Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #112

[Inthedetails]

The FDA approved Pfizer's newest Covid-19 vaccines, but is limiting who can get it

FDA approves updated COVID vaccines with restrictions

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved updated COVID-19 vaccines with restrictions on who can receive the shots.

abcnews.go.com

The question now is how physicians, pharmacies, and state public health agencies will respond. I lived in a state that rejected the CDC's recommendations on flu shot prioritization in 2004, and vaccinated politicians and well-connected people instead of those who should have received the shot. States have some independence, then, but of course it depends on the state.

And how will insurance companies respond if the providers stock the vaccine and administer to people outside the CDC recommendation? Would providers even be allowed to do that? idk

The recommendation (not yet voted on) is the vax will be available for ages 62+, and for younger people who have underlying conditions.

jmopinion

 

[gremlin444]

FDA issues narrower approvals for Covid boosters, revokes emergency authorizations

The end of Covid vaccine emergency authorizations may limit the availability of shots for young, healthy kids.

www.statnews.com

"Covid vaccine authorizations for all three available vaccines, Kennedy said, would now only be for higher-risk individuals, including those over 65 and those who have risk factors for developing severe Covid. Kennedy said that the Moderna vaccine is approved for those older than 6 months, the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for those older than 5 years, and the Novavax shot for those older than 12."

Pfizer said shipping of their vaccine will begin immediately.

Most articles I've seen seem to think the conditions won't change from what Prasad and Makary published at the end of May in the New England Journal of Medicine

from:

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMsb2506929

Luckily, my 18 yo long Covid has a very solid diagnosis of depression, so he falls under mood disorder, and I fit under a few others.

Now we see what happens with the next meeting of the committee and what insurance companies are going to do.

 

[Inthedetails]

FDA issues narrower approvals for Covid boosters, revokes emergency authorizations

The end of Covid vaccine emergency authorizations may limit the availability of shots for young, healthy kids.

www.statnews.com

"Covid vaccine authorizations for all three available vaccines, Kennedy said, would now only be for higher-risk individuals, including those over 65 and those who have risk factors for developing severe Covid. Kennedy said that the Moderna vaccine is approved for those older than 6 months, the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for those older than 5 years, and the Novavax shot for those older than 12."

Pfizer said shipping of their vaccine will begin immediately.

Most articles I've seen seem to think the conditions won't change from what Prasad and Makary published at the end of May in the New England Journal of Medicine

View attachment 611318

from:

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMsb2506929

Luckily, my 18 yo long Covid has a very solid diagnosis of depression, so he falls under mood disorder, and I fit under a few others.

Now we see what happens with the next meeting of the committee and what insurance companies are going to do.

For those of us under 65 with no underlying conditions to make us eligible and WHO HAVE HAD COVID, we don't want it again!

Disappointing.

jmopinion

 

[sds71]

Susan Monarez, the newly installed director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is being ousted weeks after she was confirmed to lead the public health agency, according to multiple administration officials familiar with the matter.

The White House and Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees CDC, did not immediately respond to requests for comments. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive personnel matter…

Monarez had scheduled an agencywide call Monday, but that was canceled Friday, according to several CDC employees who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/08/27/susan-monarez-cdc-director-ousted/

 

[Inthedetails]

Susan Monarez, the newly installed director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is being ousted weeks after she was confirmed to lead the public health agency, according to multiple administration officials familiar with the matter.

The White House and Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees CDC, did not immediately respond to requests for comments. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive personnel matter…

Monarez had scheduled an agencywide call Monday, but that was canceled Friday, according to several CDC employees who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/08/27/susan-monarez-cdc-director-ousted/

Wonder if we'll ever know why.

jmopinion

 

[Gemmie]

Hot off the press...

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved updated versions of COVID-19 vaccines, which paves the way for distribution to pharmacies and doctors' offices but complicates access for young children.

The much-anticipated approval comes as COVID activity rises across most US states, though at lower levels than last summer at this time. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the approvals on X, saying the series of actions achieved four of his goals, which included rescinding emergency use authorizations (EUAs) that he said were used in the past to justify broad mandates. He also noted that the steps are designed to provide access to those who want the vaccines, especially high-risk people.

FDA OKs updated COVID vaccines but places limits for kids, adults

www.cidrap.umn.edu

 

[Inthedetails]

Wonder if we'll ever know why.

jmopinion

Reponding to my own post.

People familiar with the matter, who spoke anonymously for fear of retribution, said Dr. Monarez appeared to have run afoul of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. by objecting to his changes to the panel of experts who advise the agency on vaccine policy.

White House Says New C.D.C. Director Is Fired, but She Refuses to Leave

Susan Monarez was said to have refused to adopt Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s stance on vaccination policy. A lawyer for Dr. Monarez said the firing was “legally deficient.”

www.nytimes.com

 

[sds71]

Reponding to my own post.

People familiar with the matter, who spoke anonymously for fear of retribution, said Dr. Monarez appeared to have run afoul of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. by objecting to his changes to the panel of experts who advise the agency on vaccine policy.

White House Says New C.D.C. Director Is Fired, but She Refuses to Leave

Susan Monarez was said to have refused to adopt Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s stance on vaccination policy. A lawyer for Dr. Monarez said the firing was “legally deficient.”

www.nytimes.com

NEW: Following the reports of Monarez’s departure as @CDCgov director, several other leaders have just submitted their resignations: Dan Hernigan, head of the National Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases and Deb Houry, the CDC’s chief medical officer. Unclear if related.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1960824052513435921

 

[SouthAussie]

NEW: Following the reports of Monarez’s departure as @CDCgov director, several other leaders have just submitted their resignations: Dan Hernigan, head of the National Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases and Deb Houry, the CDC’s chief medical officer. Unclear if related.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1960824052513435921

"Ms Monarez departure comes about a week after a union representing CDC employees announced that it had fired about 600 employees.

The wide-ranging layoffs included employees working on the government's response to infectious diseases, including bird flu, as well as those researching environmental hazards and handling public record requests."

White House names RFK Jr deputy Jim O'Neill as replacement CDC director

Lawyers for Dr Susan Monarez say only the president can remove her from her job running the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

www.bbc.com

 

[Inthedetails]

"Ms Monarez departure comes about a week after a union representing CDC employees announced that it had fired about 600 employees.

The wide-ranging layoffs included employees working on the government's response to infectious diseases, including bird flu, as well as those researching environmental hazards and handling public record requests."

White House names RFK Jr deputy Jim O'Neill as replacement CDC director

Lawyers for Dr Susan Monarez say only the president can remove her from her job running the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

www.bbc.com

Seems like she clashed with Kennedy over vaccine policy. Kennedy demanded her resignation, but she refused. Apparently she serves at the pleasure of the president and Kennedy doesn't have authority to remove her. Then, Trump fired her.

The White House said late Wednesday that it had fired Susan Monarez, the new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, after a tense confrontation in which Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tried to remove her from her position and she refused to resign....

Her lawyers insisted she was staying put. But at 9:30 p.m., a spokesman for President Trump, Kush Desai, said in an email message that Dr. Monarez had been terminated.

CDC Director Susan Monarez Is Fired, White House Says

Susan Monarez was said to have refused to adopt Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s stance on vaccination policy.

www.nytimes.com

 

[gremlin444]

For those of us under 65 with no underlying conditions to make us eligible and WHO HAVE HAD COVID, we don't want it again!

Disappointing.

jmopinion

Oh, trust me....I was in no way saying this wasn't a horrible, awful, disastrous decision. Nor was I meaning "hurrah for me and mine, oh well for the others."

It was my instant reaction in light of something that has been on my mind heavily because 1) neither my kid or I (both of us have LC) could even get our shot before any decisions happened because we both got ours last year on Aug 29. 2) He just started community college last night and took off his mask for about 30 min in his class last night because started wearing glasses and wasn't used to wearing glasses with a mask...and they started to fog up and he was frantically taking lecture notes.

I did not mean to be insensitive, and I apologize.

 

[Inthedetails]

Oh, trust me....I was in no way saying this wasn't a horrible, awful, disastrous decision. Nor was I meaning "hurrah for me and mine, oh well for the others."

It was my instant reaction in light of something that has been on my mind heavily because 1) neither my kid or I (both of us have LC) could even get our shot before any decisions happened because we both got ours last year on Aug 29. 2) He just started community college last night and took off his mask for about 30 min in his class last night because started wearing glasses and wasn't used to wearing glasses with a mask...and they started to fog up and he was frantically taking lecture notes.

I did not mean to be insensitive, and I apologize.

No need to apologize at all! I didn't take your post as anything other than sharing information. You were not insensitive in the slightest. We're all good.

Sorry about the long covid. That sucks. I know a young man who is going through it and it's been hard for him (but has recently seen improvements). Hang in there.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

CDC Director Susan Monarez fired by Trump administration after refusing to resign, citing 'reckless directives'

Monarez’s lawyers said she “refused to rubber-stamp unscientific, reckless directives.” The White House responded that she was “not aligned with the President’s agenda.”

www.nbcnews.com

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leadership was in stunning disarray Wednesday evening after the Trump administration fired the agency’s director hours after she refused to resign under pressure.

The director, Susan Monarez, said she was resisting being ousted by the nation’s top health official, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., for political reasons after about a month in office.

“When CDC Director Susan Monarez refused to rubber-stamp unscientific, reckless directives and fire dedicated health experts, she chose protecting the public over serving a political agenda. For that, she has been targeted,” said her lawyers, Mark Zaid and Abbe Lowell...

Making America healthy again?

 

[Gemmie]

He just started community college last night and took off his mask for about 30 min in his class last night because started wearing glasses and wasn't used to wearing glasses with a mask...and they started to fog up and he was frantically taking lecture notes.

Just a FYI about glasses fogging up when wearing a mask. That is telling you that the mask isn't fitted properly. The first test I always do after donning my mask and before going into a public place is the breath test. Cup my hands around the sides of my mask (not touching it) and huff out to see if my glasses fog up. If they fog up, I refit my mask to ensure a good seal. JMO

Info on the subject HERE.

 

[meanmaryjean]

My local Costco expects their Covid vaccine shipment no later than Tuesday the 2nd. I will be there when they open the doors.

 

[Inthedetails]

This article is the most straight-forward and easiest to understand in recent days, imo, about the fall 2025 covid vaccine availability.

Summary: Even people outside the recommendations might be able to get the vaccine at a physician's office. It may or may not be covered by insurance. Pharmacies typically are not able to go "off label" from the age restrictions, but doctors may. Also, some states might have their own procedures and not follow CDC age restrictions.

Not perfect or convenient, but not quite as dire as it could be, knock on wood.

Good article:

COVID Vaccines Are Still Saving Lives—But They Will Be Harder to Get This Year

Many questions still surround COVID vaccine access this fall, but here’s what we know so far

www.scientificamerican.com

 

[gremlin444]

The CVS website for my area is once again allowing appointments for the NEW covid booster. Looks like the earliest in my area is Sept 4.

 

[Inthedetails]

The CVS website for my area is once again allowing appointments for the NEW covid booster. Looks like the earliest in my area is Sept 4.

Is CVS following the age restrictions?

jmopinion

 

[Smelly Squirrel]

The CDC Implosion Continues as Staff Stage Unprecedented Walkout

At least five senior CDC employees, including its director, have resigned or been fired since Wednesday.

gizmodo.com

 

[Inthedetails]

The CDC Implosion Continues as Staff Stage Unprecedented Walkout

At least five senior CDC employees, including its director, have resigned or been fired since Wednesday.

gizmodo.com

Sad day.

Scientists, in my personal experience, are dedicated to the pursuit of Science. If our country won't respect them and their work, other countries will.

jmopinion