COVID-19 vaccine 7 , CD3 DFL

‘Russia is up to its old tricks’: Biden battling COVID-19 vaccine disinformation campaign

WASHINGTON – The Biden administration said Monday it is taking steps to combat Russian disinformation aimed at undermining confidence in the COVID-19 vaccines produced by Pfizer Inc. and other Western companies.

“We will fight (the disinformation) with every tool we have,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said during a press briefing on Monday.

On Sunday, the Wall Street Journal reported that four publications, all serving as fronts for Russian intelligence, have targeted Western-produced COVID-19 vaccines with misleading coverage that exaggerates the risk of side effects and raises questions about their efficacy. Continue reading.

Nation takes baby steps to normality after year in lockdown

New federal guidelines released Monday saying it is safe for fully vaccinated people to gather indoors with each other without masks is adding hope that a return to normality — or something close to it — might be getting closer as the nation hits one year in a locked-down state.

No one knows exactly when it will be normal again — if ever, given how the coronavirus pandemic has elevated concerns about contagious diseases in general.

There’s also quite a bit of uncertainty going forward, especially as variants of the virus continue to circulate. Continue reading.

CDC says fully vaccinated people can take fewer precautions

People who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can take fewer precautions in certain situations, including socializing indoors without masks when in the company of low-risk or other vaccinated individuals, according to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released Monday.

Why it matters: Per the report, there’s early evidence that suggests vaccinated people are less likely to have asymptomatic infection and are potentially less likely to transmit the virus to other people. At the time of its publication, the CDC said the guidance would apply to about 10% of Americans.

What they’re saying: “If grandparents have been vaccinated, they can visit their daughter and her family, even if they have not been vaccinated … so long as the daughter and her family are not at risk for severe disease,” CDC director Rochelle Walensky said at a press conference on Monday. Continue reading.

Vaccine dreams juice jobs report

Good news for your Friday: the economy added a whopping 379,000 jobs in February — far outpacing expectations.

Why it matters: Virus cases eased in recent weeks and states lifted restrictions, helping fuel a hiring surge. It’s proof of how much control the pandemic has over the job market.

The clearest signal: The bounce-back was largely driven by hiring in the leisure and hospitality sectors, which came even in the dead of winter. Continue reading.

Minnesota family caregivers turned away for the COVID-19 vaccine despite being eligible

Those caring for relatives with complex needs are eligible as health workers.

Laura Rede was turned away from a vaccine appointment Thursday because the clinic wouldn’t accept the paperwork showing that Rede is a health care worker.

“They asked ‘Do you have a badge?’ ” Rede said. “Well you don’t have a badge if you work at home.”

Rede is one of thousands of Minnesotans who care for a relative at home, in this case daughter Shanika who has Down syndrome, autism and other conditions that have been shown to make her vulnerable to COVID-19. Continue reading.

Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan Update: March 5, 2021

Governor Walz: First Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Doses Have Arrived in Minnesota

On Wednesday, Governor Walz announced that the first Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine doses arrived in Minnesota and met one of the first shipments to arrive in the state. Immunizations began shortly after doses arrived to Minnesota providers.

“This is an exciting development. We now have three vaccines available that are safe and highly effective in preventing severe disease, hospitalization, and death,” said Governor Walz. “The Johnson & Johnson vaccine will help our state quickly provide immunity and get us one step closer to ending this pandemic. We know we need broad community protection before we can get back to the normal, enjoyable parts of life we have missed, and the way we get there is by getting as many people vaccinated as quickly as possible. Everyone who has the opportunity to get this shot should take it.”

First doses of new COVID-19 vaccine arrive in Minnesota

State expects to get 42,500 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine this week

The first doses of the new Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Minnesota on Wednesday, just days after receiving federal regulatory approvals.

An M Health Fairview facility in southeast Minneapolis took possession of 980 vials, enough to vaccinate 4,900 people.

Other health care providers in the state, including Essentia Health in Duluth, received the vaccine Wednesday as part of a shipment of 42,500 doses coming to Minnesota this week. Continue reading.

Type 1 diabetes, rare diseases added to Minnesota COVID-19 vaccine priority groups

More qualifying medical conditions added to list.

People with Type 1 diabetes and some high-risk rare medical conditions, such as ALS and cystic fibrosis, were added to the state’s next phase of COVID-19 vaccine priority groups by health officials Tuesday.

Those diseases were not initially included when the qualifying medical conditions were announced last Thursday. Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm said the changes were made to align the state with federal guidance.

The state also added workers in the court system and some public health jobs that were not included in earlier phases as it published seven pages of detailed guidance on who qualifies for COVID-19 shots after the 70% of those 65 and older are vaccinated by the end of the month. Continue reading.

Minnesota health systems to identify at-risk patients for next round of COVID-19 shots

More than 1.3 million Minnesotans will become eligible for shots in April.

People with health conditions that make them susceptible to COVID-19 complications most likely will be contacted by their health care provider when it’s their turn to get the shot.

“We’ll use our electronic medical record as well the expertise of our clinicians to help identify patients,” said Dr. John Misa, interim chief medical officer for the Allina Health Group.

Once 70% of the state’s seniors are vaccinated, perhaps by the end of March, the state’s rollout plan calls for the medically vulnerable and essential workers to become the next priority groups. Continue reading.

Biden: US will have vaccine for all adults by end of May

President Biden on Tuesday said that the United States will have enough vaccine supply to vaccinate all American adults for the coronavirus by the end of May, crediting a “stepped-up process” under his administration.

Biden made the announcement while outlining a partnership between Merck and Johnson & Johnson to produce the latter’s single-dose coronavirus vaccine.

“We’re now on track to have enough vaccine supply for every adult in America by the end of May,” Biden said in remarks Tuesday afternoon at the White House. “When we came into office, the prior administration had contracted for not nearly enough vaccine to cover adults in America. We rectified that.” Continue reading.

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