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COVID-19 News from Around the Web

In U.S., 55% Would Get COVID-19 Vaccine for Young Child
Gallup - September 29, 2021
55% of parents of kids under 12 say they would get them an available vaccine. 53% of parents with kids 18 and under are worried child will get COVID-19. School mask policies in practice are stricter than K-12 parents prefer.
Some COVID-19 Patients Want Ivermectin So Badly They’re Taking Hospitals To Court
FiveThirtyEight - September 28, 2021
In recent months, there have been multiple cases of patients or their families demanding ivermectin as a treatment for COVID-19, not only going to court but also harassing hospital staff. And in at least seven instances, judges have granted these requests, ordering hospitals to either administer the drug or allow other physicians into the facility to administer it. … As hospitals struggle under the weight of new COVID-19 cases, they are also being forced to fight this new battle spurred by an avalanche of fear and online misinformation.
Hospitals fear staffing shortages as vaccine deadlines loom
AP - September 28, 2021
Hospitals and nursing homes around the U.S. are bracing for worsening staff shortages as state deadlines arrive for health care workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19. With ultimatums taking effect this week in states like New York, California, Rhode Island and Connecticut, the fear is that some employees will quit or let themselves be fired or suspended rather than get the vaccine.
Biden, McConnell get COVID-19 boosters, encourage vaccines
AP - September 28, 2021
Seventy-eight-year-old Joe Biden and 79-year-old Mitch McConnell got their booster shots Monday, the Democratic president and the Republican Senate leader urging Americans across the political spectrum to get vaccinated or plus up with boosters when eligible for the extra dose of protection.
Concerns about Delta transmission, overburdened hospitals and Covid-19 deaths drove recent rise in vaccinations, poll says
CNN - September 28, 2021
Among those vaccinated since June 1, 39% said they were motivated by transmission of the Delta variant, 38% by the growing burden of Covid-19 on hospitals and 36% by knowing someone who became seriously ill or died. Thirty-five percent said a major reason was to participate in activities where vaccinations are required, such as traveling. Nineteen percent said it was because it was mandated by their employer.
Highest Parental COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Seen Among Most Impacted
HealthDay - September 28, 2021
[Researchers] surveyed 1,425 parents to compare hesitancy toward a future COVID-19 vaccine for children among various sociodemographic groups in a major metropolitan area. The researchers found that one-third of parents reported hesitancy for their child, but this number was higher for Black parents (48 percent) and Hispanic parents (33 percent) versus non-Hispanic White parents (26 percent).
Life expectancy of American men fell by 2 years amid COVID pandemic: study
Fox News - September 28, 2021
The life expectancy of American men dropped by more than two years during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new study has found. Oxford University said in the study published Monday that the life expectancy among men fell by 2.2 years in 2020, the largest drop since World War II, according to Reuters. Life expectancy fell by more than six months compared to 2019 for 22 of the 29 countries analyzed for the study, which included the U.S. and European nations.
In a matter of days, Pfizer CEO says they’ll be ready to ask for approval of a Covid-19 vaccine for kids
CNN - September 27, 2021
Pfizer/BioNTech plans to ask for authorization of a Covid-19 vaccine for some children under 12 soon, bringing the US one step closer to offering protection to a population that has grown particularly vulnerable as the fall season gets underway. "It is a question of days, not weeks," Pfizer Chairman and CEO Albert Bourla told ABC News Sunday about when the company will submit data on children ages 5 to 11 to the FDA for consideration.
US has enough COVID-19 vaccines for boosters, kids’ shots
AP - September 27, 2021
With more than 40 million doses of coronavirus vaccines available, U.S. health authorities said they’re confident there will be enough for both qualified older Americans seeking booster shots and the young children for whom initial vaccines are expected to be approved in the not-too-distant future. The spike in demand — expected following last week’s federal recommendation on booster shots — would be the first significant jump in months.
Trials Show COVID Vaccines Well Worth It for Cancer Patients
HealthDay - September 27, 2021
If you have cancer and you think coronavirus vaccines may do you little good, don't let your hesitation stop you from getting the shots: A pair of clinical trials finds that patients' immune systems ramped up after vaccination. The findings were presented this week during a virtual meeting of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO Congress 2021).
Biden’s chaotic messaging on Covid-19 boosters is pitting the White House against the government’s scientific advisers
STAT - September 27, 2021
The White House’s chaotic, contradictory messaging on Covid-19 vaccine booster shots has given Americans whiplash. But more concerning, experts say, is that it risks undermining President Biden’s campaign pledge that he would listen to the scientists and adhere to official approval processes. The administration’s latest move — a decision to expand booster eligibility that came in the middle of the night Friday — puts the spotlight on Rochelle Walensky, the director of the CDC, who overruled her own advisory panel of scientists to make the call.