Multiple states in India will go into “complete lockdown” in the coming days as a second wave of infections continues to paralyze the world’s second-most populous country.
Countries in South Asia are taking precautions as Covid-19 cases rise around the region.
In the US, Pfizer said it expects to submit for FDA emergency use authorization for its Covid-19 vaccine for children ages 2 to 11 in September.
Our live coverage has ended for the day. Follow the latest on the pandemic here.
49 Posts
Study finds raised risk of blood clots from AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine
From CNN's Maggie Fox
Joel Saget/AFP/Getty Images/FILE
Researchers in Norway and Denmark reported Wednesday they had more evidence that AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine might raise the risk of unusual blood clots.
Their study, published in The BMJ medical journal, adds to what’s known about the overall risk, which appears to be small.
The research team studied the medical records of 280,000 people aged 18-65 who received a first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine in Denmark and Norway in February and March. Both countries have extensive national medical registries, making it easy for researchers to use medical records in their studies.
They pulled out reports of heart attacks, strokes, deep vein blood clots and bleeding events that people suffered within 28 days of receiving a first vaccine dose and compared these with expected rates in the general populations of Denmark and Norway.
They found 59 vaccinated people had blood clots in the veins. In that population over that time, 30 would have been expected. This corresponds to 11 excess events per 100,000 vaccinations. “The absolute risks of venous thromboembolic events were, however, small, and the findings should be interpreted in the light of the proven beneficial effects of the vaccine,” they wrote. They called the results “reassuring.”
The team did not look for the specific syndrome that has been linked with AstraZeneca’s vaccine as well as the similar vaccine made by Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine arm. This condition, known as thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) or vaccine induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT), is defined by both an unusual type of blood clot and a low count of platelets, which are clot-forming cells in the blood.
They could not find any particular way to identify who might be most at risk of blood clots. They also found people who had been vaccinated were less likely to die from any cause, compared to years past, although they could not explain that and suggested it might be because healthier people were more likely to have been vaccinated.
In a commentary, Dr. Paul Hunter of the University of East Anglia said people should not hesitate to get AstraZeneca’s or Janssen’s vaccine.
“To decline a vaccine today because it is the Oxford-AstraZeneca or Johnson & Johnson vaccine in the hope of being able to get another vaccine sometime later carries a real risk of dying from Covid-19 before being able to get a preferred vaccine. Those countries that delayed their own vaccination programs at a time of high transmission rates by declining to use available Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines should know that their decision will have contributed to an increase in the number of avoidable deaths from Covid-19,” he wrote.
Link Copied!
Third wave of Covid-19 is "inevitable" in India, scientific adviser warns
From CNN's Sugam Pokharel
Caretakers arrange beds at the Adani Vidya Mandir school which has been converted into a Covid-19 coronavirus care centre in Makarba, India, on May 5.
Sam Panthaky/AFP/Getty Images
A third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic is “inevitable” in India, the principal scientific adviser to the Indian government warned on Wednesday.
“A phase three is inevitable, given the higher levels of circulating virus but it is not clear on what time scale this phase three will occur,” K. VijayRaghavan said at a news conference, asking authorities to be prepared for new waves.
He said a second wave of infections — which continues to paralyze the world’s second-most populous country — was predicted but “such a much larger second wave with the ferocity we are seeing” was not predicted.
Vaccines are effective against the Covid-19 variant first identified in India, the principal scientific adviser said.
He urged people to follow Covid-19 safety guidelines such as mask use, because they will protect people against infection. “The variants are transmitted the same way as the original strain. It doesn’t have other properties of new kinds of transmission in the air or anything like that. It just infects humans in a manner, which makes it more transmissible,” he said.
Link Copied!
India's Maharashtra state reports its highest daily Covid-19 death toll since the pandemic started
From CNN's Sugam Pokharel
The Western Indian state of Maharashtra, home to the country’s financial capital Mumbai, on Wednesday posted 920 new deaths related to Covid-19 — the highest coronavirus death toll reported in a day in the state since the start of the pandemic, its Press Information Bureau said.
Additionally, a total of 57,640 new coronavirus cases were registered in Maharashtra in the last 24 hours.
The state government has started preparing for a possible third wave of the pandemic, its Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said during an address to the state streamed live on his Facebook page on Wednesday.
His announcement came hours after the principal scientific adviser to the Indian government, K. VijayRaghavan, warned that a third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic is “inevitable” in India.
Maharashtra was the first Indian state hit hard by the second wave of the pandemic that is currently ravaging the country.
The state last week extended its Covid-19 restrictions through May 15.
Link Copied!
Another report indicates Pfizer's vaccine works against worrying variants
From CNN’s Maggie Fox
Adem Altan/AFP/Getty Images
A new report indicates Pfizer/BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine can protect people against some of the worrying variants of the virus.
A team in the Gulf state of Qatar tested the effectiveness of the vaccine during a time when Qatar was seeing circulation of the B.1.351 variant first seen in South Africa and the B.1.1.7 variant first seen in the UK. The B.1.351 variant, especially, has mutations that allows it to evade the human immune response at least somewhat – including the immune response elicited by vaccines.
One study comparing vaccinated people to non-vaccinated people found strong protection, even against the variants. “The estimated effectiveness of the vaccine against any documented infection with the B.1.1.7 variant was 89.5% at 14 or more days after the second dose. The effectiveness against any documented infection with the B.1.351 variant was 75%,” the researchers wrote in a letter to the New England Journal of Medicine.
The vaccine was more than 97% effective in preventing severe disease or death, they said. It’s the latest in a series of reports indicating vaccines both in use and in development can protect people against the variants. Nonetheless, vaccine makers are already designing and testing vaccines that are targeted specifically against some of the variants.
The team also examined the effectiveness using a different technique called a cohort study, in which vaccinated people were compared to the population as a whole. “Effectiveness was estimated to be 87% against the B.1.1.7 variant and 72% against the B.1.351 variant,” they wrote.
Qatar has reported breakthrough infections in 1,616 people who were fully vaccinated, including two deaths, out of 265,000 fully vaccinated people.
“Nevertheless, the reduced protection against infection with the B.1.351 variant did not seem to translate into poor protection against the most severe forms of infection, which was robust, at greater than 90%,” the team wrote.
Link Copied!
CDC issues new guidance for cruise ship operators to begin simulated voyages
From CNN's Ryan Prior
Cruise ship operators may begin simulated voyages with volunteer passengers, per an order from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The guidelines are a new phase in the CDC’s Framework for Conditional Sailing Order, released in October as a phased approach for preventing Covid-19 transmission aboard cruise ships and eventually resuming passenger cruises.
The instructions include eligibility and requirements for conducting a trial voyage, which would help prepare for future restricted passenger voyages and guide cruise ship inspection on those voyages.
Simulated voyages must have at least 10% of the maximum number of passengers permitted on board a ship. They must all be at least 18 years old and confirm in writing that they’re participating in a simulation voyage.
The CDC guidelines state that the volunteer passengers must be able to furnish proof of vaccination or provide a letter from a physician that they are not in a high-risk category for Covid-19. All volunteers must also be willing to get a Covid-19 test three to five days after the voyage is over.
The CDC’s new guidance includes operational procedures for cruise ship operators to prevent the spread of Covid-19, including onboard surveillance, laboratory testing, face mask use, social distancing, passenger interactions and procedures for embarking and disembarking.
Some background: Since mid-April, the CDC and leaders from other federal agencies have been meeting with cruise line representatives to dialogue and exchange information about the impact of vaccines and various other scientific developments since the original conditional sailing order was released.
Link Copied!
Phase 2 results show booster shots increases the immune response to variants, Moderna says
From CNN’s John Bonifield and Maggie Fox
A booster shot of Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine revs up the immune response against two worrying coronavirus variants, the company reported Wednesday. Additionally, a booster dose formulated specifically to match the B.1.351 variant first seen in South Africa was even more effective, Moderna said in a statement.
Vaccine makers are trying to get out ahead of the new variants and the design of the new mRNA vaccines made by Moderna and Pfizer make this easier. The genetic material used as the basis of the vaccines is made in a lab and the sequence is easily tweaked.
Moderna tested booster doses of either its current vaccine or a version designed specifically against B.1.351 in 40 people who had already been vaccinated six to eight months before. Blood tests showed half of these volunteers had a low antibody response against B.1.351 and the P.1 variant first seen in Brazil before they got the booster shot.
Two weeks after the booster, their antibody levels had grown against the so-called wild type coronavirus – the variant most common around the world – as well as B.1.351 and P.1, Moderna said in the statement.
“The majority of adverse events were mild or moderate in severity,” the company said.
The company is also testing a vaccine booster that combines the original formulation with the B.1.351 specific formula.
“We will continue to make as many updates to our COVID-19 vaccine as necessary to control the pandemic,” Bancel said.
Link Copied!
Vaccines are India's way out of the Covid surge. Here's why they are in such short supply.
From CNN's Jessie Yeung and Manveena Suri
A person takes a photo of helpline numbers after Covishield Covid-19 vaccine went out of stock at a vaccination center in Mumbai on April 20.
Indranil Mukherjee/AFP/Getty Images
India is experiencing the world’s worst Covid-19 outbreak and vaccines are in short supply.
India’s vaccine rollout on Saturday widened to everyone age 18 and above, yet a number of states are warning they have no shots to give.
When eligibility was expanded, just over 2% of India’s 1.3 billion people have been fully immunized with one of two vaccines — significantly lower than the United States, where 29.8% of the population are fully immunized.
Experts say vaccines are the only way for India to get out of the surge, adding it is a global health issue.
Here are some of the reasons why there is a shortage of vaccines:
Exporting vaccines: India rapidly exported a large number of vaccine doses to other countries and through COVAX, the global initiative to provide vaccines to low-income countries. To date, India has exported at least 66 million vaccines.
Raw materials: The Serum Institute of India, which is producing AstraZeneca’s Covishield, has struggled to keep up the materials needed to produce the vaccine. Much of those come from the United States, but the US placed a ban on those exports to prioritize its own domestic rollout. The ban on materials has been lifted and the Biden administration said it will send vaccines to India – but it will take a while until they actually arrive.
Coordination with state and local governments: Due to poor coordination between the state and federal governments, certain states are complaining that they are not receiving the vaccines which the federal government had promised to supply. The government has pushed back, claiming any shortages were due to the states’ own mismanagement or inaccurate reporting.
Link Copied!
Go There: CNN reports from London on the latest Covid-19 updates out of Europe
CNN international’s Cyril Vanier is in the streets of London reporting on the latest Covid-19 headlines from Europe, including travel restrictions and the vaccine rollout.
The Biden administration said Wednesday it would support easing patent rules on Covid-19 vaccines, which could increase their global supply, after intense internal debate and strong pushback from American drug-makers.
Biden and Tai had been weighing the issue after calls from global aid groups and liberal Democrats to support the waivers, which have been proposed by India and South Africa.
Biden as a candidate promised to support such waivers, but had been under pressure from pharmaceutical companies to keep them in place.
“The Administration’s aim is to get as many safe and effective vaccines to as many people as fast as possible,” Tai said in her statement. “As our vaccine supply for the American people is secured, the Administration will continue to ramp up its efforts – working with the private sector and all possible partners – to expand vaccine manufacturing and distribution. It will also work to increase the raw materials needed to produce those vaccines.”
Link Copied!
Fauci: Developed countries have an obligation to ensure the world does not "suffer and die" from Covid
From CNN’s Virginia Langmaid
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci testifies before a House Select Subcommittee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on April 15.
Amr Alfiky/Pool/AFP/Getty Images
Countries like the United States with ample vaccine resources are obligated to aid the rest of the world in Covid-19 vaccination programs, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told The Hill on Wednesday.
“I believe we have a moral obligation,” he said, “to make sure that the rest of the world does not suffer and die, as it were, from something we can help them with and help them prevent.”
Fauci said he would be fine with waiting patent protections for vaccines, among other options.
“We’ve got to get to the end game. And the end game is the equitable distribution of vaccines, so however we get there. It’s fine with me. We just need to get there,” Fauci added.
Link Copied!
More than 186,000 restaurants applied for federal relief in two days, Biden says
From CNN's Elise Hammond
President Joe Biden takes questions from reporters as he speaks about the American Rescue Plan, in the State Dining Room of the White House on May 5 in Washington, DC.
Evan Vucci/AP
In two days, President Biden said 186,200 restaurants and other food industry businesses applied for federal relief funding allocated by the American Rescue Plan.
Giving an update on his administration’s implementation of the $1.9 trillion dollar bill, he said the applications came from establishments in all 50 states since the process opened on Monday.
About 97,000 were “businesses owned by women, veterans and socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals,” Biden said on Wednesday.
The grants for these businesses come from the Restaurant Revitalization Fund. Biden said they have already reviewed all of the applications and will be able to provide money to about 100,000 of the businesses.
The money will “provide direct relief to restaurants and the hard hit food establishments – bars, bakeries, food stands, food trucks and caterers,” Biden said.
“We’re opening the doors of this program so that restaurants all over the country can open their doors again,” he added.
Link Copied!
NOW: Biden gives update on implementation of $1.9 trillion Covid-19 relief package
From CNN's Kate Sullivan
Pool
President Biden is speaking now from the White House on his administration’s implementation of the $1.9 trillion Covid-19 relief package.
The Covid-19 economic relief law, which passed in March, included $1,400 stimulus checks to some Americans, unemployment assistance, aid to states and municipalities, nutrition assistance, housing aid, tax credits for families and workers, funding for optional paid sick and family leave, health insurance subsidies and Medicaid, more money for small businesses and more.
Biden is also promoting the newly launched Restaurant Revitalization Fund, which was established to help struggling restaurants and other eligible businesses keep their doors open during the coronavirus pandemic.
“Restaurants are more than a major driver of our economy, they’re woven into the fabric of our communities,” Biden said in a speech at the White House.
The President continued: “And so for many families, restaurants are the gateway to opportunity, a key part of the American story.”
Applications for the program opened on Monday. The $28.6 billion fund was established as part of the $1.9 trillion Covid-19 relief bill the President signed into law earlier this year.
Link Copied!
CDC ensemble forecast projects decrease in newly reported deaths over the next four weeks
From CNN’s Naomi Thomas
Deaths from coronavirus are likely to fall off a little in the coming weeks, according to a new ensemble forecast published Wednesday by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The ensemble forecast predicts 586,000 to 600,000 Covid-19 deaths will be reported by May 29. The previous ensemble forecast, published April 28, projected up to 595,000 deaths by May 22.
Link Copied!
Average daily pace of Covid-19 vaccine doses reported administered down 20% from last week
From CNN's Deidre McPhillips
A man arrives at a Covid-19 vaccine facility in Los Angeles on May 3.
Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images
The pace of immunization against coronavirus has slowed by about 20% in the US, according to data published Wednesday by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
It shows nearly 250 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine have been administered in the United States.
The CDC reported that 249,566,820 total doses have been administered, about 78% of the 321,549,335 doses delivered.
That’s about 1.8 million more doses reported administered since Tuesday, dropping the seven-day average down to about 2.1 million doses reported administered per day. That’s about 20% slower than last week.
About 45% of the population — nearly 149 million people — have received at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine, and about 32% — more than 107 million people — are fully vaccinated.
Note: Data published by the CDC may be delayed, and doses may not have been given on the day reported.
Link Copied!
NYSE is updating its Covid-19 guidance and will allow vaccinated traders to be unmasked indoors
From CNN’s Keri Enriquez
The New York Stock Exchange is loosening Covid-19 protocol and will allow fully vaccinated people on the trading floor to go unmasked when socially distanced, according to an internal memo obtained by CNN Tuesday.
Beginning on Monday May 10, fully vaccinated members of the NYSE floor community will be able to remove face masks indoors when socially distanced and seated at assigned workstations, according to the memo. Fully vaccinated members will also no longer be included in the exchange’s random Covid-19 testing program.
When moving on the trading floor, both vaccinated and unvaccinated people will still be required to wear a face mask, it reads. The memo cites improving public health conditions in the New York City area, and the progress in the nationwide vaccine rollout.
The NYSE did not immediately respond to queries from CNN.
The memo also states that If 100% of a firm’s floor team has been fully vaccinated, that firm will be allowed to increase its headcount on the trading floor. If the increase in a firm’s personnel no longer allows for social distancing in their workstation, masks will again be required irrespective of vaccination status.
Current US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance says fully vaccinated people can gather with other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing a mask or having to keep 6 feet apart, but also encourages the continued use of masks in indoor public settings – even for the fully vaccinated. The CDC also notes people, vaccinated or not, should still avoid large indoor gatherings.
Link Copied!
CVS now offering walk-in Covid-19 vaccination appointments at more than 8,300 locations
From CNN’s Virginia Langmaid
A CVS store is seen on February 16 in San Francisco.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
CVS said Wednesday it is now offering walk-in Covid-19 vaccinations at over 8,300 pharmacy locations in the United States.
In an email to CNN, the company confirmed that it will be administering Covid-19 vaccinations without requiring an appointment, and that same-day scheduling is also available through its vaccine appointment system.
According to CVS, the company has a second-dose compliance rate of 90% at its vaccination locations, and has administered over 17 million doses through federal and industry partnerships.
Link Copied!
Here's how a Michelin-star chef is helping fight India's Covid-19 crisis
Michelin-star chef Vikas Khanna spoke to CNN’s Anderson Cooper about relief efforts he’s coordinating from the US to India including 550 oxygen tanks and personal protective equipment.
Watch the interview here:
Video Ad Feedback
4765e6d4-8e60-4d91-bd19-4391ea82faee.mp4
15:11
- Source:
cnn
Link Copied!
White House: Americans can expect guidance on masks to "continue to be updated"
From CNN's Allie Malloy
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki holds a press briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 5.
Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images
Americans can expect guidance on mask wearing to “continue to be updated” and “changed” when asked about the new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation to have children wear masks at summer camp, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Wednesday.
“There’s no question that what the CDC is trying to do is to provide guidance to the American public, to parents, to families,” she said, adding that the updated guidance last week also recommends wearing a mask in crowded areas outdoors.
Asked whether the administration is concerned there will be compliance if guidance continues to change on mask wearing, Psaki said, “I think everyone can expect that the guidance will continue to be updated and will continue to change. And I think as a parent myself…I would welcome that.”
“Obviously there is nuance in all of these applications and people are still learning how to apply it,” she added.
Some context: CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said on CNN’s New Day Wednesday that summer camp guidance from the CDC is there to try to make it so children can have as normal of a summer as possible.
CDC’s guidance for summer camps includes wearing masks except when eating and swimming and maintaining social distancing.
Walensky compared children playing tennis to children playing soccer, saying that if children are far away from each other playing tennis, they can take their masks off, but if they are crowded onto a soccer field, on top of each other and heavily breathing, then the CDC does not think it’s a good idea for them to be maskless when they are likely not vaccinated.
Link Copied!
Federal agencies announce new Covid-19 services for disproportionately affected communities
From CNN's Liz Stark
The Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Housing and Urban Development are joining forces to boost access to Covid vaccinations, the agencies’ leaders announced Wednesday.
The joint effort, unveiled by HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra and HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge, directs community health centers, public housing providers and others to take steps to increase Covid-19 testing and vaccinations, with a focus on those experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
“We have now, in writing, directed our agencies to work together to reach individuals in public housing,” Becerra said of the partnership. “And so it’s not just that we want to do it, we’re directing our people now to work together to get that done.”
Wednesday’s announcement comes one day after President Joe Biden set a new goal of administering at least one Covid-19 vaccine dose to 70% of the US adult population and having 160 million US adults fully vaccinated by July 4.
To reach this goal, the two agency heads both acknowledged that more work needs to be done to address vaccine hesitancy, which they hope to combat by reaching people where they are.
In response to a question about why this partnership is being announced now, especially given the Biden administration’s focus on equity in its pandemic response, Fudge outlined some of the challenges of reaching people during the pandemic.
“It’s just difficult because of the Covid itself, it’s harder to get to people,” Fudge said, pointing to those who lack transportation or internet access to schedule appointments.
Link Copied!
India prioritizing oxygen-related foreign aid along with medicines, according to government source
From CNN’s Swati Gupta in New Delhi
Workers load medical aid to be flown to India at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv on May 4.
Menahem Kahana/Pool/AFP/Getty Images
Over the past two weeks, India has received huge quantities of foreign aid to help battle the devastating second wave of Covid-19 that has consumed hundreds of lives.
Ranging from entire oxygen producing plants to N-95 masks, the Indian government has slowly distributed the aid to hospitals across the country, according to a government source.
Even as it continues to receive aid, India is looking mainly for supplies that would help them bridge the yawning gap that is currently resulting in a severe shortage of basic medical supplies.
India is also looking for oxygen generators, oxygen cylinders, oxygen tankers for transport and liquid oxygen through ships.
“The other element we are looking for through our embassies and partner governments is basically Remdesivir and Tocilizumab — key medicines that we feel will help,” he said.
The government is also dealing with a shortage of raw materials to produce vaccinations instead of doses.
“Additional vaccines would be useful but… more than that what we are really looking at are raw materials to expand and enhance our very own vaccine production capacity in the country. That is actually a major priority. Because we will require lot more vaccines than a few million here and there,” he added.
Link Copied!
Broadway shows will reopen in September at 100% capacity, New York governor says
Broadway theaters stand closed in the theater district on June 30, 2020, in New York City.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo just announced that Broadway shows will be “ready to open September 14 at 100% capacity.”
Tickets will go on sale tomorrow, he announced in a tweet.
The logistics regarding how theaters will reopen are still being ironed out, State Budget Director Robert Mujica said at the news conference.
Link Copied!
Biden adviser outlines efforts to quickly get 12- to 15-year-olds vaccinated if Pfizer shot gets approval
From CNN's Betsy Klein
White House
White House senior Covid-19 adviser Andy Slavitt outlined steps the administration will take to hit the ground running if the US Food and Drug Administration grants an emergency use authorization for the Pfizer vaccine in adolescents 12 to 15 years old.
President Biden said on Tuesday the administration is “ready to move immediately” pending the FDA’s expected announcement.
The adviser noted that the efforts will be threefold:
First, the administration, as well as states and localities, will use “existing infrastructure for the distribution of the Pfizer vaccine,” one of the three vaccines currently available to adults in the US.
Second, he said, there will be efforts to use “infrastructure that has been deployed historically to pediatricians offices to provide childhood vaccinations.”
And, Slavitt added, there will be a push to “(engage) directly with people who our parents will want to talk to to understand about understand these vaccines,” adding that as soon as the decision is made, “We will be giving that information to people so parents can make quick decisions.”
Watch:
Video Ad Feedback
d8110937-a8a3-4437-8543-568900079689.mp4
00:59
- Source:
cnn
Link Copied!
CDC data suggests variant first discovered in New York does not lead to more severe infection
From CNN’s Virginia Langmaid
The B.1.526 Covid-19 variant, which was first identified in New York City in November, is not associated with more severe infection or a greater risk of reinfection, according to new research from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The variant presented with the E484K mutation, which has been shown to reduce antibody neutralization in lab studies, and was detected in 56% of B.1.526 specimens examined.
Study authors examined data from 9,765 Covid-19 specimens taken in New York City, and identified the B.1.526 variant in 38% of all specimens sampled, according to the research published Wednesday in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Researchers observed a “sharp” increase in B.1.526 prevalence over the course of the study, increasing from just 3% of samples taken in mid-January to 40% of samples taken by April 5. This may suggest a possibility that the variant has greater transmissibility than other variants, but authors noted that the secondary attack rate was not elevated with this variant.
In the samples studied, B.1.526 appeared “slightly more prevalent in populations that have experienced disproportionate levels of Covid-19-associated morbidity and mortality and that have lower vaccination rates than higher income NYC populations,” researchers said.
Link Copied!
CDC says prevention measures still "essential" to control Covid-19, even with increasing vaccinations
From CNN's Jacqueline Howard
CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky speaks during a virtual White House briefing on May 5.
White House
The new CDC modeling study makes clear that the sooner the United States gets more people vaccinated, the sooner the nation could return to normal – but variants are a “wild card,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said during a virtual White House briefing on Wednesday.
“The models projected a sharp decline in cases by July 2021 and even faster decline if more people get vaccinated sooner,” Walensky said, referring to the study finding as good news.
Walensky added that data suggest that the current Covid-19 vaccines provide protection against the main variants circulating in the United States.
“Although we are seeing progress in terms of decreased cases, hospitalizations and deaths, variants are a wild card that could reverse this progress that we have made and could set us back,” she said.
Watch:
Video Ad Feedback
39936cf7-d245-4d26-862c-ed7d36218a10.mp4
00:38
- Source:
cnn
Link Copied!
India approves antibody cocktail for emergency use to treat Covid-19
From CNN’s Sarah Dean and Manveena Suri
India has approved Roche/Regeneron’s antibody cocktail for emergency use to treat Covid-19, as essential medical supplies run low in the country amid a devastating second wave of infections.
The country’s Central Drugs Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO) provided an Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) for Roche’s antibody cocktail in India based on data that has been filed for the EUA in the United States and the scientific opinion of the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) in the European Union, Roche India said in a statement on Wednesday.
The drug is a combination of two monoclonal antibodies – casirivimab and imdevimab – that are produced in a laboratory. It is currently available in the United States to treat mild-to-moderate Covid-19 in people already infected with the coronavirus. Former US President Trump received the therapy when he was hospitalized for coronavirus.
The EUA enables Roche to import the drug to India and it will be distributed through a partnership with Cipla Limited, the statement said.
“Roche will do everything to ensure an equitable distribution across the globe, however initial local demand may far exceed the supplies the company will be able to provide,” it added.
The latest numbers: The approval of Roche’s antibody cocktail for use in the country comes as the World Health Organization’s weekly Covid-19 report warned India accounts for 25% of the world’s Covid-19 deaths reported in the past week. On Wednesday, India recorded 382,315 new cases and a further 3,780 Covid-19 related deaths, according to health ministry figures.
Dozens of countries have pledged critical aid. Planeloads of ventilators, oxygen supplies and antiviral drugs began arriving last week but medical workers and local officials are still reporting the same devastating shortages that have strained the health care system for weeks now – raising questions, even among foreign donors, of where the aid is going.
Link Copied!
Maryland residents can now be vaccinated without an appointment at state sites, governor says
From CNN's Kristina Sgueglia
Maryland residents can now get vaccinated without an appointment at any of the state’s 13 mass vaccination sites, Gov. Larry Hogan announced Tuesday, as part of the state’s “No Arm Left Behind” initiative.
The state has administered nearly 5 million total vaccinations, the governor’s office said.
Link Copied!
Canada authorizes Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for children aged 12 to 15
From CNN’s Paula Newton in Ottawa
A healthcare worker fills a syringe with the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine at a vaccination clinic in Vancouver, Canada, on Thursday, March 4. Canada announced Wednesday that it has approved the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for children ages 12 to 15.
Jennifer Gauthier/Bloomberg/Getty Images
Canada announced Wednesday that it has authorized the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for children ages 12 to 15.
Clinical trial results of Pfizer/BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine showed its efficacy is 100% and it is well tolerated in youths ages 12 to 15, the company said.
“The most commonly reported side effects were temporary and mild, like a sore arm, chills or fever,” said Dr. Supriya Sharma, Health Canada’s chief medical advisor.
While Canada’s vaccine rollout is now ramping up, supply remains low and children in this age group are not likely to be vaccinated for several weeks at least.
Further guidance on when and how to begin distributing the vaccine to children will be determined by the Public Health Agency of Canada and individual provinces and territories.
Meanwhile in the US, the US Food and Drug Administration is poised to authorize Pfizer/BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine in children and teens ages 12 to 15 by early next week, a federal government official tells CNN.
Link Copied!
Indian university projection estimates 50 million Covid-19 cases by mid-June
From CNN's Aditi Sangal and Swati Gupta
A medical worker observes patients inside a Covid-19 ward that was set up inside a sports stadium in New Delhi on May 2.
Getty Images
India could see more than 403,000 Covid-19 total deaths and nearly 50 million total cases by June 11 this year, according to a projection model from the Indian Institute of Science.
In the event that the Indian government imposes a 15-day lockdown, India could bring the number of deaths down to fewer than 300,000 in the same time frame, and will see a total of fewer than 30 million cases since the pandemic started. That number falls further in case of a 21-day and 30-day lockdown.
A model from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington from May 1 predicts more than 1 million deaths by the end of July. IHME expects 674 million people will be vaccinated by August 1, and that 91,100 lives will be saved by vaccination.
While a number of states are expected to go into “complete lockdown” in the coming days, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said in April that a national lockdown should be the last resort.
“In today’s situation, we have to save the country from lockdown. I would request states to use a lockdown as their last option. We have to try hard to avoid lockdowns and focus only on micro containment zones,” Modi said.
The Indian Institute of Science’s modeling is led by the institute’s Profs. Sashikumaar Ganesan and Deepak Subramani, and has an Indian Council of Medical Research approved mobile infection testing and reporting laboratory, a contact tracing app, a test kit and an affordable rapid test-PCR kit.
The Indian Government does not aggregate its own projection of Covid-19 in the country.
Link Copied!
Kids ages 12 to 15 could be getting vaccinated in less than two weeks, CDC director says
From CNN's Naomi Thomas
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said on CNN’s New Day Wednesday that 12- to 15-year-olds could be getting vaccinated against Covid-19 in less than two weeks.
The US Food and Drug Administration will likely authorize Pfizer/BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine for children ages 12 to 15 by early next week, a federal official told CNN this week.
Walensky explained that soon after the FDA makes its authorization, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will meet and make a recommendation based on the data.
The vaccine is already in pharmacies, she said, “so soon after ACIP I think you’ll be able to take your 14-year-old and bring them in to get vaccinated.”
When asked by CNN’s John Berman if the time frame for this to happen was a couple of weeks, Walensky responded, “if not a bit sooner.”
Vaccine advisers to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have scheduled an emergency meeting for Wednesday, May 12, according to a schedule posted on the CDC website. ACIP has not posted an agenda for the meeting, and the CDC did not immediately answer queries from CNN about whether the meeting was called in anticipation of an FDA decision.
Watch:
Video Ad Feedback
b38e7bcb-26bf-4752-b043-f7c011860bb6.mp4
01:14
- Source:
cnn
Link Copied!
Mask guidelines reflect varying Covid-19 infection rates across US, CDC director says
Walensky underscored that the CDC guidelines are recommendations.
“For the most part, if you’re vaccinated, we’ve recommended you can do almost anything,” Walensky said, but added that people should continue to wear masks indoors and in public places.
One town that is not adhering to CDC guidelines on outdoor masking is Brookline, Massachusetts, which has continued to implement more restrictive requirements that include an outdoor mask mandate.
“This is going to be community by community. And some communities may be more conservative,” Walensky said.
For summer camps, children should continue to wear masks if involved in crowded sports or activities, she said.
Link Copied!
CDC summer camp Covid-19 guidance looks "a bit strict," but will likely be reevaluated, Fauci says
From CNN's Naomi Thomas
Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of NIAID and Chief Medical Advisor to the President, is pictured at a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on April 15.
Amr Alfiky/Pool/Getty Images
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said on NBC’s Today Wednesday that US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines on summer camps are conservative, but they will likely be reevaluated in real time.
The CDC summer camp guidance says everyone in the facility should wear a mask at all times and keep at least 3 feet of distance between campers.
The CDC makes decisions based on science, Fauci said, and will continually reevaluate the guidance.
“It looks a bit strict, a bit stringent, but that’s the reason why they keep looking at that and trying to, you know, reevaluate on literally in real time, whether or not that’s the practical way to go,” Fauci said.
Link Copied!
Authorizing Covid-19 vaccines for 12-to-15-year-olds will be key for the fall, US NIH director says
From CNN's Naomi Thomas
Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, is pictured in Bethesda, Maryland, on January 26.
Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images
Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, said on ABC’s Good Morning America Wednesday he’s hopeful the US Food and Drug Administration will greenlight Covid-19 vaccines for 12- to 15-year-olds and it will be important to start vaccinating high school-age people well in advance of the fall.
The FDA will likely authorize Pfizer/BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine for children ages 12 to 15 by early next week, a federal official told CNN this week.
Vaccine expert Dr. Paul Offit told CNN’s Jake Tapper on Tuesday the US needs to reach 80% herd or community immunity, or the nation could be in store for another surge in the coronavirus pandemic this winter.
To parents who were uncertain about getting their kids vaccinated, Collins said Wednesday that they should look at the data and see that the mRNA vaccines, such as the one made by Pfizer, are remarkably safe and effective.
“I think parents, yeah, get informed, look at the information, make a decision – probably your teenager wants to be part of that decision,” he said. “And I think the evidence will lead you in the direction of saying yeah, let’s get immunization out there, let’s get this behind us.”
Link Copied!
CDC director on US vaccination effort: We need to reach people where they are
From CNN's Adrienne Vogt
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is pictured during a hearing at Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on April 15.
Susan Walsh/Pool/Getty Images
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said that “we have to reach the people where they are” now in the US coronavirus vaccination effort.
Efforts include getting vaccines into more pharmacies, expanding outreach in rural areas and providing resources to community organizations, according to Walensky.
Fewer than 1 million Covid-19 vaccine doses were reported administered since Monday as the pace of vaccinations across the US falls, according to data published Tuesday by the CDC.
When asked if a winter surge is possible in the US, Walensky told CNN’s John Berman that “we have to be humbled by this virus.”
“I think we have variants ahead of us. We have not full immunity in this population yet. So I think anything is possible, which is why I think we should focus on getting people protected and vaccinated now to do as much as we can to prevent that from happening,” she added.
Link Copied!
Sri Lanka imposes lockdowns across more areas
From journalist Iqbal Athas in Colombo
Health workers collect swab samples to test people for COVID-19 in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Wednesday, May 5.
Eranga Jayawardena/AP
Sri Lanka has imposed lockdowns across areas in four more districts after seeing a significant increase in Covid-19 cases.
Several areas and villages were put under new restrictions on Wednesday in Colombo, Gampaha, Ratnapura, and Vavuniya districts, according to Sri Lanka’s Army Commander General Shavendra Silva, the head of the National Operations Centre for Prevention of COVID-19.
With the latest announcement, lockdowns have now taken place in different areas in 13 of the country’s 25 administrative districts.
Health Ministry officials said that more than 100 areas, both Police Station divisions and Village Level Officer’s Divisions, are now under lockdown.
Sri Lanka reported 1,914 new cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the country’s total number of Covid-19 cases to 115,589, according to the Operations Centre responsible for preventative operations.
Link Copied!
How has the India Covid-19 crisis affected you and your loved ones?
India’s second wave is devastating lives and families, and pushing the healthcare infrastructure beyond its limits.
We want to know how you and your loved ones are affected in this crisis, what resources you are looking for or how you are trying to help. Leave your comments in the box below and we may feature some in our upcoming reporting.
Link Copied!
World has a shot at controlling Covid-19 -- if it comes together, WHO official says
From CNN Health’s Naomi Thomas
Maria van Kerkhove, the World Health Organization's technical lead on the coronavirus pandemic, is pictured during an interview in Geneva, Switzerland, on October 13, 2020.
Richard Juilliart/AFP/Getty Images
Maria van Kerkhove, the World Health Organization’s technical lead for Covid-19, said that while it’s hard to say whether the state of the pandemic has improved, the world has a shot at controlling Covid-19 if it uses all the tools as available.
“We can do this,” she said. “We just have to collectively come together from the political level all the way to the individual level to do that.”
Speaking on CNN’s New Day onWednesday, van Kerkhove said:
Van Kerkhove said that while there are virus hotspots in all WHO regions, there have also been positive signs in all of them.
She said that there are several reasons for the increased transmission in some parts of the world, including virus variants, an uneven and unequitable global rollout of vaccines and a lot of fatigue, with governments wanting to open societies.
She said that 17 months into a pandemic, having the “highest number of cases reported each week is not the situation that we need to be in.”
“But we do need to learn where we can, we need to course correct where we can and we need to have the hope that with all the tools, the public health tools plus the vaccines, we really have a shot at controlling Covid,” she said.
Link Copied!
Fauci tells adolescents on the fence about the vaccine to "be part of the solution"
From CNN's Christina Maxouris, Ray Sanchez and Theresa Waldrop
The director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Dr. Anthony Fauci said he hopes children and teens won’t hesitate when the US Food and Drug Administration authorizes a coronavirus vaccine for them.
A federal government official told CNN that the FDA is poised to authorize the Pfizer/BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine in children and teens 12 to 15 years old by early next week.
Fauci said administration of the vaccine to these groups could start almost immediately.
“You have the capability of protecting yourself as a young person, 12 to 15, but also knowing that you’re not going to pass it on to someone else,” Fauci told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on Tuesday.
Italy urges tourists to book their holidays in the country
From CNN's Antonia Mortensen in Milan and Livia Borghese in Rome
Tourists visiits leaning tower has opened to the public, in Pisa, Italy, on May, 1st, 2021. After months of harsh lockdown, Italy has decided to open museums, arts buildings and theatres. (Photo by Enrico Mattia Del Punta/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Enrico Mattia Del Punta/NurPhoto/Getty Images
The Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi has urged potential tourists looking for a sunny break to book their holidays in Italy.
He said the country is readying the introduction of Covid passports, which would allow people to travel freely.
“As we prepare for the European certificate, the Italian government has introduced a national green pass that allows people to move across all regions,” Draghi said during a meeting of G20 tourism ministers Tuesday.
The certificate would allow vaccinated travellers and those who have had Covid-19 in the past six months to skip quarantine.
Draghi stressed that tourism makes up 13% of the Italian GDP, saying the country “thrives on tourism.”
After months of recording some of the highest infection rates in Europe, Italy has recently seen a decline in the number of new cases and deaths.
Link Copied!
Nepal's army tells retired medical staff to get ready to help
From Kosh Raj Koirala in Kathmandu
Nepalese army officials salute as they pay homage to the bodies of coronavirus victims at a crematorium in Kathmandu, Nepal, on May 1.
Bikash Karki/AFP/Getty Images
Nepal’s army has told its retired medical staff to be ready to be recalled for duty to help manage the growing Covid-19 crisis in the country.
Army Spokesperson Santosh Ballav Poudel told CNN that the decision was made at a meeting held by the Chief of Army Staff Purna Chandra Thapa on Wednesday.
Nepal’s army has already been drafted to help build the necessary infrastructure for isolation facilities and coordinated the management of the remains of Covid-19 victims.
Some context: The Covid epidemic is spiralling out of control in Nepal. The Red Cross has warned on Wednesday that the country is heading into the same direction as its neighbor India, which is struggling to contain the virus at a horrific cost.
“What is happening in India right now is a horrifying preview of Nepal’s future if we cannot contain this latest Covid surge that is claiming more lives by the minute,” said Dr Netra Prasad Timsina, Nepal Red Cross Chairperson.
The epidemic has already spread even into the highest levels of the government. The Chief Minister of Nepal’s Gandaki province Prithvi Subba Gurung tested positive for the virus and is isolating at home, his aide told CNN.
Link Copied!
Indian official to attend G7 virtually after being exposed to Covid-19
India's External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, right, attends a press conference with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken following a bilateral meeting in London, on Monday, May 3.
Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images
As the G7 Foreign and Development Minister’s Meeting kicks off in London on Wednesday, the Indian representative will only attend virtually after being exposed to “possible Covid positive cases.”
India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar said he was made aware of the possible exposure on Tuesday evening.
“As a measure of abundant caution and also out of consideration for others, I decided to conduct my engagements in the virtual mode. That will be the case with the G7 Meeting today as well,” Jaishankar said in a tweet Wednesday.
A senior UK diplomat said that the UK regretted Jaishankar wasn’t going to be able to attend the meeting in person. “This is exactly why we have put in place strict Covid protocols and daily testing,” the diplomat added.
The G7 ministerial meeting in London started Monday and is set to wrap up on Wednesday. India is not part of the G7, but its delegation was among those invited to attend the meeting.
Link Copied!
The world sent India millions in Covid aid. Why is it not reaching those who need it most?
From CNN's Jessie Yeung, Manveena Suri and Swati Gupta
An aircraft carrying medical supplies for India is unloaded in New Delhi, on April 29.
Indian Foreign Ministry/IAF
Planeloads of ventilators, oxygen supplies and antiviral drugs began arriving last week, with photos showing massive parcels being unloaded at New Delhi airport.
But as hospitals on the ground pleaded for more provisions, much of the cargo sat in airport hangars for many days.
Medical workers and local officials are still reporting the same devastating shortages that have strained the health care system for weeks now – raising questions, even among foreign donors, of where the aid is going.
The Indian government issued a strong denial of any delay on Tuesday evening, saying it had installed a “streamlined mechanism” for allocating aid. Nearly 4 million donated items, spanning 24 categories, have already been distributed to 38 health care facilities across the country, the Health Ministry said in a statement.
But on the ground, many state and local authorities claim there has been little to no communication from the central government on how or when they would receive relief.
Companies scramble to protect their workers from India's Covid surge
From CNN Business' Hanna Ziady and Anneken Tappe
Big banks and accounting firms do most of their business in New York, London, Hong Kong and Tokyo. But they wouldn’t be able to function without their back offices, many of which are located in India.
Financial services firms have outsourced a huge number of information technology and operations jobs to India in recent decades, attracted by an educated workforce and cheaper labor costs.
Almost 4.4 million people in the country are employed in IT and business process management, according to the National Association of Software and Service Companies, a trade body.
In order to keep their operations online, banks are shifting work to other countries, encouraging staff to work from home and extending project deadlines.
Indian companies that provide services to Wall Street are taking additional steps to protect workers in cities such as Bangalore, Pune, Hyderabad and Delhi, in some cases establishing Covid care centers for employees and their families.
Osaka nearly out of hospital beds for its most serious Covid-19 patients
From Chie Kobayashi in Tokyo
Nurses work in a ward earmarked for coronavirus patients at Kano General Hospital in Osaka, Japan, on February 4.
Kyodo News/Sipa USA
The Japanese prefecture of Osaka has nearly reached capacity for Covid-19 patients with serious symptoms, forcing authorities to open waiting centers for patients who cannot find bed space, the government said on its website.
Beds for patients with serious symptoms in the city were 98.9% occupied as of Tuesday. The government opened two waiting centers in April with ventilators for patients who called for ambulances but could not be admitted because of the a lack of beds.
With just weeks until the Tokyo Olympics, Covid-19 cases in Japan are on the rise. Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Hyogo are all under state of emergencies set to expire on May 11.
As of Tuesday, 609,603 people in Japan had contracted Covid-19. At least 10,466 people have died.
Link Copied!
Covid-19 outbreak identified in western Nepal prison
From Kosh Raj Koirala in Kathmandu
Nepal authorities have identified a Covid-19 outbreak at massively overcrowded prison in the country’s western Sudurpashchim province, authorities said.
Chief District Officer Gopal Kumar Adhikari, the chief district officer of the Bajura district, where the prison is located, said five prisoners have tested positive for the virus.
The five have been placed in isolation facilities.
The prison is meant to accommodate 25 inmates, but it was housing 59 of them – sparking fears that the coronavirus may have spread between prisoners.
It is unclear how many people have been tested in the prison.
Link Copied!
India reports another 382,315 Covid-19 cases
From CNN’s Manveena Suri in New Delhi
A woman reacts as a health worker prepares to collect a nasal swab sample to test for Covid-19 at a primary health center, in Hyderabad, India, on May 3.
Noah Seelam/AFP/Getty Images
India reported 382,315 new cases of coronavirus cases and another 3,780 Covid-19-related deaths on Wednesday, according to figures released by the Health Ministry.
The country is struggling to contain a new, massive surge in cases that first appeared in mid-April. Wednesday marked the eighth consecutive day that reported deaths per day topped 3,000 and 300,000 cases per day since April 22.
To date, India has now identified 20,665,148 Covid-19 cases – trailing only the United States – and at least 226,188 people have died.
The vaccine rollout has also been slow. A total of 160,494,188 vaccine doses have been administered since the country began its vaccination program on January 16, and just 3% of the population has been fully inoculated. The program was expanded to include people over the age of 18.
Link Copied!
Brazil's Bolsonaro was 'warned' about the consequences of ignoring science
From CNN's Rodrigo Pedroso and Caitlin Hu
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro speaks at Planalto Palace in Brasilia, Brazil, on March 25.
Evaristo Sa/AFP/Getty Images
For months, critics of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro have been calling for an investigation into his handling of the country’s devastating Covid-19 crisis. On Tuesday, it finally began.
The parliamentary inquiry into the Brazilian government’s Covid-19 response kicked off with hours of testimony from former Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta – one of several who have passed through the crucial role during the pandemic.
Mandetta was a proponent of social distancing, supporting state governors’ decisions to shut down schools and businesses – an approach that put him at sharp odds with his then-boss. Bolsonaro has long downplayed the gravity of Covid-19 and prioritized the country’s economic health over lockdowns and social distancing rules.
Nepali military begins construction on makeshift hospital in western Nepal
Nepal’s military is working with local government authorities in western part of the country to build an isolation center with 200 beds to cope with the rising number of Covid-19 cases, Chief District Officer Khagendra Prasad Rijal told CNN.
The work is part of an extension of 2,000 beds at an existing facility, Rijal said. Construction started on Tuesday in the Kailali district in Sudurpashchim province which borders India. The district has seen a large number of Nepali migrant workers return home form India, which is facing a massive surge of new cases.
Kailali district is facing a shortage of oxygen gas cylinders, Rijal said. He said he regularly receives calls for help to find resources for individuals sick with Covid-19.
Link Copied!
Seychelles sees uptick in Covid-19 cases despite having vaccinated 85% of population
The Seychelles reported an uptick in cases on Wednesday, according to the country’s Health Ministry, despite the fact that the island nation has already vaccinated 59,676 people – 85% of its population.
The ministry reported 497 cases over a three-day period, it said in a Facebook post.To date, 6,373 cases of Covid-19 have been diagnosed in the Seychelles. The country’s national broadcaster, Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation (SBC,) reported in April that the South Africa variant had been found in several patients.
The rise in cases, which began last month, prompted the US Centers For Disease Control to issue a Level 4 Travel warning advising against going to the tourism-dependent country.
On Monday, the Health Ministry closed specialized medical clinics and suspended surgeries outside of emergency operations and cancer treatments.
Link Copied!
No decisions yet on coronavirus vaccine requirements to start school this fall, White House adviser says
From CNN's Ryan Prior
It’s too soon to say whether school districts might require students to be vaccinated for Covid-19 to return to classrooms this fall, a top White House official said Tuesday.
Such a decision would be made locally and might require full approval of the vaccines from the Food and Drug Administration, Andy Slavitt, a senior adviser to the White House’s Covid response team, told CNN’s Chris Cuomo.
The three vaccines being used in the US have emergency use authorization, or EUA, from the FDA. Full approval requires a separate application from the manufacturer.
“My understanding is that it can’t be required until it goes from authorization to approval from the FDA,” Slavitt said.
Though the FDA has not authorized Covid-19 vaccinations for anyone older than 16, it is expected to do authorize the Pfizer vaccine for 12- to 15-year-olds by next week.