Category: Covid-19

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) 157 new total COVID-19 cases were reported by theState Department of Healthon Wednesday.

According to the latest update, there are 115 current hospitalizations, down from Tuesday (124). Total hospitalizations are at 7,261.

Active cases are now at 2,043, down from Tuesday (2,078).

The states total case count is now at 121,517, from Tuesday (121,360).

Total recovered cases are now at 117,520, compared to 117,329 on Tuesday.

One new death was reported by the Department of Health on Wednesday. The new death reported was a man in the 60-69 age range.

The death toll is now at 1,954.

Total deaths reported in Codington, Dewey and Pennington counties all went up by one on Wednesday, while the total in Meade County went down by one.

There is one case of a new variant, P.1., reported. Three additional B.1.1.7 cases were reported in Wednesdays update. There have been 64 cases of that variant found in South Dakota, ten cases of B.1.429 and one of each of B.1.351 and B.1.427.

Total persons who tested negative is now at 338,644, up from Tuesday (337,971).

There were 830 new persons tested in the data reported Wednesday for a new persons-tested positivity rate of 18.9%.

The latest seven-day PCR test positivity rate reported by the DOH is 7.4%. The latest one-day PCR test positivity rate is 7.5%.

According to the DOH, 283,768 doses of the Pfizer vaccine have been administered with 16,302 doses of the Janssen vaccine and 243,516 of the Moderna vaccine given out to a total number of 319,580 persons.

There have been 103,923 persons who have completed two doses of Moderna and 120,038 who have received two doses of Pfizer, according to the DOH.

As of Wednesdays update, 53.11% of the population in South Dakota has received at least one dose while 40.05% have completed the vaccination series.

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COVID-19 in South Dakota: 157 total new cases; Death toll at 1,954; Active cases at 2,043 - KELOLAND.com

The following message was shared to campus leadership on Monday, April 19.

As we head into the final weeks of the 2021 spring semester, we thank the UWMadison campus community for everything it has done to support health and safety by adhering to our COVID-19 protocols. Its critical that we continue to follow these protocols through the remainder of the semester so that we will be able to cap off the academic year with a return to Camp Randall for in-person commencement ceremonies on May8.

With summer just around the corner, and planning for our return to campus for the fall under way, we will be making some modifications to our approach to activities on campus after the end of spring semester. These modifications are informed by increasing vaccination rates, combined with more opportunities to be outside due to better weather. The Office of Human Resources will be providing additional details related to the return to campus for employees who are currently working remotely. As has been the case throughout this past year, our approach is subject to change in response to emerging public health trends.

Building/Facility Access

Effective Monday, May 10, access to campus buildings and facilities will no longer be limited to those with green/building access granted Badger Badges, unless required by those overseeing a specific space, event, or other in-person activity.

Testing and the Safer Badgers app

We will continue to support on-campus, no-cost testing for our campus community, as well as use of the Safer Badgers app. Starting Monday, May 10, testing and badging will operate as follows:

Vaccination

We continue to strongly encourage all members of our campus community to seek COVID-19 vaccination.

Visitors

We will be gradually allowing more visitors on campus this summer starting May 10th.

Events and activities

The following changes to campus events and activities are effective Monday, May 10. In the meantime, current policies for Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) and schools/colleges/divisions remain in effect and are to be followed.

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Summer Covid-19 testing, building access and events guidance - University of Wisconsin-Madison

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) reports as of April 19, 2021, there have been 2,615,648 total confirmatory laboratory results received for COVID-19, with 149,147 total cases and 2,785 total deaths.

There were no deaths reported to DHHR over the last 24 hours.

CASES PER COUNTY: Barbour (1,347), Berkeley (11,627), Boone (1,883), Braxton (867), Brooke (2,122), Cabell (8,621), Calhoun (271), Clay (455), Doddridge (551), Fayette (3,275), Gilmer (737), Grant (1,241), Greenbrier (2,622), Hampshire (1,715), Hancock (2,714), Hardy (1,436), Harrison (5,415), Jackson (1,916), Jefferson (4,348), Kanawha (14,117), Lewis (1,133), Lincoln (1,398), Logan (3,006), Marion (4,160), Marshall (3,282), Mason (1,937), McDowell (1,491), Mercer (4,574), Mineral (2,773), Mingo (2,429), Monongalia (8,958), Monroe (1,077), Morgan (1,090), Nicholas (1,512), Ohio (4,047), Pendleton (686), Pleasants (833), Pocahontas (642), Preston (2,811), Putnam (4,823), Raleigh (6,148), Randolph (2,494), Ritchie (660), Roane (579), Summers (768), Taylor (1,197), Tucker (523), Tyler (672), Upshur (1,818), Wayne (2,820), Webster (456), Wetzel (1,198), Wirt (381), Wood (7,578), Wyoming (1,913).

Delays may be experienced with the reporting of information from the local health department to DHHR. As case surveillance continues at the local health department level, it may reveal that those tested in a certain county may not be a resident of that county, or even the state as an individual in question may have crossed the state border to be tested. Such is the case of Lewis County in this report.

Free pop-up COVID-19 testing is available today in Barbour, Berkeley, Boone, Jefferson, Lincoln, Mineral, Monongalia, Morgan, Nicholas, Ohio, Wayne, and Wirt counties:

Barbour County

9:00 AM 11:00 AM, Barbour County Health Department, 109 Wabash Avenue, Philippi, WV

1:00 PM 5:00 PM, Junior Volunteer Fire Department, 331 Row Avenue, Junior, WV

Berkeley County

10:00 AM 5:00 PM, 891 Auto Parts Place, Martinsburg, WV

10:00 AM 5:00 PM, Ambrose Park, 25404 Mall Drive, Martinsburg, WV

Boone County

12:00 PM 6:00 PM, Boone County Health Department, 213 Kenmore Drive, Danville, WV

Jefferson County

10:00 AM 6:00 PM, Hollywood Casino, 750 Hollywood Drive, Charles Town, WV

12:00 PM 5:00 PM, Shepherd University Wellness Center Parking Lot, 164 University Drive, Shepherdstown, WV

Lincoln County

Mineral County

10:00 AM 6:00 PM, Mineral County Health Department, 541 Harley O. Staggers Drive, Keyser, WV

Monongalia County

9:00 AM 11:00 AM, WVU Recreation Center, lower level, 2001 Rec Center Drive, Morgantown, WV

Morgan County

11:00 AM 4:00 PM, Valley Health War Memorial Hospital, 1 Health Way, Berkeley Springs, WV

Nicholas County

Ohio County

11:00 AM 4:00 PM, Wheeling Island Fire Station, Station #5, 11 North Wabash Street, Wheeling, WV

Wayne County

10:00 AM 2:00 PM, Wayne Community Center, 11580 Rt. 152, Wayne, WV

Wirt County

11:00 AM 5:00 PM, Matheny Funeral Home, 448 Juliana Street, Elizabeth, WV

Excerpt from:

COVID-19 Daily Update 4-19-2021 - West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources

Healthy, young volunteers who have previously hadCOVID-19 will be deliberately exposed to coronavirus for a second time to see how the immune system responds, as part of a new U.K. study.

Researchers at the University of Oxford on Monday launched the human challenge trial to investigate what happens when volunteers who have recovered from the coronavirus disease are then reinfected with the virus a second time.

The study, which is funded by the Wellcome Trust, is expected to start in the next few weeks after receiving ethics approval, and could help accelerate the development of new treatments and vaccines against the disease.

Human challenge studies have played a crucial role in the development of treatments for a number of diseases, including malaria, typhoid, cholera and flu.

Read: Only 50 people are known to have contracted COVID-19 more than once but new strains have medical experts on high alert

A challenge study allows us to make these measurements very precisely because we know exactly when someone is infected, said Helen McShane, professor of vaccinology at the department of pediatrics at theUniversityofOxfordand chief investigator on the study.

The information from this work will allow us to design better vaccines and treatments, and also to understand if people are protected after having COVID, and for how long, McShane said.

Read: COVID-19 infection likely to provide immunity for at least 5 months, but people may still transmit virus, study finds

The first stage of the trial will involve up to 64 volunteers aged 18-30 who have previously been naturally infected withCOVID-19. It will look to establish the lowest dose of virus that can take hold and start replicating in about 50% of participants, while producing few to no symptoms.

Volunteers will be monitored in a safe, controlled environment while quarantined in a specially designed hospital suite for a minimum of 17 days. Anyone who develops coronavirus symptoms will be given Regeneron REGN, -0.58% monoclonal antibody treatment.

Once the standard dose is established, it will be used toinfectdifferent volunteers in the second stage of the trial, which is due to start in the summer. The full length of the study will be 12 months, including a minimum of eight follow-up appointments after volunteers have been discharged.

Read: Young, healthy adults will be paid 4,500 to be deliberately infected with COVID-19 in new trial

The new study is different to a parallel one led by Imperial College London, which was announced in February, and will expose up to 90 carefully selected healthy adult volunteers to coronavirus to help researchers understand how the virus infects people and how it is transmitted.

It comes as almost 10 million people in the U.K. have now received their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the latest government figures.

Three vaccines are currently in use in the U.K.: the one jointly developed by German biotech BioNTech BNTX, -1.36% and U.S. drug company Pfizer PFE, +0.93% ; the one produced by drug company AstraZenecawith the University of Oxford; and the shot from biotech Moderna MRNA, -5.21%.

Last week, Moderna said it would deliver fewer than expected COVID-19 vaccines to the U.K., Canada and other countries, following a shortfall in production in its European supply chain.

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Young, healthy adults will be deliberately reinfected with COVID-19 to boost vaccine development - MarketWatch

Houston Health Department offering 9,000 COVID-19 vaccination appointment slots for week of April 19, provides second dose schedule

April 19, 2021

HOUSTON-The Houston Health Department is offering approximately 9,000 COVID-19 vaccination appointment slots for the week of April 19, 2021.

Appointments are for first doses of Moderna vaccine, approved for people 18 and older. Getting vaccinated for COVID-19 is free, and does not require proof of residency, citizenship or insurance.

Approximately 1,000 appointment sots are open for April 19 at Bayou City Event Center, 9401 Knight Rd. The departments four health centers have approximately 900 appointments open for April 19-21. Approximately 3,000 appointments are open at Delmar Stadium, 2020 Mangum Rd, for April 23-24.

On April 19 at noon, approximately 1,800 appointment slots open for April 23-24 at Rodeo Reed Parking Lot, 2098 Reed Rd.

The department will also host a targeted community vaccination clinic on April 21-23 at Mission Milby Community Development Corporation, 2220 Broadway St. Appointments are preferred but walk ins are welcome from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or until the site reaches its daily capacity of approximately 165 doses.

Two additional targeted community vaccination clinics offering a total of approximately 1,800 doses will be announced later in the week.

People can visitHoustonEmergency.org/covid19to register for an appointment. Registration assistance is available by phone by calling 832-393-4220 or 832-393-4301.

Houstonians can secure appointments for Pfizer vaccine at NRG Park at ReadyHarris.org or by calling 832-927-8787.

Appointments are only confirmed upon receipt of an email or text message and confirmation numbers/QR codes will be verified on site. People who show up without confirmed appointments will be turned away.

Learn about new health department appointment opportunities through email, text message, voice call, or mobile app push notification by registering for the HoustonRecovers subscription of AlertHouston atAlertHouston.org.

New appointment opportunities may be posted throughout the week atHoustonEmergency.org/covid19

Second DosesPeople who received their first dose of Moderna vaccine from the health department during the week of March 22, 2021 and have not yet scheduled a second dose appointment may show up without an appointment as outlined below or call 832-393-5190 to schedule an appointment.

People who already scheduled a second dose appointment for the week should report to their assigned location at their designated time.

The health department only provides second doses to people it provided a first dose. People who show up prior to their 28-day second dose due date or for a first dose will be turned away.

Vaccination cards are required to prove the first dose was provided by the health department and the second dose due date.

March 22 Delmar Stadium

April 19 The Parking Spot

March 23Delmar Stadium

April 20The Parking Spot

March 24 Delmar Stadium

April 21 The Parking Spot

March 25 Delmar Stadium

April 22 The Parking Spot

March 24-26 Bayou City Event Center

April 22 Bayou City Event Center

March 26 Delmar Stadium

April 23 The Parking Spot

March 27 Delmar Stadium

April 24 The Parking Spot

March 22-27Other HHD Clinic Locations

Call 832-393-5190 to schedule second dose appointment

The Parking Spot is located at 5727 Will Clayton Pkwy. and is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Bayou City Event Center is located at 9401 Knight Rd. and is open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

For maximum protection, the second dose of Moderna vaccine is due four to six weeks after the first. The health department reaches out by text message and email 24-48 hours before the recommended second dose due date with a link to self-register for an appointment.

People who are overdue for their second dose of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine from the health department can email HHDCOVID19.CRT@houstontx.gov or call 832-393-5190 Monday-Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to schedule their second dose appointment.

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Houston Health Department offering 9,000 COVID-19 vaccination appointment slots for week of April 19 - City of Houston

DENVER Alex Bregman and Yordan Alvarez are tentatively scheduled to rejoin the Astros on Tuesday, but Jose Altuve will remain on the COVID-19 injured list, a person with knowledge of the situation said on Monday afternoon.

Bregman, Alvarez, catcher Martin Maldonado and infielder Robel Garca were scheduled to fly to Colorado on Monday afternoon, but still must clear intake testing before being officially reinstated to the major league roster. The four men missed four games while on the COVID-19 injured list due to health and safety protocols.

The Astros have not specified why the five players went on the COVID-19 injured list or whether anyone tested positive for the virus. Major League Baseball mandates a seven-day quarantine for all players deemed close contacts to positive tests. Any player or staff member that tests positive for the virus must quarantine for 10 days. It is unknown whether any of the five players were deemed close contacts to a positive case.

The five players went on the injured list Wednesday, beginning a rough stretch of coronavirus-related news across the sport. The Minnesota Twins announced four positive tests within their organization that caused games Saturday, Sunday and Monday to be postponed.

There are nuances between the various situations in terms of threats and concerns about further spread in the clubhouse and that necessitated shutting things down, general manager James Click told the Astros pregame radio show Sunday.

The Philadelphia Phillies placed three players on the COVID-19 injured list Monday, too, while two of their coaches also entered COVID-19 protocols. The Phillies home game against the San Francisco Giants proceeded on as scheduled.

The Astros played all four games without their five players. Starter Lance McCullers Jr. questioned Major League Baseballs decision to allow Wednesdays game against the Detroit Tigers to proceed in the wake of Houstons five-player exodus.

The Astros, like the Phillies, played that game at home and were more easily able to summon five players from their alternate training site to fill in. Ronnie Dawson, Alex De Goti, Taylor Jones, Abraham Toro and Garrett Stubbs all accompanied the team to Seattle but four will be sent out when and if the major league foursome is officially cleared.

Neither Dawson nor De Goti was on the teams full 40-man roster before last week. Players on the COVID-19 IL do not count against the 40-man, meaning the club was able to add them without penalty.

According to a person with knowledge of the situation, the Astros received approval for their additions as temporary. The club will not be required to expose Dawson or De Goti to waivers if they choose to take them off the 40-man roster once the major leaguers are reinstated.

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Four Astros on COVID-19 list tentatively set to rejoin team - Houston Chronicle

The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine may sometimes cause no side effects or mild-to-moderate side effects, which can be fairly common post-vaccination. This Snapshot feature further addresses concerns around allergic reactions and false claims regarding risks to pregnancy and fertility.

Sex and gender exist on spectrums. This article will use the terms male and female to refer to a persons sex assigned at birth.

The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, named BNT162b2, and known as Comirnaty in the European Union, is a two-dose mRNA vaccine developed by two pharmaceutical industry companies: Pfizer in the United States and BioNTech in Germany.

In December 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and World Health Organization (WHO) authorized the vaccine for emergency use in individuals aged 16 years and older, making it the first COVID-19 vaccine to receive emergency use authorization by either organization. The vaccine is currently approved in 82 countries.

This mRNA vaccine works by providing the body with a set of instructions for creating the spike protein found on the surface of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The presence of the protein antigen in the body triggers the immune system to produce antibodies, which prepares the body to fight against future infection by the virus itself.

Stay informed with live updates on the current COVID-19 outbreak and visit our coronavirus hub for more advice on prevention and treatment.

However, the vaccine does not contain the virus and cannot cause infection. Additionally, the mRNA in the vaccine does not have the ability to alter DNA inside cells, as it is a transient molecule and does not enter the nucleus where the DNA is stored.

Although mRNA vaccines have been studied for many years, they have never before been approved for human use against disease. As a result, members of the public have raised concerns regarding potential unknown side effects.

According to the FDAs vaccine fact sheet, typical side effects of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine include:

Individuals have also reported side effects at the injection site, including arm pain, redness, and swelling.

These side effects are often signs that the vaccine is working, inducing a protective response from the immune system.

Many individuals who received both doses of the vaccine have reported that symptoms are more prominent after the second dose. However, in most cases, these have been mild to moderate and last no more than a few days.

Although rare, individuals may experience mild-to-severe allergic reactions to ingredients in the vaccine. Symptoms of severe reactions, or anaphylaxis, are listed in the vaccine fact sheet as:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that anaphylaxis is extremely rare. It has been reported by approximately 0.001% of individuals who have been vaccinated in the U.S.

An ingredient found in mRNA vaccines that is of particular concern regarding allergic reactions is a chemical called polyethylene glycol (PEG).

PEG is commonly found in laxatives used to treat constipation. In the vaccine, PEG functions to coat the mRNA molecule and support its entrance into cells. PEG has not often been a component of previous vaccines, so there is limited information on its allergic effects.

Those with a history of severe or immediate allergy to PEG or other ingredients in mRNA vaccines are advised not to receive this type of COVID-19 vaccine.

An analysis of one patient who experienced PEG-related anaphylaxis due to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine demonstrated an extensive history of allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, to products containing PEG.

Concerns regarding the vaccines effects on fertility emerged when an internet source stated that the genetic information for the spike protein is similar to that of syncytin-1, a protein found in the placenta of mammals.

The source since removed from the web claimed that the antibodies produced by the body in response to the vaccine, which targets the SARS-CoV-2 virus spike protein, could also target syncytin-1 and cause infertility.

Scientists have demonstrated this claim to be inaccurate. Firstly, immunologists have shown no significant similarity between the genetic information of these two proteins, while blood plasma from COVID-19 patients does not react with syncytin-1.

Secondly, if this claim were true, it would mean that natural SARS-CoV-2 infection would likely cause a higher rate of miscarriage. This has not been seen in studies examining the effects of COVID-19 female participants with the disease did not display a higher risk of early pregnancy loss.

Additionally, the vaccines clinical trials included 11 female participants in the vaccinated group who became pregnant during the trial, compared to a similar number of 12 female participants in the control group.

While there is not yet long-term evidence regarding this claim, animal studies have also not reflected any evidence of fertility loss due to the vaccine.

Pfizer and BioNTech are also conducting clinical trials in pregnant people to observe the vaccines effects in those who are pregnant as well as their infants.

Regulatory agencies are keeping a close eye on the safety of COVID-19 vaccines. Up to this point, there have not been any risk indications that require a pause in distribution for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Additionally, note that while some people may experience minor or moderate side effects after vaccination, these typically go away after a few days.

The CDC recommends that anyone who does not have known allergies to the vaccine ingredients, or relevant contraindications, receive the vaccine to prevent severe illness or death and reduce the chances of contracting COVID-19.

For live updates on the latest developments regarding the novel coronavirus and COVID-19, click here.

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Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine: What to know about the side effects - Medical News Today

Lawsuit accuses Ramsey Solutions of firing employee who questioned Dave's handling of COVID-19  The Tennessean

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Lawsuit accuses Ramsey Solutions of firing employee who questioned Dave's handling of COVID-19 - The Tennessean

Demand for COVID-19 vaccine slowing down in Northeast Wisconsin, health officials say  Fox11online.com

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Demand for COVID-19 vaccine slowing down in Northeast Wisconsin, health officials say - Fox11online.com

ANAHEIM, CALIF. Instead of playing amid 80-degree afternoon heat before jetting off to Oakland in time for Monday's series opener with the Athletics, the Twins saw hardly much sun at all.

Maybe some muted rays from behind their hotel room windows, just a fraction of a perfect SoCal spring Sunday.

After calling off two of the three games against the Angels, Major League Baseball also postponed Monday's game at the Athletics while the Twins deal with COVID-19 issues. There are four positive cases on the Twins: one staff member and three players.

Shortstop Andrelton Simmons was the first to test positive ahead of the California trip and stayed back in Minnesota. A non-uniformed staff member then tested positive ahead of Friday's game, a 10-3 loss at Angel Stadium, and that sent a handful of other staff into contact-tracing quarantines. Before Saturday's scheduled game, two more players tested positive, including left fielder Kyle Garlick. All have either shown mild symptoms or been asymptomatic.

The Twins could potentially next play at Oakland on Tuesday as part of a straight doubleheader to make up for Monday's postponement. That would begin at 5:30 p.m., though it depends on what continued testing and contract-tracing reveal about the Twins' situation.

Derek Falvey, Twins president of baseball operations, said on WCCO Radio Sunday that the tests done Saturday evening "came back in a good direction." Everyone took two more tests Sunday morning, including a rapid-results one that is prone to false positives. Manager Rocco Baldelli and another staff member experienced false positives just before leaving for California, though further testing eventually cleared them.

The Twins received results Sunday evening that revealed no further positives. Falvey also said the team will test again Monday morning and that those results would affect whether the Twins can fly to Oakland on Monday or whether that series goes on at all.

The team is also testing its non-traveling party in Minnesota as a precaution, because it's unclear exactly when or how the virus infiltrated the clubhouse. A source said Saturday the team did not think Simmons' case caused the following three.

The three players who tested positive likely will have to stay in Anaheim and quarantine for 10 days, unless they're up for a very long drive to Minnesota. The players who tested positive Saturday even had to drive themselves individually back to the team hotel in last-minute rental cars. The staff put into precautionary quarantine Friday should be free to travel Monday, as long as tests remain negative.

Testing has revealed that the current version of COVID-19 making its way through the Twins is one of the variant strains.

"It does create a little bit more uncertainty about the go-forward and how long it takes for someone who may have been infected to turn positive," Falvey said on WCCO. "So there's a lot of things we're working with our medical staff on to determine how comfortable we would be 72 hours out, subsequent to that, another day, another day, another day after that."

Falvey is working on rescheduling the two Angels games, but finding corresponding off days has been a logistical nightmare, as that would likely be necessary with Oakland if the doubleheader doesn't get played. Being on the West Coast has also complicated the Twins' ability to call in reinforcements should more players test positive. They have a five-man taxi squad on the trip (an infielder, outfielder, catcher and two pitchers), but anyone from St. Paul would have to fly commercial four hours to meet the team.

Like the Twins, the A's are not quite to the 85% vaccination threshold that would allow for loosened COVID-19 protocols, manager Bob Melvin said Sunday. Many of the Twins' tier one personnel took the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine April 8 and are not quite to the two weeks of developed immunity from that. It's also still unclear how the vaccines work against the various COVID-19 strains.

"There's not one person in our group who is not frustrated," Baldelli said Saturday. " We knew that with our vaccine effort going on just after we returned home for our first homestand, we were pretty close to getting where we needed to be. But obviously not close enough. And now we're going to have to deal with whatever comes our way. Things are not going to be easy because of it. We're going to have a great deal of challenges in addition to everything that we've already gone through."

So for now the Twins are left to persevere through the dark times, peering from behind the thin pane of glass separating them from the light.

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Monday's Twins game also postponed as team deals with positive COVID-19 tests - Minneapolis Star Tribune