Category: Covid-19

In just a matter of weeks, two variants of the coronavirus have become so familiar that you can hear their inscrutable alphanumeric names regularly uttered on television news.

B.1.1.7, first identified in Britain, has demonstrated the power to spread far and fast. In South Africa, a mutant called B.1.351 can dodge human antibodies, blunting the effectiveness of some vaccines.

Scientists have also had their eye on a third concerning variant that arose in Brazil, called P.1. Research had been slower on P.1 since its discovery in late December, leaving scientists unsure of just how much to worry about it.

Ive been holding my breath, said Bronwyn MacInnis, an epidemiologist at the Broad Institute.

Now three studies offer a sobering history of P.1s meteoric rise in the Amazonian city of Manaus. It most likely arose there in November and then fueled a record-breaking spike of coronavirus cases. It came to dominate the city partly because of an increased contagiousness, the research found.

But it also gained the ability to infect some people who had immunity from previous bouts of Covid-19. And laboratory experiments suggest that P.1 could weaken the protective effect of a Chinese vaccine now in use in Brazil.

The new studies have yet to be published in scientific journals. Their authors caution that findings on cells in laboratories do not always translate to the real world, and theyve only begun to understand P.1s behavior.

The findings apply to Manaus, but I dont know if they apply to other places, said Nuno Faria, a virologist at Imperial College London who helped lead much of the new research.

But even with the mysteries that remain around P.1, experts said it is a variant to take seriously. Its right to be worried about P.1, and this data gives us the reason why, said William Hanage, an epidemiologist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

P.1 is now spreading across the rest of Brazil and has been found in 24 other countries. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recorded six cases in five states: Alaska, Florida, Maryland, Minnesota and Oklahoma.

To reduce the risks of P.1 outbreaks and reinfections, Dr. Faria said it was important to double down on every measure we have to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Masks and social distancing can work against P.1. And vaccination can help drive down its transmission and protect those who do get infected from severe disease.

The ultimate message is that you need to step up all the vaccination efforts as soon as possible, he said. You need to be one step ahead of the virus.

Dr. Faria and his colleagues started tracking the coronavirus when it exploded in Brazil last spring. Manaus, a city of two million in the Brazilian Amazon, was hit particularly hard. At its springtime peak, the cemeteries of Manaus were overwhelmed by the bodies of the dead.

But after a peak in late April, Manaus seemed to have gotten past the worst of the pandemic. Some scientists thought that the drop meant Manaus had gained herd immunity.

Dr. Faria and his colleagues looked for coronavirus antibodies in samples from a Manaus blood bank in June and October. They determined that roughly three-quarters of the residents of Manaus had been infected.

But near the end of 2020, new cases began surging again. There were actually far more cases than in the previous peak of cases, which had been in late April, Dr. Faria said. And that was very puzzling to us.

To search for variants, Dr. Faria and his colleagues started a new genome sequencing effort in the city. While B.1.1.7 had arrived in other parts of Brazil, they didnt find it in Manaus. Instead, they found a variant no one had seen before.

March 5, 2021, 7:20 p.m. ET

Many variants in their samples shared a set of 21 mutations not seen in other viruses circulating in Brazil. Dr. Faria sent a text message to a colleague: I think Im looking at something really strange, and Im quite worried about this.

A few mutations in particular worried him, because scientists had already found them in either B.1.1.7 or B.1.351. Experiments suggested that some of the mutations might make the variants better able to infect cells. Other mutations let them evade antibodies from previous infections or produced by vaccines.

As Dr. Faria and his colleagues analyzed their results, researchers in Japan were making a similar discovery. Four tourists returning home from a trip to the Amazon on Jan. 4 tested positive for the coronavirus. Genome sequencing revealed the same set of mutations Dr. Faria and his colleagues were seeing in Brazil.

Dr. Faria and his colleagues posted a description of P.1 on an online virology forum on Jan. 12. They then investigated why P.1 was so common. Its mutations may have made it more contagious, or it might have been lucky. By sheer chance, the variant might have shown up in Manaus just as the city was getting more relaxed about public health measures.

It was also possible that P.1 became common because it could reinfect people. Normally, coronavirus reinfections are rare, because the antibodies produced by the body after infection are potent for months. But it was possible that P.1 carried mutations that made it harder for those antibodies to latch onto it, allowing it to slip into cells and cause new infections.

The researchers tested these possibilities by tracking P.1 from its earliest samples in December. By early January, it made up 87 percent of samples. By February it had taken over completely.

Combining the data from genomes, antibodies and medical records in Manaus, the researchers concluded that P.1 conquered the city thanks not to luck but biology: Its mutations helped it spread. Like B.1.1.7, it can infect more people, on average, than other variants can. They estimate it is somewhere between 1.4 and 2.2 times more transmissible than other lineages of coronaviruses.

But it also gets an edge from mutations that let it escape antibodies from other coronaviruses. They estimate that in 100 people who were infected with non-P.1 lineages in Manaus last year, somewhere between 25 and 61 of them could have been reinfected if they were exposed to P.1 in Manaus.

The researchers found support for this conclusion in an experiment in which they mixed P.1 viruses with antibodies from Brazilians who had Covid-19 last year. They found that the effectiveness of their antibodies dropped sixfold against P.1 compared with other coronaviruses. That drop might mean that at least some people would be vulnerable to new infections from P.1.

Dr. Faria said an increasing body of evidence suggests that most cases in the second wave were the result of reinfections.

Dr. Faria and other researchers are now looking across Brazil to observe P.1s spread. Dr. Ester Sabino, an infectious disease expert at the University of So Paulo School of Medicine, said that one of the new outbreaks arose in Araraquara, a Brazilian city of 223,000 people that did not have high rates of Covid-19 before P.1 arrived.

If people in Araraquara did not have high levels of antibodies before P.1s arrivals, she said, that suggests that the variant may be able to spread in places without Manauss extreme history. This might happen in any other place, she said.

Michael Worobey, a virologist at the University of Arizona who was not involved in the research, said it was time to pay attention to P.1 in the United States. He expected it would become more common in the United States, although it would have to compete with B.1.1.7, which may soon become the predominant variant in much of the nation.

At the very least, its going to be one of the contenders, Dr. Worobey said.

In their experiments, Dr. Faria and his colleagues also tested antibodies from eight people who received CoronaVac, a Chinese-made vaccine that has been used in Brazil. They found that the vaccine-generated antibodies were less effective at stopping the P.1 variant than other types.

Dr. Faria cautioned that these results, derived from cells in test tubes, dont necessarily mean that vaccines will be less effective at protecting real people from P.1. Vaccines may very well provide strong protection from P.1 even if the antibodies they generate arent quite as potent. And even if the variant manages to infect vaccinated people, they will most likely remain shielded from a severe bout of Covid-19.

For Dr. Sabino, the ultimate importance of P.1 is the threat that concerning variants pose when they can pop up anywhere in the world.

Its just a matter of time and chance, she said.

Read more from the original source:

Virus Variant in Brazil Infected Many Who Had Already Recovered From Covid-19 - The New York Times

FOX 2 and KPLR 11 in St. Louis cover the news in Missouri and Illinois. There are over 68 hours of live news and local programming on-air each week. Our website and live video streams operate 24/7. Download our apps for alerts and follow us on social media for updates in your feed.

President Harry Truman said: It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit. That spirit is alive and well at Fox 2. Our teamwork is on display each and every day.

Our news slogan is: Coverage You Can Count On. We quite frankly are too busy to worry about who gets the credit. Our main concern is serving the viewer.

We go where the stories take us. Whether it be Washington, D.C when a Belleville man opened fire during a congressional baseball game practice or to Puerto Rico where local Ameren crews restored power after more than 5 months in the dark.

Coverage You Can Count On means Waking up your Day with our top-rated morning show. From 4:00 am-10:00 am we are leading the way with breaking news. But our early morning crew also knows how to have some fun! Our strong commitment to the communities we serve is highlighted with our Friday neighborhood shows.

Our investigative unit consists of three reporters. Elliott Davis focuses on government waste, Chris Hayes is our investigative reporter, and Mike Colombo is our consumer reporter. They work in unison with the news department by sharing resources and ideas.

We continue to cover breaking news aggressively and relied on our seasoned journalists to make a difference with the stories we covered. The shooting of Arnold Police Officer Ryan OConnor is just one example of that. Jasmine Huda was the only reporter who had exclusive access to the OConnor family during his amazing rehabilitation in Colorado.

Last, but certainly not least, FOX 2 and KPLR 11 are committed to covering local politics. We host debates among candidates and have the most extensive presidential election coverage. Our commitment to politics isnt just during an election year. We produce two political shows that air every weekend.

See more here:

CVS and Walgreens to start distributing COVID-19 vaccine in St. Louis soon - KTVI Fox 2 St. Louis

Ive grown accustomed to conflicting views when it comes to the pandemic.

We can gather in the library, but our kids cant go to school. I can finally get my hair done, but a facial is not allowed. You shouldnt wear a mask, you have to wear a mask, you really should be wearing two masks.

I understand the inconsistency. This virus is so new that all of us from CDC scientists to supermarket cashiers are still trying to navigate a steep learning curve.

And I like to think that nothing surprises me anymore. But then something comes along that shocks me all over again. Last week, it was the news about how many people locally already carry antibodies to the virus.

According to some estimates, as reported in The Times and elsewhere, as many as half of Los Angeles Countys 10 million people have already been infected. And thats even though tests for COVID-19 have confirmed fewer than 1.2 million local infections.

The prospect of that many millions of uncounted infections seemed mind-boggling to me. How could more than 3 million people slip through our testing apparatus?

I wanted to know how those numbers were calculated, so I called L.A. Countys chief prognosticator, Dr. Roger Lewis. His job is to quantify and model the spread of COVID-19, to help make sure that the countys hospital system is prepared to meet pandemic healthcare needs.

He is not surprised by the high immunity estimates, but he noted that calculations vary. Ive seen different estimates, from 1 in 4 to more than 50%, he said.

The countys official immunity estimate is near the middle of that spread, at approximately 3 in 8 people, or 37.5% of county residents. And that does not take into account the almost 2 million people who have received at least one dose of the vaccine.

Measuring immunity, it turns out, is more sophisticated that just counting positive tests and vaccinations. When the virus first emerged last year, California researchers began antibody surveillance tests of random people to check for COVID-19 antibodies.

They found that the fraction of people with antibodies was much larger than the fraction of people who knew theyd been sick or people whod tested positive, Dr. Lewis said. Many people with evidence of having been infected had never experienced symptoms of the illness; others may not have had access to tests.

Projecting that forward suggests there are now millions of uncounted COVID-19 survivors who were never tested, or at least not at a point when they would register as positive.

That early antibody testing clued researchers in to the phenomenon of asymptomatic infection and surreptitious spread. Further study of virus replication, infection demographics, hospitalizations, deaths and more led them to believe that approximately 40% of COVID-19 carriers will have no symptoms and may not show up in testing statistics.

That information established a baseline for measuring how many people might be immune and, by extension, how many others are still vulnerable to the disease.

But immunity estimates are also influenced by what assumptions researchers make and what trajectory they expect.

If you talk to enough people, youre bound to get a mix of opinions, said Dr. George Rutherford, professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at UC San Francisco. Some might [estimate] conservatively, and some are more gung-ho, he told me.

In other words, they all use the same basic formula, but the ingredients and measurements might differ a bit.

We know the natural progression of this disease, explained David Conti, a USC professor of preventive medicine and specialist in data science integration. We can describe that with a mathematical model.

But in real life the number of new cases each day bounces around a lot, Conti said. So as soon as we come up with a model, its out of date.

The USC researchers recent model offers a wide range of estimated cumulative infections, concluding that between 3 million and 5.5 million people in Los Angeles County have likely already been infected by COVID-19.

That translates to between 30% and 55% of the countys population. Its the higher number painting us as a hotbed of infection but also as a region drawing closer to herd immunity that has caught peoples attention.

But that doesnt mean that half of the people you know have already been infected with COVID-19.

Our model is on the level of the entire L.A. County, where infection rates vary drastically by neighborhood, USC researcher Abigail Horn said. People want to take a number and make a statement about it. But it really is about the local communities and how this [pandemic] has amplified healthcare disparities.

That is a message we cant afford to forget. The burden of disease is distributed unevenly and a 50% immunity rate looks different depending on where you live.

Its a worrying reflection of the dismal job weve done protecting working-class families from infection or its an encouraging prospect, because the remaining pool of prospective virus spreaders is smaller than presumed.

Considering that sort of ambiguous messaging, I couldnt help but wonder how vested we should be in the barrage of statistics that accompanies our journey through COVID-19.

I put that question to Dr. Rutherford, who specializes in the study of infectious diseases. He thinks a break from tracking the stats may be just what people like me need. When youre listening to all these statistics and opinions, he said, people may lose the forest for the trees.

The forest, to him, is the rapid creation of effective COVID-19 vaccines, which he sees as the greatest miracle of modern molecular biology since the discovery of DNA, he says. Thats the overwhelming good news right now the culmination of 70 years of [scientific] advances.

The trees are the numbers were being bombarded with. There were 64,000 [research] papers published about COVID-19 by the end of October, he said. Theres a lot of information to digest.

We are not going to find the reassurance we seek in the minutiae of statistics. A vaccine that is 90% effective, is the same as one that is 85%, Dr. Rutherford said. Youre not being cheated out of that 5%. Yet people are obsessing about which vaccine to get.

He reminded me that our health rests not on the numbers, but on the precautions we take. We may not know what number equals herd immunity, but we do know how to protect ourselves, the doctor says:

Wear a mask, keep your distance from people outside your pod, avoid crowded indoor spaces. Dont go to Costco on a Saturday afternoon. And get vaccinated as soon as your turn comes.

Read more:

Have half of L.A. County residents really had COVID-19? - Los Angeles Times

Jayashree Krishnan's "Caring for Humanity," at the Columbia City Gallery in Seattle, features portraits of people on the frontlines of COVID-19.

SEATTLE Seattle artist Jayashree Krishnan's Seattle studio is filled with beautiful landscapes and portraits. She has an ability to capture human emotion in her portrait work.

After the coronavirus pandemic, her work took an unexpected turn. Last May, Krishnan decided to switch to painting portraits of family members and a few friends in the medical industry healthcare workers who were battling the pandemic day in and day out.

Her portraits quickly attracted attention online and her portrait work became a full-time effort.

Doctors, nurses and the cleaning staff have been immortalized in an ever-expanding collection. Many of the faces are local and work at various Puget Sound area hospitals. Others were made for healthcare workers in other states and throughout the world.

It's now a collection that's grown to more than 150 portraits. She says a few are perhaps more special to her because they feaure medical workers who lost their lives fighting COVID-19.

Many of the portraits are on display at the Columbia City Gallery in Seattle, but not all of them. Some of the healthcare workers received their own portraits. Local hospitals also have put Krishnan's work on display.

You may even spot a famous doctor in the collection. Krishnan painted top White House coronavirus advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci a few months ago. She recently got the invitation to send that portrait to him.

Its a tremendous effort of service that Krishnan says is the most important work shes ever done.

Just being seen is so powerful to these healthcare workers and if my work can have that effect on people I must keep going, she said.

The entire Caring For Humanity collection is currently on display at the Columbia City Gallery and runs through March 21. The Gallery is open to the public Friday through Sunday noon to 5 p.m. and you can also admire most of the collection outdoors from the street side gallery window.

More:

Seattle artist honors healthcare workers on the frontlines of COVID-19 fight - KING5.com

This week, Governor Tom Wolf and the COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force announced that beginning next week Pre-K to 12 public and non-public school staff will have an opportunity to be vaccinated with the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

The Wolf administration is collaborating with Intermediate Units (IUs) and other education partners to equitably vaccinate all school employees and contracted staff as quickly as possible.

Those working with elementary education students, students with disabilities, and English Learners will be the first eligible to register.

The plan has received support from education groups:

Pennsylvania School Boards Association CEO Nathan Mains

We appreciate that the governor and task force have prioritized these essential roles in receiving the vaccine and see this as a step in the right direction toward getting students back into their classrooms safely. We thank all who were involved in working towards this outcome, recognizing the critical role that education and the school system serves in our state. Thank you also to the National Guard for their assistance with effective distribution.

Pittsburgh Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Anthony Hamlet

The vaccinations of our teachers and school staff will add additional layer to the mitigation strategies we have in place to welcome students back for hybrid learning.We are grateful for the advocacy of Mayor Peduto, who has consistently shared his voice to support the safe reopening of schools.

Norristown Area School District Superintendent Christopher Dormer

We thank Governor Wolf and the bipartisan legislative task force for dedicating the newly available Johnson & Johnson vaccine supplies to get all educational staff vaccinated in an expedited manner. This vaccine program announcement is exactly what superintendents have been advocating for and requesting. Adding staff vaccinations to declining community spread and outstanding mitigation plans, we have full confidence that we can provide in-person learning opportunities for students while continuing to prioritize our commitment to health and safety. I am sure that our entire staff will have greater peace of mind as we begin our transition to in-person learning here in the Norristown Area School District.

Scranton School District Superintendent Missy McTiernan

On behalf of the Scranton School District Community, I would like to thank Governor Wolf for his leadership and his efforts regarding the Vaccine for Educators initiative. This is a major step towards getting our students back to in-person learning. Our district is grateful for Governor Wolfs continued support of public education.

Luzerne Intermediate Unit #18 Executive Director Dr. Anthony Grieco

We are grateful and appreciative that Governor Wolf and the Legislative Task Force have prioritized teachers and all public and non-public school personnel to receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. These vaccination efforts provide another mitigation strategy within our respective school Health and Safety plans to increase the level of in-person instruction across Pennsylvania. This positive step forward will accelerate a greater numbers of staff and students safely back to their school communities for regular and sustained educational opportunities.

Iroquois School District Superintendent Shane Murray (Erie County)

The decision by Governor Wolf and the legislative task force to direct this new vaccine to school personnel will enable schools that have been teaching in person to do so more safely, and give the opportunity for other schools to return their students to in person learning.We are extremely grateful for this opportunity.

Central Dauphin School District Superintendent Norman J. Miller, Ed.D.

We are very pleased that teachers and school staff are being prioritized with respect to receiving the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Over the past year, the Central Dauphin School District has implemented comprehensive health and safety protocols, and these vaccinations will provide an additional layer of protection to everyone in our buildings. Having students and teachers in their classrooms is critically important to our education system, and we are excited about this meaningful and significant development for our school community.

Pennsylvania State Education Association President Rich Askey

This is an incredibly important step toward returning Pennsylvanias schools and communities to in-person instruction and ensuring that students, school staff members, their families, and their communities are better protected from COVID-19. This is good for everyone, and we thank Gov. Wolf and lawmakers for their leadership and their commitment to getting this done.

Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers PresidentNina Esposito-Visgitis

On behalf of the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers, I would like to thank Governor Wolf for prioritizing vaccinations for teachers and school staff in Pittsburgh and across the state. The additional layer of protection that full vaccination will provide will make a meaningful and measurable difference in the lives of our educators, school staff, students and school communities.

Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto

Governor Wolfs wise decision to immediately vaccinate teachers will speed up the return ofstudents toschool, provide students the in-person attention they need after a full year away, andgive teachersconfidence that they can return to classrooms safely. The City of Pittsburgh stands ready to help the Commonwealth with this effort in any way it can.

View original post here:

ICYMI: Education and Elected Leaders Praise Gov. Wolf, COVID-19 Vaccination Task Force Plan to Vaccinate Teachers, Other School Staff | Governor Tom...

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) reports as of March 4, 2021, there have been 2,207,676 total confirmatory laboratory results received for COVID-19, with 132,677 total cases and 2,309 total deaths.

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

CASES PER COUNTY: Barbour (1,234), Berkeley (9,741), Boone (1,595), Braxton (781), Brooke (2,016), Cabell (7,861), Calhoun (231), Clay (379), Doddridge (468), Fayette (2,692), Gilmer (718), Grant (1,077), Greenbrier (2,416), Hampshire (1,548), Hancock (2,601), Hardy (1,274), Harrison (4,862), Jackson (1,673), Jefferson (3,656), Kanawha (12,176), Lewis (1,048), Lincoln (1,233), Logan (2,711), Marion (3,696), Marshall (3,025), Mason (1,778), McDowell (1,354), Mercer (4,232), Mineral (2,594), Mingo (2,140), Monongalia (8,106), Monroe (955), Morgan (934), Nicholas (1,191), Ohio (3,662), Pendleton (622), Pleasants (802), Pocahontas (596), Preston (2,553), Putnam (4,243), Raleigh (4,776), Randolph (2,403), Ritchie (624), Roane (499), Summers (705), Taylor (1,095), Tucker (506), Tyler (619), Upshur (1,703), Wayne (2,627), Webster (325), Wetzel (1,098), Wirt (360), Wood (7,114), Wyoming (1,749).

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 Barbour and Roane counties in this report.

Continue reading here:

COVID-19 Daily Update 3-4-2021 - West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources

COVID-19 INFORMATION

Basic Disease Information

FAQs for Pet Owners

CDC Guidance Regarding Pets & COVID-19

Frequently Asked Questions - CDC

Informational Resources (posters, videos, etc.)

How to Prevent the Spread of Contagious Disease (pdf)

Spanish version (pdf)

Vietnamese version (pdf)

Mitigation Strategies for the Community

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

New Suicide Prevention Resource - The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted rules to establish 988 as the new, nationwide, 3-digit phone number for Americans in crisis to connect with suicide prevention and mental health crisis counselors. Read the full FCC news release for details.

The American Red Cross has activated a Virtual Family Assistance Center for anyone who lost a loved one due to COVID-19.

211 Texas has activated a COVID-19 option within the 211 platform. 211 specialists across the state are available 24/7 to answer the most frequently asked questions. Visit http://www.211Texas.org.

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) has launched a statewide mental health support line to help Texans experiencing anxiety, stress, or other emotional challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This resource offers support for all Texans and can be reached any time day or night at 833-986-1919. More information on mental health resources and your local metal health authority can be found on HHSCs website.

The Counseling Institute of Texas is offering grants for individuals and families impacted by COVID-19. Call 972-271-4300 or visit their website for details.

Excerpt from:

COVID-19 Facts & Resources | Garland, TX

Links to Additional Vaccine Hub Providers

Additional vaccine supplies can be found on vaccinefinder.org or contact your doctor and/or area pharmacies for additional options.

The Garland Health Department (GHD) is collecting names of persons to register for the COVID-19 vaccine waiting-list. Vaccination events will be scheduled as additional vaccine supply is received.

COVID-19 vaccine is still in very limited supply and being prioritized to Phase 1A health care workers and first responders and to adults who meet the Phase 1B criteria (65 and older, or those with underlying medical conditions).

To register for the vaccine with GHD at this time, you need to be:

The vaccine is free. COVID-19 vaccinations are voluntary, GHD strongly recommends all eligible persons register to receive the vaccine. Those receiving the COVID-19 vaccine will have the immunization noted on their official IMMTRAC vaccine record.

More COVID-19 vaccines will become available as manufacturing and distribution ramp up. Monitor the CitysTwitterandFacebookpages, as well as this page, for updates.

Using the online form is the fastest way to get on the list.Please assist family and friends without internet access in completing the form if you are able. Those who are unable to complete the online form can register over the phone by calling the City of Garlands COVID-19 Hotline at 972-205-3900, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. The hotline is currently open seven days a week. Call volumes are anticipated to be high, exercise patience.

As we wait for additional COVID-19 vaccine shipments, we would like to remind you that each provider distributing the vaccine may approach the sign up process differently. You may register in multiple places. If you receive the vaccine through a different entity we ask that you send us an email, GPH@GarlandTX.gov so that we may remove you from our waiting list.

As of Feb. 1, 2021, GHD has only received and administered the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine consists of two doses. The second dose should be administered 28 days after the initial dose. However, second doses administered as early as 24 days after the initial dose are still considered valid. Per CDC recommendations, you have up to 6 weeks (42 days) after the first dose to receive the second dose. With GHD, you do not need to re-register for the second dose. We will contact you with appointment information.

When you receive the vaccine please ensure the second dose is the same type. Please use the V-Safe Health Checker if you have a smart phone. Save the card provided at your first vaccination to keep track of which vaccine you received. GHD does not provide replacement cards.

While each of us awaits our vaccines, please remain patient. It is critical that everyone continue to practice personal protective measures to prevent disease spread until vaccines are widely distributed throughout our nation.

As the state attempts to increase its capacity to provide COVID-19 vaccine, the Texas Department of State Health Services has selected the City of Garland Health Department to serve as one of several vaccination hubs in Dallas County. As a hub, Garland will receive larger shipments in the future and be able to serve more people.

Here's a video to learn more about how our mass vaccination process works:

More:

Vaccine Information | Garland, TX

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health is reporting 115 new cases of COVID-19 and one more death for a statewide total of 207. The Department of Corrections is reporting a major outbreak at the prison in Newport, with 100 new cases for a total of 127 positive incarcerated cases and 10 positive staff cases at the facility. Meanwhile, the VA Medical Center will be holding a one-day only vaccine clinic for veterans of any age on Friday at the Essex Fairgrounds. The VDH separately has expanded its vaccination and testing sites. See information below.

March 3, 2021

New or updated information is in red and bold

This update is available online at healthvermont.gov/covid19

Click the See the Daily Update button

Vermonters age 65 and older can sign up to get vaccinated this Sunday March 7 at a large-scale vaccination event held by Kinney Drugs at Spaulding High School in Barre. About 1,100 doses of vaccine are anticipated to be available.

You must register for the event by visiting: https://kinneydrugs.as.me/BarrePopup.

If you have already made an appointment at another clinic but would like to get vaccinated sooner, you can still register for the Barre event but please CANCEL your original appointment in the system where you made it. Cancellations and unplanned no-shows could result in spoiled vaccine doses.

If you need to cancel your appointment, please do as soon as possible. If it was made on the Health Department website, youll need to log in to your account and cancel it there. If you have trouble canceling, call 855-722-7878.

The state is also partnering with the Vermont National Guard to administer vaccines. The first of these events was held today at the Doubletree Hotel in South Burlington and will continue through March 7. As many as 400 doses will be administered per day. Next week, the Guard efforts will expand to the Barre and Springfield areas.

These events will be open to eligible Vermonters by appointment. To schedule your appointment, visit healthvermont.gov/MyVaccine.

We also plan to activate an even larger contingent of the National Guard on March 15 to provide more vaccination opportunities as the supply increases later this month.

In addition, Walmart will start vaccinations this week at its six stores in Vermont. People will register for appointments at these new sites through the Health Department website and call center.

The department and all of state government greatly appreciates the support of the Vermont National Guard in protecting the health of Vermonters through vaccination.

The Missisquoi Valley Rescue is holding additional COVID-19 testing in response to the increase in COVID-19 cases seen across Franklin County. The tests are free and there is no registration.

Tests will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Hours for all locations and days are 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

In Stowe, testing will be held this weekend at Stowe High School, 413 Barrows Road.

Register online at healthvermont.gov/testing or walk-in.

Remember, knowing if you carry the virus means you can act to protect yourself, your loved ones and your community from COVID-19. If you got together with anyone outside your household, think you might have been exposed to the virus, or have any symptoms (no matter how mild) get tested!

Visit healthvermont.gov/testing to find test sites throughout the state. Testing is free to all, and many sites now let you take your own sample using a short swab in your nose.

If youre a close contact of someone with COVID-19, you can use this timeline to help guide when to get tested.

If you have symptoms of COVID-19, please contact your health care provider so they can refer you for testing. If you dont have a provider, you can call 2-1-1.

New on healthvermont.gov

One in 7 cases of COVID-19 are among Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC). Rates of COVID-19 are two times higher for BIPOC compared with white non-Hispanic residents. View our latest Weekly Data Summary Spotlight to learn more about the 1,742 Vermont resident cases who are Asian, African American or Black, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Hispanic or race other than white.

As of 12 p.m. on March 3, 2021

Data is updated daily.

Description

Number

New cases*

115

(15,487 total)

Currently hospitalized

23

Hospitalized in ICU

5

Hospitalized under investigation

1

Percent Positive (7-day average)

1.4%

People tested

332,411

Total tests

1,083,198

Total people recovered

12,842

Deaths+

207

Find more data on COVID-19 Activity at: healthvermont.gov/currentactivity.

As of 12 p.m. on Feb. 27, 2021

Data is updated Tuesdays through Saturdays.

Description

Number

Total people who have received least one dose of vaccine

107,750(19.5% of population)

Total people who have received two doses of vaccine (completed)

59,326

Find more vaccine data on the COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard: healthvermont.gov/covid19-vaccine-data.

The COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard is updated Tuesdays through Saturdays.

The data in the dashboard includes the vaccines available in Vermont (currently, Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna). Data is based on date reported to the Vermont Immunization Registry and does not reflect date of vaccination. Informationreflects counts reported by the end of the previous day. Data is subject to change.

The data in the dashboard includes the vaccines available in Vermont (currently, Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna)

If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs emotional support, help is available 24/7:

Call yourlocal mental health crisis line.

Text VT to 741741to talk with someone at theCrisis Text Line.

Call theNational Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

You can also get more information and resources:

Visit our Coping with Stress web page.

Get connected to Alcohol and Drug Support Services at VT Helplink.

Get self-help tips and connect to mental health services at COVID Support VT.

Read the original:

VDH COVID-19 Update: More vaccine and testing sites - Vermont Biz

1: Who is currently eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine?

On Friday, February 26, 2021 Oregon Governor Kate Brown held a press conference with details on the timeline for the next eligible groups to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Oregonians age 65 and older are currently eligible to get vaccinated against COVID-19 as of March 1. View OHA's sequencing timeline to see the current and next groups of people eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.

There is still far less vaccine available to meet the needs of everyone who is eligible and wants the vaccine. We thank you for your continued patience.

If you are eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine schedule your appointment at one of the following locations.

Sign up online. You will be sent an invitation when an appointment is available to you. Names are selected at random each week from the eligible pool.

Educators use the OHA scheduling tool to schedule your appointment at the Convention Center.

These appointments are specifically for seniors with mobility needs, individuals with disabilities and their caregivers. If you know you are eligible for this site, you can schedule online (when appointments are available) via OHSU. New appointments are released Mondays and Thursdays at 9 a.m. (subject to change). If you aren't sure, use OHA's eligibility and scheduling tool.

Limited vaccination appointments are available for eligible individuals at some local pharmacies.

Pharmacies will screen for eligibility according to state guidelines. They have limited doses and appointments available each week. Go directly to their COVID vaccine websites to make an appointment:

We understand that many county residents do not want to go to Portland to receive their vaccines. Clackamas County Public Health is receiving very few doses locally each week and doing direct outreach to people we have identified will have a difficult time accessing the large vaccine clinics at the Convention Center and airport.

When more vaccine becomes available over the next several weeks, the county will host additional local vaccination clinics and promote them.

For those eligible and able to schedule appointments at the clinics at the Oregon Convention Center this will likely be the fastest option to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

Please visit our website for more information.

Online:

211:

Free interpretation is available for all other languages. TTY: Dial 711 or call 1-866-698-6155. Please note: These are information lines, not vaccine scheduling.

Email:If you have questions about COVID-19 vaccination process in the tri-county area, please email your questions to covidvaccine@clackamas.us. We are experiencing a high volume of emails but we will try to answer your questions as soon as we can.

Read the original here:

ClackCo March 3 COVID-19 update: 3 things to know - Clackamas County