Category: COVID-19

COVID-19 Vaccines and Rare Heart Condition

Posted on by Kate Smith

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

COVID-19 Booster for Transplant Patients?

Posted on by Kate Smith

A small study of 30 transplant patients offers the first hint that an extra dose of Covid-19 vaccines just might give some organ transplant recipients a needed boost in protection. Even as most vaccinated people celebrate a return to near normalcy, millions who take immune-suppressing medicines because of transplants, cancer, or other disorders remain in limbo — uncertain how protected they really are. It’s simply harder for vaccines to rev up a weak immune system.

Johns Hopkins Infectious Diseases COVID-19 Grand Rounds

Posted on by Kate Smith

Hosted by Drs. Michael Melia and Natasha Chida, COVID-19 Grand Rounds presents clinical cases, in-depth literature reviews, and infectious disease expertise within the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine to provide clinicians with relevant and timely information about the care of patients with COVID-19. All case presentations in this program have been standardized and quality assured in selection, presentation and discussion. Our goal is to publish and build a library of cases that will aid providers treating patients with COVID-19 in a rapidly changing landscape.    NOTE: COVID-19 Grand Rounds is an educational resource intended solely for healthcare providers. It is not to be Read More …

COVID-19 Vaccine Speed

Posted on by Kate Smith

Will the speed of COVID-19 vaccine development reset industry norms?  New drugs and vaccines typically take several years to hit the market. In fact, the average time to develop a drug or vaccine has been eight to ten years — until recently. In a new analysis, McKinsey reviews what it took to shorten that timeline to less than a year. It examines the funding, operational, technological, and regulatory factors that allowed for fast development of Covid-19 vaccines, revealing which variables will remain relevant for future efforts — and which won’t.

Major Changes to COVID Restrictions

Posted on by Kate Smith

WILMINGTON, Del. — Governor John Carney and the Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) on Tuesday announced major upcoming changes to Delaware’s COVID-19 restrictions. Effective Friday, May 21:  All capacity restrictions inside restaurants, retail, other business establishments and houses of worship will be lifted.  Facilities will be able to use as much capacity as social distancing requirements will allow. Masks will still be required indoors to prevent spread of COVID-19.  Outdoors, Delawareans should follow masking guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Risk for COVID-19 spread increases in large crowds that include unvaccinated people. In those cases, CDC recommends that everyone Read More …

Help Kids’ Safe Return to School

Posted on by Kate Smith

COVID-19 disrupted both in-person learning and routine well-child visits for many children over the last year. Asa result, too many children have fallen behind on receiving recommended vaccines. We all want our kids to beback in school safely, and that means getting caught up on vaccines that were missed over the last year. Pfizer will likely submit for an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for vaccine use in ages 12-15 soon, Moderna and Johnson&Johnson will likely follow for ages 12-17 in time. It is time to push to get caught up with other vaccines now, since COVID-19 vaccines should not be Read More …

Delaware COVID-19 Vaccine Information

Posted on by Kate Smith

Governor John Carney and the Delaware Division on Public Health (DPH) on Tuesday announced an expansion of Delaware’s COVID-19 vaccination program.  On Wednesday, pharmacies in Delaware may begin vaccinating ​Delawareans aged 50+.  Also on Wednesday, health care providers, including hospitals, may vaccinate patients 16+ with high ​and moderate-risk medical condition​s. Providers who are NOT vaccinating may refer patients to hospital systems. Delawareans should contact their medical provider ​about vaccination opportunities. DPH has also encouraged providers to contact their highest risk patients directly to schedule vaccination appointments. Non-paid caregivers of Delawareans with high- and moderate-risk medical conditions may also qualify for vaccination through medical providers. On Tuesday, March 23, Read More …

CDC: Fully Vaccinated Guidance

Posted on by Kate Smith

The CDC has recommended actions for persons who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. People are considered fully vaccinated if it has been two weeks or more since they have received: the second dose in a two-dose series (i.e. Pfizer or Moderna) the first dose in a single dose vaccine (i.e. Johnson & Johnson) These recommendations apply only to non-healthcare settings, and include  Visiting with other fully vaccinated people indoors without the use of masks/distancing; Visiting with unvaccinated people from a single household at low risk for severe COVID-19 indoors without masks/distancing; and Refraining from quarantine/testing following a known exposure. Read More …