Category: Covid-19 Vaccine

I think that 'competing for one of the 10,000 spots is probably not quite the right way to look at it, UCHealth Vice President of Communications Dan Weaver said in response to questions from CPR News. Especially since people cannot register to receive the vaccine just at Coors Field or any of our other clinic locations.

Instead, Weaver said the mass vaccine clinic was just one part of a broader strategy to get vaccine to as many people as possible. The provider is making appointments as fast as it can for people 70 and older, notifying them when and where to go to get vaccinated.

While 10,000 will be chosen from the list for this weekends event and notified to attend, others are chosen at random for appointments each day at UCHealths clinics around the state, where the provider says they can give 5,000 shots per day.

But while the state gave UCHealth an additional allotment of vaccine for the upcoming event, that simply means that 10,000 doses were diverted from some other use so the people registered with UCHealth got them. It doesnt mean the state experienced a vaccine windfall.

This week, the state will be getting about 80,000 first doses, with another 40,000 or so ticketed for second shots for frontline health workers and seniors. If that continues, it would mean Gov. Jared Poliss guess that the state will get through 70 percent of the senior population by the end of February is probably on track.

It wont go faster because there is not likely going to be enough vaccine to make it go faster. Not for some time anyway.

Colorado is ready to immediately use three to four times as many vaccines as we are currently getting each week right away, Polis said in a statement. The sooner Colorado gets more vaccines, the quicker we can get them into arms, and the faster we can help our small businesses and economy build back stronger. Were ready and welcome renewed federal assistance to get the job done.

Governors across the country are making similar pleas.

Besides UCHealth, other Colorado health systems have similar waiting lists, with many Colorado seniors likely signed up at several of them hoping to improve their odds. Anyone can sign up, regardless of whether you are a patient of system-affiliated doctors. There is no cost for the vaccine, which was paid for by the federal government.

The state also just created a hotline for vaccine information at 1-877-CO-VAX-CO or 1-877-268-2926

CPR News reporter Andrea Dukakis contributed to this report.

Editor's Note:A limited number of CPR News journalists have started to receive vaccinations according to the state's prioritization of essential frontline workers.

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There's A COVID-19 Vaccine Fair In Denver This Weekend. You Probably Aren't Invited - Colorado Public Radio

New York State and the CDC offer different numbers when it comes to the COVID-19 vaccine distribution.

BUFFALO, N.Y. 2 On Your Side wanted to find out just how many people have already gotten their first and second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine here in Western New York.

But getting those numbers is not straightforward.

The state is in charge of distributing the vaccine once the federal government gets the doses to New York. So, the New York State Department of Health is where we need to go for answers.

If you go online and check out the state's vaccine tracker, you can see how many doses have been administered in each region.

The numbers are not broken down by county.

People whose appointments are cancelled will be offered spots at future Erie County Health Department sites. BUFFALO, N.Y. - A lack of supply is forcing Erie County to cancel more COVID-19 vaccine clinics scheduled for later this week.

First and second dose data is available for the state, but it's combined for regions, so you can't tell how many Western New Yorkers have gotten both doses so far. The information is also not broken down by demographics like age, zip code, occupation, or what phase the person who got vaccinated is in. That's all information the state should have from people who get the shot.

These numbers also do not include vaccines distributed by the federal government as part of its long term care facility program.

The CDC's vaccine tracker shows the number of people who have gotten their first dose and second dose in each state. The numbers don't match up with what the state is reporting and are not broken down by county or region.

Wanting more information, 2 On Your Side contacted the New York State Department of Health several times over the past week.

We asked the state why the numbers do not match up and we were told, "The CDC number on its website is a global allocation number to New York that is not necessarily what has been delivered to New York so far. It also includes the long-term care facility programs, which were federally run through the pharmacies."

You're sending us questions about the vaccine, and we're getting you answers. BUFFALO, N.Y. - 2 On Your Side is answering more of the questions you've sent us about the coronavirus vaccine. One 2 On Your Side viewer wants to know, "Is any consideration being given to immediate family members of front line nurses and doctors to be included in 1B?

2 On Your Side specifically asked the NYSDOH last week how many doses Erie County is getting each week, and while the state answered other questions we had, it did not answer this one.

Two of our New York State Senators agree the vaccine rollout is not going smoothly.

"The fact that we had a Phase 1A that was only partially complete, and then they created the Phase 1B, also led to a flood of requests on our local providers, so I'm afraid that New York State has in many ways pushed this through too rapidly without having a proper system or structure in place," said NYS Senator Edward Rath.

"The Department of Health needs to continue to be responsive to the people of New York who are saying this system isn't working. You got to keep endeavoring to make it better, and that's what we expect out of the Department of Health. We expect them to make a better system," said NYS Senator Sean Ryan.

2 On Your Side will keep pushing the state for answers about the vaccine, and if we find out exact numbers, we will update you.

See the rest here:

Tracking the COVID-19 vaccine in Western New York - WGRZ.com

MEMPHIS, Tenn. Its been about a month since the first COVID-19 vaccines went into American arms. Vaccination sites across the country are struggling to keep up with demand. But one demographic group still not represented well are African Americans. Fortunately, steps are being taken to change that.

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Community leaders working to build up trust in COVID-19 vaccine - FOX13 Memphis

Prince William County, Virginia, has stopped accepting first dose vaccine appointments until Feb. 15, but a new scheduling system could facilitate the process moving forward.

The COVID-19 vaccination rollout in Prince William County, Virginia, has left residents frustrated, with eligibility requirements changing and a lack of supply prompting county officials to stop scheduling first-dose appointments until at least Feb. 15.

But Dr. Alison Ansher, the health director for the Prince William Health District, said a change in its scheduling system should improve the vaccination process.

The health district which also covers Manassas City and Manassas Park uses scheduling software that the federal government introduced, complicating the sign-up process. No matter where a vaccine clinic was located in Virginia, anyone across the country could see it and sign up.

But, starting early next month, the district will begin using PrepMod, a software that some hospitals in Northern Virginia have also used.

Ansher is hopeful it will facilitate enrollment at a time when vaccine supply is limited.

[The new software] has a better vaccine tracking system as part of this electronic system, Ansher told WTOP. Unfortunately, we thought it would be better to halt the appointments in the old system until the new system was up and running. Theyll probably overlap for a very small amount of time.

More Coronavirus News

Looking for more information? D.C., Maryland and Virginia are each releasing more data every day. Visit their official sites here:Virginia|Maryland|D.C.

According to Virginia Department of Health data, about 19,778 people in Prince William County have received at least one dose, and 2,431 people are considered fully vaccinated. From the outset, Ansher said, demand has far exceeded supply.

Virginia is in Phase 1b of its vaccination plan, which makes the following eligible to be vaccinated: front-line essential workers; those age 65 or older; people in correctional facilities, homeless shelters or migrant labor camps; and those between the ages 16 and 64 who have a high-risk medical condition.

Given its current allocation, Virginias Health Department said the state is unlikely to be able to vaccinate everyone in the current phase until March or April.

Virginia is now distributing vaccine to local health systems based on population, a shift from the initial distribution plan. On Jan. 15, the department said its request for additional doses was rejected.

On Tuesday, the Northern Virginia Regional Commission sent a letter to Gov. Ralph Northam urging a more equitable distribution of vaccines.

Last week, Ansher said the state learned it would receive 105,000 doses from the federal government. The Northern Virginia region received 30,000 doses for each locality to provide to hospital systems, health districts and any partners, such as pharmacies, also involved in distribution.

Prince William County, which accounts for 6% of the state population, therefore received about 6,000 doses. That prompted officials to stop booking new appointments.

Further complicating matters, the state said the pace of incoming doses isnt expected to improve until March.

Some events had to be canceled, appointments had to be canceled, because it ends up being probably a lot less than what had been anticipated as people planned and had people sign up for appointments, Ansher said. This past week is when that first occurred.

The vaccine supply challenge is likely a production issue, Ansher said, but there has also been a lack of clarity surrounding what states would receive.

Second doses were expected to be saved and sent to states with a new supply of first doses, but Ansher said the previous administration didnt set second doses aside.

However, with the Prince William Health District beginning second dose distribution this week, Ansher said that issue seems to be corrected.

The federal government now has sent second doses to match the number of doses that youve given on a particular day about a week before theyre due, Ansher said.

In Prince William, vaccines are available at several clinics, including local pharmacies, grocery stores and one at George Mason Universitys Prince William Campus. Before it received word of the limited supply, the county was also working to partner with Walmart and Harris Teeter to get vaccines into the community, Ansher said.

She added that vaccination sites need to have enough space, because many people have arrived at appointments with family members. In addition, some recipients need to be observed for 30 minutes rather than the recommended 15 because of their medical history.

On Saturday, the county also implemented a new cold-weather policy so that those in line can wait in their cars.

Moving forward, the health district said anyone who has received a first dose between Dec. 28 and Jan. 21 but is struggling to secure an appointment for the second will be accommodated. It also has launched a waitlist for eligible residents.

As the region continues to roll out COVID-19 vaccine doses, Ansher said the community still needs to use mitigation strategies. Shes concerned that once people are vaccinated, theyll stop.

The mRNA vaccines, Pfizer and Moderna, at this point from what we know, does not prevent transmission, it just makes the disease less severe, Ansher said.

As research goes on, that may change. That means we need to continue to social distance, wash our hands, wear our face coverings. It doesnt change all that.

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Prince William Co. official: New scheduling system should facilitate COVID-19 vaccinations - WTOP

Ventura County officials on Tuesday are warning residents of scammers who dupe people into paying them with the promise of COVID-19 vaccines.

An elderly couple arrived at a vaccination site in the county on Tuesday, saying they pre-paid for their vaccine, officials announced on Facebook.

They had provided financial information to a scammer prior to arriving to the site, officials added.

The county didnt provide information on who was behind the scam, or how they got in touch with the couple, but warned residents not to provide financial information to anyone by phone or email.

Please be advised that vaccines are completely free, the county said. There is no cost to receive a vaccine.

Unlike surrounding areas, Ventura County is still not vaccinating those 65 and older. The vaccine is currently available to residents aged 75 years and older, health care workers and those in long-term care facilities.

Those eligible can clickhereto book an appointment, but slots were all booked as of Tuesday.

Residents could sign uphereto be notified when more are available in the county. Additional appointments are usually added at 7:30 a.m. every Monday.

To avoid falling victim to scams, residents are advised to sign up for free scam alerts from the Federal Trade Commission here, and always ask for identification or ask questions to verify the identity of callers.

Last month, the FBI warned there were several emerging fraud schemes related to COVID-19 vaccines, which remain scarce but in high demand.

Here are some potential indicators of fraud, according to the FBI:

Those who believe they may have been the victim of a scam and have lost money can contact their local police department. For all other scam-related calls, residents can report them to the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-FTC-HELP or online at ftc.gov/complaint.

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After 2 people arrived at Ventura COVID-19 vaccine site saying they paid for doses, officials warn of scams - KTLA

Social media users are suggesting that the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine caused the death of baseball legend and civil rights advocate Hank Aaron.

"Hank Aaron - RIP - wanted to be an example and an inspiration to Black People by taking the COVID-19 vaccine. Unfortunately, he may have become a clear example to Black People of why this vaccine CANNOT be trusted," reads a Facebook post.

Aaron passed away at the age of 86 on Jan. 22, 2021, two weeks after he had received the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.

But posts like this one mislead by implying that the vaccine caused Aarons death. So far, theres no evidence of a direct link, and vaccine experts told us to view these claims with caution.

A spokesperson at the Fulton County Medical Examiners office, which examined Aarons body after his death, told PolitiFact that his cause of death was natural and not linked to the COVID-19 vaccine.

The COVID-19 vaccines have been studied for months and have been proven to be safe and effective in tens of thousands of people. In addition, many of the users suggesting that the Moderna vaccine caused Aarons death are doing so without any evidence.

"Unfortunately, there are 86-year-olds who die every day. Thus, a single death in a person of that age group following a more than two-week interval from vaccination does not prove causation," said Dr. Walter Orenstein, associate director of the Emory Vaccine Center.

We dont know specifically how Aaron died. USA Today has reported that Aaron died of a stroke in his sleep.

If Aaron did die of a stroke, that would make it even less likely that the vaccine contributed in some way to his death. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, said that it would be "biologically implausible" for the COVID-19 vaccine to cause a stroke.

"The coronavirus can cause strokes, but the (Moderna COVID-19) vaccine only contains one protein of the virus, and theres no evidence that that one protein is inducing inflammation of the blood vessels (which could cause strokes)," he said.

The most common way of assessing whether vaccines have negative side effects is by gathering safety data from two groups of people, a vaccinated group and a control group. If a particular symptom is significantly higher in the vaccinated group, then its likely that the vaccine causes that symptom. However, if a particular symptom occurs at a similar rate in both the vaccinated and control groups, then the most likely cause is coincidence.

Tens of thousands of people participated in clinical trials last year to make sure the vaccines were safe before rolling them out to the general public. To receive FDA emergency-use authorization, vaccine manufacturers Pfizer and Moderna had to follow up with at least half of participants for at least two months after they received their vaccinations.

U.S. health experts have been aware of the possibility that deaths following vaccination would be perceived as being linked to the vaccine. In December, Dr. Helen Keipp Talbot, a member of the U.S. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, said that the likelihood of nursing home patients dying from other causes shortly after vaccination could erode public confidence in the safety of the vaccines.

"When you are vaccinating millions and millions of people, some will develop bad illnesses and death simply by chance," said Orenstein. "These would be illnesses and deaths that would have occurred anyway at that time even if the person was not vaccinated."

Our ruling

Social media users imply that Hank Aarons death was caused by a COVID-19 vaccine.

The Fulton County Medical Examiners office confirmed that Aarons death was not linked to the vaccine.

Just because someone dies after receiving a vaccine does not prove that the vaccine caused his death. The COVID-19 vaccines have been proven to be safe and effective in tens of thousands of people.

We rate these posts False.

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No evidence that the COVID-19 vaccine caused Hank Aaron's death - PolitiFact

Alamo, Texas (KVEO)Getting the COVID-19 vaccine to the people eligible to receive it has proven to be far from easy in the Rio Grande Valley.

The vaccines rollout has been flawed by poor messaging from state officials, logistic issues, and technical errors.

Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD announced Monday night they were partnering with Donna ISD during Tuesdays COVID-19 vaccination clinic at PSJA Memorial Early College High School.

In a news release, it was said Donna ISD school district nurses, police, communications, and maintenance personnel would be working with PSJA ISD assisting with the operation.

Donna ISD SuperintendentDr. Hafedh Azaiez said during an interview, the district learned about the COVID-19 vaccination event held in PSJA Memorial the week before the event.

We had several meetings last week; we knew that the County was receiving about a 1,000 doses or so, said Azaiez. We decided it would be best for us to have this joint event, to learn from each other and support each other out.

KVEO learned about Tuesdays vaccination clinic on Monday at noon in a press release from Hidalgo County. The county said wristbands would be distributed starting at 5 p.m., just five hours after the release went out, to all who qualified.

Residents began lining up at 2 p.m. Monday, hoping to get a wristband.

It has been unclear who is receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. After state officials had expressed concern vaccines were going unused and urged providers to give them to anyone who was eligible, many who met the qualifications tell KVEO they are finding it difficult to receive a vaccine.

Azaiez said the information that gets released comes from county officials.

As a district we were not part of the information. The press release from us came in at 6 p.m., but the release to get the vaccine it came from the county, said Azaiez. We are not the main organizer.

How the COVID-19 distribution works, is that a state panel sets their own eligibility guidelines based on recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

From there, state officials would allocate an appropriate number of vaccine doses to providers, such as pharmacies, doctors offices, hospitals, and medical clinics.

Hidalgo County Commissioner Pct. 1 David Fuentes said county officials receive the information from the state a couple of days prior on when and how many doses they will be receiving for distribution.

Once we know how much the state is going to allocate for us, then we finalize plans with our partners to let them know what is going down the pipeline, said Fuentes. We need to organize our staff, we need to coordinate pre-registration, so a lot of the times is kind of a very last minute kind of thing.

So, how far in advanced are county officials notified by the state as to when they will receive the vaccines?

So it might be as late as we get the notification on Friday, for distribution on Tuesday. said Fuentes.

Once the county has received the information on how many vaccines they will be receiving, officials finalize the coordination of effort, according to Fuentes.

Certainly we would like to have more preparation right now because the limited number of vaccines that we get, said Fuentes. We just have to wait for the state to finalize everything with us and once we are able to pass that information, we will.

Fuentes added the county does not want to create a situation where they have more people expecting the vaccine and not enough doses.

The state holds us responsible for getting these vaccines out, if we dont show that the proper usage was made or that we didnt roll it out appropriately, then we dont get the next round, said Fuentes.

A spokesperson from the county told KVEO, they are announcing the vaccines day by day, to avoid overcrowding and disorganization.

Last week, Chief Administrative Officer for Hidalgo CountyEddie Olivarez said 17,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines would be arriving to Hidalgo County.

The next vaccination event in Hidalgo County will take place in the city Edinburg on Wednesday, January 27.

The rest is here:

COVID-19 vaccine rollout remains a concern in the Rio Grande Valley - KGBT-TV

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) -- Staff at St. Croix Hospice in Rochester eagerly lined up Tuesday to get their first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

St. Croix Hospice provides end-of-life services at nine different locations in six different states. Care workers provide services to people in assisted living, at home or in the hospital.

It can be a challenging job as staff work hard to provide comfort to patients and their families. The COVID-19 pandemic has only made that the job more difficult.

Staff need to wear full protective gear, which includes face masks, face shields, and gowns, gloves and booties. The protection serves as a barrier to the virus, but an unfortunate side effect is that it can create a barrier to effective communication to patients and families. Staff are hopeful the vaccine will soon change all of that, and they will be able to once again comfort their patients with a smile or a hug.

"I am looking forward to being able to be more personal with my patients," Manager of Hospice Services Betsy Bellock said. "And, my patients' families, giving them hugs, being able to smile at them. Let them see my face, not having a face shield over my face that fogs up. So I feel that kind of fogs up communication as well."

Eleven hospice employees received the Pfizer vaccine on Tuesday. They will need to get their second dose in three weeks. For now, staff will continue to get tested for COVID-19 twice a week.

Bellock said the experiences of this past year have strengthened the bond between employees.

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Rochester hospice staff hopeful as they receive COVID-19 vaccine - KTTC

Nearly all Florida nursing homes have received COVID-19 vaccines, data shows  WFTV Orlando

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Nearly all Florida nursing homes have received COVID-19 vaccines, data shows - WFTV Orlando

Johnson, who is African American, has since spoken to Black congregations at various houses of worship to address their concerns about the ethics and safety of the vaccine. Most of the questions the public have asked him have been around side effects, and if its safe for people with certain conditions to get the shot.

The feedback I have gotten has been very good. Ive heard that people have decided they will get the vaccine after they heard me speak, he said. I anticipated that in some of the presentations I would get pushback from people I didnt.

Erica HarrisEmergency physician, Einstein Medical Center

About six hours after receiving the second Pfizer shot, Harris had chills. She had to start a shift right after getting the shot, but was able to work through it. The following day, Harris had a headache, fatigue and muscle aches, which dispersed after 12 hours.

None of it really stopped me from doing any of my normal activities, I just felt a little more drained, she said.

The symptoms were more severe than the ones she experienced after the first dose she had only a mild headache on Day One.

I definitely feel safer after having the second dose. I feel more confident having the second dose, for sure, Harris said.

But it hasnt changed my behavior, in large part because people in my family have not been vaccinated and most people I know havent been vaccinated, and certainly Im assuming most people in the community have not been either. So I think its responsible to wear masks and social distance until enough people have been vaccinated that theres some degree of herd immunity.

She added that she hopes the vaccine will be rolled out to everyone soon, especially high-risk groups.

I think theres some frustration about the holdup for people to start getting this outside of health care and the group 1A people, so Im really hoping other people will have their opportunity soon, Harris said.

Michael KirchhoffER physician, patient safety officer, Cooper University Health Care

Kirchhoff got his second dose on Jan. 5. He said he felt some aching 12 hours in, took some Tylenol, and the symptoms went away completely. He said he was reassured by the pain.

To me, that was the sign that my immune system was working and mounting a response to the second shot, which meant to me its doing its job. So for me, feeling a little achy really was very satisfying in an odd way.

He said he had talked to other colleagues who got their second doses; some had pain like he did, a small number of people had fevers, but no one had any serious symptoms. He said that, like him, the people who had aches or a fever felt reassured by them.

Quite honestly, I had to talk more to my friends and colleagues that didnt feel anything after the second dose, to say that doesnt mean its not working, it works everybodys immune systems different, Kirchhoff said. Its nice to have that sort of stimulus, that says: Hey, your bodys doing something here.

Whitney CabeyER doctor, assistant professor of emergency medicine, Temple University Hospital

Cabey said that after her second dose, she felt a little like she was about to get a cold, but woke up fine the next day. She said she has talked to other people who got their second doses and that is a common experience.

Most people feel like they just, like, recovered from something they never really got, she said. Feeling like somethings coming on, that first day achy, youve got the sniffles, maybe coughing a little bit, and then waking up the next day, feeling like your illness is really over and broken.

More:

What's it like to get the second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine? We asked health workers - WHYY