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‘Everything has a potential risk’: Largest COVID-19 study finds link between vaccine & heart, brain disorders
Read full article: ‘Everything has a potential risk’: Largest COVID-19 study finds link between vaccine & heart, brain disordersThe latest COVID-19 vaccine study is providing answers to one of the most asked questions since the vaccines were introduced: How will this impact my health?
RSV, COVID, Flu: Avoiding the triple whammy this winter
Read full article: RSV, COVID, Flu: Avoiding the triple whammy this winterWinter is here and with the cooler weather come viruses, such as the flu, COVID, and RSV. Last year we experienced a rise in all three during December, January, and February.
Which vaccines are required for schoolchildren in Florida? A reminder ahead of the new year
Read full article: Which vaccines are required for schoolchildren in Florida? A reminder ahead of the new yearAs a new school year inches closer, some students must get their shots. The sooner you get them, the better.
Florida only state not to preorder COVID-19 vaccines for young children ahead of expected federal approval
Read full article: Florida only state not to preorder COVID-19 vaccines for young children ahead of expected federal approvalFlorida is the only state that hasn’t preordered COVID-19 vaccines for young children. It missed a Tuesday deadline to order the shots, according to a report from the Miami Herald.
FDA expands Pfizer COVID-19 boosters for US children as young as 12
Read full article: FDA expands Pfizer COVID-19 boosters for US children as young as 12The U.S. is expanding COVID-19 boosters as it confronts the omicron surge, with the Food and Drug Administration allowing extra Pfizer shots for children as young as 12.
Free COVID-19 vaccines & tests available in Camden County
Read full article: Free COVID-19 vaccines & tests available in Camden CountyA series of free COVID-19 vaccination and testing events will be held in Camden County this week in response to a recent surge in infections, the Georgia Department of Public Health said Monday.
Ascension to require COVID-19 vaccinations for employees
Read full article: Ascension to require COVID-19 vaccinations for employeesJoining a growing number of health systems nationwide, Ascension announced on Tuesday that it will require COVID-19 vaccinations for its associates, whether they care for patients or not.
Jacksonville doctors concerned about new mask guidelines
Read full article: Jacksonville doctors concerned about new mask guidelinesWith the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s new guidelines that people who have been vaccinated can ditch the mask, some parents and health officials are concerned about what it means for younger children who still can’t get the vaccine.
Florida no longer requires proof of residency for COVID-19 vaccine
Read full article: Florida no longer requires proof of residency for COVID-19 vaccineIn a new public health advisory, Florida’s surgeon general has ordered state and federal vaccine locations to stop asking people for proof of residency to get a COVID-19 vaccine.
Doctor concerned that Gateway vaccination site is closing too soon
Read full article: Doctor concerned that Gateway vaccination site is closing too soonJacksonville, Fla. – Dr. Sunil Joshi, president of the Duval County Medical Society Foundation, is concerned that the Gateway Mall and two satellite federal vaccination site are about to stop giving first doses before the majority of Floridians get their shots. Ron DeSantis says he expects to drop the age requirement altogether within the next few weeks. “Demand is starting to increase above supply, which is where we were in December and early January when people were complaining about the long lines and also difficulty getting into making appointments to get the vaccine,” Joshi said. “Let’s hope that the federal sites will come back and can provide vaccines, especially in these underserved where they were doing them very successfully.”AdWHEN? Getting vaccinated in Northeast FloridaWatch Joshi’s full interview with News4Jax anchor Jennifer Waugh above.
7 diseases that vaccines have all but eliminated in the U.S.
Read full article: 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.
Hundreds of Jacksonville seniors still waiting for COVID-19 shots
Read full article: Hundreds of Jacksonville seniors still waiting for COVID-19 shotsJACKSONVILLE, Fla. – More than 2 million seniors in Florida have been inoculated against COVID-19 so far, but as the state begins to lower age requirements, hundreds of seniors are still being missed in low-income housing. The agency said it vaccinated over 9,000 seniors in two weeks and it planned to wrap up the effort on Friday. State vaccine clinics were held at 10 Duval County HUD apartment complexes as a part of the vaccination effort, according to a Division of Emergency Management spokesperson. “A lot of the clients here either don’t have a way to go and then you got others, I think they are just a little leery of the vaccine,” Bess said. AdThe Division of Emergency Management has not answered questions about whether it plans to create vaccine clinics at public housing authorities throughout the state.
When will children be able to get COVID-19 vaccines?
Read full article: When will children be able to get COVID-19 vaccines?When will children be able to get COVID-19 vaccines? (AP Illustration/Peter Hamlin)NEW YORK – When will children be able to get COVID-19 vaccines? Pfizer and Moderna expect to start studies in children 11 and younger later this year. Read previous Viral Questions:How would COVID-19 vaccine makers adapt to variants? AdHow do we know the COVID-19 vaccines are safe?
Spanish king's sisters vaccinated on trip to see dad in UAE
Read full article: Spanish king's sisters vaccinated on trip to see dad in UAEThe 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.
Southeastern Grocers to offer additional COVID-19 vaccinations, expands to 69 Florida Stores
Read full article: Southeastern Grocers to offer additional COVID-19 vaccinations, expands to 69 Florida StoresAdWhen available, the additional free COVID-19 vaccines will be administered in 64 Winn-Dixie store locations, three Harveys Supermarket and two Fresco y Más locations in the following 39 Florida counties:Alachua County Winn-Dixie Store No. 441, High Springs, FL 32643Baker County Winn-Dixie Store No. 231 N., Panama City, FL 32404Bradford County Winn-Dixie Store No. 743: 4849 Golden Gate Pkwy., Naples, FL 34116 (new)Dunnellon County (New county and location) Winn-Dixie Store No. 2206: 15912 E. State Road 40, Silver Springs, FL 34488 Martin County (New county and location) Winn-Dixie Store No.
‘Shot shopping,’ COVID-19 vaccine allotments frustrate rural counties in Florida
Read full article: ‘Shot shopping,’ COVID-19 vaccine allotments frustrate rural counties in Florida(AP Photo/Oded Balilty, File)TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – “Shot shopping” by seniors from neighboring areas and uncertainty about COVID-19 vaccine allotments are vexing local officials in rural counties, but the state’s emergency management chief blames the problems on supply shortages. Moskowitz said the state was allotting vaccine doses to counties based on the number of residents ages 65 and older. Small county officials are also expressing consternation over the governor’s decision to steer shots to pharmacies at Publix supermarkets. Many rural areas lack a Publix, and some small counties where the Florida-based chain stores operate aren’t administering the vaccinations. She urged state officials to keep rural regions in mind as Florida’s vaccine program moves forward.
COVID-19 Vaccine Myths: What’s the truth?
Read full article: COVID-19 Vaccine Myths: What’s the truth?At least one in three Americans say they will not get a COVID vaccine when it becomes available to them. One myth floating around is a vaccine will make you test positive. A COVID-19 vaccine will not make you test positive for a current COVID infection on a viral test. However, you could test positive on some antibody tests if you develop an immune response. One of the most common myths is vaccines give you the virus.
Can COVID-19 vaccines be mixed and matched?
Read full article: 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?
CDC data show Florida has 1 million unused doses of vaccine
Read full article: CDC data show Florida has 1 million unused doses of vaccineJACKSONVILLE, Fla. – After learning that Florida has almost a million unused vaccine doses, News4Jax reached out to local health departments who are limiting appointments saying they can’t get enough Pfsizer or Moderna vaccine. This means of the vaccines Florida has received, only 38% have been given. In Central Florida, health departments said vaccines on “hold” are put in storage, but are intended to be used. California received the most vaccines with more than 2 million doses available to the state. We are poised to mobilize the operation as soon we receive an additional allotment.”News4Jax will update this story when we health back from other health departments.
No more vaccination events scheduled right now for DCPS employees
Read full article: No more vaccination events scheduled right now for DCPS employeesJACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Duval County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene said no more COVID-19 vaccination events are planned for school district employees at this time. Greene said about 200 of the 550 district employees who are either 65 or older or medical personnel were able to get vaccinated on Monday during a special event held for Duval County school workers. Greene said the district is in a holding pattern until the health department will be able to arrange for more vaccines for the rest of the employees in those two groups. Greene sent an email to district employees last week, telling them those 65 years or older or medical personnel could begin getting vaccinated this week. And that is why we are working very hard to get that vaccine to our employees,” Greene said.
Florida medical groups urge workers to get vaccinated
Read full article: Florida medical groups urge workers to get vaccinated“Health care professionals like you have tirelessly served our state over the past nine months responding to an unprecedented public health crisis and coming together in extraordinary ways to help your communities,” the letter from the Florida Hospital Association and the Florida Medical Association said. You all are true healthcare heroes.”Florida on Dec. 14 began using a Pfizer Inc. vaccine and this week also received shipments of a Moderna vaccine. Ron DeSantis is relying on hospitals to play an integral role in the state’s vaccination education efforts. To that end, the letter said, hospitals and health-care professionals need to educate communities about the importance of vaccines. The governor also said 367,000 Moderna doses are slated to arrive at 170 hospitals this week.
Anti-vaccine message greets drivers on I-95 Sunday morning
Read full article: Anti-vaccine message greets drivers on I-95 Sunday morningBy afternoon, the banner was gone. The demonstration was organized by Florida Freedom Keepers, which has opposed mask mandates and other aspects of public health efforts to battle the coronavirus pandemic as an infringement on personal liberties. Florida Freedom Keepers said there are several concerns over the safety of rushed-to-market COVID-19 vaccines and saying they will be exempt from liability under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act. While national polling had shown about half of people were unwilling to get a COVID-19 vaccine right way, a Gallup poll released in mid-November found the percentage of people willing to get the shot had increased to 58%. There is an antivaccine movement in the United States that expresses concern for years about all vaccines and sometimes spreads wrong or unconfirmed information about adverse effects.
Flu vaccines offered at schools through DOH partnership
Read full article: Flu vaccines offered at schools through DOH partnershipJACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Duval schools is teaming up with the Department of Health (DOH) to set up in-school flu immunization clinics at schools beginning Nov. 30, according to Duval County Public Schools. Each weekday, between Nov. 30 and Dec. 18, DOH medical professionals will set up a clinic at different schools for a set number of hours. Participation is not mandatory, and only children who have a signed consent form from their parent will be eligible for a flu vaccine. For parents and guardians, who are un-insured and in need of a flu vaccination, please fluvaxjax.com and select “Get a Vaccine” and then “Click Here” to get a no-cost flu vaccine voucher through the #FluVaxJax program. More information is available on this Flu Vaccine Fact Sheet for children from the Duval County Medical Society.
Pediatrician: Put vaccines on your back-to-school list
Read full article: Pediatrician: Put vaccines on your back-to-school listSkyler Kalady, M.D., of Cleveland Clinic Childrens, said its vital to stay on track with vaccines, especially in the middle of a pandemic. Its really important that children stay up to date on routine vaccines to avoid creating a different problem: a vaccine-preventable illnesses, she said. Its especially important this year to vaccinate your child for influenza as early as possible in the season, Kalady said. This will make influenza much less likely, as well as reduce the worrisome possibility of getting both influenza and COVID at the same time.If youre not sure your child is up to date with their vaccines, Kalady recommends calling your pediatrician. She also reminds parents that its safe to visit your pediatricians office during the pandemic, as many facilities are taking extra precautions to keep both caregivers and patients safe.