What Is The Risk Of Covid
COVID-19 cases in children can result in hospitalizations, deaths, MIS-C and long-term complications, such as long COVID, in which symptoms can linger for months. The spread of the Delta variant resulted in a surge of COVID-19 cases in children throughout the summer. During a 6-week period in late June to mid-August, COVID-19 hospitalizations among children and adolescents increased fivefold.
COVID-19 continues to spread throughout Louisiana. Since the beginning of August, 25% of all new COVID-19 cases in Louisiana were in children.
Tragically, LDH reported 9 pediatric deaths tied to the recent Delta surge alone. A total of 18 children in Louisiana have died of COVID since the pandemic began.
Nationally, according to the FDA, at least 94 children ages 5 to 11 have died of COVID-19 since the pandemic began, and 8,300 have become so sick they needed to be hospitalized. In fact, COVID was the eighth-leading cause of death in the age group over the past year, after accidents, cancer, malformations, murder, heart disease, chronic lower respiratory disease, and flu or pneumonia.
MIS-C is most common in children between the ages of 5 and 13. Since July 1 of this year, 107 cases of MIS-C have occurred in Louisiana children.
Will The Covid Vaccine Cover Any New Strains Of The Covid
Health experts and scientists have been monitoring the presence and significance of various genetic strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus since the beginning of the pandemic. Scientists are still working to better understand how widespread the latest variants of interest are and their impacts on existing therapies, vaccines, and tests. Current evidence suggests that the current vaccines are very effective at preventing serious illness, hospitalization, and death. Click here to learn the latest about variants from CDC.
Who Can Get A Booster Shot Or Third Dose Of The Covid
Everyone over 18 should get a booster shot at any vaccine location. Those aged 16 and 17 years old can get a booster and are eligible for a Pfizer booster only.
Individuals are eligible to receive a booster if it has been at least two months since their one-dose Johnson & Johnson shot or at least six months after completing their two-dose Pfizer or Moderna vaccine series.
Eligible adults may choose which vaccine they receive as a booster dose. The CDC recommends that mRNA vaccines are preferred over the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for prevention of COVID-19 in adults.
COVID-19 vaccines are working well to prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death, even against the widely circulating Delta variant. However, studies show that vaccination may become less effective over time, especially in preventing infection or milder illness and in people over 65 years old. Booster doses provide necessary additional protection against waning immunity. All eligible individuals are encouraged to get booster shots.
Third Doses for Immunocompromised Individuals
People with moderate or severe immune system deficiencies should get an additional Pfizer or Moderna shot at any vaccine location, at least four weeks after their second Pfizer or Moderna shot, including those who have:
“Third Doses” vs “Booster Shots”
Additional vaccine shots are currently recommended for one of two reasons:
What to Bring to Your Appointment
Assistance
Don’t Miss: Tdap Cvs
Can I Get The First And Second Dose Of A Covid
You dont have to get your second dose at the same location. This includes if you are travelling interstate.
Your first dose of the vaccine will be recorded in the Australian Immunisation Register , so your vaccination provider will be able to check which vaccine you received, and when you received that first dose.
To be fully vaccinated, you must have 2 doses of the same vaccine, given at the appropriate intervals.
- If you get Pfizer, you’ll need 2 doses, administered 21 days apart
- If you get Moderna, youll need 2 doses, administered 28 days apart
- If you get AstraZeneca, you’ll need 2 doses, administered 4 to 12 weeks apart.
I Live In South Carolina Part Of The Year Can I Get Vaccinated Here
Yes. Non-permanent residents who are living in South Carolina at the time they are eligible to receive vaccine can be vaccinated here, just as South Carolinians staying in another state can receive their vaccine there. There is no need for proof of residency in order to receive the vaccine.
What to Expect
You May Like: Does Cvs Give Tetanus Shots
How Long Does The Vaccine Last
It is not yet clear how long natural and vaccine-induced immunity lasts and whether additional doses of vaccine will be required in the future. Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna are reportedly developing a booster vaccine that could be used if a variant of SARS-CoV-2 shows evidence that the vaccines are not effective enough against them. Click here to learn the latest about variants from CDC.
Crossing The Border For A Shot In The Arm
Several Iowans, including Linn County Auditor Joel Miller, have crossed the border into Illinois to get vaccinated. Miller went to a Hyvee in Moline, Illinois.
Illinois is also in phase 1B of its vaccination plan, but like Florida, it has different guidelines than Iowa for who is eligible.
Iowa uses a tiered system.
You can get vaccinated in Illinois if you are over 65 or any time of non-essential frontline worker. While some non-healthcare frontline workers are not yet eligible in Iowa, they are eligible in Illinois.
“Anybody who is eligible can receive the vaccine if local jurisdiction eligibility applies,” Rock Island, Illinois County Health Department Chief Operating Officer Janet Hill said. “That said, anybody who is not eligible in Iowa, who comes to Illinois where they might be eligible, that takes the dose away from our residents who also are eagerly awaiting their turn.”
If they wanted, Illinois residents could cross the border and get vaccinated in Iowa. In December, the Iowa Department of Public Health said people who are eligible to receive the vaccine in Iowa can receive it regardless of where they live, whether that is a different county or state.
As of Saturday afternoon, Iowa has given out 13,864 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to non-Iowa residents. For the most part, these are workers who live in another state but work in Iowa.
Just like in Iowa, supply in Illinois is also very limited. Hill said her county’s weekly allotment is 2,450 doses.
Read Also: Cheapest Shingles Vaccine
With Omicron Spreading At Lightning Speed In Europe France Plans To Tighten Rules For The Unvaccinated
France announced on Friday that it would tighten restrictions on unvaccinated people in the new year, and urged limited social interactions over the holiday season to keep a wave of coronavirus cases from overwhelming hospitals.
Jean Castex, Frances prime minister, warned that the country, already facing a spike in cases from the Delta variant of the virus, would soon see a surge of Omicron cases like its European neighbors have.
It is spreading at a lightning speed around us in Europe, with the number of cases doubling every two to three days, Mr. Castex said in a televised address.
And he added a warning: A new wave of infections is coming, even as we are already at a very high level and our hospitals are already under a lot of pressure. An average of 50,724 cases per day were reported in France in the last week, according to a New York Times database, up 38 percent from the average two weeks ago.
To better prepare and protect ourselves, we must take new measures, Mr. Castex said.
Mr. Castex said that the government would introduce a bill in Parliament next month to transform Frances health pass into a vaccine pass.
Currently, the health pass mandatory to access public spaces like restaurants, museums or long-distance trains can be obtained with proof of vaccination or of a recent negative test. If Parliament approves the new law, only vaccinated people would be eligible to receive the pass.
How Can Someone Report An Adverse Reaction To A Covid
Any COVID-19 vaccine reaction that requires hospitalization should be immediately reported to the Office of Public Health at 1-800-256-2748.
In addition, anyone can make a report to the Vaccine Adverse Events Reaction System . This is a national early warning system designed to detect possible safety problems in U.S.-licensed vaccines. VAERS accepts and analyzes reports of adverse events after a person has received a vaccination. Anyone can report an adverse event to VAERS at this link:
Recommended Reading: How Much Does A Tdap Shot Cost At Cvs
Want To Take The Covid
3 min read.Sangeeta Ojha
The cumulative number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 5.21 crore on 24 March, said Union Health Ministry
From 1 April, the vaccination drive will be opened up for all citizens above 45 years of age, the government said on Tuesday. This comes amid rising Covid-19 cases in the country. The cumulative number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 5.21 crore on 24 March, said Union Health Ministry. India reported 47,262 new Covid-19 cases, 23,907 recoveries, and 275 deaths on Wednesday.
Here is all you need to know about the vaccination drive in India
Chinese cellphone suppliers on tax radar
How to register for Covid-19 vaccination
You can log into the Co-WIN portal using the link www.cowin.gov.in and click on the Register/Sign In Yourself” tab to register for the COVID-19 vaccination. Up to 4 people can be registered for vaccination using the same mobile number. There is no authorised mobile app for registering for vaccination in India. You need to log into the Co-WIN portal. You can also register for vaccination through the ArogyaSetu app.
Also Read | Lessons from Indias tryst with lockdown
Is online registration mandatory for Covid 19 vaccination
No. Vaccination Centres also provide for a limited number of on-spot registration slots every day. However, it is recommended to register online and schedule vaccination in advance for a hassle-free vaccination experience.
How Do The Vaccines Work
Unlike many vaccines, the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines do not contain a dead or a weakened virus that triggers an immune response. Instead, these vaccines contain a genetic instruction manual that tells your immune system how to respond and protect you from exposure to the actual virus.
The technology used in the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines is not new. It is called mRNA, or messenger RNA, and it has been around for decades. This is the first time mRNA has been used in a vaccine, but the effect is the same as other vaccines: Your body gets protection without the serious consequences of a severe illness due to COVID-19 exposure.
The J& J vaccine works like many vaccines you are already familiar with. It uses an adenovirus vector, that carries the blueprint for the spike proteins on the viruss surface. This virus works like a Trojan horse, infecting cells and replicating the coronavirus spikes. If you later become infected with the coronavirus, these replicated spikes are how your immune system recognizes and knows how to fight the real thing.
Recommended Reading: Cvs Pharmacy Tdap Vaccine Cost
Do Antibody Drugs Work Against The Omicron Variant
According to Regeneron and Eli Lilly, the companies whose antibody drugs have been instrumental in fighting off severe disease after infection, laboratory testing suggests they will be much less effective against omicron.
Omicron contains dozens of mutations that make it harder for antibodies to attack the virus, and while the companies say they can quickly develop new versions, they aren’t expected for several months. And antibodies from other companies may be more effective against omicron.
Can I Get A Covid
You can have both a COVID-19 vaccine and flu shot on the same day. Studies have shown that both vaccines produce an appropriate immune response, however receiving 2 different vaccines on the same day may increase your chances of having a mild to moderate reaction .
COVID-19 vaccines can also be given at the same time as other vaccines, but there is limited research, so its still recommended to wait a few days between vaccinations.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more advice on when to schedule your vaccinations.
Read Also: Cheapest Shingrix Vaccine
Omicron Is Set To Become The Dominant Covid
As people head indoors to warm up from the cold and celebrate the winter holidays, omicron will find ample opportunities to jump from lung to lung. In addition to its greater transmissibility, early results also show omicron can better evade the shielding provided by the immune system thats built up from vaccines or from prior infections. One recent study suggests that antibodies produced to counter past versions of the virus are far less effective at curbing omicron, which could make the variant more likely to cause a breakthrough infection or reinfection.
At the same time, the delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 is continuing to wreak havoc, having recently pushed the US death toll above 800,000. Flu could come roaring back this winter, as well, generating a fresh wave of hospitalizations among the most vulnerable to that infection, too. The combined threats of all these respiratory illnesses could push some hospitals to horrific new levels of overcapacity especially those already stretched thin from staffing shortages and other strains after two years of crisis.
Related
Americans are dying because no hospital will take them
Specifically, experts worry that hospitals will have to ration care or turn patients who need life-saving care away something many hospitals had to do in earlier Covid-19 surges if a a lot of new severely ill patients come flooding through the doors.
But how bad, exactly, could it get?
Related
What Happens If A Resident At An Aged
COVID-19 vaccination is voluntary for everyone in Australia this includes aged-care residents. This means people can choose to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
If you are a resident in an aged-care facility and you decide not to have the COVID-19 vaccination, this will not affect your access to safe and quality care.
Valid consent is needed before each COVID-19 vaccination is given. Your residential aged-care facility will support you in making an informed decision about vaccination. For some residents, consent will need to be sought from a substitute decision maker.
All residents, including those with a level of cognitive decline, should be included in conversations about consent to understand their preferences.
Also Check: Cheap Shingles Vaccine
Where And How Do I Get My Child Vaccinated
Use Vaccines.gov to find a pediatric vaccination provider near you, then call or visit their website to make an appointment.
For a person younger than age 18, parental/caregiver consent is needed to get the shot. LDH has developed a consent form that can be found on its website at ldh.la.gov/Covid-19K-12.
Families can also call 211 or the COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline at 1-855-453-0774 with general questions or to find a vaccination location near them that has ordered COVID-19 pediatric vaccine.
The Cdc Says Unvaccinated Students Exposed To The Virus Can Test To Stay
WASHINGTON The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday that unvaccinated students exposed to the coronavirus can remain in school, as long as they are tested for the virus twice in the week after and both tests come back negative.
The new guidance, known as the test to stay protocol, could ease the burden on children who have been expected to stay home if a close contact tested positive for the virus, and on parents who have had to scramble to retrieve them from school or find day care. It also aims to minimize disruptions to learning as two highly contagious variants of the virus spread across the country, causing some school closures and threatening to upend the strategies that federal and state officials adopted to return to in-person classes in the fall.
Although some schools and districts are already using the test-to-stay approach, the C.D.C. had not previously endorsed it, citing a lack of evidence. On Friday, the agency released studies from two counties, one in California and the other in Illinois, that effectively tested the protocol and found that it worked.
The studies were conducted before the fast-moving Omicron variant began spreading in the United States. Scientists are still investigating many basic questions about the variant, including whether it increases the risk of in-school transmission.
You May Like: Can You Get Tdap At Cvs
Consent On Behalf Of A Child Or An Adolescent
Generally, a parent or legal guardian of a child can consent to that child being vaccinated.
A child or adolescent may be mature enough to understand vaccination, and the risks and benefits associated with it. These young people may have the capacity to consent under certain circumstances.
As states and territories manage consent to medical treatment for children differently, youll need to check the rules with your state or territory immunisation health service. Go to health.gov.au. Click on Health topics and search immunisation.
If A Person Gets Covid
This is a decision to be made with your doctor. There is no data on the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines in persons who receive monoclonal antibodies. In theory, if you get the passive antibodies, your body might not get long-lasting immunity from the vaccine. CDCs recommendation if you get passive antibodies is to wait at least 90 days before getting the vaccine
Recommended Reading: Pertussis Vaccine Cvs
Who Were The Vaccines Tested On
The safety of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine was evaluated in people 16 years of age and older, most from the United States. Overall, 50.6% of participants were male and 49.4% were female, 83.1% were White, 9.1% were Black or African American, 28.0% were Hispanic or Latino, 4.3% were Asian, and 0.5% were American Indian or Alaska Native. Additional studies were done with 2,260 adolescents ages 12-15 and 3,000 children ages 5-11.
The safety of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine was evaluated in people 18 years of age and older in the United States. Overall, 52.7% of participants were male, 47.3% were female, 79.2% were White, 10.2% were Black or African American, 20.5% were Hispanic or Latino, 4.6% were Asian, 0.8% were American Indian or Alaska Native, 0.2% were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 2.1% were Other, and 2.1% were Multiracial.
The safety of the was evaluated in people 18 years of age and older in the U.S., Brazil, South Africa, Colombia, Argentina, Peru, Chile, and Mexico. Overall, 45% of participants were female, 55% were male, 58.7% were White, 19.4% were Black or African American, 45.3% were Hispanic or Latino, 3.3% were Asian, 9.5% were American Indian/Alaska Native 0.2% were Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, 5.6% were from multiple racial groups and 1.4% were unknown races.