis emphasized the importance of vaccination, saying: "It really prevents against severe outcomes, particularly death or serious hospitalization."

DeSantis added that, in recent months, he has"crisscrossed every corner of this state," promoting the vaccine's availability, but that it is a personal choice for the state's residents.

"I showed up in nursing homes. I showed up at hospitals. I showed up at senior communities. I showed up at pharmacies," DeSantis said. "We have a situation where we have three vaccines that have been widely available for months and months now, and people need to make decisions what's best for them."

Although he supports vaccinations, DeSantis emphasized that he will oppose mandatory masking policies or other restrictions in efforts to combat the spread of the virus.

Currently, 52% of the overall population in Florida and 60% of the population ages 12 and up have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The numbers are even lower in Brevard County, with 50% of the overall population and 57% of the population ages 12 and up getting at least one dose of the vaccine.

"Having a large population that's unvaccinated is endangering all those that did get the vaccine," Southwick said. "So it's really an absolute nightmare."

Brevard did experience a small uptick in vaccinations, with 3,470 administered in the week of July 16-22. That's up from 3,198 in the previous week.

The two-dose Moderna vaccine and the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine are available for those ages 18 and up. The two-dose Pfizer vaccine is available for those ages 12 and up.

"It's all about trust," Southwick said. "Do I trust the message? Do I trust the vaccine? Do I trust what the experts are saying about how safe it is?"

Vaccine hesitancy also is apparent within the health care community itself.

Mangatnoted that, although an estimated 96% of physicians nationwide are vaccinated, the figure drops down to about 50% for other health care workers.

Locally, 592Brevard County Fire Rescue employees including those who are emergency medical technicians or paramedics were offered an opportunity to get COVID-19 vaccines and receive a special stipend from the county for doing so.

Under the measure introduced by Brevard County Commissioner Bryan Lober, BCFR first responders were eligible to get$75 for each dose of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine they received or $100 for getting the one-dose J&J vaccine, in a program funded by money Brevard County received through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.

But only about 27% of eligible BCFR employees took advantage of that option.

Lober said it is unfortunate that so few BCFR employees decided to be vaccinated.

"I would have likedto have seen more people get vaccinated than did," Lober said.

BCFR Chief Mark Schollmeyer said he is "a little disappointed at the low numbers" of his employees who were vaccinated, noting that he also provided extra flexibility in staff schedules so they could have a convenient time to be vaccinated.

But, Schollmeyer added, for BCFR employees, "it's a personal choice. It is what it is."

Separately, Lober on Monday suggested to County Manager Frank Abbate that the county consider a policy that would allowcounty employees who are vaccinated, but then become ill with COVID-19, to use time off that is not counted against their available sick leave or annual leave. He sees that as an incentive for county employees to get vaccinated.

But Lober added that he does not believe there is much local government officials can do to encourage more people in the general public to be vaccinated.

Lober said many of the same people who have qualms about getting the vaccine also distrust the government in general.

A government push for unvaccinated people to be vaccinated "may make them less likely to get vaccinated. It has to come from a physician or folks in thecommunity" that those who are unvaccinated trust, Lober said.

Florida Rep. Thad Altman, R-Indialantic,said the vaccine is"an amazing medical feat, and we need to take advantage of it. It shouldn't be a political issue. I think maybe we need to do more in getting the word out. I think we need to encourage everyone to get their vaccine."

Altman said he has been vaccinated, but that he understands why some might be reluctant.

"It's still experimental," Altman said. "I talk to a lot of people, and, for whatever reason, (they) aren't comfortable" with getting vaccinated.

Altman said he's not for mandating vaccinations, and respects people's constitutional right to say "no" and make their own medical choices.

"I think we have to respect that," Altman said. "I think there are some legal issues on mandating."

But he said he has heard tragic stories of those who fell sick and wanted to get the vaccine, but it was too late.

"I hear heartbreaking stories," he said. "Most people are not negatively affected by the coronavirus, especially if they're young. A lot of people have that feeling that 'it can't be me.' but it can. I have friends in their 40s in the hospital. Ithink a lot of people are beginning to realize that this is not going to go away as easily as we all thought."

Florida Rep. Tyler Sirois, R-Merritt Island, said he doesn't know of any local campaign by state legislators to boost vaccinations in Brevard.

Sirois said it's an individual decision and responsibility, so he's against any government mandates, lockdowns or other further business and/or school closings to contain COVID.

"When I'm asked, I encourage people to talk to their physician," Sirois said. "I think it comes down to individual responsibility.What I don't support, though, is more shutdowns. I am absolutely opposed to that 100%. People need to make a decision that's best for their situation. I'm opposed to any more government mandates."

"There's plenty of access to the vaccine. There's plenty of inventory," Sirois said. "I encourage people to have a conversation with their physician."

Ashby said there is a particular hesitancy to be vaccinated among African American, Hispanic and Native American people, partly the result of a historic distrustof the government and of the medical community.

Latest Florida Department of Healthdata, for example, indicates that, in Florida, the percentage of the Black population vaccinated is 20 percentage points lower than the percentage of the white population, in instances where a vaccinated person's race was recorded.

"We are dealing with a lot of social issues, a lot ofpolitical issues that have actually fed into vaccine hesitancy," Ashby said.

Southwick said an advertising campaign promoting the vaccine is no longer likely to be effective because people who are unvaccinated are not likely to be swayed by that anymore.

Rather, Southwick said, an effective approach could be a one-on-one conversation with a member of the clergy.

"Individuals trust their pastors," Southwick said. "And it's all about trust. And it's all about telling the right things and encouraging the right behaviors."

DeSantis said he is proud of Florida's "seniors-first" approach of offering the vaccines first to residents ages 65 and older.

Currently, 84% of Floridians in that 65-plus age group are vaccinated. But that figure drops in the younger age groups, to 35% of those ages 12 through 19; 39% in ages 20 thought 29; and 47% in ages 30 through 39.

Dr. Jeffrey Stalnaker, chief clinical officer for Health First, said vaccines are "the best weapons we have to stop the virus from spreading. Unfortunately, misinformation about the vaccines is spreading just as fast as the virus, generating fear and causing vaccine hesitancy."

He encourages members of the public to "look at reputable, proven sources of information," such as official health authorities, as well asleading research centers and universities that specialize in vaccines and infectious diseases.

"We have long cautioned that COVID-19 would not go away easily, and it will take everyone to do his or her part to ensure we defeat this pandemic once and for all," Stalnaker said in a column published Monday in FLORIDA TODAY.

Health First, Brevard County's largest health care provider, on Monday announced that it has two new locations forCOVID-19 vaccinations. They are at:

Hours are9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Individuals with scheduled appointments will be prioritized. However, walk-ins are welcomed for first-dose vaccinations during the clinic hours, and will be accommodated when vaccine availability allows.

People with questions or needingto reschedule an appointment can email vaccine@HF.org or call 321-434-7355, thenpress 7.

Hospitals throughout Florida are reporting increasing COVID-19 patient counts.

Health First announced Monday that it is limiting elective surgical procedures at its four Brevard County hospitals, effective Thursday and continuing through Aug. 15, in reaction to a surge in COVID-19 patients.

Brevard's three major hospital companies Health First, Steward Health Care and Parrish Healthcare all have reported increases in their COVID-19 patient counts in recent weeks.

At Health First, for example, the COVID-19 patient count had risen to a total of 150 at its four hospitals by Monday, up from about 100 a week ago and less than 20 a month ago.

"The situationin hospitals across the state is becoming dire," Mangat said. "And we don't talk enough about how COVID-19 strains our emergency rooms and hospitals and urgent cares, making the care of non-COVID diseases even more difficult. So we're talking about strokes and heart attacks and car accidents, appendicitis, things like that."

Mangat said that,in addition to vaccinations, masking, social distancing and hand-washing are critical to prevent the spread of the virus.

But DeSantis said he will oppose any mandates.

"If anyone is calling for lockdowns, you're not getting that done in Florida," DeSantis said. "I'm going to protect people's livelihoods. I'm going to protect kids' right to go to school. I'm going to protect people's right to run their small businesses.To have the government come in and lock anyone down or restrict anybody is totally unacceptable. We're going to lift people up. We're not locking people down. And we're going to make sure that folks are able to exercise their decision-making on what's best for them. We've never had any mandates in the state of Florida, and we will not have any mandates in the state of Florida."

Dave Berman is business editor at FLORIDA TODAY.Contact Berman at dberman@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @bydaveberman.

If stories like this are important to you, please consider subscribing to FLORIDA TODAY. To subscribe: https://cm.floridatoday.com/specialoffer/

Read more here:

Medical community says hesitancy about COVID-19 vaccine means end of the pandemic is nowhere in sight - Florida Today

COVID-19 cases are on the rise, and health officials are continuing to advise residents that the best form of protection is getting vaccinated.

Four unvaccinated people have died from the Delta variant of virus.

The Washoe County Health District (WCHD) and its community have several COVID-19 vaccine sites in Washoe County scheduled for the next two weeks.

Appointments are availablebut not requiredfor each of the following sites here or by calling 775-328-2427.

If youre homebound, nurses can come to your house to administer the vaccine. Schedule an appointment by calling 775-328-2427.

The COVID-19 vaccine is proven to reduce the chances of contracting, or being hospitalized from, contracting the Delta variant. The Delta variant is the most dominant in Washoe County and most people hospitalized with the Delta variant are unvaccinated.

The vaccine is also available at the Reno-Sparks Livestock and Events Center or at local drug stores. Children between the ages of 12-17 must have a parent with them when receiving the vaccine.

The next drawing for Vax Nevada Days is set for July 29. More than $5 million in cash and prizes is being awarded to Nevada residents who receive the COVID-19 vaccine before Aug. 15. For more information regarding rules and prizes please visit http://www.vaxnevadadays.org.

Jeri Chadwell came to Reno from rural Nevada in 2004 to study anthropology at the University of Nevada, Reno. In 2012, she returned to the university for a masters degree in journalism. She is the former associate and news editor of the Reno News & Review and is a recipient of first-place Nevada Press Association awards for investigative and business reporting. Jeri is passionate about Nevadas history, politics and communities.

Link:

COVID-19 vaccination sites planned for the next two weeks - ThisisReno