Brief Messages or Announcements – Page 44

Congratulations to 2021 UI Physicians Clinical Awards Winners

I was so happy to see the winners of the 2021 University of Iowa Physicians Clinical Awards winners. I have a special bias for a couple of them because I worked with them for years in my capacity as psychiatric consultant in the general hospital prior to my retirement in June of 2020.

Dr. Kevin Doerschug, MD, the winner of the Excellence in Our Workplace Award, actually rotated on the psychiatry consult service when he was a trainee. He and I saw each other frequently in the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU). He is one of the kindest doctors I have ever met. Dr. Dilek Ince, MD, the winner of the Best Consulting Provider Award, is a thorough and tireless clinician. As consultants, our paths often crossed in the hospital.

I congratulate all the winners. Iowa is so fortunate to have you.

FDA Advisory Committee to Discuss Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine for Children 5 Through 11 Years of Age

On October 26, 2021 the FDA Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee will meet to discuss the extension of the Pfizer EUA for the COVID-19 vaccine for children 5 through 11 years of age. Some event materials are already available. The meeting is scheduled for at 8:30 AM-5:00 PM, ET.

CDC Expands Eligibility for COVID-19 Vaccine Boosters

The CDC published an announcement indicating that those who got the primary series of any of the COVID-19 vaccines are now eligible to get the booster shots.

FDA Authorizes COVID-19 Moderna and Janssen Boosters and Heterologous Boosting

The FDA just released a statement this afternoon announcing the extension of the EUA for COVID-19 boosting with Moderna and Janssen vaccine. The FDA also authorized heterologous boosting (mix and match).

FDA Advisory Committee Meetings on COVID-19 Vaccine EUA Amendments for Moderna, J&J Boosters and Heterologous Boosters, Pfizer Vaccine for Children

The FDA Advisory Committee will hold a meeting October 14-15 to discuss amendments to the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for Moderna and J&J COVID-19 boosters as well as heterologous boosting (mix and match). New data is available, including NIH preliminary results on the mix and match study.

The FDA also announced a meeting to discuss Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children age 5-11, which is scheduled for October 26, 2021.

Links to the livestream meetings details are in the press announcement (link above).

Meeting materials are posted here.

Jab Who?

I just read a news item saying that the Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines, Iowa is administering COVID-19 vaccine to the animals there. I wondered how that would go, especially with large animals. I figured the zoo staff would be using dart guns. Talk about vaccine hesitance.

Then I saw a YouTube showing animals at the Louisville Zoo in Kentucky getting their shots. Apparently, they can get sick from COVID-19 infection. There were a few disparaging comments from viewers. Would 70 zoos vaccinate their animals if it weren’t safe and effective?

The animals didn’t seem to mind it. In fact, they were probably more cooperative than some humans. Of course, they got treats. But we give gift cards, beer, lottery prizes, turkey-flavored candy corn—which don’t really work. About 25% of Iowans don’t plan to get the vaccine according to a Des Moines Register news story.

Will the animals get boosters?

Featured image credit: Jim & Sena Amos at Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, WI in 2009.

CDC Statement on COVID-19 Vaccine Boosters

The CDC published a media statement this morning that outlines the amended Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations for COVID-19 vaccine boosters. Late last night, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky restored the recommendation that ACIP voted down yesterday: “People aged 18-64 years who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting may receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series, based on their individual benefits and risks.” This is consistent with the FDA regulatory recommendations made on Wednesday.

Now, to my understanding, at least in Iowa, according to University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics (UIHC) and others, it’s up to the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) to green-light the booster rollouts locally.

CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Meeting This Week on COVID-19 Vaccine Boosters

The CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) will meet this week, Sept 22 and Sept 23 to discuss COVID-19 vaccine boosters. The agenda is posted although slides are not and the topic headings do not so far indicate a clear plan to vote on any specific booster recommendations. Recall on the August 30, 2021 ACIP meeting, Dr. Sara Oliver alluded to the probability of a vote on boosters (slide 49) in the presentation, “Framework for booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines.”

The University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics (UIHC) today announced what its plan would be for boosters after the ACIP committee makes its own recommendation for boosters. The Iowa Department of Public Health must also give its approval. It looks like the guidance would be for UIHC employees only for the time being. Since more information about the ACIP recommendations for boosters will be posted on The Loop, you can access that directly. I will also be posting a link in the main menu on my blog site for now.

Try to Keep Up with the COVID-19 News (Good Luck)

Things are happening fast all around the country and in Iowa when it comes to news about the COVID-19 vaccine boosters and mask mandates.

It looks like the Iowa ban on mask mandates for public schools will be on temporary hold by a Federal restraining order for now according to a news item from the Daily Iowan. A mask mandate is being planned by the Iowa City Community School District.

The watchword on COVID-19 vaccine boosters is “wait and see” according to a few scientists. Some of them are saying there is not enough data yet to support the need for boosters. I hope the link to this full text Lancet works. If it doesn’t work, try this link to see the article at ScienceDirect.

Central Iowa clinics as well as the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics (UIHC) seem ready to start boosting (Pfizer only for now) as soon as next week. UIHC has a notice on the Loop about it (they also mention the Federal vaccine mandate which could apply to them). Story County is just waiting for the word “go” from the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH). Everybody seems confident that the FDA will green light boosters this Friday after the Advisory Committee meeting.

There must be some kind of hot line between the IDPH and the FDA–and the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) as well because I thought they had to weigh in on the issue too. It seemed like ACIP had made their opinion pretty clear; they didn’t think it was necessary at the August 30, 2021 meeting that boosters were necessary for the general public. They did think boosters for the residents of Long Term Care Facilities, health care professionals, and the elderly could be warranted.

The CDC has updated information about boosters. Basically the ball goes to the FDA and the ACIP. The CDC has also posted more recent articles on their website that tend to support the continued efficacy of the current vaccines:

Scobie HM, Johnson AG, Suthar AB, et al. Monitoring Incidence of COVID-19 Cases, Hospitalizations, and Deaths, by Vaccination Status — 13 U.S. Jurisdictions, April 4–July 17, 2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. ePub: 10 September 2021. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7037e1external icon.

Grannis SJ, Rowley EA, Ong TC, et al. Interim Estimates of COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness Against COVID-19–Associated Emergency Department or Urgent Care Clinic Encounters and Hospitalizations Among Adults During SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617.2 (Delta) Variant Predominance — Nine States, June–August 2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. ePub: 10 September 2021. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7037e2external icon.

Bajema KL, Dahl RM, Prill MM, et al. Effectiveness of COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines Against COVID-19–Associated Hospitalization — Five Veterans Affairs Medical Centers, United States, February 1–August 6, 2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. ePub: 10 September 2021. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7037e3external icon.

The situation is changing rapidly. I’ve read that the ACIP might hold a meeting on boosters on Saturday after the FDA this Friday. So far I don’t see it on the ACIP schedule. The one on September 29, 2021 is not about COVID-19 vaccine boosters.