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Appeals court rules only the state can set school district vaccination mandates
Children should be vaccinated against COVID-19, US health experts say, but California lawmakers have been unable to mandate vaccines in schools across the state. Several school districts have tried to circumvent the state and order vaccinations on their own, but an appeals court said districts lacked the authority to do so. “The Legislature required public health officials — not school authorities — to determine the disease or diseases for which vaccinations are required,” the San Diego Fourth District Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday, dismissing the attempt. of the San Diego Unified School District to require vaccines for students 16 and older. Learn more about the court’s decision which will be greeted with disappointment by public health advocates and relief among vaccine opponents.
In first study of its kind, Stanford is looking for volunteers with long COVID to test Paxlovid
Stanford Medicine is seeking volunteers for the nation’s first clinical trial to determine if the antiviral drug Paxlovid can combat one of the thorniest issues of COVID-19 affecting millions of people: the known long-term debilitating symptom suite. under the name of long COVID. Researchers hope the trial will also shed light on the mystery of why around one in five infected people develop lingering sequelae such as brain fog, chronic fatigue, erratic blood pressure, shortness of breath and more. There is currently no treatment and many people turn to risky and unproven methods to try to cure themselves. Learn more about the groundbreaking study that could help identify a possible treatment for long COVID.
Early arrival of winter viruses signals need for vigilance, say senior California officials
California state health officials warned on Tuesday that the early arrival of influenza, the respiratory syncytial virus known as RSV and the surge in COVID cases signal an increased need to take precautions during the holidays and the winter season. “As we prepare for Thanksgiving and holiday gatherings, we must continue to be vigilant to prevent the rapid spread of winter viruses,” said Dr. Erica Pan, the state epidemiologist. “It is worrying to see the increase in RSV and influenza in babies, young children and our elderly population. It is crucial that we are aware of prevention methods, but also of how to care for our loved ones at home and what symptoms to be aware of for parents to seek care for their children. People should be aware of the symptoms of the virus and know when to seek care, she said.
State guidelines released Tuesday say that while most childhood respiratory illnesses are mild and resolve without requiring emergency care or hospitalization, people should seek professional help immediately if a child has breathing irregularities such as rapid breathing, dilated nostrils, head jerks, grunts. , or wheezing or pauses in breathing; symptoms of dehydration such as a gray or blue color to the tongue, lips or skin, a significant decrease in activity and alertness, a fever over 104 for children and any fever for a baby under the age of 12 weeks.
RSV testing isn’t always necessary, the guide says. Unlike COVID-19, RSV testing does not generally change how doctors manage individual patients with this disease and treatment is based on the symptoms a person is experiencing.
Critical time to ensure Santa Clara County has enough hospital beds for children
The next two months are critical for Santa Clara County to ensure it has enough hospital beds to meet the demand for sick children, county officials said Tuesday. Across the Bay Area, a substantial increase in influenza and respiratory viruses has strained healthcare systems. A trifecta of disease spread – COVID, RSV and influenza – shows no signs of slowing, Santa Clara health officials said at a news conference as they urged the public to take precautions – including vaccination, masking indoors and maintaining social distancing in at-risk groups – to protect their families. “We don’t want to run out of beds in Santa Clara County, especially pediatric beds for children who develop RSV,” said county supervisor Cindy Chavez. “The next two months are going to be critical.” County Chief Executive Dr. Jeffrey Smith noted that the holiday season was risky with spikes in infection rates reported soon after, over the past two years. He expects the trend to continue this year as well. “COVID is still here,” he said. “We need to reinforce the need for vaccinations and boosters. And we always recommend masking and social distancing.
The White House is stepping up its efforts to stimulate people
The Biden administration on Tuesday stepped up its efforts to convince people to get vaccinated as the winter holiday season approaches, focusing on the elderly and residents of minorities and rural areas, all of whom have been hit hard by COVID-19. The White House announced a six-week campaign to encourage people to get up-to-date vaccinations and “help prevent thousands of preventable deaths from COVID-19.” The effort comes as health officials have struggled to get more than a fraction of people to update their injections with the latest boosters that target both omicron strains and earlier versions of the coronavirus. The new effort involves community outreach and information efforts, more pop-up and mobile vaccination sites, and more flexible ordering options to help rural and remote areas get vaccine supplies, the White House said. It also includes $350 million to bolster community health center efforts and $125 million for options for people with disabilities and the elderly, such as accessible vaccination clinics, home vaccinations and transportation. White House medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci pointed out that the effectiveness of the vaccine diminishes over time and pointed out that the coronavirus is an unusual enemy because its new variants arrive every few months.
Fauci’s parting words: Get your COVID shots
Dr. Anthony Fauci, in a final White House press briefing, on Tuesday highlighted the science of vaccines that former President Donald Trump and others have thrown into a whirlwind of doubts during the pandemic. COVID has been shown to be safe and effective. “My message – and my last message, perhaps the last message I give you from this podium – is that please, for your own safety, for that of your family, get your COVID-19 vaccine updated. day as soon as you are eligible to protect yourself, your family and your community,” he said.
Fauci leaves government at the end of the year, resigning as White House medical adviser and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Fauci’s farewell message also encouraged people to push back against misinformation and its “tireless” purveyors. “People who base what they say on evidence and data need to speak up more,” he said. A trusted voice during the pandemic, Fauci has also become the target of derision from vaccine deniers and conservative members of Congress. He suffered violent threats against him and his family. Of his service under seven presidents and his 54-year government record, including in the fight against AIDS and Ebola, Fauci said he “gave his all for decades.”
“I’ll let others judge whether or not my accomplishments are worth it, but I’d like people to remember what I’ve done is every day for all these years I’ve given everything I have and I “I never left anything on the ground,” he said. White House COVID-19 coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha suggested that Fauci was the “most public servant important and most important in the United States over the past half-century.” Fauci says he will “continue to advance science and public health and inspire and mentor the next generation of scientific leaders.”