• Becker’s Healthcare, 7/30/21, 'War has changed' against COVID-19, CDC says - 7 things to know. The delta coronavirus variant, first detected in India, appears to be as contagious as chickenpox and appears to cause more severe illness than earlier strains, according to an internal CDC slide presentation obtained by The Washington Post. The internal report, dated July 29, says next steps for health officials include to "acknowledge the war has changed" against COVID-19. READ MORE
   

• Becker's Healthcare, 7/29/21, Physicians who post COVID-19 vaccine misinformation may lose license, medical panel says. The Federation of State Medical Boards warned July 29 that physicians and other healthcare professionals could be at risk of losing their medical licenses if they spread COVID-19 vaccine misinformation on social media, online and in the media. READ MORE
   

• OC Health Care Agency, Press Release 7/29/21, California Updates Mask Guidance and Health Care Facilities Requirements in Response to Rising COVID-19 Cases and Hospitalizations. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) updated its Guidance for Face Coverings, in response to new CDC guidance recommending mask use for public indoor settings to slow the spread of COVID-19 and the delta variant. The OC Health Care Agency (HCA) advises all residents to refer to the CDPH’s guidance regarding masks and requirements for high-risk health care facilities. READ MORE
   

• US News.com, 7/27/21, Employers Have LegalRight to Mandate COVID Shots. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The state of California. New York City. Hospitals and nursing homes. Colleges and universities. Employers are putting COVID-19 vaccine mandates into place and it's getting attention. On Tuesday, President Joe Biden said a requirement is under consideration for all federal employees. But what happens if workers refuse?
  
  Federal legal guidance out this week suggests the law is on the side of employers. Vaccination can be considered a “condition of employment,” akin to a job qualification. READ MORE
   

• Willitsnews.com, 7/26/21, No more need to 'wait and see'. The time towait and see has passed. It is time to get your COVID-19 vaccine. A message from the Rural Association of Northern California Health Officers (RANCHO), addressing common myths surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine. As the second summer of the pandemic unfolds, our region faces unique concerns. Some of our counties have among the lowest COVID-19 vaccination rates in the state. Our region has consistently shown a lower rate of COVID-19 antibodies, meaning more residents are susceptible to the virus. In sum: we are vulnerable. We are entering a summer season that will be affected by the more contagious and more threatening delta variant. And, it is summer with tourism in full force both between counties in our region and travelers from all over the world. READ MORE
   

• 7/26/21 – Press Release, Office of Governor Newsom, California Implements First-in-the-Nation Measures to Encourage State Employees and Health Care Workers to Get Vaccinated. Today, the State of California is taking decisive action to combat the spread of COVID-19 and protect vulnerable communities – implementing a first-in-the-nation standard to require all state workers and workers in health care and high-risk congregate settings to either show proof of full vaccination or be tested at least once per week, and encourage all local government and other employers to adopt a similar protocol. READ MORE
   

• OC Health Care Agency, Press Release 7/23/21, OC Health Care Agency Officials Encourage Residents to Stay Safe to Keep County Open. As Orange County continues to experience increasing COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, the Orange County Board of Supervisors and the OC Health Care Agency (HCA) leadership are encouraging residents to stay vigilant with COVID-19 prevention measures, testing and vaccinations in order to keep our residents safe and businesses open. READ MORE
   

• OC Health Care Agency, Press Release 7/16/21, - Public health officials at the OC Health Care Agency (HCA) are encouraging residents to take adequate safety precautions in the wake of increasing COVID-19 cases in the county. Currently, there are no plans to implement a new mask mandate in Orange County; however, those who are not fully vaccinated must continue wearing a mask indoors in accordance with guidelines from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and are strongly encouraged to get vaccinated as soon as possible. READ MORE
   

• The Conversation 7/1/21, - The symptoms of the Delta variant appear to differ from traditional COVID symptoms. Here’s what to look out for: We’ve been living in a COVID world for more than 18 months now. At the outset of the pandemic, government agencies and health authorities scrambled to inform people on how to identify symptoms of the virus. READ MORE
   

• OC Health Care Agency, Press Release 6/30/21, Public health officials at the OC Health Care Agency (HCA) have announced that, as of June 27, 2021, 70% of Orange County residents age 18 and older have now received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, reaching a huge milestone for the County.
  “Vaccination has proven to be a vital component in reducing test positivity rates in our county over the last several months,” said Dr. Clayton Chau, HCA Director and County Health Officer. “Since the reopening of our state on June 15, with many people no longer wearing masks or physically distancing, we’ve seen a slight increase in our seven-day positivity rate from 0.9% to 1.1% in the lowest HPI quartile areas. READ MORE
   

• U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), 6/23/21, Statement Following CDC ACIP Meeting from Nation’s Leading Doctors, Nurses and Public Health Leaders on Benefits of Vaccination. The following statement has been co-signed by HHS, CDC, AFFP…"As physicians, nurses, public health and health care professionals, and, for many of us, parents, we understand the significant interest many Americans have in the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines, especially for younger people. Today, the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met to discuss the latest data on reports of mild cases of inflammation of the heart muscle and surrounding tissue called myocarditis and pericarditis following COVID-19 vaccination among younger people. The facts are clear: this is an extremely rare side effect, and only an exceedingly small number of people will experience it after vaccination. Importantly, for the young people who do, most cases are mild, and individuals recover often on their own or with minimal treatment. In addition, we know that myocarditis and pericarditis are much more common if you get COVID-19, and the risks to the heart from COVID-19 infection can be more severe." READ MORE
   

• California Department of Public Health (CDPH), 6/18/21, California Launches New Digital Tool Giving Residents Convenient Access to Their COVID-19 Vaccine Record. Today, the California Department of Public Health and California Department of Technology announced a new Digital COVID-19 Vaccine Record for Californians, available at myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov READ MORE
   

• California Department of Public Health (CDPH), 6/18/21, California Partners with McDonald’s Franchisees Across the State for COVID-19 Vaccine Pop-Up Clinics. As part of the state’s ongoing efforts to make COVID-19 vaccines more convenient for Californians, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) today announced a new partnership under its Vaccinate ALL 58 effort with McDonald’s Franchisees to set up pop-up clinics at more than 70 locations across the state. READ MORE
   

• New York Times, 6/15/21, Many Post-COVID Patients Are Experiencing New Medical Problems, Study Finds. An analysis of health insurance records of almost two million coronavirus patients found new issues in nearly a quarter – including those whose COVID infection was mild or asymptomatic. READ MORE
   

• Public Health Instititute, 6/15/21, Video Series: Promising Practices for Equitable Vaccine Distribution. This video series, from PHI’s Public Health Alliance of Southern California Showcases community-informed and equity-centered practices that reach disproportionately impacted low-income communities and communities of color. READ MORE
   

• NPR, 6/8/21, The Highly Contagious Delta Variant Is On The Rise In The U.S. The Delta variant, which was first detected in India, now accounts for more than 6% of all infections in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And this highly transmissible variant may be responsible for more than 18% of cases in some Western U.S. states. READ MORE
   

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 6/7/21 - CDPH Urges Public to Report Vaccine Incentive Scammers. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is asking Californians to be aware of and to quickly report any indications of possible fraudulent or other questionable activities by individuals attempting to take advantage of the state's recently announced COVID-19 vaccination incentive programs. READ MORE
   

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 6/7/21 - CDC COVID-19 Study Shows mRNA Vaccines Reduce Risk of Infection by 91 Percent for Fully Vaccinated People. Vaccination Makes Illness Milder, Shorter for the Few Vaccinated People Who Do Get COVID-19. A new CDC study finds the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna) reduce the risk of infection by 91 percent for fully vaccinated people. READ MORE
   

• CNBC, 6/1/21 – Moderna applies for full FDA approval of its COVID vaccine. Moderna on Tuesday asked the Food and Drug Administration for full U.S. approval of its Covid-19 vaccine — the second drugmaker in the U.S. to seek a biologics license that will allow it to market the shots directly to consumers. READ MORE
   

• MyHealthyClick 6/1/21, COVID Vaccine, Social Distancing, Wearing Masks: Q&As, In the United States, more and more people are getting fully vaccinated – thanks to the federal efforts that are boosting the vaccination rates. However, most people still wonder when their life will return to normal even after getting fully vaccinated. READ MORE
   

News and Information Archive

• Herd Immunity is Only Possible with a Vaccine by Bernadette Boden-Ablala, MPH, DrPH; Dan M. Cooper MD; Clayton Chau, MD, PhD; Casey Dorman, PhD
  • There has been much debate around the concept of herd immunity since the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a public health term, the idea of herd immunity is that if enough people are protected against an infection because they have been exposed and developed antibodies, transmission of the infection slows and ultimately new outbreaks are halted because much of the population is no longer susceptible. Some people suggest that COVID-19 can best be controlled by allowing the virus to run its course and achieve enough numbers of infected persons to reach herd immunity. We suggest that there is some confusion about the use of this term and that there are strong reasons for not pursuing that approach. READ MORE

• Trust the Truth: Not the Myths by Casey Dorman, PhD (Updated 4/27/21)
  • Vaccines are not being given to children and adolescents because they have not yet been tested with that age, not because they have been found to be dangerous to children and adolescents. READ MORE