COVID Boosters Are Key In Protecting Against Omicron Variant, Experts Say COVID Boosters Are Key In Protecting Against Omicron Variant, Experts Say
COVID Boosters Are Key In Protecting Against Omicron Variant, Experts Say So you had COVID-19. Then you got vaccinated. But now you're feeling sick and you're wondering if it's the Omicron variant. It very well could be -- if you don't have your booster shot, new research finds. The new, highly-contagious variant is expected to "rip right through the population" and will be worse for those who are vaccinated and not boosted, world-renowned virologist and Columbia University professor Dr. David Ho said in an interview with CNBC. Ho said that those who have booster shots are far less likely to experience COVID-19 symptoms. Moderna said Monday citing lab find…
COVID-19: Emergency Room Visitors No Longer Allowed At LI Hospital Due To Omicron COVID-19: Emergency Room Visitors No Longer Allowed At LI Hospital Due To Omicron
Covid-19: Emergency Room Visitors No Longer Allowed At LI Hospital Due To Omicron A Long Island hospital has been forced to update its Emergency Room visitor policy due to the emergence of the Omicron COVID-19 variant and a recent rise of new infections across the region. As of Tuesday, Dec. 21, Mount Sinai South Nassau in Oceanside and Long Beach will no longer be permitting visitors to help curtail the spread of the virus, which has been running rampant on Long Island for weeks as the infection rate spikes. Earlier story - COVID-19: Long Island Sees New Climb In Cases As Infection Rate Tops 8 Percent The new policy is effective immediately and will be in place "until…
COVID-19: CDC Panel Recommends Moderna, Pfizer Vaccines Over Johnson & Johnson Jab COVID-19: CDC Panel Recommends Moderna, Pfizer Vaccines Over Johnson & Johnson Jab
Covid-19: CDC Panel Recommends Moderna, Pfizer Vaccines Over Johnson & Johnson Jab The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new guidance saying that people shouldn’t get the one-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 shot if the Pfizer or Moderna option is available. Citing potentially life-threatening blood clots liked to the J & J jab, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met on Thursday, Dec. 16 following an update from the Food and Drug Administration. Federal officials halted the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine earlier this year for 10 days in April after six women experienced the blood-clotting problem — the only…
COVID-19: Pfizer Releases Data On Anti-Viral Pill's Effectiveness Vs. Omicron, Severe Disease COVID-19: Pfizer Releases Data On Anti-Viral Pill's Effectiveness Vs. Omicron, Severe Disease
Covid-19: Pfizer Releases Data On Anti-Viral Pill's Effectiveness Vs. Omicron, Severe Disease Brand-new laboratory studies are shedding light on the effectiveness of Pfizer's anti-viral COVID-19 pill both against the Omicron variant and in warding off severe disease. The studies showed the pill, called Paxlovid, reduced the risk of hospitalization or death by nearly 90 percent if given to high-risk adults within several days of their initial COVID symptoms, Pfizer said in a statement released Tuesday morning, Dec. 14. The pill also retains activity against variants, including Omicron, because the drug blocks an enzyme involved in viral replication, Pfizer said. “Emerging …
COVID-19: Fourth Shot May Eventually Be Needed, Pfizer Says COVID-19: Fourth Shot May Eventually Be Needed, Pfizer Says
Covid-19: Fourth Shot May Eventually Be Needed, Pfizer Says The CEO of Pfizer said in an interview that he believes a fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose will eventually be needed.  Albert Bourla said on CNBC that real-world data will help determine how well three doses of the vaccine protect against the Omicron variant and how long protection lasts. "And the second point, I think we will need the fourth dose," Bourla told CNBC on Wednesday, Dec. 8. "I’ve said that multiple times. With the previous, I was projecting that that will be on 12 months after the third dose. With Omicron, we need to wait and see because we have very little informat…
COVID-19: FDA Expands Booster Vaccine Eligibility To Include Ages 16 & 17 COVID-19: FDA Expands Booster Vaccine Eligibility To Include Ages 16 & 17
Covid-19: FDA Expands Booster Vaccine Eligibility To Include Ages 16 & 17 The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has expanded eligibility for Pfizer's COVID-19 booster vaccines to include 16- and 17-year-olds. The FDA said in an announcement on Thursday, Dec. 9, that it has amended the emergency use authorization of the booster vaccine to include those aged 16 and older at least six months after they've completed their primary vaccination. “Vaccination and getting a booster when eligible, along with other preventive measures like masking and avoiding large crowds and poorly ventilated spaces, remain our most effective methods for fighting COVID-19,”…
COVID-19: First Findings Released On Vaccine Effectiveness Against Omicron Variant COVID-19: First Findings Released On Vaccine Effectiveness Against Omicron Variant
Covid-19: First Findings Released On Vaccine Effectiveness Against Omicron Variant The first findings on the effectiveness of vaccines against the COVID-19 Omicron variant have been released. Pfizer and its European partner BioNTech said that a booster shot offers significant protection against Omicron and "neutralizes" the strain. Two vaccine doses "show significantly reduced neutralization titers" but could protect against severe disease from COVID, the companies said. The findings come from an initial laboratory study. According to the companies’ preliminary data, "a third dose provides a similar level of neutralizing antibodies to Omicron as is observ…
NJ COVID Cases Surge To Highest 7-Day Average Since April NJ COVID Cases Surge To Highest 7-Day Average Since April
NJ COVID Cases Surge To Highest 7-Day Average Since April COVID-19 cases continue to climb in New Jersey, the 7-day average surging higher than it's been since April, the state's Coronavirus dashboard shows. New Jersey reported another 2,471 cases and 20 confirmed deaths following Thanksgiving weekend. The uptick in cases come as we enter the busy holiday travel season and as the new Omicron variant has now been detected in the U.S.  Officials say the number of people hospitalized due to COVID-19 has also increased, with 1,052 patients confirmed or suspected of having the coronavirus across 70 of New Jersey’s 71 hospitals as of las…
COVID-19: Pfizer CEO Says New Vaccine May Be Needed For Omicron, Anti-Viral Pills Are Effective COVID-19: Pfizer CEO Says New Vaccine May Be Needed For Omicron, Anti-Viral Pills Are Effective
Covid-19: Pfizer CEO Says New Vaccine May Be Needed For Omicron, Anti-Viral Pills Are Effective Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said that his company is preparing to tackle new COVID-19 variants, and that he expects the company’s treatment pill will be effective in helping avoid severe illness or possibly death if one get infected. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Omicron poses a “very high” global risk, with the likelihood it is more transmissible than previous strains. The new variant has nearly three dozen mutations that reportedly decrease antibody protection. WHO described Omicron as a “highly divergent variant with a high number of mutations ... some of which are conce…
COVID-19: FDA Clears Moderna, Pfizer Boosters For All US Adults COVID-19: FDA Clears Moderna, Pfizer Boosters For All US Adults
Covid-19: FDA Clears Moderna, Pfizer Boosters For All US Adults Federal health officials have given the green light for all Americans to get COVID-19 booster shots for all adults. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 booster shots for all adults in the US 18 and older, paving the way for expanding the eligibility of boosters in advance of the holiday season. Previously, the FDA had only authorized booster shots for Americans 65 and older, and those who were at a high risk of contracting COVID-19 due to pre-existing conditions of their job. “Authorizing the use of a single booster dose of either the Moderna or Pf…
COVID-19: People Who Spread Misinfo About Vaccines Are ‘Criminals,' Pfizer CEO Says COVID-19: People Who Spread Misinfo About Vaccines Are ‘Criminals,' Pfizer CEO Says
Covid-19: People Who Spread Misinfo About Vaccines Are ‘Criminals,' Pfizer CEO Says Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla has harsh words for the “criminals” who have intentionally spread misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines. Speaking with Atlantic Council think tank CEO Frederick Kempe this week, Bourla said that a “very small” group of people spreading misinformation has cost millions of lives. “These people are criminals,” Bourla said. “They’re not bad people. They’re criminals because they have literally cost millions of lives.” Related story - COVID-19: Pfizer Expected To Seek Approval For Boosters For All Adults Bourla went on to say that “the only thing that stands betw…
COVID-19: Hochul Introduces New Incentive Program To Get Kids Vaccinated COVID-19: Hochul Introduces New Incentive Program To Get Kids Vaccinated
Covid-19: Hochul Introduces New Incentive Program To Get Kids Vaccinated New York is coming up with fresh ways to encourage younger residents to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the state’s “Vaccinate, Educate, Graduate” incentive scholarship that will provide an extra reason for New Yorkers between the ages of 5 and 11 to get vaccinated. The five-week public outreach campaign will run through Sunday, Dec. 19, consisting of a series of statewide drawings to increase awareness of the availability and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines. Each week, parents of children who get their first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine will be eligible…