Category: Covid-19

Several peoplewho attendedaconference in Floridaearlier this month where ivermectin was promoted as treatment against COVID-19 have since contracted the virus.

Dr. John Littell,the Ocala-based physician who organized the Florida Summit on COVID at an equestrian center Nov. 6, said one physician got sick and that a "handful of others" had mild cases.

The Food and Drug Administration says ivermectin is approved to treator prevent parasites in animals. For humans, ivermectin tablets are approved to treat some parasitic worms, and there are topical formulations for head lice and skin conditions. The FDA has not authorized ivermectin for use in preventing or treating COVID-19 in humans or animals.

Littell, who is unvaccinated and believes ivermectin is effective at treating and preventing the virus, said he does not believe the infections were spread at the conference.

"Only one physician got sick and that's because his father had been ill in the Florida Keys before he came," Littell said. "In each case, everyone is healthy now and back in the saddle. And all were given early treatment and ivermectin and the usual combination of therapies."

Dustin Wyatt,The Ledger

Also in the news:

Boston'stemporary outdoor dining program designed to help boost struggling restaurants has been extended to Dec. 31, Mayor Michelle Wu announced Wednesday.The extension applies to private patios and many public streets.

Maryland will distribute 500,000 at-home COVID testing kits to health departments across the state. Gov.Hogan said the kits will give "Marylanders more options and more peace of mind as we head into the holiday season."

Honolulu and Maui counties will allow restaurants and bars to operate at 100% capacity and eliminate a requirement that groups sit 6 feet apart at restaurants when Hawaiieases some statewide restrictions at month's end.

Social distancing became mandatory again across the Netherlands on Wednesday. The countrys leading intensive care physician, Diederik Gommers, called for even tougher measures including closing schools to rein in soaring infection rates.

Malaysia and Singapore said Wednesday they will partially reopen their borders next week to fully vaccinated citizens and some others, after nearly two years of closure.

Today's numbers:The U.S. has recorded more than 48million confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 775,300 deaths,accordingtoJohns Hopkins Universitydata. Global totals: More than 259.3 million cases and 5.17 million deaths. More than 196 millionAmericans 59% of the populationare fully vaccinated,according to theCDC.

What we're reading:COVID-19 has pushed a decadeslong Michigan emergency medical service workers shortage into a crisis. How much longer before people call 911 and it'll take too long for help to arrive, if it ever does at all?

Keep refreshing this page for the latest news. Want more?Sign up forUSA TODAY's Coronavirus Watch free newsletterto receive updates directly to your inboxandjoin ourFacebook group.

The majority of cities and towns in Connecticut are now in the red alert level, the state's highest of four levels for COVID-19 infections, according to state data released Wednesday.

Of the state's 169 municipalities, 110, or 65%, were in the red zone the most since April 22.

Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont on Tuesday urged residents to take steps to protect themselves, noting New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont had higher rates of infection than Connecticut.

That's just a reminder that we're not an island. That's why we've got to continue to be very cautious, he said.

As families prepare to gather over the Thanksgiving holiday, some hospitals across the country are being overwhelmed by COVID-19 cases and staffing shortages, and surges tied to holiday gatherings could make it worse.A potentially weekslong closure of a New York emergency department Monday was sparked by a staffing shortageafter unvaccinated health care workers were not allowed to continue work due to a state rule.Mount Sinai South Nassau's emergency room will direct patients to its Oceanside emergency department.

Officials in Denver said hospitals are filling up, with about 80% of those hospitalized for COVID-19 being unvaccinated,9News reported.Dr. Robin Wittenstein, CEO of Denver Health, told the outlet their system is on the "brink of collapse."

The University of Iowa's hospital is also worried about hardship as COVID and flu cases are on the rise. In Dubuque County, hospitalizations for COVID-19 are as high as they were a year ago before vaccines were available.

"It's cold now, and people are going to be indoors, and everyone's tired of this," Chief Medical Officer Theresa Brennan said. "People are hungry for human contact. And because of that, it's likelypeople are going to be less strict about gathering, about masking, about distancing than they were last year."

Thousands of people traveling for the holidays this week will first testthemselves for COVID-19 without a doctor, lab or any medical oversight.While these quickhome tests are hailed as a major convenience and a smart way to protect loved ones, theyve also raised a significant challenge for public health officials.It's unclear how often customers report results from the dozen authorizedhome coronavirus tests that typicallydeliver results in 15 minutesoutside a lab or doctors office.Private test manufacturers already make more home antigen tests than standard laboratory tests and the gap couldnearly double next monthas new home tests flood the market. Read more here.

The whole issue of us tracking every single case is just notgoing to be possible anymore with these (home)tests, said Marcus Plescia, chief medical officer of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. We need to move to a different approach.

Ken Alltucker

Dozens of Tennessee health care, higher education and consulting entities applied for an official exemption last week from the states new law that strictly curtails businesses from enacting COVID-19 restrictions.

The legislation, signed into law earlier this month by Gov. Bill Lee, prohibits most private businesses from requiring COVID-19 vaccines or proof of vaccination. But the bill carved out a provision for entities at risk of losing major federal funds if they followed the new Tennessee law, such as federal contractors, transportation authorities and health care providers that treat Medicare or Medicaid patients.

The Tennessee comptroller began accepting exemption applications Nov. 15 and received 76 by the end of the week, though legitimate applications were slightly less due to some duplicate and errant submissions.So far, denials have been rare.

Of the 76 applications, five were denied and 44 are awaiting approval.

Melissa Brown, The Nashville Tennessean

Contributing: The Associated Press

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Several infected after convention touting ivermectin; some hospitals overwhelmed ahead of Thanksgiving holiday: Latest COVID-19 updates - USA TODAY

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As Texans head into the holiday season, there is much to celebrate when it comes to addressing the pandemic. But health experts say the state is not out of the woods just yet.

First, the good news. The number of residents here hospitalized with COVID-19 is at one of its lowest points since the beginning of the pandemic, while average daily deaths from the virus are also dropping and vaccines are finally after a year of parents anxiously waiting for approval flowing into the arms of the states elementary age children.

After a miserable summer when the delta variant caused a surge that rivaled the worst moments of the coronavirus pandemic, state health officials and experts say they are grateful for signs of relief. But they're wary of being too optimistic about a pandemic that has, more than once, had this state in a stranglehold.

People are just kind of happy or relieved that the most recent surge is done with, but I dont think anybodys celebrating anything yet, said Dr. James Castillo, public health authority in Cameron County. In that county, the share of hospital beds occupied by COVID-19 patients has dropped to 3% percent, down from over 25% during the summer surge.

Still, health officials are now watching a recent increase in the number of new confirmed COVID-19 cases and a small uptick in the rate of COVID-19 tests coming back positive as potential warning signs.

Theyre also keeping an eye on a troubling new surge in the nations Western states that has hit El Paso, a region that was spared the deadly delta surge that rocked the rest of the state in August and September.

Were certainly in a better place right now than we have been in quite a while, said Chris Van Deusen, spokesperson for the Texas Department of State Health Services. But we are sort of starting to see things change again. And you know, if theres one thing we know about this pandemic, it's that its going to keep changing.

The holiday season brings fresh opportunities for COVID-19 to spread, as families gather many of them for their first Thanksgiving together in two years, Van Deusen said.

We arent expecting to see another peak as high as we saw it in late summer, but I think it's just that we're kind of watchful and concerned, Van Deusen said. As people mix more, it's an inevitable thing.

Meanwhile, a continuing shortage of vaccines in the rest of the world means that a virus variant could still emerge and contribute to another surge here.

And while hospital intensive care units have more available beds than theyve reported in several months, the return of flu season and a rash of respiratory outbreaks could put new pressure on hospitals that are already decimated by staffing shortages and three coronavirus surges leaving precious few beds, potentially, available should another COVID-19 surge hit.

Every day of good news, it seems, carries with it a note of caution.

At highest risk, officials say, are the millions of Texans who have not been vaccinated. During the month of September, at the height of the surge when about half of Texans had been fully vaccinated, unvaccinated people were 20 times more likely to die from the virus than those who had been vaccinated.

What that means, scientists say, is that a surge among the unvaccinated could still happen.

Overall, our projections right now are fairly optimistic for the state of Texas, said Spencer Fox, associate director of the University of Texas COVID-19 Modeling Consortium. But when we look at the winter, were still fairly concerned about what might happen in the future. Our models suggest that theres still enough susceptibility in our population to see another pandemic surge if we remove all precautions. I think Thanksgiving will be a lead indicator of whats to come.

As Texas and states to the north and east see similar signs of slowdowns after the summer surge, hospitals in Western states like New Mexico and Colorado and north to Michigan are filling up with COVID-19 patients as the region experiences the surge it largely missed in late summer.

People ages 5-17 are eligible to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. People age 18 and older are eligible to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

All vaccines in the United States must go through three phases of clinical trials to make sure they are safe and effective. During the development of COVID-19 vaccines, phases overlapped to speed up the process, but all phases were completed, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. State data shows that unvaccinated Texans made up 85% of coronavirus cases and deaths from Jan. 15 to Oct. 1, 2021.

Yes. Research has not yet shown how long you are protected from getting COVID-19 again after recovering from COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and vaccination will boost protection. If you were treated for COVID-19 with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma, you should wait 90 days before getting a COVID-19 vaccine. Talk to your doctor if you are unsure what treatments you received or if you have more questions about getting a COVID-19 vaccine.

Most chain pharmacies and many independent ones have a ready supply of the vaccine, and many private doctors' offices also have it. Texas has compiled other options for finding vaccine appointments here, and businesses or civic organizations can set up vaccine clinics to offer it to employees, visitors, customers or members. The vaccine is free, and you dont need health insurance to get it.

Anyone who's age 18 and older is now eligible for a booster shot. People who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine as their primary dose can receive any of the three approved COVID-19 vaccines as their booster shot at least two months after they first got vaccinated. People who received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine are allowed to get a booster shot at least six months after completing their initial two-shot vaccination series.

This is the prevailing theory behind rising new cases, hospitalizations and deaths in El Paso, which officials say is more susceptible to community spread in Western states than it is to trends in the rest of Texas.

Geographically, they're much closer to Santa Fe and the cities that are just below the border in Mexico, and in areas of New Mexico, than to other areas of the state of Texas, said Dr. David Lakey, the states former health commissioner and now chief medical officer of the University of Texas System. And so they seem to be tracking more like those areas.

State health data shows that the El Paso region has seen a 76% increase in the number of daily new confirmed cases in the last two weeks, compared with decreases in most other large counties in the state.

Drops in new cases are being seen in Harris, Dallas, Tarrant, Denton and Collin counties. Cameron County has seen a 21% decrease in cases.

Hospitals in El Paso and surrounding areas are reporting that about 13% of their beds are being used by COVID-19 patients. Statewide, that number is 4%.

On Saturday, Nov. 13, El Paso County reported 627 new confirmed cases, the highest one-day number since early February.

At least some of that is likely due to overconfidence by El Pasoans who believed that they were out of the woods after avoiding the summers surge in the rest of the state and recording high vaccination numbers, said El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego.

But locals have high rates of diabetes and cancer that make them more likely to get sick when they do catch the virus, so a surge among those who havent been vaccinated is likely to end in worse illness and more hospitalizations than in a more typical population, Samaniego said.

I think what happened is we got pretty cocky, he said. We said, Were vaccinated, were number one, we dont have to worry. Its human nature. Youre about two feet from the goal line, and you just relax. Were so much in a rush to leave it behind us, thats going to be our downfall.

The Panhandle is also seeing an upswing in hospitalizations, with 10% of area hospital beds being occupied by COVID-19 patients. New cases are up in that area as well, particularly around Amarillo, which is just over 100 miles from the state's border with New Mexico.

Lakey said that other areas susceptible to another surge are the ones with the lowest vaccination rates, which include a lot of rural counties.

I think things are much better now than they were in September, Lakey said. But it depends on where in the state you are. I wouldn't be surprised if out in East Texas, an area that has some of the lowest vaccination rates in the nation, they get hit hard again.

But while health experts caution that the pandemic is still far from over, they also point to some reasons for optimism.

Two new medicines are about to hit the market that Lakey said could mute the impact of the virus. Antiviral pills from Pfizer and Merck are on the verge of being approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, having been shown to drastically reduce hospitalization and death from the virus.

More than 72,000 Texans have died from COVID-19, but the seven-day average of daily deaths is down drastically in comparison with earlier this summer. In late September, the state was averaging about 300 deaths a day. Now, that number is around 80 a day.

More than 90% of the states older residents, who are most vulnerable to hospitalization and death from the vaccine, have gotten at least one shot, Lakey said. Some 2.5 million Texans have gotten their booster, according to state health numbers.

Another encouraging sign is that while the vaccination rate of children ages 5-11 is still below national figures, more than a quarter-million Texas children in that age group have gotten at least one dose of the Pfizer vaccine, Van Deusen said.

I think we always want to see that higher than it is, but that is progress, he said. And of course, the concern over health effects is less for that population, but there is still a concern about kids being able to get the virus and transmit it to others, particularly if theyre gathering with grandparents and older relatives over the holidays.

Van Deusen and others said that taking precautions such as masking around particularly vulnerable people and limiting, when possible, extended close contact with them along with getting vaccinations and booster shots can help avoid another winter surge.

I think those kinds of basic precautions still have a place, even as more and more people are getting vaccinated, until we can really get a better lid on this thing, he said.

Samaniego said Texas is at a critical juncture now, on the edge of the holiday season, and he challenged residents to stay vigilant rather than ignore the warning signs.

Were at that point, and which way do we go? Samaniego said. If you kill the dragons while theyre babies, its a lot easier than when theyre so big theyre spewing fire.

Chris Essig contributed to this report.

Disclosure: University of Texas System has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

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Texas COVID-19 hospitalizations are low but experts still advise caution - The Texas Tribune

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 have passed 258.9 million globally, according to Johns Hopkins University. The number of confirmed deaths has now passed 5.16 million. More than 7.77 billion vaccination doses have been administered globally, according to Our World in Data.

South Korea has reported a new daily record number of confirmed COVID-19 cases - 4,116.

France has recorded more than 30,000 new daily COVID-19 infections for the first time since August.

Top US infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci said yesterday that the vast majority of Americans who've been vaccinated against COVID-19 should receive a booster shot.

Germany is considering introducing further restrictions in response to rising COVID-19 cases, outgoing Health Minister Jens Spahn said yesterday.

Spain's Catalonia region is planning to ask for proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test for entry to bars, restaurants and stadiums. Other regions are also pushing for similar restrictions.

A global licence for serological technology that detects COVID-19 antibodies will be provided royalty-free to poor and middle-income countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced yesterday. The agreement is a first-of-its-kind and designed to boost production.

The Czech Republic is considering making COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for those aged over 60, as well as workers in some sectors, such as health and social care.

Daily new confirmed COVID-19 cases per million people in selected countries.

Image: Our World in Data

New Zealand has outlined a plan to ease border restrictions introduced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The timeline will see the country's borders closed to most international travellers for at least another five months.

Fully vaccinated international travellers will be allowed to enter the country from 30 April, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins told a news conference. The travellers will have to self-isolate for seven days on arrival.

Vaccinated New Zealanders and residence visa holders in neighbouring Australia can travel to New Zealand from 16 January, while vaccinated New Zealanders and residence visa holders from most other countries will be allowed in from 13 February.

"A phased approach to reconnecting with the world is the safest approach to ensure risk is carefully managed," Hipkins said.

The WHO warned yesterday that a further 700,000 people could die from COVID-19 in Europe by March - taking the total above 2.2 million. The organization urged people to get vaccinated and have booster shots.

Total cumulative deaths from the disease in the 53 countries of the WHO's European region have already surpassed 1.5 million, it said, with the daily rate doubling from late September to 4,200 a day.

The WHO's European region also includes Russia and other former Soviet republics, as well as Turkey.

"Cumulative reported deaths are projected to reach over 2.2 million by spring next year, based on current trends," it said, adding that COVID-19 is now the top regional cause of death.

Cumulative confirmed COVID-19 deaths in Europe.

Image: Our World in Data

Written by

Joe Myers, Writer, Formative Content

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

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COVID-19: Top news stories about the coronavirus pandemic on 24 November | World Economic Forum - World Economic Forum

San Diego County continues to receive good news on the coronavirus vaccination front, with an additional 16,712 children ages five to 11 receiving their first doses over the past week, bringing the total to more than 44,000 in just three weeks, according to the latest county report.

But while the increasing numbers help plug a previously wide-open gap in the regions wall of immunity, the overall COVID-19 situation remains mixed as Thanksgiving arrives.

One year ago, everyone surely believed that a widely available vaccine would make the fourth Thursday in November 2021 the first post-COVID turkey day.

But, encouraging vaccination among younger kids notwithstanding, the vaccine still has not delivered a clean win, meaning that the virus is still in play at a moment when, last year, things got very bad very quickly.

At the moment, the C in COVID-19 might as well stand for caveat.

Wednesdays countywide update indicates that there were 255 confirmed and suspected COVID-19 patients in local hospitals Tuesday, significantly less than the 518 listed on Nov. 23, 2020.

That lower hospitalization total is despite the fact that the Delta variant version of the virus that is now dominant is more than twice as transmissible as the types that dominated during the holidays last year.

Though it has not prevented infection in all cases, the vaccine has reduced the odds of severe consequences. And yet, the number of positive tests arriving daily remains elevated, even compared to where it was this time last year when there were significantly more COVID-related hospitalizations.

But a comparison of the countys 13 coronavirus triggers a list adopted in 2020 as a kind of early warning system of viral transmission shows thats not the case. As of Wednesdays weekly update, the region averaged 13.1 new positive tests for every 100,000 residents. That number was 10.7 on the same day one year ago.

This year, unlike last year, flu activity, another closely watched trigger, also appears in red. With stay-at-home orders removed since June, and much less masking and distancing than was previously the case, most experts expect a more significant flu season this winter.

All-in-all, this Thanksgiving has a bit of a yin-yang character. Vaccination, which was not yet a thing in November 2020, has clearly made COVID-19 less likely to fill hospitals. And yet the virus itself, now present in its more transmissible Delta variant form, has kept this from being the post-COVID turkey day many hoped for.

It seems that for every gain, there is a corresponding setback.

Sure, the vaccine, though it is not able to prevent all illness outright, has significantly reduced the number of people who end up sick enough to end up in hospital beds. Simultaneously, though, health care is caught in a labor shortage, with many burning out and leaving their jobs over the summer and a few later deciding to walk away rather than comply with statewide vaccination mandates for health care workers.

A post-holiday increase in cases and hospital stays is widely predicted, noted Chris Van Gorder, chief executive officer of Scripps Health.

Our projections indicate we will see a rise in both infections and hospitalizations after the holidays and because of an increase in indoor activities once again, but not to the extent we had last year due to the large number of vaccinated, Van Gorder said.

Last year, Thanksgiving was the jumping off point for the deadliest COVID-19 surge of the pandemic. The number of COVID-19 residents in hospitals passed the 1,000 mark by Dec. 12, peaking at more than 1,800 one month later and nearly forcing health care facilities to begin rationing intensive care resources.

Its not just that vaccination is expected to keep things from getting that bad this winter. Van Gorder said that needs to be the case because the system simply is not ready for a similar surge.

Staffing is tight everywhere, and at every hospital in San Diego, Van Gorder said. Our people are tired of COVID-19 like everyone else, and our hospitals remain very busy.

I think its fair to say we could not handle a surge like last year because none of us have the staff, nor do we have the beds.

For his part, the executive said he plans to host Thanksgiving outdoors and make sure all who attend are vaccinated. He hoped for a similar approach countywide.

Every day for the last 20 months, Ive seen what COVID can do and the heartbreak it brings to families, Van Gorder said. A little extra precaution is still warranted in my opinion.

The idea is to have a safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving.

It seems clear, though, that the sheer size of gatherings will increase significantly.

Holiday travel is expected to be not far off a record set in 2019, and grocery stores across the nation report significant demand for traditional turkey and trimmings in recent weeks.

John Sparkenbach, district manager for Ralphs grocery stores throughout San Diego County, said customer counts are up about 5 percent over last year, indicating that more families are doing their Thanksgiving shopping in person this year than last.

The size of orders has also increased.

You can tell that, definitely, customers are buying more, Sparkenbach said. You can see that theyre definitely going to have much larger gatherings than they did last year.

Just whos coming to Thanksgiving dinner and whos not creates its own tension.

About 25 percent of the 3.1 million people age 5 and older eligible to be vaccinated are not yet fully inoculated, and the issue has become the latest polarization point in the nations long-running culture war.

Many families are struggling with whether or not to restrict Thursdays gatherings to those who are vaccinated and that creates family fault lines, said Dr. Michelle Carcel, a San Diego psychologist. Just as the vaccine, and the recent approval of booster shots for those at greatest risk, provides an elevated level of confidence to gather, it simultaneously highlights divisions that follow long-running divides around issues such as politics that most try hard to avoid when sitting around the same table.

The vaccine, Carcel said, is a particularly difficult divide because it literally involves the health of everyone who attends.

For a lot of people, the vaccine is very important and significant as a health measure that, based on what were seeing in the research, has fantastic efficacy in comparison to those who are unvaccinated and catch COVID, Carcel said.

Bending on vaccination, then, feels a little different than on, say, political disagreement. Those who insist on vaccinated-only gatherings must find ways to avoid judgment even as they make a decision.

Even if we dont agree with that other persons perspective, we need to be able to say, I may not agree with you, but I love you, and even if we cant see each other in this setting, we can find an alternative in the future that might work, Carcel said.

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Thanksgiving arrives and, yes, COVID-19 is still hanging around - The San Diego Union-Tribune

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) The Maryland Department of Health paused the release of the states COVID-19 metrics on Thursday and will do so again Friday in observance of Thanksgiving.

The agency will also pause data updates on Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Years Eve and New Years Day.

When reporting resumes, updates will include both the days encompassed in the pause and the standard 24-hour changes in metrics, the department said on its website.

On Wednesday, Maryland reported 905 new COVID-19 cases and three new deaths, according to state health department data.

The positivity rate in the state approached 4% and there were more than 600 Marylanders hospitalized with COVID-19.

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Maryland Department Of Health Pauses Release Of COVID-19 Data For Thanksgiving Holiday - CBS Baltimore

WHO, with support of theStrategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunizationandits COVID-19 Vaccines Working Group,isreviewing the emerging evidenceonthe needforand timing ofvaccinating children and adolescents withthe currently available COVID-19 vaccines which have received Emergency Use Listing (EUL). SAGEiscontinuously reviewing the literature andhas reached out to vaccine manufacturers, the research community and Member States toobtainthemost complete and recent dataon the issue.This interim statement was developed with additional support from the Strategic and Technical Advisory Group of Experts (STAGE) on maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health, and nutrition.

Background

Although the majority of COVID-19 vaccines are only approved for use in adults aged 18 years and above, an increasing number of vaccines are now also being authorized for use in children. Some countries have given emergency use authorization for mRNA vaccines for use in the adolescent age group (aged 12-17 years): BNT162b2 developed by Pfizer, and mRNA 1273 developed by Moderna. In November 2021, one stringent regulatory authority approved the mRNA vaccine BNT162b2 for the use in children aged 5-11. Trials in children as young as age 3 years were completed for two inactivated vaccines (Sinovac-CoronaVac and BBIBP-CorV) and these products were approved by Chinese authorities for the age indication of 3-17 years; although these vaccine products have received EUL for adults, they have not yet received WHO EUL for children. Covaxin, an adjuvanted inactivated vaccine developed by Bharat, was approved in India for the age indication of 12-17 years; but not yet received WHO EUL for this age indication. The Indian regulatory authorities have given approval to ZycovD, a novel DNA vaccine, for ages 12-17 years; however, this vaccine has not yet received WHO EUL. Several COVID-19 vaccines are undergoing trials in younger age groups (including as young as 6 months of age), but results have not yet been published.

The greatest burden of disease in terms of severe disease and deaths remains among older persons and those with comorbidities, the evidence of which led to the WHO Prioritization Roadmap which identifies high priority-use groups according to vaccine supplies available to countries(1). WHO recognizes that various countries are in different pandemic phases with different vaccination coverage rates. The WHO global vaccination strategy targets remain: 40% of each countrys population by end of 2021, and 70% by mid-2022(2). These coverage targets were set to ensure an equitable pace of global vaccine rollout & prioritization of those at highest risk. To date, these targets have not yet been achieved.

This interim statement examines the role of COVID-19 vaccines in adolescents and children in the global context of inequitable vaccine distribution across countries and globally limited vaccine supply.

Burden of disease in children and adolescents

Overall, there are proportionally fewer symptomatic infections, and cases with severe disease and deaths from COVID-19 in children and adolescents, compared with older age groups. Age-disaggregated cases reported to WHO from 30 December 2019 to 25 October 2021(3) show that children under five years of age represent 2% (1 890 756) of reported global cases and 0.1% (1 797) of reported global deaths. Older children and younger adolescents (5 to 14 years) account for 7% (7 058 748) of reported global cases and 0.1% (1 328) of reported global deaths while older adolescents and young adults (15 to 24 years) represent 15% (14 819 320) of reported global cases and 0.4% (7 023) of reported global deaths. Deaths for all ages less than 25 years represented less than 0.5% of reported global deaths.

Children and adolescents usually demonstrate fewer and milder symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to adults and are less likely than adults to experience severe COVID-19(4). Milder symptoms and asymptomatic presentations may mean less frequent care seeking in these groups, thus children and adolescents tend to be tested less and cases may go unreported. An age-dependent risk of severe disease with those under one year of age experiencing more severe disease has been suggested(5), although several reviews show that neonates (infants in the first 28 days of life) have mild disease when compared with other paediatric patients(6, 7). It is important to note that children under the age of five years have a higher risk of other diseases with clinical presentations that overlap with COVID-19, such as pneumonia and other viral upper respiratory tract infections, which may lead to misclassification. Additionally, age disaggregation has not been systematically provided in the literature, and the results of these studies are context-specific depending on factors such as timing within the pandemic and an emphasis on hospitalized patients(8).

Children and adolescents can experience prolonged clinical symptoms (known as long COVID-19, post COVID-19 condition(9), or post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection), however, the frequency and characteristics of these conditions are still under investigation. Additionally, a hyperinflammatory syndrome, referred to as paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome temporally associated with SARS-CoV-2 (PIMS-TS) in Europe and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) in the United States, although rare, has been reported to occur world-wide and complicate recovery from COVID-19(10).

Several risk factors for severe COVID-19 in children have been reported recently, including older age, obesity, and preexisting conditions. The preexisting conditions associated with higher risk of severe COVID-19 include type 2 diabetes, asthma, heart and pulmonary diseases, and neurologic and neuromuscular conditions(11).

The preponderance of evidence on the risk for severe COVID-19 and death in children and adolescents comes from studies in high resource settings, so the applicability of the following observations to lower resource settings remains to be determined. One systematic review suggests that there may be larger impact of paediatric COVID-19 related fatality in low to middle income countries versus high income countries(12).

The role of children and adolescents in transmission of SARS-CoV-2

Multiple population-based SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence and viral shedding studies have investigated whether children and adolescents are infected at the same rate as adults, but the results have been mixed, possibly because of the studies being conducted at different time points in the pandemic when populations were subjected to different public health and social measures (PHSM)(13). A serosurvey done in India during June-July 2021 after the second wave (Delta variant) showed that seropositivity in children 6-18 years was similar to that in older age groups - except in those older than 60 years in whom the immunization rate was high. Overall, it appeared that whether schools were open or closed, infection rates in children and adults were similar. Thus, it appears that children of all ages can become infected and can spread the virus to others.

Outbreaks of COVID-19 have been identified in secondary schools, summer camps and day care centres, particularly when neither physical distancing nor masks were used to reduce infection transmission risk. There is some preliminary evidence that younger children may be less infectious, as measured by secondary attack rates, than adolescents and adults(14). Data on the global incidence of COVID-19 suggest adolescents test positive for SARS-CoV-2 at a higher proportion than younger children, however seroprevalence surveys are required to provide more conclusive information on infection rates.

Children who become infected with SARS-CoV-2 shed the virus in their respiratory tract and also in their faeces(15). Amongst individuals positive for SARS-CoV-2 who were tested at the same time point after symptom onset, levels of SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA shedding in the respiratory tract appeared similar in children, adolescents, and adults(16).

The relationship between age, viral load, and transmission across the full symptom spectrum of SARS-CoV-2 infection has not been comprehensively investigated because people with no, or mild symptoms are seldom tested systematically. The relative transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 at different ages remains uncertain, largely due to the challenges involved in disentangling the influences of biological, host, virus, variants of concern, and environmental factors(17).

Socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and pandemic response on children and adolescents

Despite their lower risk of severe COVID-19 disease, children and adolescents have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 control measures. The most important indirect effects are related to school closures which have disrupted the provision of educational services and increased emotional distress and mental health problems. When unable to attend school and in social isolation, children are more prone to maltreatment and sexual violence, adolescent pregnancy, and child marriage, all of which increase the probability of missing further education and of poor pregnancy outcomes. A range of follow-on effects of school closures occur. These include disruption in physical activity and routines and loss of access to a wide range of school-provided services such as school meals, health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and services targeted to children with special needs such as learning support, speech therapy and social skills training. Children not attending school face enhanced risks of cyberbullying from other children, and the potential for predatory behavior from adults related to spending more time online. Longer-term, prolonged school closures lead to education loss and exacerbation of pre-existing inequalities and marginalization of learning. It is estimated that 24 million children are at risk of not returning to school owing to the pandemic(18); those affected have been estimated to incur a US$10 trillion loss in lifetime earnings(19). At societal level, economic devastation wrought by COVID-19 may take years to overcome, exacerbating economic inequalities, poverty, unemployment, household financial insecurity, food insecurity, and malnutrition, all of which negatively impact children, often disproportionately. Routine immunization services have also been negatively affected as a result of the pandemic response, thereby exacerbating the potential resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, tetanus, yellow fever, HPV, and others(20).

Efficacy and safety of COVID-19 vaccines in adolescents and children:

In Phase 2/3 trials for both mRNA vaccines, efficacy and immunogenicity were similar or higher compared to adults; safety and reactogenicity profiles in adolescents were similar to young adults. A very rare signal of myocarditis/pericarditis has been reported with mRNA COVID-19 vaccines as some countries have started to use these vaccines in their COVID-19 programmes. These cases occurred more often in younger men (16-24 years of age) and after the second dose of the vaccine, typically within a few days after vaccination. As the mRNA vaccines are just being rolled out in adolescents in some countries, the risk of myocarditis in that age group has not yet been fully determined. Available data suggest that the cases of myocarditis and pericarditis following vaccination are generally mild and respond to conservative treatment, and are less severe with better outcomes than classical myocarditis(21) or COVID-19. The risk of myocarditis/pericarditis associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection is higher than the risk after vaccination(21). In October 2021, the Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS) concluded that in all age groups the benefits of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in reducing hospitalizations and deaths due to COVID-19 outweigh the risks. The risk of Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS) following adenoviral-vector vaccines, although overall low, was higher in younger adults compared to older adults, but no data are available on the risk below the age of 18 years.

Globalequity andpublichealthgoals

Inthe context ofongoingglobal COVID-19 vaccine supply constraints,the focus of immunization programs must remain on protecting sub-populations at highest risk of hospitalizations and deaths, according to the WHO Prioritization Roadmap. There is now overwhelming evidence that immunisation of all adults with COVID-19 vaccines provides important health returns on investment. Adult immunisation is feasible in all countries with the right investments and is being actively pursued in almost all countries. However, the benefits of vaccinating children to reduce the risk of severe disease and death are much less than those associated with vaccinating older adults. Countries withfew or no vaccine supply constraintsshould consider the issues of global equity whenmaking policy decisions about vaccinating children and adolescents. Anyguidance on vaccine use prioritization, including booster dose policy, cannotignore the current, on-going profound inequities in global vaccine access. While higher-income countriesexpandtheir vaccination programmes toadolescents,children, and,in somecountries,booster doses to a large proportion of their populations, many lower-income countries still lack sufficient vaccinesupplyto offer a primary vaccination series to their highest priority-use groups, including older adultsand health care workerswho comprise only a small proportion of their populations.

Rationale for vaccinating adolescents and children

Vaccines which have received authorization by stringent regulatory authorities for the age indication of children and adolescents are safe and effective in reducing disease burden in these age groups.

Although benefit-risk assessments clearly underpin the benefit of vaccinating all age groups, including children and adolescents, the direct health benefit of vaccinating children and adolescents is lower compared with vaccinating older adults due to the lower incidence of severe COVID-19 and deaths in younger persons. Safety signals identified after widespread roll-out, such as myocarditis, albeit rare, are reported more frequently in young persons aged 16-24 years, particularly males; the risk of myocarditis in adolescents and/or children has not yet been determined.

Reducing intergenerational transmission is an important additional public health objective when vaccinating children and adolescents. Prior to the emergence of the delta variant, it was reported that the risk of symptomatic cases in household contacts of vaccinated cases was about 50% lower than that among household contacts of unvaccinated cases(22). However, the impact of vaccination on reducing transmission in the context of the more transmissible delta variant appears to be lower(23). Teachers, family members, and other adult contacts of children and adolescents should all be vaccinated.

Vaccinating children and adolescents may also help advance other highly valued societal goals. Maintaining education for all school-aged children should be an important priority during this pandemic. School attendance is critical to the well-being and life prospects of children and to parental participation in the economy. Vaccinating school-aged children may help minimize school disruptions by reducing the number of infections at school and the number of children required to miss school because of quarantine requirements.

The benefit of vaccinating children and adolescents may be lower in settings with high seropositivity rates in that age group, however, more evidence is needed on seroprevalence of school-aged children.

Conclusions

Countries should consider the individual and population benefits of immunising children and adolescents in their specific epidemiological and social context when developing their COVID-19 immunisation policies and programs. As children and adolescents tend to have milder disease compared to adults, unless they are in a group at higher risk of severe COVID-19, it is less urgent to vaccinate them than older people, those with chronic health conditions and health workers.

There are benefits of vaccinating children and adolescents that go beyond the direct health benefits. Vaccination that decreases COVID transmission in this age group may reduce transmission from children and adolescents to older adults, and may help reduce the need for mitigation measures in schools. Minimizing disruptions to education for children and maintenance of their overall well-being, health and safety are important considerations. Countries strategies related to COVID-19 control should facilitate childrens participation in education and other aspects of social life, and minimize school closures, even without vaccinating children and adolescents(24). UNICEF and WHO have developed guidance on how to minimize transmission in schools and keep schools open, regardless of vaccination of school-aged children(25).

Aligned and coordinated action is needed to achieve the global COVID-19 vaccination targets. Given current global inequity in vaccine access, the decision to vaccinate adolescents and children must account for prioritization to fully protect the highest risk subgroups through primary vaccination series, and as vaccine effectiveness declines with time since vaccination, through booster doses. As such, before considering implementing primary vaccination series in adolescents and children, attaining high coverage of primary series - and booster doses as needed based on evidence of waning and optimizing vaccination impact - in highest risk subgroups, such as older adults, must be considered(26).

As a matter of global equity, as long as many parts of the world are facing extreme vaccine shortages, countries that have achieved high vaccine coverage in their high-risk populations should prioritize global sharing of COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX facility before proceeding to vaccination of children and adolescents who are at low risk for severe disease.

It is of utmost importance for children to continue to receive the recommended childhood vaccines for other infectious diseases.

References:

Original post:

Interim statement on COVID-19 vaccination for children and adolescents - World Health Organization

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) With COVID-19 cases reaching high levels in West Michigan, bars and restaurants are working to navigate the risk as many people gather with friends and family the night before Thanksgiving.

It is often referred to as the busiest bar night of the year and businesses are wondering what the final customer volume will be in 2021.

Chris Cutting, the general manager of the downtown Peppinos Pizzeria and Sports Grille, says the business is continuing to take precautions by spacing tables, staggering seating and using expanded sanitation techniques.

Last year it was takeout only the day before Thanksgiving. This year, Peppinos is still seeing a strong delivery business, especially with some people not comfortable dining out.

Were happy to be open and were also happy to work hard to provide a great, safe experience for our guests so they can come in and just have some sense of peace, Cutting said.

Stacey Wesorick, a regular customer, says she feels comfortable heading out this year and is being mindful of the high cases.

Coming here I know its clean, I know its safe. Theyve got plenty of space, Wesorick said. We all hear about those things, numbers going up, and hospitals being at capacity, over capacity, its always in the back of your head, about whos out here, whos vaccinated, whos not vaccinated.

Chad Tuttle, the senior vice president of hospital operations with Spectrum Health, is reminding the community to be aware over the Thanksgiving holiday.

Its the time that people like to gather, spending time with family and loved ones. We just encourage people to be mindful. COVID is real. COVID is here, the flu is here, Tuttle said.

If you do celebrate with friends or family over Thanksgiving, already having a booster shot will help reduce the risk, but other precautions can make an impact as well.

We know the things that work to help stave it off: handwashing, mask wearing, social distancing. We know the vaccines work, the vaccines are highly effective. We would additionally encourage people before you gather, before you choose to go out and mingle with others, spend holidays together take a moment, assess your symptoms, Tuttle said.

Read more:

Bars, restaurants navigating COVID-19 spike on busiest night of year - WOODTV.com

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. It used to be that the main things we talked about at Thanksgiving time were which family member would host dinner and what side-dishes or desserts everyone would bring.

But now theres a new question for guests: Are you vaccinated?

As if Americans didnt have enough to argue about around the holiday dinner table.

As families gather for Thanksgiving, unvaccinated loved ones may not be welcome at the meal. Or the unvaccinated may be told that they have to present a negative COVID test in order to attend.

And there could be good reason. There could be elderly family members present who are at greater risk from the virus. Others at dinner could have health conditions that make them more vulnerable.

Theres any number of ways these conversations could go in different families.

Of course, the vaccinated can still get COVID and spread the virus. They might not even know that theyre sick. So a vaccine card is no guarantee of anything.

For other hosts, even a negative test might not be enough. They might demand that all their guests be vaccinated. Forget a negative test. Forget your positive antibody results. Just get the jab and you can sit at my table. Or you can sit outside on the deck with the dog, if you like.

Some of those unvaccinated folks may decide to take a pass on Thanksgiving with the family this year and will look forward to the day when they can again gather with loved ones without jumping through any COVID hoops.

It has consequences on both sides of the vaccine fight.

Those who are unvaccinated may not be able to gather with loved ones. But those loved ones may also be deprived of the company of some of their family members and friends.

And some of those unvaccinated people may have partners or spouses who are vaccinated, putting those partners in the position of supporting their unvaccinated loved one or going to the family dinner or holiday party without them. Kids may get caught in the crossfire.

And this vaccine battle has become a seething catch-all for everything else that we like to argue about in this country: Politics. Religion. Personal freedom. Forget setting a timer for the turkey. Set a timer to see how long it takes someone to mention Donald Trump or Dr. Anthony Fauci at dinner.

The hard feelings could continue well past the holidays and even past the pandemic:

You didnt want my company then, you cant have it now.

You didnt comply with the vaccine mandate, I cant respect you anymore.

Still, we do have things to be thankful for this year.

COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations and deaths havent reached the sky-high levels that they did during the worst days of the pandemic. And hopefully the numbers wont rise to those levels, given the availability of vaccines, therapeutics and the fact that recovered COVID sufferers can count on at least some antibody protection.

Sure, the vaccine efficacy fades. So does natural immunity, eventually. But were not in lockdown. Businesses are open. Fans are allowed at sporting events again.

The White House the other day said that it was unlikely that the country would be put into lockdown again or that the economy would again be shuttered.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said that vaccine mandates for domestic flights would likely be unnecessary because masking and other measures are doing the trick.

Yes, gas prices are too high. And were paying too much for food in the supermarket. Heating costs are going up. The folks in Washington, starting with President Joe Biden, are going to have to start figuring this stuff out.

But lets try to be thankful today. Things have been worse.

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Family battles over COVID-19 vaccine mandates on the menu in NYC this Thanksgiving (opinion) - silive.com

TRENCIN, Slovakia, Nov 25 (Reuters) - Slovakia went into a two-week lockdown on Thursday, as the country with one of the EU's lowest vaccination rates reported a critical situation in hospitals and new infections that topped global tables.

Slovakia, a country of 5.5 million, ordered all but essential shops and services closed and banned people from travelling outside their districts unless going to work, school, or a doctor. Gatherings of more than six people were banned.

The decision comes as coronavirus cases surge across Europe, making the continent the centre of the pandemic again, and follows neighbouring Austria which started a lockdown on Monday.

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Only 45.7% of Slovakia's population is vaccinated, the third lowest rate in the EU, compared with 65.8% across the bloc as a whole, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). With 1,929 average daily cases per million population over the past week, it has the world's highest incidence rate according to Our World in Data.

Tomas Sulik, head of the intensive care unit at the Trencin University Hospital, said he had nine patients at the 10-bed unit, and expected the last to be filled within hours. All nine patients, with an average age of 63, were unvaccinated.

"There is a sense of frustration. These are conditions that could be averted by vaccination," Sulik told Reuters. "This wave is more intensive, the rise in patient numbers has been much steeper, and the age composition is moving toward younger patients."

Exhausted staff were quitting, including four doctors who left since the last wave.

Elsewhere in Trencin,a city 130 km (80 miles) north of Bratislava, musical instrument shop manager Roman Spatny said his income was tied to sales and would vanish with another Christmas season lost to lockdown.

"For us this is a plain knife in the back. We have to be closed at a time that business-wise is the most important for us, same as last year," he said.

Student Natalia Paskova, 17, saw little choice: "The situation is getting worse so the decisions are justified," she said.

Hospitals have reached the limit of 3,200 patients which the government said was critical to maintain care. The health ministry has said it had started discussing possible help abroad.

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Reporting by Radovan StoklasaWriting by Jan LopatkaEditing by Peter Graff

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Continued here:

Slovaks lock down to slow world's highest COVID-19 infection rate - Reuters

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If youve got the sniffles, a Utah medical expert advises to skip Thanksgiving gatherings with your family and go get tested for COVID-19.

One of the most important things that folks can do to protect themselves and their loved ones during the holiday season is to recognize that there is a significant overlap in the symptoms of COVID-19 and the symptoms of the many other respiratory viruses that are now circulating. Dr. Brandon Webb, an infectious diseases physician at Intermountain Healthcare, said.

For that reason, its important to test early and test frequently for the coronavirus, Webb said. If youre not feeling well on Thanksgiving, sit this one out.

Its more important than having transmission within the family, especially to those who are at higher risk for severe disease.

According to Webb, about 80% of Utahns who are dying from COVID-19 have chosen not to be vaccinated. The other 20% are fully vaccinated and have breakthrough infections.

Webb noted that patients with breakthrough infections have, on average, at least four or more different chronic medical conditions like asthma or emphysema, diabetes, obesity, heart disease. And a significant number of them have immune systems that are compromised.

About a fifth of those who die from breakthrough infections about 4% of total deaths are immunocompromised patients who cant respond well to the vaccine.

We really need people to understand their risk and their risk factors, Webb said. If you have chronic medical conditions or have a body mass index of over 30 and are an adult of working age or older, you are at higher risk of having severe COVID hospitalization, ventilation or death. And thats the reality.

Webb on Wednesday said that Utah hospitals are currently bursting at the seams with COVID-19 patients. The Utah Department of Health reported that 91.3% of all ICU beds in Utah and 94.5% of ICU beds in larger medical centers in the state are occupied. (Hospitals consider any figure over 85% to be functionally full). Of all ICU patients, 43.6% are being treated for COVID-19.

Webb advised Utahns who do gather for Thanksgiving to do so in a large, well-ventilated area, to limit the size of the group, and to social distance and wear masks when possible.

Thirteen more Utahns have died of COVID-19 in the past day. The states coronavirus death toll has now reached 3,470 since the pandemic began, according to the Health Department.

The Health Department also reported 1,804 new coronavirus cases in the past day. The rolling seven-day average of new positive cases stands at 1,480.

The number of children getting vaccinated continues to climb 61,485 children ages 5-11 have gotten a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine since they became eligible; thats about 16.9% of kids that age in Utah, according to the Health Department.

Vaccine doses administered in the past day/total doses administered 20.660 / 4,082,308.

Number of Utahns fully vaccinated 1,795,291 54.9% of Utahs total population. Thats an increase of 2,092 in the past day.

Cases reported in past day 1,804.

Cases among school-age children Kids in grades K-12 accounted for 394 of the new cases announced Wednesday 21.8% of the total. There were 229 cases reported in children aged 5-10; 83 cases in children 11-13; and 82 cases in children 14-18.

Tests reported in past day 12,411 people were tested for the first time. A total of 25,134 people were tested.

Deaths reported in past day 13.

Salt Lake County reported three deaths two men and a woman 65-84. There were also three deaths in Utah County a man 25-44, and two men 65-84.

Three counties each reported two deaths a woman 65-84, and a man 85-plus in Davis County; a man 45-64, and a man 65-84 in Washington County; and two women 65-84 in Weber County.

A Cache County man 85 or older also died.

Hospitalizations reported in the past day 530. That is six fewer than reported on Tuesday. Of those currently hospitalized, 206 are in intensive care, eleven fewer than reported on Tuesday.

Percentage of positive tests Under the states original method, the rate is 14.5% in the past day. That is lower than the seven-day average of 16.5%.

The states new method counts all test results, including repeated tests of the same individual. Wednesdays rate was 7.2%, lower than the seven-day average of 10.6%.

[Read more: Utah is changing how it measures the rate of positive COVID-19 tests. Heres what that means.]

Risk ratios In the past four weeks, unvaccinated Utahns were 15.6 times more likely to die of COVID-19 than vaccinated people, according to a Utah Department of Health analysis. The unvaccinated also were 9.8 times more likely to be hospitalized, and 4.1 times more likely to test positive for the coronavirus.

Totals to date 589,714 cases; 3,470 deaths; 25,643 hospitalizations; 3,927,926 people tested.

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Utah hospitals 'bursting at the seams' with COVID-19 patients ahead of holiday gatherings, expert says - Salt Lake Tribune