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33°
Wednesday, dec 4
Tag:
Rochelle Walensky
Lifestyle
Covid-
19: Here's Name Of New Booster Targeting Omicron Strain, What To Know, How To Get Vaccine
Health experts are recommending the use of updated COVID-19 booster vaccines to protect people from the most prevalent subvariants of the virus currently circulating. The newly-approved boosters are officially named "bivalent vaccines" that target the original strain of COVID-19 and what is now the predominant subvariant of Omicron, BA.5., according to a report from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center with Dr. David Tweardy, the head of the Department of Infectious Diseases. “The updated COVID-19 boosters are formulated to better protect against the most recently circulating C…
News
First US Monkeypox Cases In Children Confirmed: Here's New State-By-State Breakdown
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed the first case of monkeypox among children in the United States. Those two cases are part of a record outbreak of nearly 2,900 infections nationwide. The unrelated cases, in an infant and a toddler -- one in California and the other in Washington, DC -- are unrelated and likely the result of household transmission, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky told The Washington Post on Friday, July 22. New York accounts for about 31 percent of the nation's 2,891 monkeypox cases with 900, followed by California (356). For a state-by-sta…
News
Covid-
19: CDC Recommends Wearing Masks Indoors In These Massachusetts Counties
Mask mandates in Massachusetts are being eased by federal health officials as the state recovers from the surge of new infections in early spring. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its guidance on mask-wearing to concentrate on COVID-19 hospitalizations, hospital capacity, and newly reported infections, leaving some parts of the state still encouraged to continue masking up indoors. With the state's seven-day average COVID-19 positivity rate nearly 10 percent, with 83 virus-related deaths in the past week, some counties in Massachusetts are being encouraged to con…
News
Covid-
19: CDC Recommends Wearing Masks Indoors In These Massachusetts Counties
Massachusetts residents are being advised by federal health officials to start masking back up amid the latest spike in new COVID-19 cases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its guidance on mask-wearing to concentrate on COVID-19 hospitalizations, hospital capacity, and newly reported infections, leaving most of the state being encouraged to return to wearing facial coverings indoors. According to the CDC, in the past seven days, there have been more than 13,000 new COVID-19 cases confirmed in Massachusetts, including 50 new patients that were admitted to hospital…
News
Covid-
19: FDA Authorizes Second Booster Shot For This Group Of Americans
Federal health officials authorized a second booster shot of both the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for older Americans. On Tuesday, March 29, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that a second shot has been approved for Americans who are 50 and older once four months have passed since their initial booster. With the FDA's approval, the decision now falls on Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), who is expected to sign off on the additional shot as soon as Tuesday afternoon. The second booster shot had already been …
News
Covid-
19: CDC Unveils New Strategy Allowing Communities To Ease Masking, Social Distancing
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated its guidance to permit most healthy Americans to ditch their masks indoors, including students. On Friday, Feb. 25, the CDC announced it was altering its metrics that are used to determine which communities can begin lifting their mask mandates with a focus less on positive test results and more on virus-related hospitalization numbers. Previously, the CDC’s prevention guidance for local communities focused on the rate of new COVID-19 cases and the seven-day average positive infection rate; however, as the ongoing fight aga…
News
Covid-
19: CDC Expected To Greatly Ease Indoor Mask Guidance, Reports Say
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is expected to significantly ease its indoor mask mandate as the country continues its recovery from the latest wave of COVID-19 infections. According to multiple reports, the CDC is expected to announce a change in its guidance regarding masks, allowing most Americans to ditch their facial coverings indoors. The AP first reported the news, citing “two people familiar with the matter.” The new guidance is expected to be announced as soon as Friday, Feb. 25. It marks the first indoor mask guidance change from the CDC since July 2021. …
News
Covid-
19: Fauci Offers New Prediction On When Omicron Wave May Break
Things could get worse before they get better as the Omicron COVID-19 variant begins to take over, according to infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci. Fauci, President Joe Biden’s chief medical advisor, said that the US will likely hit one million daily new COVID-19 cases, though there could be relief in a few weeks until the number of new infections begins to plateau. “I would hope - I can’t predict accurately, because no one can - but I would hope that by the time we get to the fourth week in January - end of the third week, beginning of the fourth week – that we will start see thi…
News
Covid-
19: CDC Shortens Waiting Period For Pfizer Booster Shots
Americans who received the Pfizer and BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine can now get a booster shot in a shorter timeframe than originally recommended, according to federal health officials who passed a pair of measures to make the vaccine more readily available. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Tuesday, Jan. 4 that booster shots should be made available five months after receiving the second dose of the vaccine, down from the original recommendation of at least six months. Those who received the Moderna vaccine must still wait at least six months after their seco…
Lifestyle
Covid-
19: Large Holiday Gatherings Are Not Safe — Even With Booster, Fauci Says
The nation’s top infectious disease expert is cautioning Americans against hosting large holiday parties or gatherings due to the increasing threat of the Omicron COVID-19 variant of the virus, even if precautions are taken. Dr. Anthony Fauci said that it's reasonable for Americans vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19 can be with family over the holidays but attending large gatherings is not safe, even for those who received a booster dose. Fauci’s statement comes as the country is facing a winter surge of new COVID-19 infections amid the spread of the Omicron variant. “There are many …
News
Covid-
19: Info Released On First US Omicron Death; Biden To Announce 500M Free At-Home Tests
Less than three weeks after the first case of the highly transmissible Omicron COVID-19 variant was identified in the United States, the first death in the nation connected to the strain has been confirmed in the Houston, Texas area. The patient was a man in his 50s who was not vaccinated and had an underlying health condition, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said, according to KHOU-11, a CBS-affiliated television station in Houston. Houston Methodist said on Monday, Dec. 20 that 82 percent of its new cases are omicron after just three weeks of testing for it, KHOU reported. Omicron …
News
Covid-
19: CDC Panel Recommends Moderna, Pfizer Vaccines Over Johnson & Johnson Jab
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new guidance saying that people shouldn’t get the one-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 shot if the Pfizer or Moderna option is available. Citing potentially life-threatening blood clots liked to the J & J jab, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met on Thursday, Dec. 16 following an update from the Food and Drug Administration. Federal officials halted the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine earlier this year for 10 days in April after six women experienced the blood-clotting problem — the only…
News
Covid-
19: CDC Predicts When Peak Wave Of Infections Is Possible As Omicron Spreads In US
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) health officials have issued a warning that the Omicron variant could soon cause a large surge of infections across the United States, according to a new report. Health officials said on Tuesday, Dec. 14, that the wave of infections caused by the highly-transmissible variant could reach a peak as soon as January, The Washington Post reported. The CDC reported on Tuesday that it estimates the Omicron variant currently accounts for about 3 percent of the COVID-19 cases in the US. CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said genomic sequencing esti…
Lifestyle
Covid-
19: CDC Reveals Which Vaccine Is More Effective In Preventing Hospitalizations
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released a new study that found which of the three US-approved COVID-19 vaccines are most effective in preventing hospitalizations, ICU visits, or potential intubation. A recently released study from the CDC determined that the Moderna vaccine was slightly more effective in preventing hospitalizations than the Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson vaccines. In total, approximately 32,000 patients that were treated in hospitals in nine US states were studied by the CDC over the summer and it was determined that the Moderna shot was most effe…
News
Covid-
19: CDC Reveals Which Vaccine Is More Effective In Preventing Hospitalizations
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released a new study that found which of the three US-approved COVID-19 vaccines are most effective in preventing hospitalizations, ICU visits, or potential intubation. A recently released study from the CDC determined that the Moderna vaccine was slightly more effective in preventing hospitalizations than the Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson vaccines. In total, approximately 32,000 patients that were treated in hospitals in nine US states were studied by the CDC over the summer and it was determined that the Moderna shot was most effe…
News
Covid-
19: Study Reveals How Many More Times Unvaccinated Are Likely To Die From Virus, CDC Says
A newly released study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that Americans unvaccinated for COVID-19 are more than 10 times more likely to die from the virus. People not fully vaccinated against the virus are 10 times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 and 11 times more likely to die, according to new major studies published on Friday, Sept. 10 by the CDC. "The incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection, hospitalization, and death is higher in unvaccinated than vaccinated persons, and the incidence rate ratios are related to vaccine effectiveness,” researche…
News
Covid-
19: FDA Expected To Authorize Booster Shots For Immunocompromised People
The US Food and Drug Administration is expected to move forward quickly with authorization of COVID-19 booster shots for some Americans who are immunocompromised, according to reports. Health officials said that the third shot of the current two-dose Pfizer and Moderna vaccine could be authorized within the next 48 hours, though no official timetable has been set as variants of the virus and COVID-19 mutations continue to cause a surge in new cases. Before a vaccine can be used in new ways outside existing authorization it requires new approval from the FDA. Currently, the Moderna, Pfizer…
News
Covid-
19: Cape Cod Cluster Among Vaccinated Led To Mask Shift; 'The War Has Changed' CDC Says
A cluster of hundreds of COVID-19 cases on Cape Cod, many involving vaccinated people, prompted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to change its policy on mask-wearing this week. The July 4th outbreak in Provincetown, Massachusetts showed that vaccinated people infected with the Delta variant could spread the virus. A total of nearly 900 infections have been linked to the cluster. The high viral load of the Delta variant, which was first discovered in India late last year, makes it possible for vaccinated who become infected through breakthrough cases to spread the virus i…
News
Covid-
19: Delta Variant Expected To Be Dominant In US, Says CDC
Federal health officials are cautioning that the new Delta COVID-19 variant is likely to become the new dominant strain of the virus in the US, prompting new calls for Americans to get vaccinated. Rochelle Walensky, the director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said on Friday, June 18 that the more transmissible Delta variant, known as B.1.617.2 has already become the dominant strain in the UK and is likely to follow suit in the US. Earlier story - COVID-19: Delta Variant's Symptoms Different, More Dangerous Than Original Virus, Doctors Say “As worrisome as this D…
News
Covid-
19: Pfizer, Moderna Release Clinical Trial Results On Response Against Virus Variants
Both Pfizer and Moderna - two of the three COVID-19 vaccines approved for distribution in the US - have seen promising results in combating variants of the virus in recent studies. This week, both pharmaceutical companies released results of clinical trials that show the vaccines are effective in combating COVID-19 variants, including the prominent strains from South Africa and Brazil. Moderna has been testing a 50-microgram dose of its vaccine in previously vaccinated people, which found the booster dose increased neutralizing antibody responses against the original virus as well as the va…
News
Covid-
19: More Young People Getting Hospitalized From 'Stickier,' Highly Contagious Strain
The new “stickier” COVID-19 variant that derived in the United Kingdom could be at the root of the recent rash of younger Americans getting infected with the virus. Unlike the original COVID-19 strain that came to the East Coast from Wuhan, the new, more transmittable B.1.1.7 variant has proven to be a formidable foe for younger Americans, who have seen the number of infections rapidly rising in recent weeks. “(COVID-19) cases and emergency room visits are up,” Rochelle Walensky, the director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said this week. “We are seeing these increases…
News
Covid-
19: CDC Releases New Guidance On Spread Of Virus On Surfaces
The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) has released updated guidance on the spread of COVID-19 on surfaces. "People can be affected with the virus that causes COVID-19 with contact with contaminated surfaces and objects," CDC Director Rochelle Walensky. "However, evidence has demonstrated the risk by this route of transmission is actually low." Cleaning with a household cleaner that contains soap or detergent reduces the amount of germs on surfaces and decreases risk of infection from surfaces, Walensky said. "This process does not necessarily kill germs, but reduces the ri…
News
Covid-
19: CDC Director Warns Of 'Avoidable Rise In Cases,' Says US Is At Fork In Road
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky is urging Americans to remain vigilant so the country doesn’t see an “avoidable rise in cases." Walensky warned on Monday, March 22 that another surge similar to what happened in the winter is “avoidable” as the federal government ramps up production and distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. “I get it. We all want to return to our everyday activities and spend time with our friends, family, and loved ones,” she said. “But we must find the fortitude to hang in there just a bit longer. "We are at a critical point in this …
Schools
Covid-
19: CDC Issues New Guidance On Social Distancing For Students
The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) has issued new guidance on social distancing in schools. The agency announced late Friday morning, March 19 that students can sit 3 feet apart instead of 6 feet as long as they are wearing masks. The move will allow for more desks in classrooms and a more stable schedule for students. The new guidance, for K-12 students, includes all communities, regardless of whether the transmission rate is substantial, moderate, or low, according to the CDC. The announcement comes following a study published in the journal Clinical Infectious Disea…
News
Covid-
19: CDC Unveils Highly-Anticipated Guidelines For Those Who Are Fully Vaccinated
The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) has just issued its first guidance for fully vaccinated people during the COVID-19 pandemic. Those who currently count as fully vaccinated are those who have gotten two separate shots of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines with the second shot coming at least two weeks ago. The rollout for the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine started last week. According to the CDC guidance released late Monday morning, March 8, fully vaccinated people should still: Maintain physical distance in public and wear a well-fitted mask Avoid large- and…
News
Covid-
19: Cases Of More Contagious South African Strain Have Now Been Reported In These States
The more transmittable COVID-19 variant from South Africa continues to make the rounds across the country, with newly confirmed cases of the strain being reported throughout the Northeast. The South African COVID-19 strain has now been reported in nine states, including New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, and one territory, as the country works to vaccinate as many people as possible to prevent the spread of the virus. Other states reporting confirmed cases of the South African strain include: California; Texas; Illinois; Virginia; South Carolina; Maryland; The District of Col…
Schools
Covid-
19: CDC Releases New Guidance, Strategies For Reopening Schools
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is encouraging schools and school districts to reopen safely and has just released new guidance for doing just that. On Friday, Feb. 12, the CDC unveiled the new science-based plan. “It is critical for schools to open as safely and as soon as possible, and remain open, to achieve the benefits of in-person learning and key support services,” health officials said. “To enable schools to open safely and remain open, it is important to adopt and consistently implement actions to slow the spread of COVID in schools and in the community.” The…
Lifestyle
Covid-
19: CDC Outlines Mask Practices That Can Cut Transmission 96.5 Percent
The CDC has laid out new guidance on mask-wearing that could help dramatically curtail the spread of COVID-19. According to health officials, wearing any mask will reduce the risk of contracting or spreading the virus, but more tightly fitted surgical masks, or double-masking can vastly improve protection for both the wearer and others. New research found that transmission of the virus can be reduced by up to 96.5 percent if tightly-fitted surgical masks or a combination of fitted surgical masks with a cloth covering are worn, officials said. Rochelle Walensky, the new director of the CDC…
Schools
Covid-
19: New CDC Director Gives Guidance On Schools Reopening
With President Joe Biden seeking to open all elementary and middle schools for in-person learning within his first 100 days in office, the CDC has provided new guidance on getting students back into the classroom. The CDC is now saying that it is possible to return to the classroom without fully vaccinating all educators beforehand. “There is increasing data to suggest that schools can safely reopen and that safe reopening does not suggest that teachers need to be vaccinated in order to reopen safely," CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said on Wednesday, Feb. 3. "Vaccination of teachers is not…
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