Tag: pandemic

Rep. Heather Edelson (HD49A) Update: September 26, 2021


Dear Neighbors, 

As of February 23, approximately 1,169,470 people have been vaccinated state-wide. While the increase in speed of distribution is heading in a hopeful direction, we need to continue to follow public health guidelines and hold out a little bit longer to ensure the safety of our neighbors. This week, I want to provide you with some answers about the COVID-19 vaccine distribution process in Minnesota, and connect you with some resources that may be helpful to you. 

Right now, federal officials are sending states a very limited supply of vaccine. That is why we have to take a phased approach and give the first doses of vaccine to populations where we can have the greatest impact on health. Those priority populations were identified by the federal government. The graphic below breaks down the logistics of the process in a more visually digestive way. 

MN Vaccine Distribution Graphic


Continue reading “Rep. Heather Edelson (HD49A) Update: September 26, 2021”

CDC panel endorses emergency use of Johnson & Johnson vaccine

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A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advisory committee has voted to recommend Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use for people ages 18 and older in the United States.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky is expected to accept the committee’s recommendation later Sunday or Monday, allowing vaccinations to begin.

The 12-0 vote with one recusal from CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices comes after the Food and Drug Administration officially cleared the country’s third coronavirus vaccine for emergency use on Saturday. Continue reading.

Many Black Americans aren’t rushing to get the COVID-19 vaccine – a long history of medical abuse suggests why

Black Americans have been the least inclined of any racial or ethnic group to say they’d get vaccinated against the coronavirus. The proportion of Black people who said they’ll probably or definitely take the shot has risen over time – but even by mid-January, with two COVID-19 vaccines authorized for emergency use in the U.S., only 35% of Black survey respondents said they’d get it as soon as they could, or already had gotten the shot.

At the same time, the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately harmed Black, Indigenous and other people of color in comparison to white members of American society. With Black Americans being hospitalized at rates 2.9 times higher than white Americans and dying from COVID-19 at rates 1.9 times higher, you might assume that Black people would be lining up at breakneck speed to receive the vaccine as soon as it’s available to them.

But the Black community has reasons for distrust – even beyond what might be attributed to the mixed messaging of the nation’s COVID-19 response. And it’s not a simple or sole matter of miseducation. I’m a medical humanist and bioethicist who studies history, ethics and literature to understand racial and gender health disparities. My research explores the history of unethical and abusive treatment Black Americans have experienced at the hands of the medical establishment. Based on past experience, Black people have many legitimate reasons to be in no hurry to get the vaccination. Continue reading.

FDA authorizes Johnson & Johnson’s one-shot COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use

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The Food and Drug Administration on Saturday issued an emergency use authorization for Johnson & Johnson’s one-shot coronavirus vaccine.

Why it matters: The authorization of a third coronavirus vaccine in the U.S. will help speed up the vaccine rollout across the country, especially since the J&J shot only requires one dose as opposed to Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech’s two-shot vaccines. 

  • Unlike Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech’s shots, the J&J vaccine can also be stored at refrigerator temperatures for three months, making it easier to transport. 
  • White House coronavirus coordinator Jeff Zients said on Wednesday that J&J will have 3 million to 4 million doses ready for distribution. Continue reading.

Biden’s COVID Package Is Overwhelmingly Popular. Republicans Hate It Anyway.

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“I would be surprised if there was support in the Republican caucus if the bill comes out at $1.9 trillion,” said Sen. Susan Collins of Maine.

Polls show President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package is overwhelmingly popular with the American people, but that isn’t stopping Republicans from lining up against it.

According to a survey conducted by The Economist/YouGov, 66% of Americans back Biden’s plan, which includes $1,400 stimulus checks, added unemployment assistance, an expanded child tax credit, and hundreds of billions of dollars for schools and vaccine distribution. A survey released Tuesday by Morning Consult showed the plan polling even higher, at 76% with all Americans, including 60% of Republicans. 

Congressional bills rarely see this kind of public support, especially in a political atmosphere as divided as this one. Continue reading.

What America has been waiting for: the American Rescue Plan

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In what is expected to be a historic moment for Americans, the legislation that so many people desperately need will likely be approved later this evening in the U.S. House of Representatives. President Joe Biden’s comprehensive American Rescue Plan, which includes major areas such as direct relief checks, increased unemployment aid, vaccinations and tests, schools, and more, will answer the calls of the American people and provide help during this enduring crisis.

“The need is great. The opportunity is there,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. said. “The precision of this legislation to directly address the needs of the American people, the lives of the American people and the livelihoods.”

Democrats have been listening to needs of their constituents and will be passing the American Rescue Plan through the House tonight. Americans made it clear that a coronavirus relief plan would help ease their lives while enduring the harsh effects of the pandemic. The overwhelming majority of Americans support President Biden’s coronavirus relief agenda, including strong bipartisan support.

Continue reading “What America has been waiting for: the American Rescue Plan”

US hits game-changing moment in COVID-19 fight

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The U.S. is on the cusp of a game-changing moment in the fight against COVID-19 after a one-dose shot from Johnson & Johnson passed a key regulatory hurdle on Wednesday, giving it a clear path to emergency-use authorization. 

A Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review of a large clinical trial found the company’s vaccine completely prevented hospitalizations and death and was also mostly effective against preventing moderate and severe cases of COVID-19.

The vaccine may also provide better protection than expected against new variants of the virus. Continue reading.

Moderna says new version of vaccine is tailored to quell infection by South Africa variant

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NOTE: This article provided free of charge for all to read by The Washington Post.

Moderna said Wednesday that it has manufactured a new version of its coronavirus vaccine that is tailored to quell infection by the variant first identified in South Africa. A small amount of vaccine has been sent to the National Institutes of Health for a trial to determine whether boosting humans with the modified vaccine will stimulate a strong immune response, the company said.

The news came after the release of a Food and Drug Administration review finding the single-shot coronavirus vaccine made by pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson safe and effective. The review sets the stage for a third coronavirus vaccine to be authorized in the United States as soon as this weekend. View the post.

FDA panel endorses Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine

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A Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel on Friday endorsed Johnson & Johnson’s coronavirus vaccine and recommended the agency grant emergency authorization, moving the nation’s third vaccine one step closer to getting into Americans’ arms.

The panel voted 22-0 that the benefits outweigh the risks for adults age 18 and older. 

FDA could give the green light to the single-dose vaccine as early as Saturday. Continue reading.

Drug executives: Big jump in vaccine supply is coming soon

WASHINGTON — COVID-19 vaccine makers told Congress on Tuesday to expect a big jump in the delivery of doses over the coming month, and the companies insist they will be able to provide enough for most Americans to get inoculated by summer.

By the end of March, Pfizer and Moderna expect to have provided the U.S. government with a total of 220 million vaccine doses, up sharply from the roughly 75 million shipped so far.

“We do believe we’re on track,” Moderna President Stephen Hoge said, outlining ways the company has ramped up production. “We think we’re at a very good spot.” Continue reading.