Category: Covid-19

The ghost lights new message is emanating from stages in Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Florida, California, and across the globe. Sarah Rasmussen, artistic director of Princetons McCarter Theatre Center, says that she will sometimes walk into the McCarters Matthews Theatre just to spend a moment in the presence of the ghost light and remind herself that live performances will be back someday.

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Ghost light tradition at Philly theaters has taken on a COVID-19 meaning of hope - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Despite national confusion, mixed messages, and scarcity, McCann, 39, had managed to lock in a date for her Chester County parents, both cancer survivors in their 70s, to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Then she scheduled shots for her in-laws and older family and friends. She hasnt stopped since. In just two weeks, the Exton woman, her sister, Mary Brady, and cousin, Alicia Karr, have established a network of volunteers helping dozens in the area, most of them strangers, get vaccinated.

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These suburban Philly women hustled to get COVID-19 vaccination appointments for family. Now theyre helping s - The Philadelphia Inquirer

The chance to get the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine will be at a premium in Los Angeles County next week as a continuing supply crunch and a hefty queue of those needing a second shot will leave few opportunities for those looking to start their inoculations, a top health official said Friday.

Most appointments offered at the major county-run vaccination sites will be needed for second doses, according to Dr. Paul Simon, chief science officer for the L.A. County Department of Public Health. At the countys five mega-PODs, or mass points of distribution, only a very limited number of people will be able to receive their first doses Monday.

Were just struggling with the supply, the limited supply, and feeling an obligation to make sure that people that had a first dose are able to get their second dose, he said during a briefing. But we know, just based on the numbers, next week at least in our sites, beyond Monday, we really have to stick with the second doses. When we get to the following week, it may be a slightly different story if we are able to get a larger supply of a vaccine. But well have to wait and see.

In the face of constrained and inconsistent supplies, the county is reserving sufficient doses to ensure there is enough for everyone who has already received the first shot of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines.

Both vaccines require two shots, administered three and four weeks apart, respectively.

Because of that, residents who receive their initial dose need to get back in line weeks later. When the countys total vaccine supply remains flat, or goes down, that leaves little wiggle room to also offer first doses.

In L.A. County, 193,950 doses arrived the week of Jan. 11, but only 168,575 were delivered the following week and 146,225 the week after that.

County officials said 184,625 doses arrived this week. While a boost from last weeks total, shipments need to be much larger to keep up with demand and allow additional pools of Angelenos to receive their first shots.

If we do continue to receive increasing supplies, obviously well be able to expand and continue to offer first doses, Simon said. Certainly, we want to do that.

Cumulatively, more than 1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in L.A. County, and nearly 850,000 people or about 11% of the population of those 16 and over have received first doses. Roughly 2.6% of Angelenos in that age range are fully vaccinated.

The bottleneck isnt unique to L.A. County. Regions throughout California have reported similar problems and have had to take similar steps to make sure people dont miss out on the second shots.

First-dose clinics have been paused in Napa County as officials catch up on giving second inoculations.

Although its amazing that the vaccine is here now, we just dont have enough of it, said Dr. Karen Relucio, Napa Countys public health officer. Supplies are unpredictable. Were running on thin margins.

So far, more than 4 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered throughout California.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 7 million doses of the vaccine have been shipped, and 6.8 million have been delivered to health providers in the state. That means, nearly 62% of the available supply has been used.

Officials said the state is expecting a vaccine allocation of more than 1 million doses next week, and a similar amount the week after. Previously, the state had been allocated roughly 300,000 to 500,000 doses per week.

The supply, while increasing, remains low compared to whats needed, and eligibility is limited. California health departments can currently administer vaccines to healthcare workers, staff and residents at long-term care facilities such as nursing homes and adults who are at least 65 years old.

They also have the option of doling out doses to those who work in the fields of education, emergency services and food and agriculture but many counties have yet to open eligibility to those groups, given supply constraints.

L.A. County, for instance, is accepting appointments only for healthcare workers, residents of long-term care facilities and adults who are at least 65 years old.

Together, those groups comprise about 2 million people, meaning 4 million doses would be needed to fully vaccinate those who are currently eligible to say nothing of the millions more Angelenos who still need to be inoculated.

Unfortunately, the biggest issue we continue to face in our ability to vaccinate is a scarcity of supply and variability in the amount of vaccines we receive from week to week, Simon said. This has been an issue across the country, and it makes planning very challenging.

Times staff writer Faith E. Pinho contributed to this report.

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L.A. County severely limited in 1st dose of COVID-19 vaccines - Los Angeles Times

Like many other San Diegans, Patricia Horvath has been daydreaming for months about what life will be like once she gets the COVID-19 vaccine.

Hug the grandkids. Take an international cruise with friends.

Itll be a real shot in the arm, the 81-year-old Point Loma resident figured, in more ways than one.

Except now that shes received the vaccine, shes finding out its not that simple.

Its a two-sided coin, she said. Of course Im happy to get it. I feel more comfortable now. But at the same time, theres still a lot of uncertainty.

Uncertainty about whether she can get asymptomatic infections and pass them on to others. Uncertainty about how well the vaccines will work against new variants. Uncertainty about how long the inoculation will last.

So for the time being, she said, shes not changing a lot. Still wearing a mask when she goes out. Still washing her hands regularly. Still keeping her distance around other people except, maybe, those grandkids.

Im not going to let down my defenses much, she said.

A Moderna COVID-19 vaccine shot is prepared at the San Diego Convention Center.

(K.C. Alfred/The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Since its arrival here almost a year ago, the novel coronavirus has been all about risk-reward calculations. The vaccines are adding a new layer to that, even as they offer hope that the end is near for a pandemic that has killed more than 2,700 people in the county, 43,000 in California, and 450,000 nationwide.

Now, with the U.S. administering about 1.3 million shots per day, those 65 and over who have been lucky enough to navigate the online vaccine-appointment system suddenly find themselves in an altered reality.

They used to be the ones considered most at risk from the virus, the ones everybody else worried about. Now that theyve been vaccinated, they feel the burden of watching out for their loved ones.

Along the way, theyve become objects of jealousy, on social media and elsewhere. Does posting a photo of yourself with an orange I got my COVID-19 vaccine! sticker make you a goodwill ambassador for widespread inoculation and herd immunity, or does it make you a braggart?

In the eye of the beholder, no doubt. Which is why Dr. Davey Smith, an infectious disease specialist at UC San Diego, thinks the cautious approach Horvath is taking is the right one.

The vaccine isnt a get out of jail free card, he said. You should still follow the public-health guidelines on mask-wearing and other things. Thats the best way to keep us all safe.

Dr. Davey Smith in a laboratory at UC San Diego.

(K.C. Alfred/The San Diego Union-Tribune)

As a health-care worker, Smith received the vaccine, and was super relieved to get it, he said. It definitely makes me feel better going out and about, whether its seeing patients in the hospital or shopping for groceries.

Its still unknown how well vaccines will keep the virus from spreading, and until then, Smith said, those who have had their shots still need to do what they can to protect the community. That will go a long way toward getting us all to where we want to be.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer similar advice on their website. While experts learn more about the protection that COVID-19 vaccines provide under real-life conditions, it will be important for everyone to continue using all the tools available to help stop this pandemic.

Others say its important not to dwell too much on what the newly vaccinated shouldnt do, though. That might discourage others from getting inoculated.

You have to message hope and optimism, Monica Gandi, an infectious disease specialist at UC San Francisco, told the Washington Post.

She said two couples who have been vaccinated should be fine to share a meal together indoors because data so far shows they probably wont transmit much, if any, of the virus. Other scientists, though, say its too soon to tell about transmission rates.

Maureen Martin, for one, isnt willing to take chances.

Shes been acting as if I dont have the vaccine at all, even as she anticipates being able soon to resume a regular supper club she had with friends for 15 years before the coronavirus sidelined it.

Marco Sac-Sum gets a Moderna COVID-19 vaccine shot from San Diego firefighter Brian Sanford at the San Diego Convention Center.

(K.C. Alfred/The San Diego Union-Tribune)

A registered nurse in Encinitas, Martin, 69, got inoculated early, as part of a clinical trial for a vaccine. She said she volunteered to contribute to science, but also to protect her 81-year-old husband, who has cancer.

Now hes received his first dose of the vaccine, with the second shot coming up in a few days, and thats made them both feel better about the threats they face from the coronavirus.

Their supper club involves five other couples, and once everybody has been vaccinated, theyll probably get together again, Martin said.

But she envisions the meal will be held outside, with the participants keeping their distance from each other and wearing masks when they arent eating.

Well feel a little more comfortable because weve been vaccinated, she said. But well still need to take precautions.

Martin and her husband have also started talking about renewing another passion: travel. Theyve been eyeing New Zealand, perhaps some time next year, depending on how things look with the pandemic. Or maybe Canada.

Linda Nehme, a Clairemont resident, is also making overseas plans after getting her first vaccine dose last week. She rebooked a trip to Chile, canceled by the pandemic last April, for the fall.

For the first time in a long, long time, I really believe Im going to be able to do this, she said. A trip to India at the end of the year is a possibility, too, she said.

At home, though, in the day-to-day, she remains cautious. Her husband, Gareth, works in an office with other people. She worries about possibly passing along the virus to him. She wont feel fully protected until after she gets her second shot, in a few weeks.

People wait in their cars after getting a COVID-19 vaccine shot at the Petco Park Vaccination Super Station.

(K.C. Alfred/The San Diego Union-Tribune)

So masks and hand-washing and social-distancing are still part of the game plan. Nothings changed, she said. If anything, Im even more wary because of the variants that are out there.

She received her vaccine at Petco Park and remembers the mood there as one of sheer happiness, everybody thinking the same thing, that maybe Im not going to die from this. Even with people wearing masks, she could tell that most were smiling.

Who needs Disneyland? she heard one of the nurses say.

Waiting in the car for her shot, she watched the sky light up with the pinks and purples of a spectacular San Diego sunset. Her overall feeling, she said, was one of joy, tempered by the realization that so many people still havent had the chance to be vaccinated.

Can you imagine, she said, to have hunkered down for all these months, to have done your best to protect yourself and others from COVID, and then to get it just as theres this light at the end of the tunnel? That would be so heartbreaking.

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Life after the COVID-19 vaccine: relief, but no 'get out of jail free' card - The San Diego Union-Tribune

WASHINGTON (AP) - The White House says the Pentagon will deploy troops to assist getting Americans vaccinated against COVID-19.

Coronavirus senior adviser Andy Slavitt announced Friday that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has approved a request for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

It means about 1,000 active duty military personnel will deploy to help state vaccination centers.

President Joe Biden has called for setting up 100 mass vaccination centers around the country within a month.

Two are opening in California, and Slavitt said military personnel will arrive at those centers in a little over a week.

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Pentagon will deploy troops to assist COVID-19 vaccine drive - kwwl.com - kwwl.com

Should you get vaccinated if you have multiple sclerosis? Experts debunk common myths and provide the facts you need.

Epidemiologists are still learning about the nuances of COVID-19 and the vaccines, and some people with multiple sclerosis (MS) may hear conflicting recommendations about getting a vaccine.

For example, you may have been told that no one with MS was part of clinical trials, so that means side effects are unknown. Or, you may hear that if youre immunocompromised and the vaccine causes a strong immune response, it could put you at risk.

You might have other chronic conditions that should either cause you to avoid vaccination in the near-term, or, conversely, get you to the head of the line.

Whats the truth? An epidemiologist and MS specialist offer insights on the three key points you need to know.

While its true that vaccine trials didnt study MS participants specifically, that doesnt mean the vaccine will be unsafe for you, says Sri Banerjee, MD, an epidemiologist and professor of public health at Walden University.

Several members of his family have MS, and hes heard concerns about vaccinations from them and from his patients.

This is often the biggest point of controversy, that people with MS think there are too many unknowns because of the lack of MS patients in the clinical trial, he says. However, that doesnt mean the issue hasnt been examined by experts.

Most notably, the National MS Society gathered a group of researchers and medical professionals to review the available science and make evidence-based recommendations, which you can find on the organizations website.

Using knowledge from studies of other vaccines administered to people with MS, as well as data about the current COVID-19 vaccines, the National MS Society determined that people with MS should be vaccinated against COVID-19. They also decided that the vaccines being given are safe and effective.

In terms of known side effects, the vaccine may cause a fever, and that may make your MS symptoms worse. However, thats considered a temporary side effect and should subside within a few days, if not sooner.

On its own, MS places you in a high-risk category that should warrant getting a vaccine when available.

Furthermore, the National MS Society notes that some individuals are in a higher risk group: those who have progressive forms of MS, are older, have a higher level of physical disability, or are Black or Hispanic. These people should take the vaccine as soon as its available to them.

Thats because these factors have already shown, through research, to be associated with severe symptoms if you develop COVID-19.

The same is true if you have certain other chronic conditions in addition to your MS also called comorbidities according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These include:

Smoking and pregnancy are also a concern for severe COVID-19 symptoms, the CDC adds.

The higher your risk, the sooner you should be vaccinated, says Banerjee.

The question with any vaccination is what advantage you have by getting vaccinated now, compared to later, he says. For some people, waiting longer wont have a significant effect and wont raise their risk. But for those with MS, particularly with comorbidities, the longer they wait, the more of a gamble theyre taking.

Another important point: If youve already had COVID-19, that shouldnt change your vaccination plans.

Many people with MS are on disease modifying therapies, known as DMTs, that affect immune system regulation.

These therapies work by tamping down the immune system so it doesnt begin attacking the bodys own cells, says Barbara Giesser, MD, a neurologist and MS specialist at the Pacific Neuroscience Institute.

For this reason, some people with MS may be at increased risk for becoming sick from the virus that causes COVID-19, she says.

Research on previous vaccines also suggests there may be a diminished response to the COVID-19 vaccine, Geisser adds.

Even if that happens, keep in mind were talking about vaccines that are 95 percent effective, she says. Even if you reduce the effectiveness by 20 or even 30 percent, thats still much better than not getting the vaccine which has zero effectiveness.

Concern about the DMT effect has caused some patients to wonder if they should temporarily stop their therapy as a way to improve the vaccine response, adds Banerjee. But he says thats a dangerous tactic.

Stopping DMT suddenly can cause a significant risk of disability and new lesions, he says. A better approach is to talk with your health provider and time your DMT with the vaccine, so you get the effectiveness of both.

The biggest advice from experts? Talk with your healthcare team about your specific situation.

Although recommendations for people with MS might apply to you, its worth talking through any concerns, especially if youve had severe allergic reactions to vaccines in the past, Geisser says.

Most of all, even after youre vaccinated, continue to take precautions: wear a mask, avoid gatherings, and wash your hands.

Elizabeth Millard lives in Minnesota with her partner, Karla, and their menagerie of farm animals. Her work has appeared in a variety of publications, including SELF, Everyday Health, HealthCentral, Runners World, Prevention, Livestrong, Medscape, and many others. You can find her and way too many cat photos on her Instagram.

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3 Things You Need to Know About the COVID-19 Vaccines & MS - Healthline

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) reports as of February 5, 2021, there have been 1,970,429 total confirmatory laboratory results received for COVID-19, with 123,641 total cases and 2,100 total deaths.

DHHR has confirmed the deaths of a 60-year old male from Mason County, an 83-year old male from Wood County, a 77-year old male from Raleigh County, a 71-year old female from Ohio County, a 92-year old female from Harrison County, a 24-year old male from Berkeley County, a 49-year old male from Ohio County, a 59-year old female from Harrison County, a 72-year old male from Cabell County, an 89-year old male from Berkeley County, a 94-year old female from Hancock County, a 71-year old female from Ritchie County, a 73-year old male from Hardy County, an 88-year old female from Mercer County, a 66-year old male from Mason County, a 79-year old male from Raleigh County, a 79-year old female from Mingo County, an 86-year old female from Putnam County, an 86-year old female from Putnam County, and a 71-year old female from Grant County.

As this pandemic continues, it doesnt get any easier to report the deaths of our residents, said Bill J. Crouch, DHHR Cabinet Secretary. Our sincere condolences are extended to these families.

CASES PER COUNTY: Barbour (1,138), Berkeley (9,127), Boone (1,473), Braxton (752), Brooke (1,932), Cabell (7,256), Calhoun (215), Clay (360), Doddridge (421), Fayette (2,468), Gilmer (658), Grant (1,010), Greenbrier (2,301), Hampshire (1,421), Hancock (2,521), Hardy (1,234), Harrison (4,570), Jackson (1,591), Jefferson (3,394), Kanawha (11,311), Lewis (894), Lincoln (1,147), Logan (2,514), Marion (3,455), Marshall (2,874), Mason (1,700), McDowell (1,285), Mercer (3,977), Mineral (2,521), Mingo (1,976), Monongalia (7,262), Monroe (899), Morgan (881), Nicholas (1,080), Ohio (3,438), Pendleton (595), Pleasants (777), Pocahontas (564), Preston (2,452), Putnam (3,925), Raleigh (4,283), Randolph (2,252), Ritchie (573), Roane (472), Summers (681), Taylor (1,036), Tucker (475), Tyler (585), Upshur (1,551), Wayne (2,447), Webster (271), Wetzel (1,023), Wirt (331), Wood (6,643), Wyoming (1,649).

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.

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COVID-19 Daily Update 2-5-2021 - West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources

HOUSTON Texas is set to receive more than 400,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine next week, the state health department announced Friday.

The federal government is providing 401,750 doses to the state for the week of Feb. 8. The Texas Department of State Health Services instructed the CDC to ship the doses to 358 providers in 135 counties, including 85 hub providers.

Texas DSHS said an additional 273 providers will receive doses next week with a focus on locations that serve older adults, such as health departments, pharmacies, federally qualified health centers, community and rural clinics, and some medical practices that specialize in care for older adults.

The state is also ordering 330,925 doses intended to be used as second doses for people first vaccinated a few weeks ago.

Texas providers have administered nearly 2.9 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. More than 2.2 million Texans have received at least one dose, and nearly 670,000 have been fully vaccinated. People are not required to be vaccinated in their county of residence, and the vaccine has been administered to residents of all 254 counties.

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Texas to receive more than 400,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses next week - KHOU.com

A teacher at J. Frank Dobie High School died due to COVID-19. She was only 45 years old and had no underlying conditions.

HOUSTON Students at J. Frank Dobie High School are mourning the loss of their beloved teacher, 45-year-old Melissa Gutierrez. But her students say she was more than just a teacher.

"She loved everybody. Everybody that was around her felt love for her. A love beyond what a teacher should normally do," said Noah Torres, a senior at J. Frank Dobie High School.

Mrs. Gutierrez taught family consumer science at Dobie High school for 11 years. She actually graduated from Dobie in 1993. And she loved being a part of the school.

"That was her passion to be an educator, that was her calling. Even outside of school she was still trying to teach," said Joanna Gutierrez, Mrs. Gutierrez's daughter.

But on Dec. 29, 2020, she tested positive for COVID-19. Her daughters said they were shocked, because she was always very careful.

"My mom was the last person that we thought would have ever got it, because she was so prepared and cautious," Joanna Gutierrez said. "Not any time she (wouldn't) have worn her mask."

Her family said Mrs. Gutierrez had no underlying health conditions. They say she was intubated a week ago, but her lungs were just having a hard time. She died Tuesday.

"I was just in shock. There are no words to say. She was just a light in our life. Hard to imagine a person like that just gone," said Kristen Barba, a Dobie High School senior.

Even though her classroom is now empty, Mrs. Gutierrez leaves hearts full of love and memories and one last lesson for all of her kids.

"She would have wanted for everyone to be prepared, wear your mask, take it seriously and take care of each other," Joanna Gutierrez said.

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'There are no words to say' | Students mourn Dobie HS teacher who died after battle with COVID-19 - KHOU.com

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The local fitness group Urban Athletic Club will have to pay $10,000 to the city of DC due to allegations that it violated Covid-19 public health emergency orders. The Office of the Attorney General announced the settlement in a press statement Thursday.

DC Attorney General Karl Racine filed a complaint against the group in December. It alleged that Urban Athletic Club did not follow guidelines regarding social distancing, mask-use, and the correct spacing and sanitation of equipment and workout stations. Per Mayor Muriel Bowsers phase two restrictions on gyms and fitness, clients must be masked while entering and leaving the gym, as well as while working out, if safe to do so. Additionally, clients must be six-feet-apart, equipment must be cleaned between sessions, and workout stations must have 10 feet of space around them.

After the suit was filed, Urban Athletic Club agreed to follow Mayor Bowsers public health orders while the case progressed.

According to the lawsuit, a DC resident reported in September that employees and clients at the Shaw gym were not practicing social distancing or appropriately wearing masks. The attorney generals office alerted the gym of the report, and owner Graham King acknowledged that patrons hadnt been complying with the mandate.

In several subsequent visits by an investigator, clients were seen entering and exiting the studio mask-less, according to the lawsuit, as well as working out on the sidewalk in front of the gym without masks or adequate social distancing. Additionally, the lawsuit says the gym erected an outdoor tent that did not provide proper social distancing from passersby walking down the street, and that equipment in the tent was not cleaned between uses. When an investigator entered the gym, the front desk employee was mask-less, says the lawsuit, as were some people working out indoors.

The lawsuit also includes screenshots of posts fromUrban Athletic Clubs public Instagram page, which are used as evidence that the group was not adhering to guidelines.

While the reports outlined in the lawsuit all took place at Urban Athletic Clubs Shaw location, the group operates spots at the Line Hotel, the Kimpton Glover Park Hotel, and the Watergate office building.

Per the settlement, the group must pay $5,000 to the city within a week, and then pay the additional $5,000 within the next six months. Urban Athletic Club will also have to abide by all city-wide Covid-19 precautions or risk paying another $10,000 penalty.

At the time of publication, Urban Athletic Club had not responded to requests for comment.

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Associate Editor

Mimi Montgomery joined Washingtonian in 2018. Her work has appeared in Outside Magazine, Washington City Paper, DCist, and PoPVille. Originally from North Carolina, she now lives in Petworth.

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Local Fitness Group Has to Pay $10000 for Breaking Covid-19 Regulations - Washingtonian