Category: Covid-19 Vaccine

The COVID-19 vaccine is now available to all Florida residents age 18 and over.

Heres how to received the vaccine in Escambia County this week:

Florida Dept. Of Health Escambia

FDOH-Escambia is using the statewide preregistration system to schedule COVID-19 vaccine appointments. Escambia County residents can call (866 (201-1025 or preregister online atmyvaccine.fl.gov.

Ascension Sacred Heart

Ascension Sacred Heart clinics will be held at Olive Baptist Church as follows:

Online appointments can be made at http://www.GetSacredHeartCare.com. The clinics will offer either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, which require two shots about 3-4 weeks apart.

Baptist Health Care

Baptist Health Care is offering appointments the week of April 5 at Baptist Medical Park Nine Mile located at 9400 University Parkway in Pensacola.

Appointments can be made one of three ways:

Community Health Northwest Florida

All clinics April 5-9 are for individuals returning for the second dose. Appointments are already scheduled.

Retail Pharmacies

Appointments are also available at retail pharmacies including: CVS, Publix, Walmart, Sams Club and Winn Dixie. See each retailers website for more details.

Written by William Reynolds Filed Under FRONT TOP

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COVID-19 Vaccine Now Available To Everyone 18+. Here's How To Get Vaccinated In Escambia County. - NorthEscambia.com

Gov. Jim Justice,the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, and the WestVirginia Joint Interagency Task Force for COVID-19 VaccinesannouncedCOVID-19 vaccine clinics that will be held across the state.

All clinicappointments slots have been assigned to those pre-registered through the WestVirginia COVID-19 Vaccine Registration System as vaccine supplies allow. Individualswill be notified through the Vaccine Registration System or their local healthdepartment if they are selected for an appointment slot in their area. Pleasenote vaccine supplies are limited and walk-ins are not accepted.

AllWest Virginians, age 16 years and older, are encouraged to pre-register for aCOVID-19 vaccine through the Vaccine Registration System at http://www.vaccinate.wv.gov. Please check local news media, socialmedia, and http://www.vaccinate.wv.gov for any changes or delays tovaccine clinics.

Monday, April 5, 2021

Cabell County (Individualswill be contacted if selected for appointment)

8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Valley Health Harbour Way, 1 Harbour Way,Milton, WV 25541. By appointment only.

Monongalia County (Individualswill be contacted if selected for appointment)

8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Former Sears Store at Morgantown Mall, 9520Mall Road, Morgantown, WV 26501. By appointment only.

Morgan County (Individuals will be contacted if selectedfor appointment)

9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Warm Springs Intermediate School, 575 Warm Springs Way, BerkeleySprings, WV 25411. By appointment only.

OhioCounty (Individuals will be contacted if selected for appointment)

8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Highlands Old Michaels Building, 550 Cabela Drive, Triadelphia,WV 26059. By appointment only.

Tuesday, April 6, 2021

Berkeley County (Individualswill be contacted if selected for appointment)

8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m., Berkeley 2000 Recreation Center, 273 WoodburyAvenue, Martinsburg, WV 25404. By appointment only.

Cabell County (Individualswill be contacted if selected for appointment)

8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Valley Health Harbour Way, 1 Harbour Way,Milton, WV 25541. By appointment only.

8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., COVID-19 Vaccine Center, 100 HuntingtonMall Road, Barboursville, WV 25504. Byappointment only.

OhioCounty (Individuals will be contacted if selected for appointment)

8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Highlands Old Michaels Building, 550 Cabela Drive,Triadelphia, WV 26059. By appointment only.

Wednesday, April 7, 2021

Cabell County (Individualswill be contacted if selected for appointment)

8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Valley Health Harbour Way, 1 Harbour Way,Milton, WV 25541. By appointment only.

8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., COVID-19 Vaccine Center, 100Huntington Mall Road, Barboursville, WV 25504. By appointment only.

Clay County (Individualswill be contacted if selected for appointment)

8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Clay County High School, 1 Panther Drive, Clay, WV 25403. By appointment only.

Fayette County (Individuals will be contacted if selected forappointment)

8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Sunday Road Baptist Church, 206 Sunday Road, Hico, WV 25854. By appointment only.

Hampshire County (Individualswill be contacted if selected for appointment)

9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.,Hope Christian Church, 15338Northwestern Turnpike, Augusta, WV 26704. Byappointment only.

JeffersonCounty (Individuals will be contacted if selected forappointment)

9:00a.m. -4:00 p.m., Ranson Civic Center, 432 West 2nd Avenue, Ranson, WV25438. By appointment only.

LincolnCounty (Individuals will be contacted if selected for appointment)

9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Lincoln County Health Department, 8008 Court Avenue, Hamlin, WV 25523.By appointment only.

Logan County (Individualswill be contacted if selected for appointment)

9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., Logan County Resource Center, 100 RecoveryRoad, Peach Creek, WV 25639. By appointment only.

Mercer County (Individualswill be contacted if selected for appointment)

9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.Karen Preservati Center/Princeton Rescue Squad, 704 Maple Street,Princeton WV 24740. By appointment only.

Mineral County (Individuals will be contacted if selectedfor appointment)

9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., Mineral County Health Department, 541 Harley O. Staggers Drive,Keyser, WV 26726. By appointment only.

Monongalia County (Individualswill be contacted if selected for appointment)

8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Former Sears Store at Morgantown Mall, 9520Mall Road, Morgantown, WV 26501. By appointment only.

OhioCounty (Individuals will be contacted if selected for appointment)

8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Highlands Old Michaels Building, 550 Cabela Drive,Triadelphia, WV 26059. By appointment only.

PutnamCounty (Individualswill be contacted if selected for appointment)

9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Liberty Square, 613 Putnam Village Drive,Hurricane, WV 25526. By appointment only.

RaleighCounty (Individuals will be contacted if selected for appointment)

9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Beckley Convention Center, 200 Armory Drive, Beckley, WV 25801.By appointment only.

RoaneCounty (Individuals will be contacted if selected for appointment)

9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., City of Spencer Armory, 207 E. Main Street, Spencer, WV 25276.By appointment only.

Summers County (Individuals will be contacted if selectedfor appointment)

8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Hinton Freight Depot, 506 Commercial Street, Hinton, WV 25951.By appointment only.

Taylor County (Individuals will be contacted if selected for appointment)

9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., Taylor County Senior Citizens Center, 52 Trap Springs Road, Grafton,WV 26354. By appointment only.

Upshur County (Individualswill be contacted if selected for appointment)

8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., The Event Center, 929 Brushy Fork Road,Buckhannon, WV 26201. By appointment only.

Wayne County (Individualswill be contacted if selected for appointment)

10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., Wayne County Health Department, 217 KenovaAvenue, Wayne, WV 25570. By appointment only.

Wirt County (Individuals will be contacted if selectedfor appointment)

9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Coplin Health Systems, 483 Court Street, Elizabeth, WV 26143. Byappointment only.

Wood County (Individualswill be contacted if selected for appointment)

9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., South Parkersburg Baptist Church, 1655Blizzard Drive, Parkersburg, WV 26101. By appointment only.

Thursday, April 8, 2021

Berkeley County (Individualswill be contacted if selected for appointment)

8:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m., Berkeley 2000 Recreation Center, 273 WoodburyAvenue, Martinsburg, WV 25404. By appointment only.

Boone County (Individualswill be contacted if selected for appointment)

10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.,Madison Civic Center, 261Washington Avenue, Madison, WV 25103. Byappointment only.

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COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics April 5-11, 2021 - West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources

How COVID-19 vaccine gets from the manufacturer to your arm and why its taking so long  OCRegister

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How COVID-19 vaccine gets from the manufacturer to your arm and why its taking so long - OCRegister

HYDE COUNTY, N.C. (WAVY) Health officials at Ocracoke Health Center and Engelhard Medical Center will be hosting a COVID-19 vaccination clinic this month.

The event is scheduled for April 13 for patients 18 and up. No appointment is required but, anyone wishing to get a vaccine will have to be registered as a patient of the facility.

Officials say registration materials will be available at the event. They will be administering the Moderna vaccine, which is a 2-dose series separated by 28 days.

Each facility has a limited number of vaccines available and will be given on a first-come, first-served basis.

Ocracoke will offer vaccinations from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. or until vaccines run out.

Engelhard will offer vaccinations from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. or until vaccines run out.

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Hyde Co. health officials hosting COVID-19 vaccination event on April 13 - WAVY.com

BONITA SPRINGS

This week, 200 COVID-19 vaccines will be given to those with issues such as language barriers, limited technology access and limited transportation. They are to be given out at Cafe of Life in Bonita Springs.

Both organizers and the community are excited for this opportunity.

They are fully booked and ready-to-go in Bonita Springs. Come Wednesday, 200 people will be vaccinated thanks to Cafe of Life. They teamed up with the Department of Health in Lee County.

Yadi Munoz is the Site Manager of Cafe of Life. A lot of people mention they had been waiting for their shot for quite a while. So theyre just very happy that they were going to have it very convenient for them, Munoz said.

Language and technology continue to be barriers for so many communities here in Southwest Florida. Munoz says they went door-to-door to sign people up and help close that gap.

Well a lot of people just didnt have the access and I made it very easy for them with just calling, texting their name and getting them on a list, said Munoz.

Since these 200 spots filled up quickly, Munoz says they already have a waitlist ready for the next round of vaccine doses.

I think its very important, especially for our community that a lot of our people dont speak the English language and for them to have it its just extremely important, Munoz said. They were very excited, they were thrilled.

Those who will be receiving the vaccine on Wednesday, again, already have an appointment. So, during that time, they will not be accepting walk-ins.

Excerpt from:

200 COVID-19 vaccines going to those in underserved parts of Lee County - Wink News

I got the COVID-19 vaccine. What can I safely do?

You can enjoy small gatherings again, but should continue wearing a mask and social distancing in public.

In the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says fully vaccinated people can gather maskless with other vaccinated people indoors. It also says you can meet with unvaccinated people from one household at a time, if those people are considered at low risk of severe COVID-19. In other countries, the guidance may vary.

In public, the CDC recommends that vaccinated people continue wearing masks, avoid large gatherings and stay apart from others.

A person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the last required dose of vaccine.

Guidance on other activities for vaccinated people remains cautious. The CDC still discourages unnecessary travel, for example, and hasnt yet made a recommendation about going to restaurants or other places..

The CDC expects to update the guidance to allow more activities as infections decline and vaccinations increase.

One reason to keep your guard up after getting one dose of a two-dose vaccine: infection while having partial protection sets up the potential for the virus to mutate, said Dr. Joshua LaBaer, director of the Arizona State Universitys Biodesign Institute.

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I got the COVID-19 vaccine. What can I safely do? - MassLive.com

This article is part of a series of explainers on vaccine development and distribution. Learn more about vaccines from how they work and how theyre made to ensuring safety and equitable access in WHOs Vaccines Explained series.

COVID-19 vaccines are safe, and getting vaccinated will help protect you against developing severe COVID-19 disease and dying from COVID-19. You may experience some mild side effects after getting vaccinated, which are signs that your body is buildingrn protection.rn

Vaccines are designed to give you immunity without the dangers of getting the disease. Its common to experience some mild-to-moderate side effects when receivingrn vaccinations. This is because your immune system is instructing your body to react in certain ways: it increases blood flow so more immune cells can circulate, and it raises your body temperature in order to kill the virus.

Mild-to-moderate side effects, like a low-grade fever or muscle aches, are normal and not a cause for alarm: they are signs that the bodys immune system is responding to the vaccine, specifically the antigen (a substance that triggers an immunern response), and is gearing up to fight the virus. These side effects usually go away on their own after a few days.

Common and mild or moderate side effects are a good thing: they show us that the vaccine is working. Experiencing no side effects doesnt mean the vaccine is ineffective. It means everybody responds differently.

Like any vaccine, COVID-19 vaccines can cause side effects, most of which are mild or moderate and go away within a few days on their own. As shown in the results of clinical trials, more serious or long-lasting side effects are possible. Vaccines arern continually monitored to detect adverse events.

Reported side effects of COVID-19 vaccines have mostly been mild to moderate and have lasted no longer thana few days. Typical side effects include pain at the injection site, fever, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills and diarrhoea. The chances ofrn any of these side effects occurring after vaccination differ according to the specific vaccine.

COVID-19 vaccines protect against the SARS-CoV-2 virus only, so its still important to keep yourself healthy and well.

Upon receiving the vaccine, a person should be requested to stay for 1530 minutes at the vaccination site so health workers are available in case of any immediate reactions. Individuals should alert their local health providers following vaccinationrn if they experience any unexpected side effects or other health events such as side effects lasting more than three days. Less common side effects reported for some COVID-19 vaccines have included severe allergic reactions such as anaphylaxis;rn however, this reaction is extremely rare.

National authorities and international bodies, including WHO, are closely monitoring for any unexpected side effects following COVID-19 vaccine use.

Side effects usually occur within the first few days of getting a vaccine. Since the first mass vaccination programme started in early December 2020, hundreds of millions of vaccine doses have been administered.

There have been concerns about COVID-19 vaccines making people sick with COVID-19. But none of the approved vaccines contain the live virus that causes COVID-19, which means that COVID-19 vaccines cannot make you sick with COVID-19.

After vaccination, it usually takes a few weeks for the body to build immunity against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. So its possible a person could be infected with SARS-CoV-2 just before or after vaccination and still get sick withrn COVID-19. This is because the vaccine has not yet had enough time to provide protection.

Experiencing side effects after getting vaccinated means the vaccine is working and your immune system is responding as it should. Vaccines are safe, and getting vaccinated will help protect you against COVID-19.

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Side Effects of COVID-19 Vaccines - World Health Organization

Dr. Arin Piramzadian, Chief Medical Officer at StarMed, said they are the only ones to be selected in North Carolina for the Moderna trial.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. StarMed Healthcare has been selected to take part in Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine study for children. The vaccine trial will research the shot's effectiveness on kids aged 6 months to 11 years old, according to StarMed Healthcare Chief Medical Officer Dr. Arin Piramzadian.

Piramzadian said StarMed applied to be a part of the study two months ago and got approval on Wednesday.

"There's nothing more amazing than this," Piramzadian told WCNC Charlotte's Hunter Senz over the phone after receiving their news.

Moderna's KidCOVE study started earlier in March in other parts of the United States and Canada.

It will research the Moderna vaccine's effectiveness on 6,750 children ranging in age from 6 months to 11 years old.

Piramzadian said children from the Charlotte area can participate.

StarMed told WCNC Charlotte's Hunter Senz that the phone number has been overwhelmed with calls from parents interested in getting their kids involved in the trial. Parents interested in the trial can call 1-800-785-3150 or email:Participate@onsiteclinical.com.

If selected, the child would receive the vaccine at one of StarMed's clinics and then be monitored for a year by researchers as the study continues.

"Honestly this is absolutely amazing. It feels like all this time we've been catching up to COVID and now it feels like we're getting ahead of ahead," Piramzadian said.

Piramzadian said there are only a handful of locations around the U.S. that are taking part in the study.

The news comes as Pfizer announced its study shows its vaccine is 100% effective in kids from 12 to 15 years old.

"This could bring us back normalcy," Piramzadian said.

StarMed is the same organization administering COVID-19 shots for adult patients scheduling coronavirus vaccinations through the Mecklenburg County Health Department.

Results also are expected by the middle of this year from a U.S. study of Modernas vaccine in 12- to 17-year-olds.

There is currently no COVID-19 vaccine publicly available to anyone age 15 or younger in the United States outside of trials.

In South Carolina, those 16 years of age and older are now eligible to receive the vaccine.

In North Carolina, vaccine eligibility opens up to those 16 years of age and older on April 7.

In a sign that the preliminary findings were promising in pediatrics studies, the FDA already allowed both Moderna and Pfizer companies to begin U.S. studiesin children 11 and younger, working their way to as young as 6-month-old.

AstraZeneca last month began a study of its vaccine among 6- to 17-year-olds in Britain. Johnson & Johnson is planning its own pediatric studies. And in China, Sinovac recently announced it has submitted preliminary data to Chinese regulators showing its vaccine is safe in children as young as 3.

While most COVID-19 vaccines being used globally were first tested in tens of thousands of adults, pediatric studies wont need to be nearly as large. Scientists have safety information from those studies and subsequent vaccinations in millions more adults.

One key question is the dosage: Pfizer gave the 12-and-older participants the same dose adults receive while testing different doses in younger children.

It's not clear how quickly the FDA would act on Pfizer's request to allow vaccination starting at age 12. Another question is when the country would have enough shots and people to get them into adolescents' arms to let kids start getting in line.

Supplies are set to steadily increase over the spring and summer, at the same time states are opening vaccinations to younger, healthier adults who until now haven't had a turn.

Children represent about 13% of COVID-19 cases documented in the U.S. And while children are far less likely than adults to get seriously ill, at least 268 have died from COVID-19 in the U.S. alone and more than 13,500 have been hospitalized, according to a tally by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Thats more than die from the flu in an average year. Additionally, a small number have developed a serious inflammatory condition linked to the coronavirus.

Have a relative or friend in another state and want to know when they can get vaccinated? VisitNBC News' Plan Your Vaccine siteto find out about each state's vaccine rollout plan.

The Associated Press and Tegna contributed to this report

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Pediatric trial of COVID-19 vaccine coming to Charlotte - WCNC.com

Customers began seeking out ways to protect their Covid-19 vaccine record cards, knowing they will likely be important to have on hand in the future, Craig Grayson, vice president of print and marketing services for Staples, said in an email on Wednesday. Leveraging our existing capabilities in store felt like a natural way to provide a free solution.

People can also get their completed vaccine cards laminated for free at Office Depot and OfficeMax stores nationwide using the code 52516714 through July 25.

Dr. Ikediobi also recommends keeping the card in a safe place, as you would your passport, rather than carrying it around. It does not necessarily need to be on your person at all times, she said.

In some cases, yes. Border entry requirements are set by governments, not by airlines or by the International Air Transport Association, the trade association for the worlds airlines. Some destinations and cruise lines have started requiring that travelers be fully vaccinated before they travel. As of March 26, fully vaccinated Americans who can present proof of vaccination can visit Iceland, for example, and avoid border measures such as testing and quarantining, the countrys government said.

The cruise line Royal Caribbean is requiring passengers and crew members 18 or older to be vaccinated in order to board its ships, as are Virgin Voyages, Crystal Cruises and others. These companies will restart cruise operations this spring and summer. None of the companies are yet operating cruises out of United States ports, because the C.D.C. has yet to give them the guidelines theyll need to follow.

For the moment, airlines are not requiring vaccinations for travel. But the idea has been much talked about in the industry. In an interview with NBC Nightly News recently, Ed Bastian, the chief executive officer of Delta Air Lines, said that proof of vaccination will likely eventually be required on international flights, but whether that is paper proof or a digital vaccine passport, is unclear.

Perry Flint, a spokesman for the I.A.T.A., said that the agency does not support a mandatory vaccine requirement for air travel because it risks discriminating against those markets where vaccines may take longer to become widely available or against those who are not able to get vaccinated for medical reasons, or who are unwilling to do so owing to ethical or other concerns.

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What You Need to Know About Your Covid-19 Vaccine Card - The New York Times

This week, as Minnesota expanded COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to everyone over at 16, parents with younger kids find themselves in a predicament: suddenly a vaccination is in sight for them. But with no vaccine yet approved for those under age 16, its likely to be a while before their whole family has the protective immunities conferred by COVID-19 vaccines.

That makes the prospect of going out to eat, going on vacation or spending time with other families a little more complex. We talked to experts about what families with kids under 16 need to know.

The Pfizer vaccine is approved for people as young as 16, and Moderna and Johnson & Johnson are for those 18 and older. Why isnt there one for younger kids?

Were just not there yet. Both Moderna and Pfizer are actively doing clinical trials on kids as young as 6 months old. J&J is also planning trials in younger people.

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So far, the results of trials in younger people are encouraging. Data arent formalized yet, but on Wednesday, Pfizer announced preliminary data from its trials in 12-to-15-year olds found the vaccine appears to work extremely well in that age group, with no serious side effects.

Most trials go down to kids as young as 6 months because in many cases, kids dont tend to develop strong antibodies from vaccines when theyre younger, said Dr. Frank Rhame, Allina Health infectious disease specialist. Thats why most vaccinations, except pertussis, start at 6 months. Plus, if their moms are vaccinated, very young babies should get protective antibodies in the womb and/or from breast milk.

Because trials are still ongoing, experts are saying itll be months, and the availability timeline is likely to vary based on age, with older kids possibly eligible as early as fall and younger kids in early 2022.

Why is this taking so long?

All this vaccine stuff is actually happening remarkably fast, it just might not feel like it right now as we hurry up and wait. But one reason its not happening faster is because the bodies that make recommendations for vaccines are really careful about them, Rhame said.

People seem to be more reluctant to take a vaccine, so in the vaccine world, they dont ever make a recommendation without really really solid data in hand, and that takes time, so theyre probably not going to recommend it until they get a done trial, he said.

There is some possibility that a COVID-19 vaccine could be recommended for kids in accelerated fashion based on whats called a bridge study, said Dr. Mark Schleiss, a professor of pediatrics and a vaccine researcher at the University of Minnesota.

If you have an idea of what a kids immune response needs to be for the vaccine to work, this can be a shortcut.

If you prove that its safe, prove that it induces an immune response thats protective, you may not need the third piece of the puzzle, to prove it reduces transmission and prevents disease, he said.

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Is the vaccine likely to be safe in kids?

Yes.

I dont anticipate that there will be any problems, Scheiss said. Theres no biomedical basis to believe that any of the vaccines that we currently have licensed in the U.S. are risky in any way.

There are short-term side effects fever, headache, sore arms, fatigue but those go away quickly, and may present less frequently in children.

Is there a way to somehow get my kid vaccinated before then?

Potentially. Schleiss encouraged parents to enroll their children in clinical trials for the vaccines. Trials recruiting participants can be found on clinicaltrials.gov, and theres a filter for trials recruiting children.

What does a likely monthslong wait for a vaccine mean for school in the fall?

Given where trials are at, its likely safety measures will have to remain for a while certainly into the fall when the 2021-22 school year starts.

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That includes masking children over the age of 2, that includes strategically designing their school day in such a way to minimize large group assemblies, having small, focused groups of children, distance of at least three feet, downsized from 6 feet, Schleiss said. That also means investing in infrastructure for schools, including ventilation, shields and cleaning supplies.

Do kids really need to take precautions in the meantime? Theyre less likely to get sick or die of COVID-19.

Its true kids are less likely than older adults to get very sick or die from COVID-19: 3 percent of people who have been in the ICU with COVID-19 in Minnesota are 19 and under, and there have been just two deaths in anyone under 20.

The younger they are the less likely they are to be symptomatic, and the rate of hospitalizations is very low in young children, but its not zero, said Dr. Elyse Kharbanda, senior investigator at HealthPartners Institute who studies vaccines. Furthermore, kids may be unlikely to get sick, but they are more likely to have asymptomatic infections, which means they can spread COVID-19 to others without it being obvious.

Vaccine coverage is more than 80 percent for Minnesotans 65 and older, but many adults in other age groups are still waiting to get the vaccine. Kids, particularly older children and adolescents can be conduits for transmitting the virus to people who arent fully protected.

If people were to become more lax, wed have less testing and wed be less likely to pick up these asymptomatic infections, she said. Currently, the best tools we have are symptom monitoring and frequent testing to find asymptomatic infections, and those are really important.

Is it okay to take my kid out to a restaurant before theyre vaccinated?

Its probably fine if youre careful.

I think you can go out to eat if youre disciplined about the way you do it, Rhame said.

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Soon, itll be easier to eat outdoors, and thats the safest. But if a restaurant is adhering to distancing and masking guidelines, and if a kid isnt around vulnerable people, plus the adults are vaccinated, your risks are considerably diminished, he said.

What you really dont want to do is have the kids visiting granny and grandpop who for some reason refused the vaccine, Rhame said.

If I, fully vaccinated, go out to a bar with my fully vaccinated friends, is it likely Ill bring COVID home to my kid?

We dont know yet. Studies have found the vaccines prevent severe illness and death, and data on the Pfizer vaccine out of Israel suggest it also prevents people who are vaccinated from transmitting the virus, but its early to know to what extent, exactly, thats the case. This week, officials who made bullish statements on the vaccines ability to prevent transmission have had to walk them back because we dont have enough data to know for sure yet.

Thats one of the reasons (but not the only one) people still need to be careful. Once we know more about whether vaccinated people can transmit the virus even if they dont get sick (which we should soon), well have a better sense of how safe activities like this are.

What about spending time with their friends or other families with young, also unvaccinated kids?

Again, care is key, Rhame said. Keeping groups small is a good idea.

My daughters who have small kids have developed a couple of friends who they like and their kids like and they try to do their playdates with a small number of people who also try to restrict the number of people that they see, Rhame said. So again, discipline allows you to do a lot of stuff safely enough to do it.

Any other advice for parents?

Kharbandas advice for the adults in kids lives, including parents, coaches and teachers, is to be good role model.

A lot of their behaviors regarding wearing masks and social distancing is really modeled on the behaviors that they see and the messages theyre getting from the people around them, she said.

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There are still no COVID-19 vaccines approved for children. As more adults get vaccinated, what should families with kids do? - MinnPost