Items

• 
  2022-06-17

  Shots for the Youth

  This article details the FDA's approval for vaccinations of children and infants. With encouragement from the Biden Administration, the youth are the final group with full approval for vaccinations against COVID-19. While this is a good thing for many who take the pandemic seriously, many Arkansans and southerners in general will likely be resistant to this new approval. The south has largely been skeptical of the vaccine and of COVID, and indeed the vaccinating of children with be a harsh topic across the south. It will be interesting to see the backlash and discussion from this decision, as well as analyzing the many questions that will doubtlessly be raised about the powers of the parents.
• 
  2022-06-25

  I FINALLY got my second Pfizer covid booster shot!

  This is a tweet from bobbicallie. This person is announcing the joy they have in receiving their second COVID booster shot. They are also worried about long COVID, so despite getting the vaccine booster shots, this person has decided to continue wearing a mask.
• 
  2022-06-17

  The FDA authorizes COVID-19 shots for infants and preschoolers

  This is a news story from NPR by The Associated Press. The United States has authorized the use of vaccines for infants and preschoolers. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is debating how the vaccines are to be administered. The article says that studies support giving these age groups the vaccines, as they are said to be effective and have minor side-effects.
• 
  2022-05-12

  Baby Formula Shortage

  This is an Instagram post by shanti.mikel. This post is on a conspiracy that the baby formula shortage is being used by Bill Gates to promote artificial breast milk technology. Connected to this theory is Pfizer advising people to not breast feed. I would be curious to know what the vaccine's impact would be on breast feeding in the future, as mRNA vaccines like the one Pfizer has produced are going to be used to treat other diseases. The claim that breast feeding is not recommended with COVID vaccines originated in Britain's medicines regulator, not Pfizer, according to Reuters. In order to give more context to this post, I have posted the story by Reuters as well, for those interested in reading. For me personally, I still don't think all the side-effects from the vaccines will be known for a while, as I have had a hard time getting information on the vaccines that has not come across as highly partisan for one group or the other. The evidence I rely on is mostly anecdotal from people that have received the vaccines, in addition to the reasoning of people that did not get them. For the people in my immediate circle, I have not seen any ill health effects from the vaccines so far, but I am also unsure how effective the vaccines are in the long run if some of those same people still get COVID anyway. It is hard to tell if the vaccine is making the COVID cases more mild, or if the virus has just mutated enough to where it is less deadly. It could be a mixture of both. All of it is hard for me to really be sure about either side because I feel like I am only getting partial truth from both.
• 
  2022-05-05

  FDA restricts J&J’s Covid vaccine due to blood clot risk

  This is a news story from NBC News by The Associated Press. Due to new findings, the J&J vaccine has been restricted by the FDA due to blood clot risks. It is not to be given to anyone unless they can't receive a different vaccine. Americans are now recommended to only be using Pfizer or Moderna shots instead.
• 
  2022-04-14

  COVID-19 Vaccines May Protect Your Baby

  This is an Instagram post by asianyouthcenterorg. This post is giving information on vaccinations and pregnancy. It says that Pfizer and Moderna are the most recommended vaccines for expecting mothers.
• 
  2022-04-04

  Vaccination Celebration

  This is an Instagram post by ucr_chc. This is of a celebration where kids are encouraged to go and get vaccinated. The celebration flyer says that there will be food and kids toys available. The event is also giving away free testing kits, and will do booster shots as well. This event was held in Jurupa Valley, California.
• 
  2022-04-11

  New Year, New Dreams

  This is an Instagram post by ankletzdreams. This is a post of a woman who has received her Pfizer booster shot. From the hashtags and the post, she seems fairly content with it.
• 
  2022-04-11

  A New Stanford Study

  This is an Instagram post by newsrescue, which is a news site that claims to bust "fake news." The study that this news story is referring to is one on spike proteins, which found that the vaccinated and unvaccinated had roughly the same amount of spike proteins in their blood. This news story is designed to show that the vaccines may not be as effective as they are claimed to be.
• 
  2022-03-19

  Thought on Pfizer's Fourth Booster

  This is an Instagram post by willingtowalkaway. The poster is using a tweet to make their point. In the tweet, someone by the username of SaraVic333 says that she does not want another shot. In the hashtags in the Instagram post, the user is in agreement, saying that they do not want it either. Another thing that is tagged is "natural immunity", which some believe is enough to counteract COVID without needing a vaccine. Other tags include things like "I will not comply" and "poison." Posts like these are important because they help show what skeptics think of the vaccines from their own perspective rather than one assumed by others.
• 
  2022-03-13

  Pfizer CEO says fourth COVID-19 shot 'necessary' due to waning immunity

  This is an Instagram post by the New York Post. This is of a news story in circulation currently regarding vaccines. Below, there are commenters expressing doubts in the effectiveness in the vaccines. Of note, one commenter says that they have already been vaccinated and boosted, but do not want anymore shots. Another is asking for it to stop already. To me, this shows some of the overall fatigue some are having with the vaccines themselves.
• 
  2022-04-04

  Trust the Science

  This is an Instagram post by memefrog9000. This is another meme where it depicts a soy wojak (the wojak on the left) and the Chad wojak (the wojak on the right with the blond hair). This meme is making fun of people like the soy wojak that "trust the science", only later to get the virus despite getting vaccinated. The Chad wojak then suggests the soy wojak use some "horse paste" to help. "Horse paste" refers to Ivermectin, which is used to treat horses. There has been controversy if Ivermectin does treat COVID, or other things in humans for that matter, but the FDA currently recommends against it.
• 
  2022-04-04

  The Hypocrisy of Communists

  This is an Instagram post by memefrog9000. This shows a meme of a communist getting mad at Wall Street for stealing money, but is okay with Pfizer making profits off of the vaccine, with the communist in the comic saying "Got my fourth Fauci-ouchy!! So glad all those anti-vax chuds are going to die!!" This meme is in the standard wojak format, and the wojak from the late 2010s to the current 2020s has been a popular meme format for certain groups. The wojak of the communist is meant to be depicted negatively because he has double standards on which corporations are allowed to profit.
• 
  2022-04-04

  Brainwashed Sheep

  This is an Instagram post from _travelsnapz_. This post shows a picture of a massive group of sheep being led to the slaughter, which is Pfizer. It is accusing people that get the vaccine that they are sheep and doing so because they cannot think for themselves.
• 
  2022-03-12

  Brave Princess

  This is an Instagram post by wen_li0213. The kid in this picture has just gotten their first Pfizer dose, and one of the comments is saying that she is a "brave princess" for doing so.
• 
  2022-04-06

  Fully Vaccinated

  This is an Instagram post by lynobtena. It shows a picture of a kid that had just received his second dose of Pfizer. There is a place for kids to get their picture taken after getting vaccinated, with cardboard cutouts of a Paw Patrol character and Iron Man.
• 
  2022-04-07

  The First Dose

  This is an Instagram post by haelmron. This shows a picture of a little kid that had just received their first Pfizer dose. It looks like a special place was set up for kids to get their picture taken after getting vaccinated.
• 
  2022-04-07

  Segunda Dose

  This is an Instagram post by brunaemirella. This post is in Portuguese. This is a picture of a little girl that just received her second Pfizer dose.
• 
  2022-04-06

  Get Your Kids Vaccinated

  This is an Instagram post by carlamaeperaltasalmoringfkfhdk. This picture shows a kid that just got their second dose of the Pfizer vaccine. The date says that the shot happened on April 6, 2022.
• 
  2022-04-05

  Medical Tyranny

  This is an Instagram post by namastou. This post is partly in French. The picture depicted are people part of the European Union signing a deal with Pfizer, one of the vaccine producers. The 2030 Agenda that is referenced is about the year 2030 being the year all the problems COVID has caused will be solved. An article is linked to this post in order to give more context to the 2030 Agenda and what it means for this comic. The conspiracy theories surrounding the 2030 Agenda also have to do with the New World Order, which has been a long-standing conspiracy theory even before the pandemic happened.
• 
  2022-04-06

  Pfizer Loyalty Card

  This is an Instagram post by 4kron2. This user posted few tags, but the picture does give a lot of information. There has been a controversy on if booster shots are even needed, with some believing that this is a ploy by Big Pharma to get more money from the pandemic. This picture is a parody of loyalty cards some places have where if you buy a certain product or service enough times, you will get a reward.
• 
  2022-04-06

  Boosted

  This is an Instagram post by sfhippy. This post is a selfie of someone who just got boosted with pfizer. Pfizer is one of the vaccines approved for boosters. The user used #safe, which I am going to guess that they believe the vaccine will make them safer than before.
• 
  2021-08-17

  Pfizer Vaccination Approval Form – HIST30060

  This document is an example of evidence given to students at Ormond College as proof of eligibility for the Comirnaty (Pfizer) vaccine. With a push for widespread vaccination happening in the second half of 2021, there were various reasons for eligibility which were introduced in order to manage the rollout. This letter indicates that an Ormond College resident is eligible due to their residence in ‘sensitive accomodation’ – namely ‘supported residential services.’ Many identical letters were distributed to students in order to encourage vaccination, and thus reduce the chances of a serious outbreak on campus. HIST30060. *Names and personal information has been redacted.
• 
  2021-09-20

  HIST30060: Vaccination Sticker

  The image is of a sticker I was presented with upon receiving my first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, Pfizer. I received my vaccine in regional Victoria and was given the sticker after checking in for my appointment. I was then shown the way to a vaccination booth which was located in the ballroom of a Hotel that had been converted for widespread vaccination. I had been eligible for the Astrazenica vaccine previously in my age bracket, however, I waited until Pfizer was available as there had been less side effects with greater efficacy reported. The vaccines been a contentious issue in the Australian media after delays in our vaccination program and domestic politics overshadowing health advice. These have contributed to a sense of mistrust and paranoia in some.
• 
  2021-03-12

  Life in a Needle

  Throughout medical history vaccinations have been imperative in order to fight diseases and viruses. As a child these vaccinations start at two months and tend to continue through our lives. Most vaccines are mandatory but there are some that are voluntary which leaves us contemplating our decision. The contemplation on getting a vaccine is why I chose a picture of my COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card to be submitted as my primary source. When COVID first hit the United States, we weren’t really prepared for the devastation that it brought right along with it. When I first heard about COVID it still hadn’t reached the United States and that was around January but then around March New York started going into lockdown. The lockdown period was pretty difficult to deal with as the way of life completely changed. Mentally, emotionally and physically it took a toll on me. As a person that was barely at home because of school and work the lock down caused great anxiety. From the moment the world heard about the first case it went into creating a vaccine that could prevent the number of cases of deaths and hospitalizations from increasing. As pharmaceutical companies started the research to create a vaccine, I was pretty skeptical about it. I was refusing to get the vaccine if they succeeded in creating it because there was just so much doubt going through my head. I was unsure what the vaccine contained and if it would work in the prevention of catching COVID. But long behold a vaccine was created but of course there were so many side effects that came with the shot. With everything that was going wrong with the vaccine during the experimentation period it just strengthened my decision to decline the shot. My views started to change once I started to hear that many people weren’t getting any symptoms from the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines. These vaccines required the person to receive two doses in order to be “immune” to COVID. Another reason that caused me to change my views on receiving the shot was the fact that I wanted to travel, and the government was requiring a vaccination passport in order to do so. The first dose of vaccines was only available to the elderly and to the healthcare workers who were risking their lives coming into contact with COVID patients. Then they started extending the qualifications needed for someone to receive the shot which included: preexisting conditions, obesity, high risk conditions, and many other qualifications. These are just of the few qualifications that was asked for in order for someone to be eligible to receive a vaccination. Because I have a preexisting condition, I was eligible to receive the COVID 19 vaccine. It was pretty difficult trying to get an appointment due to the high volume of people who wanted to receive the shot. After multiple attempts in trying to secure my appointment, I succeed with Walmart. I received my first Moderna vaccination on March 12, 2021 and my second vaccination on April 23, 2021. I was content on receiving the Moderna vaccine because it wasn’t recalled for causing health problems like the rest of the vaccinations from other pharmaceutical companies were causing. After a few hours of receiving my first shot I started to feel dizzy and very lightheaded to the point that I couldn’t drive at work. With the second shot my symptoms were: dizziness, fever, body aches, chills, change of smell and taste and nausea. The second shot was stronger than the first one but I’m glad that those were the only symptoms I experienced. But the one thing that both shots had in common after receiving them was the soreness of the arm for multiple days. Now that is has been almost a month that I received my second shot almost all the symptoms have vanished except for my change of smell and taste. Because the shot as altered my sense of smell and taste it has made it unbearable for me to smell or eat meat but I’m hoping that it will subside soon. The decision on receiving the COVID 19 vaccine is a daunting one to make as there can be many factors that can influence you. I received the vaccine as a precaution to myself and others. I also took it in order to travel and not worry about being prevented from boarding a flight because I can’t provide proof of the vaccination record card. I think this new vaccine is going to be a lot like the Flu shot as it comes in seasons and its up to the person to decide whether or not they’re going to get it. I’m just happy that the government hasn’t made it mandatory because there is still a lot of people who are pretty skeptical about it. The decision of our life is in a needle.
• 
  2021-04-16

  Vaccine Booster Shots

  This article is about the Moderna and Pfizer vaccine shots will likely require follow-up booster shots. The executives of both companies announced that it is likely that people that received the vaccine will need their first booster shot within 12 months of receiving the vaccine, then possibly yearly shots afterward. At the end of the article it does note that the Pfizer vaccine is still 93.1% effective 6 months after the vaccine and Moderna reports 90% effective after the 6 month period. However it still seems that we will have to receive booster shots, which is no big deal unless people have the side effects that they had from the original vaccine. This would absolutely prevent many people from following through or even receiving the original vaccine.
• 
  2021-04-01

  News Article: ASU watching new COVID-19 'Arizona variant' with a mutation known to weaken vaccines

  By Amanda Morris of the Arizona Republic: Arizona State University researchers have found a home-grown variant of the coronavirus emerging in Arizona that they say should be monitored closely because it carries a mutation known for weakening vaccines. In a non-peer reviewed study that published Sunday, researchers said they have detected 17 cases of the new variant since February, 15 of which were in Arizona. The other two cases were found in Houston in late February and New Mexico in early March, suggesting that the variant has begun to spread. "My hope is that we do not see more of these cases. The whole point of surveillance is to keep this from spreading," said Dr. Efrem Lim, an ASU virologist and assistant professor. The variant is known as the B.1.243.1 variant, and descends from a common lineage of the virus called B.1.243, which nationally makes up about 2.5% of all cases, according to David Engelthaler, director of the Translational Genomics Research Institute's infectious disease division in Flagstaff. "It's not dominant. But, there's a fair amount of that lineage that has been able to hang around," Engelthaler said. "It seems to have picked up this E484K mutation, what we call the 'eek!'" This E484K mutation has also been seen in the variants first detected in South Africa and Brazil, as well as one new variant recently discovered in New York. Numerous studies have shown that this mutation — located in the spike of the virus — lowers antibody responses to the virus and could weaken vaccines. Antibodies are one of the body's tool to recognize and fight the virus. The E484K mutation has been shown to weaken antibody responses. One study from Seattle showed that it caused the neutralizing effects of antibodies to decrease by tenfold, and numerous other studies have shown similar results. American vaccine development company Novavax reported that its COVID-19 vaccine was 96.4% effective against the original coronavirus strain and 86.3% effective against the U.K. variant, but was far less effective in South Africa, where the South Africa variant carrying this mutation is dominant. In the South Africa trials, the vaccine was shown to be 48.6% effective overall, and 55.4% effective in HIV-negative individuals. Moderna announced a sixfold reduction in antibody responses from its vaccine against the South Africa variant, and Pfizer observed a drop in vaccine-induced antibody responses against the South Africa variant. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is reported to be 64% effective against moderate to severe COVID-19 in trials in South Africa vs. 72% effective in U.S. trials. Though the E484K mutation appears to reduce antibody response and possibly reduce vaccine efficacy, Lim stressed that vaccines still work well and said people should get their vaccines as planned. Scientists are monitoring mutations in the spike of the novel coronavirus. Community spread is a concern Though the new Arizona variant carries this mutation, it's still possible for the variant to fizzle out and stop spreading. Lim said researchers have found two other cases where viruses within the B.1.243 lineage independently picked up the E484K mutation, but did not spread. "In both cases, they never led to more transmissions," Lim said. Engelthaler has also tracked other lineages where the E484K mutation showed up, but those strains fizzled out. Overall, researchers have detected over 60 samples containing the E484K mutation statewide, according to TGen's Arizona COVID-19 sequencing dashboard. In order to continue spread, Engelthaler said variants need to be very "fit." "This mutation has popped up on multiple instances and then just goes away," he said. "This one mutation by itself doesn't give the virus superpowers." "It’s definitely a mutation of concern but time will tell if it will be a variant of concern," he added. If the mutation shows up in a more fit version of the virus, then Engelthaler said it becomes more of a concern. The new variant in Arizona is different than past cases because it has already spread from one person to another and could spread further, according to Lim. He said "one-off" mutations here and there are normal, but that the bigger question is about the transmission levels of this variant. A variant's ability to spread to others is also dependent on human behavior, Lim said. If people follow public health guidelines, they are less likely to spread variants to others. In total, Lim said the new Arizona variant has 11 mutations, which is "quite a bit more" than normal virus variations. These 11 mutations could be helping the virus survive or spread and could also act as a "fingerprint" to help researchers identify the new variant, Lim said. Another one of the 11 mutations is located in the spike that the virus uses to attach to and infect cells. Engelthaler said that because of the importance of the spike, any mutations in that area could affect things like how fast the virus spreads or how severe the related illness is. Both Lim and Engelthaler said it's too soon to tell whether the other mutations in this variant have any effect. Overall, this variant still seems to account for a very low percentage of overall cases in the state, according to Dr. Joshua LaBaer, the executive director of ASU's Biodesign Institute. ASU researchers wrote that it's still possible there are more undetected cases of the variant since there are limited efforts to genetically monitor the virus nationwide. In Arizona, roughly 1.3% of cases overall have been genetically sequenced, or analyzed, according to TGen's Arizona COVID-19 sequencing dashboard. In February and March, over 3% of cases were sequenced, higher than national rates of sequencing, which were below 1% in January. ASU is working with the Arizona Department of Health Services to monitor the new variant and hopefully prevent further spread through contact tracing and other public health measures, Lim said. California and UK variant cases rise Currently the Arizona variant is only considered a "variant of interest" and not a "variant of concern." These are different categories outlined by the CDC and used to assess the risk level of each variant. The CDC defines "variants of interest" as those that are associated with potential changes, whereas "variants of concern" have evidence showing actual changes such as increased transmission, more severe disease or antibody evasion. There are five variants of concern, which include variants first identified in the United Kingdom, South Africa, Brazil and California. Two variants from California were elevated from variant of interest to variant of concern this month and have rapidly spread in Arizona. "They're closely related to each other and have definitely been documented with increased transmissibility and some impact on some antibody treatment," Engelthaler said. In November 2020, both the California variants accounted for only 0.73% of Arizona's genetically sequenced samples. By March, they accounted for 31.64% of samples and are predominant variants statewide. One non-peer reviewed study from the University of California San Francisco showed weaker antibody responses against the California variants. Because of concerns that monoclonal antibody treatments may be less effective against these two variants, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced two weeks ago that it would limit the distribution of one treatment to states with high levels of the California variant, including Arizona. The California Department of Public Health also recommended that the state stop distributing the treatment, which is made by American pharmaceutical company Eli & Lily. In a health alert, the department said this treatment was unlikely to be active against the California variants. The U.K. variant, which is highly contagious, has also been spreading statewide ever since it was first detected in late January. In March the U.K. variant accounted for 4.72% of genetically analyzed samples. Currently, Engelthaler said Arizona has over 100 cases of the U.K. variant and over 1,000 cases of the California variants. Arizona also detected its first cases of the South Africa variant last week. So far, Lim said that all of the variants of concern are manageable and have not risen to the level of "variant of high consequence," which the CDC defines as variants that are shown to significantly reduce the effectiveness of prevention and medical measures. "The risk is whether one of these current variants of concern acquire additional mutations that push it up to the next level," Lim said. To prevent further mutations, LaBaer said it's important to prevent spread of the virus by continuing to follow health guidelines and getting vaccinated. The more the community can prevent the spread of the virus, the less mutations will occur, he said. "We're kind of in this race right now between the developed dominance of these much more infectious variants that are now spreading throughout the country and getting people vaccinated," LaBaer said. "At the moment, I'm a little worried that the spread of this virus is so fast that that may outpace our ability to get vaccines in arms." He said it was theoretically possible that new variants could escape the vaccines, meaning that the public would move backward away from reaching herd immunity. But Lim said the vaccines can easily be updated to protect against new variants. Pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer and Moderna are already working on developing updated booster shots. In the meantime, researchers will continue to monitor the Arizona variant to see if it spreads further. Engelthaler said he expects the most fit variants of the virus to become more dominant statewide as people continue to get vaccinated and stamp out less successful strains. "There's a bit of a race here with the virus — a survival of the fittest race," Engelthaler said. "But what we don't want is to raise too much concern that things are going in the wrong direction...what we're doing is closely watching the evolution of a virus like we never have before. It's good that we have this capability, it's more important to put it into context." Amanda Morris covers all things bioscience, which includes health care, technology, new research and the environment. Send her tips, story ideas, or dog memes at amorris@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter @amandamomorris for the latest bioscience updates. Independent coverage of bioscience in Arizona is supported by a grant from the Flinn Foundation.
• 
  2021-04-01

  News Article: How AI Played a Role in Pfizer’s Covid-19 Vaccine Rollout

  This Wall Street Journal PRO article on Pfizer's use of artificial intelligence discusses that company's use of predictive technologies to identify geographic areas with the greatest potential for its COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials.
• 
  2021-04-06

  News Article: Pfizer Injects AI Into Vaccine Trials

  This sub-article was the lead item in this week's Wall Street Journal PRO "Artificial Intelligence Weekly" email blast: "By Angus Loten Welcome back. Artificial intelligence is set to take a decisive role in shaping the post-pandemic economy, from helping employers reopen workplaces to getting supply chains back on track. Corporate technology leaders and industry analysts offered these and other insights at last week’s virtual edition of the WSJ Pro AI Executive Forum. Some of their views are outlined in the sections below. One broad takeaway: Though still in its infancy, AI is already having a profound impact on our daily lives. Pfizer’s Speedy Vaccine Rollout Pfizer Inc. last year developed AI-powered dashboards designed to monitor the effect of Covid-19 on clinical trials in real time, ultimately helping the pharmaceutical giant roll out its coronavirus vaccination in less than a year, The Wall Street Journal’s Sara Castellanos reports. A shot in the arm. Pfizer fed large amounts of case-rate data into AI-enabled predictive models to quickly generate site selection for clinical trials, said Lidia Fonseca, the company’s chief digital and technology officer. A smart move. Pfizer two years ago began experimenting with the emerging technologies, focusing on digital tools that promised to offer better outcomes for patients, doctors and employees, with results it was able to draw on during the pandemic, Ms. Fonseca said."
• 
  2021-03-16

  Graham County (AZ) to open up COVID-19 vaccine to all residents 18 years and older

  Staff Reports SAFFORD – The Graham County Department of Health and Human Services has announced that starting Monday, March 22, any resident of Graham County who is 18 years old or older will be eligible to receive a vaccine for COVID-19. Those who would like a COVID-19 vaccination should contact their primary care physician or schedule an appointment with the health department by clicking here. Those who schedule appointments will currently be given the two-shot Moderna vaccine at the Graham County Health Department Vaccination Center at 627 W. Main Street in Downtown Safford. The health department will announce a clinic for the one-shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine at a later date. While the Pfizer and Moderna two-shot vaccines utilize messenger RNA, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine works through a different mechanism and uses the more traditional DNA, which is introduced to the nucleus of cells with an adenovirus which is modified so it cannot replicate itself and cause disease. All three vaccines have been approved for use by the federal government and have safety records in good standing. All prompt the body to produce T-cells, which retain a memory of the protein and attack it. “We would like to thank everyone for their support as we have navigated through the COVID-19 pandemic this past year,” said Graham County Health Department Director Brian Douglas. Greenlee County Gila Health Resources in Greenlee County will hold a COVID-19 vaccine drive at the Morenci Club Hall at 314 Plaza Dr. in Morenci on Friday, March 19, from 1 – 8 p.m. At the vaccine drive, any adult resident of Greenlee County or those who work in Greenlee County can show up to receive a dose of the Moderna vaccine with no appointment or registration necessary.
• 
  2021-03-21

  San Carlos (AZ) to hold a drive-through COVID-19 vaccine clini6c

  March 22, 2021 - by News Director Contributed Article SAN CARLOS – The San Carlos Apache Healthcare Corporation is proud to present a COVID-19 vaccine drive-through clinic for SCAT members and their family and friends of the surrounding communities of Globe, Miami, Superior, Hayden, Winkleman, Kearny, Pima, Thatcher, Safford, and Morenci. Our SCAHC Vaccination team will be administering the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine at the San Carlos High School, on Saturday, March 27, from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. No appointment is necessary. For the Pfizer vaccine, those receiving it must be 16 years of age or older (must have a parent/legal guardian consent if under 18) For the Moderna vaccine, those receiving it must be 18 years of age or older. Please remember to bring your state ID. There is no charge for the vaccine.
• 
  2021-03-26

  Premier François Legault of Quebec has received a Covid-19 Vaccine

  He has received his first dose of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine at the Olympic stadium in Montreal.
• 
  2021-02-24

  Pinch Me and Tell Me I’m Not Dreaming, Because Your Girl Got Shot #1!

  It is, pardon the inaccurate historical depiction, like the Wild West trying to get a vaccine in Southern CA. Los Angeles has been plagued by affluent insiders getting special access codes meant for marginalized populations, keeping vulnerable groups from vaccination. This week, Orange County opened up vaccines to educators, agricultural workers, and emergency services. Before our special educator link was even emailed out to us, it was compromised by an insider sharing it and spots were taken. I obsessively checked my Othena app (Orange County’s official app) but no luck. Yesterday, my husband, also in education so eligible, woke up to a text from his boss that said “Walgreens opened for educators.” I was already teaching over Zoom, so while I continued, my husband sat on the floor two feet away and logged into Walgreens. Thankfully, I had some video clips that I was about to show after our discussion. As soon as I put the video clips on for my students, I muted myself on Zoom and told my husband to log me in on the other computer. It was like getting concert tickets. Click - “this time is no longer available.” After clicking and clicking for a minute, an appointment confirmation came through... for the NEXT DAY. I was in shock and my husband said “don’t get your hopes up” because so many appointments have been cancelled or supplies have run out. And it seemed so unbelievable. I screenshot the confirmation and hoped for the best. In the words of the musical Hamilton, I was not throwing away my shot. I didn’t actually get a confirmation email until 10:45 pm - 13 hours later, but was still skeptical. In a bit of poetic irony, the Walgreens I selected (at random) is 45 minutes away in a city called Corona. So you could say I was headed to Corona to beat Corona. The whole way there, I braced for being turned away. When I checked in, I was shocked it was actually happening. Then they took my temperature. I get cold really easily, so the whole ride to Corona we left the air off (my husband drove me in case I had after effects... and because I haven’t driven since March 16, 2020) even though it was about 80. I also have bangs on my forehead and when I’m nervous my heart races like I’m running a marathon. Bad combo. My temperature was too high for a vaccine. My heart broke inside and the lady looked at me and said “just fill this out, relax, and I’ll take it again.” She did a few minutes later and I honestly don’t know if she flubbed it for me or not, but five minutes later, I had Pfizer shot dose one. And, finding out I was a teacher, the woman administering the shot told me to get my phone out to take a picture! She said “don’t you want a picture?” She was as happy as I was. No joke, as I started getting my vaccine, the very cheesy Natasha Bedingfield song “Unwritten” played on the Walgreens speaker, and after getting my post shot instructions, I walked out of the store (to wander around for the required 15 minutes outside) with Natasha singing “Today is where your book begins The rest is still unwritten.” It was so ridiculous that I really considered maybe I’m in a Truman Show situation. I also teared up because the eleven months of not driving my car, seeing my students, seeing my friends, seeing my family sort of hit me... it’s a lot of emotion to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I did also consider the sobering reality that you have to be tipped off to be able to snag a vaccine appointment. By the time I told people that Walgreens was legitimately open for us, the appointments were booked. While I am overjoyed for myself, I can’t help but be saddened at how this whole process has unfolded. I really hope they can fix the system so unrepresented populations who might not have a boss that can text them as soon as appointments open can equitably access protection. It’s only been four hours, so no side effects yet. I do feel like my entire body has been clenched for eleven months and it has finally relaxed... I may actually get a worry free night of sleep for the first time in a long time. In short, the gratitude I have is immeasurable.
• 
  2021-02-05

  Keena Covid Vaccine Booster

  I got my vaccine booster on Friday, February 5th, at 4 pm. I was very excited to return to the local hospital for this vaccine appointment. On February 1st, tier 2 had opened, and vaccines were now being offered to anyone over 65. The hospital had really stepped up their game and was administering about 20 vaccines every 4 minutes (I asked), and they were so efficient! I got my second dose and then sat waiting in the lobby for 15 minutes. While I was waiting, there was a woman behind me (older than 65) who had just gotten her first dose. She was scheduling her appointment for her booster and struck up a conversation. She told me that she was so sad that so many people were dying, and she was excited to get the vaccine. She also mentioned that since her husband had died and she was no longer able to drive, she took a cab for the 45-minute drive to the hospital. She didn't care what the cost was - she wanted the vaccine. It was really quite sweet. After my shot at, 4 pm my husband and I went to our friend's home for our usual Friday night take out dinner. Around 10 pm, while we were still at our friend's home my ankles, knees, and hips began to get unusually sore. We left shortly after, and I was uncomfortable the entire car ride home. When we finally got home, I went straight to bed. At 6 am, I woke up with a splitting headache, body aches, and chills. I got myself out of bed to go to the bathroom (about 3 steps away) and immediately felt nauseous. I returned to bed, woke up my husband, and asked for water, Tylenol, and a heating pad. After taking Tylenol, I fell asleep for about 1 1/2 hours. Again, I woke up with a splitting headache and body aches but couldn't take any more pain relievers. I just laid in bed trying to get some rest and ordered Chick Fil A breakfast; I'm not sure why but that's what I was craving. I got out of bed to eat breakfast and promptly returned to bed. I took more Tylenol at 10 am and fell asleep for another hour and a half. When I woke up shortly before noon, I took a bath to calm down my body aches. My wrists and my shoulders/armpits hurt the worst. I stayed in the bath for about 30 minutes, which is a lot for me because I honestly cannot remember the last time I took a bath - I think they're gross. After that, I moved out to the couch, took more Tylenol, and watched a movie. When the movie ended, I went back to bed. I slept from about 3 pm to 5 pm. When I woke up, I took more Tylenol, moved to the couch, and watched another movie while my husband made dinner. I had some dinner and stayed on the couch until 10 pm. While the Tylenol helped with the body aches for about an hour, nothing seemed to touch my headache. I was using a heating pad on my neck and doing some yoga to try and stretch it. I went to bed with my usual nighttime routine and fell asleep around 10:30 pm. I didn't wake up at all overnight. I woke up on Sunday at 8 AM feeling AMAZING. It was like I had never reacted at all. My arm is not sore; I have no body aches and no headache. My husband is a third-year med student and spent most of Saturday looking at me like a science experiment because my body was reacting to the vaccine exactly like it was supposed to. Through all of the pain on Saturday, I was silently cheering on my body for doing its job because I knew that meant it was working. Through the entire pandemic, I was able to remain Covid free (as far as I know), and I would certainly take 1 day of vaccine induced pain over 7 days of Covid.
• 
  2021-01-16

  My Experience with the COVID-19 Vaccine

  Through my job, I was privileged enough to be able to receive both doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. My first dose went fine, and I had no ill effects besides a pretty sore arm for about a day. I had heard the second dose was a little more brutal and consequently I was slightly nervous when the day came. As a pharmacy intern and pharmacy major, I am a proponent of the vaccine (and all vaccines) and was excited to receive it. Also, as a college student I am ready for life to go back to as normal as possible. Virtual education is undeniably more difficult, and I saw the vaccine as a step in the “normal” direction. My boyfriend drove me up for the second dose and as I had heard helped, I took two ibuprofen tablets before going in. The first thing I noticed that was different was the shot itself. Quite honestly, the second shot HURT. The first one was just a pinch and analogous to a normal vaccine. The second shot was immediately more painful, and my arm was bleeding. The pain quickly passed as I sat for the 15 minutes of observation afterwards. I felt okay, went home, and proceeded throughout my day normally. I was relieved that it had gone well…until that night. As I tried to go to bed that night, I noticed my stomach was not feeling well but I figured I would feel better in the morning. Shortly after, I began to shake violently. I had such bad chills and could not go to sleep because I was shaking so badly. My muscles began to ache as time went on, but I could not control them. In the morning I noticed I had bruises. The arm I got vaccinated in throbbed and I began to feel very nauseous. These symptoms went on for hours and I did not fall into a restless sleep until 3am. The next few days I gradually felt better, but I barely left my bed. Luckily, the semester had yet to start so I could afford to have some lazy days. I felt so fatigued and just off. The arm in which I had been vaccinated remained bruised and painful for just over a week and my lymph nodes became quite inflamed. All of these symptoms are normal after receiving the vaccine, according to a pamphlet about the Pfizer vaccine given to me during my first dose. After two weeks I felt completely normal, but I wish I would have known what to expect after the second dose. I do not want my story to make people afraid of the vaccine because if I could go back, I would still receive both doses. The symptoms I experienced were no joke though, and I was not expecting to be hit as hard as I was. No vaccine has ever impacted me like that, and it was a rude awakening for my immune system. I have since come to find out that I am not alone in my symptoms and that about 70% of people have similar symptoms after receiving the vaccine. I am slightly concerned about the long-term effects of the vaccine because obviously these effects have not been studied. However, I am thankful I had the opportunity to receive the vaccine, and I am also thankful I had this opportunity to share my experience with it to hopefully help others feel more prepared should they choose to receive it.
• 2020-02-05

  Father Received 2nd Dose

  The other day I went with my dad to the State Farm Stadium vaccination site in Glendale and he got his 2nd Pfizer dose. It's amazing to know that for him the pandemic is "over", as he likely will not be hospitalized if he does contract Covid-19 in the future. As my father was my main concern being a young person, it lifts a weight of my shoulders knowing if I come back from class with Covid that I won't hurt him. Currently, he is the only one in my family, including extended, who has received it. He's apart of the minority of Americans who are fully vaccinated, hopefully the numbers will increase soon.
• 2021-02-03

  Vaccinated.

  Last night I got my second dose of the Pfizer vaccine for COVID. I feel like it should have been easier than this. I got my first dose of the vaccine at Chandler-Gilbert Community College, which we found out later was a county-run rather than a state-run location. Cardinals Stadium in Glendale is a state site. So the difference amounted to not getting the email about my second appointment for an anxiety-inducing long time. So when a new block opened up at the stadium, I signed up to get my second shot on the 21st day after my first, at the earliest opportunity. My husband’s appointment for his first dose is two days later. We arrived at the stadium, got my appointment number chalked on the windshield, and wove through a maze of cones and banners toward the check-in tents. When we pulled up, the lady checked my number and couldn’t find me. She searched for my birthday and couldn’t find me. She searched by my name and couldn’t find me. She took my ID and walked off to find a supervisor. I stared at my appointment confirmation email on my phone while she did all of this. The supervisor returns and, after asking to look at my email, handed me a clipboard. “We are going to sign you in as a walk-in, which doesn’t even exist right now. We can’t take walk-in rights right now because it’s possible that people with appointments won’t get their short today because our daily inventory is low.” That’s why my husband was not one of the lucky ones that we have heard stories about who got to get their dose early by coming along with someone who had an appointment sooner than them. I filled out the form, the lady made me a new appointment on her tablet, and the confirmation email for an appointment slot one hour before appeared. We turned the truck back on and moved through the second maze to the next set of tents, where they covered the same questions before sending us under the second tent where a younger man gloved up, came around to the passenger door, and quickly injected me. He must have seen that we were younger as we pulled up, even with our masks on, because he said to me, “Alright, I will give you this if when I do you scream, FUCK COVID,” which of course I agreed to. But if you have had the vaccine yet, you know it goes by so quickly that I barely got out the FU.. before he said, “okay, you’re good to go.” A third maze brought us to the line of cars waiting their 15 minutes to see if they have a bad reaction before pulling out and heading back home. I now had my second dose, and my husband has yet to get his first, so we didn’t need the help of the people milling between cars signing up people for second doses who had just gotten their first. We got to the front of the escape line and then were released, maybe a few minutes before the 15 were really up, but we were off. My COVID card is complete. When I got my first dose, the guidance was that 30 days after your second dose is your true “good to go” date because it has had time to take effect, but in the last three weeks, that has been shortened to two weeks. I don’t know if that is smart or accurate, or if, like everything, people want this to hurry along so things can go back to “normal” after we have been at this for a year. But vaccines are still hard to get, kids can’t get it, and we don’t know how long it will be effective, so maybe we shouldn’t get too excited.
• 
  2021-01-25

  "The Pandemic Is Finally Softening. Will That Last?" - The Atlantic

  This Atlantic Monthly article, written by Robinson Meyer, details the race to vaccinate millions of Americans in the face of loosening mitigation efforts, new COVID-19 strains, and supply bottlenecks. According to Meyer, with the advent of several COVID-19 vaccines, some states and municipal governments across the country have loosened their quarantine restrictions in the belief that vaccination and lower death rates make lockdowns unnecessary. This is not true, and this loosening of restrictions may precipitate further surges in COVID-19 cases, especially as new strains from the UK and South Africa become endemic. Fewer vaccine doses will be delivered by Pfizer, due to an agreement signed by the Trump administration.
• 2020-01-28

  Everyone But Me is Vaccinated

  As of today, 1/28/2021, many people have already had their second dose of the Pfizer vaccine. Many of my friends and family members work in healthcare, so they are either on their first or second dosages. I myself have not had the vaccine, as I do not work in healthcare. I was surprised to see that this vaccine has more side effects than typical vaccines. After their shot, many feel their arm may be sore, or get exceptionally tired. My family member, after their second dose, felt slightly feverish. Luckily, these are the expected side effects, and they don't last more than around 1-2 days! I believe that they are now extending vaccines to front-line workers such as police, firefighters, etc in Arizona. Arizona has not been very good at social distancing, and I know many people personally who have gotten COVID (who luckily have recovered), so I hope that the general public can have access to the vaccine soon.
• 
  2020-11-18

  "The End of the Pandemic Is Now in Sight" - The Atlantic Monthly

  With the development of two viable COVID-19 vaccines, it appears that the end of the pandemic appears to be at hand in the near future. In an article for the Atlantic Monthly magazine, journalist Sarah Zhang explains how these viable vaccines were developed using new technologies and how the resolution of the pandemic is now more dependent on policy choices made by political leaders, namely the President of the United States. During the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic, medical professionals, epidemiologists, and vaccinologists were in the dark about the symptoms, treatability, and curability of the disease. After months of intense hands-on experience and in-depth genomic research, the companies Pfizer and Moderna have developed viable vaccine candidates. But these vaccines are different from typical vaccines: they are mRNA vaccines. This means that they work by injecting mRNA which encodes viral proteins, rather than injecting a weakened or dead SARS-CoV-2 virus. mRNA vaccines, according to Zhang, were once thought to be potentially unviable, but the positive preliminary results of the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines may mark the beginning of a new era of vaccine research and development. In the future, Zhang says, mRNA vaccines may be developed for the Zika virus or for personalized forms of cancer. However, a major drawback of mRNA vaccines is their fragility, as they require extremely cold temperatures to be preserved. Now that these vaccines may be available for public use in the near future, it is up to the United States' political leadership to formulate policies to promote the vaccination of the populace and the mitigation of COVID-19 infections during the winter. According to Zhang, "Every infection we prevent now—through masking and social distancing—is an infection that can, eventually, be prevented forever through vaccines."
• 
  2020-11-09

  UK rollout of Covid vaccine could start before Christmas

  As someone who is patiently waiting for this dismal lockdown to end so I can get on with my life this is good news. Hopefully, things will clear up so I can actually go and visit my fiance. I wonder who all will take the vaccine though, or if visitors will be forced to take it.
• 
  2020-09-28

  "Vaccine Chaos is Looming"

  As the COVID-19 pandemic approaches its one year anniversary, many are hoping that a vaccine will soon become available at their local pharmacy, clinic, or hospital. Unfortunately, this is very unlikely to be the case, as several problems will inhibit vaccine distribution . In an article for The Atlantic Monthly that was published on September 28, 2020, journalist Sarah Zhang provides readers with a comprehensive overview of the logistical problems associated with manufacturing prospective COVID-19 vaccines and distributing them across the United States. Zhang begins the article by noting that while some vaccine candidates have progressed very far in clinical trials, the ones that have are also the most difficult to distribute and deploy in the field. This is due to a variety of reasons, the most prominent being the method used to manufacture the vaccine (i.e mRNA encoding), which is a new, experimental method used to manufacture vaccines rapidly. While this technology has sped up vaccine production, it has come at the expense of convenience, as the prospective vaccines by Pfizer and BioNTech require specialized storage containers to maintain the dosage vials at extremely cold temperatures (-94 Fahrenheit). According to Zhang, this need for extreme refrigeration presents a logistical bottleneck for the distribution and deployment of prospective vaccines. Indeed, according to Zhang, federal, state, and local health departments are making plans for what will most likely be the most ambitious logistical operation in medical history. Logistical problems will be further compounded by issues concerning the lack of preservatives in some vaccines (to speed up production) and the difficulty of delivering dosages to rural areas relative to urban cities. Furthermore, incomplete electronic medical registries in some local areas will make it difficult for health officials to know who exactly needs the vaccine and who should be prioritized when they first become available. In sum, the rapid production methods used by some prospective COVID-19 vaccines will make them more difficult to distribute and deploy in the field. The need to store some in extremely cold temperatures will raise the costs of transportation and make it extremely difficult to deliver dosages to people living in hard to reach areas of the United States. Furthermore, the incomplete electronic medical registries of some local areas will make it more difficult to know if patients are taking the appropriate number of vaccine doses, which are needed to be completely effective. To paraphrase Zhang, these issues will make the first COVID-19 vaccines to be released to be insignificant, as they will not be widely distributed.