Covid-19 vaccine in the US: summary 13 April 2021
US vaccine news: Tuesday 13 April
Valneva vaccine Phase III trails in the US
French biotech company Valneva SE announced positive data for the first part of a Phase 1/2 clinical trial of its inactivated, adjuvanted Covid-19 vaccine candidate, VLA2001. Valneva has completed recruitment for the pivotal Phase III trial, VLA1553-301, of its single-shot chikungunya vaccine candidate, VLA1553. The sponsor of the first chikungunya vaccine Biologics License Application (BLA) to be approved in the US will be eligible to receive a Priority Review Voucher (PRV).
A total of 4,131 adults aged 18 or above have been recruited across 44 sites in the US for the Phase III trial, VLA1553-301, which was launched in September 2020. If the trial results are positive, the trial is expected to support VLA1553’s licensure.
Johnson & Johnson statement on Covid-19 vaccine
Johnson & Johnson have issued the following statement concerning their Covid-19 vaccine:
"The safety and well-being of the people who use our products is our number one priority. We are aware of an extremely rare disorder involving people with blood clots in combination with low platelets in a small number of individuals who have received our COVID-19 vaccine. The United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are reviewing data involving six reported U.S. cases out of more than 6.8 million doses administered. Out of an abundance of caution, the CDC and FDA have recommended a pause in the use of our vaccine.
In addition, we have been reviewing these cases with European health authorities. We have made the decision to proactively delay the rollout of our vaccine in Europe and pause vaccinations in all Janssen COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials while we update guidance for investigators and participants.
We have been working closely with medical experts and health authorities, and we strongly support the open communication of this information to healthcare professionals and the public.
The CDC and FDA have made information available about proper recognition and management due to the unique treatment required with this type of blood clot. The health authorities advise that people who have received our COVID-19 vaccine and develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination should contact their health care provider".
Experts considering vaccine efficacy after J&J vaccine paused
Thousands of doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine have been put on hold over concerns about blood clots. In the Bay Area, about 20,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine have been shelved for the time being in seven counties. Dr. Monica Gandhi, Professor of Medicine at the University of California in San Francisco says that vaccines are still the best way to combat Covid-19 and could provide immunity for a lifetime. “If we look at past coronavirus that cause severe illness, not the ones that cause colds, I truly believe we are not going to need frequent boosters,” Dr. Ghandi told CBS News.
J&J issues could affect confidence in vaccines
It was a point touched upon by Dr Fauci and Jeff Zients... the J&J vaccine suspension could have far-reaching effects in the US if the latest scare hits the confidence of the populace over the safety of the vaccine rollout as a whole. According to a recent survey by NPR, one in four Americans do not want to take a covid-19 vaccine.
FDA to scrutinize vaccine design behind shots linked to blood clots
With two covid-19 vaccines now under scrutiny for possible links to very rare cases of blood clots in the brain, US government scientists are focusing on whether the specific technology behind the shots may be contributing to the risk.
In Europe, health regulators said last week there was a possible link between the AstraZeneca Plc vaccine and 169 cases of a rare brain blood clot known as cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), accompanied by a low blood platelet count, out of 34 million shots administered in the European Economic Area.
The US Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday recommended temporarily halting use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine after reports of six cases of CVST in women under age 50 among some 7 million people who received the shot in the United States.
Both vaccines are based on a new technology using adenoviruses, which cause the common cold, that have been modified to essentially render them harmless. The viruses are employed as vectors to ferry instructions for human cells to make proteins found on the surface of the coronavirus, priming the immune system to make antibodies that fight off the actual virus.
Scientists are working to find the potential mechanism that would explain the blood clots. A leading hypothesis appears to be that the vaccines are triggering a rare immune response that could be related to these viral vectors, FDA officials said at a briefing on Tuesday.
The US agency will analyze data from clinical trials of several vaccines using these viral vectors, including J&J's Ebola vaccine, to look for clues.
None of the previous vaccines using viral vectors have been administered at close to the scale of the AstraZeneca and J&J covid-19 shots, which may explain why a potential link to blood clots only materialized during these massive vaccination programs.
The technology has also been used in coronavirus vaccines developed in China and Russia.
Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, was reluctant to declare the blood clot issues a "class effect" shared by all adenovirus vector vaccines, but he sees marked similarity in the cases.
"It's plainly obvious to us already that what we're seeing with the Janssen (J&J) vaccine looks very similar to what was being seen with the AstraZeneca vaccine," Marks said. "We can't make some broad statement yet, but obviously, they are from the same general class of viral vectors."
Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP
Why have pediatric trials of the AstraZeneca vaccine been stopped?
A UK-based trial on children aged from six to 17 was stopped due to concerns over causal links between the drug and clotting disorders. Several countries have now either suspended or limited their rollouts of both AstraZeneca and J&J covid-19 vaccines due to concerns over rare clotting disorders in recipients.
EMA reviewing blood clot reports
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said on Tuesday it was reviewing cases of rare blood clots in women who had taken Johnson & Johnson's covid-19 vaccine after US federal health authorities recommended pausing the use of the shot.
In a statement to Reuters, the EMA said it was "currently not clear whether there is a causal association between vaccination" and the conditions.
"EMA will further communicate once the evaluation has concluded," it added.
SA follows US in suspending J&J vaccine
South Africa has temporarily suspended the rollout of Johnson & Johnson's covid-19 vaccine, its health minister said on Tuesday, after US federal health agencies recommended pausing its use because of rare cases of blood clots.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said the pause there was expected to be a matter of days. Six women under age 50 developed rare blood clots in the United States among more than 6 million people given the J&J shot so far.
"I had urgent consultations with our scientists, who advised that we cannot take the decision by the FDA lightly. Based on their advice, we have determined to voluntarily suspend our rollout until the causal relationship between the development of clots and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is sufficiently interrogated," Health Minister Zweli Mkhize told reporters.
He said there had not been reports of such clots in South Africa after almost 290,000 vaccinations.
In South Africa, the J&J vaccine has been given to health workers in a research study that is further testing it in the field. The government expects to receive its first batch of commercial doses later this month, as part of a bilateral deal with J&J for 31 million doses.
US has "more than enough vaccine"
White House covid-19 coordinator Jeff Zients said on Tuesday that the United States has more than enough vaccine from Pfizer Inc and Moderna Inc to keep up the pace of vaccinations during a pause in the use of Johnson & Johnson's shot.
US federal health agencies on Tuesday recommended pausing administering J&J's covid-19 vaccine for at least a few days after six women under age 50 developed rare blood clots after getting the shot, dealing a setback in efforts to tackle the pandemic.
"We have more than enough supply of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to continue the current pace of about 3 million shots per day, and that puts us well on pace to meet the President’s goal of 200 million shots by his first 100 days in office," Zients said.
US infectious disease official Dr. Anthony Fauci said on Tuesday that the pause on J&J's vaccine is likely to last days or weeks, and that he could not rule out that the review would lead to a full stoppage of the vaccine.
Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP
Biden and Obama to appear on NBC's vaccination special
President Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama will now be a part of NBC's "Roll Up Your Sleeves", a covid-19 vaccination awareness program, Comcast Corp's NBC said on Tuesday.
The hour-long special, created by media company ATTN, will air on April 18, and aims to encourage Americans to get vaccinated against covid-19. ATTN had previously said former First Lady Michelle Obama and "Hamilton" creator Lin-Manuel Miranda will also appear on the program.
Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey will interview Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, on the special, ATTN had said.
The show, which will include a number of comedy acts, informative packages and real-life stories, is being produced in partnership with pharmacy chain Walgreens Boots Alliance.
Fauci / FDA press conference summary
There have been no indications that any of the other available vaccines may be pulled, the experts add. The other vaccines have an extraordinary safety record, Fauci says.
Will everybody with a scheduled J&J vaccine get rescheduled? "The supply exists to continue to vaccinate Americans. There are tens of millions of doses in the system."
Is the goal of having enough stock for the whole US population by the end of May still on track? "We believe there is enough Moderna and Pfizer for all Americans who want to get vaccinated."
Are the FDA and CDC ruling out the possibility that the J&J vaccine could be removed from the market? "It's early to speculate. I can't guarantee anything but the FDA and CDC will be looking at everything very carefully."
How will the experts address vaccine reluctance after the latest scare? "We have to be transparent. The FDA is the gold standard for assuring the safety and effectiveness of vaccines. The bottom line is that they are safe and are saving lives. But information has to be transparent"
Is there a timeline for the current pause? When will the rollout be resumed? "More like days to weeks, rather than weeks to months," says Dr Fauci.
What is the advice for people who have recently received the J&J vaccine? If you have any thing that resembles a neurological symptom (headahces are a common symptom) or shortness of breath contact a medical professional.
The experts add that there have been no "red flags" on the Moderna of Pfizer vaccines to date. This is an unusual occurence of an adverse effect."
Will there be more pauses in other vaccine rollouts? Fauci says these decisions lie with the CDC and the FDA. "We are ruled by the science," he adds,
Dr Fauci responds to a question asking if this pause is a bit extreme under the circumstances. He answers that although these cases are extremely rare, the FDA wants to proceed with caution until the safety of the vaccine has been determined.
Dr Fauci says the most common way to treat thromboses is with heparin, but in these cases "that is not advisable." The pause, he says, will allow physicians to study existing cases. There have been 120 million people in the US who have received a vaccine so far and the large majority have had no issues. Out of 6.85 million J&J doses administered, six people have had serious clotting issues, Fauci says.
He adds that anybody scheduled for a J&J vaccine will be rescheduled to recieve Moderna or Pfizer vaccines instead.
An FDA official is speaking now and explaining that after six reported US cases of "rare and severe" blood clotting the decision was taken to suspend the J&J vaccine rollout. He adds that it will not have a significant effect on the overall vaccine rollout in the US. Joe Biden has arranged for 300 million doses to be available in the US by the end of June, Fauci adds.
J&J covid-19 vaccine pause: more reaction
Following are initial reactions Eleanor Riley, professor of immunology and infectious disease at the University of Edinburgh spoke about the situation.
"Whilst a causal link between covid vaccination, platelet abnormalities and blood clots has not, so far, been confirmed, the index of suspicion is rising that these rare cases may be triggered by the adenovirus component of the AstraZeneca and J&J vaccines.
"Whilst more data need to be collected, and the implications carefully considered, it remains the case that for the vast majority of people the risks associated with contracting covid-19 far, far outweigh any risk of being vaccinated.
"Moreover, increasing awareness of the possibility of such side-effects means that they should be diagnosed more quickly and treated more successfully."
Speaking earlier today, Fauci affirms: "AstraZeneca shot is good if safety issues can be overcome"
U.S. infectious disease official Anthony Fauci said if safety concerns about AstraZeneca's covid-19 vaccine were straightened out it had good efficacy, but it might not be needed for Americans because of supplies of other shots.
"I think that the AstraZeneca vaccine from a standpoint of efficacy is a good vaccine, and if the safety issue gets straightened out in the European Union... the efficacy of that vaccine is really quite good," he told BBC radio on Tuesday.
"Whether or not we ever use AZ is unclear but it looks right now at this point in time that we will not need it. It's not a negative indictment of AZ, it is just possible that given the supply that we have from other companies that we may not need to use an AZ vaccine."
The AstraZeneca vaccine is being investigated by European regulators over concerns about rare cases of blood clots. It has not yet been approved in the United States.
Benefits of J&J vaccine outweigh possible risks - Dutch drug regulator
The Dutch medicines regulator (CBG) on Tuesday said the benefits of the Johnson & Johnson covid-19 vaccine outweigh the possible risks, after U.S. federal health agencies recommended pausing the use of the shot.
"Together with the European Medicines Authority we are monitoring the situation very closely", the CBG said. "For now, the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the possible risks."
The U.S. agencies made their recommendation after six recipients developed a rare disorder involving blood clots.
New Mexico pauses J&J vaccine
New Mexico joins the growing number of states that have announced the suspension of the J&J vaccine until further notice...
J&J and AstroZaneca vaccines: both are adenovirus viral vector vaccines
The FDA/CDC's recommended suspension of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine after six recipients developed a rare disorder involving blood clots comes after the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine was briefly suspended in Europe following similar blood clotting concerns.
Both the J&J and AstroZaneca vaccines are adenovirus viral vector vaccines, whereas Moderna and Pfizer's vaccines are based on novel mRNA technology.
Recommendation to pause J&J vaccine is "not a mandate", says FDA official
Doctors and patients can make their own decisions on administering and receiving the J&J vaccine and the FDA/CDC's recommendations are "not a mandate", according to an FDA official who spoke to CNN.
“It's out of an abundance of caution we're recommending that the vaccine be paused in terms of its administration,” said Dr. Peter Marks, director of the US Food and Drug Administration's Center for Biologics Evaluation & Research.
“However, if an individual health care provider has a conversation with an individual patient and they determine that the benefit risk for that individual patient is appropriate, we're not going to stop that provider from administering the vaccine, because it could be right in many cases that benefit risk will be beneficial overall to that individual. A provider and patient can make the determination whether or not to receive the vaccine."
Your risk is "very low" if you got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine more than a month ago, CDC official says
Dr. Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director of the CDC, has said that the risk for those who received the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine more than a month ago is "very low".
"I know there are people who have gotten the vaccine who are probably very concerned. For people who got the vaccine more than a month ago, the risk to them is very low at this time," Schuchat said at a press briefing.
"For people who recently got the vaccine within the last couple of weeks, they should be aware to look for symptoms. If you received the vaccine and develop severe headaches, abdominal pain, leg pain or shortness of breath, you should contact your health care provider," she added.
Florida suspends use of J&J vaccine
Governor of Florida Ron DeSantis announces that the state will halt use of use the J&J vaccine...
Detroit says current appointments will be honored after halt in J&J vaccine rollout
The City of Detroit says it will halt the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine until further notice. However it ensures that it has a sufficient supply of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines to "honor current appointments scheduled this week at the NAC or the neighborhood clinics."
White House issues statement on J&J vaccine suspension: it will not have "significant impact" on vaccine rollout
The White House says that the FDA/CDC announcement calling for the temporary pause in the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine "will not have not have a significant impact on our vaccination plan."
"Johnson & Johnson vaccine makes up less than 5 percent of the recorded shots in arms in the United States to date," said Jeff Zients, the White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator on the Johnson & Johnson Vaccine, in a statement.
"Based on actions taken by the President earlier this year, the United States has secured enough Pfizer and Moderna doses for 300 million Americans. Over the last few weeks, we have made available more than 25 million doses of Pfizer and Moderna each week, and in fact this week we will make available 28 million doses of these vaccines.
"This is more than enough supply to continue the current pace of vaccinations of 3 million shots per day, and meet the President’s goal of 200 million shots by his 100th day in office—and continue on to reach every adult who wants to be vaccinated. We are working now with our state and federal partners to get anyone scheduled for a J&J vaccine quickly rescheduled for a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine."
BREAKING: J&J to delay vaccine rollout in Europe; UK Healthcare also halts use of jab
Johnson & Johnson has announced it will delay the rollout of its Covid-19 vaccine in Europe. The announcement comes after US federal health authorities called on States to pause the use of J&J vaccines as they investigate possible links with a rare blood clot disorder suffered by six recipients of the one-dose shot.
Meanwhile, UK Healthcare says it pausing use of the J&J vaccine following FDA recommendation.
Georgia suspends J&J vaccine
Georgia's Department of Public Health announce the suspension of the J&J vaccine until further notice. The City of Memphis has also made the same announcement.
Important CDC recommendation on blood clot symptoms for recipients of J&J vaccine
The CDC is advising recipients of the J&J vaccine to contact their doctor to test for blood clots if they experience any of the following symptoms within three weeks of getting the shot:
- Headache
- Abdominal pain
- Leg pain
- Shortness of breath
NY halts use of J&J vaccine
New York State has announced the immediate state-wide suspension of the J&J vaccine. Governor Andrew Cuomo has said that New Yorkers who have an appointment to receive the J&J vaccine will be offered a Pfizer jab instead, urging them not to cancel their appointment.
"IMPORTANT: If you have an appointment TODAY at a State-run mass vaccination site for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, you will be offered the Pfizer vaccine instead. You do NOT need to cancel your appointment," the governor tweeted.
J&J vaccine side effect: how many people have notified of blood clots in US?
“Until that process is complete, we are recommending a pause in the use of this vaccine out of an abundance of caution,” read a joint statement from Dr Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director of the CDC, and Dr Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.
On Wednesday CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will meet to discuss these latest cases, while an investigation into the cause of the clots and low platelet counts is being launched by the FDA.
Virginia pauses use of J&J vaccine
Virginia joins the growing numbers of states that have confirmed they will pause use of the J&J vaccine. "In Virginia, we will cease all Johnson & Johnson vaccines until this investigation is complete," the Virginia State Vaccination Coordinator, Dr. Danny Avula, said in a statement.
He added: "This pause is reassuring in that it demonstrates that the systems that are in place to monitor vaccine safety are working."
Massachusetts to suspend J&J vaccine
Massachusetts Health Department has notified vaccine providers to pause J&J vaccine, reports like this coming in from across the country now following the FDA/CDC recommendation.
“The Department of Public Health is notifying all Massachusetts providers to pause administration of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, effective immediately,” the DPH tweeted.
Ohio calls for "pause" of J&J vaccine use in the state.
Governor Mike DeWine has called on vaccine providers in Ohio to "temporarily pause" the rollout Johnson & Johnson vaccine in the state.
"These are very rare events"
Physician and researcher Ashish K. Jha spoke to Good Morning America: "These are very rare events … but it’s the right thing to take a pause, gather some more data, make a plan and then come back to the market."
J&J vaccine suspended at AT&T stadium in Arlington, TX
Arlington Fire Dept. says the Johnson and Johnson vaccine will not be administered at the Community Vaccination Center at AT&T Stadium today, due to most recent federal guidance...
Information on the six blood clot victims
Reports coming in that the six people who developed a rare disorder involving blood clots within two weeks of receiving the J&J vaccine were all women, aged between 18 and 48.
One woman died and another in Nebraska remains in hospital in a critical condition.
What should you do if you have received the J&J vaccine?
Dr. Dana Hawkinson had answers on that topic for those recipients of the J&J vaccine who may now be concerned following the FDA/CDC's calls to suspend the vaccine after six people developed blood clots. Speaking to 41KSHB news, Dr. Hawkinson advised people to keep a look out for certain symptoms related to blood clots, such as headaches and shortness of breath.
Although he did stressed that:"It's important to remember right now there is no causal relationship and also the occurrence of these blood clots, from what we've seen, is pretty rare. About one in a million."
Dow Jones plunge after FDA recommends pause on Johnson and Johnson vaccine
Dow futures fall more than 120 points after FDA says it is recommending a pause in the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine after reported cases of blood clotting...
Here's the latest from CNN following breaking news that the FDA and CDC have called for a pause in the rollout of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine after six recipients in the US developed a rare disorder involcing blood clots.
The broadcaster spoke to Dr. Carlos del Río, executive associate dean at Emory School of Medicine, to give his take on the situation..
FDA/CDC statement in full as it calls for a halt to Johnson & Johnson vaccine
Here is the joint statement issued not long ago by the FDA and the CDC, in which it calls for the suspension of the rollout of the J&J vaccine:
As of April 12, more than 6.8 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccine have been administered in the U.S. CDC and FDA are reviewing data involving six reported U.S. cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot in individuals after receiving the J&J vaccine. In these cases, a type of blood clot called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) was seen in combination with low levels of blood platelets (thrombocytopenia). All six cases occurred among women between the ages of 18 and 48, and symptoms occurred 6 to 13 days after vaccination. Treatment of this specific type of blood clot is different from the treatment that might typically be administered. Usually, an anticoagulant drug called heparin is used to treat blood clots. In this setting, administration of heparin may be dangerous, and alternative treatments need to be given.
CDC will convene a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) on Wednesday to further review these cases and assess their potential significance. FDA will review that analysis as it also investigates these cases. Until that process is complete, we are recommending a pause in the use of this vaccine out of an abundance of caution. This is important, in part, to ensure that the health care provider community is aware of the potential for these adverse events and can plan for proper recognition and management due to the unique treatment required with this type of blood clot.
Right now, these adverse events appear to be extremely rare. COVID-19 vaccine safety is a top priority for the federal government, and we take all reports of health problems following COVID-19 vaccination very seriously. People who have received the J&J vaccine who develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination should contact their health care provider. Health care providers are asked to report adverse events to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System at https://vaers.hhs.gov/reportevent.html.
CDC and FDA will provide additional information and answer questions later today at a media briefing. A recording of that media call will be available on the FDA's YouTube channel.
FDA freezes rollout of Johnson & Johnson vaccine
The FDA has halted the rollout of the J&J vaccine at federal sites and has urges states to do the same, according to a report by the New York Times. The FDA decision comes amid concerns that the J&J jab could be linked to blood clots.
Both the FDA and CDC are currently investigating whether the shot is associated with a very small increased risk of rare blood clots, a federal official told CNN.
"The CDC and the FDA are taking these concerns about blood clots and the J&J vaccine seriously and are diligently assembling data," the official told CNN.
So far, 6.8m doses of the J&J jab -- which only requires one dose in comparison to Moderna and Pfizer's two-dose solutions -- have been administered in the US.
"Today FDA and CDC issued a statement regarding the Johnson & Johnson #OVID19 vaccine. We are recommending a pause in the use of this vaccine out of an abundance of caution," the FDA tweeted.
FDA freezes rollout of Johnson & Johnson vaccine
The FDA has halted the rollout of the J&J vaccine at federal sites and has urges states to do the same, according to a report by the New York Times. The FDA decision comes amid concerns that the J&J jab could be linked to blood clots.
Both the FDA and CDC are currently investigating whether the shot is associated with a very small increased risk of rare blood clots, a federal official told CNN.
"The CDC and the FDA are taking these concerns about blood clots and the J&J vaccine seriously and are diligently assembling data," the official told CNN.
So far, 7m doses of the J&J jab -- which only requires one dose in comparison to Moderna and Pfizer's two-dose solutions -- have been administered in the US.
Vermont projected to be first state to have majority of population vaccinated
Based on current projections, Vermont will become the first state to have 70% of its population vaccinated on 13 June. Vermont will be followed by Maine (14 June), New Jersey (18 June), Rhode Island (18 June) and New Hampshire (23 June). Not surprisingly the top 5 are all states with small populations.
Here's when the Big Four are set to hit the 70%-mark: New York (27 June), Texas (13 July) California (23 July), Florida (26 July).
Based on the current rate of vaccination, Georgia will become the last state to reach the 70% milestone on 30 October.
Novavax says supply shortages delaying full-speed production of its covid-19 vaccine
Novavax Inc has pushed back the timeline for hitting its production target of 150 million covid-19 vaccine doses per month until the third quarter due to supply shortages including bags used to grow cells, a company spokeswoman told Reuters.
Novavax executives had previously said full-scale vaccine production could be achieved by mid-year. The company told Reuters in January it expected to reach full production capacity by May or June.
"We said during our earnings call that we expect all capacity being online by around mid-year. We’re continuing to refine that timing as we get closer, which now leads us to think we’re online/at full capacity by Q3," Novavax communications director Amy Speak said by email on Monday.
"There are some supply shortages that come and go that have contributed to the revision in timing," she added. "These have included things like the bioreactor bags and filters."
Moderna covid-19 booster vaccine: testing update
Dr. Anthony Fauci last month said that the National Institutes of Health began testing a new formulation from Moderna "out of an abundance of caution… should there be a need for an updated vaccine.”
Now 210 volunteers are taking part to test the safety of the vaccine, how people’s immune systems respond and what side effects come up.
Read more:
CDC: 74 million US citizens fully vaccinated
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that 121 million Americans have now received at least one dose of covid-19 vaccine and 74 million have been fully vaccinated against the novel coronavirus.
President Joe Biden recently upgraded his pledge to have 100 million US citizens recieve at least one dose of vaccine in his first 100 days in office to 200 million doses in the same timeframe.
Covid-19 vaccination appointments at Publix
About a quarter of the US population over 18 has now been fully vaccinated. Over half the states allow any adult over 16 to get vaccinated.
Publix Pharmacies are located in seven southeastern states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Publix Pharmacy now administers both the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines but they are subject to availability. Each vaccine has specific designated booking opportunities throughout the week you will need to check your state.
Although some of the states where Publix serves the public have opened up vaccination to everyone 16 and older, the Moderna and Johnson & Johnosn vaccines are not approved for anyone under the age of 18. Fortunately, in every state where Publix Pharmacies are located, all 18-year-olds can sign up for an appointment where supplies exist.
The Johnson & Johnson vaccine requires only one dose, while the Moderna vaccine will require a follow-up shot 28 days after the first.
Publix Vaccine: how to sign up and get an appointment
How to sign and get a covid-19 vaccination appointment at Publix?
About a quarter of the US population over 18 has now been fully vaccinated. Over half the states allow any adult over 16 to get vaccinated.
Publix Pharmacies are located in seven southeastern states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Publix Pharmacy now administers both the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines but they are subject to availability. Each vaccine has specific designated booking opportunities throughout the week you will need to check your state.
Although some of the states where Publix serves the public have opened up vaccination to everyone 16 and older, the Moderna and Johnson & Johnosn vaccines are not approved for anyone under the age of 18. Fortunately, in every state where Publix Pharmacies are located, all 18-year-olds can sign up for an appointment where supplies exist.
The Johnson & Johnson vaccine requires only one dose, while the Moderna vaccine will require a follow-up shot 28 days after the first.
How long does the Moderna vaccine last?
Thanks to painstaking scientific work, there are already several covid-19 vaccines in circulation all over the world - AstraZeneca, Janssen, Sputnik, Pfizer, Moderna - and they are proving highly effective. But one of the great unknowns is the length of time the vaccines protect us against covid-19. We need more time to truly understand.
The most recent trial results have come out showing some interesting data on Moderna's offering.
Read all about the recent Moderna findings.
50% vaccination target in sight
As CNN anchor and correspondent Ana Cabrera reports, assuming the rollout continues down this path we should see half the adult population fixed up with at least one dose by the weekend.
Keep going...
Alaska's vaccination success story has native touch
in case you missed this story, we thought we'd share it again. Despite its sprawling geography and often-inhospitable climate, Alaska ranks among the top U.S. states for getting covid-19 vaccine into the arms of its residents, and its indigenous population has played a major role in that achievement.
With a history and culture deeply shaped by deadly outbreaks of disease that have periodically ravaged remote corners of their subarctic homeland, Alaska Natives have aggressively led the way on inoculations against covid-19 for the state as a whole.
Through their federally recognized sovereign powers, Alaska Native tribes has secured larger vaccine supplies from the U.S. Indian Health Service (IHS) than the state government has obtained for itself, said Tiffany Zulkosky, a Yup'ik and state legislator from the southwestern Alaska community of Bethel.
As a result, tribal health organizations primarily serving indigenous communities - representing just 18% of the state's 730,000 inhabitants - have played an outsized role in the state's overall vaccine campaign.
Acting Anchorage Mayor Austin Quinn-Davidson, who is white, tweeted a photo of herself getting a shot courtesy of a Native organization in early March.
"Alaska is leading the country in vaccinations because of the incredible work and generosity of our Tribal partners," she wrote.
By early April, more than 42% of all Alaska residents aged 16 and older had received at least a first dose of a covid-19 vaccine, ranking near the top among states with the highest rates of inoculation per capita and by percentage of population.
The percentages run higher in regions dominated by Native populations, which have been particularly hard hit by the pandemic.
Fastest US states to administer covid-19 vaccines
The United States is giving out about three million shots a day, an increase from roughly two million in early March.
New Hampshire has administered the highest percentage of covid-19 vaccines it has received, according to the CDC's covid-19 vaccine distribution and administration data tracker. Oklahoma and New Hampshire are the latest states to announce they will open up vaccine eligibility to nonresidents.
Read more about the state-by-state rollout and the deadlines set by President Biden.
Covid-19 vaccine news: welcome
Hello and welcome to our dedicated live blog for Tuesday 13 April 2021.
Here we aim to keep you fully up to date with all the latest news and updates regarding the covid-19 pandemic and all aspects of the vaccine development and rollout across the United States.