Category: COVID-19

FDA Authorizes Updated Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine

Posted on by Kate Smith

October 3, 2023. Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration amended the emergency use authorization (EUA) of the Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine, Adjuvanted for use in individuals 12 years of age and older to include the 2023-2024 formula. Individuals 12 years of age and older previously vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine (and who have not already been vaccinated with a recently updated mRNA COVID-19 vaccine) are eligible to receive one dose and unvaccinated individuals receive two doses. Read More

Updated COVID-19 Vaccine Availability Expected Within Next Week

Posted on by Kate Smith

DOVER, Del. (Sept. 15, 2023) –  This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued the recommendation that everyone 6 months and older get an updated COVID-19 vaccine to protect against the potentially serious outcomes of COVID-19 illness this fall and winter.  The recommendation follows the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) action approving and authorizing for emergency use updated COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna formulated to more closely target currently circulating variants.  Per the CDC, vaccination remains the best protection against COVID-19-related hospitalization and death and reduces the chance of suffering from Long COVID.  Anyone who has yet to receive any type of Read More …

FDA Approves Updated COVID-19 Vaccines

Posted on by Kate Smith

Yesterday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration took action approving and authorizing for emergency use updated COVID-19 vaccines formulated to more closely target currently circulating variants and to provide better protection against serious consequences of COVID-19, including hospitalization and death. Today’s actions relate to updated mRNA vaccines for 2023-2024 manufactured by ModernaTX Inc. and Pfizer Inc. Read More

CDC Raises Delaware’s COVID-19 Community Levels to High in All Counties

Posted on by Kate Smith

CDC RAISES DELAWARE’S COVID-19 COMMUNITY LEVELS TO HIGH IN ALL COUNTIES; DPH ENCOURAGES MASKING IN INDOOR PUBLIC SETTINGS AND VACCINATION DOVER, DE (July 29, 2022) – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) raised Delaware’s COVID-19 community levels to the High category (red) in all three counties on July 28, 2022.    As a result, the Division of Public Health (DPH) is asking Delawareans to follow the CDC’s key strategies at this level of community spread:    ·       Wear a well-fitting mask in indoor public settings, regardless of vaccination status. ·       Stay home if you are sick and get tested if you have symptoms or Read More …

DPH Encourages Eligible Delawareans to Get Boosted Now

Posted on by Kate Smith

DOVER, DE (July 15, 2022) – The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) reports that COVID-19 cases experienced an uptick in the daily 7-day average for the percentage of positive tests since the previous monthly COVID-19 update released on June 17, 2022. Since that time, Delaware has also exceeded 3,000 COVID-related deaths. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) COVID-19 Community Levels data tracker, which was last updated on June 14, case levels in Kent County are considered high, while case levels in New Castle and Sussex Counties are listed as medium. Many people are expressing concerns about getting vaccinated Read More …

Five Pandemics Lead to One Million Deaths

Posted on by Kate Smith

There have really been five pandemics, J. Emory Parker shows us in grim data visualizations, and SARS-CoV-2 still leaves us with mysteries to be solved and promises to better prepare for the next pandemic. What was once a nagging suspicion has turned into solid certainty that it didn’t have to be this bad. 

FDA Limits J&J COVID-19 Vaccine

Posted on by Kate Smith

The FDA yesterday set limits on Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine because of the risk of a clotting disorder discovered weeks after the vaccine was first put into use in spring 2021. The agency said its review of the available data on the risk of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia — or TTS — suggested limiting access to the vaccine is warranted. The condition, though rare, can be fatal. The single-dose vaccine will now be available only to adults 18 and older who would not otherwise agree to be vaccinated or who cannot take one of the other available vaccines for medical Read More …

Community Health Worker Program

Posted on by Kate Smith

The ICD is engaged in the Delaware Academy of Medicine/Delaware Public Health Association’s COVID-19 Community Health Worker (CHW) Initiative. This initiative aims to address persistent health disparities and vaccine hesitancy in Pennsylvania and Delaware by offering support and resources to vulnerable and under-resourced populations, and to newly identified populations eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Read more

DJPH: Vaccine Preventable Disease

Posted on by Kate Smith

The latest issue of the Delaware Journal of Public Health focuses on Vaccine Preventable Disease. Guest Editors Omar Khan, MD, MHS and Stephen Eppes, MD have curated content about current vaccine recommendations, travel vaccines, vaccines specific to certain viruses, vaccine hesitancy, and vaccination exemptions.  The journal is open-source, and free to all.  Check it out here

MOTIVATE Project

Posted on by Kate Smith

The Motivating Older Adults to Trust Information About Vaccines and Their Effects (MOTIVATE) project is a partnership between Center in the Park and Rutgers University that focuses on vaccine hesitancy among older adults. Led by peer leaders and pharmacists, it addresses vaccine education for COVID-19, Pneumonia, and Flu. This two session project will be conducted via zoom and participants will receive a $10 Visa gift card for participation. For more information, contact Keyerra Charles, Director of Health Promotion at 215-848-7722 Ext 305 or email kcharles@centerinthepark.org