The Booster Bulletin: Your Weekly Dose of Immunization News

We’re committed to sharing news and information from local and national media about COVID-19, available vaccines, and immunization-related topics. Each week we’ll continue to review clips from across the U.S., from various news outlets and platforms, and bring you ten timely and relevant links.

“Coronavirus Contextualized, 59th edition: Cases remain high as Northern Nevada hospitals face crush of COVID-19 patients” The Nevada Independent (September 17, 2021) - “Coronavirus Contextualized” publishes on a semi-regular basis, meaning that if cases are increasing or decreasing, you can expect to see a new story every week or every other week, and if cases are stable, you might not see a new story for a few weeks.

“COVID Vaccine For Kids Ages 5 To 11 Is Safe And Effective, Pfizer Says” NPR (September 20, 2021) – ” The first results from the highly anticipated trial studying the effectiveness and safety of the Pfizer and BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11 showed promising results.”

“Rural Vaccinations Climb by Fastest Rate in Three Months” The Daily Yonder (September 21, 2021) – “New vaccinations in rural America last week reached their highest level in three months, according to a Daily Yonder analysis.  The increase in newly completed vaccinations came as the rural death rate from Covid-19 climbed to twice that of metropolitan areas”

“L.J Tan, PhD, MS, Talks about a Call to Action to Increase Adult Immunizations” AMA (September 21, 2021) – “In today’s episode of Moving Medicine, L.J Tan, PhD, MS, chief policy and partnerships officer at the Immunization Action Coalition, discusses the importance of staying up-to-date on adult immunizations and a recent call to action that explains how physicians can help.”

“Preteens Anxiously Wait for Vaccine Eligibility in School Year” ABC (September 21, 2021) – “Many students…who are entering sixth or seventh grade this year, are anxiously waiting to get their shots. While medical experts say there is little that can be done for those soon-to-be 12-year-olds until the vaccines are approved for younger people, they say there are some tips that schools and families can take to ensure that each child is safe this year.”

“FDA Authorizes Booster Dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 Vaccine for People 65 and Older” CNN (September 22, 2021) – “On Friday, vaccine advisers to the agency unanimously recommended emergency use authorization for a booster dose of Pfizer's vaccine for people 65 and older and those at risk of severe disease, to be six months after they get the first two doses. ‘The FDA considered the committee's input and conducted its own thorough review of the submitted data to reach today's decision,’ Dr. Peter Marks, who directs the FDA's vaccine arm, the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said in a statement.”

“It’s Flu Season. Here’s What Research Shows about Adult Vaccinations.” The Journalist’s Resource (September 22, 2021) – “As flu season arrives in the U.S., researchers worry that adults preoccupied with the COVID pandemic might forget or forgo a flu shot this year.  They’re concerned about low immunization rates, particularly among some racial and ethnic minorities, because unvaccinated adults are more likely to develop severe illness and need hospitalization. Health experts also worry about a ‘twindemic’ resulting from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and flu season.” 

“School Vaccine Mandates Aren’t New: A History of Requirements” Cnet (September 22, 2021) – “Vaccine requirements in schools are far from being a new concept. As the question continues to be debated whether your local school will mandate a COVID-19 vaccine for students, it's important to take a look back at the history of vaccine requirements––because vaccinations have been required for a long, long time.” 

“COVID-19 Death Rate More than 4 Times Higher in Least Vaccinated States than in Most Vaccinated” CNN (September 22, 2021) – “The average rate of Covid-19 deaths in the 10 least vaccinated states was more than four times higher over the past week than the rate in the 10 most vaccinated states, according to a CNN analysis. In the least vaccinated states, roughly eight people out of every 100,000 residents died of Covid-19 over the past week, compared with only about two out of every 100,000 people in the 10 most vaccinated states.”

“Vaccine Mandates for Travel Are Legal in the U.S. — And More Are Probably Coming” CNBC (September 23, 2021) ­– “Vaccine shots are now necessary to eat in cafes in France, to see a Broadway show in New York City and soon, to fly commercially in Canada. Though mandates were expected for cruises and international travel, the pace and scope of activities that they now cover––from booking group tours to staying in hotels––has surprised industry experts.”

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