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Update on COVID-19 Vaccine Boosters
The messaging on COVID-19 boosters is being clarified by the CDC and the FDA in separate announcements, posted September 1, 2021. The CDC update is here. The FDA announcement is here. The FDA plans to hold a virtual meeting about the issue September 17, 2021 from 8:30 AM to 3:45 PM EST and it will…
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Love Each Other More Now
When I think about all the mandates and bans against mandates for the COVID-19 vaccines and masks, I wonder about my own motive for getting the vaccine and wearing a mask. In one sense, I’m doing it for myself. I’m a retired consultation-liaison psychiatrist and I got called to the intensive care units a lot.…
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The COVID-19 Delta Variant
I’m passing along the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics information about the Delta variant of COVID-19. If you’re vaccinated and you get infected with the Delta variant, you might feel like your symptoms are from allergies or a cold. If you’re not vaccinated, you’re a lot more likely to get sick enough to be…
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Advisory Committee On Immunization Practices Meeting On Boosters Today
Judging from the slides in Dr. Sarah Oliver’s presentation, “Framework for booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines” in the ACIP meeting this afternoon, there is limited data to support COVID-19 vaccine boosters for the general population at this time. The target populations for boosters would be the residents of Long Term Care Facilities (LTCF), health professionals,…
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The Iowa City Mask Mandate
The mask and vaccine mandates for COVID-19 have been in the news a lot and there has been plenty of controversy about them, which is putting it mildly. I’ve been thinking about the mask mandate that Iowa City Mayor Bruce Teague issued August 19, 2021 and scheduled to expire on September 30, 2021. I agree…
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CDC Health Advisory Warning Against Using Ivermectin for COVID-19
I’ve seen a few warnings including the CDC Health Advisory issued August 26, 2021, against using Ivermectin in COVID-19. Ivermectin is a prescription drug used to treat parasitic infections in farm animals and humans. There’s no credible evidence supporting the use of Ivermectin to treat COVID-19 in humans and its use is currently restricted to…
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FDA Approves First COVID-19 Vaccine
Today the FDA approved the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine (now marketed as Comirnaty). Excerpt of the media announcement below: “The FDA’s approval of this vaccine is a milestone as we continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic. While this and other vaccines have met the FDA’s rigorous, scientific standards for emergency use authorization, as the first FDA-approved…
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COVID-19 Boosters for The Immunocompromised: University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics
Information from The University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics on COVID-19 vaccine boosters for the immunocompromised is here.
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Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Meeting on Boosters
There is a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) scheduled for August 30, 2021 to discuss COVID-19 vaccine boosters. It looks like it was originally scheduled for August 24, 2021 but was rescheduled. This link to the Federal Register announcement identifies the matters to be considered (booster doses) of the meeting although…
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COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Doses May Be available September: Joint Statement from HHS PUblic Health & Medical Experts
The CDC and FDA released a Joint Statement today indicating COVID-19 vaccine booster doses for all Americans possibly beginning as soon as September 2021. An excerpt is below: “We have developed a plan to begin offering these booster shots this fall subject to FDA conducting an independent evaluation and determination of the safety and effectiveness…
Go Retire Psychiatrist 