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WEATHER ALERT

VACCINES

7 diseases that vaccines have all but eliminated in the U.S.

First- and second-graders line up for Salk Polio vaccine shots on April 23, 1955. Regardless of where anyone stands on the matter, we know that vaccinations have been protecting us from diseases for decades. In 1921, the United States recorded 206,000 cases, which resulted in 15,520 deaths, according to the History of Vaccines website. According to the CDC, polio was once one of the most feared diseases in the U.S. Since 1979, there have been no polio cases that originated in the U.S.

Future of a San Antonio vaccine waitlist unclear

SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio City Council members want a better way to sign up for vaccinations, but it’s not clear what form that might end up taking. The Community Health and Equity Committee discussed the need for easier vaccine registrations during a Tuesday afternoon briefing from the county’s largest vaccine providers, including the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, WellMed, University Health, and UT Health-San Antonio. Some council members, led by District 9 Councilman John Courage, have expressed support for a central registry or waitlist system. Some of the vaccine providers at Tuesday’s meeting spoke against the idea of a registry. “I don’t think any of us are opposed to a single registry, but it will come with problems,” said Dr. Robert Leverence, the chief medical officer for UT Health San Antonio, which began offering vaccine appointments to the public last week.

‘Vaccine angels’ spend hours online, on phones registering seniors for vaccine

SAN ANTONIO – They’re being called “vaccine angels.”All over the country, volunteers are spending hours trying to get seniors and the disabled registered for the COVID-19 vaccine. When vaccines became available, Dalila Chapman and her three friends Grace Rea, Linda Compia, and Diana Pulido helped their older family members get registered. “We started talking about other people who may not have family members who could get them registered,” Chapman said. Full Screen 1 / 7 Delila Chapman has become a "vaccine angel" helping eligible family members and other seniors sign up for the COVID-19 vaccine. “You just gotta keep trying,” Chapman said.

Spanish king's sisters vaccinated on trip to see dad in UAE

The sisters of Spanish King Felipe VI have acknowledged on Wednesday, March 3, 2021, that they were administered COVID-19 vaccines during a visit to the United Arab Emirates. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza, File)MADRID – Two untimely coronavirus jabs have dealt another blow to the reputation of Spain's royals. The vaccination by the king’s sisters was widely criticized across Spain. The sisters of Spain’s King Felipe VI are no longer part of the official royal household, which said that the 53-year-old Felipe, Queen Letizia and their two daughters have not yet been vaccinated. Health Minister Carolina Darias, from the senior, Socialist partner of the governing coalition, made a distinction between Felipe and his sisters.

Robert Kennedy Jr. banned from Instagram over false COVID vaccine claims

Robert Kennedy Jr., a prominent vaccine skeptic, has been banned from Instagram after posting false coronavirus vaccine claims. "We removed this account for repeatedly sharing debunked claims about the coronavirus or vaccines," a spokesperson for Facebook, which owns Instagram, said in a statement to CBS News Thursday. While he was removed from Instagram, his Facebook page – where he has more than 300,000 followers – is littered with posts critical of COVID-19 vaccines. The social media giant shared an expanded list of false and dangerous claims about vaccines that will not be allowed on the platform. The nephew of President John F. Kennedy and son of former U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy has long been critical of vaccines.

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San Antonio, health care leaders optimistic about possible third COVID-19 vaccine

SAN ANTONIO – A third COVID-19 vaccine could soon be on the market to aid in the fight against the ongoing pandemic, and San Antonio leaders say they’re optimistic about having more options available for the public. Johnson and Johnson’s vaccine is easier to store and comes in one shot. AdCoronavirus update San Antonio, Jan. 29: Leaders report 1,545 new COVID-19 cases, 19 deathsJohnson and Johnson’s single-dose vaccine provides an advantage over other manufacturers, making it easier to reach more people. San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said adding more supply to the market in any way through FDA-approved vaccines would be a good thing. AdThe FDA could sign off on Johnson and Johnson’s vaccine by the end of February.

Coronavirus in Illinois updates: Here’s what happened Jan. 22 with COVID-19 in the Chicago area

J.B. Pritzker’s coronavirus reopening plan, state public health officials said Friday. Among other loosened rules, gyms and fitness centers would be allowed to reopen with 50% capacity limits and other public health precautions in place. Parents in Joliet Public School District 86 this week were notified of the decision by the district’s board of inspectors. In Chicago, public health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady has predicted most people will get their vaccines from their health care provider, pharmacy or employer. J.B. Pritzker’s coronavirus reopening plan, state public health officials said Friday.

chicagotribune.com

Can COVID-19 vaccines be mixed and matched?

Can COVID-19 vaccines be mixed and matched? The COVID-19 vaccines rolling out in the United States, the United Kingdom and other parts of the world so far require two shots given a few weeks apart. In the U.S. where Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are being distributed, health officials say the vaccines are not interchangeable. But without any studies, vaccine doses should not be mixed, said Naor Bar-Zeev, a vaccine expert at Johns Hopkins University. Read previous Viral Questions:Should I get a COVID-19 vaccine if I’ve had the virus?

Column: Why rush teachers and students back into classrooms now, CPS? Widespread COVID-19 vaccination is on the horizon.

Vaccines have arrived, and more are on the way. Illinois has already administered around 126,000. Britain on Wednesday gave emergency authorization to another coronavirus vaccine, developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford. Developers are calling it the “vaccine for the world” because it’s significantly cheaper per dose than other vaccines and can be shipped and stored at normal refrigeration temperatures.

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Vaccinations throughout the years: These photos show just how much has changed

We thought it’d be interesting to look through the Getty Images archive, at photos of vaccination efforts from years past. Wellbee's first assignment was to sponsor the Sabin Type II oral polio vaccine campaigns across the United States. Free vaccinations were to be handed out at all city hospitals, health stations, city police stations and at the Department of Health. (CDC/Meridith Hickson/Getty Images)Leo Casey watches aghast as Charles Buzine, 6, receives a shot of polio vaccine. (CDC via Getty)A polio vaccine is tested at the Glaxo Laboratories in Sefton Park, Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire, Jan. 19, 1956.

Chicago officials outline initial coronavirus vaccine distribution plans: ‘We are very ready for the vaccine as it comes’

“We are wanting to make sure that people are aware of that so that if they experience some of those symptoms, or all of them, that they don’t think that something’s wrong but instead understand that is an effect of the vaccine, and expect it to be even more significant with this second dose as opposed to the first,” she said. “We want to include that in our messaging, we want providers to be aware of that so that they can give the proper anticipatory guidance to people so they know what to expect.”

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Chicago-area vaccination sites will be at hospitals, clinics, pharmacies — but also drive-thrus at schools, parks and maybe Six Flags

If the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves the first vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna this month, the first vaccinations could be given as early as mid-December, officials said. Shots for the broader public likely would not be available until well into next year. But experts believe this is the way society will stop a virus that has crippled the economy and been a factor in the deaths of more than 275,000 people in the United States.

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Coronavirus in Illinois updates: Officials plead with residents to skip Thanksgiving gatherings as 11,378 new cases and 155 more deaths reported Wednesday

Lightfoot also reiterated that the city is working on how it will distribute COVID-19 vaccines when they become available. Who gets the vaccine first and the order thereafter will be determined by federal rules, she said, but the city already has a robust system for distributing vaccines. Initially it’ll be healthcare workers getting the vaccine. It’ll later be followed by high-risk individuals, but all adults should be able to get vaccines sometime in 2021, she said.

chicagotribune.com

5 burning questions, answered, as flu season approaches amid COVID-19 pandemic

It might have crossed your mind already: What might the fall look like when flu season hits, and were still dealing with COVID-19? Because of that, experts say, it will be more important than ever to get a flu vaccine. Experts say this could change as more is learned about the number of people who are infected who have mild illnesses. Is it possible that a flu vaccine could protect me against COVID-19? While the CDC is adamant that getting a flu vaccine will not protect against COVID-19, it still encourages everyone 6 months of age and older to get one yearly.

Half of San Antonio’s children are behind on vaccinations, pediatric expert says

SAN ANTONIO – Measles, rubella, pertussis, mumps -- decades ago, these childhood diseases would strike fear because of their long-term scarring and the potential for death. Rob Sanders, a pediatrician and the associate medical director for PediExpress: Pediatric Urgent Care Clinic that is part of University Health System, said vaccinations are running about 50% behind. “We vaccinate against diseases that historically have really hurt, if not unfortunately killed, a lot of people and a lot of children,” Sanders said. That causes worry that childhood diseases could find a foothold again among children once they begin to mingle in classrooms and playgrounds. “Of course, our staff will be wearing the appropriate protective equipment while they’re working, and they will have very limited interaction with anybody else other than their family and the staff,” Sanders said.