Doctor Vaughan's COVID-19 Updates

The FDA has approved a second booster for people age 50 and older.

A fourth shot or second booster is recommended for certain groups at higher risk for COVID-19.

Free home COVID-19 test kits are now available through Covidtests.gov.

Evusheld is approved as a preventive treatment against COVID for patients with specific risks for COVID.

A number of European countries are not giving the Moderna mRNA vaccine to people under age 30, yet they prefer it over Pfizer for people over age 30.

It's official.  You can now vaccinate children, age 5-11, with the Pfizer Covid vaccine.  Check vaccines.gov for a local pharmacy if your children are not already getting vaccinated through school.

The Johnson and Johnson COVID vaccine has an association with a blood clot in the veins around the brain.  It is rare, and it is 30 times more rare in the group most likely to experience it than severe effects of COVID 19 if they don't get the vaccine.  This is not a problem with the mRNA vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna.

Final COVID-19 vaccine booster recommendations have been announced by the CDC.  Click to see if you count as immunosuppressed.

Overall, new cases, hospitalizations, and I see you occupation for Covid are improving in Placer County.

The FDA approved administration of a booster to certain groups for the Pfizer Covid vaccine.  It is an emergency use authorization for individuals 65 years old and older, people at risk occupationally or due to institutionalization and people with certain high risk conditions.  It is given at least 6 months after completing the initial two-shot series.

The FDA Vaccines and Related Biologic Products Advisory Committee voted against recommending a third dose to individual 16 years of age to 64 years of age. They did approve a recommendation for giving a third shot to individuals 65 years of age and older. This has not been approved by the FDA yet. It is likely they will approve it shortly.

There are three new publications supporting the safety of COVID-19 vaccinations during pregnancy.

There is some controversy regarding the CDC’s announcement of plans to make third doses of mRNA vaccines available.

The CDC has clarified who is considered immunocompromised enough to receive the third dose of mRNA vaccines.

The ACIP of the CDC and the FDA have agreed on appending the Emergency Use Authorization for the mRNA vaccines in individuals who are moderately to severely immunocompromised to receive a third dose booster.  This includes people who have:  

Been receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood 

Received an organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress the immune system 

Received a stem cell transplant within the last 2 years or are taking medicine to suppress the immune system 

Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome) 

Advanced or untreated HIV infection 

Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress your immune response

REGEN-COV Has been found to be effective in treating vulnerable unvaccinated patients exposed to COVID-19 before they start to have symptoms.

A recent CDC MMWR reported on a Delta Variant Outbreak where more vaccinated people were infected than unvaccinated people. This was an exception to national statistics.

Studies are being done to see if the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are safe for use in children and in people who had immediate reactions to their first dose of an mRNA vaccine.

The Delta variant increases the percentage of people needing to be immune to Covid to achieve herd immunity through increasing the reproduction rate and decreasing vaccine efficacy.