Category: Covid-19 Vaccine

MOBILE, Ala. The Mobile County Health Department and Family Health will conduct a COVID-19 vaccine event on Saturday, Jan. 16, at the Mobile Cruise Terminal, 201 South Water St.

The health department advises to not call the cruise terminal for additional information.

At this time, COVID-19 vaccine will only be available for:

Individuals 75 years of age and older (8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.)

Healthcare workers (1:30 to 8 p.m.)

First-responders (1:30 to 8 p.m.)

One thousand doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine will be available to these priority groups on a first-come, first-served basis. No appointments will be taken, and this is not a drive-through event.

If you meet the criteria for vaccination and plan to attend, please follow these guidelines.

Bring valid identification.

Wear a face mask and socially distance.

Bring a writing pen and a hard surface to write on.

Consider bringing water and snacks with youwait times could be long.

Be kind to staff and others!

There is a limited supply of COVID-19 vaccine nationwide. Until further notice, any available vaccine appointments must be made through the ADPH COVID-19 Scheduling Hotline at 1-855-566-5333.

Paperwork required prior to COVID-19 vaccination at MCHD can be downloaded here.

MCHD Notice of Privacy Practices is available here.

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MCHD holding COVID-19 vaccination event Saturday for eligible participants - WKRG News 5

Bangalore Airport workers transfer carton boxes containing vials of Covishield vaccine developed by the Serum Institute of India in Bangalore, India, Jan. 12, 2021.

Stringer | Xinhua | Getty Images

SINGAPORE India is gearing up for one of the largest mass vaccination exercises in the world starting Saturday.

The South Asian country plans to inoculate some 300 million people, or more than 20% of its 1.3 billion population, against Covid-19 in the first phase of the exercise.

Indian airlines have started delivering the first doses of vaccines to Delhi and other major cities, including Kolkata, Ahmedabad and tech hub Bengaluru, tweeted Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri earlier this week.

Priority for the shots will be given to health-care and other frontline workers an estimated 30 million people. That would be followed by those above 50 years of age and other younger, high-risk individuals.

The rollout will involve close collaboration between the central government and states.

India has also developed a digital portal called Co-WIN Vaccine Delivery Management System. It will provide real-time information on "vaccine stocks, their storage temperature and individualized tracking of beneficiaries," according to the health ministry.

India has a long history of immunization campaigns ... and will rely on this expertise to distribute coronavirus vaccines.

"India's expertise in vaccine manufacturing and experience with mass immunization campaigns has prepared it well for 'phase 1' vaccinations set to begin this weekend," Akhil Bery, South Asia analyst at Eurasia Group, wrote in a report this week.

"India has a long history of immunization campaigns, including its Universal Immunization Program that inoculates 55 million a year, and will rely on this expertise to distribute coronavirus vaccines," he added.

India's drug regulator has approved the restricted use of two coronavirus vaccines in emergency situations, both of which are being delivered to the various inoculation centers ahead of Saturday.

One of them is a vaccine developed by British-Swedish firm AstraZeneca and Oxford University, which is being manufactured domestically by the Serum Institute of India (SII) and is known locally as Covishield.

Another vaccine, called Covaxin, was developed domestically by India's Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the state-run Indian Council of Medical Research. It was granted emergency use authorization as clinical trials continue.

The approval of Covaxin was reportedly criticized by some as the regulator gave the green light shortly after asking Bharat Biotech for more analysis.

India's health secretary on Tuesday said the Indian government has signed procurement agreements for 11 million doses of Covishield at 200 Indian rupees ($2.74) per dose and 5.5 million doses of Covaxin at an average cost of 206 rupees per shot, which is likely to be cheaper than what they will cost in the private market.

Several other candidates, including a second domestically developed vaccine by Zydus Cadila, are undergoing clinical trials.

India currently has more than 10.5 million reported coronavirus cases, second only to the United States. More than 151,000 people have died from Covid-19 in India, according to Johns Hopkins University data. But daily reported figures show the number of active infection cases are declining.

South Asia's largest country is also the world's biggest vaccine manufacturer and is said to produce about 60% of all vaccines sold globally.

As such, India's production of Covid vaccines is expected to play a major role in global immunization drives against the disease.

Eurasia Group's Bery said that despite the government's optimism, two important risks may potentially slow the rollout of the vaccination campaign.

"First, vaccine production capacity will be limited even in best-case scenarios," he said, adding that if the local vaccine-makers cannot produce the 600 million doses required to inoculate the initial 300 million people, then "India's immunization timeline and its export of vaccines to other countries could be significantly delayed."

The second risk is that India's vaccine campaign will rely heavily on state governments "whose capacities and expertise vary widely," Bery said. "Effective coordination will be needed between the central and state governments, something that has not been (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi's strong point."

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India to kick off one of the world's largest Covid vaccination drives this weekend - CNBC

WEBXTRA: Dallas couple gets COVID-19 vaccine in East Texas; struggled to find available doses in metroplex  KLTV

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WEBXTRA: Dallas couple gets COVID-19 vaccine in East Texas; struggled to find available doses in metroplex - KLTV

UPSTATE, S.C. (WSPA) S.C. health officials are allowing individuals included in Phase 1a of the vaccine rollout to schedule appointments online.

Starting on Wednesday, seniors ages 70 years and older, health care workers, government employees and contractors involved in COVID-19 testing or vaccinations can sign up to receive their COVID-19 vaccine.

Heres how to sign up:

To begin, visit the DHEC website using a mobile phone, laptop, desktop computer or tablet. Once you get to the website, scroll down and click the link for the Vax Locator.

A map will appear and youll need to select a location for a health care facility nearest you. Youll be prompted to call the phone number listed or visit a website to make an appointment.

You can also contact DHECs Care Line at1-855-472-3432for help finding the correct contact information you need to make an appointment.

If you have any additional questions or want to learn more about the vaccine, head over to the DHEC website.

Click here to learn more about getting the vaccine.

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Heres how to secure your spot to receive the COVID-19 vaccine - WSPA 7News

GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. (NEXSTAR) Dollar General employees will receive four hours of pay if they choose to get the COVID-19 vaccine, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.

The retailer is one of the first large employers to offer employees pay to receive the vaccine. The company has 16,720 retail locations in 47 states and more than 157,000 employees.

Coronavirus deaths in the U.S. hit another one-day high at over 4,300 with the countrys attention focused largely on the fallout from the deadly uprising at the Capitol.

The nations overall death toll from COVID-19 has eclipsed 380,000, according to Johns Hopkins University, and is closing in fast on the number of Americans killed in World War II about 407,000. Confirmed infections have topped 22.8 million.

Can employers make COVID-19 vaccination mandatory? Yes, with some exceptions.

Experts say employers can require employees to take safety measures, including vaccination. That doesnt necessarily mean you would get fired if you refuse, but you might need to sign a waiver or agree to work under specific conditions to limit any risk you might pose to yourself or others.

Employers generally have wide scope to make rules for the workplace, said Dorit Reiss, a law professor who specializes in vaccine policies at the University of California Hastings College of the Law. Its their business.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has allowed companies to mandate the flu and other vaccines and has alsoindicatedthey can require COVID-19 vaccines.

There are exceptions. For example, people can request exemptions for medical or religious reasons.

And even though employers can require vaccinations, there are reasons they might not want to.

Tracking compliance with mandatory vaccination would be an administrative burden, said Michelle S. Strowhiro, an employment adviser and lawyer at McDermott Will & Emery. Employers would also have to manage exemption requests, not to mention legal claims that might arise.

As a result, many employers will likely strongly encourage vaccination without requiring it, Strowhiro said.

With the country simultaneously facing a political crisis and on edge over threats of more violence from far-right extremists, the U.S. recorded 4,327 deaths on Tuesday by Johns Hopkins count. Arizona and California have been among the hardest-hit states.

The daily figure is subject to revision, but deaths have been rising sharply over the past 2 1/2 months, and the country is now in the most lethal phase of the outbreak yet, even as the vaccine is being rolled out. New cases are running at nearly a quarter-million per day on average.

More than 9.3 million Americans have received their first shot of the vaccine, or less than 3% of the population, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That is well short of the hundreds of millions who experts say will need to be inoculated to vanquish the outbreak.

The effort is ramping up around the country. Large-scale drive-thru vaccination sites have opened at stadiums and other places, enabling people to get their shots through their car windows.

Also, an increasing number of states have begun offering vaccinations to the next group in line senior citizens with the minimum age varying from place to place at 65, 70 or 75. Up to now, health care workers and nursing home residents have been given priority in most places.

And the Trump administration announced plans Tuesday to speed up the vaccination drive by releasing the whole supply of doses instead of holding large quantities in reserve to make sure people get their second shot on time.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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Dollar General will pay its 157,000 workers to get COVID-19 vaccine - WJW FOX 8 News Cleveland

Thats different from what went out in an internal memo, obtained by 9 Investigates, to AdventHealth staff. It stated that besides health care workers who have direct patient contact, and AdventHealth caregivers and relatives, only established AdventHealth patients would be eligible to receive the doses being administered near the Orlando International Airport.

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There shouldnt be any discrimination: Hospital systems make COVID-19 vaccine available to general public - WFTV Orlando

By Kristen Holmes, Sarah Mucha and Gregory Lemos | CNN

Operation Warp Speed chief scientific adviser Moncef Slaoui has submitted his resignation at the request of the incoming Biden administration, a source with knowledge of the events tells CNN.

Slaoui confirmed on CNBC Wednesday that he submitted his resignation letter on Tuesday to the Trump administration. Hell stay on for 30 days to ensure a smooth transition, a Biden transition official tells CNN.

Slaoui said on a call with reporters last week that he had been in contact with the Biden administration and has been asked to become a consultant when the transition happens, to which hes agreed, CNN previously reported.

Its common for a political appointee such as Slaoui to step down as part of the transition from one administration to another. It was not immediately clear if the Biden administration plans to appoint a successor.

During his appearance on CNBC, Slaoui touted the success of Operation Warp Speed in getting two vaccines authorized for emergency use by the US Food and Drug Administration and said it was always his intention to return to private life once that was achieved. He said he decided to prolong his tenure in order to support the new team as they come in.

As you know, Im very supportive of this upcoming administration and really, of course, of the operation and its mission and I will be doing everything I can to help them succeed, Slaoui said.

Slaoui said he would continue to support the leadership of Operation Warp Speed in every possible way and expressed hope and confidence in the Biden administrations ability to take over the nations vaccination effort.

Its not clear whether Gen. Gustave Perna, chief operating officer of Operation Warp Speed, will stay in his role.

Slaoui has been the most visible official leading the Trump administrations vaccine effort and was a notable voice of cooperation at a time when President Donald Trump refused efforts to begin a transition following his election loss to President-elect Joe Biden.

The-CNN-Wire & 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.

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Head of U.S. COVID-19 vaccine effort resigns at request of incoming Biden administration but will stay through transition - Pacifica Tribune

Editor's note: This article was updated at 2:30pm on Jan. 12 to include new reports about the Sinovac vaccine's efficacy. The original article was posted on Jan. 11.

Dozens of coronavirus vaccines entered clinical trials during 2020, and now, a handful have been authorized for emergency use in various countries meaning the shots can be administered to the public while their developers continue to collect data on their safety and efficacy. Should they meet all the necessary criteria, these vaccines could be fully approved in the future, and in some places, they already have been.

Here's a quick guide to the COVID-19 vaccines now in use around the world.

Related: 20 of the worst epidemics and pandemics in history

The vaccine developed by Pfizer and German biotechnology company BioNTech is 95% effective at preventing COVID-19, a large study found. The vaccine is administered in two doses, given three weeks apart, and it must be stored at minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 70 degrees Celsius). On Dec. 11, 2020, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine became the first COVID-19 vaccine to be authorized for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Several other countries have also authorized the vaccine for emergency use, including the U.K., Argentina, Chile and Singapore, and the European Union followed suit on Dec. 21, The New York Times reported. Bahrain, Canada, Saudi Arabia and Switzerland have fully approved the vaccine.

The shot uses a molecule called mRNA as its base. A molecular cousin of DNA, mRNA contains instructions to build specific proteins; in this case, the mRNA in the vaccine codes for the coronavirus spike protein, a structure that sticks off the virus's surface and is used to infect human cells. Once inside the body, the vaccine instructs human cells to build this protein, and the immune system learns to recognize and attack it.

The vaccine developed by U.S. biotech company Moderna and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) also uses mRNA as its base and is estimated to be 94.5% effective at preventing COVID-19. Like the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, it's delivered in two doses, but the doses are given four weeks apart, rather than three. Another difference is that the Moderna vaccine can be stored at at minus 4 F (minus 20 C), rather than requiring deep-freezing like the Pfizer shots.

The FDA authorized the Moderna vaccine for emergency use on Dec. 18, and Israel and the European Medicines Agency, an agency of the European Union, both authorized the shots for emergency use in January, according to the Times. Canada fully approved the vaccine on Dec. 23.

The vaccine developed by Oxford University and pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca is estimated to be about 70% effective at preventing COVID-19 that said, in clinical trials, adjusting the dose seemed to boost this efficacy.

In people given two full-size doses, spaced 28 days apart, the vaccine was about 62% effective; in those given a half-dose followed by a full dose, the vaccine was 90% effective, according to early analyses. However, clinical trial participants who got half-doses did so by mistake, and some scientists have questioned whether those early results are representative.

The U.K. and Argentina authorized the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine for emergency use in late December, and India and Mexico authorized the vaccine for emergency use in January, according to the Times. The shots contain a weakened version of adenovirus, a common cold virus that naturally infects chimpanzees. Scientists modified the virus so it cannot replicate in human cells and then added genes that code for the coronavirus spike protein. Inside the body, the vaccine enters cells and delivers these spike protein genes, which the cells use to build the spike protein itself. The presence of spike proteins triggers an immune response.

Sinopharm, the state-owned China National Pharmaceutical Group, and the Beijing Institute of Biological Products developed a vaccine from an inactivated coronavirus, meaning a modified version of SARS-CoV-2 that cannot replicate. In late December, Sinopharm announced that the vaccine, called BBIBP-CorV, is more than 79% effective, according to preliminary data from late-stage clinical trials that said, the company has not published said data.

In the summer of 2020, China gave Sinopharm authorization to vaccinate construction workers, diplomats and students with one of its two COVID-19 vaccine candidates, including BBIBP-CorV, Live Science previously reported. Nearly 1 million people had received the vaccines by November, according to the company's chairman.

The United Arab Emirates authorized BBIBP-CorV for emergency use in September and then fully approved the vaccine in December. Bahrain and China also fully approved the vaccine in December, and Egypt authorized it for emergency use in January 2021, the Times reported. The vaccine is given in two doses spaced three weeks apart.

Sinopharm's second vaccine candidate, developed by the Wuhan Institute of Biological Products, also uses an inactivated coronavirus as its base. The vaccine has been authorized for emergency use in China and the U.A.E., but little is known about its efficacy.

CanSino Biologics, in collaboration with the Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, developed a COVID-19 vaccine using a weakened adenovirus, but one that naturally infects humans, not chimpanzees. Late-stage clinical trials with the vaccine are still ongoing, and its efficacy is not yet known. The shot is given in a single dose.

In June 2020, the CanSino vaccine was given approval to be used by China's military, according to Reuters.

The Chinese company Sinovac Biotech developed a vaccine from an inactivated version of SARS-CoV-2. The vaccine, called CoronaVac, is given in two doses 14 days apart, Live Science previously reported. China authorized the vaccine for emergency use in July.

Estimates vary as to how well the vaccine protects against COVID-19, and an official estimate has not yet been issued. One clinical trial in Brazil suggested that the vaccine was about 78% effective in one small subgroup of patients, but across all people, the efficacy may be closer to 63%, according to Estado, a Brazilian news outlet.

On Jan. 11, two sources who had seen the full results of the trial reported that the vaccine showed less than 60% efficacy, overall, according to Reuters. That said, Sao Paulos Butantan biomedical center, which has partnered with Sinovac, called these reports "purely speculative."

The Indian company Bharat Biotech, along with the Indian Council of Medical Research and the National Institute of Virology developed a vaccine from an inactivated coronavirus, called Covaxin, the Times reported. The vaccine is given in two doses, spaced four weeks apart, and has been authorized for emergency use in India. It's efficacy has not been publicly reported.

The Russia Ministry of Health's Gamaleya Research Institute developed a coronavirus vaccine candidate called Sputnik V, in reference to the world's first artificial satellite, launched during the space race, Live Science previously reported. The vaccine contains two common cold viruses, or adenoviruses, that have been modified so they don't replicate in humans; the modified viruses also contain genes that code for the coronavirus's spike protein.

In November, Russia announced that the vaccine is more than 91.4% effective in preventing COVID-19, according to early data from clinical trials. (Full details of the trials have yet to be published in a scientific journal.)

In the same month, Russia began offering the vaccine to its citizens as part of a mass vaccination campaign, according to The New York Times. Russia had already approved the vaccine for limited use in August, when very little data from human trials was available, Live Science previously reported.

Since November, Belarus, Argentina and Serbia have also authorized the vaccine for emergency use, the Times reported.

In October 2020, Russia granted "regulatory approval" to a second vaccine, one developed by the Vector Institute, a Russian biological research center, according to CNBC. The vaccine contains coronavirus peptides, which are small portions of proteins found in the virus. Like Sputnik V, the vaccine earned approval in Russia before large-scale clinical trials had been conducted. As of now, its efficacy is still unknown.

Originally published on Live Science.

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Quick guide: COVID-19 vaccines in use and how they work - Livescience.com

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) Leaders in both Norfolk and Virginia Beach expressed their frustrations this week with the information or lack thereof they currently have on the COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan.

Within the last week, 12 health districts including most recently the neighboring Eastern Shore have received the states blessing to start to vaccinate people falling under the states 1b phase.

It was a month ago that the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine in the state was administered at Sentara Norfolk hospital. However, as of this week, neither Norfolk nor Virginia Beach knows exactly when they are expected to get the go-ahead from the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) to move into the second phase of the states vaccination plan.

There is what I call a bureaucratic log jam somewhere between the vaccine and Virginia Beach, said Vice Mayor Jim Wood in an interview Wednesday.

The day before, Wood, along with other members of Virginia Beach City Council, grilled local VDH Director Dr. Demetria Lindsay on why other parts of the state have been able to move forward, and they have not.

The 1b group vaccination opportunities for the following groups: frontline essential workers such as police, grocery store workers and teachers people, age 75 and older and people living in correctional facilities, homeless shelters, or migrant labor camps.

Up until now, Virginia Beach and Norfolk have only been vaccinating long-term care residents and staff, as well as health care workers, as part of the 1a category.

Lindsay did tell the council in her presentation that all health districts were expected to be in phase 1b by the end of the month. Gov. Ralph Northam (D-Va.) previously said the health districts that have made significant progress administering the vaccine to group 1a are the ones that will start vaccinating Virginians in group1b.

That answer didnt sit well with all council members.

To say that we are going to get to 1b in one or two weeks is just not acceptable, when I hear of a neighbor on Knotts Island [North Carolina], who had his shot last week, said Councilwoman Barbara Henley.

Wood added that it has been an abysmal rollout from his perspective and that the city needs more vaccines.

In response Lindsay said different communities have different resources.

We have some communities that did not have as large as a provider base as we experience in our area, Lindsay said.

Council members were also frustrated with a lack of a solid distribution plan once phase 1b is approved for the city.

While Lindsay explained the health department was working to stand up a facility to vaccinate a large number of people, Councilman Guy Tower said he has a hard time accepting the vagueness, frankly.

We are ready, willing and able with our hundreds if not thousands of employees and volunteers who can deploy this vaccine, Wood said. We are ready to be a force multiplier to get this vaccine into peoples arms.

Wood said the vaccine is vital for the city to revive its economy. He said he doesnt want to see more festivals canceled.

Lindsay left the meeting Tuesday without answering all questions, saying she had to go to another meeting.

Within the next hour, Lindsay appeared before Norfolks City Council, where frustration was evident, especially when it comes to schools.

It was just disappointing to see that Chesapeake was able to [vaccinate] first with their teachers, said Councilman Tommy Smigiel.

The Chesapeake Health Department said it was more than halfway through administering vaccines in phase 1a, so they started integrating portions of phase 1b, which includes teachers.

Councilwoman Courtney Doyle expressed that people just need clear communication.

I just cant stress enough the necessity with being very clear with timelines and communicating very clearly so our community [has] level set expectations, Doyle said. And I am not just talking about Norfolk. This is more than just Norfolk.

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VB and Norfolk leaders growing frustrated with lagging COVID-19 vaccine rollout - WAVY.com

Mayor Robert Garcia said Tuesday that the Long Beach Convention Center will become a coronavirus vaccine distribution site, the first of several that will become available throughout the city in the coming weeks and months.

In his annual State of the City speech, Garcia said grocery and food distribution workers would be the first people vaccinated at the Convention Center.

He added the following details about the city's vaccination efforts:

In remarks delivered at the Terrace Theater to an online crowd that watched on the city's website, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and LBTV3, Garcia began by noting the extraordinary challenge of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

"Normally every year during the state of the city we go through data, accomplishments, and initiatives from our city and community. But this is not a normal year -- and tonight's speech will be different."

"Few moments in our history have required so much of us. We are dealing with the single largest threat to life we have ever faced as a city," Garcia said. "We have lost more than 484 of our neighbors, family and friends. That's four times the number of people we lost in the 1933 earthquake. Sadly, we will see more loss of life in the months ahead. This is the greatest challenge of our generation."

Garcia also touched on issues of racism, noting more than 100 goals the city has set through a Racial Equity and Reconciliation Initiative that was formally adopted by the Long Beach City Council.

He closed by addressing the storming of the U.S. Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump last week.

"I want to share my anger and disgust at the attack on our Capitol last week," Garcia said. "That was an attempted coup on our democracy -- and an attack on our country."

"As an immigrant, who fought to gain citizenship, I was horrified at what we witnessed as a nation. We are an imperfect country, but we must strive towards truth and justice. We must call out wrongs when we see them. I am hopeful a new America -- together, healthy, and focused on equity -- can become a reality in the years ahead."

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Long Beach Will Use Convention Center As COVID-19 Vaccination Site - NBC Southern California