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Covid News Watch
Push for Vaccines Reduced Drug Options for COVID Patients + More
Push for Vaccines Reduced Drug Options for COVID Patients
Coronavirus vaccines have reached American adults in record time, but the development of treatments for COVID-19 is stagnating — threatening efforts to stamp out clusters of infection and end the pandemic.
While the Biden administration has committed to channeling billions of dollars into finding therapies, a key government agency that invests in drug development recently stopped reviewing requests for new treatments — in part because it doesn’t have enough cash available, according to one senior health official.
British Woman In Cyprus Suffers Blood Clot After Receiving AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine, Dies
A 39-year-old British woman died in a Cypriot hospital after a blood clotting incident after receiving the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, the official Cyprus News Agency said Monday.
Charalambos Charilaou, the spokesperson for the state health services, told CNA that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) would investigate the death.
CDC Investigating Reports of ‘Mild’ Heart Problems in Teens, Adolescents After COVID Vaccine
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is investigating reports that some teenagers and young adults vaccinated against COVID may have experienced heart problems, according to the agency’s advisory group.
The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices in a May 17 statement said, reports of myocarditis to date seemed to occur predominantly in adolescents and young adults, more often in males than females, more often following the second dose and typically within four days after vaccination. Most cases appeared to be “mild” and follow-up is ongoing.
Rand Paul: I’m Not Getting Vaccinated Because I Already Had COVID
Sen. Rand Paul (R-K.Y.) said Sunday he will not get vaccinated against COVID as he already had the disease and therefore has acquired natural immunity.
During an interview with John Catsimatidis on his radio show WABC 770 AM, Paul, a physician, said he was making the personal decision because he already had COVID, acquired natural immunity and there is no evidence to support vaccinating people who’ve already had the disease.
OSHA Abruptly Reverses Course, Says Employers Will Not Be Liable for COVID Vaccine Injuries After All
Children’s Health Defense (CHD) last week launched its newest chapter, CHD-Illinois.
As with other CHD chapters, CHD-Illinois will speak up on behalf of the state’s children with a powerful, unified voice. The chapter will disseminate vitally needed educational information at a local level and improve relevant policy within the state of Illinois.
“I am pleased to bring CHD’s mission to Illinois,” said Chapter President Elizabeth Lennon, who has been a natural health advocate for many years. “Protecting children’s health and the environment while unifying the community are timely issues that are fundamental and embraced by everyone on our team.”
Number of U.S. Kids Hospitalized With COVID Is Likely Overcounted: Study
The actual number of U.S. children hospitalized due to COVID-19 may be lower than current figures suggest, a new study indicates.
That’s because counts of hospitalized children who test positive for COVID-19 may include those who were admitted for other reasons and have no COVID symptoms, Stanford University School of Medicine researchers explained.
Throughout the pandemic, children have been admitted to hospitals for problems ranging from broken bones and appendicitis to cancer. When they arrive at the hospital and are tested for SARS-CoV-2 — the virus that causes COVID-19 — some turn out to be infected.
Fauci Finally Admits COVID-19 May Have Come From Wuhan Lab, ‘Not Convinced’ of Natural Origin
Earlier this month, just hours after Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) dragged Anthony Fauci over pandemic misinformation — and the fact that Fauci‘s NIH funded risky collaborations at the Wuhan Institute of Virology — the nation’s top virologist (and highest-paid government employee) furiously backpedaled over the origins of the pandemic in what we can only assume was an effort to redirect attention from his own culpability.
Recall that since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, Fauci parroted CCP talking points – insisting that the virus couldn’t possibly have come from a Chinese lab.
CDC Sees Little Need to Test Fully Vaccinated
Federal health officials’ new, more relaxed recommendations on masks have all but eclipsed another major change in guidance from the government: Fully vaccinated Americans can largely skip getting tested for the coronavirus.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said last week that most people who have received the full course of shots and have no COVID-19 symptoms don’t need to be screened for the virus, even if exposed to someone infected.
Offenders Getting Sentences Cut in Half if They Get COVID Vaccine Under Shock New Policy
Georgia’s Hall and Dawson counties are offering this incentive in an effort to increase Covid vaccination rates among adults.
This incentive will be available to people doing community service as part of their sentence.
Hall County Court Administrator Jason Stephenson said that judges can offer up to 20 to 40 hours for those qualified to participate.
Stephenson spoke about the new project saying: “In our judge’s view, every shot in the arm is a service to the community.
Pfizer Begins Testing Use of Pneumococcal Vaccine Along With COVID-19 Booster Shot
Pfizer Inc said on Monday it began testing fully vaccinated adults over 65 in a new study that uses the company’s 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (20vPnC) candidate with a third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 shot.
The aim of the study is to understand if the combination of the vaccines is safe, and the immune response after adding the pneumonia vaccine to the existing COVID-19 vaccine, Pfizer said.
Pfizer, Moderna Declined to Sell COVID Vaccines to Delhi Govt: Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said U.S. pharmaceutical giants Pfizer and Moderna have declined to sell coronavirus vaccines to the city government as they want to directly deal with the Centre. ”We have had talks with Pfizer and Moderna. They said they won’t give us vaccine and will directly talk to the Centre,” Kejriwal told reporters.
”I appeal to the central government with folded hands to talk to these firms, import vaccines and distribute them among states,” he added. The Delhi chief minister’s remarks came a day after a senior Punjab official said Moderna had refused to send vaccines directly to the state government stating that it only deals with the Centre. Kejriwal said the second wave of COVID-19 is declining gradually and the city government has started preparations for the third wave.
12 Fully Vaccinated People Died of COVID in L.A. County + More
12 Fully Vaccinated People Died of COVID in L.A. County, Showing Shots Work ‘Extraordinarily Well,’ Health Officials Say
With millions of people in Los Angeles County now fully vaccinated against COVID-19, public health officials said Thursday evidence is becoming clearer that the shots provide exceptional protection against sickness and death from the virus.
Data on “breakthrough cases,” or people who test positive for coronavirus despite being vaccinated, shows that only 0.00036% of fully vaccinated people went on to die from the virus, Barbara Ferrer, the county’s public health director, said in a news briefing.
Latest CDC Data Show Reports of Adverse Events After COVID Vaccines Surpass 200,000, Including 943 Among 12- to 17-Year-Olds
The number of reported adverse events following COVID vaccines surpassed 200,000 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. Today’s data show that between Dec. 14, 2020 and May 14, a total of 227,805 total adverse events were reported to VAERS, including 4,201 deaths — an increase of 144 over the previous week — and 18,528 serious injuries, up 1,338 since last week.
The Warnings Are Clear: Vaccinating Kids for COVID Is a Dangerous Gamble
A decade ago, Ohio researchers bemoaned the difficulty of recruiting children for clinical trials. In the article, “Pediatric Drug-Trial Recruitment: Enticement Without Coercion,” published in the journal Pediatrics, researchers identified barriers such as “the challenge of determining appropriate payments for participation that are not coercive,” “the need to obtain consent from parents” and “ethical concerns.”
With COVID-19, it appears the government and pharma may have determined they can simply leapfrog over these pesky obstacles.
On May 10, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) extended the FDA’s Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID vaccine to adolescents 12 through 15 years of age.
9 Dating Apps Partner With White House in Latest Scheme to Boost Slumping Vaccine Rates
The White House is partnering with nine popular dating apps to entice Americans to get vaccinated by offering special incentives to users who have received their COVID shot.
In an attempt to overcome vaccine hesitancy, Match, Tinder, Hinge, OKCupid, BLK, Chispa, Plenty of Fish, Bumble and Badoo will give vaccinated users access to premium content and a host of perks including boosts, super likes and special stickers displayed on their profile that show that they have received their shot, Forbes reported.
Users will also be able to filter potential matches by vaccination status or book vaccination appointments through the apps. Promotional campaigns on the apps will launch in the coming weeks and run until the July 4 Independence Day holiday.
New York Governor Announces $5 Million COVID Vaccine Lottery Incentive
New Yorkers could win up to $5m from the New York state lottery if they get vaccinated against COVID-19 at a state-run clinic, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Thursday.
The new incentive, called the “Vax & Scratch”, will allow those who get vaccinated to receive a $20 lottery ticket for the $5m Mega Multiplier Lottery.
Thirteen winners will get a monetary prize ranging from $20 to $5m.
New York’s initiative is one of many incentives that have been recently launched across the US as officials search for new ways to boost the dwindling demand for COVID-19 vaccines.
U.S. COVID-19 Vaccination Pace Is Down by Nearly Half in the Last Month. These States Slow to Vaccinate May Struggle This Summer, Expert Warns
For many, a nationwide return to normalcy from the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to accelerate into the summer as more businesses and state governments prepare for a large-scale reopening. Sports stadiums are filling up, mask mandates are being shed, and travel and tourism industries anticipate a rebound with cruise lines planning for passengers once again.
Health officials have pointed out, however, that such successes are largely contingent on getting the U.S. fully vaccinated as quickly as possible. And right now, the rate of vaccination is slowing.
The average daily pace of coronavirus vaccinations is down almost 50% from its April peak, according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data published Thursday.
COVID: Three Deaths in Scotland Linked to Vaccine
Three “extremely rare” deaths in Scotland have been linked to adverse effects from COVID-19 vaccines.
National Records of Scotland (NRS) said the effects had been recorded as the “underlying cause” in each of the three deaths, which were before 30 April.
100 Million Doses of Johnson & Johnson’s Vaccine Need to Be Checked for Contamination and May Need to Be Thrown Out
Emergent BioSolutions CEO Robert G. Kramer admitted to the House of Representatives on Wednesday that more than 100 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are on hold and possibly contaminated.
It was the first time that Kramer admitted the high figure of potentially spoiled vaccines after The New York Times reported last month that the facility may have jeopardized 62 million of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine doses, after ruining 15 million doses of the vaccine through cross-contamination with ingredients for AstraZeneca’s vaccine.
Third Dose of COVID Jab to Be Trialed in UK
The public is being urged to take part in trials to find out whether a third dose of COVID vaccine could protect against new variants.
All seven vaccines the UK has ordered will be tested on working-age people and over-75s as part of a randomized trial.
Data on side-effects and immune responses will be gathered.
COVID Antibody Tests Can’t Prove You Are Immune to the Virus From Prior Infection or Vaccination, FDA Warns
Testing positive for COVID-19 antibodies is not sufficient replacement for receiving the vaccine, according to a briefing released by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday.
The tests can determine whether or not an individual has had the virus in the past by looking for signs of the immune response.
At least 33 million Americans have been infected with COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, and some have argued that have already had the illness should be counted toward America’s progress to herd immunity.
As Pandemic Spread Pain and Panic, Congressman Chased Profit
In the early days of the pandemic, New Jersey Rep. Tom Malinowski scolded those looking to capitalize on the once-in-a-century health crisis.
“This is not the time for anybody to be profiting off of selling ventilators, vaccines, drugs, treatments, PPE (personal protective equipment), anywhere in the world,” the two-term Democrat and former assistant secretary of state told MSNBC in April 2020.
He did not heed his own admonition.
India and Pfizer at Impasse Over Vaccine Indemnity Demand — Sources
Pfizer and the Indian government are at loggerheads over a demand by the U.S. drugmaker for legal protection from any claims linked to the use of its COVID-19 vaccine in one of the world’s biggest markets, two sources told Reuters.
India has not given any manufacturer of a COVID-19 vaccine indemnity against the costs of compensation for any severe side effects, which is a condition Pfizer has obtained in many countries where its shots have already been widely rolled out, including Britain and the United States.
Pfizer, Moderna CEOs: Vaccine Boosters Needed as Early as September + More
Pfizer, Moderna CEOs: COVID-19 Vaccine Boosters Could Be Needed as Early as September
The earliest people to be vaccinated for COVID-19 may need booster shots as early as September, the CEOs of Pfizer and Moderna said.
In an interview with Axios on Wednesday, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla stressed that the company is still awaiting data from clinical trials, but he believes people will need an additional dose between eight and 12 months after receiving their second shot
Bourla added that the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would have to sign off on the boosters.
Fauci Expects COVID-19 Vaccines for Kids In Late 2021, Sees Need for Booster Shot
Kids in the United States will likely be able to get COVID-19 vaccinations by the end of this year or the first quarter of 2022, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said at an event on Wednesday.
The United States earlier this month cleared the way for the use of the COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) and partner BioNTech SE in adolescents aged 12 and above.
Fauci also noted the need for a COVID-19 booster shot within a year or so after getting the primary shot.
J&J Vaccine Producer Drilled at House Hearing on Botched Vaccine Doses, Lavish Executive Bonuses, Stock Sales
Johnson & Johnson (J&J) documented serious contamination risks at a troubled Emergent Biosolutions Baltimore plant in June 2020 — seven months before a contamination incident ruined 15 million doses of COVID vaccine and derailed the company’s vaccine production plans.
The House Select Committee on Coronavirus launched a probe into Emergent last month after the company acknowledged “serious deficiencies” in the company’s manufacturing that caused a mix-up of AstraZeneca and J&J doses.
A memorandum released prior to Wednesday’s hearing raised questions about J&J’s lack of oversight of the Baltimore facility. The memo also cited large bonuses paid to top executives despite failures, and described other evidence recently obtained by the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis and the Committee on Oversight and Reform in their ongoing investigation into Emergent.
Employers May Be Held Liable for ‘Any Adverse Reaction’ if They Mandate COVID Vaccines
New guidance from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is making employers think twice about their COVID vaccine requirements.
On April 20, companies were put on notice they’ll be responsible for any adverse reaction should they require their employees be vaccinated with a COVID vaccine.
In the Frequently Asked Questions section of OSHA’s website having to do with COVID safety compliance, a question was asked whether an adverse reaction to a COVID vaccine had to be recorded if an employer mandated vaccination as a condition for employment.
Tucker Carlson Interviews Dr. Peter McCullough: Where Is the Conversation About COVID Treatments?
In the segment below on “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson asks, “Where is the conversation about the treatment of COVID-19?”
Carlson interviewed Dr. Peter McCullough, consultant, cardiologist and vice chief of medicine at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. McCullough is known for being one of the top five most-published medical researchers in the U.S.
McCullough published his first findings on how to stop COVID hospitalizations and deaths in the American Journal of Medicine in August 2020. Today, his work remains the most downloaded and utilized paper during the pandemic from the American Journal of Medicine.
SIGN THE PETITION: CHD Calls on FDA to Immediately Take COVID Vaccines Off the Market
Amid growing safety concerns, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Dr. Meryl Nass, on behalf of Children’s Health Defense (CHD), filed a Citizen Petition with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asking the agency to immediately revoke the Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) for COVID vaccines and to refrain from licensing them.
Millions Against Medical Mandates (MAMM), a coalition of health freedom organizations and individuals, joins CHD and other vaccine safety and health freedom groups in inviting the public to comment on the petition here.
Confusing Rules, Loopholes and Legal Issues: College Vaccination Plans are a Mess
When the coronavirus began to spread around the country last year, most colleges and universities shut their doors. And when they began to reopen in the fall, they did so in piecemeal and convoluted ways.
In some cases, students could live in dorms but had to take classes online. Dining halls were reservation-only. Singing was banned. While some schools avoided major outbreaks, others became hot spots.
Fully Vaccinated Man in Ohio Hospitalized With COVID-19
Brendon Hrepic says he is still shocked that COVID-19 caught up with him when WEWS spoke with him via Zoom from his hospital bed.
“The doctor that I saw at the ER was like ‘you are literally the worse case that I’ve ever seen post-vaccination,’” said Hrepic.
The 31-year-old essential worker from Mayfield Heights said he did everything right throughout the pandemic, from social distancing to masking up.
According to the vaccination card he shared with News 5 Cleveland, Hrepic has been fully vaccinated since April 19. But the man said last Wednesday his health began to take a turn.
Paying People to Take the Vaccine Will Backfire
A spoonful of sugar helped the medicine go down, but policymakers did not need to bribe anyone to take the polio vaccine. People recognized Jonas Salk’s 1953 breakthrough against the virus that crippled Franklin D. Roosevelt and countless others for the miracle it was. Parents raced to inoculate their kids to spare them from the iron lung.
Most Americans felt similarly when scientists quickly developed multiple safe and effective vaccines against the coronavirus. Sixty percent of U.S. adults have now received at least one dose of these modern marvels. President Biden’s goal is to hit 70% by July 4.
FDA Eases Strict Pfizer-BionTech Vaccine Rules, Allowing Longer Cold Storage
If the United States reaches President Biden’s goal of 70% of adults getting at least one coronavirus vaccine dose by July 4, that could help ward off surges later in the year, Anthony S. Fauci said.
In a Washington Post Live interview Thursday, the government’s leading infectious-disease expert said there was a “positive wildcard” missing in previous nationwide coronavirus surges: “That was at a point when virtually no one in the country was vaccinated.” As of Thursday, 47.9% of the U.S. population had received at least one dose.
“If we get to the president’s goal — which I believe we will attain — of getting 70% of people getting at least one dose, adults that is, by July 4, there will be enough protection in the community that I really don’t foresee there being the risk of a surge,” Fauci said, “provided we continue to get people vaccinated at the rate we have now.”
Drone Companies Are Preparing to Deliver Coronavirus Vaccines in Rural U.S.
Although more than one-third of Americans are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, millions of people still have not received a single dose.
Reasons for not getting a shot vary — some don’t want one, while others say they’ll wait a bit longer to decide. And then there are people who want to get vaccinated but are in areas so remote that they can’t easily get to a typical vaccination site.
They include people working on oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico or living in rural areas far from the nearest doctor’s office or pharmacy. Drone companies are positioning themselves to deliver refrigerated medical products to those people. If the plans don’t pan out in time to combat the coronavirus crisis, then they hope to be set up to assist swiftly in the world’s next big health scare.
600,000 Children, Ages 12-15, Have Received First COVID Vaccine Dose + More
600,000 Children, Ages 12-15, Have Received Their First COVID-19 Vaccine Dose
At least 600,000 children, ages 12 to 15, have received their first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said during a media briefing Tuesday.
The count comes just over a week after the Food and Drug Administration greenlighted it for emergency use in this age group, a total of 17 million in the U.S. — though many major pharmacies and hospitals did not start administering the shots until last Thursday, after the CDC also signed off on it.
Ninth Fully Vaccinated Yankee Tests Positive for COVID — What Does That Say About Vaccine Efficacy?
News that a ninth, fully vaccinated member of the New York Yankees organization tested positive for COVID is seen by some in the medical community as proof the vaccines work, because none of the nine became seriously ill or had to be hospitalized.
But others say the breakthrough cases raise questions about COVID test accuracy and the vaccine’s ability to prevent the virus and its transmission. They also point out that young, healthy athletes wouldn’t be expected to become seriously ill from COVID in the first place.
COVID Vaccines May Not Work on Millions Who Have Underlying Conditions, Yet CDC Continues to Recommend They Get the Shot
Emerging research shows that 15% to 80% of people with certain medical conditions aren’t generating many antibodies, if any, after receiving a COVID vaccine.
According to NBC News, people taking medications that suppress their immune system, those on medication for inflammatory disorders and those with blood cancers showed a significantly weaker antibody response to the vaccine.
‘This Week’ With Mary + Polly: CDC Has ‘No Clue’ What Will Happen When COVID Vaccines Are Given With Other Vaccines + More
This week, Mary Holland, Children’s Health Defense (CHD) president, and Polly Tommey, co-producer of “Vaxxed,” cover the latest COVID headlines, including discrimination based on vaccine status, Eric Clapton’s experience with the AstraZeneca vaccine and lighting up Brazil’s Christ the Redeemer statue with the message “Vaccine Saves.”
Mary and Polly also take on the issue of targeting people in lower socioeconomic groups with vaccine incentives and pro-vaccine messaging, including Ohio’s million-dollar lottery and McDonald’s teaming up with the U.S. government to provide “vaccine education” on its packaging.
More Than 1,000 Parents Voted, Here’s What They Say About Vaccinating Their 12- to 15-year-olds
Now that 12- to 15-year olds are eligible for a coronavirus vaccine, we surveyed parents about whether they’ll allow their children to get it and more than half of over 1,000 respondents said yes.
Since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved use of the Pfizer vaccine for kids between the ages of 12 and 15 last week, more than 600,000 children in that age group have been vaccinated in the U.S, according to Reuters. The vaccine has been available under an emergency use authorization to those age 16 and older since December.
Out of 1,020 parents who responded to Boston.com’s survey, 645 (63%) said they will definitely get the vaccine for their children, 260 (25%) said they will not, and 115 (11%) said they aren’t sure.
She’s Leading the Fight Against Mandatory Vaccines in Texas. She Also Happens to Be a Nurse.
Last month, Houston Methodist became the first hospital in the nation to require that all of its employees get vaccinated. Those who are unable to provide proof of vaccination by June 7 will be suspended without pay for two weeks, according to the company’s new HR policy; and those who haven’t been vaccinated by the end of their suspension will be subject to the “employment termination process.” To date, 98% of the 26,000 employees have gotten the jab. Bridges is refusing.
Bridges, who had a bout with COVID-19 last year, balks at the notion that she’s an anti-vaxxer. She said she has received annual flu inoculations and the vaccines for hepatitis B and measles, mumps, and rubella. But like millions of other Americans, she believes the COVID-19 vaccines — which received emergency use authorization — were rushed through the government’s approval process and that some who’ve received the shots have suffered severe side effects that are intentionally withheld from public view.
She said she’s encountered dozens of patients at the hospital who have experienced adverse reactions to the vaccines, such as blood clots, heart arrhythmias, and swollen appendages, and has received messages from other hospital workers who say they’ve witnessed the same.
Singapore Approves Pfizer-BioTech Vaccine for Children
United Press International reported:
Singapore has authorized the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine for children between 12 and 15 years old, as COVID-19 cases continue to climb in the country.
Finance Minister Lawrence Wong said Tuesday that parents in Singapore should step up to their responsibility and have their children inoculated, the Straits Times reported.
Woman Who Got Brain Clots After J&J Shot Shows Dramatic Improvement
Las Vegas Review-Journal reported:
Emma Burkey, who last month underwent multiple brain surgeries for rare blood clots associated with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, is now speaking in full sentences and standing with assistance as part of a recovery that her mother describes as miraculous.
The 18-year-old Las Vegas woman has been discharged from a hospital in Loma Linda, California, to an acute rehab facility in that area, family spokesman Bret Johnson said on Tuesday.
“Maybe three weeks ago, her parents wondered if she was going to be in a vegetative state for the rest of her life and be confined to a wheelchair or to a bed,” said Johnson, president and founder of The Hastening, a local ministry where Emma’s father, Russ, serves as a volunteer.
Demand Drops for J&J COVID-19 Shots After Rare Blood Clotting Problem
COVID-19 vaccinations still lag in some of the state’s most vulnerable communities. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine was touted by the Murphy administration as a way to access hard-to-reach neighborhoods. But confidence in the vaccine appears to be lagging after another 13 blood clots were recently reported in connection with the shot.
Ohio Sees Boost in Shots After It Announces $1 Million Vaccination Lottery
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s $5 million lottery to encourage vaccinations appears to be an early win.
State health officials said Monday that more than 25,400 COVID-19 vaccine shots were administered Friday, two days after the program was announced, making it the highest vaccination day in three weeks.
Franklin Graham Would Help Biden Persuade Evangelicals on Vaccines
The Rev. Franklin Graham would be happy to work with the Biden administration on encouraging evangelicals to get COVID vaccines, he told “Axios on HBO.”
“I would work with the Biden administration. I would work with the CDC. I would work with all of ’em to try to help save life,” he told Axios’ Mike Allen.
Why it matters: Evangelicals have expressed high levels of vaccine hesitancy.
An AP/NORC poll in March found that 40% of white evangelicals are unlikely to get vaccinated, a much higher hesitancy number than other Christian groups.
Teens Can Now Get Their COVID Vaccines, Experts Say It Won’t Impact Fertility
Children have been routinely vaccinated by medical professionals for more than 100 years. Now, with Pfizer‘s COVID-19 vaccine authorized in children 12 and up, scientists are once again reassuring the public of the shots’ safety for younger generations.
COVID-19 vaccines introduced a new mRNA platform to immunization, but they work the same way other vaccines work to help the body create protection. On a cellular level, scientists say it’s impossible for these vaccines to interfere with a person’s own genetic blueprint. That means that like all other childhood immunizations, COVID-19 vaccines won’t interfere with puberty, or future fertility.
American Skeptics Fuel Ongoing Pharma ‘Trust Deficit’ Despite Pandemic Gains, Research Finds
Despite the pandemic and the promise of a relationship reset, half of Americans still don’t trust pharma companies. That’s according to Deloitte focus group studies in the U.S., India, South Africa and the U.K.
While 80% of those surveyed in the other three countries said they trusted or were neutral toward pharma, Americans remain skeptical.