Tag Archives: COVID Vaccine

USA Today reports: As the U.S. inches up to a 64% vaccination rate for the entire population, only 42% of those eligible for a booster have gotten the extra shot, and experts aren’t sure what will move the needle, so to speak. Perhaps this will win over some converts: Fully vaccinated Americans are 14 times less likely to die of …

The Washington Post reports: Coronavirus vaccines for children younger than 5 could be available far sooner than expected — perhaps by the end of February — under a plan that would lead to the potential authorization of a two-shot regimen in the coming weeks, people briefed on the situation said Monday. The FDA urged the companies to submit the application …

The Washington Post reports: The Food and Drug Administration has granted full approval to Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine, the agency announced Monday. Moderna’s vaccine, now known as Spikevax, was previously available under emergency use authorization and is the second coronavirus vaccine to get full FDA approval. Pfizer and BioNTech’s product was approved in August. Moderna, a biotechnology company, said Monday that …

The New York Daily News reports: Unvaccinated NYPD officers currently on unpaid leave after a sweeping COVID-19 vaccine mandate late last year will be fired next month if they don’t get the jab, the Daily News has learned. Officers who have refused the shot have until Feb. 11 to comply, according to a memo sent out to NYPD sergeants by …

Reuters reports: Hip-hop artist Kanye West will have to be fully vaccinated if he wants to give concerts in Australia, Scott Morrison said on Saturday, after media said the performer planned an Australian tour in March. “The rules are you have to be fully vaccinated,” Morrison told a news conference on Saturday. “They apply to everybody, as people have seen …

The Associated Press reports: Omicron, the highly contagious coronavirus variant sweeping across the country, is driving the daily American death toll higher than during last fall’s delta wave, with deaths likely to keep rising for days or even weeks. The seven-day rolling average for daily new COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. has been climbing since mid-November, reaching 2,267 on Thursday …

Politico reports: In planning for global vaccine distribution, the Trump administration created a secret list prioritizing friends like Israel and Taiwan over low- and moderate-income countries, according to interviews with five current and former officials who described the document to POLITICO. The list, detailed here for the first time, shows that U.S. officials initially planned to apportion the life-saving shots …

Reuters reports: Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE said on Tuesday they started a clinical trial to test a new version of their vaccine specifically designed to target the COVID-19 Omicron variant, which has eluded some of the protection provided by the original two-dose vaccine regimen. Banking on volunteers in the United States, the companies plan to test the immune response …

Boston’s CBS News affiliate reports: David Ferguson is speaking out passionately on behalf of his son DJ. He says the 31-year-old is fighting for his life at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and in desperate need of a heart transplant. “My son has gone to the edge of death to stick to his guns and he’s been pushed to the limit,” …

Reuters reports: Even as COVID-19 cases drop and hospitalizations show signs of plateauing in hard-hit pockets of the United States, the still-rising death toll from the Omicron variant highlights the trail of loss that follows every virus surge. Coronavirus deaths hit an 11-month high on Sunday, climbing 11% in the past week when compared to the prior week, according to …

The Tacoma News-Tribune reports: With the number of people in King County hospitalized for COVID-19 jumping more than 700 percent in the last month, hospitals are pleading with people to get vaccinated and boosted. MultiCare Health System, the Washington State Hospital Association, Public Health – Seattle & King County and seven others signed a call to action this week asking …

The Hill reports: Unvaccinated adults ages 65 and older are nearly 50 times more likely to be hospitalized than seniors who have received a full COVID-19 vaccine and a booster shot, according to data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The data show that unvaccinated seniors and older are 49 times more likely to go to …

Reuters reports: New coronavirus cases are falling in parts of the United States hardest hit by the fast-spreading Omicron variant, according to a Reuters analysis of public health data, offering an early indication the virus might once again be on retreat. COVID-19 infections have decreased in 15 states plus Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, an analysis of the past week …

The Associated Press reports: The fast-moving omicron variant may cause less severe disease on average, but COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. are climbing and modelers forecast 50,000 to 300,000 more Americans could die by the time the wave subsides in mid-March. The seven-day rolling average for daily new COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. has been trending upward since mid-November, reaching …

The Associated Press reports: Greece imposed a vaccination mandate Monday for people 60 and older, as the country’s vaccination rate remains below the European Union average and a spike in infections has put sustained pressure on Greek hospitals. Older people failing to get vaccinated will face penalties, starting at a 50-euro ($57) fine in January and followed by a monthly …

Politico Europe reports: Moderna hopes to market a combined booster vaccination for COVID-19, influenza and RSV — a common respiratory virus — as soon as the fall of 2023, CEO Stéphane Bancel said Monday. Bancel, speaking on a panel at the World Economic Forum, said the combination vaccine would enable people to get broad protection against illnesses caused by respiratory …

USA Today reports: France passed a law Sunday that will exclude unvaccinated people from all restaurants, sports arenas, and other venues, one of the strictest measures taken by a country to stop the spread of COVID-19. French President Emmanuel Macron had hoped to push the bill through faster, but it was slightly delayed by resistance from lawmakers both on the …

The Associated Press reports: The World Health Organization said Sunday that a U.N.-backed program shipping coronavirus vaccines to many poor countries has now delivered 1 billion doses, but that milestone “is only a reminder of the work that remains” after hoarding and stockpiling in rich countries. A shipment of 1.1 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to Rwanda on Saturday included the …

The Verge reports: Apple now requires store and corporate employees to get a COVID-19 booster shot, the company announced in an internal email seen by The Verge. Once an employee is eligible to get a booster shot, they will have four weeks to comply, otherwise, they will need to take frequent tests to enter a retail store, partner store, or …

CNBC reports: The ruling came after the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s emergency measure started to take effect. The mandate required that workers at businesses with 100 or more employees must get vaccinated or submit a negative Covid test weekly to enter the workplace. It also required unvaccinated workers to wear masks indoors at work. OSHA, which polices workplace safety …