Carolyn Crist

The Department of Labor will likely need to rely on workplace whistleblowers when the Biden administration’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for large companies goes into effect in January.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) doesn’t have enough workplace safety inspectors to cover the nation, the Associated Press reported, so the agency will count on people within organizations to identify violations.

“There is no army of OSHA inspectors that is going to be knocking on employers’ doors or even calling them,” Debbie Berkowitz, a former OSHA chief of staff who is a fellow at Georgetown University, told the news service.

“They’re going to rely on workers and their union representatives to file complaints where the company is totally flouting the law,” she said.

Last week, OSHA published the details of the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate. Companies with more than 100 employees must require their workers to get vaccinated or undergo weekly testing. Companies that don’t comply could face fines of $14,000 for each “serious” violation. Repeat violators could face 10 times that amount.

Employees who are concerned about workplace safety, unvaccinated co-workers, or people not being tested as required may report their employers, according to Reuters.

Jim Frederick, the acting chief for OSHA, told reporters that the agency will focus on job sites “where workers need assistance to have a safe and healthy workplace.”

“That typically comes through in the form of a complaint,” he said.

OSHA has jurisdiction in 29 states, the AP reported. OSHA is tasked with addressing violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, which is meant to create safe workplaces, and the agency has updated its guidance about COVID-19 safety in the workplace throughout this year.

Other states, such as California and Michigan, have their own workplace safety agencies, which will have until February to adopt their own version of a vaccine mandate, according to the AP.

OSHA and state counterparts will be tasked with enforcing the mandate, and their agencies are already short-staffed. About 1,850 inspectors will oversee 130 million workers at 8 million job sites.

OSHA has encouraged workers to first report complaints to employers “if possible.” Otherwise, employees can file a confidential safety complaint with OSHA or file a case through a representative, such as a lawyer or union leader, the AP reported.

But workplace experts have voiced caution about the potential risks of reporting. Whistleblowers tend to face retaliation and OSHA can’t always offer protection in these cases.

“Technically, the law says that companies can’t retaliate against a worker for raising a health and safety issue or filing an OSHA complaint or even reporting an injury,” Ms. Berkowitz said. “But retaliation is rampant.”

OSHA has some jurisdiction to pursue employers who punish workers for reporting unsafe working conditions, the AP reported. Last month, the agency sued a luxury car dealer in Texas for firing an employee who warned co-workers about potential coronavirus hazards.

But at the same time, Ms. Berkowitz and the National Employment Law Project found that OSHA dismissed more than half of the COVID-related complaints of retaliation that it received from whistleblowers. About 2% of complaints were resolved during a 5-month period last year, according to their report.

As the vaccine mandate deadline approaches, most companies are expected to comply, experts told the AP. Some employers wanted to require the shot but didn’t want to create their own rule, and others have said they’ll follow OSHA regulations as they always do.

“Most employers, they’re law abiding,” David Michaels, a former OSHA chief who is a public health professor at George Washington University, told the AP.

“They’re trying to make sure that they meet the requirements of every law and regulation,” he said. “Now OSHA will follow up. They’ll respond to complaints. They’ll do spot checks. They’ll issue citations and fines, and they’ll make a big deal of those.”

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

The Department of Labor will likely need to rely on workplace whistleblowers when the Biden administration’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for large companies goes into effect in January.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) doesn’t have enough workplace safety inspectors to cover the nation, the Associated Press reported, so the agency will count on people within organizations to identify violations.

“There is no army of OSHA inspectors that is going to be knocking on employers’ doors or even calling them,” Debbie Berkowitz, a former OSHA chief of staff who is a fellow at Georgetown University, told the news service.

“They’re going to rely on workers and their union representatives to file complaints where the company is totally flouting the law,” she said.

Last week, OSHA published the details of the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate. Companies with more than 100 employees must require their workers to get vaccinated or undergo weekly testing. Companies that don’t comply could face fines of $14,000 for each “serious” violation. Repeat violators could face 10 times that amount.

Employees who are concerned about workplace safety, unvaccinated co-workers, or people not being tested as required may report their employers, according to Reuters.

Jim Frederick, the acting chief for OSHA, told reporters that the agency will focus on job sites “where workers need assistance to have a safe and healthy workplace.”

“That typically comes through in the form of a complaint,” he said.

OSHA has jurisdiction in 29 states, the AP reported. OSHA is tasked with addressing violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, which is meant to create safe workplaces, and the agency has updated its guidance about COVID-19 safety in the workplace throughout this year.

Other states, such as California and Michigan, have their own workplace safety agencies, which will have until February to adopt their own version of a vaccine mandate, according to the AP.

OSHA and state counterparts will be tasked with enforcing the mandate, and their agencies are already short-staffed. About 1,850 inspectors will oversee 130 million workers at 8 million job sites.

OSHA has encouraged workers to first report complaints to employers “if possible.” Otherwise, employees can file a confidential safety complaint with OSHA or file a case through a representative, such as a lawyer or union leader, the AP reported.

But workplace experts have voiced caution about the potential risks of reporting. Whistleblowers tend to face retaliation and OSHA can’t always offer protection in these cases.

“Technically, the law says that companies can’t retaliate against a worker for raising a health and safety issue or filing an OSHA complaint or even reporting an injury,” Ms. Berkowitz said. “But retaliation is rampant.”

OSHA has some jurisdiction to pursue employers who punish workers for reporting unsafe working conditions, the AP reported. Last month, the agency sued a luxury car dealer in Texas for firing an employee who warned co-workers about potential coronavirus hazards.

But at the same time, Ms. Berkowitz and the National Employment Law Project found that OSHA dismissed more than half of the COVID-related complaints of retaliation that it received from whistleblowers. About 2% of complaints were resolved during a 5-month period last year, according to their report.

As the vaccine mandate deadline approaches, most companies are expected to comply, experts told the AP. Some employers wanted to require the shot but didn’t want to create their own rule, and others have said they’ll follow OSHA regulations as they always do.

“Most employers, they’re law abiding,” David Michaels, a former OSHA chief who is a public health professor at George Washington University, told the AP.

“They’re trying to make sure that they meet the requirements of every law and regulation,” he said. “Now OSHA will follow up. They’ll respond to complaints. They’ll do spot checks. They’ll issue citations and fines, and they’ll make a big deal of those.”

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

The Department of Labor will likely need to rely on workplace whistleblowers when the Biden administration’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for large companies goes into effect in January.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) doesn’t have enough workplace safety inspectors to cover the nation, the Associated Press reported, so the agency will count on people within organizations to identify violations.

“There is no army of OSHA inspectors that is going to be knocking on employers’ doors or even calling them,” Debbie Berkowitz, a former OSHA chief of staff who is a fellow at Georgetown University, told the news service.

“They’re going to rely on workers and their union representatives to file complaints where the company is totally flouting the law,” she said.

Last week, OSHA published the details of the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate. Companies with more than 100 employees must require their workers to get vaccinated or undergo weekly testing. Companies that don’t comply could face fines of $14,000 for each “serious” violation. Repeat violators could face 10 times that amount.

Employees who are concerned about workplace safety, unvaccinated co-workers, or people not being tested as required may report their employers, according to Reuters.

Jim Frederick, the acting chief for OSHA, told reporters that the agency will focus on job sites “where workers need assistance to have a safe and healthy workplace.”

“That typically comes through in the form of a complaint,” he said.

OSHA has jurisdiction in 29 states, the AP reported. OSHA is tasked with addressing violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, which is meant to create safe workplaces, and the agency has updated its guidance about COVID-19 safety in the workplace throughout this year.

Other states, such as California and Michigan, have their own workplace safety agencies, which will have until February to adopt their own version of a vaccine mandate, according to the AP.

OSHA and state counterparts will be tasked with enforcing the mandate, and their agencies are already short-staffed. About 1,850 inspectors will oversee 130 million workers at 8 million job sites.

OSHA has encouraged workers to first report complaints to employers “if possible.” Otherwise, employees can file a confidential safety complaint with OSHA or file a case through a representative, such as a lawyer or union leader, the AP reported.

But workplace experts have voiced caution about the potential risks of reporting. Whistleblowers tend to face retaliation and OSHA can’t always offer protection in these cases.

“Technically, the law says that companies can’t retaliate against a worker for raising a health and safety issue or filing an OSHA complaint or even reporting an injury,” Ms. Berkowitz said. “But retaliation is rampant.”

OSHA has some jurisdiction to pursue employers who punish workers for reporting unsafe working conditions, the AP reported. Last month, the agency sued a luxury car dealer in Texas for firing an employee who warned co-workers about potential coronavirus hazards.

But at the same time, Ms. Berkowitz and the National Employment Law Project found that OSHA dismissed more than half of the COVID-related complaints of retaliation that it received from whistleblowers. About 2% of complaints were resolved during a 5-month period last year, according to their report.

As the vaccine mandate deadline approaches, most companies are expected to comply, experts told the AP. Some employers wanted to require the shot but didn’t want to create their own rule, and others have said they’ll follow OSHA regulations as they always do.

“Most employers, they’re law abiding,” David Michaels, a former OSHA chief who is a public health professor at George Washington University, told the AP.

“They’re trying to make sure that they meet the requirements of every law and regulation,” he said. “Now OSHA will follow up. They’ll respond to complaints. They’ll do spot checks. They’ll issue citations and fines, and they’ll make a big deal of those.”

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

Pfizer and its European partner BioNTech on Nov. 9 asked the U.S. government to expand emergency use authorization (EUA) to allow everybody over 18 to receive their COVID-19 booster shots.

If the request is approved, the broader use of Pfizer boosters would be a step toward President Biden’s goal of boosters for all adults. He announced the goal last August but backed off after some scientists said younger people may not need boosters, especially with large parts of the world unvaccinated.

Pfizer is submitting a study of booster effects on 10,000 people to make its case, according to The Associated Press.

This would be Pfizer’s second attempt. In September, a Food and Drug Administration advisory panel turned down Pfizer’s idea of booster shots for everybody over 18.

However, the committee recommended Pfizer booster shots for people 65 and over, essential workers, and people with underlying health conditions.

The FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention authorized the Pfizer booster for those other groups and later authorization was granted for the same groups with Moderna and Johnson & Johnson boosters. People who got the two-shot Pfizer or Moderna vaccines should get a booster 6 months after the second dose and people who got the one-dose J&J vaccine should get a booster 2 months later.

The pro-booster argument has strengthened because new data have come in from Israel that confirm boosters provide protection as vaccine effectiveness wanes over time, The Washington Post reported. Also, health officials are worried about a post-holiday surge and because COVID-19 case counts and deaths are not dropping in every part of the country, though they are declining overall, according to the The Post report.

The regulatory path for a booster-for-all application is unclear. The Post, citing two unnamed officials, said the FDA probably won’t send the Pfizer application to the FDA advisory committee this time because the committee has already had extensive discussions about boosters. If the FDA gives the green light, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, MD, would have to make updated recommendations on boosters, The Post article noted.
 

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

Pfizer and its European partner BioNTech on Nov. 9 asked the U.S. government to expand emergency use authorization (EUA) to allow everybody over 18 to receive their COVID-19 booster shots.

If the request is approved, the broader use of Pfizer boosters would be a step toward President Biden’s goal of boosters for all adults. He announced the goal last August but backed off after some scientists said younger people may not need boosters, especially with large parts of the world unvaccinated.

Pfizer is submitting a study of booster effects on 10,000 people to make its case, according to The Associated Press.

This would be Pfizer’s second attempt. In September, a Food and Drug Administration advisory panel turned down Pfizer’s idea of booster shots for everybody over 18.

However, the committee recommended Pfizer booster shots for people 65 and over, essential workers, and people with underlying health conditions.

The FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention authorized the Pfizer booster for those other groups and later authorization was granted for the same groups with Moderna and Johnson & Johnson boosters. People who got the two-shot Pfizer or Moderna vaccines should get a booster 6 months after the second dose and people who got the one-dose J&J vaccine should get a booster 2 months later.

The pro-booster argument has strengthened because new data have come in from Israel that confirm boosters provide protection as vaccine effectiveness wanes over time, The Washington Post reported. Also, health officials are worried about a post-holiday surge and because COVID-19 case counts and deaths are not dropping in every part of the country, though they are declining overall, according to the The Post report.

The regulatory path for a booster-for-all application is unclear. The Post, citing two unnamed officials, said the FDA probably won’t send the Pfizer application to the FDA advisory committee this time because the committee has already had extensive discussions about boosters. If the FDA gives the green light, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, MD, would have to make updated recommendations on boosters, The Post article noted.
 

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

Pfizer and its European partner BioNTech on Nov. 9 asked the U.S. government to expand emergency use authorization (EUA) to allow everybody over 18 to receive their COVID-19 booster shots.

If the request is approved, the broader use of Pfizer boosters would be a step toward President Biden’s goal of boosters for all adults. He announced the goal last August but backed off after some scientists said younger people may not need boosters, especially with large parts of the world unvaccinated.

Pfizer is submitting a study of booster effects on 10,000 people to make its case, according to The Associated Press.

This would be Pfizer’s second attempt. In September, a Food and Drug Administration advisory panel turned down Pfizer’s idea of booster shots for everybody over 18.

However, the committee recommended Pfizer booster shots for people 65 and over, essential workers, and people with underlying health conditions.

The FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention authorized the Pfizer booster for those other groups and later authorization was granted for the same groups with Moderna and Johnson & Johnson boosters. People who got the two-shot Pfizer or Moderna vaccines should get a booster 6 months after the second dose and people who got the one-dose J&J vaccine should get a booster 2 months later.

The pro-booster argument has strengthened because new data have come in from Israel that confirm boosters provide protection as vaccine effectiveness wanes over time, The Washington Post reported. Also, health officials are worried about a post-holiday surge and because COVID-19 case counts and deaths are not dropping in every part of the country, though they are declining overall, according to the The Post report.

The regulatory path for a booster-for-all application is unclear. The Post, citing two unnamed officials, said the FDA probably won’t send the Pfizer application to the FDA advisory committee this time because the committee has already had extensive discussions about boosters. If the FDA gives the green light, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, MD, would have to make updated recommendations on boosters, The Post article noted.
 

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

During the month of September, Texans who weren’t vaccinated against COVID-19 were 20 times more likely to die from COVID-19 and related complications than those who were fully vaccinated, according to a new study from the Texas Department of State Health Services.

The data also showed that unvaccinated people were 13 times more likely to test positive for COVID-19 than people who were fully vaccinated.

“This analysis quantifies what we’ve known for months,” Jennifer Shuford, MD, the state’s chief epidemiologist, told The Dallas Morning News.

“The COVID-19 vaccines are doing an excellent job of protecting people from getting sick and from dying from COVID-19,” she said. “Vaccination remains the best way to keep yourself and the people close to you safe from this deadly disease.”

As part of the study, researchers analyzed electronic lab reports, death certificates, and state immunization records, with a particular focus on September when the contagious Delta variant surged across Texas. The research marks the state’s first statistical analysis of COVID-19 vaccinations in Texas and the effects, the newspaper reported.

The protective effect of vaccination was most noticeable among younger groups. During September, the risk of COVID-19 death was 23 times higher in unvaccinated people in their 30s and 55 times higher for unvaccinated people in their 40s.

In addition, there were fewer than 10 COVID-19 deaths in September among fully vaccinated people between ages 18-29, as compared with 339 deaths among unvaccinated people in the same age group.

Then, looking at a longer time period -- from Jan. 15 to Oct. 1 -- the researchers found that unvaccinated people were 45 times more likely to contract COVID-19 than fully vaccinated people. The protective effect of vaccination against infection was strong across all adult age groups but greatest among ages 12-17.

“All authorized COVID-19 vaccines in the United States are highly effective at protecting people from getting sick or severely ill with COVID-19, including those infected with Delta and other known variants,” the study authors wrote. “Real world data from Texas clearly shows these benefits.”

About 15.6 million people in Texas have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in a state of about 29 million residents, according to state data. About 66% of the population has received at least one dose, while 58% is fully vaccinated.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

During the month of September, Texans who weren’t vaccinated against COVID-19 were 20 times more likely to die from COVID-19 and related complications than those who were fully vaccinated, according to a new study from the Texas Department of State Health Services.

The data also showed that unvaccinated people were 13 times more likely to test positive for COVID-19 than people who were fully vaccinated.

“This analysis quantifies what we’ve known for months,” Jennifer Shuford, MD, the state’s chief epidemiologist, told The Dallas Morning News.

“The COVID-19 vaccines are doing an excellent job of protecting people from getting sick and from dying from COVID-19,” she said. “Vaccination remains the best way to keep yourself and the people close to you safe from this deadly disease.”

As part of the study, researchers analyzed electronic lab reports, death certificates, and state immunization records, with a particular focus on September when the contagious Delta variant surged across Texas. The research marks the state’s first statistical analysis of COVID-19 vaccinations in Texas and the effects, the newspaper reported.

The protective effect of vaccination was most noticeable among younger groups. During September, the risk of COVID-19 death was 23 times higher in unvaccinated people in their 30s and 55 times higher for unvaccinated people in their 40s.

In addition, there were fewer than 10 COVID-19 deaths in September among fully vaccinated people between ages 18-29, as compared with 339 deaths among unvaccinated people in the same age group.

Then, looking at a longer time period -- from Jan. 15 to Oct. 1 -- the researchers found that unvaccinated people were 45 times more likely to contract COVID-19 than fully vaccinated people. The protective effect of vaccination against infection was strong across all adult age groups but greatest among ages 12-17.

“All authorized COVID-19 vaccines in the United States are highly effective at protecting people from getting sick or severely ill with COVID-19, including those infected with Delta and other known variants,” the study authors wrote. “Real world data from Texas clearly shows these benefits.”

About 15.6 million people in Texas have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in a state of about 29 million residents, according to state data. About 66% of the population has received at least one dose, while 58% is fully vaccinated.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

During the month of September, Texans who weren’t vaccinated against COVID-19 were 20 times more likely to die from COVID-19 and related complications than those who were fully vaccinated, according to a new study from the Texas Department of State Health Services.

The data also showed that unvaccinated people were 13 times more likely to test positive for COVID-19 than people who were fully vaccinated.

“This analysis quantifies what we’ve known for months,” Jennifer Shuford, MD, the state’s chief epidemiologist, told The Dallas Morning News.

“The COVID-19 vaccines are doing an excellent job of protecting people from getting sick and from dying from COVID-19,” she said. “Vaccination remains the best way to keep yourself and the people close to you safe from this deadly disease.”

As part of the study, researchers analyzed electronic lab reports, death certificates, and state immunization records, with a particular focus on September when the contagious Delta variant surged across Texas. The research marks the state’s first statistical analysis of COVID-19 vaccinations in Texas and the effects, the newspaper reported.

The protective effect of vaccination was most noticeable among younger groups. During September, the risk of COVID-19 death was 23 times higher in unvaccinated people in their 30s and 55 times higher for unvaccinated people in their 40s.

In addition, there were fewer than 10 COVID-19 deaths in September among fully vaccinated people between ages 18-29, as compared with 339 deaths among unvaccinated people in the same age group.

Then, looking at a longer time period -- from Jan. 15 to Oct. 1 -- the researchers found that unvaccinated people were 45 times more likely to contract COVID-19 than fully vaccinated people. The protective effect of vaccination against infection was strong across all adult age groups but greatest among ages 12-17.

“All authorized COVID-19 vaccines in the United States are highly effective at protecting people from getting sick or severely ill with COVID-19, including those infected with Delta and other known variants,” the study authors wrote. “Real world data from Texas clearly shows these benefits.”

About 15.6 million people in Texas have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in a state of about 29 million residents, according to state data. About 66% of the population has received at least one dose, while 58% is fully vaccinated.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

As millions of children between ages 5-11 became eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine recently, several cities and states are including them in vaccine incentive programs that offer cash and giveaways.
 

In New York City, for instance, children can claim $100 if they receive their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine at a city-operated vaccine site. As an alternate choice, they can receive tickets to city attractions such as the Statue of Liberty or the Brooklyn Cyclones baseball team.

“We really want kids to take advantage, families take advantage of that,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said Nov. 4.

“Everyone could use a little more money around the holidays,” he said. “But, most importantly, we want our kids and our families to be safe.”

In Chicago, health officials are offering $100 gift cards to children who get vaccinated at public health events or clinics. The Chicago school district is also closing on Nov. 12 for Vaccination Awareness Day so students can get shots.

“It is rare that we make a late change to the school calendar, but we see this as an important investment in the future of this school year and the health and well-being of our students, staff, and families,” Pedro Martinez, the CEO for Chicago Public Schools, said in a message to parents.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cleared the COVID-19 shot for children as young as age 5 on Nov. 2, making most Americans eligible for the vaccine. Ages 5-11 receive one-third of the dose given to adults and teens.

Other states and cities are offering incentives as well:

• San Antonio: Parents and guardians who take their children to get vaccinated at a Metro Health clinic can receive a $100 gift card for H-E-B grocery stores.
• Louisiana: As part of the “Shot for $100” program, anyone who receives their first shot is eligible for $100. Children between ages 5-11 can receive the cash incentive but require parental consent to get the vaccine.
• Minnesota: As part of the “Kids Deserve a Shot!” program, ages 12-17 can receive a $200 gift card and the opportunity to enter a raffle for a $100,000 college scholarship.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

As millions of children between ages 5-11 became eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine recently, several cities and states are including them in vaccine incentive programs that offer cash and giveaways.
 

In New York City, for instance, children can claim $100 if they receive their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine at a city-operated vaccine site. As an alternate choice, they can receive tickets to city attractions such as the Statue of Liberty or the Brooklyn Cyclones baseball team.

“We really want kids to take advantage, families take advantage of that,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said Nov. 4.

“Everyone could use a little more money around the holidays,” he said. “But, most importantly, we want our kids and our families to be safe.”

In Chicago, health officials are offering $100 gift cards to children who get vaccinated at public health events or clinics. The Chicago school district is also closing on Nov. 12 for Vaccination Awareness Day so students can get shots.

“It is rare that we make a late change to the school calendar, but we see this as an important investment in the future of this school year and the health and well-being of our students, staff, and families,” Pedro Martinez, the CEO for Chicago Public Schools, said in a message to parents.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cleared the COVID-19 shot for children as young as age 5 on Nov. 2, making most Americans eligible for the vaccine. Ages 5-11 receive one-third of the dose given to adults and teens.

Other states and cities are offering incentives as well:

• San Antonio: Parents and guardians who take their children to get vaccinated at a Metro Health clinic can receive a $100 gift card for H-E-B grocery stores.
• Louisiana: As part of the “Shot for $100” program, anyone who receives their first shot is eligible for $100. Children between ages 5-11 can receive the cash incentive but require parental consent to get the vaccine.
• Minnesota: As part of the “Kids Deserve a Shot!” program, ages 12-17 can receive a $200 gift card and the opportunity to enter a raffle for a $100,000 college scholarship.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

As millions of children between ages 5-11 became eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine recently, several cities and states are including them in vaccine incentive programs that offer cash and giveaways.
 

In New York City, for instance, children can claim $100 if they receive their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine at a city-operated vaccine site. As an alternate choice, they can receive tickets to city attractions such as the Statue of Liberty or the Brooklyn Cyclones baseball team.

“We really want kids to take advantage, families take advantage of that,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said Nov. 4.

“Everyone could use a little more money around the holidays,” he said. “But, most importantly, we want our kids and our families to be safe.”

In Chicago, health officials are offering $100 gift cards to children who get vaccinated at public health events or clinics. The Chicago school district is also closing on Nov. 12 for Vaccination Awareness Day so students can get shots.

“It is rare that we make a late change to the school calendar, but we see this as an important investment in the future of this school year and the health and well-being of our students, staff, and families,” Pedro Martinez, the CEO for Chicago Public Schools, said in a message to parents.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cleared the COVID-19 shot for children as young as age 5 on Nov. 2, making most Americans eligible for the vaccine. Ages 5-11 receive one-third of the dose given to adults and teens.

Other states and cities are offering incentives as well:

• San Antonio: Parents and guardians who take their children to get vaccinated at a Metro Health clinic can receive a $100 gift card for H-E-B grocery stores.
• Louisiana: As part of the “Shot for $100” program, anyone who receives their first shot is eligible for $100. Children between ages 5-11 can receive the cash incentive but require parental consent to get the vaccine.
• Minnesota: As part of the “Kids Deserve a Shot!” program, ages 12-17 can receive a $200 gift card and the opportunity to enter a raffle for a $100,000 college scholarship.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

Unvaccinated people who had a recent infection were five times more likely to be reinfected with the coronavirus compared to those who were fully vaccinated and didn’t have a prior infection, according to a new study published recently in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

The research team concluded that vaccination can provide a higher, stronger, and more consistent level of immunity against COVID-19 hospitalization than infection alone for at least six months.

“We now have additional evidence that reaffirms the importance of COVID-19 vaccines, even if you have had prior infection,” Rochelle Walensky, MD, director of the CDC, said in a statement.

“This study adds more to the body of knowledge demonstrating the protection of vaccines against severe disease from COVID-19,” she said. “The best way to stop COVID-19, including the emergence of variants, is with widespread COVID-19 vaccination and with disease prevention actions such as mask wearing, washing hands often, physical distancing and staying home when sick.”

Researchers looked at data from the VISION Network, which included more than 201,000 hospitalizations for COVID-like illness at 187 hospitals across nine states between Jan. 1 to Sept. 2. Among those, more than 94,000 had rapid testing for the coronavirus, and 7,300 had a lab-confirmed test for COVID-19.

The research team found that unvaccinated people with a prior infection within 3 to 6 months were about 5-1/2 times more likely to have laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 than those who were fully vaccinated within 3 to 6 months with the Pfizer or Moderna shots. They found similar results when looking at the months that the Delta variant was the dominant strain of the coronavirus.

Protection from the Moderna vaccine “appeared to be higher” than for the Pfizer vaccine, the study authors wrote. The boost in protection also “trended higher” among older adults, as compared to those under age 65.

Importantly, the research team noted, these estimates may change over time as immunity wanes. Future studies should consider infection-induced and vaccine-induced immunity as time passes during the pandemic, they wrote.

Additional research is also needed for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, they wrote. Those who have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are currently recommended to receive a booster shot at least two months after the first shot.

Overall, “all eligible persons should be vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as possible, including unvaccinated persons previously infected,” the research team concluded.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

Unvaccinated people who had a recent infection were five times more likely to be reinfected with the coronavirus compared to those who were fully vaccinated and didn’t have a prior infection, according to a new study published recently in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

The research team concluded that vaccination can provide a higher, stronger, and more consistent level of immunity against COVID-19 hospitalization than infection alone for at least six months.

“We now have additional evidence that reaffirms the importance of COVID-19 vaccines, even if you have had prior infection,” Rochelle Walensky, MD, director of the CDC, said in a statement.

“This study adds more to the body of knowledge demonstrating the protection of vaccines against severe disease from COVID-19,” she said. “The best way to stop COVID-19, including the emergence of variants, is with widespread COVID-19 vaccination and with disease prevention actions such as mask wearing, washing hands often, physical distancing and staying home when sick.”

Researchers looked at data from the VISION Network, which included more than 201,000 hospitalizations for COVID-like illness at 187 hospitals across nine states between Jan. 1 to Sept. 2. Among those, more than 94,000 had rapid testing for the coronavirus, and 7,300 had a lab-confirmed test for COVID-19.

The research team found that unvaccinated people with a prior infection within 3 to 6 months were about 5-1/2 times more likely to have laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 than those who were fully vaccinated within 3 to 6 months with the Pfizer or Moderna shots. They found similar results when looking at the months that the Delta variant was the dominant strain of the coronavirus.

Protection from the Moderna vaccine “appeared to be higher” than for the Pfizer vaccine, the study authors wrote. The boost in protection also “trended higher” among older adults, as compared to those under age 65.

Importantly, the research team noted, these estimates may change over time as immunity wanes. Future studies should consider infection-induced and vaccine-induced immunity as time passes during the pandemic, they wrote.

Additional research is also needed for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, they wrote. Those who have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are currently recommended to receive a booster shot at least two months after the first shot.

Overall, “all eligible persons should be vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as possible, including unvaccinated persons previously infected,” the research team concluded.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

Unvaccinated people who had a recent infection were five times more likely to be reinfected with the coronavirus compared to those who were fully vaccinated and didn’t have a prior infection, according to a new study published recently in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

The research team concluded that vaccination can provide a higher, stronger, and more consistent level of immunity against COVID-19 hospitalization than infection alone for at least six months.

“We now have additional evidence that reaffirms the importance of COVID-19 vaccines, even if you have had prior infection,” Rochelle Walensky, MD, director of the CDC, said in a statement.

“This study adds more to the body of knowledge demonstrating the protection of vaccines against severe disease from COVID-19,” she said. “The best way to stop COVID-19, including the emergence of variants, is with widespread COVID-19 vaccination and with disease prevention actions such as mask wearing, washing hands often, physical distancing and staying home when sick.”

Researchers looked at data from the VISION Network, which included more than 201,000 hospitalizations for COVID-like illness at 187 hospitals across nine states between Jan. 1 to Sept. 2. Among those, more than 94,000 had rapid testing for the coronavirus, and 7,300 had a lab-confirmed test for COVID-19.

The research team found that unvaccinated people with a prior infection within 3 to 6 months were about 5-1/2 times more likely to have laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 than those who were fully vaccinated within 3 to 6 months with the Pfizer or Moderna shots. They found similar results when looking at the months that the Delta variant was the dominant strain of the coronavirus.

Protection from the Moderna vaccine “appeared to be higher” than for the Pfizer vaccine, the study authors wrote. The boost in protection also “trended higher” among older adults, as compared to those under age 65.

Importantly, the research team noted, these estimates may change over time as immunity wanes. Future studies should consider infection-induced and vaccine-induced immunity as time passes during the pandemic, they wrote.

Additional research is also needed for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, they wrote. Those who have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are currently recommended to receive a booster shot at least two months after the first shot.

Overall, “all eligible persons should be vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as possible, including unvaccinated persons previously infected,” the research team concluded.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

Ohio recorded more deaths than births for the first time in history last year, with about 10,000 more people dying than were born.

In 2020, around 143,661 Ohioans died and 129,313 Ohioans were born, according to The Columbus Dispatch. The trend appears to have continued so far this year, with 107,462 deaths and 100,781 births reported to date.

Deaths haven’t surpassed births in the 112 years since the state began compiling data in 1909, the newspaper reported. The state’s birth rate has been declining for years while the number of deaths has risen, though data shows that the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the shift.

“It doesn’t surprise me at all,” Joseph Gastaldo, MD, the medical director of infectious diseases for OhioHealth, told the newspaper.

Ohio’s birth rate fell by 4% in 2020, which defied public expectations about a pandemic birth boom. In addition, the state reported 13,927 COVID-19 deaths throughout the year.

“It’s COVID, clearly,” he noted.

Alabama also recorded more deaths than births for the first time last year, according to The New York Times. The state reported 64,714 deaths and 57,641 births in 2020.

“Our state literally shrunk in 2020,” Scott Harris, MD, the state health officer for Alabama, said at a news conference in September.

The state had never recorded a gap that large, even during World War I, World War II, and the 1918 flu pandemic, he said. Alabama has kept records on the numbers since 1900.

“We’ve never had a time when deaths exceeded births,” Dr. Harris said.

In fact, about half of U.S. states reported death rates higher than birth rates in 2020, according to a recent study from researchers at the University of New Hampshire. In 2019, only five states --Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, and West Virginia -- reported more deaths than births.

In 2020, the United States reported a record of nearly 3.4 million deaths, which was 18% more than in 2019, the researchers found. COVID-19 was the primary reason for the increase in deaths, accounting for about 11% of total deaths. Meanwhile, births dropped by 4% to about 3.6 million.

The surplus of births over deaths added 229,000 people to the U.S. population in 2020, as compared to 892,000 in 2019, which means the country’s population growth slowed last year. The decline, paired with lower immigration rates during the pandemic, led to the smallest annual percentage population gain in at least 100 years.

“Deaths will likely exceed births again in many states in 2021,” Kenneth Johnson, PhD, a senior demographer and study author, wrote in a statement.

“How large or protracted these fertility declines and mortality increases will be remains to be seen, but they have already dramatically reduced population growth in the United States,” he said.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

Ohio recorded more deaths than births for the first time in history last year, with about 10,000 more people dying than were born.

In 2020, around 143,661 Ohioans died and 129,313 Ohioans were born, according to The Columbus Dispatch. The trend appears to have continued so far this year, with 107,462 deaths and 100,781 births reported to date.

Deaths haven’t surpassed births in the 112 years since the state began compiling data in 1909, the newspaper reported. The state’s birth rate has been declining for years while the number of deaths has risen, though data shows that the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the shift.

“It doesn’t surprise me at all,” Joseph Gastaldo, MD, the medical director of infectious diseases for OhioHealth, told the newspaper.

Ohio’s birth rate fell by 4% in 2020, which defied public expectations about a pandemic birth boom. In addition, the state reported 13,927 COVID-19 deaths throughout the year.

“It’s COVID, clearly,” he noted.

Alabama also recorded more deaths than births for the first time last year, according to The New York Times. The state reported 64,714 deaths and 57,641 births in 2020.

“Our state literally shrunk in 2020,” Scott Harris, MD, the state health officer for Alabama, said at a news conference in September.

The state had never recorded a gap that large, even during World War I, World War II, and the 1918 flu pandemic, he said. Alabama has kept records on the numbers since 1900.

“We’ve never had a time when deaths exceeded births,” Dr. Harris said.

In fact, about half of U.S. states reported death rates higher than birth rates in 2020, according to a recent study from researchers at the University of New Hampshire. In 2019, only five states --Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, and West Virginia -- reported more deaths than births.

In 2020, the United States reported a record of nearly 3.4 million deaths, which was 18% more than in 2019, the researchers found. COVID-19 was the primary reason for the increase in deaths, accounting for about 11% of total deaths. Meanwhile, births dropped by 4% to about 3.6 million.

The surplus of births over deaths added 229,000 people to the U.S. population in 2020, as compared to 892,000 in 2019, which means the country’s population growth slowed last year. The decline, paired with lower immigration rates during the pandemic, led to the smallest annual percentage population gain in at least 100 years.

“Deaths will likely exceed births again in many states in 2021,” Kenneth Johnson, PhD, a senior demographer and study author, wrote in a statement.

“How large or protracted these fertility declines and mortality increases will be remains to be seen, but they have already dramatically reduced population growth in the United States,” he said.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

Ohio recorded more deaths than births for the first time in history last year, with about 10,000 more people dying than were born.

In 2020, around 143,661 Ohioans died and 129,313 Ohioans were born, according to The Columbus Dispatch. The trend appears to have continued so far this year, with 107,462 deaths and 100,781 births reported to date.

Deaths haven’t surpassed births in the 112 years since the state began compiling data in 1909, the newspaper reported. The state’s birth rate has been declining for years while the number of deaths has risen, though data shows that the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the shift.

“It doesn’t surprise me at all,” Joseph Gastaldo, MD, the medical director of infectious diseases for OhioHealth, told the newspaper.

Ohio’s birth rate fell by 4% in 2020, which defied public expectations about a pandemic birth boom. In addition, the state reported 13,927 COVID-19 deaths throughout the year.

“It’s COVID, clearly,” he noted.

Alabama also recorded more deaths than births for the first time last year, according to The New York Times. The state reported 64,714 deaths and 57,641 births in 2020.

“Our state literally shrunk in 2020,” Scott Harris, MD, the state health officer for Alabama, said at a news conference in September.

The state had never recorded a gap that large, even during World War I, World War II, and the 1918 flu pandemic, he said. Alabama has kept records on the numbers since 1900.

“We’ve never had a time when deaths exceeded births,” Dr. Harris said.

In fact, about half of U.S. states reported death rates higher than birth rates in 2020, according to a recent study from researchers at the University of New Hampshire. In 2019, only five states --Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, and West Virginia -- reported more deaths than births.

In 2020, the United States reported a record of nearly 3.4 million deaths, which was 18% more than in 2019, the researchers found. COVID-19 was the primary reason for the increase in deaths, accounting for about 11% of total deaths. Meanwhile, births dropped by 4% to about 3.6 million.

The surplus of births over deaths added 229,000 people to the U.S. population in 2020, as compared to 892,000 in 2019, which means the country’s population growth slowed last year. The decline, paired with lower immigration rates during the pandemic, led to the smallest annual percentage population gain in at least 100 years.

“Deaths will likely exceed births again in many states in 2021,” Kenneth Johnson, PhD, a senior demographer and study author, wrote in a statement.

“How large or protracted these fertility declines and mortality increases will be remains to be seen, but they have already dramatically reduced population growth in the United States,” he said.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

People who don’t get vaccinated against COVID-19 should expect to be reinfected with the coronavirus every 16 to 17 months on average, according to a recent study published in The Lancet Microbe.

Since COVID-19 hasn’t existed for long enough to perform a long-term study, researchers at Yale University and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte looked at reinfection data for six other human-infecting coronaviruses, including SARS and MERS.

“Reinfection can reasonably happen in three months or less,” Jeffrey Townsend, PhD, lead study author and a biostatistics professor at the Yale School of Public Health, said in a statement.

“Therefore, those who have been naturally infected should get vaccinated,” he said. “Previous infection alone can offer very little long-term protection against subsequent infections.”

The research team looked at post-infection data for six coronaviruses between 1984-2020 and found reinfection ranged from 128 days to 28 years. They calculated that reinfection with COVID-19 would likely occur between 3 months to 5 years after peak antibody response, with an average of 16 months. This is less than half the duration seen for other coronaviruses that circulate among humans.

The risk of COVID-19 reinfection is about 5% at three months, which jumps to 50% after 17 months, the research team found. Reinfection could become increasingly common as immunity wanes and new variants develop, they said.

“We tend to think about immunity as being immune or not immune. Our study cautions that we instead should be more focused on the risk of reinfection through time,” Alex Dornburg, PhD, senior study author and assistant professor of bioinformatics and genomics at UNC, said in the statement.

“As new variants arise, previous immune responses become less effective at combating the virus,” he said. “Those who were naturally infected early in the pandemic are increasingly likely to become reinfected in the near future.”

Study estimates are based on average times of declining immunity across different coronaviruses, the researchers told the Yale Daily News. At the individual level, people have different levels of immunity, which can provide shorter or longer duration of protection based on immune status, immunity within a community, age, underlying health conditions, environmental exposure, and other factors.

The research team said that preventive health measures and global distribution of vaccines will be “critical” in minimizing reinfection and COVID-19 deaths. In areas with low vaccination rates, for instance, unvaccinated people should continue safety practices such as social distancing, wearing masks, and proper indoor ventilation to avoid reinfection.

“We need to be very aware of the fact that this disease is likely to be circulating over the long term and that we don’t have this long-term immunity that many people seem to be hoping to rely on in order to protect them from disease,” Dr. Townsend told the newspaper.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

People who don’t get vaccinated against COVID-19 should expect to be reinfected with the coronavirus every 16 to 17 months on average, according to a recent study published in The Lancet Microbe.

Since COVID-19 hasn’t existed for long enough to perform a long-term study, researchers at Yale University and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte looked at reinfection data for six other human-infecting coronaviruses, including SARS and MERS.

“Reinfection can reasonably happen in three months or less,” Jeffrey Townsend, PhD, lead study author and a biostatistics professor at the Yale School of Public Health, said in a statement.

“Therefore, those who have been naturally infected should get vaccinated,” he said. “Previous infection alone can offer very little long-term protection against subsequent infections.”

The research team looked at post-infection data for six coronaviruses between 1984-2020 and found reinfection ranged from 128 days to 28 years. They calculated that reinfection with COVID-19 would likely occur between 3 months to 5 years after peak antibody response, with an average of 16 months. This is less than half the duration seen for other coronaviruses that circulate among humans.

The risk of COVID-19 reinfection is about 5% at three months, which jumps to 50% after 17 months, the research team found. Reinfection could become increasingly common as immunity wanes and new variants develop, they said.

“We tend to think about immunity as being immune or not immune. Our study cautions that we instead should be more focused on the risk of reinfection through time,” Alex Dornburg, PhD, senior study author and assistant professor of bioinformatics and genomics at UNC, said in the statement.

“As new variants arise, previous immune responses become less effective at combating the virus,” he said. “Those who were naturally infected early in the pandemic are increasingly likely to become reinfected in the near future.”

Study estimates are based on average times of declining immunity across different coronaviruses, the researchers told the Yale Daily News. At the individual level, people have different levels of immunity, which can provide shorter or longer duration of protection based on immune status, immunity within a community, age, underlying health conditions, environmental exposure, and other factors.

The research team said that preventive health measures and global distribution of vaccines will be “critical” in minimizing reinfection and COVID-19 deaths. In areas with low vaccination rates, for instance, unvaccinated people should continue safety practices such as social distancing, wearing masks, and proper indoor ventilation to avoid reinfection.

“We need to be very aware of the fact that this disease is likely to be circulating over the long term and that we don’t have this long-term immunity that many people seem to be hoping to rely on in order to protect them from disease,” Dr. Townsend told the newspaper.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

People who don’t get vaccinated against COVID-19 should expect to be reinfected with the coronavirus every 16 to 17 months on average, according to a recent study published in The Lancet Microbe.

Since COVID-19 hasn’t existed for long enough to perform a long-term study, researchers at Yale University and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte looked at reinfection data for six other human-infecting coronaviruses, including SARS and MERS.

“Reinfection can reasonably happen in three months or less,” Jeffrey Townsend, PhD, lead study author and a biostatistics professor at the Yale School of Public Health, said in a statement.

“Therefore, those who have been naturally infected should get vaccinated,” he said. “Previous infection alone can offer very little long-term protection against subsequent infections.”

The research team looked at post-infection data for six coronaviruses between 1984-2020 and found reinfection ranged from 128 days to 28 years. They calculated that reinfection with COVID-19 would likely occur between 3 months to 5 years after peak antibody response, with an average of 16 months. This is less than half the duration seen for other coronaviruses that circulate among humans.

The risk of COVID-19 reinfection is about 5% at three months, which jumps to 50% after 17 months, the research team found. Reinfection could become increasingly common as immunity wanes and new variants develop, they said.

“We tend to think about immunity as being immune or not immune. Our study cautions that we instead should be more focused on the risk of reinfection through time,” Alex Dornburg, PhD, senior study author and assistant professor of bioinformatics and genomics at UNC, said in the statement.

“As new variants arise, previous immune responses become less effective at combating the virus,” he said. “Those who were naturally infected early in the pandemic are increasingly likely to become reinfected in the near future.”

Study estimates are based on average times of declining immunity across different coronaviruses, the researchers told the Yale Daily News. At the individual level, people have different levels of immunity, which can provide shorter or longer duration of protection based on immune status, immunity within a community, age, underlying health conditions, environmental exposure, and other factors.

The research team said that preventive health measures and global distribution of vaccines will be “critical” in minimizing reinfection and COVID-19 deaths. In areas with low vaccination rates, for instance, unvaccinated people should continue safety practices such as social distancing, wearing masks, and proper indoor ventilation to avoid reinfection.

“We need to be very aware of the fact that this disease is likely to be circulating over the long term and that we don’t have this long-term immunity that many people seem to be hoping to rely on in order to protect them from disease,” Dr. Townsend told the newspaper.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

COVID-19 vaccination rates vary dramatically by astrological sign, with Leos at the top of the list and Scorpios at the bottom, according to The Salt Lake Tribune.

The Salt Lake County Health Department calculated the rates based on anonymous birth dates from the county’s vaccination data and then compared those figures to national estimates for the overall population represented by each sign.

“Now that Mercury is not in retrograde, we’re just going to leave this here … (and yes, this is based on data),” the Health Department wrote in a Twitter post on Tuesday.

“The COVID-19 vaccine is backed by science and is no way influenced by horoscopes,” the department continued. “But come on Scorpios!”

According to the graphic, 70% of those with the Leo sign are fully vaccinated, followed by Aquarius at 67%, and Aries and Sagittarius both at 59%. The other signs range from 58% to 50%, in descending order: Cancer, Taurus, Gemini, Libra, Pisces, Capricorn, and Virgo. Scorpio sits at the bottom of the list, with 46% fully vaccinated.

Notably, three of the top four signs are elemental fire signs, The Salt Lake Tribune noted.

“We are overachievers,” Jeff Eason, an Aries and the department’s bureau manager of population health and informatics, who did the analysis, told the newspaper.

The Health Department’s post sparked positive and negative feedback across social media, with some musing about their own sign’s inclinations and others scoffing at astrology altogether.

“What we’re really doing is finding new and different ways to keep our community talking about vaccination when there is significant message fatigue around this topic,” the department wrote in the comments.

The range of vaccination rates was startlingly wide, Mr. Eason told The Salt Lake Tribune. But he noted that the difference “could all come down to denominators.”

Each sign’s vaccination rate was ranked almost exactly inverse to its share of the overall population, the newspaper reported. Scorpios and Virgos make up 9.4% and 9.3% of the U.S. population, respectively, as compared with 7.1% for Leos and 6.3% for Aquarians.

If the 12 astrological signs were more evenly distributed in Salt Lake County than nationally, Mr. Eason said, the range of vaccinations rates wouldn’t be as wide as the analysis shows.

“Obviously, it’s not super scientific because we are talking astrology,” Nicholas Rupp, a spokesman for the health department and a vaccinated Scorpio, told the newspaper.

Still, health department officials wanted to do the analysis as a fun way to start conversations and promote vaccinations. About 59% of Salt Lake County residents are fully vaccinated, and about 54% of Utah residents are fully vaccinated.

“We do have message fatigue around vaccines,” Mr. Rupp said.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

COVID-19 vaccination rates vary dramatically by astrological sign, with Leos at the top of the list and Scorpios at the bottom, according to The Salt Lake Tribune.

The Salt Lake County Health Department calculated the rates based on anonymous birth dates from the county’s vaccination data and then compared those figures to national estimates for the overall population represented by each sign.

“Now that Mercury is not in retrograde, we’re just going to leave this here … (and yes, this is based on data),” the Health Department wrote in a Twitter post on Tuesday.

“The COVID-19 vaccine is backed by science and is no way influenced by horoscopes,” the department continued. “But come on Scorpios!”

According to the graphic, 70% of those with the Leo sign are fully vaccinated, followed by Aquarius at 67%, and Aries and Sagittarius both at 59%. The other signs range from 58% to 50%, in descending order: Cancer, Taurus, Gemini, Libra, Pisces, Capricorn, and Virgo. Scorpio sits at the bottom of the list, with 46% fully vaccinated.

Notably, three of the top four signs are elemental fire signs, The Salt Lake Tribune noted.

“We are overachievers,” Jeff Eason, an Aries and the department’s bureau manager of population health and informatics, who did the analysis, told the newspaper.

The Health Department’s post sparked positive and negative feedback across social media, with some musing about their own sign’s inclinations and others scoffing at astrology altogether.

“What we’re really doing is finding new and different ways to keep our community talking about vaccination when there is significant message fatigue around this topic,” the department wrote in the comments.

The range of vaccination rates was startlingly wide, Mr. Eason told The Salt Lake Tribune. But he noted that the difference “could all come down to denominators.”

Each sign’s vaccination rate was ranked almost exactly inverse to its share of the overall population, the newspaper reported. Scorpios and Virgos make up 9.4% and 9.3% of the U.S. population, respectively, as compared with 7.1% for Leos and 6.3% for Aquarians.

If the 12 astrological signs were more evenly distributed in Salt Lake County than nationally, Mr. Eason said, the range of vaccinations rates wouldn’t be as wide as the analysis shows.

“Obviously, it’s not super scientific because we are talking astrology,” Nicholas Rupp, a spokesman for the health department and a vaccinated Scorpio, told the newspaper.

Still, health department officials wanted to do the analysis as a fun way to start conversations and promote vaccinations. About 59% of Salt Lake County residents are fully vaccinated, and about 54% of Utah residents are fully vaccinated.

“We do have message fatigue around vaccines,” Mr. Rupp said.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

COVID-19 vaccination rates vary dramatically by astrological sign, with Leos at the top of the list and Scorpios at the bottom, according to The Salt Lake Tribune.

The Salt Lake County Health Department calculated the rates based on anonymous birth dates from the county’s vaccination data and then compared those figures to national estimates for the overall population represented by each sign.

“Now that Mercury is not in retrograde, we’re just going to leave this here … (and yes, this is based on data),” the Health Department wrote in a Twitter post on Tuesday.

“The COVID-19 vaccine is backed by science and is no way influenced by horoscopes,” the department continued. “But come on Scorpios!”

According to the graphic, 70% of those with the Leo sign are fully vaccinated, followed by Aquarius at 67%, and Aries and Sagittarius both at 59%. The other signs range from 58% to 50%, in descending order: Cancer, Taurus, Gemini, Libra, Pisces, Capricorn, and Virgo. Scorpio sits at the bottom of the list, with 46% fully vaccinated.

Notably, three of the top four signs are elemental fire signs, The Salt Lake Tribune noted.

“We are overachievers,” Jeff Eason, an Aries and the department’s bureau manager of population health and informatics, who did the analysis, told the newspaper.

The Health Department’s post sparked positive and negative feedback across social media, with some musing about their own sign’s inclinations and others scoffing at astrology altogether.

“What we’re really doing is finding new and different ways to keep our community talking about vaccination when there is significant message fatigue around this topic,” the department wrote in the comments.

The range of vaccination rates was startlingly wide, Mr. Eason told The Salt Lake Tribune. But he noted that the difference “could all come down to denominators.”

Each sign’s vaccination rate was ranked almost exactly inverse to its share of the overall population, the newspaper reported. Scorpios and Virgos make up 9.4% and 9.3% of the U.S. population, respectively, as compared with 7.1% for Leos and 6.3% for Aquarians.

If the 12 astrological signs were more evenly distributed in Salt Lake County than nationally, Mr. Eason said, the range of vaccinations rates wouldn’t be as wide as the analysis shows.

“Obviously, it’s not super scientific because we are talking astrology,” Nicholas Rupp, a spokesman for the health department and a vaccinated Scorpio, told the newspaper.

Still, health department officials wanted to do the analysis as a fun way to start conversations and promote vaccinations. About 59% of Salt Lake County residents are fully vaccinated, and about 54% of Utah residents are fully vaccinated.

“We do have message fatigue around vaccines,” Mr. Rupp said.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

States can preorder COVID-19 vaccine doses for younger children this week as they begin to set up vaccination campaigns for ages 5-11.

Vaccine advisory groups for the FDA and CDC are scheduled to discuss and approve the Pfizer shot for kids in the next three weeks. To help states and cities prepare for the rollout, the CDC issued guidance on how to set up expanded vaccination programs.

Immunization program managers can begin ordering doses on Wednesday, according to the guidance. The vials won’t be delivered until the FDA and CDC authorize the shot, but registering now will help federal officials ship doses quickly once they’re available.

Pharmacies in every state will be able to give COVID-19 shots to children, but they can only use doses that are prepared specifically for children. Ages 5-11 will need a 10-microgram dose, which is one-third of the dose administered to ages 12 and older. The guidance warns that doctors should not try to split up or fraction the adult doses.

The CDC guidance also recommends that pediatricians and family practice doctors should serve as primary places to give shots to kids. The document mentions other options, such as vaccination clinics at schools, but doesn’t endorse them as the first choice for vaccinating kids.

The CDC hasn’t yet addressed questions around whether kids should be required to get vaccinated to attend school. The decision will likely be left to state and city officials.

Federal health officials aren’t yet sure how many parents and guardians will seek shots for their younger kids right away, the AP reported. Demand may be high at first for some families, but it may not be as high as when shots first became available for adults, Marcus Plescia, MD, chief medical officer of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, told The Associated Press.

“We’re going to have potentially a very busy, and perhaps modestly chaotic time,” he said.

When vaccines were first authorized for adults, hospitals and pharmacies received priority for ordering shots. Some doctors felt left out. This time, however, the CDC has said that pediatricians will receive higher priority and be able to receive shipments quickly.

As the vaccine rollout begins, health officials should consider logistical concerns to address racial and economic disparities for younger kids, Richard Besser, MD, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and a former acting director of the CDC, told the AP.

If parents or guardians can’t leave work to take their kids to a pharmacy or doctor’s office, for instance, their kids may not receive a shot quickly – or at all.

“It’s really important that we recognize the barriers to vaccinations,” he said.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

States can preorder COVID-19 vaccine doses for younger children this week as they begin to set up vaccination campaigns for ages 5-11.

Vaccine advisory groups for the FDA and CDC are scheduled to discuss and approve the Pfizer shot for kids in the next three weeks. To help states and cities prepare for the rollout, the CDC issued guidance on how to set up expanded vaccination programs.

Immunization program managers can begin ordering doses on Wednesday, according to the guidance. The vials won’t be delivered until the FDA and CDC authorize the shot, but registering now will help federal officials ship doses quickly once they’re available.

Pharmacies in every state will be able to give COVID-19 shots to children, but they can only use doses that are prepared specifically for children. Ages 5-11 will need a 10-microgram dose, which is one-third of the dose administered to ages 12 and older. The guidance warns that doctors should not try to split up or fraction the adult doses.

The CDC guidance also recommends that pediatricians and family practice doctors should serve as primary places to give shots to kids. The document mentions other options, such as vaccination clinics at schools, but doesn’t endorse them as the first choice for vaccinating kids.

The CDC hasn’t yet addressed questions around whether kids should be required to get vaccinated to attend school. The decision will likely be left to state and city officials.

Federal health officials aren’t yet sure how many parents and guardians will seek shots for their younger kids right away, the AP reported. Demand may be high at first for some families, but it may not be as high as when shots first became available for adults, Marcus Plescia, MD, chief medical officer of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, told The Associated Press.

“We’re going to have potentially a very busy, and perhaps modestly chaotic time,” he said.

When vaccines were first authorized for adults, hospitals and pharmacies received priority for ordering shots. Some doctors felt left out. This time, however, the CDC has said that pediatricians will receive higher priority and be able to receive shipments quickly.

As the vaccine rollout begins, health officials should consider logistical concerns to address racial and economic disparities for younger kids, Richard Besser, MD, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and a former acting director of the CDC, told the AP.

If parents or guardians can’t leave work to take their kids to a pharmacy or doctor’s office, for instance, their kids may not receive a shot quickly – or at all.

“It’s really important that we recognize the barriers to vaccinations,” he said.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

States can preorder COVID-19 vaccine doses for younger children this week as they begin to set up vaccination campaigns for ages 5-11.

Vaccine advisory groups for the FDA and CDC are scheduled to discuss and approve the Pfizer shot for kids in the next three weeks. To help states and cities prepare for the rollout, the CDC issued guidance on how to set up expanded vaccination programs.

Immunization program managers can begin ordering doses on Wednesday, according to the guidance. The vials won’t be delivered until the FDA and CDC authorize the shot, but registering now will help federal officials ship doses quickly once they’re available.

Pharmacies in every state will be able to give COVID-19 shots to children, but they can only use doses that are prepared specifically for children. Ages 5-11 will need a 10-microgram dose, which is one-third of the dose administered to ages 12 and older. The guidance warns that doctors should not try to split up or fraction the adult doses.

The CDC guidance also recommends that pediatricians and family practice doctors should serve as primary places to give shots to kids. The document mentions other options, such as vaccination clinics at schools, but doesn’t endorse them as the first choice for vaccinating kids.

The CDC hasn’t yet addressed questions around whether kids should be required to get vaccinated to attend school. The decision will likely be left to state and city officials.

Federal health officials aren’t yet sure how many parents and guardians will seek shots for their younger kids right away, the AP reported. Demand may be high at first for some families, but it may not be as high as when shots first became available for adults, Marcus Plescia, MD, chief medical officer of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, told The Associated Press.

“We’re going to have potentially a very busy, and perhaps modestly chaotic time,” he said.

When vaccines were first authorized for adults, hospitals and pharmacies received priority for ordering shots. Some doctors felt left out. This time, however, the CDC has said that pediatricians will receive higher priority and be able to receive shipments quickly.

As the vaccine rollout begins, health officials should consider logistical concerns to address racial and economic disparities for younger kids, Richard Besser, MD, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and a former acting director of the CDC, told the AP.

If parents or guardians can’t leave work to take their kids to a pharmacy or doctor’s office, for instance, their kids may not receive a shot quickly – or at all.

“It’s really important that we recognize the barriers to vaccinations,” he said.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

Daily exposure to phthalates, which are synthetic chemicals founds in many consumer products, may lead to hundreds of thousands of early deaths each year among older adults in the United States, according to a new study published Oct. 12, 2021, in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Pollution.

The chemicals are found in hundreds of types of products, including children’s toys, food storage containers, makeup, perfume, and shampoo. In the study, those with the highest levels of phthalates had a greater risk of death from any cause, especially heart disease.

“This study adds to the growing database on the impact of plastics on the human body and bolsters public health and business cases for reducing or eliminating the use of plastics,” Leonardo Trasande, MD, the lead author and a professor of environmental medicine and population health at New York University Langone Health, told CNN.

Dr. Trasande and colleagues measured the urine concentration of phthalates in more than 5,000 adults aged 55-64 and compared the levels with the risk of early death over an average of 10 years. The research team controlled for preexisting heart diseases, diabetes, cancer, poor eating habits, physical activity, body mass, and other known hormone disruptors such as bisphenol A, or BPA, an industrial chemical that’s been used since the 1950s to make certain plastics and resins, according to the Mayo Clinic

The research team found that phthalates could contribute to 91,000-107,000 premature deaths per year in the United States. These early deaths could cost the nation $40 billion to $47 billion each year in lost economic productivity.

Phthalates interrupt the body’s endocrine system and hormone production. Previous studies have found that the chemicals are linked with developmental, reproductive, and immune system problems, according to NYU Langone Health. They’ve also been linked with asthma, childhood obesity, heart issues, and cancer.

“These chemicals have a rap sheet,” Dr. Trasande told CNN. “And the fact of the matter is that when you look at the entire body of evidence, it provides a haunting pattern of concern.”

Phthalates are often called “everywhere chemicals” because they are so common, CNN reported. Also called “plasticizers,” they are added to products to make them more durable, including PVC plumbing, vinyl flooring, medical tubing, garden hoses, food packaging, detergents, clothing, furniture, and automotive materials.

People are often exposed when they breathe contaminated air or consume food that comes into contact with the chemical, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Children may be exposed by touching plastic items and putting their hands in their mouth.

Dr. Trasande told CNN that it’s possible to lessen exposure to phthalates and other endocrine disruptors such as BPA by using unscented lotions, laundry detergents, and cleaning supplies, as well as substituting glass, stainless steel, ceramic, and wood for plastic food storage.

“First, avoid plastics as much as you can. Never put plastic containers in the microwave or dishwasher, where the heat can break down the linings so they might be absorbed more readily,” he said. “In addition, cooking at home and reducing your use of processed foods can reduce the levels of the chemical exposures you come in contact with.”

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

Daily exposure to phthalates, which are synthetic chemicals founds in many consumer products, may lead to hundreds of thousands of early deaths each year among older adults in the United States, according to a new study published Oct. 12, 2021, in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Pollution.

The chemicals are found in hundreds of types of products, including children’s toys, food storage containers, makeup, perfume, and shampoo. In the study, those with the highest levels of phthalates had a greater risk of death from any cause, especially heart disease.

“This study adds to the growing database on the impact of plastics on the human body and bolsters public health and business cases for reducing or eliminating the use of plastics,” Leonardo Trasande, MD, the lead author and a professor of environmental medicine and population health at New York University Langone Health, told CNN.

Dr. Trasande and colleagues measured the urine concentration of phthalates in more than 5,000 adults aged 55-64 and compared the levels with the risk of early death over an average of 10 years. The research team controlled for preexisting heart diseases, diabetes, cancer, poor eating habits, physical activity, body mass, and other known hormone disruptors such as bisphenol A, or BPA, an industrial chemical that’s been used since the 1950s to make certain plastics and resins, according to the Mayo Clinic

The research team found that phthalates could contribute to 91,000-107,000 premature deaths per year in the United States. These early deaths could cost the nation $40 billion to $47 billion each year in lost economic productivity.

Phthalates interrupt the body’s endocrine system and hormone production. Previous studies have found that the chemicals are linked with developmental, reproductive, and immune system problems, according to NYU Langone Health. They’ve also been linked with asthma, childhood obesity, heart issues, and cancer.

“These chemicals have a rap sheet,” Dr. Trasande told CNN. “And the fact of the matter is that when you look at the entire body of evidence, it provides a haunting pattern of concern.”

Phthalates are often called “everywhere chemicals” because they are so common, CNN reported. Also called “plasticizers,” they are added to products to make them more durable, including PVC plumbing, vinyl flooring, medical tubing, garden hoses, food packaging, detergents, clothing, furniture, and automotive materials.

People are often exposed when they breathe contaminated air or consume food that comes into contact with the chemical, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Children may be exposed by touching plastic items and putting their hands in their mouth.

Dr. Trasande told CNN that it’s possible to lessen exposure to phthalates and other endocrine disruptors such as BPA by using unscented lotions, laundry detergents, and cleaning supplies, as well as substituting glass, stainless steel, ceramic, and wood for plastic food storage.

“First, avoid plastics as much as you can. Never put plastic containers in the microwave or dishwasher, where the heat can break down the linings so they might be absorbed more readily,” he said. “In addition, cooking at home and reducing your use of processed foods can reduce the levels of the chemical exposures you come in contact with.”

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

Daily exposure to phthalates, which are synthetic chemicals founds in many consumer products, may lead to hundreds of thousands of early deaths each year among older adults in the United States, according to a new study published Oct. 12, 2021, in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Pollution.

The chemicals are found in hundreds of types of products, including children’s toys, food storage containers, makeup, perfume, and shampoo. In the study, those with the highest levels of phthalates had a greater risk of death from any cause, especially heart disease.

“This study adds to the growing database on the impact of plastics on the human body and bolsters public health and business cases for reducing or eliminating the use of plastics,” Leonardo Trasande, MD, the lead author and a professor of environmental medicine and population health at New York University Langone Health, told CNN.

Dr. Trasande and colleagues measured the urine concentration of phthalates in more than 5,000 adults aged 55-64 and compared the levels with the risk of early death over an average of 10 years. The research team controlled for preexisting heart diseases, diabetes, cancer, poor eating habits, physical activity, body mass, and other known hormone disruptors such as bisphenol A, or BPA, an industrial chemical that’s been used since the 1950s to make certain plastics and resins, according to the Mayo Clinic

The research team found that phthalates could contribute to 91,000-107,000 premature deaths per year in the United States. These early deaths could cost the nation $40 billion to $47 billion each year in lost economic productivity.

Phthalates interrupt the body’s endocrine system and hormone production. Previous studies have found that the chemicals are linked with developmental, reproductive, and immune system problems, according to NYU Langone Health. They’ve also been linked with asthma, childhood obesity, heart issues, and cancer.

“These chemicals have a rap sheet,” Dr. Trasande told CNN. “And the fact of the matter is that when you look at the entire body of evidence, it provides a haunting pattern of concern.”

Phthalates are often called “everywhere chemicals” because they are so common, CNN reported. Also called “plasticizers,” they are added to products to make them more durable, including PVC plumbing, vinyl flooring, medical tubing, garden hoses, food packaging, detergents, clothing, furniture, and automotive materials.

People are often exposed when they breathe contaminated air or consume food that comes into contact with the chemical, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Children may be exposed by touching plastic items and putting their hands in their mouth.

Dr. Trasande told CNN that it’s possible to lessen exposure to phthalates and other endocrine disruptors such as BPA by using unscented lotions, laundry detergents, and cleaning supplies, as well as substituting glass, stainless steel, ceramic, and wood for plastic food storage.

“First, avoid plastics as much as you can. Never put plastic containers in the microwave or dishwasher, where the heat can break down the linings so they might be absorbed more readily,” he said. “In addition, cooking at home and reducing your use of processed foods can reduce the levels of the chemical exposures you come in contact with.”

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.