Topic: Coronavirus: OFFICIAL Updates/ Health Info/Travel Info

[theschnauzers]

As a personal note, I was able to get my Pfizer booster on Monday as well as my flu shot. No lines even at the end of the pharmacy’s day, which I hadn’t expected. As was the case in February March, I have some fatigue and stiffness in the one arm, and that’s it. I’m going to bed several hours earlier that normal. Meanwhile, no reaction to the flu shot, which went in the other arm. (That’s getting close to 40 years.)

Some unvaccinated folks are being subjected to employer penalties for not getting vaccinated by a deadline. The football coaching staff at Washingtom aState University, including the head coach and three assistant coaches were let go. A notable death from Covid-19 was reported thupis weekend. Formwer Secretary of State and apRet, Gen. Colin Powell died from complications  related to his suffering from a blood cancer Ann

[theschnauzers]

The US Food and Drug Administration has formally approved the use of booster shots of the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, and is permitting any of the three vaccines to be used for booster shots (“mix and match”)

[theschnauzers]

An advisory committee of the US Food and Drug Administration has recommended approval of the Pfizer vaccine at a one-third dosage for use with children ages 5 through 11. It’s just the first step.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/26/health/covid-19-young-kids-vaccine-fda-discussion/index.html

[claude_24hrs]

Global COVID-19 deaths have now exceeded to 5 million since the pandemic began less than 2 years ago.

Link: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/covid-s-global-death-toll-now-tops-5-million-n1282838

[Alenaveda]

Update from Argentina:

Borders are no longer closed to foreign visitors effective today as was announced in September, and following the requirements informed in my posts from 9/21/2021 and 10/01/21.

[georgiapeach]

Update from Argentina:

Borders are no longer closed to foreign visitors effective today as was announced in September, and following the requirements informed in my posts from 9/21/2021 and 10/01/21.

Wonderful news!

[theschnauzers]

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has signed off on making the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine available to children aged 5to 11, effective immediately.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/02/health/covid-19-vaccine-children-acip/index.html

[theschnauzers]

Pfizer is now planning to seek emergency use authorization to provide Covid-19 vaccine boosters to all adults 18 and over.

Here’s the story from the Associated Press. Ia their app.

BY LAURAN NEERGAARD
Yesterday
Pfizer asked U.S. regulators Tuesday to allow boosters of its COVID-19 vaccine for anyone 18 or older, a step that comes amid concern about increased spread of the coronavirus with holiday travel and gatherings.

Older Americans and other groups particularly vulnerable to the virus have had access to a third dose of the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine since September. But the Food and Drug Administration has said it would move quickly to expand boosters to younger ages if warranted.

Pfizer is submitting early results of a booster study in 10,000 people to make its case that it’s time to further expand the booster campaign.

While all three vaccines used in the U.S. continue to offer strong protection against severe COVID-19 illness and death, the shots’ effectiveness against milder infection can wane over time.

Pfizer’s new study concluded a booster could restore protection against symptomatic infection to about 95%, even as the extra-contagious delta variant was surging. Side effects were similar to those seen with the company’s first two shots.

A median of 11 months after their last Pfizer vaccination, trial participants were given either a third dose or a dummy shot. Researchers tracked any infections that occurred at least a week later, and so far have counted five cases of symptomatic COVID-19 among booster recipients compared to 109 cases among people who got dummy shots.

The Biden administration had originally envisioned boosters for all adults, but faced a stinging setback in September when the FDA’s scientific advisers rejected extra Pfizer doses for everyone. The panel wasn’t convinced that young healthy people needed another dose, particularly when most of the world’s population remains unvaccinated, and instead recommended boosters just for certain groups — one of a series of decisions about extra doses for all of the three vaccines used in the U.S.

The current rules: People who initially received Pfizer or Moderna vaccinations are eligible for a booster six months later if they’re 65 or older, or are at high risk of COVID-19 because of health problems or their job or living conditions. Because the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine hasn’t proven as effective as its two-dose competitors, any J&J recipient can get a booster at least two months later.

Also, anyone eligible for a booster doesn’t have to stick with their initial vaccination type and can get a different company’s vaccine, what’s called mixing and matching.

About 194 million Americans are fully vaccinated. Under today’s policies, authorities already estimated about 2 of every 3 vaccinated adults could qualify for a booster within the next few months. Many who don’t meet the criteria often score an extra shot because many vaccine providers don’t check qualifications.

FDA spokeswoman Alison Hunt said the agency would review Pfizer’s application “as expeditiously as possible,” but would not set a timeline for a decision. She also said the FDA hasn’t yet decided whether to convene its panel of outside experts to vet the data.

If the FDA authorizes Pfizer’s request for expanded boosters, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention then will make recommendations for how to use them.

Globally, boosters also are a hodge-podge. Some countries restrict them to older or medically fragile people while others have few restrictions. Israel, for example, has allowed Pfizer boosters for anyone 12 and older. Canada’s health regulator on Tuesday authorized Pfizer boosters for people 18 and older.

[Mandoli]

US opening borders to international travelers:

Parents held children born while they were stuck abroad. Long-separated couples kissed, and grandparents embraced grandchildren who had doubled in age.

The U.S. fully reopened to many vaccinated international travelers Monday, allowing families and friends to reunite for the first time since the coronavirus emerged and offering a boost to the travel industry decimated by the pandemic. The restrictions closed the U.S. to millions of people for 20 months.

Link: US reopens to international travel, allows happy reunions [AP]

[theschnauzers]

The US Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have approved an expansion of the emergency use authorization for booster shots using the Pfizer and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines for all adults 18 years old or older. This follows studies indicating that the effectiveness of the initial vaccinations decline after about six months.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/19/health/covid-vaccine-boosters-fda-cdc/index.html

[Alenaveda]

Update from Argentina:

It was announced by the Health authorities that all the persons that completed the vaccination scheme will need to receive a third shot around six months later from the moment of receiving the second dose. Priority for this will have the risk groups and those of age 50 and higher that were inoculated with the Sinopharm vaccine.

[theschnauzers]

A new variant has emerged, identified as B.1.1.529, in South Africa containing a “multitude” of mutations that has started spreading rapidly in Southern Africa and has been detected in Hong Kong. A technical working group of the World Health Organization is scheduled to meet Friday, November 26, and may determine it is serious enough to be assigned a Greek letter name.

https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-africa-public-health-2b15d77e29c2607d4686e059e3313391

[claude_24hrs]

In addition, Europe is become the COVID-19 epicenter once again as cases have risen. Austria had already imposed a full lockdown since earlier this week and vaccinations will be mandatory by February. Countries such as Germany, the Netherlands, Hungary, Slovakia have spiking number of cases.

Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/04/who-europe-is-once-again-at-the-epicenter-of-the-covid-pandemic.html

[H_E_L_L_O]

Belgium, South Africa, Botswana, Hong Kong, and Israel all have cases of the Omicron variant, previously B.1.1.529, and it’s believed to be 500% more infectious than the Delta variant.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.newsweek.com/new-covid-variant-possibly-500-percent-more-infectious-delta-1653596%3famp=1

Edit: While first discovered in South Africa Botswana it should be noted that the Israeli cases came from travelers who recently returned from Malawi and the Belgian case came from a traveler who recently returned Egypt.

[theschnauzers]

It should be noted that the cases in Belgium, Hong Kong, and Israel all involved travelers from Southern Africa where the Omicron Variant was first detected.

[H_E_L_L_O]

The UK has officially reported 2 cases of the Omicron variant with Germany, the Czech Republic, and Australia investigating possible cases.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/live/2021/11/27/world/covid-omicron-variant-news.amp.html

Germany confirmed 2 cases of the omicron variant.
Italy has now identified a omicron variant case.

[theschnauzers]

Hong Kong has reported two cases currently in quarantine as travelers arriving in Hong Kong for a mandatory two week quarantine.
Expect more reports in the coming days as samples are tested, sequenced, and the Omicron Variant is identified in such samples.

[H_E_L_L_O]

Australia, Denmark, the Czech Republic, and the Netherlands have all confirmed cases of the omicron variant with Austria investigating a possible case.

[theschnauzers]

This evening te provincial government of Ontario confirmed Canada’s first two cases of the Omicron Variant of Covid-19 with both patients having travelled from Nigeria within the past 24 days.

https://www.ottawapublichealth.ca/en/public-health-topics/novel-coronavirus.aspx?_mid_=32064#November-28-2021-Special-statement-from-Dr-Vera-Etches

[Alenaveda]

Update from Argentina:

Several cases of the Omicron variant have been detected in the last week in different parts of the country, with the highest number located in the province of Córdoba. All of them are related with persons that arrived from the African continent.

[theschnauzers]

 ViaThe Washington Post.

The latest on the spread of the Omicron variant in the United States.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/12/14/omicron-us-spread/

[theschnauzers]

A federal appeals court has ordered the withdrawal of a judicial stay against the pending OSHA emergency safety standard requiring employers with 100 or more employees to mandate a vaccination mandate with a strict testing protocol for those who do not comply, set to be effective on January 4, 2022.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/12/17/biden-vaccine-mandate-private-companies/

Branches of the US military have begun discharging members who failed to comply with a vaccination mandate. Over 99% of service members have complied with the mandate. The Pentagon through the Secretary of Defense has made clear to the National Guard that its reservists must also comply with the mandate.

For the latest developments concerning the delta and omicron variants of Covid-19 and the latest wave of infections in the US and elsewhere, go to:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/12/17/covid-omicron-variant-live-updates/

[theschnauzers]

From CNN.com:

https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/20/health/us-coronavirus-monday/index.html

The proportion of cases involving the Omicron variant in the U.S. has gone from 3% to 73% in one weekl

[SuperTux]

Xi'an, capital of Shannxi province of China, has announced lockdown due to increasing indigenous Covid cases.

During the last fortnight there were 234 indigenous Covid cases in Xi'an.

[Alenaveda]

Update from Argentina:

The number of cases have suddenly increased in the last week in similar levels to those we had during the second wave.