Thursday, September 30, 2021
400,000 doses of Pfizer arrives in island - Newsfirst.lk
COLOMBO (News 1st); A consignment of Pfizer vaccine doses was airlifted to the island this morning (30).
This stock of vaccines, which was made available for Sri Lanka under the COVAX facility, contained 408,650 doses.
State Minister of Pharmaceuticals, Supplies and Regulation Prof. Channa Jayasumana said that this is the largest consignment of Pfizer vaccines ever brought to the island.
400,000 doses of Pfizer arrives in island - Newsfirst.lk
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Ontario recommends Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine over Moderna for people 18 to 24 effective immediately - CTV News Toronto
TORONTO -- The Ontario government is now recommending that people between the ages of 18 and 24 receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine instead of Moderna due to an observed increase of myocarditis cases.
The government made the announcement on Wednesday, saying the recommendation has been made "out of an abundance of caution."
“This is due to an observed increase in Ontario of the very rare heart condition called pericarditis/myocarditis following the vaccination with Moderna compared to Pfizer in the 18 to 24 year old age group, particularly among males,” the government said.
The risk of myocarditis in Ontario following the second dose of Moderna in men in the 18 to 24 age group was one in 5,000, the government said. The number is much lower for women.
That number is approximately one in 28,000 for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.
Children between the ages of 12 and 17 currently only receive the Pfizer vaccine.
The government said the majority of the myocarditis cases in people have been minor, and less than 10 have required treatment in intensive care.
The government said the rate of children with myocarditis is much higher if the person contracts COVID-19.
No one has died in Ontario from myocarditis as a result of the COVID-19 vaccine, the government said.
People aged 18 to 24 who received Moderna for their first dose can take Pfizer for their second dose.
Individuals in this age group who still wish to receive Moderna can do so with informed consent.
Ontario recommends Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine over Moderna for people 18 to 24 effective immediately - CTV News Toronto
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Rare heart inflammation prompts Ontario to recommend Pfizer over Moderna for some young adults - Brampton Guardian
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Rare heart inflammation prompts Ontario to recommend Pfizer over Moderna for some young adults Brampton GuardianRare heart inflammation prompts Ontario to recommend Pfizer over Moderna for some young adults - Brampton Guardian
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Wednesday, September 29, 2021
B.C.’s COVID-19 infections, hospital cases rise again Wednesday - Peninsula News Review
B.C. public health teams reported 813 more cases of COVID-19 Wednesday, with 11 more deaths attributed to the coronavirus in the past 24 hours.
There are 340 people in hospital with active COVID-19 infections as of Sept. 29, up from 316 over 24 hours, and 146 in critical care, up five since Tuesday.
New daily infections have averaged more than 700 in recent days, as the province ramps up contact tracing and testing in an effort to control the fourth wave. Wednesday’s results come from 16,525 test results reported by regional health authorities.
Booster third doses of vaccine are now being offered to people with severely compromised immune systems, and will be delivered to seniors in care facilities in October. Those seniors were the top priority when vaccination began in B.C. late in 2020.
B.C. health authorities continue to operate scheduled appointment and walk-in COVID-19 vaccination clinics around the province. A full list of clinic locations and hours by region can be found here. Registration and booking appointments in B.C. can be done here, or by calling 1-833-838-2323 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. seven days a week.
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RELATED: COVID-19 cases on rise in younger school-aged children
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B.C.’s COVID-19 infections, hospital cases rise again Wednesday - Peninsula News Review
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Surrey Board of Education meeting with Fraser Health to discuss COVID-19 protocols, concerns – Surrey Now-Leader - Surrey Now-Leader
The Surrey Board of Education is meeting with a medical health officer from Fraser Health later today to discuss COVID-19 protocols and concerns.
This follows the Vancouver School Board voting in favour to make masks mandatory for students in kindergarten to Grade 3.
READ ALSO: Vancouver school board mandates masks for K-3 students, citing uptick in COVID among kids, Sept. 28, 2021
Two weeks before the school year on Aug. 24, Education Minister Jennifer Whiteside and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced masks for staff and students in grades 4 to 12 while masks were only encouraged for kindergarten to Grade 3.
However, in a change from the 2020-21 school year, school districts would be able to implement further regional and local measures.
READ ALSO: Masks required for Grade 4 and older in B.C. as part of return-to-school plan, Aug. 24, 2021
In a post on the district’s website on Wednesday (Sept. 29), it says the board is meeting with the health authority’s medical health officer for schools to discuss the increase in COVID-19 cases in young children and to determine how the board and Fraser Health can “work together to ensure all measures and layers of protection are in place in our schools and that school communities are fully informed and protected.”
On Tuesday (Sept. 28), Henry said said the rate of cases per 100,000 people is “going up quite dramatically, particularly in those younger school-aged children who are not yet eligible for vaccination.”
READ ALSO: Fraser Health says data review shows ‘limited’ COVID-19 transmission in Surrey schools, Aug. 25, 2021
Testing, Henry said, has also seen a “dramatic increase.” But she noted that was “something we expected” as school started up again.
“We’ve gone up from about 100 children a day being tested across the age groups to over 500 children a day being tested for COVID-19.”
Meantime, the Surrey Board of Education Chair Laurie Larsen said the district needs to “ensure that all layers of protection available are being used and that our community is adequately informed.”
READ ALSO: Parents, teachers rally for COVID-safe schools at Surrey park ahead of school year, Aug. 28, 2021
She said the district has schools with multiple cases and multiple classes in isolation.
“We will share our concerns about notifying communities of cases and to hear how public health can support boards of education to address concerns about COVID-19 in our school communities.”
According to the district, the meeting will include discussions around mandating all layers of protection, such as why masks are not yet mandated for kindergarten to Grade 3; public notification of cases, clusters and outbreaks; increasing vaccination rates through vaccine clinics in schools; and making the school communities aware of how they can access testing, including the rinse/gargle test kits that are available in Surrey schools.
Larsen said the board will make a decision regarding mask mandates some time after the meeting.
READ ALSO: COVID-19 mouth rinse/gargle sample collection kits coming to Surrey schools, May 6, 2021
lauren.collins@surreynowleader.com
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Surrey Board of Education meeting with Fraser Health to discuss COVID-19 protocols, concerns – Surrey Now-Leader - Surrey Now-Leader
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Ontario recommends adults 18 to 24 get Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine over Moderna due to increased risk of rare heart condition - CP24 Toronto's Breaking News
Ontario is now recommending that younger adults only be given the Pfizer vaccine due to an apparent increase in the likelihood of developing a rare heart condition following vaccination with Moderna.
The new “preferential recommendation” for the age group was issued on Wednesday following the review of data that points to a higher rate of myocarditis and pericarditis among younger adults who have received the Moderna vaccine for their second dose, particularly males.
Officials say that about one in approximately 5,000 males between the ages of 18 and 24 have developed the condition after receiving Moderna for their second dose compared to about one in 28,000 males who got Pfizer instead.
About one in 17,000 females who received Moderna for their second dose also developed myocarditis or pericarditis.
“While we are making this recommendation it is important to note that myocarditis/pericarditis remains a rare adverse event following immunization, even amongst the age groups with the highest observed rates,” Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore said during a briefing on Wednesday afternoon.
“The majority of reported cases have been mild with individuals recovering quickly normally with anti-inflammatory medication, such as Ibuprofen.”
The Ministry of Health says that those between the ages of 18 and 24 will still be able to receive the Moderna vaccine with “informed consent” however the default will now be to administer Pfizer to that age group.
During his news conference, Moore conceded that the new recommendation “may make some people nervous” and contribute to “heightened concerns about receiving COVID vaccines” but he said that it is important to remember that individuals who contract COVID-19 are 18 times more likely to develop inflammatory heart conditions like myocarditis.
“I have three young boys, two of whom are in the 20 to 24-year-old age group and they both received Moderna and I had no concerns about them having that product,” he said. “Moderna is an excellent product, it's got very good immune uptake and it's gotten very good prolonged immune response and protection. I have complete confidence in it.”
Speaking on background during a technical briefing on Wednesday, officials with the ministry said there have been fewer than 10 instances of individuals being admitted to intensive care after developing myocarditis or pericarditis post vaccination and no fatalities.
Moore also pointed out that many of the people who have been admitted to intensive care after developing a vaccine-induced case of myocarditis have been discharged a few days after admission once the condition was confirmed through testing.
“It is a very small number of people that have had to be admitted to the intensive care unit and most of the time that's for investigation so taking a blood test, a cardiogram or an ultrasound and then they're been rapidly discharged home,” he said.
Myocarditis involves the inflammation of a heart muscle while pericarditis involves the inflammation of the thin layer of skin surrounding the heart. The more common symptoms associated with the condition include chest pain, shortness of breath, an irregular heart rate and fatigue.
Ontario recommends adults 18 to 24 get Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine over Moderna due to increased risk of rare heart condition - CP24 Toronto's Breaking News
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