Author: Kate Smith

DPH: Updated Plans for 2nd Dose

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DOVER (Jan. 28, 2021) – Today, the Division of Public Health (DPH) announced an updated approach to administering second doses in response to new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The CDC announced Friday that an interval of 42 days between doses is acceptable, if adhering to the 21-day (Pfizer) and 28-day (Moderna) intervals is not possible. Given extremely limited vaccine supply, DPH is recommending to vaccine partners that they schedule second doses between 28 and 35 days after the first dose is administered. This policy will enable the state to continue administering first doses to the vulnerable Read More …

COVID-19 Vaccine Update

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Delaware Division of Public Health | January 26, 2021 With limited supply of vaccine from the federal government, the state is faced with very difficult decisions about the most effective use of the doses it has. The science shows that the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine provides 52% to 80% protection, so concentrating on first doses is critical to reducing hospitalizations and deaths. We also believe we need to get Phase 1A high-risk health care workers second doses as soon as possible – both because they have frequent contact with COVID patients and have less ability to social distance. Until Read More …

Risk related to spread of new SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern in the EU/EAA

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This risk assessment presents the latest available information on the recent emergence of two variants of potential concern, VOC 202012/01 discovered in the United Kingdom (UK) and another variant, 501.V2 identified in South Africa. It also assesses the risk of these variants of concern being introduced and spread in the EU/EEA, as well as the increased impact this would have on health systems in the coming weeks. Read more.

Questions about the COVID-19 Vaccines?

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Click below for videos featuring ChristianaCare infection prevention expert and COVID-19 advisor Dr. Marci Drees! What is the COVID Vaccine Approval Process? (video) Have COVID vaccines been tested in minority populations? (video) What are the possible side effects of the COVID vaccine? (video) What are COVID-19 mRNA vaccines? (video) Can you get COVID-19 twice? (video) What is Herd Immunity? (video)

7 Looming Questions About the Rollout of a COVID-19 Vaccine

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Helen Branswell & Ed Silverman | STAT News | October 9, 2020 The race to develop Covid-19 vaccines could well see some Americans vaccinated before the end of 2020 — less than a year after the world first learned a new virus was causing a dangerous new form of pneumonia in China. The design, testing, and mass production of multiple vaccines has never been attempted on this type of timeline, making this moment a turning point in the development of vaccines to respond to new disease threats. But the complexity of that work may pale in comparison to what comes Read More …

DPH Flu Vaccination Campaign

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DPH PARTNERS WITH HEALTH CARE AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO LAUNCH FIGHT FLU DE – ENHANCED FLU VACCINATION CAMPAIGN DOVER (Sept. 29, 2020) – The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) is partnering with health care, faith-based and community partners to launch an aggressive communications campaign to mobilize all Delawareans to get their flu vaccinations called ‘Fight Flu DE.’  Working to reach diverse audiences through influencers and with messaging that will motivate them to get the flu vaccine, the campaign integrates grassroots outreach with mass-media marketing strategies to make sure people know where they can get a flu vaccine regardless of insurance Read More …

CDC Director says COVID Vaccine Won’t Be Widely Available Until Mid-2021

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CBS News | Audrey McNamara | Sept 16, 2020 The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) told lawmakers on Wednesday that he doesn’t expect a potential COVID-19 vaccine to be available for most Americans until the middle of next year, even as the government unveiled plans to begin distributing a vaccine as soon as possible. Read More

COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation

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From the National Academy of Medicine, the discussion draft of the Preliminary Framework for Equitable Allocation of the COVID-19 Vaccine is now available.  Click here

Raccoon in New Castle tests positive for Rabies

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NEW CASTLE (Aug. 26, 2020) – Delaware’s Division of Public Health (DPH) is advising New Castle County residents who live or spend time in the area of Hillview Avenue near the Route 9 corridor in New Castle of a positive case of rabies in a raccoon that came into contact with a human recently. The individual was bitten by the raccoon while getting into their vehicle on their property. Read more

MMWR: Absence of Apparent Transmission after Exposure with Face Masks

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Absence of Apparent Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from Two Stylists After Exposure at a Hair Salon with a Universal Face Covering Policy Hendrix, M.J., Walde, C., Findley, K., Trotman, R. (2020, Jul 17). 69(28), 930-932. Among 139 clients exposed to two symptomatic hair stylists with confirmed COVID-19 while both the stylists and the clients wore face masks, no symptomatic secondary cases were reported; among 67 clients tested for SARS-CoV-2, all test results were negative. Adherence to the community’s and company’s face-covering policy likely mitigated spread of SARS-CoV-2. Read more