Category: Covid-19 Vaccine

Theres a lot of pent-up desire among seniors, and a sense of life running out, said Jeff Galak, a professor at Carnegie Mellon Universitys Tepper School of Business. Theres a theory called mortality salience: When your own mortality is brought to mind, behaviors change. Were going to see upgrades to better cabins on cruise ships, and booking of better hotels.

For travelers in their 60s, 70s and 80s, said Conor Goodwin, corporate marketing manager of Charlestowne Hotels, the ticking of the clock is another strong motivation to book as soon as an inoculation makes it safe.

The 65-plus demographic is losing out on their golden years and theyre understandably eager to get back out there, he said.

The Bristol Hotel in Virginia, which is part of Charlestownes portfolio, saw revenue from travelers over the age of 65 increase 179 percent between Dec. 13 and Jan. 22. The French Quarter Inn, in Charleston, S.C., which is also managed by Charlestowne, saw 11 percent more bookings from people over 65 between Jan. 10 and 28 compared Dec. 22 to Jan 9.

Some older travelers are even opting to finally book those big-ticket dream trips. Fernando Diez, who owns Quasar Expeditions, a luxury cruise operator in the Galpagos Islands, says that in December, when frontline health care workers were among the very first Americans to receive vaccines, he saw a wave of requests for trip information from doctors and nurses.

Since Jan. 1, however, 70 percent of his booking inquiries have come from guests over the age of 65 in previous years, that number was closer to 40 percent. Most inquiries are for travel from June onward.

Most of them say theyve been vaccinated, and theyre comfortable now traveling to a destination like Ecuador and the Galpagos, Mr. Diez said. The vaccination gives them the confidence to travel to a remote spot.

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A Different Early-Bird Special: Have Vaccine, Will Travel - The New York Times

State leaders announce a new fund aimed at improving access to the COVID-19 vaccine. Here are the top vaccine facts for Tuesday, Feb. 16.

Washington fund aims to boost COVID-19 vaccine equity in BIPOC, rural communities

Washington state leaders announced a new fund Monday aimed at improving access to the COVID-19 vaccine in communities disproportionately impacted by the virus.

"Now is the time to address these inequities," said Lilliane Ballesteros, executive director of the Latino Community Fund. "Now is the time to mobilize our collective resources quickly to those in need and those best position to help them. The vaccine initiative is, we think, a critical step forward for recovery."

VERIFY: Your COVID-19 shots didn't cause side effects, does that mean they didn't work?

Health officials have said mild to moderate side effects are expected and normal with the currently approved COVID-19 vaccines. In fact, doctors say it's a sign the immune system is responding to the shot.

But don't worry if you don't feel side effects from the shots. The VERIFY team spoke to doctors to explain why.

Biden administration increasing vaccine supplies to states, pharmacies

President Joe Bidens administration is increasing coronavirus vaccine supplies sent to states to 13.5 million doses per week.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki says that represents a 57% increase from when Biden took office nearly a month ago on Jan. 20.

Psaki also says the administration is doubling, to 2 million doses per week, the amount of vaccine being sent to pharmacies across the country as part of a program to extend access into neighborhoods.

VERIFY: Fully vaccinated people can skip quarantine after COVID-19 exposure if they meet these conditions

As more and more Americans receive their COVID-19 vaccines, questions are popping up around what we can do safely when fully vaccinated.

The CDC is consistently releasing new guidance as they learn more about vaccine efficacy, including tips for quarantining after exposure to COVID-19. Some news outlets ran with misleading headlines on this, so the Verify team is here to give you all the context you need to stay safe.

How to get a COVID-19 vaccine in Washington

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) released an online portal to check your eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine. Use the Phase Finder tool to input personal information like age, health conditions and essential worker status to determine if it's your turn.

As of Jan. 18, Washington is vaccinating people in Phase 1A and the first tier of Phase 1B. That includes:

If you are eligible, find a list of vaccine providers on the DOH website and information on how to make an appointment.

Originally posted here:

What you need to know about COVID-19 vaccines in Washington Tuesday - KING5.com

Japan has formally approved its first COVID-19 vaccine and says it will start nationwide inoculations within days, but months behind the U.S. and many other countries

By MARI YAMAGUCHI Associated Press

February 14, 2021, 3:16 PM

3 min read

TOKYO -- Japan on Sunday formally approved its first COVID-19 vaccine and said it would start nationwide inoculations within days, but months behind the U.S. and many other countries.

Japans health ministry said it had approved the vaccine co-developed and supplied by Pfizer Inc.

The announcement comes after a government panel on Friday confirmed that final results of clinical testing done in Japan showed that the vaccine had an efficacy similar to what overseas tests showed.

Many countries began vaccinating their citizens late last year, and Pfizer's vaccine has been used elsewhere since December.

Under the current plan, about 20,000 front-line medical workers at hospitals in Japan will get their first shots beginning around Wednesday. About 3.7 million other medical workers will be next, followed by elderly people, who are expected to get their shots in April. By June, its expected that all others will be eligible.

Health ministry official Yuta Yamashita said inoculations can start as soon as a ministry panel on vaccination logistics gives the go-ahead.

The approval was granted in a special fast-track process for emergency use. It took two months compared to the usual one year in a country known for cautious and slow-moving approval processes.

Still, the rollout in Japan is months behind many other countries because the government had asked for clinical testing at home in addition to the multinational tests Pfizer conducted on more than 40,000 people from July to November. Many countries accepted Pfizer's results and moved ahead.

In a country where many people are skeptical about vaccines, Japan sought additional tests to address safety concerns. But the tests were conducted on only 160 people, and some question whether it was worth it to delay the rollout.

Vaccines are considered key to holding the delayed Tokyo Olympics this summer. Japan is expected to receive 144 million doses from Pfizer, 120 million from AstraZeneca and about 50 million from Moderna before the end of this year, enough to cover its population.

Vaccines being developed by Japan are still in the early stages, so the country must rely on imports. AstraZeneca applied for approval in Japan only recently, while Moderna hasnt applied yet. Japans reliance on the imports, many of them subject to EU export controls, is also causing concerns about supplies.

Shigeru Omi, the head of the government coronavirus task force, earlier this month cited a lack of global competitiveness of Japanese pharmaceuticals as a reason for the delayed rollout.

Follow Mari Yamaguchi on Twitter at https://www.twitrer.com/mariyamaguchi

Continued here:

Japan formally approves its first COVID-19 vaccine - ABC News

"It would be devastating if the hospitals lost power: COVID-19 vaccine clinics postponed due to cold weather  KRGV

Excerpt from:

"It would be devastating if the hospitals lost power: COVID-19 vaccine clinics postponed due to cold weather - KRGV

"This is a very big and aggressive effort to address vaccine hesitancy in the Black community," Cuomo said.

The governor said he told county and city leaders on Tuesday that the vaccine distribution system, which he said "is no doubt confusing," needs to be fair.

"This is a precious resource. Everybody wants it. There's not enough," Cuomo said. "The best you can do is make sure that you were fair."

He said Erie County is one area that needs more mass vaccination sites.

"Look at the fairness and correct for the fairness," Cuomo said. "If Cheektowaga is low, open up a site in Cheektowaga. If the East Side of Buffalo is low, open up a site in the East Side of Buffalo."

The Native American Community Services vaccination center will be one of 13 new pop-up centers at community centers, public housing complexes and cultural centers around the state. It opens Saturday,but appointments are already filled, according to the governor's office.

Cuomo said 43,000 people have received first doses of the vaccine at the 91 earlier pop-up sites in largely Black areas, including some in Western New York.

Appointments at the Delavan-Grider Community Center and the other sites announced Wednesday in Rochester, Albany and Yonkers initially will be reserved for members of the community in which the sites are located. Community engagement efforts will be used to help and encourage community members sign up for appointments. More scheduling information, opening dates and hours of operation will be made available in the coming days, according to the governor.

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Efforts intensify to boost Covid-19 vaccinations in Buffalo - Buffalo News

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced 102,907 first and second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in the last 24 hours. The total week 9 federal allocation of vaccine delivery to providers will be complete today. As of 11AM today, New York's health care distribution sites have received 2,192,675 first doses and already administered 89 percent or 1,957,681 first dose vaccinations and 83 percent of first and second doses. The week 10 allocation from the federal government allocation from the federal government begins mid-week.

"We remain locked in a footrace between the infection rate and the vaccination rate, and while we are making significant progress on both fronts thanks to the hard work of New Yorkers, but can't become complacent - now is not the time to get cocky withCOVID,"Governor Cuomo said."With more than 10 million New Yorkers now eligible for the vaccine, we have the infrastructure in place to get it administered quickly and fairly but continue to only be held back by the supply. Thankfully, with real leadership now in Washington, we've begun to see that supply increase and expect that trend to continue until New York isCOVID-free."

The'Am I Eligible'screening tool has been updated for individuals with comorbidities and underlying conditions with new appointments released on a rolling basis over the next weeks. Starting next week, local health departments will also receive vaccine allocations for these individuals. New Yorkers can use the following to show they are eligible:

Approximately 10 million New Yorkers are currently eligible to receive the vaccine. The federal government has increased the weekly supply by more than 20 percent over the next three weeks, but New York's vast distribution network and large population ofeligible individuals still far exceed the supply coming from the federal government. Due to limited supply, New Yorkers are encouraged to remain patient and are advised not to show up at vaccination sites without an appointment.

Vaccination program numbers below are for doses distributed and delivered to New York for the state's vaccination program, and do not include those reserved for the federal government's Long Term Care Facility program. A breakdown of the data based on numbers reported to New York State as of 11AM today is as follows. The allocation totals below include 100 percent of the week 9 allocation which will finish being distributed to New York provider sites today. The total week 9 allocation is also inclusive of some excess vaccine doses that have been reallocated from the federal Long Term Care Facility program.

STATEWIDE BREAKDOWN

First Doses Received - 2,192,675

First Doses Administered - 1,957,681; 89%

Second Doses Received - 1,178,350

Second Doses Administered - 842,195

Region

Total Doses Received

(1st and 2nd)

Total Doses Administered

(1st and 2nd)

% of Total Doses Administered/Received

(1st and 2nd)

Capital Region

214,270

172,552

81%

Central New York

175,975

146,546

83%

Finger Lakes

202,135

177,546

88%

Long Island

418,005

358,825

86%

Mid-Hudson

316,155

249,035

79%

Mohawk Valley

95,255

72,354

76%

New York City

1,518,190

1,230,747

81%

North Country

104,715

96,677

92%

Southern Tier

105,035

95,317

91%

Western New York

221,290

199,077

90%

Statewide

3,371,025

2,798,676

83%

1st doses fully delivered to New York for Healthcare Distribution Sites

2nd doses fully delivered to New York for Healthcare Distribution Sites

TOTAL

CUMULATIVE

Week 1

Doses arriving 12/14 - 12/20

90,675

0

90,675

N/A

Week 2

Doses arriving 12/21 - 12/27

392,025

0

392,025

482,700

Week 3

Doses arriving 12/28 - 01/03

201,500

0

201,500

684,200

Week 4

Original post:

Governor Cuomo Announces More Than 100000 Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine Administered in 24 Hours - ny.gov

Cerner and Epic each announced this past week that they've hit milestones in their efforts to assist with COVID-19 vaccinations.

On Friday, Cerner announced that 175 clients across 11 countries had installed its Mass Vaccination solution.

Epic, meanwhile, said on Thursday that it was supporting 100 community-based vaccination locations across the country, with the capacity to administer 300,000 shots a day.

"We are proud to help the health systems supporting the national goal of vaccinating 100 million Americans in the [Biden] administration's first 100 days," said Judy Faulkner, founder and CEO of Epic, in a statement.

WHY IT MATTERS

As major players in the EHR space, Epic and Cerner are well-positioned to play key roles in the effort to get the population vaccinated.

Cerner, for instance, hosted a mass vaccination event in the Kansas City area earlier this month, joining a local countywide coalition dedicated to vaccinating residents. Currentlyinoculating 4,500 people every other week, the coalition says it is prepared to increase that number to 3,500 per day as supplies increase.

Cerner also pointed to the systems relying on its technology, including Cook County Health, which is administering about 18,000 vaccine doses every week, and the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Coast Guard, which are using the company's Mass Vaccination tool.

"Having the right health technology is critically important to support health care professionals as they take on this monumental task," said Cerner representatives in the release.

Epic, for its part, noted that the company expects to add up to 100 additional sites in the next 30 days. The vendor also saidits software is being used to administer approximately 500,000 vaccinations daily, both at mass vaccination sites and traditional clinical settings.

It spotlighted the work of Novant Health, a North Carolina-based health system using Epic to administer nearly all of its 63,000 doses through MyChart, and UCHealth in Colorado, which is running a mass vaccination site at Coors Field.

"Because Epic is interoperable, it is used to share vaccination information with other electronic health record systems and with state public health departments, which in turn communicate with the CDC," said Epic representatives in a press statement.

THE LARGER TREND

Last year, Epic, Cerner and other top EHR vendors began to prepare their software for the highly anticipated COVID-19 vaccine rollout.

"When it became clearer in October that an approved vaccine was likely in early 2021, we engaged with the CDC and some of its information technology suppliers in order to successfully interoperate with federal and state registries, said Dr. David Nill, vice president and chief medical officer at Cerner, to Healthcare IT News Features Editor Bill Siwicki. "We needed to make sure that our clients were ready on the IT front to handle such a monumental and important task."

The two were also among the heavy-hitters thatjoined together to form the Vaccine Credential Initiative, aimed at developing a standard model to create a digital record of vaccination status.

Still, the rollout hasn't been without hiccups. A Michigan-based health system last month flagged a vulnerability in the online vaccine scheduling available through its Epic EHR that allowed users to "skip the line" for vaccinations.

ON THE RECORD

"Doing what often takes months, health systems have moved in a matter of days and weeks to set up locations with the technology needed to conduct mass vaccinations," said Faulkner.

"Cerner has the privilege of bringing together knowledge gleaned from supporting global health care organizations and applying it to improve vaccination efforts in its local community and around the world," said Cerner representatives. "It is vital that communities across the globe join together to do their part to beat COVID-19," they added.

Kat Jercich is senior editor of Healthcare IT News.Twitter: @kjercichEmail: kjercich@himss.orgHealthcare IT News is a HIMSS Media publication.

Originally posted here:

Epic, Cerner offer updates on COVID-19 vaccine rollout efforts - Healthcare IT News

Governor Ned Lamont is scheduled to get his first COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday morning.

State officials said Lamont is getting his first dose of the Pfizer vaccine at a clinic at the First Cathedral Church in Bloomfield. He is scheduled to get it around 9:45 a.m.

Lamont, who is 67 years old, became eligible to receive the vaccine last week when the state expanded Phase 1b of the vaccination program. Phase 1b now includes residents aged 65 to 74.

NBC CT went to one local mass vaccination clinic to see how the first day went of eligibility for residents 65 and older.

Other people joining Lamont include Conn. Supreme Court Chief Justice Richard Robinson, State Treasurer Shawn Wooden, State Representative Bobby Gibson and President and CEO of Trinity Health of New England Dr. Reginald J. Eadie, state officials said.

Note:To get a vaccine in Connecticut, you must either live or work in the state. If you typically visit a provider here but do not live or work in Connecticut, you are not eligible and must get vaccinated in your home state.

By phone: Call Connecticuts Vaccine Appointment Assist Line at 877-918-2224, seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for scheduling at select sites.

Online: Schedule a COVID-19 vaccination appointment inVAMS, the Vaccine Administration Management System.

Excerpt from:

Gov. Lamont to Get First COVID-19 Vaccine This Morning - NBC Connecticut

Nearly 15% of Michigan adults have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose  WWMT-TV

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Nearly 15% of Michigan adults have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose - WWMT-TV

A COVID-19 vaccine shipment that was delayed and ultimately pushed back appointments in San Diego is slated to arrive this week as the citys first vaccination super station remains closed due to the shortfall.

Downtown San Diegos vaccination super station has been closed since Sunday because of the shortfall. The county made the announcement Friday that doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were not delivered to the region as planned, causing the city to delay and pause appointments that were already confirmed.

The pause will affect the regions largest vaccination site, the UC San Diego Health Petco Park Super Station, with no vaccinations taking place on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, a statement released Friday by the county said. Petco appointments will be automatically rescheduled through UCSD MyChart.

County leaders added that the South County Super Station and East County Super Station both have enough supplies to get it through Monday. It is unclear why the shipment was pushed back.

Thousands of locals who were scheduled to be vaccinated for the COVID-19 shot in San Diego County will have to wait a bit longer since there was a delay in shipment. NBC 7s Audra Stafford explains how the incident has shut down downtowns super site.

Frustrations over securing what seems like an elusive appointment for the vaccine have troubled eligible residents. Online slots for the vaccination have typically been filled quickly, leaving some locals waiting for the shot, and Fridays delay further adds to their frustrations.

The county said in a statement last week that priority would be given to those who were due for their second dose of the vaccine.

Originally posted here:

Delayed Shipment of COVID-19 Vaccine to Arrive in San Diego This Week; Downtown Site Remains Closed Due to Shortage - NBC San Diego