Category: Covid-19

In a Thursday press conference, Yale New Haven Health system officials explained that approximately six percent of patients who test positive for COVID-19 and are symptomatic are fully vaccinated.

Maria Fernanda Pacheco 10:37 pm, Sep 12, 2021

Staff Reporter

Yale Daily News

As vaccination rates continue to increase in Connecticut and hopes for achieving herd immunity get closer to materializing, Yale New Haven Health system officials hammered home a resounding message: the best way to protect yourself and those around you is to get vaccinated.

In a Thursday press conference, Yale New Haven Health system President Christopher OConnor, Chief Medical Officer Thomas Balcezak and Senior Vice President and Chief Policy and Communications Officer Vin Petrini discussed hospital admission rates due to COVID-19, breakthrough infections and health system-wide vaccine mandates in light of the Delta variant.

The Delta variants propensity for immune evasion has been raising questions over the protective longevity of vaccines, but YNHHS officials stressed that occasional hospitalizations due to breakthrough infections do not mean that vaccines are not doing their job.

Six percent of our COVID admissions are among individuals that are fully vaccinated, Balcezak said, referring to people who were admitted to YNHHS for COVID-19 symptoms. That 6 percent is usually in folks that are older, have compromised immune systems and have other comorbid, particularly respiratory, conditions.

OConnor added that COVID-19 numbers for YNHHS are extraordinarily different from when we first started the pandemic a year and a half ago, which is a testament to the efficacy of the vaccine. According to Balcezak, the system peaked at almost 900 patients on a given day in early 2020, whereas as of Thursday, YNHHS had 132 hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Balcezak explained that over 99 percent of COVID-19 cases currently coming into the health system are due to the Delta variant, which is notorious for its greater viral load and higher transmissibility compared to other coronavirus variants.

YNHHS is currently testing all incoming patients for COVID-19 upon entry into the hospitals regardless of whether or not they are experiencing the associated symptoms. But in the process of testing, COVID-19 is also being detected in asymptomatic patients who are coming into the hospital for other reasons such as traumatic accidents or emergency procedures.

Around 30 percent of all patients who are hospitalized and test positive for COVID-19 have been vaccinated, according to Balcezak. However, only six percent of all patients who test positive for COVID-19 upon hospitalization are exhibiting symptoms. The remaining 24 percent are asymptomatic and typically come into the hospital for other health concerns and find out of their COVID-positive status upon admission.

I think its important to underscore these statistics because there is no question that [the] vaccine works, Balcezak said. Those facts need to be out there so that folks dont think that the Delta variant emergence is a reason not to get vaccinated.

According to Balcezak, while the asymptomatic 24 percent will not need any treatment for COVID-19, they should still be isolated and properly cohorted according to their infection status while they address the health concerns that brought them to the hospital in the first place. This is meant to avoid unnecessary exposure for staff and other non-COVID-19 patients, he said.

To ensure the safety of those within YNHHS hospitals, the system has also implemented a vaccine mandate or progressive discipline process, as described by OConnor for employees. Under the mandate, employees who have not been vaccinated by October without having acquired an exemption will have their employment terminated.

As healthcare providers, it is our responsibility to provide a safe environment for patients and their families, and this is just one way were doing that, Balcezak said. If you work in healthcare, I think its incumbent upon you to do so in a way that protects people, and thats certainly the motivation behind doing what were doing.

YNHHS is holding COVID-19 vaccine fairs to give employees an opportunity to get vaccinated, Balcezak said. Since the institution of the mandate, vaccination rates among their staff have been moving pretty aggressively in a positive direction, according to OConnor.

The mandate parallels an Executive Order issued by Gov. Ned Lamont, whereby Connecticut state employees working in childcare facilities and preK-12 schools, in addition to state hospital and long-term facilities staff, will need to be vaccinated by Sept. 27.

Im pleased that Connecticut, because were 84 percent vaccinated, is relatively flat, Lamont said after a press conference in late August, as reported by CT Insider. Doesnt mean were out of the woods but we are what they used to say remember in the early days of COVID flattening the curve.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 75.3 percent of Connecticuts eligible population has been fully vaccinated.

Maria Fernanda Pacheco is a staff reporter for the Science & Technology desk of the Yale Daily News. Originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, she is a sophomore in Grace Hopper College majoring in Neuroscience and participating in the Global Health Studies program.

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Low incidence of breakthrough infections at YNHHS highlights importance of COVID-19 vaccines - Yale Daily News

COVID-19 cases among children in Oregon, Lane County higher than ever during pandemic  The Register-Guard

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COVID-19 cases among children in Oregon, Lane County higher than ever during pandemic - The Register-Guard

The Carolina Panthers were just one of the teams to kick off their season on Sunday, Sept. 12.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. The NFL season is underway and this year, all teams are allowing fans in the stands.

But a question remains, do NFL fans need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to attend games?

The NFL's game ticket policy makes no mention of a vaccine requirement. Instead, there is a "health promise" that asks unvaccinated fans not to attend if they have symptoms or were told to quarantine.

According to the NFL's guidance, people who are fully vaccinated but experience COVID-19 symptoms in the 48 hours leading up to the game should consult a health care provider and get tested for the virus before attending.

While the NFL's guidelines stop short of banning fans who are unvaccinated, teams, stadiums and local health officials can make their own rules.

The Carolina Panthers and Bank of America Stadium are not requiring fans to be vaccinated at this time.

However, fans must wear masks in the indoor portions of the stadium, regardless of vaccination status.

Some teams' fans will have to be vaccinated this season.

If you're heading to see the Panthers take on the Saints in January, you'll be required to provide proof that you've received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine or have a negative test within 72 hours of attending the game.

The Seattle Seahawks are requiring fans 12 and older to provide proof of a COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test within72 hours of attending a game at Lumen Field.

The Las Vegas Raiders are requiring all fans to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination to attend home games. If you hit this requirement, you don't have to wear a mask. If fans are not vaccinated, the team is offering vaccines on site. Newly vaccinated fans will still have to wear a mask.

You can learn more about the Raiders' policy by clicking here.

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VERIFY: Do NFL fans have to be vaccinated for COVID-19 to attend games? - WCNC.com

SILVERDALE As patients suffering from COVID-19 fill Kitsap County's main hospital to thebrim, a plan to alleviate some of that pressure is taking shape in the backlot of a nearby surgeon's office.

There,an increasing number of cars fill parking spaces.Those in the vehicles wait for a vanguard treatment for COVID-19, one proven to reduce hospitalizationsfrom the pandemic disease.

"People don't realize that we're in the middle of a disaster," saidDr. Kristan Guenterberg, asurgeon by trade, whose Kitsap General Surgery has volunteered to treat patients with COVID-19. "This is a way to decompress the system."

Guenterberg and the staff are likely the first in Kitsap to administerREGN-COV, a monoclonal antibody made by the drug company Regeneron of Tarrytown, New York. Patients in the parkinglot are receiving four total shots directly in the muscle in the legs, abdomenor arm, that are full ofcloning immune cellsshown to be effective against COVID-19.

It is the same treatment used by former President Donald Trump, Texas Gov. GregAbbott and others, and has been found to reduce symptoms of COVID-19 by days. But Guenterberg and the staff there aim not only to help individual patients, butto take pressure off St. Michael Medical Center, wheremore than 50 people have been hospitalized for COVID-19.

Kitsap General Surgery isn't the only providerin Kitsap that has recently begunthe drug for treatment. Just this week,Virginia Mason Franciscan Health's Family Medicine Clinic, on Kitsap Way, began to administer it as well, according toDr. Casey Kernan, one of the physicians there.

Kernan echoed the goals of Guenterberg, pointingout that the most important step residents can take against COVID-19 is to get vaccinated.

"We need to make it clear this is not a substitute for vaccination," he said. "The vaccines are safe andeffective, and our goal is to get people vaccinated."

Given the treatment's limited supply, it is only able to be used for the most high risk of cases including those pregnant, those over 65, those with a compromised immune system or those with chronic diseaseand is most effective when administered soon after the onset of COVID-19, when it best positioned tofight the rapidly multiplying virus.

The drug has also been authorized for people exposed to COVID-19 who haven't confirmed they are positive. But right now, the supply just isn't there yet to provide treatment in those cases.

"We just don't have enough Regeneron for everybody," Kernan said.

Guenterberg said emerging data is showing that for every 26 patients treated with Regeneron, one hospital stay will be prevented. On Friday, he and his team provided treatment for around 25 people.That should ultimately help at St. Michael Medical Center, whose intensive care unit is more than 90% full. But he cautions that supplies are still limited and they're doing the best they can to "ramp up" and help as many people as possible.

The treatment comes as the delta variant surges through Kitsap. The Kitsap Public Health District reported six more COVID-19deaths on Friday alone, bringing the total to 149 for the pandemic. More than 1,000 people are isolating themselves with COVID-19 cases in the biggest wave to date in the pandemic.

As the delta variant fuels an unprecedented surge ofcases in the pandemic, presidential adviser Dr. Anthony Faucisaid in late August thatmonoclonal antibodies are "a much-underutilized intervention" in the treatment of COVID-19. The government is currently subsidizing the cost of the treatment.

President Joe Biden referenced monoclonal antibodytreatments in a speech Thursday, saying that for the unvaccinated, they reduced the risk of hospitalization by up to 70%. He made sure to cast distinction on thetherapy versus the current tideof misinformation driving some to trydrugs likeIvermectin, which is used to treat parasites in horses and is toxic for humans.

"Additionally, were increasing the availability of new medicines recommended by real doctors, not conspiracy theorists," Biden said, adding that the government will boost the "pace of shipment" of an already-distributed 1.4 million courses of monoclonal antibodytreatmentsby 50% "to save lives and reduce the strain on hospitals."

Josh Farley is a reporter coveringthe military and health care for the Kitsap Sun. He can be reached at 360-792-9227,josh.farley@kitsapsun.comor on Twitter at@joshfarley.

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Regeneron, effective in treating COVID-19, arrives in Kitsap County - Kitsap Sun

Near Herculean efforts by the tribal government to contain the spread of COVID-19 werent enough to save Michael Gavin, a 39-year-old member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, who died Aug. 7, some 17 months after the Tribes initially declared a state of emergency. Gavin was the second CTUIR member to die of COVID-19. His uncle was the first.

Michael was a son, a brother, and an uncle to the Gavin family, which included his mother, Shawna, a member of the CTUIR Health Commission, and his sister, Jill-Marie Gavin-Harvey, one of nine members of the Tribes board of trustees, the policy-making panel for the confederacy of the Cayuse, Umatilla, and Walla Walla peoples.

Gavin was an evangelical Christian and youth pastor at a Pentecostal church, and he followed the Washat seven-drum Longhouse religion. He also was a former gang member who, even after he left that lifestyle, counseled other gang members from around the world.

Michael Gavin with sister Jill-Marie Gavin-Harvey, who tried to convince him to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Courtesy of Gavin family/Underscore News

He was not vaccinated, despite the urging of his family and his Tribe. He died at Providence St. Mary Medical Center in Walla Walla two weeks after his admittance to the ICU.

Now, Shawna wants people to know her son would likely be alive today if he had taken advantage of the readily available vaccine. We encouraged him. I wish he had been vaccinated. Thats my message.

On March 2, 2020, the Oregon Health Authority announced Umatilla Countys first case of the novel coronavirus. The CTUIR leadership was surprised, but took quick action, establishing an Incident Command Team that put together a plan of action.

The infected individual worked at Wildhorse Resort & Casino, which prompted closure to sanitize the gaming and hotel property. At that point in the pandemic, health officials had concerns about the virus being spread on surfaces. Soon after, tribal government, Nixyaawii Community School, Head Start, and daycare, and the senior center closed for cleaning as well.

The following day, the CTUIRs Incident Command Team enacted an emergency operations center, and by mid-March, the Tribes board of trustees had passed a public health quarantine law. The Umatilla Tribes were well ahead of most other local governments in responding to an unprecedented public health challenge.

Michael Gavin, a member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, died of COVID-19 on Aug. 7.

Courtesy of Gavin family/Underscore News

Nearly 900 employees at Nixyaawii Governance Center, the government headquarters on the Umatilla Reservation, were encouraged to work from home, with staggered work schedules and social-distancing requirements implemented for those who remained onsite. The Treaty Bison Hunt, the CTUIRs treaty-reserved right to harvest buffalo in Montana, was canceled. Wildhorse Resort & Casino closed the gambling floor and limited all food service to takeout. Kayak Public Transit, the CTUIR bus service provided throughout Eastern Oregon, shut down its daily service.

Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center began providing only essential services, and the ICT issued a temporary ban on housing evictions. By April 2020, Wildhorse had closed its hotel, cineplex, and two main cafes. CTUIR even issued a temporary ban on all forms of traditional sweat, a saunalike health and cultural practice.

As the number of positive cases dropped, restrictions were lessened. Wildhorse was given clearance to reopen its facilities, while Yellowhawk resumed routine medical, behavioral health, and dental appointments. The Yellowhawk alcohol and drug prevention program conducted a community smudge the practice of spiritually cleansing areas with the smoke of smoldering sage and hand-drum songs throughout the Nixyaawii community. Kayak Public Transit resumed limited operations.

In December, the Tribes department of natural resources loaned to Yellowhawk an ultra-low temperature freezer designed to hold lamprey that the health center could instead use to refrigerate COVID-19 vaccines. Starting Dec. 3, Yellowhawk began mass vaccinations, first offering vaccines to tribal members and all tribal employees, and eventually extending eligibility to everyone over 16 living within the Tribes ceded territory, which encompasses 6.4 million acres and includes parts of nine Oregon counties and five in Washington.

Vaccinations continued throughout the spring. In early April, tribal government employees were allowed back in their offices, and Wildhorse Resort & Casino, which had furloughed 70 employees, called employees back to work.

Then, on May 12, 2021, a press release announced an alarming surge in COVID-19 on the Umatilla Indian Reservation. After six weeks of reporting zero cases among tribal members and Yellowhawk-eligible patients, the CTUIR recorded five cases in a week, followed by nine cases in a single day. The board of trustees approved a vaccination incentive first prize of $50,000 for tribal members and employees.

As of Aug. 21, Yellowhawk had conducted 3,716 tests with 361 positive cases for a 9.7% rate of infection.

Despite the growing concern about the new delta variant and the striking increase in cases, Michael Gavin chose not to be vaccinated.

According to Michaels family, his decision not to receive the vaccine was a personal choice, not a political one.

Family members said it was Michaels trust in God, combined with skepticism as to whether the vaccine was safe, that prompted the fateful decision to decline the shot.

On July 19, Michael Gavin started feeling sick.

The next day, Jill-Marie Gavin-Harvey suggested that the adults in the house get tested at Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center, even though everyone but Michael had been vaccinated.

Michael tested positive, as did his mother and uncle, Michael Ray Johnson, on July 20. The vaccine lessened the symptoms for Johnson, who was asymptomatic, and even though Shawna had a fever and body aches, her symptoms went away after a day or two.

Not so for Michael. His cough intensified, and doctors told the family his health was worsening.

Shawna drove Michael to the hospital in Walla Walla, about 25 minutes away from their house. That drive was the last time she would see her son alive.

We found out the next day he hadnt been forthright with us about how sick he was, Jill-Marie said. We didnt know hed been admitted directly to ICU and we couldnt go in.

As his hospital stay stretched into the second week, Michael became more honest, Jill-Marie said.

He said, I cant breathe. He told me, Dont call me because its hard to talk, Shawna said.

The doctors report was grim and preparations were made to fly Michael to Providence Hospital in Portland.

Michaels heart stopped as he was being transferred from a hospital gurney to a helicopter gurney. Medics worked for 45 minutes trying to bring him back.

When the doctor called, he said we needed to know there was no hope, Shawna said. I told him Michael didnt want to be intubated. We were going to have to let him go.

On Aug. 10, hand drummers and singers, with dramatic heart-pounding songs, led an interdenominational service in the afternoon, followed that evening by Washat songs three sevens. A final seven songs were sung the next morning before Michael was buried at Homly Cemetery near Cayuse on the Umatilla Indian Reservation, his grave on the south-facing hill overlooking the Umatilla River. It was where he would want to be, according to Michaels family.

Shawna believes Michael would still be with them if hed received the COVID-19 vaccine.

He never thought (the virus) wasnt real, but he was leery of the vaccine. If things werent black and white Michael usually wasnt interested, she said.

Jill-Marie said, Part of me wishes Id pushed him harder but realistically there was no pushing Mikey. If he didnt want to do it, he was not going to do it. I dont believe he ever regretted not getting the vaccine.

Jill-Marie said its been a terrible year for leaders on the Umatilla Reservation.

Especially as an elected official. Decisions were hard. No one saw this coming. We didnt know exactly the right path to take. It was difficult. I wanted to protect my people and couldnt protect my own brother.

There was a lot of turmoil, but people need to know this is not over. We cant be letting our guards down. There is no sure-fire way to protect us from COVID-19, but we do have some tools. I hope people will think seriously about protecting their loved ones. This is the worst pain Ive ever felt.

Underscore.newsis a nonprofit collaborative reporting team in Portland focused on in-depth reporting and coverage of Indigenous communities. They are supported by foundations, corporate sponsors and donor contributions. FollowUnderscore.newsonFacebookandTwitter.

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Despite early jump on COVID-19, tribes lose a brother and a son - OPB News

CHARLESTON, W.Va. The state Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) reported 2,244 new COVID-19 cases on its dashboard Sunday.

Active cases are now at 27,137, the highest since January 15. There were no new deaths reported Sunday.

Hospitalizations remained at 810 which remains below the previous pandemic peak of 818. 254 cases are patients in the ICU and 161 patients are on vents.

Another hospital system, Mountain Health Network, which includes Cabell Huntington and St. Marys hospitals in Huntington reported Friday theyve reached their pandemic high in patients. The peak was 115 patients earlier this week. The hospitals reported a combined 105 patients Friday.

According to the DHHR, just over 400 people in the state were vaccinated on Saturday.

Forty-seven of the states 55 counties were in the red on Sundays daily alert COVID map.

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DHHR adds more than 2,200 COVID-19 cases on Sunday - West Virginia MetroNews

Americas Covid-testing infrastructure, from drugstores to diagnostics manufacturers, is bracing for a surge in demand following the Biden administrations order that most large U.S. companies mandate their workers get vaccinated or be screened weekly for the virus.

Makers of over-the-counter Covid-19 tests are continuing to boost production, while laboratories and companies are ramping up operations that some had scaled back after the virus largely retreated earlier this year.

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Bidens Covid-19 Vaccine Mandate Further Stresses Supply of Rapid Tests - The Wall Street Journal

More travel destinations are now requiring travelers to present negative Covid-19 tests for entry, even those who are fully vaccinated. The changes are adding fresh complexity to an already-confounding time for travel.

Travelers are struggling to both keep up with changing test guidelines and find acceptable tests that will provide results by the time they need to fly.

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Travel and Covid-19 Testing: What to Know if Youre Flying or Taking a Cruise - The Wall Street Journal

September 12, 2021

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PHOTO RELEASE: Maryland Department of Health provides free COVID-19 vaccinations at the Salvadoran Independence Festival in Montgomery County

Baltimore, MD The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) today conducted a free COVID-19 mobile clinic and vaccine outreach at the 16th Annual Salvadoran Independence Festival held at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds in Gaithersburg.

The event is an example of statewide efforts for the equitable and convenient administration of COVID-19 vaccines by bringing them directly to vulnerable and hard-to-reach communities.

Community promoters sharing information with festival participants to encourage vaccination.

In addition to the mobile clinic, bilingual community canvassers shared educational material about the vaccine, available in English and Spanish, with festival attendees to encourage them to get vaccinated.

For more information on COVID-19 vaccines, visit covidLINK.maryland.gov.

To schedule a COVID -19 vaccination appointment, visit covidvax.maryland.gov.

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The Maryland Department of Health is dedicated to protecting and improving the health and safety of all Marylanders through disease prevention, access to care, quality management and community engagement.

Follow us at http://www.twitter.com/MDHealthDept and https://www.facebook.com/MDHealthDept

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Pages - PHOTO RELEASE: Maryland Department of Health provides free COVID-19 vaccinations at the Salvadoran Independence Festival in Montgomery County...

North Texas COVID-19 hospitalization numbers appear to be leveling off from latest surge

After the highest ever pediatric case count of the entire pandemic here in North Texas, positive cases appear to be leveling off.

DALLAS - There's new hope in the battle against COVID-19 in Texas schools.

After the highest ever pediatric case count of the entire pandemic here in North Texas, positive cases are leveling off.

But doctors warn we don't know how long we could be in the plateau, or how many could be infected at the top of the curve.

The Dallas Medical Society reports the amount of new positive COVID-19 patients admitted to hospitals is trickling down slowly.

Meanwhile, hospitalizations are still battling little to no bed space.

"The burnout rate among the nursing staff and physicians is really out of control,"pediatrician Dr. Marcial Oquendo said.

Dr. Oquendo said hes looking for any sign of relief.

Now, in mid-September,the Dallas pediatrician said COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to show theyre leveling off in most counties.

"What we have seen from most other countries, with the delta spike, it goes up quickly and comes down. We just didnt know how many people were going to be affected in the area under the curve," he explained.

According to the DFW Hospital Council, hospitalization numbers in North Texas have been hovering around 3,500 for the past two weeks.

The vast majority of COVID-19 patients are unvaccinated.

Available ICU beds in Dallas County remain in the teens, with the death toll rising.

MORE: Continued COVID-19 Coverage

As of Sunday, Dallas and Tarrant counties together surpassed 8,000 COVID-19 deaths.

Also on Sunday, Texas reported 272 pediatric COVID-19 patients, with 111 of them being in North Texas.

A slight decrease from last weeks pandemic high of 131 North Texas pediatric COVID-19 patients.

Dr. Oquendo did notice a change in the number of positive cases in Texas public schools.

"I am cautiously optimistic that this will show the beginning of the decline and peak of COVID and the delta variant in schools," he said. "We dont know for sure. Could it be a blip in the data? Hopefully we have seen the peak."

During the last week of August, COVID-19 in the classroom skyrocketed, according to the state.

A pandemic high of more than 35,000 Texas students tested positive.

Following the first week of September, that number was cut in half to 13,000 positive cases, which is still higher than any week during last school year.

"At some point, we are going to have another spike, whether its another variant or something else. So we need to protect the kids and the community because this is how it spreads," Dr. Oquendo said.

Gabriel Williams got the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in Oak Cliff Sunday. He admitted he was hesitant.

"I felt like I was in a good place to pull the trigger and get the vaccine," he said.

But he said he couldnt wait any longer, worried his son and wife would be in danger.

"I just want to be safe, whether its my family or someone elses," he said.

Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation said ages 18 and under are still making up close to a quarter of the new positive cases.

Meanwhile, across North Texas, childrens hospitals are still battling with zero pediatric ICU beds available as of Sunday.

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North Texas COVID-19 hospitalizations appear to be leveling off from latest surge - FOX 4 Dallas