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Michigan Boy Died 3 Days After Getting Pfizer COVID Vaccine. CDC Is Investigating + More
Michigan Boy Died 3 Days After Getting Pfizer COVID Vaccine. CDC Is Investigating.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating the case of a 13-year-old Saginaw County boy who died in his sleep three days after getting his second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine in mid-June.
The county health department confirmed the investigation, telling the Free Press that the medical examiner’s office conducted an autopsy and the death was reported to the state health department as well as the CDC.
Initial autopsy results showed the previously healthy boy suffered from myocarditis, an inflammatory heart condition CDC officials have acknowledged is “likely” linked to mRNA COVID vaccines.
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Latest CDC VAERS Data Show Reported Injuries Surpass 400,000 Following COVID Vaccines
This week’s number of total adverse events for all age groups following COVID vaccines surpassed 400,000, according to data released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The data comes directly from reports submitted to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS).
VAERS is the primary government-funded system for reporting adverse vaccine reactions in the U.S. Reports submitted to VAERS require further investigation before a causal relationship can be confirmed.
Every Friday, VAERS makes public all vaccine injury reports received as of a specified date, usually about a week prior to the release date.
Injured by a COVID Vaccine? Want Financial Compensation? Too Bad, Says Injury Compensation Law Firm
Altom Maglio says his law firm, Maglio Christopher & Toale, has litigated more vaccine-related injury claims in the past five years than any other law firm in the U.S. But the 22-lawyer firm has a disappointing message for would-be clients who have suffered a serious injury from a COVID vaccine.
“Our law firm has concluded that there is nothing our attorneys can do to significantly assist you,” the firm states on its website.
That’s because the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (NVICP) — also known as “vaccine court” — does not currently handle COVID vaccine injury claims, though the law firm says it is leading a national effort to get COVID vaccines covered under the NVICP.
6 Fully Vaccinated People Died of COVID in the World’s Most Vaccinated Nation, Health Officials Said. All Had Underlying Health Conditions
Six people have died from COVID-19 in the Seychelles despite being fully vaccinated, according to the country’s public health commissioner.
Jude Gedeon said on Thursday that five of the people had received Covishield, a version of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine manufactured in India, and that one had received China’s Sinopharm shot, per Bloomberg.
Ontario Is Accelerating COVID Shots for Kids Aged 12 to 17
Ontario is accelerating COVID-19 shots for kids aged 12-17, and will open booking slots for them Monday at 8 a.m.
Health Minister Christine Elliott said the move will help get more children fully vaccinated before school returns in September.
COVID Experts at Symposium Co-Hosted by Johns Hopkins Lay Out Benefits, Risks of Vaccines for Young Children
As more adults become vaccinated against COVID-19, the coronavirus has targeted more children not yet eligible for shots. But the first vaccine for those as young as 5 could be ready as soon as September.
A collection of experts laid out the benefits — and a few risks — of vaccinating kids during a symposium hosted by the Johns Hopkins University and the University of Washington.
Germany Issues World’s Strongest Recommendation for Mixing COVID Vaccines
Germany has issued what appears to be the strongest recommendation anywhere for the mixing of COVID-19 vaccines on efficacy grounds.
The German Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) said Thursday that people who receive a first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine “should get an mRNA vaccine as their second dose, regardless of their age.”
This makes Germany one of the first countries to strongly recommend that people who have received a first dose of AstraZeneca receive either a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine as their second dose.
Oregon Coronavirus Update: 1,790 Breakthrough Cases Identified
The Oregon Health Authority has identified 1,790 COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough cases through June 30.
Breakthrough cases happen when an individual receives a positive COVID-19 test result at least 14 days after completing a COVID-19 vaccine series.
About 8% of the 7,241 cases of COVID-19 in Oregon in June were in people who were fully vaccinated.
Cowboys’ Dak Prescott Won’t Reveal Vaccination Status, Says People Should ‘Educate Themselves’ on What’s Best
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott declined to say if he has received the COVID-19 vaccine this week, adding that he believes people should “educate themselves” on what’s best for them.
Prescott, 27, is the latest player in the league to take a similar approach toward the vaccine, telling KXAS in an interview on Tuesday that he doesn’t want to sway anyone either way.
Let’s Hold off Vaccinating Children and Teens Against COVID. Prioritising Adults Is Our Best Shot for Now
Eighteen months into the COVID-19 pandemic, some countries that have achieved high vaccination coverage in adults have started vaccinating adolescents aged 12-15.
Drivers to vaccinate children and adolescents include building confidence to open schools, preventing severe disease, and reducing transmission in all ages to achieve “herd immunity”.
But in most countries, including Australia, vaccination of the highest-risk groups is not nearly complete. So does it make sense to vaccinate children and adolescents at this stage?
America’s Largest Teachers’ Union to Vote on Mandatory COVID Vaccinations, Masks and Testing for Students + More
America’s Largest Teachers’ Union to Vote on Mandatory COVID Vaccinations, Masks and Testing For Students
The National Education Association, America’s largest teachers’ union, is holding a vote on requiring mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations, masks and testing for students before classes return in the fall.
The new business meeting action item submitted by 50 delegates is “awaiting debate” on the NEA’s website.
The action item calls for “mandatory safe and effective COVID-19 vaccinations and testing for all students and staff before returning to face-to-face instruction in the fall, subject to medical exceptions, in accordance with existing law, and will widely publicize this position via social media.”
Reports of Some Getting Pfizer, Moderna ‘Boosters’ After J&J Vaccine Prompts Calls for More Guidance
U.S. News & World Report reported:
The 30-year-old Texas resident was inoculated against COVID-19 with a single Johnson & Johnson shot on March 31, at the first appointment she could get.
“It was, like, when everybody was in the mad dash trying to get appointments and we were told just to get the first available vaccine. So I kind of trusted that it would be good enough,” she says. Then, she began to have doubts. She began reading studies on the effectiveness of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which uses similar technology to J&J’s vaccine, on the delta variant.
She began to worry if the J&J vaccine was adequately protecting her against the variant, especially after hearing top infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci warning that the variant will likely become the dominant strain in the U.S. Her worries even prompted her to stop going out sans mask and to stay home more often, despite assurances from federal officials that fully vaccinated people could go back to normal life.
White House to Send ‘Surge Teams’ to Delta Variant Hot Spots
The White House is readying COVID-19 “surge teams” to send to communities with low vaccination rates to help combat the rapidly spreading delta variant of the coronavirus, officials announced Thursday.
The teams will work with local public health authorities to conduct contact tracing, and will distribute supplies as needed or requested by states, such as therapeutics and additional tests. The teams will also help augment staffing at local vaccination sites.
CDC Experts Disagree With Pfizer on COVID Boosters, Threatening Pharma Giant’s Billion Dollar Revenue Stream
As Pfizer makes plans to keep its billion dollar revenue stream going — by assuring investors yearly COVID booster doses will be needed long after the pandemic ends — a group of scientists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said there isn’t enough data to recommend COVID booster shots to the general population.
The COVID-19 working group of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) said June 23, they would only recommend booster shots if there’s a demonstrated decline in efficacy –– not just a waning antibody response.
1,000 Counties in the U.S. Have COVID Vaccination Coverage of Less Than 30%, CDC Says
About 1,000 counties in the United States have vaccination coverage of less than 30%, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.
The counties in question are mostly located in the Southeast and Midwest and are most vulnerable to COVID infection, according to CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky. The agency is already seeing increasing rates of disease in these counties due to further spread of the more transmissible delta variant, Walensky said.
Montana Governor Lifts State of Emergency for Coronavirus
The Associated Press Reported:
Gov. Greg Gianforte on Wednesday announced he is lifting Montana’s state of emergency for the coronavirus pandemic, more than 15 months after it was imposed under his predecessor.
The Republican governor announced the move during a tour of a restaurant in Billings as COVID-19 case rates continue to slowly decline.
“We’re getting back to normal,” Gianforte said. “The reductions in infections, the reductions in hospitalizations says we’re on the other side of this.”
Anti-Diabetic Drugs Have Potential to Treat COVID, Finds Hyderabad University Study
Amid the rush to develop cures for the coronavirus, a study by a University of Hyderabad (UoH) incubated startup, has discovered that an anti-diabetic drug has potential use as a ready to use, cost-effective solution for safely treating COVID patients.
In-vitro and in-silico studies conducted by ReaGene Innovations Private Limited, a startup company incubated at the ASPIRE-BioNEST, and INDRAS Private Limited, indicate that re-purposing the anti-diabetic drug Ertugliflozin, might provide a therapeutic solution to the COVID-19 infection.
Biden Admin Preps for Next Pandemic as Delta Variant Surges
The Biden administration is rethinking its approach to COVID-19 testing as the pandemic enters an uncertain phase — one in which new infections have dropped to the lowest level since the spring of 2020, but the highly contagious Delta variant is driving fresh outbreaks.
Federal health officials, along with testing labs and test makers, are weighing how to implement the lessons they have learned from this pandemic to prepare for the next one. That includes what types of government incentives could help keep companies prepared to quickly develop tests in the face of a new emergency, and whether to stockpile key testing supplies. The administration also recently retooled the leadership of its COVID-19 testing and diagnostic workgroup.
With so Few Virus Deaths, Australians Debate Vaccine Risks
Australia has weathered the pandemic far better than many nations — recording just a single coronavirus death since last October — but its success means many Australians are not in a rush to get vaccinated and that could delay the country’s return to normalcy.
Concerns are growing about the economic cost to Australia of being left behind by countries that suffered far higher death tolls, but urgently embraced vaccines and are increasingly opening up.
But with relatively few cases of the virus and so few deaths, many in Australia are questioning whether the slight health risks to young adults of the widely available AstraZeneca vaccine make it worthwhile.
COVID India: Women in Rural Bihar Hesitant to Take Vaccines
On a sweltering June afternoon, Madhu Kumari, a healthcare worker knocked on a door in Suraudha, a village tucked deep inside Bihar state. Her job: to enrol people for COVID jabs.
On seeing her, a few women sitting outside their houses across the street, laughed.
Moments later, a woman stormed out of the house, hurling abuses at Ms Madhu Kumari. “I will make your life hell if you talk about the vaccine,” Tetri Devi bellowed, before slamming the door on the healthcare worker’s face.
Moscow Begins Booster Vaccine Campaign as Russia’s COVID Cases Surge
Health clinics in Moscow will begin offering booster vaccine shots against COVID-19 on Thursday, the city’s mayor said, as Russian officials scramble to contain a surge blamed on the highly infectious Delta variant.
The health ministry on Wednesday recommended clinics begin administering booster doses to people vaccinated six months ago or more, making Russia one of the first countries to begin re-vaccination.
Fauci Warns There May Soon Be ‘Two Americas’ as Divide Widens Between Places With High and Low Vaccination Rates + More
Fauci Warns There May Soon Be ‘Two Americas’ as Divide Widens Between Places With High and Low Vaccination Rates and the Delta Variant Spreads
With the Delta variant accounting for more than a quarter of COVID-19 cases, there could soon be “two Americas” — one where most people are vaccinated and another where low vaccination rates could lead to case spikes, Dr. Anthony Fauci warned.
The stark disparity between places with low and high vaccination rates is something Fauci is “very concerned about,” he told CNN on Tuesday.
Heart Inflammation Linked to COVID Vaccines in Study of U.S. Military, Department of Defense Confirms
A new study of U.S. service members found higher than expected rates of heart inflammation following receipt of a COVID vaccine. It’s a finding Defense Department researchers say should call attention to the condition, known as myocarditis, as a potential side effect of vaccinations.
In a study published June 29 in JAMA Cardiology, U.S. military physicians described 23 cases of myocarditis in previously healthy males who developed the condition within four days of receiving a COVID vaccine.
Coronavirus Vaccines Are Widely Available in the U.S. So Why Are Scientists Working on New Ones?
Even as vaccine supplies outstrip demand in the United States, the scientific quest for coronavirus shots has scarcely eased. In dozens of academic institutions, government laboratories and companies, the pace of work hasn’t relented. If anything, it feels busier to many scientists working on second-generation vaccines, variant-proof boosters or the ultimate goal — a vaccine that would work against multiple coronaviruses and stop future pandemics.
The world may not need the vaccine Ragan is studying, even if it works. The vaccine’s development path is far less clear. It’s getting harder to run coronavirus vaccine trials as authorized shots become available, shrinking the pool of potential study participants.
Fauci Says He’s Not Going to Waste His Time With an Antibody Test, and Neither Should You
Dr. Anthony Fauci has no idea whether he has any detectable virus-fighting antibodies against COVID-19. And he doesn’t care to find out, either.
Fauci, who’s been fully vaccinated for five months, assumes that his vaccine protection will fade, and that he will need a booster shot.
“You don’t want to assume that you’re going to have indefinite durability of protection,” he told Insider in a recent phone call.
With the More Contagious Delta Variant, Some Officials Are Issuing New Mask Guidance
The more transmissible Delta variant has spread to almost every state in the US, fueling health experts’ concerns about COVID-19 spikes.
The variant is expected to become the dominant coronavirus strain in the US, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. And with half the US still not fully vaccinated, doctors say it could cause a resurgence of Covid-19 in the fall — just as children too young to get vaccinated go back to school.
If You’ve Already Had COVID and Recovered, Do You Need to Get Vaccinated? CDC Asks
On June 25, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) put out a poll on social media. It was a simple statement the agency interrogated as a TRUE/FALSE query: “If you’ve already had #COVID-19 and recovered, you should still get vaccinated against COVID-19.”
55,559 Twitter members participated in the poll over the course of 24 hrs. With over 70% of respondents designating the CDC statement as “FALSE.”
Health Canada Recommends People With Rare Blood Condition Not Get Astrazeneca Vaccine
Reuters via Yahoo!News reported:
Health Canada said late on Tuesday it has recommended that people with a history of capillary leak syndrome not be inoculated with drugmaker AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine.
“Health Canada is updating the product monograph – or label – for the AstraZeneca and COVISHIELD COVID-19 vaccines to add capillary leak syndrome as a potential side effect, with a warning for patients with a history of capillary leak syndrome to not get the AstraZeneca or COVISHIELD COVID-19 vaccine”, it said in a statement.
COVID-19: Prioritising Low-Risk Groups a ‘Moral Catastrophe’ — but Should the UK Vaccinate Children?
Europe is starting to roll out vaccines to children – with 20 countries vaccinating those aged 12 and over or planning to do so in the near future – according to data gathered by Sky News.
A further six European countries have decided to only offer jabs to children with underlying health conditions.
Indonesia Begins Inoculating Pregnant Women, Breastfeeding Mothers, Kids
Indonesia has launched a COVID-19 vaccination program for pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and children aged 12 to 18, Vice President Ma’ruf Amin announced here.
In his announcement on Tuesday, Amin said he welcomed the vaccine rollout for the above mentioned categories, who are all listed as vulnerable to COVID-19, adding that inoculation is a game changer in dealing with the pandemic, reports Xinhua news agency.
College-Aged Vaccination Risks Likely Outweigh COVID Risks + More
For College-Aged, Vaccination Risks Likely Outweigh COVID Risks, Says UCI Medical Ethics Chief
For college-aged students, the potential for adverse reactions to the COVID vaccination appear to outweigh the risks of the virus itself for that age group, said Dr. Aaron Kheriaty, a professor of psychiatry and director of the Medical Ethics Program at the University of California, Irvine.
Asked by The College Fix whether potential side effects of the COVID-19 vaccination outweigh risks of possibly contracting the virus for college-aged students, he said “the answer is likely yes.”
U.S. Sen. Johnson Holds News Conference With Families Injured by COVID Vaccines, Ignored by Medical Community
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) held a news conference Monday to discuss adverse reactions related to the COVID vaccines — giving individuals who have been “repeatedly ignored” by the medical community a platform to share their stories.
The group that spoke was put together by Ken Ruettgers, a former Green Bay Packers offensive lineman, whose wife suffered an adverse reaction after receiving a COVID vaccine. Ruettgers, who now lives in Oregon, started a website to bring awareness of COVID vaccine reactions to the medical community.
Rep. Carter Says Fauci Lied to Congress and Should Be Fired
Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga., said on Monday that Dr. Anthony Fauci “needs to be fired” for his behavior starting from the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, including making false statements to Congress.
He told them that he did not know where this order came from when he did know. And he knew all along. We find that out now. Of course, we don’t need someone who is more interested in remaining relevant and more interested in their own PR campaign leading this fight against this virus and against the pandemic.
Man Dies After Second Moderna Dose Following Rare Blood Clotting Disorder Linked to the Vaccine, Doctors Say
Doctors in Pennsylvania reported a case of a U.S. patient who developed blood clots after receiving the Moderna COVID vaccine.
In a case report, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine June 29, healthcare professionals at the Allegheny Health Network in Pittsburgh said a 65-year-old man arrived at the hospital with a serious form of blood clotting known as thrombosis with thrombocytopenia (TTS) just 10 days after receiving his second dose of the Moderna vaccine.
Two days later, the unnamed patient died, with doctors concluding his symptoms were consistent with vaccine-induced clotting, also known as VITT.
Why These Parents Volunteered Their Young Children for COVID Vaccine Trials
As troubling new variants emerge, doctors say America’s chances of winding down the COVID-19 pandemic in the US will largely depend on how many young adults and children get vaccinated.
Now, toddlers and babies as young as 6 months old are testing COVID-19 vaccines to help make sure they’re safe for other young children. If the pediatric trials go well, children under 12 might be eligible to get vaccinated in fall or winter.
For many parents, the decision to volunteer their kids was easy.
Make-A-Wish Clarifies Policy After Confusion on Vaccinations
The Make-A-Wish Foundation is disputing what it calls a “misinformation” campaign about whether children who aren’t vaccinated against COVID-19 will be eligible to have their wishes granted.
The foundation says these children are in fact still eligible.
An edited video of Make-A-Wish Foundation CEO Richard Davis that went viral on social media over the weekend caused a stir by seeming to suggest that only vaccinated children would be eligible to have wishes granted. Stars like actor Rob Schneider and numerous donors declared that if the foundation had decided not to grant wishes to unvaccinated children, they would no longer support it.
3 Post-Vaccination ‘Breakthrough’ COVID Deaths Confirmed in San Diego County
At least three San Diego County residents have died of COVID-19 after being vaccinated, according to county officials and medical examiner records.
The county announced earlier this month the death of a fully vaccinated woman. She was 70 and died in March after being hospitalized. At the time it was considered the first such death, but medical examiner records obtained by inewsource show a 73-year-old vaccinated man at the county-run Edgemoor Hospital in Santee died of COVID-19 on Feb. 2.
This week county spokesperson Michael Workman confirmed another case, this one involving a 69-year-old vaccinated man who died June 14.
Indonesian COVID Deaths Add to Questions Over Sinovac Vaccine
At least 10 out of 26 Indonesian doctors who have died from COVID-19 this month had been fully vaccinated with Sinovac, prompting authorities to consider whether medics should receive alternative doses to boost immunity.
Indonesia, which has relied on the Chinese-made vaccine for its health workers, is struggling with a new surge in coronavirus cases. The latest outbreak, driven by new variants, has overwhelmed hospitals and burial sites in Jakarta and on the island of Java. On Monday the country announced 20,694 new infections.
More Than 10 Million Australians Go Under Lockdown in Fight Against Delta Variant
Four of Australia’s eight capital cities are now under COVID-19 lockdown, as authorities struggle to contain fresh outbreaks of the highly infectious Delta variant.
Perth, the capital of Western Australia state, began a four-day lockdown at midnight Tuesday, while Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, will enter a three-day lockdown starting Tuesday evening.
They join New South Wales’ capital, Sydney, and Darwin, capital of the Northern Territory, which are already under lockdown.
Abu Dhabi Closing Nearly All Public Spaces to Those Without COVID Vaccine
Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, announced that starting August 20, public access will be further limited only to those who have been vaccinated. Unvaccinated individuals will only be able to enter supermarkets and pharmacies.
The move is an effort to encourage people to receive the vaccination, and authorities will begin restricting access to shopping malls, restaurants, cafes, sporting events, museums, gyms, schools and universities in Abu Dhabi, the Associated Press reported.
A “green pass” system has already been implemented that limits public access to those who are vaccinated or can show proof of testing negative for coronavirus.
Russia Registered the First COVID Vaccine. Now It’s Struggling to Vaccinate Its Population.
In August 2020, Russia became the first country in the world to register a COVID-19 vaccine. President Vladimir Putin announced the news on national television and said one of his daughters had already been vaccinated.
At the time, Russia was set to race ahead of other countries in its efforts to vaccinate its population. Instead, 10 months after Sputnik V’s approval, Russia’s vaccination rate is one of the lowest in countries where vaccines are widely available.
Just 14 percent of Russia’s 146 million people have been vaccinated with at least one dose, compared to 53.5 percent of Americans, according to Our World in Data, a monitoring project based at the University of Oxford.