Mississippi s top health officials take COVID-19 vaccine, discuss state distribution Keisha Rowe, Mississippi Clarion Ledger
First Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine doses arrive at UMMC
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State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs and State Epidemiologist Dr. Paul Byers were among the first in the state to receive a recently approved COVID-19 vaccine, receiving the shots during a news conference Monday.
Dobbs, Byers and other health officials were given pharmaceutical company Pfizer s vaccine, which already is being distributed to hundreds of providers across the state. It s a big day, Dobbs said. We are extremely excited to have a vaccine that is not only extremely effective based on the clinical studies, but also seems to have a very favorable side-effect profile. We know how deadly, devastating and disruptive coronavirus has been for the state of Mississippi.
Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine Gets Positive Review From FDA Staff medscape.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from medscape.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The announcement helped Moderna’s stock rise 1.5% just before the opening bell.
The documents are “enormously encouraging,” said Dr. Paul Offit, a voting member on the committee, adding they show there are now two highly effective vaccines. He voted in favor of recommending Pfizer’s vaccine last week.
Moderna is asking the FDA to approve the use in people age 18 and over, while Pfizer’s vaccine was cleared for use in people age 16 and older. The scant data in younger teens was a sticking point for the few members of the advisory committee who voted against authorizing Pfizer’s vaccine last week.
Dr. Shah warns: ‘Let’s not forget the storm, even as the sun is emerging.’
Maine reported 426 cases of COVID-19 and two more deaths Monday, the day the first doses of vaccine arrived at hospitals.
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Maine’s CDC director says it will be months before coronavirus vaccines become widely available, and people should keep following good public health practices while waiting for the time when they are.
The state’s total of 42 deaths so far in December is outpacing the 67 deaths recorded in November, which previously was the worst month in Maine for COVID-19 deaths.
Maine reaches another peak for hospitalizations, with 198 COVID-19 inpatients on Monday, 56 of them in intensive care.
Ohio State researchers have developed COVID-19 vaccine technology.
Ohio State’s College of Veterinary Medicine recently licensed the intellectual assets for a COVID-19 vaccine to Biological E. Limited, an India-based vaccine and pharmaceutical company.
“The goal is to provide a vaccine, not only for adults, but for children,” said Jianrong Li, the lead investigator of the vaccine technology. “The goal is that it would be nice to produce something with long-term protection from COVID-19.”
Biological E. (BE) is now responsible for the evaluation and further development of the vaccine, including pre-clinical testing steps and any potential clinical trials. It’s not known how much money Ohio State will receive through the agreement, as a university spokesperson said it was confidential.