Category Archives: Covid-19

In the span of five weeks, Memphis and Shelby County went from the precipice of rationing care in overwhelmed hospitals towards what could be a quiet fall and the final stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The delta variant burned through much of the population that remained vulnerable to infection, causing cases to rise precipitously and then fall almost as fast. Cases and hospitalizations continued to march downward this past week

More: Here's how life-and-death decisions could soon be made at Memphis hospitals

Child vaccines are on the horizon. The elderly and those with compromised immune systems are getting booster shots. The transmission number a measure of how quickly the virus is spreading is the lowest since the pandemic began.

In many ways, we're in the best place we've ever been because we're seeing a steep decline. We have a high level of immunity, both from vaccination and natural infection. It may be over 80% level of immunity in the community, said Dr. Manoj Jain, an infectious disease expert at Baptist Memorial Health Care who also advises the city of Memphis.

There are no variants in sight in our surveillance. There is ample testing available. We continue to take precautions with masking. And we have childhood vaccinationsvery close to happening. You put all of that together. And I don't know who would not jump up for joy, Jain said.

The point Memphis and Shelby County has reached with cases and hospitalizations falling comes after a dark summer. Shelby County hit highs in cases and hospitalizations during a surge of the delta variant.

Cases peaked at 852 on Aug. 24, according to the date-specific case curveand had fallen to 226 a day by Sept. 30, falling 73% from the peak. But the other side of the case curve was just as precipitous, if not more. On July 18, 38 days before the peak, the case curve showed Shelby County averaging 176 cases a day. It would grow by 384% over the next six weeks.

In mid-August, the directors of local emergency rooms warned that rationing of care was possible if a mask mandate wasnt implemented. The health department issued themandate on Aug. 20. Cases peaked four days later.

Jain, for his part, said the mask mandate helped and that there is no doubt that the widespread wearing of masks helps reduce the spread of respiratory viruses. But he is not certain how much deltas peak had to do with masking and how much had to do with a particularly virulent strain running its course.

You can't give masking all the credit. But you can say masking clearly helped in decreasing the peak. So, how high would it have gone without the masking? It's hard to tell, Jain said.

The mask mandate remains in effect even as cases and hospitalizations fall. On Thursday, Shelby County Health Officer Bruce Randolph said the mandate would likely remain in place as cases and hospitalizations fell.

What Shelby County leadership is worried about, Randolph explained, is for the case curve to plateau and not continue falling. That plateau would give the virus more of a foothold for another wave this winter and fall.

We dont want to take our foot off the gas, Randolph said.

Throughout the 19 months of the pandemic, herd immunity, that threshold where the virus lacks hosts to spread, has been bandied about as the solution to the seemingly endless waves of infections and hospitalization. Shelby County could be close to it, Jain said.

Before the delta surge started, Jain estimated there was about 30% of the population that were completely vulnerable to the virus they hadnt been vaccinated or infected. They had no antibodies.

Over the summer, Shelby County recorded more than 40,000 new known infections over the span of a few months. Those people getting infected and the others who were infected that we just dont know about likely helped burn through some of the last vestiges of the vulnerable population, Jain said.

I suspect that we have gone down to the vulnerable to maybe 10 to 15%. At most, Jain said.

Whether this level of immunity is fleeting or permanent is still up in the air, Jain said. He noted the potential waning immunity from vaccines and the possibility of a new variant becoming dominant. The solution, Jain said, is to test for COVID during the winter months, ahead of family events and vacations.

We need the public to buy in;… to normalize testing, and to be part of this social fabric no different than we are brushing our teeth, and wearing a seatbelt for this period of time to be able to live with COVID, and not to fear it, Jain said.

Read the rest here:

'We're in the best place we've ever been': Memphis COVID-19 expert optimistic after summer surge - Commercial Appeal

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 have passed 237.8 million globally, according to Johns Hopkins University. The number of confirmed deaths stands at more than 4.85 million. More than 6.48 billion vaccination doses have been administered globally, according to Our World in Data.

New Zealand will make COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for teachers and workers in the health and disability sectors.

Restrictions have been eased in Sydney, with cafes, gyms and restaurants opening to fully vaccinated customers, after nearly four months of lockdown.

Venezuela has received a second batch of 2.5 million COVID-19 vaccine doses via COVAX, the vaccine sharing facility.

Tokyo has reported its lowest single-day rise in confirmed COVID-19 cases since 19 October 2020.

The United States will accept international visitors who've had COVID-19 vaccines authorized by US authorities or the World Health Organization.

Italy has reached a target of fully vaccinating 80% of the population over the age of 12 against COVID-19.

Moderna has announced its plans to deliver 1 billion doses of its COVID-19 vaccine to low-income countries next year - in addition to the doses it has already committed to COVAX.

From 19 October, fully vaccinated people from eight countries, including Britain, France, Spain and the US, will be able to enter Singapore without the need for quarantine.

The COVID-19 pandemic saw a surge in anxiety and major depressive disorders across the world - in particular among women and young people.

The study, published in the Lancet, said that young people suffered as school closures kept them away from friends, while many women found themselves doing the bulk of household work and faced an increased risk of domestic violence.

It recorded 76 million additional cases of anxiety disorders and 53 million of major depressive disorder as COVID-19 spread in 2020.

"Sadly, for numerous reasons, women were always more likely to be worse affected by the social and economic consequences of the pandemic," study co-author Alize Ferrari said.

"Additional caring and household responsibilities tend to fall on women, and because women are more likely to be victims of domestic violence, which increased at various stages of the pandemic."

Each of our Top 50 social enterprise last mile responders and multi-stakeholder initiatives is working across four priority areas of need: Prevention and protection; COVID-19 treatment and relief; inclusive vaccine access; and securing livelihoods. The list was curated jointly with regional hosts Catalyst 2030s NASE and Aavishkaar Group. Their profiles can be found on http://www.wef.ch/lastmiletop50india.

Top Last Mile Partnership Initiatives to collaborate with:

Confirmed COVID-19-related deaths have passed 600,000 in Brazil, the country's health ministry announced on Friday. It sees Brazil become the second country, after the United States, to pass the milestone.

There are signs though that infections are starting to slow in Brazil, with deaths down 80% from their peak of more than 3,000 per day in April. 615 new COVID-19 deaths were reported on Friday to take Brazil past 600,000.

More than 21.5 million confirmed cases have been reported in Brazil, according to Johns Hopkins. More than 70% of Brazilians have now received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Cumulative confirmed COVID-19 deaths in selected countries.

Image: Our World in Data

Written by

Joe Myers, Writer, Formative Content

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

Link:

COVID-19: What you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic on 11 October - World Economic Forum

COVID-19 outbreak prompts return to virtual learning at Prince William County school

Virtual learning is back for students at a Prince William County school after a COVID-19 outbreak.

MANASSAS, Va. - Virtual learning is back for students at a Prince William County school after a COVID-19 outbreak.

Download the FOX 5 DC News App for Local Breaking News and Weather

Officials say 36 confirmed positive COVID-19 cases, three probable positive cases and more than 200 close contacts in quarantine have been reported at Bennett Elementary School recently which prompted the switch to virtual learning.

"Bennett Elementary will deliver live instruction virtually by their classroom teachers Tuesday, October 12 through Friday, October 15. All classes will follow their normal bell times. Any student who does not have their device at home may pick-up a device on Monday, October 11 from 8 a.m. 4:30 p.m.," the school said in a statement.

A webinar jointly provide information and answer questions will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, October 11.

Go here to read the rest:

COVID-19 outbreak prompts return to virtual learning at Prince William County school - FOX 5 DC

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) reports as of October 11, 2021, there are currently 10,561 active COVID-19 cases statewide. There have been 41 deaths reported since the last report, with a total of 3,976 deaths attributed to COVID-19.

DHHR has confirmed the deaths of a 56-year old male from Mason County, a 73-year old female from Wirt County, a 62-year old female from Boone County, a 70-year old male from Raleigh County, a 71-year old female from Harrison County, a 49-year old male from Kanawha County, a 51-year old female from Wayne County, a 60-year old female from Preston County, a 70-year old male from Hampshire County, a 75-year old female from Jackson County, a 56-year old male from Preston County, a 68-year old male from Taylor County, a 74-year old female from Cabell County, a 51-year old male from Ritchie County, an 82-year old male from Greenbrier County, an 80-year old male from Fayette County, a 77-year old female from Preston County, a 71-year old male from Wayne County, an 86-year old male from Harrison County, a 79-year old female from Raleigh County, a 79-year old male from Wayne County, a 93-year old female from Morgan County, a 49-year old female from Cabell County, a 57-year old male from Cabell County, a 63-year old female from Wayne County, an 81-year old male from Cabell County, a 47-year old female from Marion County, a 90-year old female from Marshall County, an 83-year old male from Ohio County, a 50-year old male from Boone County, a 76-year old female from Harrison County, a 56-year old female from Marshall County, a 56-year old female from Berkeley County, a 58-year old male from Jackson County, a 73-year old male from Tucker County, a 42-year old female from Wayne County, a 51-year old male from Randolph County, a 67-year old female from Monongalia County, a 72-year old male from Wayne County, a 52-year old female from Logan County, and a 52-year old female from Logan County.

We extend our deepest sympathies to these families, said Bill J. Crouch, DHHR Cabinet Secretary. We are thankful for our healthcare professionals, support staff and all on the front line who continue to do everything in their power to treat and save West Virginians battling COVID-19.

CURRENT ACTIVE CASES PER COUNTY: Barbour (71), Berkeley (704), Boone (162), Braxton (74), Brooke (69), Cabell (480), Calhoun (25), Clay (42), Doddridge (88), Fayette (227), Gilmer (49), Grant (106), Greenbrier (149), Hampshire (127), Hancock (158), Hardy (73), Harrison (706), Jackson (205), Jefferson (203), Kanawha (946), Lewis (190), Lincoln (156), Logan (167), Marion (513), Marshall (177), Mason (132), McDowell (170), Mercer (351), Mineral (178), Mingo (138), Monongalia (327), Monroe (55), Morgan (95), Nicholas (179), Ohio (174), Pendleton (20), Pleasants (27), Pocahontas (33), Preston (313), Putnam (379), Raleigh (356), Randolph (87), Ritchie (78), Roane (95), Summers (25), Taylor (108), Tucker (37), Tyler (46), Upshur (136), Wayne (259), Webster (73), Wetzel (106), Wirt (36), Wood (530), Wyoming (151). To find the cumulative cases per county, please visit http://www.coronavirus.wv.gov and look on the Cumulative Summary tab which is sortable by county.

Delays may be experienced with the reporting of information from the local health department to DHHR. As case surveillance continues at the local health department level, it may reveal that those tested in a certain county may not be a resident of that county, or even the state as an individual in question may have crossed the state border to be tested. Please visit http://www.coronavirus.wv.gov for more detailed information.

West Virginians 12 years and older are eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine. To learn more about the vaccine, or to find a vaccine site near you, visit vaccinate.wv.gov or call 1-833-734-0965.

Free pop-up COVID-19 testing is available today in Barbour, Berkeley, Braxton, Cabell, Greenbrier, Hampshire, Jefferson, Logan, Marion, Mingo, Monroe, Morgan, Putnam, Raleigh, Randolph, Ritchie, and Upshur counties.

Barbour County

1:00 PM - 5:00 PM, Junior Volunteer Fire Department, 331 Row Avenue, Junior, WV (optional pre-registration: UnityPHM (unityphr.com)

Berkeley County

10:00 AM - 5:00 PM, 891 Auto Parts Place, Martinsburg, WV (optional pre-registration: UnityPHM (unityphr.com)

Braxton County

7:30 AM - 1:30 PM, Braxton County Memorial Hospital parking lot, 100 Hoylman Drive, Gassaway, WV (optional pre-registration: https://labpass.com/en/registration?access_code=Braxton)

Cabell County

9:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Cabell-Huntington Health Department, parking lot, 703 Seventh Avenue, Huntington, WV (optional pre-registration: https://labpass.com/en/registration?access_code=MavCabell)

Greenbrier County

9:00 AM - 3:00 PM, State Fair of WV, 891 Maplewood Avenue, Lewisburg, WV (optional pre-registration: https://labpass.com/en/registration?access_code=WVGBC)

Hampshire County

10:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Hampshire Memorial Hospital, 363 Sunrise Boulevard, Romney, WV (optional pre-registration: UnityPHM (unityphr.com)

Jefferson County

10:00 AM - 6:00 PM, Hollywood Casino, 750 Hollywood Drive, Charles Town, WV (optional pre-registration: UnityPHM (unityphr.com)

Logan County

12:00 PM - 5:00 PM, Old 84 Lumber Building, 100 Recovery Road, Peach Creek, WV (optional pre-registration: UnityPHM (unityphr.com)

Marion County

10:00 AM - 7:00 PM, Dunbar School Foundation, 101 High Street, Fairmont, WV

Mingo County

9:00 AM - 3:00 PM, Matewan Volunteer Fire Department, 306 McCoy Street, Matewan, WV

(optional pre-registration: https://labpass.com/en/registration?access_code=WVMGC)

Monroe County

9:00 AM - 2:00 PM, Appalachian Christian Center, 2812 Seneca Trail South, Peterstown, WV (optional registration: https://labpass.com/en/registration?access_code=WVMRC)

Morgan County

11:00 AM - 5:00 PM, War Memorial Hospital, 1 Health Way, Berkeley Springs, WV (optional pre-registration: UnityPHM (unityphr.com)

Putnam County

9:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Liberty Square Shopping Center, parking lot, 613 Putnam Village, Hurricane, WV (optional pre-registration: https://wv.getmycovidresult.com/)

Raleigh County

9:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Beckley-Raleigh County Health Department, 1602 Harper Road, Beckley, WV (optional pre-registration: https://labpass.com/en/registration?access_code=MavBeckleyRaleigh)

Randolph County

10:00 AM - 6:00 PM, Davis Health Center, 812 Gorman Avenue, Elkins, WV (optional pre-registration: UnityPHM (unityphr.com)

8:00 AM - 3:30 PM, parking lot across from Randolph-Elkins Health Department, 32 Randolph Avenue, Elkins, WV (optional pre-registration: https://labpass.com/en/registration?access_code=WVRDC)

Ritchie County

1:00 PM - 4:00 PM, Ritchie Regional, 135 South Penn Avenue, Harrisville, WV

Upshur County

8:00 AM - 3:30 PM, Jawbone Park, corner of Florida Street and Madison Street, Buckhannon, WV (optional pre-registration: https://labpass.com/en/registration?access_code=WVUSC)

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COVID-19 Daily Update 10-11-2021 - West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources

The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention on Sunday reported 150 hospitalizations for COVID-19 around the state, a significant decrease from the previous weekend and down six from Saturday.

Maine hospitals had 205 COVID-19 patients on Oct. 3, closer to the all-time high of 235 on Sept. 25. Numbers have been steadily falling since then, though 150 statewide patients is still far above the lows Maine saw this summer.

On Sunday, 48 of those hospital patients were in intensive care and 27 were on ventilators. The state had 57 intensive care unit beds available of a total 328, and 204 ventilators available of 304.

The Maine CDC doesnt update new case numbers on Sundays, but it does provide hospitalizations and vaccinations.

As of Sunday, 886,052 people had received their final dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, not counting booster shots. Thats 65.92 percent of the total Maine population. Another 46,007 people have received boosters, according to state data.

On Saturday, the Maine CDC reported 600 new coronavirus cases and five deaths, bringing cumulative totals to 94,948 cases and 1,075 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.

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COVID-19 hospitalizations have fallen over past week - Portland Press Herald - Press Herald

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When Brittany Phillips Ramirez relocated her family back to her hometown of Waco over the summer, COVID-19 precautions at Mountainview Elementary School were foremost on her mind. And as the delta variant spiked, she even considered home-schooling her 6-year-old daughter because she worried that the school district might adopt a more relaxed approach when it came to students wearing masks at schools.

But shortly after classes began, the Waco Independent School District made a bold choice that surprised residents like Ramirez. It became one of about 70 school districts in Texas at the time to adopt a mandate that students wear masks while in school.

And it did so in defiance of Gov. Greg Abbotts executive order barring public schools from requiring students wear masks.

I was a little surprised, Ramirez said. But when we heard about the mask mandate we were actually dancing around the house in circles. I am not kidding with you.

But as Susan Kincannon, Waco ISDs superintendent, explains, the decision followed the deaths of educators in the central Texas region. At the start of the pandemic, Waco lost 49-year-old Phillip Perry, the principal of its G.W. Carver Middle School, to the coronavirus.

Then when students returned for fall classes in August, two teachers in nearby Connally Independent School District from COVID-19 complications: 41-year-old sixth-grade teacher Natalia Chansler and David McCormick, a seventh-grade teacher, who was 59.

It's tough on a school community. It's tough on co-workers and on the campus. I just saw the tears of the co-workers and sadness that it brings, Kincannon said.

As the community dealt with the loss, Kincannon watched COVID-19 infections among faculty rise sharply during that first week of school. A member of Waco ISD's communications staff, administrative assistant Melissa Perry, because ill and eventually died of COVID-19.

Kincannon felt she had to take stronger actions despite knowing that the district could lawsuit from the state. So, she put a district-wide mask mandate in place.

Originally, the superintendent wanted to comply with the governor's orders and leave the decision to wear masks, an individual one. But the loss and the coronavirus spike was too much.

Cases began to pop really quickly those first three days. We saw 104 cases. Last year, it took us seven weeks to get to 100 cases, Kincannon said. The second week of school we saw 285 cases. And so that decision to require masks really came about as a result of what we were seeing in our schools, and how quickly the cases were multiplying.

The personal loss felt by educators throughout Waco is hard to escape.

Sally Peavy, an art teacher at Cesar Chavez Middle School, remembers hearing about the deaths of the two Connally ISD teachers this August while she was prepping her classroom for the beginning of the school year. She didnt know them, but it made her stop. Those teachers, she thought, had contracted the fatal disease doing the same thing she was at the time, just minutes down the road.

I think there is a level of fear when you think about it a lot, Peavy said.

Rebekah Raabe, a special education teacher at Tennyson Middle School, said the deaths of colleagues made an impact.

I think when it happens to somebody you know, it makes it a lot more real, she said.

As expected, the Waco district is now among about a dozen districts in the state facing a lawsuit for violating the governor's order against mandatory mask-wearing in schools.

On Sept. 27, attorneys for the state, appearing at a virtual court hearing in McLennan County, requested a temporary injunction on the mask mandates imposed by Waco, Midway, McGregor and La Vega school districts.

State District Judge Vicki Menard did not issue one but instead ordered a review of whether McLennan County is the right jurisdiction for the case.

The attorney generals office eventually dropped its lawsuits against the McGregor and Midway school districts. An attorney for Midway ISD informed the judge that masks were encouraged but there was no mandate. McGregor ISD officials said they did have a mandate but at the attorney general offices request, had decided not to enforce it.

From a broader perspective, the district questions whether this provision (against mask mandates) is in the lawful use of the governors authority, Kyle DeBeer, Waco ISD's chief of staff. Clearly we have felt this way from the start or we wouldn't have instituted a mask mandate.

For now, district officials say they have no intention of dropping its mask mandate which they believe has helped keep the virus at bay. Two weeks after the mask mandate was imposed, the district went from 285 COVID-19 cases to 93. By the fifth week of school, the number of COVID-19 positive cases were the lowest that had been.

Beyond that, district officials have been pleased with the support and faith in what they are doing that they have felt from students' parents.

It's a responsibility that I take very seriously. We've lost employees along the way. And it's been very sad to watch, Kincannon said. Its not something I ever thought I would have to deal with as a superintendent. It's been a long haul since this began.

See original here:

After staff members died from COVID-19, Waco ISD vows to keep mask mandate in defiance of Gov. Greg Abbott's order - The Texas Tribune

State offices are closed Monday, October 11 for Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day. As a result, the locations staffed by the Utah Department of Health and the national guard are closed today. (See locations listed below.)

The following testing sites are offered this week throughout Utah.

All of these testing sites offer PCR, rapid antigen tests, and NP swab PCR tests.

All of these testing sites offer testing for children ages three and older.

Locations selected for testing this week include:

UDOH/National Guard mobile test team sites:

The following sites offer testing for those ages three and older but there is no age limit with regard to saliva tests as long as the child can independently produce the required amount of saliva.

Davis County:

Davis Technical College, 550 E. 300 S., Kaysville (testing located in the P1 parking lot), Tuesday through Friday2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Registerhere.

Juab County:

Santaquin Fire Department, 275 W Main St, Santaquin (drive-through testing event in the bays of the fire station), Saturday, 10/1611 a.m. to 1 p.m.Registerhere.

Salt Lake County:

Utah Public Health Laboratory, 4431 S. 2700 W., Taylorsville (drive-through in the west parking lot), TuesdaySaturday, 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Registerhere.Closed Monday, October 11 for Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day.

Utah State Fairpark, 1025 Motor Ave, Salt Lake City (drive-through; near the drivers license building; enter the parking lot off 1100 West), Tuesday11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Registerhere.Closed Monday, October 11 for Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day.

Highland High School, 2166 South 1700 East, Salt Lake City (mobile van event in the high school parking lot, enter on 2100 S.), Wednesday, 10/134 p.m. to 7 p.m. Registerhere.Closed Monday, October 11 for Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day.

Murray High School, 5450 South State Street, Murray (mobile van event to be held in the high school parking lot on the State Street side of the school), Wednesday, 10/138 a.m. to 12 p.m. Registerhere.Closed Monday, October 11 for Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day.

Rio Tinto Stadium, 9256 S. State St., Sandy, Tuesday, 10/12 and Thursday, 10/1411 a.m. to 2 p.m. Registerhere.

Utah County:

Wride Park, 5806 Pony Express Pkwy.(mobile van testing event held in the parking area next to the baseball field)Eagle Mountain, Wednesday, 10/1310 a.m. to 1 p.m. Registerhere.Closed Monday, October 11 for Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day.

Weber County:

North Shore Aquatic Center, 2480 N. 200 E., North Ogden (mobile van event located in the rear of the aquatic center parking lot), Tuesday, 10/12 and Thursday, 10/142 p.m. to 5 p.m. Registerhere.

Test results from these locations will be emailed to you in an encrypted file fromCV19result@utah.gov30 minutes to several hours after your test is done. If the testing location is extremely busy, it may take a while to process your results. If you dont see an email in your inbox, look in spam or junk mail. Or try to open the email on a non-app browser (chrome, firefox, etc.) and on a computer or non-phone device. If you have trouble opening the email or it doesnt come within a few hours, call (385) 273-7878 for assistance.

For the most accurate results, we recommend people without symptoms receive a PCR test. PCR results are available within 2-3 business days. Antigen (rapid) results are available within two hours.

TestUtah sites:

The following TestUtah locations can now test children ages one year and older.

Box Elder County:

Brigham City Community Hospital, 950 Medical Dr., Brigham City (drive-through in the southwest parking lot), Monday, 10/11, Wednesday, 10/13, Friday, 10/1512 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday, 10/168 a.m. to 3 p.m. Registerhere.

Bear River Health Department, 440 W 600 N, Tremonton (drive-through in the parking lot), Tuesday, 10/12, Thursday, 10/1412 p.m. to 7 p.m. Registerhere.

Carbon County:

Castleview Hospital, 300 North Hospital Dr., Price (drive-through in the parking lot), Saturday, 10/1610 a.m. to 5 p.m. Registerhere.

Cache County:

Cache Valley Hospital, 2380 N. 400 E., North Logan (drive-through in the southwest parking lot),Monday through Saturday7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Registerhere.

Hyrum Senior Center,695 E Main St, Hyrum (drive-through in the Hyrum rodeo grounds parking lot), Tuesday, 10/12, Thursday, 10/14, and Friday, 10/1512 p.m. to 7 p.m. Registerhere.

Davis County:

Bountiful Veterans Park, 740 S. 100 E., Bountiful (drive-through in the parking lot), Monday through Saturday7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Registerhere.

5-C Freeport West (from Antelope Drive, enter at 300 W. and continue to C Street) Clearfield, Monday through Wednesday7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Saturday8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Registerhere.

Ellison Park, 700 N 2200 W, Layton (drive-through in the northeast parking lot), Monday, 10/1112 p.m. to 7 p.m. Registerhere.

Duchesne County:

Roosevelt/TriCounty Health Department, 409 S 200 E, Roosevelt, (mobile van testing in the parking lot of the Roosevelt, UT satellite office of the Tri-County Health Department), Friday, 10/15 and Saturday, 1-/1612 p.m. to 6 p.m. Registerhere.

Emery County:

Green River Medical Center, 585 Main St, Green River (drive-through in the parking lot), Thursday, 10/1412 p.m. to 7 p.m. Registerhere.

Grand County:

Grand Center, 182 North 500 West, Moab (drive-through in the west parking lot),Friday, 10/1512 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday, 10/168 a.m. to 3 p.m. Registerhere.

Iron County:

Cedar Fun Center, 170 E. Fiddlers Canyon, Cedar City (drive-through in the south parking lot), Thursday, 10/1412 p.m. to 7 p.m., Friday, 10/159 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday, 10/168 a.m. to 3 p.m. Registerhere.

Juab County:

Juab School District Office, 346 East 600 North (drive-through in the west parking lot of the Juab School District Office), Nephi, Tuesday, 10/1212 p.m. to 7 p.m. Registerhere.

Millard County:

Delta, 52 North 100 West, Delta, Tuesday, 10/12 and Wednesday, 10/1312 p.m. to 7 p.m. Registerhere

Salt Lake County:

Cannon Health Building, 288 N. 1460 W. (testing location is in the south parking lot), Salt Lake City, Mondaythrough Sunday7 a.m. to 7 p.m.This site offers a dedicated lane for travelers who need testing prior to leaving Utah. Tests offered include PCR, rapid PCR, and rapid antigen and its up to the traveler to determine which test they need depending on where they are traveling. For information on travel requirements by destination visit the CDC website athttps://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html.Registerhere.

Mount Olympus Senior Center, 1634 E. Murray Holladay Road, Salt Lake City (drive-through in the northeast parking lot), Monday through Saturday7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Registerhere.

Draper Senior Center, 1148 Pioneer Road, Draper (drive-through in the parking lot), Monday through Saturday7 a.m. to 7 p.m.Registerhere.

J. Lynn Crane Park, 5355 W. Main Street, Herriman (drive-through in the northwest parking lot behind Herriman City Hall), Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Registerhere.

West Valley (Maverik Center), 3200 S. Decker Lake Dr., West Valley City, (drive-through in the southwest parking lot), MondayFriday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.Registerhere.

Centennial Park, 5405 W. 3100 S., West Valley City (drive-through in the southwest parking lot), Monday, 10/119 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, 10/128 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Wednesday10/139 a.m. to 7 p.m. Registerhere.

West Jordan City Hall, 8000 S. Redwood Rd., West Jordan (drive-through), Thursday, 10/14, Friday, 10/1512 p.m. to 7 p.m.,and Saturday, 10/168 a.m. to 3 p.m. Registerhere.

Bluffdale City Park, 2400 W. 14400 S., Bluffdale (drive-through in the middle parking lot), Monday, 10/118 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Tuesday, 10/1212 p.m. to 7 p.m. Registerhere.

Elk Ridge Middle School, 3659 West 9800 South (drive through in the north parking area), South Jordan, Monday through Friday4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Registerhere.

Kearns Oquirrh Park Fitness Complex, 5658 Cougar Lane, Kearns (drive-through in the southeast parking lot closest to the outdoor pool complex; enter from Cougar Lane), Monday through Saturday7 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.Registerhere.

San Juan County:

San Juan County Building, 117 S Main St, Monticello (drive-through in the north parking lot), Tuesday, 10/1212 p.m. to 7 p.m. Registerhere.

Sanpete County:

Central Utah Public Health Department, 20 S. 100 W., Mount Pleasant (Drive-through in the parking lot of the Central Utah Public Health Department), Wednesday, 10/138 a.m. to 3 p.m. Registerhere.

Summit County:

Park City High School, 1750 Kearns Blvd., Park City (drive-through in the west parking lot), Wednesday, 10/1310 a.m. to 7 p.m. Registerhere.

Tooele County:

Tooele Park and Ride, 2450 North State Route 36, Tooele (drive-through in the center of the parking lot), Monday through Saturday7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Registerhere.

Grantsville Baseball Stadium, 36 East Cherry Street, Grantsville (drive-through in the center of the stadium parking lot) Thursday, 10/14 and Saturday, 10/1612 p.m. to 7 p.m. Registerhere.

Utah County:

Provo Town Center Mall, 1200 Towne Centre Blvd., Provo (drive-through in the north parking lot), Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Registerhere.

Timpanogos Regional Medical Center, 750 W. 800 N., Orem, (drive-through in the southeast parking lot), Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Registerhere.

Payson, 285 N. 1250 E., Payson (drive-through in the south parking lot of the Utah County Health Department), Wednesday, 10/1310 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Thursday, 10/148 a.m. to 3 p.m. Registerhere.

Lehi Round-up Rodeo Grounds, 105 N 500 W, Lehi, (drive-through in the north parking lot) Friday, 10/1512 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday, 10/168 a.m. to 3 p.m. Registerhere.

Nebo School District Offices, 350 S. Main,(mobile van testing in the south parking lot. Enter from the 300 South side of the Nebo School District Offices and follow the signs), Spanish Fork, Saturday, 10/168 a.m. to 12 p.m. Registerhere.

Russell Swenson Ballpark, 171 W 300 S, Spanish Fork, Monday, 10/11, Wednesday, 10/13 and Friday, 10/158 a.m. to 12 p.m.Registerhere.

Springville High School, 1015 E. 900 S. (testing in the field house parking lot), Springville, Tuesday, 10/12 and Thursday, 10/148 a.m. to 12 p.m. Registerhere.

Saratoga Springs, 1320 North Redwood Road, (mobile van event held in the old Smiths grocery store parking lot at the corner of Redwood Road and Crossroads Blvd.), Saratoga Springs, Monday, 10/11 and Wednesday 10/132 p.m. to 5 p.m. Registerhere.

Washington County:

Dixie Technical College, 610 S. Tech Ridge Drive, St. George (drive-through in the south parking lot), Monday through Saturday7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Registerhere.

Weber County:

Ogden Regional Medical Center, 5475 S. 500 E., Ogden (drive-through in the southwest parking lot), Monday through Thursday8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Registerhere.

Results of tests from TestUtah sites will be emailed with a link to the patient portal where results can be accessed. For issues with accessing TestUtah results, please call (801) 783-1829.

For other testing locations visit:https://coronavirus.utah.gov/covid-testing-locations-list

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UDOH-Sponsored COVID-19 Testing Sites for the week of October 11, 2021 | Utah Department of Health - Utah Department of Health

Experts are split on whether the waning delta surge will be the last major COVID-19 wave to strike the U.S., as Americans grow eager for the pandemic to end after 19 months.

The vaccination rate and decreasing cases in most states have provided a ray of hope that the pandemic could be winding down after its final large wave, some experts say.

But other public health experts caution the unpredictability of the virus suggests another surge could still happen as the country braces for winter which led to skyrocketing cases, deaths and hospitalizations last year.

Nicholas Reich, a professor of biostatistics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, said declaring there wont be another major wave after delta feels like a premature and bold statement.

Is there a chance? Sure, but I feel like if there's one thing we've learned from this, it's that there's a lot more sort of uncertainty and randomness in COVID then we've given it credit for so far, he said.

Some experts, including Reich, pointed out that factors such as the potential development of variants and the unknown endurance of immunity after infection and vaccination could spark larger-scale rises in COVID-19 cases after the country has seen a national decline.

The downturn in cases comes after the delta strain fueled a spike, reaching a seven-day average of more than 175,000 daily cases in mid-September. But on Thursday, that average dropped below 100,000 for the first time since Aug. 4, according to data from The New York Times.

Overall, 39 states have seen their seven-day averages of COVID-19 cases fall within the past two weeks. Despite these drops in cases, COVID-19 is not eliminated and many hundreds of thousands of people are still gonna get infected as the pandemic continues, Reich said.

While COVID-19 numbers are moving in the right direction, some areas of the country, including Alaska and West Virginia, are still very much in the midst of the delta wave, said Leana Wen, an emergency physician and public health professor at George Washington University.

I'm very concerned about people becoming complacent because they think that the delta wave is passing us, she said. We have seen this happen before, where there is a rise in the number of cases, then a decline, and then people let down their guard. And as a result, we plateau at a very high level of cases. That's unacceptable.

The approaching winter season also makes it difficult to forecast future COVID-19 trends, as coronaviruses can more easily spread in colder weather and in indoor spaces. Last winter, the U.S. saw its highest surge of cases, hospitalizations and deaths amid holiday gatherings held before vaccines became widely available.

Christopher Murray, the director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, said he expects cases to increase in the winter after bottoming out in October, but that it is likely to be lower than the delta surge.

I think some people will be surprised that it doesn't just keep going away, and that doesn't seem very likely, he said.

Wen of George Washington University said having just 56.2 percent of the total U.S. population fully vaccinated andfewer restrictions than last year leaves it uncertain that the delta wave could be the U.S.s final major COVID-19 surge.

I don't know how we could possibly say that considering we don't know what's going to come our way, Wen said.

I'm not sure how we can know for certain that the level of protection we have nailed through vaccination is sufficient, she said, adding shes hopeful the end is on the horizon with childrens vaccines, oral treatment and more testing.

Others, including former Food and Drug Administration (FDA) commissioner Scott Gottlieb, took a more optimistic stance, anticipating that cases wont rise to the summer delta levels again.

Barring something unexpected, Im of the opinion that this is the last major wave of infection, Gottlieb told The New York Times this week.

Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security, told MSNBC on Friday that any rise in winter cases will likely be more decoupled from hospitalizations and deaths due to the increased immunity due to vaccines and infections.

Many more people have been vaccinated, so many more people have natural immunity from this big delta wave and unfortunately so many people have died that we probably wont see peaks that are anything like we saw in the past, especially when it comes to what matters which is hospitalization, serious disease and death, he said.

I think delta was hopefully the worst that this virus can throw at us, he added.

David Dowdy, an associate professor of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said he thinks its unlikely that the U.S. will endure another COVID-19 wave to the level of the summer delta and previous winter surges.

With the vaccination level rising and a fair amount of the unvaccinated getting infected, Americans immunity is higher now than its ever been, he said.

The emergence of a new variant could potentially threaten that immunity if the strain evades the vaccines. But Dowdy said he doesnt expect that in the short-term, as delta has reigned as the dominant variant worldwide for months without another strain usurping it.

I think anyone who says that they can predict the future of this pandemic is probably lying to you, Dowdy said. But I think we have a lot of reasons to be optimistic that we will not see another massive wave the way that we have seen so far.

Continued here:

Are COVID-19's big waves over? Experts are split | TheHill - The Hill

A preprint study first published on MedRxiv that claimed a 1 in 1,000 risk of contracting myocarditis from a COVID-19 vaccination has been withdrawn due to miscalculations.

MedRxiv is a website that publishes studies that have yet to be peer-reviewed, according to Reuters.

The study was first published on September 16 and conducted by researchers at The University of Ottawa Heart Institute. It was widely used to promote the idea that the COVID-19 vaccine is unsafe for use.

However, the study has been retracted due to a miscalculation, Reuters reported.

The rate of myocarditis - the inflammation of the heart muscle - was calculated by dividing the number of COVID-19 vaccines in Ottawa by the number of incidences of the heart condition.

By their calculations, the risk of myocarditis was 1 in 1,000 or 0.1%.

However, the numbers used by the study were wrong. The authors largely underestimated the amount of vaccines delivered, giving a number 25 times smaller than the actual amount.

They initially said that the number of vaccines delivered was 32,379 when it was actually 854,930.

As a result of this miscalculation, the study was withdrawn on September 24, with the researchers saying in a statement: "Our reported incidence appeared vastly inflated by an incorrectly small denominator (ie number of doses administered over the time period of the study). We reviewed the data available at Open Ottawa and found that there had indeed been a major underestimation, with the actual number of administered doses being more than 800,000

"In order to avoid misleading either colleagues or the general public and press, we the authors unanimously wish to withdraw this paper on the grounds of incorrect incidence data," they added.

The University of Ottawa Heart Institute also issued a statement of apology for any misinformation being spread as a result of this study.

Using data from the Vaccine Safety Datalink, the CDC advised Reuters that other studies have shown that there was not "a significant association between myocarditis/pericarditis and mRNA vaccines," when looking at all age groups, although they did caution "an association between mRNA vaccines and myocarditis/pericarditis in younger individuals," particularly higher among young males.

However, a preprint study on the prevalence of myocarditis in young men found that they are six times more likely to develop myocarditis from COVID-19 than from the vaccine.

The CDC continues to stress the importance of getting the vaccine, stating that any known risks of the COVID-19 vaccine are far outweighed by the benefits.

See the article here:

Study saying COVID-19 vaccines cause heart inflammation pulled - Business Insider

Two studies say the flu vaccine helps with trained immunity that could lower risk of getting COVID-19.

COLUMBUS, Ohio As the colder weather approaches and time outside is limited, experts warn of a flu season skipped a season during the pandemic. Studies now show the annual influenza vaccination may help more than fend off this years strain.

The American Journal of Infection Control says patients who received a flu shot were found to have 24% lower odds of testing positive for COVID-19. This was the first study to explore the association between influenza vaccines and coronavirus.

Dr. Anup Kanodia of KanodiaMD and OhioHealth says the vaccine helps your body with trained immunity.

When a vaccine is boosting up the immune system to fight one thing, like the flu, is also trained to fight other things that may come in contact with, whether it's COVID or other things, said Kanodia. There's research that's out there that says if someone was given the tuberculosis vaccine, it also helps against yellow fever and malaria.

A second study published in the journal Plos One looked into electronic medical records for more than 73-million people with their identities withheld. It created two cohorts totaling more than 74,000 people. Those who received an influenza vaccine 30, 60, 90, and 120 days before being covid-positive showed less risk of sepsis, stroke, DVT, emergency department, and ICU visits.

Kanodia says he is recommending the flu vaccine, especially to families whose children may not be eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccination.

Every day I hear in my office, what else can I do to lower my risk, lower my kid's risk, especially since kids haven't gotten the vaccine or anything like that? said Kanodia. That's just another thing that they can do on top of mask and social distancing.

Both studies recommend more research on the correlation.

For more on a webinar from Dr. Kanodia on COVID-19: Delta Variant, Back to School, Vaccines, Booster and More, click here.

Read more:

Can the flu vaccine reduce COVID-19 infection risk and severity? - 10TV