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U.S. CDC Expects Omicron COVID Boosters for Kids by Mid-October
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expects COVID-19 vaccine boosters targeting circulating variants of the virus to be available for children aged 5-11 years by mid-October.
The CDC said in a document released on Tuesday that it expects to make a recommendation in early- to mid-October on the use of the new bivalent vaccines in the group if they are authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The vaccines, which target both the original version and the currently circulating variants of the virus, were rolled out for people 12 years or older earlier this month.
The CDC said it expects Pfizer-BioNTech’s (PFE.N), a bivalent vaccine to be available for children aged 5-11 years, and Moderna‘s (MRNA.O) vaccine for those aged 6-17 years, pending FDA authorization.
Feds Charge 47 for Allegedly Stealing $250 Million in COVID Fraud Scheme
Nearly 50 people were charged on Tuesday with carrying out a sweeping COVID-19 fraud scheme in which they allegedly stole close to $250 million from a federal program meant to feed hungry children in Minneapolis.
At a press conference, Attorney General Merrick Garland called it “the largest pandemic relief fraud scheme charged to date.”
Federal prosecutors said the 47 defendants pulled off the massive scam by taking advantage of loosened rules and oversight during the pandemic. They allegedly blew the cash meant for underserved kids on fancy cars and luxury real estate.
FDA Releasing Millions of Moderna Boosters as States Warn of Shortages
The federal government is releasing millions of Moderna booster shots that were delayed by the Food and Drug Administration as a result of a safety inspection at an Indiana packaging plant, even as states report shortages and encourage people to get Pfizer boosters instead.
The release of the withheld doses, which has not previously been reported, represents the latest wrinkle in the Biden administration’s fall booster campaign, with officials confronting slow uptake of the redesigned shots even before President Biden’s recent comment that the “pandemic is over.”
Only 34.9% of eligible Americans ages 5 and older have received a booster shot since the first batch was made available last year, according to federal data, and the White House has been encouraging Americans to seek out the updated Moderna and Pfizer shots that are targeting Omicron and its subvariants.
“On Tuesday, FDA authorized distribution of numerous batches of the updated Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent booster manufactured at Catalent’s facility,” FDA spokesperson Michael Felberbaum said in a statement.
Biden Clarifies COVID Comments: Pandemic ‘Basically Is Not Where It Was’
President Biden on Tuesday sought to clarify his comments from days earlier that the coronavirus pandemic “is over,” telling guests at a fundraiser that the COVID-19 situation is not as bad as it was.
Biden attended a Democratic National Committee fundraiser in New York City ahead of his speech Wednesday to the United Nations General Assembly. At one point, speaking about efforts on the pandemic, Biden referenced his comments to Scott Pelley of CBS last week in which he said the pandemic was “over.”
Biden acknowledged he was “criticized” for the remarks, adding, “But it basically is not where it was.”
Biden drew heat from public health experts and some lawmakers for his remarks to “60 Minutes” at the Detroit Auto Show last week, which was the first time the event was able to be held at full capacity since the onset of the pandemic.
Who Is Still Dying From COVID? The CDC Can’t Answer That
Earlier this week, President Joe Biden seemed to commit one of his trademark gaffes by saying “The pandemic is over.” The backlash was swift. That’s understandable, given that hundreds of people are still dying from COVID every day. But President Biden may be doing what comes naturally to many of us — judging the situation by our own experiences.
Who is dying in late 2022? Is it nursing home residents? Anti-vaxxers? Essential workers? How many of them have had the vaccine? Boosters? Did we fail them, or did they fail to take care of themselves?
When I asked the CDC for relevant statistics, they sent me a widely circulated graph that showed the rates of death were much lower for vaccinated people. But without raw numbers on these deaths, it’s still hard to know why the death toll has plateaued at such a high level.
One reason clear data aren’t available is that the U.S. doesn’t collect that information in a uniform way, said Stephen Kissler, an infectious disease researcher at the Harvard School of Public Health. “A lot of public health happens at the city level or lower so, because of that, it’s really hard to combine data across states to assess who is ending up in the hospital or dying of COVID-19,” he said. “The mix is hard to standardize.”
U.S. Adults Should Get Routine Anxiety Screening, Panel Says
U.S. doctors should regularly screen all adults under 65 for anxiety, an influential health guidelines group proposed Tuesday.
It’s the first time the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has recommended anxiety screening in primary care for adults without symptoms. The proposal is open for public comment until Oct. 17, but the group usually affirms its draft guidance.
The recommendations are based on a review that began before the COVID-19 pandemic, evaluating studies showing potential benefits and risks from screening.
Given reports of a surge in mental health problems linked with pandemic isolation and stress, the guidance is “very timely,” said Lori Pbert, a task force member and co-author. Pbert is a psychologist-researcher at the University of Massachusetts’ Chan Medical School.
Nearly 1 in 10 Americans Suffer From Depression, Study Says
A growing number of Americans are struggling with depression and most are not seeking treatment or are undertreated for the mental health disorder, according to a new study. A study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found almost 1 in 10 Americans reported suffering from depression in 2020, with rates of the mental health disorder higher among adolescents and young adults.
Researchers from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and City University of New York analyzed 2015-2020 data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, which is a nationally representative poll of Americans aged 12 and older.
Depression, which is the most common mental disorder in the nation, was most prevalent among young adults ages 18 to 25 at more than 17%, an increase from 10.3% in 2015. Slightly under 17% of adolescents ages 12 to 17 reported having depression, up from 12.7% 7 years ago.
According to the study, most adolescents with depression did not speak with a healthcare professional about their symptoms and did not receive treatment. Researchers note the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated rates of depression among Americans but say increases in depression were occurring long before the virus outbreak.
Moderna Exec: ‘Eager’ to Collaborate With China on Supplying COVID Vaccines
Moderna Inc. (MRNA.O) Chief Medical Officer Paul Burton said on Wednesday the company is “eager” to collaborate with China on supplying its mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines to the country.
The comments follow those of Moderna chief executive Stephane Bancel, who last week in Tokyo said the company has held talks with the Chinese government about supplying vaccines but no decision has yet been made.
