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Vaccine

COVID-19: New Variant With 30 Mutations May Cause Breakthrough Infections, CDC Warns COVID-19: New Variant With 30 Mutations May Cause Breakthrough Infections, CDC Warns
Covid-19: New Variant With 30 Mutations May Cause Breakthrough Infections, CDC Warns A newly identified COVID-19 strain with around 30 mutations may cause breakthrough infections, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The BA.2.86 strain, now known as Pirola, has been identified in three states: Michigan, Virginia, and Ohio. The Michigan case, the first in the US, was an older woman who had recently returned from Japan. "BA.2.86 may be more capable of causing infection in people who have previously had COVID-19 or who have received COVID-19 vaccines," the CDC said in a Risk Assessment Summary. "Scientists are evaluating the effectiveness of the f…
Winter Is Coming: Flu Cases Rapidly Rising Nationwide Just One Month Into Fall Season Winter Is Coming: Flu Cases Rapidly Rising Nationwide Just One Month Into Fall Season
Winter Is Coming: Flu Cases Rapidly Rising Nationwide Just One Month Into Fall Season Flu cases are soaring nationwide just a month into the fall season, and health officials are sounding the alarm now that it could be a dangerous winter. Some are citing the end of many of the COVID-19 pandemic precautions that have been in effect for two-plus years as a possible cause. "Early increases in seasonal influenza activity have been reported in most of the United States, with the southeast and south-central areas of the country reporting the highest levels of activity," the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said. In the Northeast, New York is already reporting…
NY Declares Monkeypox 'Imminent Threat To Public Health' Amid New Rise In Cases NY Declares Monkeypox 'Imminent Threat To Public Health' Amid New Rise In Cases
NY Declares Monkeypox 'Imminent Threat To Public Health' Amid New Rise In Cases Amid a new increase in cases in New York, the state's health commissioner has declared the monkeypox virus "an imminent threat to public health." "Based on the ongoing spread of this virus, which has increased rapidly and affected primarily communities that identify as men who have sex with men, and the need for local jurisdictions to administer vaccines, I've declared monkeypox an Imminent Threat to Public Health throughout New York State," State Commissioner of Health Dr. Mary T. Bassett said.  The dedication means local health departments will be able to access additional state reim…
Sun River Health Infectious Disease Specialist Shares Tips On Navigating Monkeypox Sun River Health Infectious Disease Specialist Shares Tips On Navigating Monkeypox
Sun River Health Infectious Disease Specialist Shares Tips On Navigating Monkeypox With news stories on monkeypox cases rising in New York, especially in New York City, many are concerned about how this disease is spread, how to recognize it, and how to prevent it. What is monkeypox? The monkeypox virus belongs to the pox group of viruses. This group also includes smallpox, but it is important to note that monkeypox is not the same as smallpox. Monkeypox also has nothing to do with chickenpox, which is part of a different family of viruses. What are the symptoms of monkeypox? The monkeypox virus incubates for between five and 21 days before presenting with fever, chill…
US Releasing Monkeypox Vaccine From National Stockpile For This Group Of Americans US Releasing Monkeypox Vaccine From National Stockpile For This Group Of Americans
US Releasing Monkeypox Vaccine From National Stockpile For This Group Of Americans With the monkeypox virus making its way to the US, officials announced that they will be releasing previously approved vaccines from the national stockpile to help curtail any spread of the disease. There has been one confirmed case of monkeypox in Massachusetts, with several others suspected in the US, which prompted federal health officials to release the vaccine to “high-risk” people. Earlier story - CDC Issues Health Advisory Amid Ongoing Investigation Into Monkeypox In US According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Jynneos vaccine is being released to potent…
COVID-19: 'Many Variants Are Coming,' Pfizer CEO Warns, Saying Fourth Shot Will Be Needed COVID-19: 'Many Variants Are Coming,' Pfizer CEO Warns, Saying Fourth Shot Will Be Needed
Covid-19: 'Many Variants Are Coming,' Pfizer CEO Warns, Saying Fourth Shot Will Be Needed Warning that "many variants are coming," the chairman and chief executive officer of Pfizer says a fourth dose of the COVID-19 -- a second booster shot -- will be needed. Appearing on CBS-TV's "Face the Nation" on Sunday, March 13, Dr. Albert Bourla was asked if a COVID booster shot could become recommended each fall - similar to a flu shot. "I think so," Bourla responded. "And I think this is what we are trying now to make." Bourla said Pfizer is trying "very diligently to stay ahead of the virus" because "many variants are coming and Omicron was the first one that was able to evade in a …
COVID-19: FDA Changes Course On Vaccine Authorization For Kids Under 5 COVID-19: FDA Changes Course On Vaccine Authorization For Kids Under 5
Covid-19: FDA Changes Course On Vaccine Authorization For Kids Under 5 Federal health officials delayed a planned public meeting to review Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for children under five. Citing the need to see more data as part of its rolling application process, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on Friday, Feb. 11 that it would be delaying the planned meeting, raising questions about how soon children should get the COVID-19 shot. The FDA’s outside experts had been set to meet on Tuesday, Feb. 15 to discuss if children under the age of 5 could safely receive a low dose of the vaccine safely. Pfizer said on Friday that it will be waiting fo…
COVID-19: Pfizer Asks FDA For Emergency Use Authorization Of Vaccine For Children Under 5 COVID-19: Pfizer Asks FDA For Emergency Use Authorization Of Vaccine For Children Under 5
Covid-19: Pfizer Asks FDA For Emergency Use Authorization Of Vaccine For Children Under 5 New York-based Pfizer and its European partner BioNTech has requested that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expand the use of its COVID-19 vaccine to include children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years old, officials announced. On Tuesday, Feb. 1, citing a host of clinical trials, the pharmaceutical company announced it is seeking emergency use authorization (EUA) to admit the vaccine to a wider range of children. Currently, the vaccine is only approved for children 5 years old and older. Pfizer said that it plans to complete its EUA submission “in the coming days,” and has alre…
COVID-19: Here's Percentage NY Cases Have Dropped Since First Week Of Month COVID-19: Here's Percentage NY Cases Have Dropped Since First Week Of Month
Covid-19: Here's Percentage NY Cases Have Dropped Since First Week Of Month The COVID-19 numbers in New York continue to show marked improvement as the state distances itself from the post-holiday seasons surge of new infections. After peaking on Friday, Jan. 7, COVID-19 cases in New York have dropped 90 percent, according to the latest update from the Department of Health, which is reporting improved virus-related data across the board. In the past 24 hours, the number of COVID-19 patients being treated for the virus in state hospitals is down by more than 550, and each of New York’s 10 regions has seen its average seven-day positive infection rate drop since the …
COVID-19: Hudson Valley Seeing Trend Of Less Positive Cases, Lower Infection Rates COVID-19: Hudson Valley Seeing Trend Of Less Positive Cases, Lower Infection Rates
Covid-19: Hudson Valley Seeing Trend Of Less Positive Cases, Lower Infection Rates The Hudson Valley has seen relief from the post-holiday surge of new COVID-19 infections as the positivity rate of those being tested for the virus dipped closer to 20 percent. For three straight days, the seven-day average percentage of positive test results in the Hudson Valley dipped from 22.59 percent on Sunday, Jan. 9, to 21.96 the following day, and down to 21.09 percent on Tuesday, Jan. 11, still among the highest in the state. Statewide, the positivity rate is also on the decline, to 20.22 percent on Jan. 11, as most of the state's 10 regions have seen COVID-19 either plateauing or …
COVID-19: Dozens Of NY Hospitals Halt Elective Surgeries COVID-19: Dozens Of NY Hospitals Halt Elective Surgeries
Covid-19: Dozens Of NY Hospitals Halt Elective Surgeries New York State officials have ordered dozens of hospitals experiencing lower bed capacity to temporarily halt elective surgeries in an effort to free up space amid the winter surge in COVID-19 cases. The state Department of Health ordered 40 hospitals to stop surgeries that aren't essential or urgent for at least two weeks, according to ABC 7. Most of the facilities are located in the western and central regions of the state, and the complete list of hospitals can be viewed here. The news comes as cases continue to increase across New York. In a daily update posted on Saturday, Jan. …
COVID-19: Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren Tests Positive COVID-19: Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren Tests Positive
Covid-19: Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren Tests Positive Sen. Elizabeth Warren announced that she has tested positive for COVID-19. The 72-year-old Massachusetts Democrat said in a tweet that she received her positive test result on Sunday, Dec. 19 after testing negative earlier last week. I regularly test for COVID & while I tested negative earlier this week, today I tested positive with a breakthrough case. Thankfully, I am only experiencing mild symptoms & am grateful for the protection provided against serious illness that comes from being vaccinated & boosted. — Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) December 19, 2021 Warren said she…
COVID-19: Fourth Shot May Eventually Be Needed, Pfizer Says COVID-19: Fourth Shot May Eventually Be Needed, Pfizer Says
Covid-19: Fourth Shot May Eventually Be Needed, Pfizer Says The CEO of Pfizer said in an interview that he believes a fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose will eventually be needed.  Albert Bourla said on CNBC that real-world data will help determine how well three doses of the vaccine protect against the Omicron variant and how long protection lasts. "And the second point, I think we will need the fourth dose," Bourla told CNBC on Wednesday, Dec. 8. "I’ve said that multiple times. With the previous, I was projecting that that will be on 12 months after the third dose. With Omicron, we need to wait and see because we have very little informat…
COVID-19: First Findings Released On Vaccine Effectiveness Against Omicron Variant COVID-19: First Findings Released On Vaccine Effectiveness Against Omicron Variant
Covid-19: First Findings Released On Vaccine Effectiveness Against Omicron Variant The first findings on the effectiveness of vaccines against the COVID-19 Omicron variant have been released. Pfizer and its European partner BioNTech said that a booster shot offers significant protection against Omicron and "neutralizes" the strain. Two vaccine doses "show significantly reduced neutralization titers" but could protect against severe disease from COVID, the companies said. The findings come from an initial laboratory study. According to the companies’ preliminary data, "a third dose provides a similar level of neutralizing antibodies to Omicron as is observ…
COVID-19: Man Who Went To NY Conference Tests Positive For Omicron Variant COVID-19: Man Who Went To NY Conference Tests Positive For Omicron Variant
Covid-19: Man Who Went To NY Conference Tests Positive For Omicron Variant A day after the first case of the new COVID-19 variant was identified in the United States, it has been announced that a man from the Midwest who attended a conference in New York City has tested positive for the Omicron COVID-19 strain. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Thursday, Dec. 2 that the Department of Health in Minnesota alerted her that a constituent tested positive for the variant after spending time at the conference held at the Javits Center in Manhattan. Earlier story - COVID-19: First Case Of New Omicron Variant Identified In United States Hochul noted that the pe…
COVID-19: Pfizer CEO Says New Vaccine May Be Needed For Omicron, Anti-Viral Pills Are Effective COVID-19: Pfizer CEO Says New Vaccine May Be Needed For Omicron, Anti-Viral Pills Are Effective
Covid-19: Pfizer CEO Says New Vaccine May Be Needed For Omicron, Anti-Viral Pills Are Effective Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said that his company is preparing to tackle new COVID-19 variants, and that he expects the company’s treatment pill will be effective in helping avoid severe illness or possibly death if one get infected. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Omicron poses a “very high” global risk, with the likelihood it is more transmissible than previous strains. The new variant has nearly three dozen mutations that reportedly decrease antibody protection. WHO described Omicron as a “highly divergent variant with a high number of mutations ... some of which are conce…
COVID-19: Rising Number Of Cases Prompts Ulster County To Declare State Of Emergency COVID-19: Rising Number Of Cases Prompts Ulster County To Declare State Of Emergency
Covid-19: Rising Number Of Cases Prompts Ulster County To Declare State Of Emergency Ulster County has declared a state of emergency due to rising COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan made the announcement on Sunday, Nov. 28, saying the order will be in effect for at least 30 days.  Ryan said since Halloween, active cases have tripled in the county. He urged residents to get vaccinated against COVID and to get their booster shots if they are six months past their last vaccine dose. "With COVID cases and hospitalizations surging, and the emergence of a new and potentially more dangerous variant, we must step up our efforts to ensure t…
COVID-19: Pfizer Expected To Seek Approval For Boosters For All Adults COVID-19: Pfizer Expected To Seek Approval For Boosters For All Adults
Covid-19: Pfizer Expected To Seek Approval For Boosters For All Adults Pfizer and European partner BioNTech are expected to seek federal authorization to administer its COVID-19 booster shot to all Americans over the age of 18. As soon as this week, the biopharmaceutical company is reportedly planning to seek US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for booster shots for anyone 18 and older. Currently, only Americans 65 and older, those who are immunocompromised and anyone whose job puts them at a larger risk for exposure are eligible for Pfizer booster shots. The FDA is considered likely to grant the request, potentially before Thanksgiving and the hol…
COVID-19: FDA Advisory Committee Recommends Vaccines For Kids Ages 5 To 11 COVID-19: FDA Advisory Committee Recommends Vaccines For Kids Ages 5 To 11
Covid-19: FDA Advisory Committee Recommends Vaccines For Kids Ages 5 To 11 A Food and Drug Administration vaccine advisory panel has voted to recommend Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11. The endorsement of Pfizer's lower dose vaccine for younger kids was announced on Tuesday, Oct. 26, and it will be considered for authorization by the FDA next. CNBC reported that 17 members of the committee voted to endorse the vaccine, and one person declined to vote. A decision by the FDA could be made within the next few days, CNBC said.  An advisory group with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is scheduled to meet next week to d…
COVID-19: Pfizer Asks FDA To Approve Vaccine For Children Ages 5 To 11 COVID-19: Pfizer Asks FDA To Approve Vaccine For Children Ages 5 To 11
Covid-19: Pfizer Asks FDA To Approve Vaccine For Children Ages 5 To 11 Pfizer has officially asked the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for emergency use authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine to be administered to children between the ages of 5 and 11. With parents and politicians alike agreeing that keeping children learning in the classroom after a lost year in 2020, Pfizer is pushing to allow its vaccine to be administered among younger Americans. Pfizer tweeted this week that the company had submitted their formal request for Emergency Use Authorization of the vaccine to the FDA. "With new cases in children in the U.S. continuing to be at a high lev…
COVID-19: Johnson & Johnson To Seek Authorization For Booster Shot COVID-19: Johnson & Johnson To Seek Authorization For Booster Shot
Covid-19: Johnson & Johnson To Seek Authorization For Booster Shot Johnson & Johnson is seeking federal approval for its COVID-19 booster shots, which could make it the latest to be authorized by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). On Monday, Oct. 4, a spokesperson for the pharmaceutical company announced that they were looking to gain approval to begin administering booster shots for its one-dose vaccine. Last month, regulators authorized a booster shot for some recipients of the Pfizer vaccine and are considering authorization this month for recipients of the Moderna vaccine. In total, according to reports, more than 15 million Am…
COVID-19: Nearly 6K Daily Cases, 34 New Deaths Reported In New York COVID-19: Nearly 6K Daily Cases, 34 New Deaths Reported In New York
Covid-19: Nearly 6K Daily Cases, 34 New Deaths Reported In New York New York State has reported thousands of new COVID-19 cases and more than 30 new deaths. On Sunday, Sept. 12, another 5,768 COVID-19 cases were reported in the state, according to an update from Gov. Kathy Hochul. Thirty-four more deaths from COVID-19 were also reported in the state's update on Saturday. A total of 203,374 tests were reported in Sunday's update, bringing the state's test positivity rate to 2.84 percent. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), all of New York's counties had high community transmission of COVID-19 between Sunday, Sept 5 …
COVID-19: Highly Contagious New Virus Strain Could Evade Vaccines, Study Says COVID-19: Highly Contagious New Virus Strain Could Evade Vaccines, Study Says
Covid-19: Highly Contagious New Virus Strain Could Evade Vaccines, Study Says A new variant of COVID-19 might be more transmissible, and it may evade some protection from vaccines, according to a new study. Business Standard reported that researchers in South Africa said the variant was discovered in May.  Since then, the variant, C.1.2, has been reported in China, New Zealand, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and several other countries, the news outlet reported. The researchers reportedly found that the new variant has a mutation rate about twice as fast as that of other COVID-19 variants, and it could evade the antibodies people have developed…
COVID-19: Hudson Valley Sees New Positive-Test Rate Increase; Latest Breakdown By County COVID-19: Hudson Valley Sees New Positive-Test Rate Increase; Latest Breakdown By County
Covid-19: Hudson Valley Sees New Positive-Test Rate Increase; Latest Breakdown By County There were 18 new COVID-19-related deaths reported in New York overnight, though none in the Hudson Valley, where the positive infection rate continues to rise throughout the region. In the Hudson Valley, the average seven-day COVID-19 infection rate jumped from 3.18 percent on Friday, Aug. 13 to 3.25 percent the following day before dipping back down to 3.16 percent and back to 3.25 percent of those tested on Monday, Aug. 16. As recently as three weeks ago, the infection rate was closer to 2 percent. Statewide, the positive infection rate jumped from 2.86 percent to 3.13 percent duri…
COVID-19: Unvaccinated Are More Than Twice As Likely To Get Virus A Second Time, CDC Says COVID-19: Unvaccinated Are More Than Twice As Likely To Get Virus A Second Time, CDC Says
Covid-19: Unvaccinated Are More Than Twice As Likely To Get Virus A Second Time, CDC Says A new study by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that COVID-19 vaccines offer better and more protection against reinfection of the virus than just natural immunity among those who already have been infected. On Friday, Aug. 6, the CDC released the findings of a new study of nearly 1,000 Americans who previously tested positive for COVID-19 but remained unvaccinated. According to the study, those who were unvaccinated proved to be more than twice as likely to become infected for a second time than those who were fully vaccinated against the virus. Researchers …
COVID-19: Concerns Over Delta Variant Grow As US Cases Double In Three Weeks COVID-19: Concerns Over Delta Variant Grow As US Cases Double In Three Weeks
Covid-19: Concerns Over Delta Variant Grow As US Cases Double In Three Weeks While much of the country is settling into the “new normal” following the rise and fall of the COVID-19 crisis, the Delta variant is proving to be the one variable Americans still have to contend with. Concerns are rising across the country about the variant after the US has seen a spike in daily COVID-19 cases from approximately 11,300 in late June to nearly 24,000 as of Monday, July 12, according to Johns Hopkins University. According to health officials, the reason for the rise in cases is largely due to the Delta variant, which now makes up the majority of new COVID-19 infections, large…
COVID-19: Mixed Messaging About Booster Shots From CDC, Pfizer Causing Confusion COVID-19: Mixed Messaging About Booster Shots From CDC, Pfizer Causing Confusion
Covid-19: Mixed Messaging About Booster Shots From CDC, Pfizer Causing Confusion Pfizer has announced plans to submit data on a COVID-19 booster vaccine it is developing to regulatory agencies in the coming weeks.  However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration are pushing back, saying booster vaccines are not needed at this time. Confused? You're not alone. On Thursday, July 8, Pfizer and European partner BioNTech said in a news release that the companies are working on a third vaccine dose to combat COVID-19 and its variants, including the Delta variant. The companies said they expect clinical studies will begin in A…
COVID-19: New York's State Of Emergency To Be Lifted COVID-19: New York's State Of Emergency To Be Lifted
Covid-19: New York's State Of Emergency To Be Lifted The State of Emergency put in place in New York more than a year ago is set to expire as the state continues its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that as of Thursday, June 24, the State of Emergency will be lifted as the state went from one of the COVID-19 hotbeds in the world to the lowest infection rate in the country. “The State of Emergency expires tomorrow, and it will not be renewed,” Cuomo said during a COVID-19 briefing in Manhattan on Wednesday, June 23. “It will punctuate the end of the emergency we’ve been in because New Yorkers and essent…
COVID-19: Moderna Asks FDA To Approve Vaccines For Those Ages 12 To 17 COVID-19: Moderna Asks FDA To Approve Vaccines For Those Ages 12 To 17
Covid-19: Moderna Asks FDA To Approve Vaccines For Those Ages 12 To 17 Moderna has requested an emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its COVID-19 vaccine in adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17. The company announced that clinical trials have shown that the vaccine has a 93 percent efficacy rate among adolescents, and has been proven to be safe. If approved, it would be the second COVID-19 vaccine authorized for adolescents, joining the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which was given the green light for use earlier this month. In their study, Moderna found no cases of COVID-19 in participants who received two doses of th…
COVID-19: Vaccine 'Safe, Highly Effective' In Kids 12-17, Moderna Says, Will Seek FDA Approval COVID-19: Vaccine 'Safe, Highly Effective' In Kids 12-17, Moderna Says, Will Seek FDA Approval
Covid-19: Vaccine 'Safe, Highly Effective' In Kids 12-17, Moderna Says, Will Seek FDA Approval Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine has proven effective and safe for adolescents and teens between the ages of 12 and 17, the company announced, as it prepares to seek federal authorization. The company announced that clinical trials have shown that the vaccine has a 93 percent efficacy rate among adolescents, and has been proven to be safe. Moderna officials said that they plan to apply for federal approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to use the vaccine in that age group in June. If approved, it would be the second COVID-19 vaccine authorized for adolescents, joining the Pfizer-Bi…
COVID-19: New Time Frame Provided For When Vaccine Booster Shots May Be Necessary COVID-19: New Time Frame Provided For When Vaccine Booster Shots May Be Necessary
Covid-19: New Time Frame Provided For When Vaccine Booster Shots May Be Necessary Executives and experts at the center of COVID-19 pandemic response are now providing a more specific possible time frame for when Americans who were first to receive a vaccine dose may need to take a booster shot. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, speaking during an Axios event, said that the data he has reviewed supports the notion "that likely there will be a need for a booster somewhere between eight and 12 months" after the initial vaccination regime. That means those who were among the first to get a vaccine shot in mid to late December 2020 or early January 2021 would likely need a booster sh…