A CMS Press Release on May 11, 2021 explained the new rule issued by CMS that is aimed at “expanding efforts to grow COVID-19 vaccine confidence and uptake amongst the nations most vulnerable”. As part of the ongoing response to address the COVID-19 pandemic, and to improve health care access and reduce the risk of severe illness and death from …
The B.1.617.2 COVID-19 variant has contributed to the surge in cases in India and has now been detected across the globe, including a notable increase in cases in the UK. A preprint study published by medrxiv noted the following: Overall, we found high levels of vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic disease after two doses. These estimates were only modestly lower than …
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services launched the COVID-19 Public Education Campaign, “a national initiative to increase public confidence in and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines while reinforcing basic prevention measures such as mask-wearing and social distancing”. Their website includes campaign resources and toolkits such as free guides, ads, and social media content, information about the COVID-19 Community Corp, …
In a recent podcast posted on NPR, the practice of mixing different kinds of COVID-19 vaccines was discussed. Typically, if you get a COVID-19 vaccine that requires two doses, you should get two of the same vaccine. Two Pfizer shots, or two Moderna shots, not one and then the other. “In the U.K. at the moment, we’re sort of calling …
“The FDA is reminding the public of the limitations of COVID-19 antibody, or serology, testing and providing additional recommendations about the use of antibody tests in people who received a COVID-19 vaccination.“ Antibody tests can play an important role in identifying individuals who may have been exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus and may have developed an adaptive immune response. However, …
Executives at Pfizer and BioNTech previously said people will likely need a booster shot or third dose, within 12 months of getting fully vaccinated. They also said it is likely people will need to get additional shots every year. Last month, Andy Slavitt, senior advisor to President Joe Biden’s COVID response team, said the White House is preparing for the …
In a study published in JAMA Network, “regularly screened health care workers who had received 2 doses of the BNT162b2 messenger RNA vaccine were associated with significantly lower incidence rates for both symptomatic and asymptomatic infection. The association between vaccination status and symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection is similar to the 95% efficacy reported in the phase 3 randomized clinical trial. Asymptomatic …
There is a ton of research going on today regarding not only the current process for vaccines to be administered via muscular injection, but new ideas too and to date, the information is promising! Think about having a COVID-19 vaccine in a nasal application versus injected. That is what the scientists are studying today. The science behind it is pretty …
“Older adults have experienced a higher risk for COVID-19-associated morbidity and mortality and therefore have been prioritized for COVID-19 vaccination”, according to a recent CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. After the first 3.5 months of the U.S. COVID-19 vaccination program, 79.1% of adults aged ≥65 years had received ≥1 dose, with higher vaccination initiation among men. Counties with lower …
According to David Kessler, M.D., chief science officer of COVID response for the Department of Health and Human Services, the federal government is planning to have booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine available for American people if needed. “The increased age, waning antibodies over time and new variants increase the probability that booster doses may be needed,” Kessler told Congress. …
