Author: Kate Smith

DPH Announces Second Human Case of West Nile Virus and First Case Detected in a Horse for 2021

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DOVER (Oct. 8, 2021) – The Division of Public Health (DPH) announced today that a 79-year-old Sussex County woman has become infected with West Nile Virus (WNV), the state’s second case of human WNV in 2021. An epidemiological investigation is currently ongoing to confirm any travel history or sources that could have led to transmission. To protect the patient’s privacy, no more information will be provided on the individual at this time. “As mosquito season continues through the fall months, it is important for everyone to take proper precautions when going outdoors in an environment where mosquitoes are prevalent,” said Read More …

DPH Advises Vaccine Providers to Offer Pfizer Booster to Eligible Delawareans

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PRIORITY TO Seniors, lONG-TERM CARE RESIDENTS AND THOSE AT RISK of severe COVID-19  DOVER (SEPT. 24, 2021) – The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) today announced that the state’s vaccine providers can begin administering booster doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to certain populations recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). On Wednesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) formally voted to expand the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to allow for a booster dose of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to be administered for certain populations six months after receiving the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine. Boosters are Read More …

Stray cat in New Castle Tests Positive for Rabies

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DOVER, DE (Sept. 15, 2021) – The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) is advising residents who live or spend time in the vicinity between West Ninth Street and West Third Street near Battery Park in New Castle of a positive case of rabies in a stray cat that came into contact with four individuals and a dog recently. The cat was tested for rabies, which returned positive results on Sept. 9, 2021. The individuals who came in contact with the cat have all begun treatment for rabies exposure. Anyone who thinks they may have been bitten, scratched, or come in Read More …

Communicating About Vaccination in the United States: A FrameWorks Strategic Brief

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O’Shea, P., L’Hote, E., Assar, M., Hestres, L., & Rochman, A. (2021, September).  Introduction In early July 2021, Gov. Larry Hogan announced that Maryland would award 20 $50,000 collegescholarships to young people who are vaccinated against COVID-19. A month earlier, West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice had announced a plethora of COVID-19 vaccine incentives, including a $1.5 million cash prize, trucks, hunting rifles, and shotguns. These decisions illustrate how ubiquitous the issue of vaccine uptake and how to increase it has been in American public and political discourse since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Experts recognize that vaccine uptake is Read More …

FIRST HUMAN CASE OF WEST NILE VIRUS REPORTED IN DELAWARE SINCE 2018

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DOVER (September 3, 2021) – The Division of Public Health (DPH) announced today that a 69-year-old Kent County man has become infected with West Nile Virus (WNV), the state’s first case of human WNV since 2018, when 10 human WNV cases were reported, including two deaths from the illness. An epidemiological investigation is currently ongoing to confirm any travel history or sources that could have led to transmission. To protect the patient’s privacy, no more information will be provided on the individual at this time. “We’re sad to learn that a case of West Nile Virus has been reported in Read More …

FDA Fully Licenses Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 Vaccine

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Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) fully licensed Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine – now named “Comirnaty” – for those 16 years of age and older. The agency first authorized the vaccine for emergency use in this age group in December after clinical trials showed it was safe and effective for at least two months. Now that researchers have the safety and efficacy data of approximately 44,000 people from the clinical trials, the FDA has confirmed that the benefits of the vaccine greatly outweigh the risks. The mRNA vaccine has cleared the benchmarks for licensure the FDA set last year Read More …

Gov. Carney Declares August Immunization Awareness Month in Delaware

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On Friday, August 20, 2021, Governor John Carney declared August Immunization Awareness Month in Delaware. The Governor encouraged all Delaware families to vaccinate their children according to guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and to fully vaccinate anyone eligible against COVID-19.  August is National Immunization Awareness Month. 

Governor Carney Announces Mask Requirement in K-12 Schools

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WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney on Tuesday announced that everyone kindergarten-age and older in K-12 schools and child care homes and centers must wear face coverings indoors effective on Monday, August 16 – regardless of vaccination status. The requirement covers both public and private schools in Delaware. Child care centers and homes are strongly encouraged to require masks for children 2 years old to kindergarten inside their facilities to prevent spread of COVID-19. Children younger than 2 years old should not wear masks due to risk of suffocation.  The statewide mask requirement in schools, which will be formalized later this week, is consistent with guidance from Read More …

Updated COVID-19 Recommendations

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Dover (Aug. 3, 2020) – Governor John Carney, the Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH), and the Delaware Emergency Management Agency (DEMA) are providing updates to Delaware’s COVID-19 testing program. COVID-19 vaccines are effective against severe disease and death from variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 currently circulating in the United States, including the Delta variant. Infections happen in only a small proportion of people who are fully vaccinated, even with the Delta variant. When these infections occur among vaccinated people, they tend to be mild. With COVID-19 cases increasing in the state and nation, and the majority of Read More …

COVID-19 Vaccines and Rare Heart Condition

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U.S. scientists said Wednesday that there was a “likely association” between mRNA Covid-19 vaccines and an elevated risk of heart issues in adolescents and young adults, the strongest statement yet on the link between the two. Younger groups, particularly men under 30, have higher rates of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (inflammation of the lining around the heart) following vaccination with the shots from Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech. Most cases have occurred soon after the second shot of the two-dose regimens. Read more