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Vaccination: How Does Your State Plan Compare To Other States?

12-13-21 THE INFORMATION BELOW MAY BE OUT OF DATE FOR YOUR STATE

More info at Covid News Update and What it Means for You UPDATED daily about vaccination rollout issues.

SOME STATES ARE FIRST VACCINATING 65+ OR 75+ THEN 65+. CALIFORNIA JUST WENT TO 65+ STARTING 1-13-20. They are prioritized over essential workers due to the surges and virus new mutations.

A new analysis examines the different approaches states are taking to manage the limited initial supply of COVID-19 vaccines and balance the desire to vaccinate those at greatest risk first with the need to ensure a fast and effective statewide vaccination effort.

Based on a review of state vaccination plans, the analysis finds that states are increasingly departing from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendations as they move through the first three phases of distribution (known as Phases 1a, 1b and 1c).

Overall State-by-State Data Reveals Range of Early Approaches to Managing “Vaccination Line” and Many States Departing from CDC Recommendations Source: KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation) a non-profit not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente HMO.

See what your state is doing compared to other states Details by state

The analysis concludes that identifying specific priority groups may more effectively target a limited supply of vaccines, but may also lead to greater difficulty in implementing vaccine distribution plans and make it harder to communicate those plans to the public. The growing variations across states suggest that a person’s place in the COVID-19 vaccine priority line will increasingly depend on where they live.

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Latest Vaccine News From the Mayo Clinic 1-11-20

Excellent Q & As with an understandable expert that speaks conversationally and uses minimal technical terminology. Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: Expert updates on COVID-19 vaccines. 30 minutes.

In this Mayo Clinic Q&A 30 minute podcast, Dr. Poland goes into detail about the COVID-19 vaccines, including the effect of mutations, “sterilizing immunity,” testing for antibodies after receiving the vaccine, the possibility of booster doses in the future, and much more.

Dr. Gregory Poland is an infectious disease expert and head of Mayo Clinic’s Vaccine Research Group.

More information here

Posts from this blog

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Covid News Update and What it Means for You

Updated 1-17-21

Virus Mutations (variants)

1-18-21 New variant 452R. the first case of the variant in California was discovered in May in Alameda County. But from mid-November to the last two weeks of December the cases went from numbering 3.8% of all COVID-19 cases to 25%.

1-16-21- CDC says England new variant will become the dominant strain in the United States within about two months. We all need to be more careful!!

1-13-21 Preliminary research suggests the new Covid mutation (variant) makes the SARS-CoV-2 virus over 50% transmissible. This number keeps going up. We don’t know where it is spreading in the U.S. due to lack of genomic surveillance to identify what was causing people to get infected: “original” Covid or a variant.

For lots more information, see the my post
Virus Mutations – What You Need to Know January 14, 2021
SARS-CoV-19, the virus that causes the disease COVID-19, is a very efficient virus

Updated 1-18-21 – Vaccine Rollout – 65+ and 1 or 2 vaccine doses?

1-18-21 California calls for pause of 330,000 doses, investigation after allergic reactions to Moderna vaccine batch 041L20A

1-16-21 Biden team has no official access to what Operation Warp Speed has been doing.

1-16-17 Operation Warp Speed has no doses in reserve. States vary widely. Some states are really messed up. Per Dr. Fauci it was a mis-communication, but the damage has been done to the states’ vaccine rollouts.

1-13-21 The CDC has said there’s no maximum time between a first and second coronavirus shot, and the World Health Organization said last week that people can wait for as long as six weeks between doses.

1-12-21 Alex Azar, HHS Secretary, is now asking states to vaccinate people age 65 and over and those under 65 with underlying health conditions that put them at high risk and will be sending their reserve doses to the states. See above – no reserve!

1-11-21 Biden to release most vaccine doses. Some doses will be in a “strategic reserve” for second shots. See above – no reserve!

1-10-21 – Many experts said two doses are necessary as the clinical trials so far were for two doses. 1-5-21 FDA Warns Health Officials Not To Mess With COVID-19 Vaccine Doses Schedule Dr. Fauci and many other experts say two doses.

Vaccines

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Dr. Fauci – Virus Mutation Expanding, Testing, Schools, The Future 12-29-20

Video 29 minutes. Interview with Gavin Newsom, California Governor

Find out what is happening today, and what it means for you, from a trusted source:  Dr. Tony Fauci

The Covid Virus mutation was detected in Southern California and appears to be community transmission, similar to other states. A new fast test for monitoring covid infections. We need to open schools. When will we all be vaccinated?

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When can you get a Covid vaccination? Your state decides

When there is a shortage demand goes up! Remember toilet paper and cleaning supplies?

1-13-21 UPDATE

SOME STATES ARE FIRST VACCINATING 65+ OR 75+ THEN 65+. For example, CALIFORNIA JUST WENT TO 65+ STARTING 1-13-20. They are prioritized over essential workers due to the high death rates 65+ and surges and virus new mutations. After age 65, death rates go way up the older you get. See the data table below.

All, or almost all states, all will be completing Phase 1a Health care personnel (21M) and residents of long-term care facilities (3M). Total 24 Million.

See what your state is doing compared to other states – not updated for new CDC 65+ requirements above

Details by state

A new analysis examines the different approaches states are taking to manage the limited initial supply of COVID-19 vaccines and balance the desire to vaccinate those at greatest risk first with the need to ensure a fast and effective statewide vaccination effort.

Based on a review of state vaccination plans, the analysis finds that states are increasingly departing from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendations as they move through the first three phases of distribution (known as Phases 1a, 1b, and 1c).

Overall State-by-State Data Reveals Range of Early Approaches to Managing “Vaccination Line” and Many States Departing from CDC Recommendations Source: KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation), a non-profit not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente HMO.

The analysis concludes that identifying specific priority groups may more effectively target a limited supply of vaccines but may also lead to greater difficulty in implementing vaccine distribution plans and make it harder to communicate those plans to the public. The growing variations across states suggest that a person’s place in the COVID-19 vaccine priority line will increasingly depend on where they live.

New CDC Guidelines, December 20, 2020.

The CDC recommends who gets the vaccine and when.
Your state makes the final decisions.

Who can be vaccinated in the Phases is decided by each state. Which groups get the vaccines first, second, etc., will be difficult decisions. This is already controversial. Many organizations, such as airlines, are trying to get their persons prioritized. Others want to be added to the list of essential workers in Phase 1c.

See what your state says on their web site. Follow your state and local news to find out what is being planned.

States differ widely in what they plan to do

For example, some states want to include correctional facility workers and prisoners. Other states want to include everyone 65 and older in Phase 1b. There will be many variations on how the states decide what groups go into each phase. Every state sent its distribution plan to the CDC by a deadline before the vaccines were distributed.

For info on details of the CDC Guideline’s Phases so you can compare with your state, age as a factor, and more info, click Continue Reading below.

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Operation Warp Speed’s Tiberius Vaccine Distribution Software – Woops!!

On November 9, 2020, I watched a 60 Minutes segment (13 minutes): Operation Warp Speed: Planning the distribution of a future COVID-19 vaccine. The segment included a brief demonstration of the Tiberius software and a few interesting comments from General Perna.

Tiberius distribution software is designed to track the Covid vaccine distribution very closely by “combining data from all over the government and the shipping companies into one unified picture that everyone could see.” On November 9, it had been working for only two months.

At 8:50, the moderator, David Martin, asked “Will you be able to bang your fist on the table and say ”What happened to that shipment that was going to Good Samaritan Hospital in Baltimore?“

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Coronavirus Vaccine Update With Anthony Fauci 12-11-20 – 32 minutes

This video was recorded for the JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association. Sometimes it gets technical, but most of it is understandable. See a timed topic list below the video and watch what you want. This video was recorded before the Pfizer vaccine was approved.

Scroll to listen to the topics you want

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Where Are You In the Line for Covid Vaccine – UPDATED: New CDC Guidelines December 20

New Blog Post Click here When can you get a Covid vaccination? Your state decides All CDC updates starting from December 20, 2020 are on this post.

New CDC Guidelines, December 20, 2020 for Phase 1b and 1c.
The CDC recommends who gets the vaccine and when.
Each state decides who gets the vaccine and when they get it.

Find Your Place in the Covid-19 Vaccine Line

See an infographic of where you are in the line Input your age, state, county, health risk, type of work. You may be a long way down the line, but everyone will eventually get to the top of the line. Find Your Place in the Covid-19 Vaccine Line. NOTE: this animation was done using the groups in the revised phases December before the December 1 table below but is useful as an overall guideline.

The simulation on the infographic above is one possibility, combining a proposal by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (ACIP) , with a fuller proposal by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM), with 4 phases, released October 2. Note: both reports are detailed and technical. See below for more understandable info

THE VIDEO BELOW IS STILL RELEVANT. DONE BEFORE VACCINES AND NEW CDC RECOMMENDATIONS.

Video has a very good, short explanation of Who and Why. – 3 min. 43 seconds
Click here for written information about the topics in the video, plus related links.

A Framework for Equitable Allocation of Vaccine for the Novel Coronavirus National Academy of Medicine Report (NASEM) – good summary at the top. Very long detailed technical report available.

Click “Continue Reading” below for lots more info on how the vaccine is distributed, a table of the four distribution phases., who decides which groups receive the vaccine, etc.

Continue reading “Where Are You In the Line for Covid Vaccine – UPDATED: New CDC Guidelines December 20”
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New Covid-19 Vaccination Record Card

Everyone will be issued a written card that confirms their vaccination that they can carry with them. It will confirm what vaccine they had and when their next dose is due. “Let’s do the simple, easy thing first. Everyone’s going to get that.”

A Department of Health and Human Services employee holds a COVID-19 vaccine record card Nov. 13, 2020, in Washington D.C. The cards will be sent out as part of vaccination kits from Operation Warp Speed, which is an effort by several U.S. government components and public partnerships to facilitate the development, manufacturing and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics. (DoD photo by EJ Hersom)

Vaccination clinics will also be reporting to their state immunization registries what vaccine was given. For example, an entity could run a query if it didn’t know where a patient got the first dose.

Good article: Vaccination cards will be issued to everyone getting Covid-19 vaccine, health officials say

My comments

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Fauci: Herd Immunity. Vaccines. Testing.

Recorded 11-23-20 34 minutes. The Path Forward: Combating COVID-19 with Anthony S. Fauci. Excellent interview. Hear Fauci speak about Herd immunity, Vaccines, Testing, and a lot more. Much better than reading about it!! Plus more time for Fauci to talk about it. News “sound bytes” are too short.

The interview starts with Thanksgiving, but Fauci’s comments apply to upcoming events in the next 30 days. Unfortunately, three of our most popular socializing times are Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years’. All are in the cold winter months when we meet indoors. Many of his comments apply anytime you are gathering indoors with persons outside your household, including other family members and friends.

Some of the topics (Starts at 17 minutes after surge warnings)

  • Herd immunity plus example using an African wildebeest (antelope) herd. Understandable by everyone.
  • Vaccines. Excellent analysis from approval to the future.
  • Very good explanation of the PCR vs. antigen vs. antibody Covid tests. – Post-Covid syndrome – after the virus is gone. It can last for months—many problems.
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Dr. Fauci: Surges – Don’t Give Up. Vaccine Approval Process. 11-23-20

11-23-20 Video and full transcript 12 minutes, 40 seconds. Judy Woodruff is an excellent interviewer. This interview is long enough to have more than one topic typically included in a news story video, which is very short. Topics include Surges – Don’t Give Up. Vaccine Approval Process

The headline is “Thanksgiving gatherings will put families at risk,” but this topic only lasts for the first four minutes. The recommendations apply to any time you are getting together, for any reason, from a surprise visit from an out of town friend to family events to large crowded events.

Unfortunately, three of our most popular socializing times are Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years’, all are in the cold winter months when we usually meet indoors.

Youtube video – no transcript or comments

Link to video and full transcript – PBS Newshour. Note: Fauci is an excellent speaker. Seeing him is much better than reading a transcript. I tested this on myself. The transcript is useful if you want to be sure you remember what he said.

A few brief excerpts

“We don’t have to inevitably accept a dire situation, because it is within our power to do something about it.”

“The process of the decision of whether or not a vaccine is safe and effective… is made by an independent group of scientists, vaccinologists, ethicists, statisticians.

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Dr. Fauci says vaccine could be available to all by April

11-10-20, updated 11-17-20 Why has he changed his forecast from much later in 2121? Because with over 90% efficacy, many people will want to take the vaccines. The flu vaccines are 40-60% effective. Only about 50% of people get one. Covid is significantly more dangerous than the flu. Plus, the Covid vaccine could be available to all by April!

Return to Normalcy finally!!

Dr. Fauci has always said “cautiously optimistic” about vaccines. For the first time, he said “The results are really quite good, I mean extraordinary,”

Fauci has also said that Covid could remain a chronic problem, and face masks, distancing, etc., would still be needed for some time.

Several of the top vaccines now are mRNA. Moderna also has high efficacy. Both Pfizer and Moderna are expected to get FDA Emergency Use Authorization by the end of 2020. They are Genetic Vaccines that deliver one or more of the coronavirus’s own genes into our cells to provoke an immune response.

Click here to watch the 3 minute CNN video

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Pfizer Vaccine over 90% effective – Fantastic news!!

This vaccine uses the same new messenger RNA technology as two of the other vaccines in late-stage clinical trials: Moderna and Novavax. They are Genetic Vaccines that deliver one or more of the coronavirus’s own genes into our cells to provoke an immune response. They will hopefully have similar efficacy so we will have three vaccines available. The other vaccines are based on existing dead vaccines. Pfizer Vaccine gives us hope for the future!

Return to Normalcy!

11-9-20 5 min. 18 seconds “How a COVID vaccine might work — and the challenges of distributing it” Video and transcript.

Excerpts: “We’re waiting for the independent review. The peer-reviewed science work is still unknown to us. But, assuming all of this bears out, this is an extraordinary number. This vaccine will easily get into the Hall of Fame batting .900 percent, 90 percent.

It’s stunning, actually. When you think about it, the typical flu vaccine, its efficacy is somewhere between 40 and 60 percent. But there’s still a lot of work to do here, obviously. We’re talking, in all, of 94 cases among tens of thousands, 94 cases of COVID.

Link to youtube video above (no ads and no transcripts)

PBS NewsHour video and full transcript

Distribution

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Pfizer CEO on vaccine – a “game-changer” for controlling COVID-19

With an over 90% effectiveness, the number of humans for the virus to infect will decline. We will get closer to “normal”. Of course, face masks, distancing, etc. will be required until the vaccine is fully distributed. The percent of people vaccinated is the key to success but will take a while.

Video and full transcript PBS Newshour 11-9-20 5 min. 33 seconds. Excerpts: …”over 90 percent effective in preventing COVID among volunteers who had no prior infection. The data hasn’t been published or reviewed by a medical journal yet, but Pfizer released it on November 9, 2020, with the hopes of getting approval for use in the weeks ahead.” Pfizer new vaccine data.

Youtube video (no transcript)

“We can produce approximately 50 million doses this year, approximately 1.3 billion doses next year in the U.S., we will have 12.5 million people that we can protect…. People that they are more likely to get the disease, like first-line workers, very sensitive population, et cetera.”

My comments:

Hearing about the vaccine directly from the Pfizer CEO is worthwhile to find out about the background. He is not a dynamic speaker but is understandable.

Over 90% effective is fantastic!! Flu is 40-60%, with an average of 50% with annual doses. Probably why the FDA said 50% minimum. Measles is 97% effective with one dose in childhood. Half the doses are available in the U.S. The other half are in Europe as Pfizer’s partner is BioNTech, a German company. Return to Normalcy!

Continue reading “Pfizer CEO on vaccine – a “game-changer” for controlling COVID-19″
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States required to submit Covid-19 draft distribution plans by Oct. 16, 2020

The CDC required that states submit their draft plans for vaccine distribution by October 16, 2020. I have no idea how the states could do that reliably as to who gets the vaccine is uncertain. For example, do healthcare workers include nursing home workers and hospital janitors? The final national distribution report from experts was not available until Oct. 2.

The recent report on vaccine distribution came out Oct. 2. Link to my post on Oct. 2 final report on Covid vaccine distribution. The primary candidates for approval (using mRNA, a new technology) require vaccine storage at below 94 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Pfizer’s vaccine requires special ultra-low temperature freezers that can store the vaccine at minus-328 degrees. Also, all require two vaccine doses, very complicated.

For those reasons (vaccine storage and 2 doses) and other reasons, Phase 1a in the new report above gives the vaccine to health care workers and first responders. They have jobs, can be tracked for the second dose, and can get both doses at their places of employment.

What is your state’s plan?

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New Report: Who Gets The Corona Vaccine First

UPDATED 12-9-20. ON DECEMBER 1, 2020 CDC ISSUED VACCINE DISTRIBUTION GUIDELINES FOR WHO GETS THE VACCINES IN PHASE 1 CLICK HERE to find out where you are in line and who gets the first vaccines

Oct. 2 release National Academies Release Framework for Equitable Allocation of a COVID-19 Vaccine for Adoption by HHS, State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Authorities. Discusses the phases in detail.

On Oct. 2, 2020, the US National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) issued its recommendations. For lots more information see below. A podcast, press release, and an article discuss the recommendations on who Gets The Corona Vaccine First

The NASEM was asked to develop its allocation plan by both the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This plan will set the US government’s COVID-19 vaccination plan, and the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is coordinating vaccine and treatment trials

This framework can also inform the decisions of other groups, such as the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.  In addition to the framework, the report includes recommendations for HHS.

FOR A MUCH LARGER IMAGE, RIGHT CLICK TO OPEN IN A NEW TAB.

Phase 1a covers approximately 5 percent of the population and includes front-line health workers
Phase 1b covers approximately 10 percent of the population and includes people of all ages with comorbid and underlying conditions

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Fauci Vaccine Update – approval, distribution, vaccination

9-25-20 39 Minute Video. Much easier than listening to a lot of 2-3 minute excerpts on the news. This Fauci Vaccine Update – approval, distribution, vaccination lets you know what is happening now plus a few tidbits on Fauci and baseball! Fauci has been working on vaccines in his laboratory for a long time. He is also on the White House Coronavirus Task Force, which meets every week. He knows what is happening from the “inside”

List of topics below for Fauci Vaccine Update. Many live stream audience questions and written comments after posting on youtube.  

Vaccines are a very hot topic now. We are all waiting for vaccine approval!

Topics discussed in this Fauci Vaccine
Click below to and go the topics you want to hear.

Click below for a timed list of video topics plus Fauci comments on Multiple Vaccines

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Dr. Fauci and Dr. Sanjay Gupta – vaccines and winter risks

9-22-20 on Citizen CNN 27 minutes
Dr. Sanjay Gupta interviewed Dr. Fauci- vaccines and winter risks. Good questions and answers. Fauci and Gupta make some relevant comments and analysis on many important topics. Fauci’s lab does vaccine research, plus he is on the White House Coronavirus Task Force Team.

Fauci works on the Task Force and in his lab every day. Plus he gives virtual presentations all over the Internet, from very technical scientific conferences to Instagram and Facebook. Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Dr. Fauci- vaccines and winter risks make a good team.

19-minute Audio recording of the above video. Checking in with Dr. Anthony Fauci on Gupta’s Podcast “Corona Virus Fact and Fiction with Dr. Sanjay Gupta. Good, short podcasts, usually around 10 minutes.

Topics include:

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Who gets the vaccine first? Discussion Draft Released with 4 Phases 9-1-20

When we hear about vaccines one of our first questions is “Who will get it first?” There are many, many issues. This Discussion Draft will give everyone somewhere to start in trying to decide who gets it. 4 Phases of distribution are proposed. See below.

Update 10-15-20 New report, Framework for Equitable Allocation of a COVID-19 Vaccine, done by the same committee, with lots more detail, dated 10-2-20 Click here to read.

“Discussion Draft of the Preliminary Framework for Equitable Allocation of COVID-19 Vaccine” was released on September 1.

Table of the 4 Phases
Scroll down to read more details

FOR A MUCH LARGER IMAGE, RIGHT CLICK TO OPEN IN A NEW TAB.

The committee’s final report is expected early this fall, after input from the public and other interested parties.

There are many uncertainties affecting COVID-19 vaccine allocation, such as the number and timing of available vaccine doses, number of available vaccine types, vaccine efficacy and safety, vaccine uptake, and vaccine distribution and administration.

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