Category Archives: Covid-19

Does wearing two masks provide more protection?

It depends, but its possible that doubling up could help in some situations.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventionrecommendswearing a cloth mask made with two or more layers, and ensuring it covers your nose and mouth. The agency says it should fit snugly so there arent any gaps at the sides of your face.

Wearing just one mask should be enough for most situations, as long as it fits well and isnt loose, said Dr. David Hamer, an infectious disease expert at Boston University.

Starting out with a good mask to begin with is going to be key, Hamer said.

Still, some people might want extra protection if theyre at risk for severe illness if infected or will be in situations where they expect to be around others for extended periods, such as on a plane.

One option in scenarios when you want extra protection is to wear a cloth mask as well as a regular surgical mask, said Dr. Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease expert at the University of California, San Francisco.

Gandhi said that combination with either mask on top could help achieve a similar effect as the N95 mask. She recommended the added protection for people who will be indoors in areas where transmission rates are high which could reflect the circulation of more contagious variants.

Another option Gandhi and a colleaguerecommendfor situations where you want maximum protection: A two-layer cloth mask that has a filter material in between.

With single cloth masks for everyday use, Gandhi noted its important that theyre made of tightly woven material and have at least two layers, which creates an obstacle course that makes it harder for virus-carrying particles to break through.

Read this article:

Does wearing 2 face masks provide more protection from COVID-19? - KTLA

Schedule a second dose

When you are at your vaccination appointment, make an appointment for the second dose of the vaccine. You should get your second dose 21 days (Pfizer-BioNTech) or 28 days (Moderna) after the first dose. The second dose will provide full protection from the virus.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has created a tool, V-safe, to monitor vaccine safety. V-safe is a smartphone-based tool that uses text messaging and web surveys to provide personalized health check-ins after you get a COVID-19 vaccine. You can can quickly tell CDC if you have any side effects after getting the COVID-19 vaccine. CDC may follow up with you to get more information. V-safe will also remind you to get your second COVID-19 vaccine dose, if needed.

The vaccine will give you a high level of protection against infection, but the protection is not 100%. Also, we don't yet know how well the vaccine prevents people from spreading the virus. That means it's possible that someone who is vaccinated may get infectedeven if they don't get sick it's possible that they could still spread COVID-19 to others. Studies are in progress to answer this question.

Even after vaccination, protect others by continuing to wear masks, limit indoor activities outside of the home, avoid crowded indoor spaces, keep contacts with others brief and distanced, improve ventilation indoors, and wash your hands.

If you have a known exposure to someone with COVID-19, even if you have been vaccinated, you will still need to quarantine following Public Health protocols.

While experts learn more about the protection that COVID-19 vaccines provide in real-life conditions, our continued use of all COVID-19 precautions will help to end this pandemic.

Original post:

Getting vaccinated in King County - King County

The European Union quickly reversed a decision invoking an emergency provision of the Brexit deal that could have restricted exports of COVID-19 vaccines across the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. Sean Gallup/AP hide caption

The European Union quickly reversed a decision invoking an emergency provision of the Brexit deal that could have restricted exports of COVID-19 vaccines across the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.

The European Union reversed a brief decision to try to restrict the export of COVID-19 vaccines across the border from Ireland into Northern Ireland.

European vaccination campaigns have been struggling as supplies of vaccines on the continent have run low. The decision to invoke an emergency protocol of the Brexit deal was seen as an effort to keep supplies from going from the EU to Britain.

But within hours of the decision, which could have put checks on the border between the EU member the Republic of Ireland and British-controlled Northern Ireland, Irish and British officials condemned the move.

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he had "grave concerns" while Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster called it "an incredible act of hostility."

Johnson and Irish Prime Minister Michel Martin each quickly spoke with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Von der Leyen then wrote that she and Johnson "agreed on the principle that there should not be restrictions on the export of vaccines by companies where they are fulfilling contractual responsibilities."

The EU Commission wrote that it would not trigger the protocol, but warned: "Should transits of vaccines and active substances toward third countries be abused to circumvent the effects of the authorisation system, the EU will consider using all the instruments at its disposal."

"They have recognized they have made a mistake and I believe we can now concentrate on making sure that our vaccine program is successful," Michael Gove, a British Cabinet minister, told Sky News.

Irish officials also welcomed the reversal.

Prime Minister Martin called it "a positive development given the many challenges we face in tackling COVID-19."

"The Protocol is not something to be tampered with lightly, it's an essential, hard won compromise, protecting peace and trade for many," Irish foreign affairs minister Simon Coveney tweeted.

The politically sensitive border between Ireland and Northern Ireland was a major sticking point in Brexit negotiations between the U.K. and EU.

Per the Brexit deal, the border was remained open but an emergency provision allows for either the U.K. or EU to unilaterally suspend parts of the deal.

Link:

EU Reverses Move To Restrict Export Of COVID-19 Vaccines To Northern Ireland - NPR

Among the "low-tech stuff" that is being done on the floor is creating temporary movable walls using curtains so the spaces can be scaled up or down. Audio/visual technology was installed. Plexiglass barriers were installed. Desks were spaced out more.

HAP spent a couple hundred thousand dollars on the project, which was designed by Southfield-based Harley Ellis Devereaux Corp., with the full understanding that it may be a bust.

"The thing I asked was, man, we've got to make this flexible because, I don't know, it may not work," Treash said.

He noted that in the future, out of the 1,000 or so workspaces it had in the building before the pandemic started, it may only need 600-800 of those after it ends as it allows people to work from home permanently or on a part-time basis.

That, the company said, is going to be part of the human-resources equation for years to come.

"With many employees becoming increasingly comfortable working from home, and knowing that most companies have the technology in place to support a work-from-home option, it's become fairly standard for job seekers to ask whether we offer the opportunity to work remotely either full time or part time," said Derick Adams, HAP's vice president of human resources.

"We've found that this can be one of the differentiators when a job seeker is deciding on a company," he continued. "At HAP, it has also expanded our ability to hire people who may not be geographically close to our building but who are the best fit for the job. So far, it's been win-win for employer and employee."

Continued here:

How HAP and others are rethinking workspaces amid COVID-19 pandemic - Crain's Detroit Business

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) The Tennessee Department of Health hasconfirmed additional cases and deaths related to COVID-19 across the state for Saturday, January 30.

The total COVID-19 case count for Tennessee is 724,742 as of January 30, 2021 including 9,574 deaths, 1,673 current hospitalizations and 680,847 inactive/recovered. Percent positive today is 12.22%. Full report with additional data at https://t.co/jlAz8a6Upp. pic.twitter.com/gB5Jc8SvBg

The health department reported 2,251 new cases, bringing the state to 724,742 total cases. Of those cases, 615,041 are confirmed and109,701 are probable.

TDH also confirmed 113 additional deaths, bringing Tennessee up to9,574 total deaths.

With 113 deaths reported Saturday, this is now the deadliest week of the COVID-19 pandemic for Tennessee. This week, 755 Tennesseans lost their lives to COVID-19.

Out of the confirmed positive cases, 680,847 are listed as inactive/recovered, an increase of 3,711 in the last 24 hours.

There are 1,673 people currently hospitalized in the state.

Tennessee has processed6,295,021 tests. The latest update added 17,253 tests to the states total.

This week. January became Tennessees deadliest month of the pandemic. The first month of 2021 currently accounts for more than a fourth of Tennessees total COVID-19 deaths. The state has reported more deaths this month than during the first seven months of the pandemic combined (2,454 total from Sept. 30, 2020).

Vaccine Tracker

To see what the vaccine availability is in your county, click here.

Tennessee health officials say they are receiving a modest increase in their weekly vaccine allocation, up from an average of 80,000 doses to about 93,000 for the coming week.

On Thursday, state Department of Health spokesperson Bill Christian confirmed the increase after Tennessee had been coming up short of the 90,000 doses weekly that federal Operation Warp Speed had promised after the state had received its initial allotments.

Montgomery County and Clarksville City leaders are working to find another location for administering the COVID-19 vaccine where the weather will not cause delays.

New COVID-19 Variants

A new, more contagious variant of COVID-19 from the UK is now spreading across the US and is expected to become the dominant strain of the virus by March. What many are wondering is if the current masking guidelines are enough to protect from this new variant.

A new coronavirus variant identified in South Africa has been found in the United States for the first time, with two cases diagnosed in South Carolina, state health officials said Thursday.

A variant from Brazil has also been discovered.

Data so farsuggests current vaccines should still protect against these variants, though theres some concern their effectiveness may be slightly diminished. There is some evidence that some antibody treatments may be less effective against certain variants.

A team of scientists and public health experts assembled by President Joe Biden briefed the public on the nations COVID-19 response efforts Friday, just one day after the newest variant was identified in the U.S. Dr. Anthony Fauci said the emergence and increasing spread of coronavirus mutations means that vaccine makers must be ready to make new shots to stay ahead of the public health crisis.

COVID-19 in Tennessee

In a video on hisFacebook pagelate Thursday afternoon, Governor Bill Lee announced he would be rolling back restrictions at school sporting events across the Volunteer State.

Lee said in part, When case counts were at their highest we placed targeted restrictions on public gatherings and attendance at school sporting events. The data now reflects rapidly falling numbers and because of that data were lifting those restrictions on Monday, February 1. That means the temporary restrictions placed on sporting events at K-12 schools are rolled back and there are no further restrictions on who can attend or participate in school sporting events.

COVID-19 in Nashville

The Director of Metro Nashville Public Schools could announce a phase-in schedule for a return to in-person learning as soon as Monday afternoon.

In a statement released Friday morning, the districts communications director Sean Braisted said the COVID-19 risk score, a measurement tool of community spread that has been used by MNPS since November to determine when it is safe to allow for in-person instruction, dropped below 7 based on the data released by the Metro Public Health Department.

An investigation is underway in Nashville regarding a group of childcare workers who reportedly got vaccinated for COVID-19 before their phase was slated. The Metro Health Department says Primrose Academy staff members received the vaccine at the health department despite childcare falling into phase 1b.

Restaurants and bars that serve alcohol in Nashville and Davidson County will now be allowed to remain open until midnight daily beginning Monday. Mayor John Cooper made the announcement Thursday morning during his weekly news briefing.

Music City Center in downtown Nashville will become a COVID-19 vaccination site beginning Saturday.

Read the original here:

COVID-19 in Tennessee: 2,251 new cases, 113 deaths reported on January 30 - WKRN News 2

AUSTIN (KXAN) Pharmaceutical companies are working to understand how effective COVID-19 vaccines are on variants being discovered worldwide some that have already landed in the United States.

Globally, we think theres four or five of these now, says Dr. Rodney Rohde, chair of Texas State Universitys clinical laboratory science program.

Rohde said so far, variants include one from the United Kingdom, two from Brazil (P.1 and P.2), one from South Africa and one variant from California thats currently circulating around Los Angeles.

The South Africa variant has been found in the United States for the first time, with two cases diagnosed in South Carolina, state health officials said Thursday.

On Monday, Minnesota health officials confirmed the first known COVID-19 variant from Brazil in the United States.

The confirmation came as Moderna also announced it would be conducting further studies to test its vaccine against the South African strain of the virus.

Its also the same day Jeanette Larson and her husband, who has Parkinsons, finally got their Moderna vaccine.

Id been trying for several weeks, Larson said. I had registered myself and my husband with probably almost a dozen places, waiting for a call.

They ended up going to her doctors office after it had extra doses at the end of the day.

Now, Larson is keeping an eye on news of the COVID-19 variants.

Rohde, who specializes in virology and microbiology, said variants are expected.

Its still kind of the same virus and makeup, but these little regions change just a little bit, Rohde said, pointing to the spikes on a coronavirus. And so that means that that lock and key, that antibody, its kind of lock and key fit may not work as well. It does not mean it quits working.

But Rohde says if the virus changes too much, it can become a problem.

The typical antibodies that the human body produces may not recognize it at all, or very weakly, or a vaccine may not be as effective, he said.

He said part of the virus changes occurs randomly but other times, it responds to environmental pressures.

For example, lets say in this instance and Im just hypothesizing here. Lets say that the coronavirus main strains are feeling the pressure of therapy, Rohde said. Or its been through enough of a population that it kind of recognizes that the human is adapting to it. And so they will automatically kind of transition to change genetically.

Moderna said its two-dose vaccine is expected to protect against emerging strains detected to date, but added that protection against the South African variant was less effective.

As a result, Modernas CEO said the company will be moving forward with a potential variant booster, which they hope will protectagainst the variant first identified in the Republic of South Africa.

Moderna said it will also test an additional booster, in addition to the one now heading to its next study phase.

Larson said shes glad they were able to get their vaccine and plans to keep guard against whatever is next.

We will still wear our masks. Well still try to be as careful as weve been, she said.

Rohde said thats one of the best ways to minimize mutations.

Trying to limit travel, continuing prevention and then, yeah, we want to keep an eye on surveillance as we talked about so that we can hopefully know that our vaccine and therapy products are working at least well enough to keep people from dying, Rohde said.

Previously, Moderna had published in vitro studies, which is what Pfizer did earlier this month.

Which means its done in-house, explained Rohde. They take cell cultures, cells that are growing, and they take patients who have had those infections, who would have the antibodies, and they put it in with the new virus strain. And they see what happens. Will it cause an infection?

A Pfizer spokesperson told KXAN theyre encouraged by these early findings, but further data are needed to monitor the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines effectiveness in preventing COVID-19 caused by new variants.

Pfizer did not say whether or not they will be moving studies into the next phase, as Moderna is doing, but said theyd release more updates overall as they become available.

Benchmark Research in Austin has conducted several COVID-19 vaccine trials for both Moderna and Pfizer. However, they dont yet know if Modernas booster shot studies will come to Austin.

Almost all of the major pharmaceutical companies are doing in-vitro neutralization studies right now against the new variants. This states that Moderna is now moving this booster shot into preclinical and Phase 1 studies so there is a possibility that later this year or in a few months we could work with Moderna on this, but we only conduct Phase 2 and 3 studies (mostly Phase 3) so we will not be participating in this right now, Benchmark Research said in an email to KXAN.

All studies referenced only pertain to the COVID-19 variants from the U.K. and South Africa. Modernas CEO says the South African variant appears similar to the P.1 from Brazil.

See the article here:

New COVID-19 mutations: Heres what you need to know - wreg.com

Washington state aims to give 45,000 COVID-19 shots a day.

How long will it take to get a large percentage of Washington's 7 million residents vaccinated for COVID-19?

The state aims to reach an average 45,000 COVID-19 shots a day, and President Joe Biden intends to have 300 million vaccines available for everyone in the United States by the end of summer.

As of Jan. 29, 2021, the state has issued half a million doses of vaccine, which means about 6% of the state's population have started the vaccination process.

But, because the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines require two shots several weeks apart, only about 86,000 or a little more than 1% have been fully vaccinated.

Health officials are aiming for herd immunity, which is widespread resistance to getting sick with COVID-19.

According to the World Health Organization, a "substantial proportion of the population" would have to be vaccinated for herd immunity, though the exact number for COVID-19 is not known.

Here's how prevalent vaccination is in your county.

Are you looking for how to sign up to get a vaccine?

The state has set up an online tool for Washingtonians to know in which phase they can get a vaccine.

Currently, the state is in Phase 1B, Tier 1, which allows the vaccine for:

Those covered by Phase 1A are still eligible:

After determining your phase, the state has a map of providers offering the coronavirus vaccine. You can find aprovider close to you.

Many of them require appointments or proof of residency, so check the requirements of each site before you go.

Visit link:

How many people in Washington state have been vaccinated for COVID-19? - KING5.com

We have all been frustrated that the supply of vaccine coming from the federal government hasnt kept up with the demand, Governor Ivey said. To be blunt, we simply havent gotten the vaccine that weve been promised, and this has created a major backlog of aggravation. Todays announcement will ensure that as more vaccine is released, we will have a plan in place to get the vaccine in peoples arms more quickly.

Covered in this expanded group are people at high risk for work-related exposure and persons in identified age groups at risk for COVID-19 associated morbidity and mortality. These include people working or living in congregate settings including but not limited to homeless shelters and group homes.

Alabama is expanding its guidance despite the limited vaccine in order to accelerate the vaccine uptake in our state, Dr. Scott Harris said. I want to reiterate that any remaining vaccines that have not been administered are either someones first dose and they are waiting on their appointment or they are waiting on their second dose. Any vaccine currently in the state has someones name on it.

As a courtesy to others, healthier people age 65 and older and workers who fall in these groups are encouraged to consider delaying their vaccination so that more vulnerable people can access the vaccine ahead of them.

See original here:

COVID-19 vaccination eligibility expanded in Alabama to include 65+, others - Dothan Eagle

Story

King County is launching two COVID-19 community vaccination sites on Monday, February 1 at the accesso ShoWare Center in Kent and at the General Services Administration (GSA) Complex in Auburn. These sites in south King County will reach those who are at highest risk from COVID-19 and face barriers to accessing vaccine through traditional healthcare systems.

Public Health has received enough vaccine doses from the state to begin operating the two sites at 500 doses per day, six days a week. These sites will position King County to be able to quickly scale up vaccination efforts and serve the broader community when more vaccine becomes available.

People age 75 and older have endured much higher rates of hospitalization and death from COVID-19 than any other group and face more challenges to getting vaccinated, such as transportation barriers and more limited internet access. In King County, 66% of the deaths from COVID-19 have been among those 75 and older, compared to those ages 65 to 74, who account for 19% of total deaths.

While the vaccine supply remains very limited, the Kent and Auburn sites will focus on vaccinating highest-risk south King County residents ages 75 and older, individuals who are unable to live independently and their caregivers. Appointment availability will expand to individuals age 65-74 as vaccine supply increases. Older adults in south King County are at particularly high risk, as rates of COVID-19 in many parts of south King County have been nearly twice as high compared to the county average.

This is all-hands-on-deck, coordinating County government with partners across the region to stand up community vaccination sites, said Executive Constantine. I share the frustration of not having enough vaccine from manufacturers, but we are determined to build the distribution infrastructure to quickly and fairly get shots to eligible people as soon as those doses are available, and to expand capacity ahead of the increasing supply.

With a limited supply of vaccine, we need to make the best use of every dose that comes to King County, said Patty Hayes, Director of Public Health Seattle & King County. The new high-volume vaccine sites will help us get life-saving vaccine to the highest risk King County residents. Were taking an equitable approach by starting in the part of our county thats been hardest hit by COVID-19. Im grateful to Executive Constantine and King County Council for the Countys investment and to our community partners for making this effort possible.

The sites at Kent and Auburn are by appointment only and will be open Monday through Saturday, 8:30 5:30 pm:

Beginning Saturday, January 30 at 8:00 am, residents can register for an appointment at Public Healths vaccine website, Getting Vaccinated in King County.

Currently, both vaccine supply and appointments are limited. Residents may experience delays, or it may take time before appointments are available due to anticipated high demand. This will get easier as the vaccine supply increases.

To help ensure access for those most at risk, currently registration is open to residents of south King County who are:

Assistance registering by phone: Call Washington states COVID-19 Assistance Hotline at 1-800-525-0127, then press # for help with registration by phone. For language interpretation state your preferred language when you are connected.

More information is available at Public Healths vaccination website.

The number of people who have received at least one dose of vaccine continues to rise. In King County, as of January 28, 174,000 people have received at least one dose. King County along with medical system partners has made great progress in vaccinating healthcare workers and staff and residents in long-term care facilities, including 100% of King County nursing home residents.

Public Health is also coordinating mobile vaccination teams with local fire departments to reach highest risk adults who cannot get to vaccination sites, including staff and residents of Adult Family Homes and vulnerable older adults living in low-income senior housing and permanent supportive housing.

Current supplies are not enough to meet the need. Doses coming into Washington are insufficient to reach eligible adults. King County has approximately 300,000 people who are newly eligible for vaccine under phase 1B1, which includes people over 65 years of age. But in the week starting January 25, King County only received 22,000 first doses. Thats enough for 1 in 12 who are eligible.

While supply continues to be uncertain, King County is working closely with businesses and community partnerships to be ready to stand up several vaccine access points across King County.

This is all-hands-on-deck, coordinating County government with partners across the region to stand up community vaccination sites. I share the frustration of not having enough vaccine from manufacturers, but we are determined to build the distribution infrastructure to quickly and fairly get shots to eligible people as soon as those doses are available, and to expand capacity ahead of the increasing supply.

As a family caregiver for my elderly frail mother, I know we are one of many in BIPOC and refugee and immigrant communities who take care of our elders at home, and have been bearing a disproportionate toll of the impact of COVID as we forego outside help and livelihoods in order to keep our loved ones safe. Thank you to King County and Public Health-Seattle & King County for prioritizing access for South King County residents, and for expanding on state guidance to include family caregivers of elders in home care.

Neighborhood House is eager to connect our 2,500 low-income, mostly immigrant and refugee seniors and people with disabilities living at home to access vaccine. Weve been helping them allay vaccine fears and will help arrange transportation to vaccine appointments. Until the vaccine is readily available, communities with the least access need to be prioritized. We are grateful to community providers, volunteers and King County for working so hard to keep our most vulnerable community members safe.

Older adults have expressed frustration, confusion and anxiety about how and where to obtain a vaccine, With the opening of vaccination sites in Auburn and Kent, older adults in south King County will now have greater access to vaccine appointments, as well as a location that is closer to home.

I want to thank the County for taking Kent up on its offer to use the accesso ShoWare Center to provide vaccines to our community. The sooner we can get supply and administer the vaccine, the sooner we can put COVID-19 in our rear-view mirror and move toward recovery. This has truly been a team effort between the County, City of Kent, public health officials and providers. I am thrilled to have Kent and South King County help lead the way back to a healthy and vibrant community.

We are grateful to King County, Public Health Seattle & King County and all of our partners for once again pulling in much needed resources to south King County where the need is the greatest. Auburn is a resilient and caring community; we are ready and will continue to do our part to accelerate vaccinations and improved health in King County.

We need to do everything we can to remove barriers that prevent South King County community members from getting a vaccine once they become eligible. Delays in federal distribution have slowed the process, but by establishing these high-volume sites, King County stands prepared to move quickly once those vaccines become available.

As our region has struggled with COVID-19 infections, South King County has been particularly hard hit. By increasing the access to vaccines in the South end, we will be able protect some of our most vulnerable residents and help fight this virus.

These vaccination sites will ensure that we have the infrastructure in place to quickly and efficiently push out doses as soon as theyre made available by the federal government and private industry.

The General Services Administration is proud to continue its partnership with our regional and local government agencies to vaccinate members of our communities. This combined effort is vital to containing the virus, saving lives, and is an example of federal, state, and local governments working together for the benefit of its citizens.

With a limited supply of vaccine, we need to make the best use of every dose that comes to King County. The new high-volume vaccine sites will help us get life-saving vaccine to the highest risk King County residents. Were taking an equitable approach by starting in the part of our county thats been hardest hit by COVID-19. Im grateful to Executive Constantine for the Countys investment and to our community partners for making this effort possible.

Public Health Information Officer

The rest is here:

King County launches COVID-19 vaccination sites in Kent and Auburn to provide access for vulnerable older adults - King County

CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) Chesapeake Regional Healthcare provided 1,100 COVID-19 vaccines to high-risk community members in Phase 1b Saturday.

Qualifying city employees, police, firefighters, and residents at greatest risk were vaccinated at todays event, held at The Mount Chesapeakes Signet Center on Bells Mill Road.

We want to increase access to the vaccine for those who take care of the citizens of our city as well as the communities who are at greatest risk of dying from the COVID-19 virus, said Reese Jackson, president and CEO of Chesapeake Regional Healthcare.

Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Resources, Daniel Carey, MD, MHCM and Janice Underwood, Ph.D., Chief Diversity Officer for the Commonwealth of Virginia and the COVID-19 Equity Task Force stopped by to visit the clinic to offer their support of Chesapeake Regionals efforts.

Dr. Nancy Welch, Director of the Chesapeake Health Department says, This event is public health in action and an excellent representation of how organizations should work together toward preventing illness and encouraging healthy behaviors.

Since the COVID-19 vaccines became available in December, Chesapeake Regional Healthcare has provided vaccines for over 9,000 health care workers and community members.

Additionally, it continues to provide space on its Chesapeake campus where the Chesapeake Health Department and other physician groups in Chesapeake hold vaccination clinics.

Read more:

Chesapeake Regional Healthcare provides more than 1K COVID-19 vaccines those in Phase 1b - WAVY.com