Kids may not be able to get Pfizer shots until November: COVID updates
Whereas Pfizer and BioNTech submitted knowledge this week to the Meals and Drug Administration on the protection and efficacy of its COVID-19 vaccine in youthful kids, youngsters might not have the ability to get the photographs till November, reviews say.
The Wall Street Journal, citing an unnamed supply, mentioned the businesses would submit their utility for emergency use authorization within the coming weeks regardless that that they had focused the tip of September. Reuters additionally reported the businesses had not began the official course of.
That will imply authorization could possibly be delayed till November, the Journal reported. Reuters reported it may come as early as the tip of October.
The businesses Tuesday submitted their scientific trial knowledge to the FDA, which confirmed their vaccine is secure and efficient in kids ages 5 to 11 at one-third the dose utilized in adolescents and adults.
As soon as the emergency use authorization utility is submitted, regulators with the FDA and CDC will assessment the info and seek the advice of impartial advisory committees in the identical course of that occurred with the authorization of vaccines for adults and older kids.
Additionally within the information:
►The World Well being Group mentioned world COVID-19 circumstances and deaths dropped by about 10% previously week, persevering with an ongoing decline for the previous a number of weeks. In contrast with the week ending Aug. 26, the week ending Monday had 30% fewer circumstances and 21.2% fewer deaths, a USA TODAY evaluation exhibits.
►The USA has reported greater than 50,000 COVID-19 deaths in September. By means of Tuesday, with two days of counting remaining within the month, the nation has reported 51,789 deaths, a USA TODAY evaluation of Johns Hopkins College knowledge exhibits.
►A North Carolina-based hospital system mentioned this week that greater than 175 of its employees have been fired for failing to adjust to its COVID-19 vaccination requirement.
►New polling discovered older Individuals who’re vaccinated had been way more nervous about COVID and taking additional precautions in comparison with unvaccinated older Individuals. The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research ballot additionally discovered older adults nervous in regards to the virus had been extra more likely to say they’ve felt social isolation or an absence of companionship previously month.
► Los Angeles would possibly implement new vaccine mandates for indoor public places together with gyms and eating places, The Los Angeles Times reported. The Metropolis Council will take into account the plan on Wednesday.
► Households at an Iowa faculty district who’re angry over a new mask mandate are threatening to unenroll their students forward of the varsity’s scholar rely date to artificially decrease enrollment numbers, probably costing lots of of hundreds of {dollars} in funding.
► California’s Division of Public Well being issued an order Tuesday requiring all employees in grownup care services and in-home care employees to be totally vaccinated by Nov. 30.
📈Immediately’s numbers: The U.S. has recorded greater than 43.2 million confirmed COVID-19 circumstances and greater than 693,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. International totals: Greater than 232.8 million circumstances and 4.7 million deaths. Greater than 185 million Individuals – 55.8% of the inhabitants – are totally vaccinated, according to the CDC.
📘 What we’re studying: The restaurant business is struggling to rent. Ex-servers, bartenders and cooks share why they left throughout COVID-19 and will not be returning. Read about why here.
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YouTube to crack down on vaccine misinformation
YouTube mentioned Wednesday that it had crafted new tips to crack down on medical misinformation about vaccines being shared in movies on its platform.
The corporate mentioned the brand new guidelines had been supposed to cowl misinformation about vaccines usually, not simply COVID-19 vaccines. The platform mentioned it had seen false claims about COVID-19 vaccines result in misinformation about different authorized vaccines in latest months.
“Particularly, content material that falsely alleges that authorized vaccines are harmful and trigger persistent well being results, claims that vaccines don’t scale back transmission or contraction of illness or incorporates misinformation on the substances contained in vaccines might be eliminated,” the corporate mentioned in a blog post. The false claims that vaccines are tied to autism or infertility or that vaccines comprise some form of monitoring materials are additionally included on this crackdown, the corporate mentioned.
Pregnant individuals have low vaccine charges regardless of ‘extreme danger’ of COVID
Vaccination rates among people who are pregnant have been low, regardless of proof that vaccines can stop the “extreme danger of extreme illness” posed to pregnant individuals from COVID-19.
Solely 18% of pregnant individuals have obtained a dose, in response to the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention knowledge.
Whereas new knowledge exhibits general racial disparities in COVID-19 vaccinations are bettering, federal numbers present pregnant Black persons are the least vaccinated in comparison with these anticipating in different races.
Simply 15% of Black pregnant persons are totally vaccinated and solely 13% have obtained at the least one dose, in response to the CDC.
Girls giving start whereas having COVID-19 had “considerably increased charges” of ICU admission, intubation, air flow and loss of life, in response to a research revealed in The Journal of the American Medical Affiliation. In August alone, 21 pregnant individuals died of COVID-19, in response to the CDC.
Scientists have mentioned vaccines are secure to be taken at any time whereas pregnant or breastfeeding for each mom and child.
– Nada Hassanein
COVID quarantine? Some schools say college students are on their very own after constructive exams
Even amongst school campuses, the divide across America around how to address the COVID-19 pandemic is widening. A rising variety of U.S. universities try to return to regular operations, eschewing quarantine areas, COVID-19 exams, versatile on-line courses and distant work for staffers, even because the coronavirus stays an lively presence on campuses.
Different universities are taking aggressive stances to scale back case counts on campus, together with each day testing necessities for unvaccinated college students.
Some establishments, corresponding to the College of Wisconsin, are nonetheless offering housing for many who have to quarantine or isolate. Others, corresponding to the College of Delaware, have some area for college students to isolate however encourage college students with constructive circumstances to return residence if potential.
It is nonetheless too early to know whether or not one method is unsuitable because the delta variant surges and cooler temperatures are on the best way, mentioned Gerri Taylor, a co-chair of the American School Well being Affiliation’s COVID-19 job pressure.
– Chris Quintana
Observe official steerage amid booster craze, consultants say
COVID-19 boosters are actually accessible to tens of millions of Individuals who fall into sure broad classes and wish higher safety from the coronavirus.
Whereas many are relieved boosters are lastly right here, there’s little policing to ensure third shots go to the intended people. Well being consultants say some individuals who don’t meet the necessities are ignoring official tips and searching for third photographs.
“Proper now, it’s been the Wild West. I do know persons are going out and serving to themselves to every kind of issues and principally mendacity to take action,” mentioned Dr. Camille Kotton, an infectious illness skilled at Massachusetts Normal Hospital and a member of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, a CDC advisory group.
Following CDC steerage, hospitals and pharmacies are counting on sufferers to “self-attest” their eligibility as outlined by the rules to assist “scale back limitations to entry for these choose populations.” Whereas it could enhance entry to vaccines, it additionally leaves room for individuals to be dishonest. Read more here.
– Adrianna Rodriguez
Federal courtroom says South Carolina can not ban colleges from requiring masks
A federal court Tuesday ruled South Carolina cannot enforce a ban faculty districts requiring masks in colleges, a transfer Gov. Henry McMaster is anticipated to enchantment.
The courtroom discovered funds proviso 1.108, which mentioned that state funds can’t be used to require masks in colleges, restricted college students with disabilities from accessing instructional alternatives which can be offered to different college students and concluded that it must be as much as faculty districts to resolve whether or not to mandate masks on faculty property.
The ruling is a part of a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and incapacity rights teams late August towards prime state authorities officers together with, McMaster and State Lawyer Normal Alan Wilson. The plaintiffs mentioned the masks proviso was in violation of the Individuals with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act.
McMaster’s spokesperson, Brian Symmes, mentioned the governor will enchantment.
– Devyani Chhetri, Greenville Information
Michigan’s new definition of a faculty ‘outbreak’ will imply fewer are reported
The Michigan state well being division is increasing the threshold for the number of COVID-19 cases that would constitute an outbreak at a Okay-12 faculty.
The transfer will lead to fewer reported outbreaks and inconsistent state knowledge, coming at a time when faculty outbreaks are on the rise and native well being leaders are pleading for a statewide masks mandate.
As of Monday, an outbreak at a faculty will need to have three or extra related circumstances. For the previous 18 months, an outbreak consisted of two or extra circumstances. The brand new definition is not going to be utilized to older outbreaks.
If this transformation had been carried out at first of September when many college students returned to lecture rooms, the state may have excluded nearly 25% of latest faculty outbreaks reported in that time-frame.
– Dave Boucher and Kristen Jordan Shamus, Detroit Free Press
Instances in Texas on downward pattern; ICU beds open up
Texas on Tuesday continued to file fewer than 10,000 individuals within the hospital for COVID-19, extending a streak of declining figures. The state additionally had probably the most accessible staffed intensive care unit beds in nearly two months.
On Tuesday, 9,551 individuals had been hospitalized in Texas with COVID-19, one other drop from the day before today and an enchancment after reaching a summer season excessive of 13,932 final month. The pandemic excessive was 14,218 Texans hospitalized in January.
The Texas Division of State Well being Providers reported 494 accessible staffed ICU beds for grownup sufferers, up from the pandemic low of 270 on Sept. 9, and probably the most since Aug. 4 when 497 had been accessible. Though the state solely had 112 staffed pediatric ICU beds, that remains to be way more than the pandemic low of 64 beds reported on Aug. 4.
– Roberto Villalpando, Austin American-Statesman
Contributing: Mike Stucka, USA TODAY; The Related Press