VACCINES

It's called sotrovimab and should cuts the risk of severe illness, even for new variants such as Omicron, say scientists.

After nearly two years, the US lifts its travel ban to UK visitors who have had both Covid vaccine doses.

The health secretary urges people to join the "national mission" to avoid restrictions over winter.

Nearly 100 people rallied outside BWX Technologies headquarters Wednesday.

Health leaders say they go into schools on a regular basis to offer flu vaccines and find most parents want to be present when their child is vaccinated.

On Wednesday, the White House Administration announced its plan to rollout COVID-19 vaccines if and when they’re authorized for children ages 5-11. The move was met with mixed reactions from parents.

Medical science has transformed the pandemic and put rocket boosters on ambitions for new vaccines.

Google-owned video site YouTube previously only banned misinformation about coronavirus vaccines. Facebook made the same change months ago.

The debate unfolding around the world over coronavirus vaccine mandates is playing out on a small scale at the United Nations headquarters ahead of a meeting of dozens of world leaders in New York next week.

There is no evidence of any impact on fertility - but research will help to counter false claims.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa says his government will encourage people to get COVID-19 vaccinations but will not force them

Currently, COVID vaccines are only approved for children 12 and older.

Currently, COVID vaccines are only approved for children 12 and older.

Europe’s drug regulator said on Wednesday it was looking into three new conditions to assess whether they may be possible side effects related to COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna following a small number of cases.

President Joe Biden delivered remarks on his administration’s work toward tackling the coronavirus pandemic by increasing vaccinations on a national and global scale Tuesday afternoon.

South Korea’s spy agency has told lawmakers that there is no sign that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has been inoculated against the coronavirus and his country hasn’t received any foreign vaccines

The CTA is partnering with the Chicago Department of Public Health to provide free COVID-19 vaccines at several “L” stops from 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Mondays and Fridays, according to a news release.

The prime minister says it is a "big step towards vaccinating the world" by the end of 2022.

Temporary side effects after COVID-19 vaccines are normal and a sign your immune system is revving up.

Illinois offers COVID-19 vaccination clinics to travelers at Union Station and highway stops downstate over Memorial Day weekend

Pakistan’s top health official says the COVID-19 variant that devastated neighboring India, causing record infections and deaths, has not yet been detected in Pakistan

The most recent myth claims that COVID-19 vaccines can cause infertility.

Health officials hope the event will increase public confidence in getting the vaccination.

Those plans come after the White House said it would send 60 million doses of AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine to countries in need

Australia has reached a supply agreement for 25 million doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccines

The WHO says the B.1.617 mutation spreads more easily than other variants and requires further study.

It's not yet known if COVID-19 vaccines can affect your period, but researchers are starting to study the issue.

Democrats argue this would make it easier for other countries to produce their own generic vaccines.

Democrats argue this would make it easier for other countries to produce their own generic vaccines.

Half of adults in Virginia have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine, according to Governor Ralph Northam. And now anyone over age 16 is eligible.

Lynchburg and its surrounding counties of Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford and Campbell are now in Phase Two -- meaning anyone over the age of 16 is eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccines.

Bedford County leaders teamed up to vaccinate 1,200 residents this week.

ROANOKE, Va. – More COVID-19 vaccines could be available in the Roanoke Valley as early as next week. Thursday, the Virginia Department of Health took some time to thank a few unsung heroes responsible for making the vaccination process a smooth one. Dr. Cynthia Morrow, Director of the Roanoke City & Allegheny Health District, said her team is indebted to the Virginia National Guard. “We couldn’t do what we’re doing in our community without the National Guard and our partners,” expressed Morrow. AdSince late December, the Roanoke City & Allegheny Health District has worked with vaccination partners to provide over 118,000 doses of vaccine (including second doses) to local residents.

First- and second-graders line up for Salk Polio vaccine shots on April 23, 1955. Regardless of where anyone stands on the matter, we know that vaccinations have been protecting us from diseases for decades. In 1921, the United States recorded 206,000 cases, which resulted in 15,520 deaths, according to the History of Vaccines website. According to the CDC, polio was once one of the most feared diseases in the U.S. Since 1979, there have been no polio cases that originated in the U.S.

SAN ANTONIO – They’re being called “vaccine angels.”All over the country, volunteers are spending hours trying to get seniors and the disabled registered for the COVID-19 vaccine. A makeshift team of angels in San Antonio is advocating for the most vulnerable people in our community. When vaccines became available, Dalila Chapman and her three friends Grace Rea, Linda Compia, and Diana Pulido helped their older family members get registered. “We started talking about other people who may not have family members who could get them registered,” Chapman said. AdThey stay on the phone and online for hours, re-dialing and clicking refresh until they get through.

When will children be able to get COVID-19 vaccines? (AP Illustration/Peter Hamlin)NEW YORK – When will children be able to get COVID-19 vaccines? Pfizer and Moderna expect to start studies in children 11 and younger later this year. Read previous Viral Questions:How would COVID-19 vaccine makers adapt to variants? AdHow do we know the COVID-19 vaccines are safe?

The sisters of Spanish King Felipe VI have acknowledged on Wednesday, March 3, 2021, that they were administered COVID-19 vaccines during a visit to the United Arab Emirates. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza, File)MADRID – Two untimely coronavirus jabs have dealt another blow to the reputation of Spain's royals. The vaccination by the king’s sisters was widely criticized across Spain. The sisters of Spain’s King Felipe VI are no longer part of the official royal household, which said that the 53-year-old Felipe, Queen Letizia and their two daughters have not yet been vaccinated. Health Minister Carolina Darias, from the senior, Socialist partner of the governing coalition, made a distinction between Felipe and his sisters.

Despite the weather and delays, a second-dose clinic hosted by the Roanoke City and Alleghany Health District saw 98% participation. “The federal government is trying to accelerate shipment,” commented Virginia vaccine coordinator Dr. Danny Avula. “The particular variant that popped up in Southwest Virginia [Thursday] is clearly associated with international travel,” said Dr. Avula. Other good news, Walgreens will start sending doses of the coronavirus vaccine to Virginia locations next week, the pharmacy chain said Friday. Beginning Thursday, Feb. 25, it will receive 480,000 vaccine doses per week from the federal government, officials said in a news release.

Robert Kennedy Jr., a prominent vaccine skeptic, has been banned from Instagram after posting false coronavirus vaccine claims. "We removed this account for repeatedly sharing debunked claims about the coronavirus or vaccines," a spokesperson for Facebook, which owns Instagram, said in a statement to CBS News Thursday. While he was removed from Instagram, his Facebook page – where he has more than 300,000 followers – is littered with posts critical of COVID-19 vaccines. The social media giant shared an expanded list of false and dangerous claims about vaccines that will not be allowed on the platform. The nephew of President John F. Kennedy and son of former U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy has long been critical of vaccines.

LYNCHBURG, Va. – The City of Lynchburg announced Friday plans for a regional vaccination center. City and health leaders have an agreement with Liberty University, which owns Candler’s Station shopping center, to convert the old TJ Maxx. But there’s no date set for when the site will open. Dr. Keith Anderson, LU’s health and wellness director, said that’s because the health district doesn’t have enough vaccines yet. Wodicka said city and health officials are asking for patience.

VIRGINIA – Virginia’s getting more shots in arms thanks to a new federal partnership between the CDC and pharmacies across the country. CVS plans to distribute 26,000 COVID-19 vaccines in the Commonwealth starting next week. “They’re critical to expanding our capabilities,” said New River Valley Health District Director Dr. Noelle Bissell. But a CVS spokesperson said the company doesn’t have a list of exact stores getting vaccines. Starting Feb. 9, people can start making appointments either online, on the CVS Pharmacy App or by calling CVS customer service at 1-800-746-7287.

LYNCHBURG, Va. – Centra Health is working to get more shots in arms. You can get the vaccine if you’re a frontline worker, someone over the age of 65, or qualify in the phase ‘1a’ or ‘1b’ categories. “Our hospital sites do continue to administer vaccine to those healthcare personnel who fell into phase 1A. And our Centra medical group started vaccinating as of last Friday,” said Dr. Michael Elliott. We’re told COVID-19 related deaths are still up, but they’re happening at a slower pace.

J.B. Pritzker’s coronavirus reopening plan, state public health officials said Friday. Among other loosened rules, gyms and fitness centers would be allowed to reopen with 50% capacity limits and other public health precautions in place. Parents in Joliet Public School District 86 this week were notified of the decision by the district’s board of inspectors. In Chicago, public health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady has predicted most people will get their vaccines from their health care provider, pharmacy or employer. J.B. Pritzker’s coronavirus reopening plan, state public health officials said Friday.

Can COVID-19 vaccines be mixed and matched? The COVID-19 vaccines rolling out in the United States, the United Kingdom and other parts of the world so far require two shots given a few weeks apart. In the U.S. where Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are being distributed, health officials say the vaccines are not interchangeable. But without any studies, vaccine doses should not be mixed, said Naor Bar-Zeev, a vaccine expert at Johns Hopkins University. Read previous Viral Questions:Should I get a COVID-19 vaccine if I’ve had the virus?

LYNCHBURG, Va. – Vaccination appointments can now be scheduled at Centra Health medical offices. Officials say you must fit into the ‘1a’ and ‘1b’ categories and have an established relationship with a Centra primary care provider. Likely the first doses will go in arms, within our Centra medical group offices, on Friday of this week,” said Michael Elliott, Centra’s senior vice president and chief transformation Officer. Centra also released its latest numbers on hospitalizations and COVID-related deaths. To put it into perspective, that total was 183 as of Jan 7.

Vaccines have arrived, and more are on the way. Illinois has already administered around 126,000. Britain on Wednesday gave emergency authorization to another coronavirus vaccine, developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford. Developers are calling it the “vaccine for the world” because it’s significantly cheaper per dose than other vaccines and can be shipped and stored at normal refrigeration temperatures.

“We are wanting to make sure that people are aware of that so that if they experience some of those symptoms, or all of them, that they don’t think that something’s wrong but instead understand that is an effect of the vaccine, and expect it to be even more significant with this second dose as opposed to the first,” she said. “We want to include that in our messaging, we want providers to be aware of that so that they can give the proper anticipatory guidance to people so they know what to expect.”

If the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves the first vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna this month, the first vaccinations could be given as early as mid-December, officials said. Shots for the broader public likely would not be available until well into next year. But experts believe this is the way society will stop a virus that has crippled the economy and been a factor in the deaths of more than 275,000 people in the United States.

Lightfoot also reiterated that the city is working on how it will distribute COVID-19 vaccines when they become available. Who gets the vaccine first and the order thereafter will be determined by federal rules, she said, but the city already has a robust system for distributing vaccines. Initially it’ll be healthcare workers getting the vaccine. It’ll later be followed by high-risk individuals, but all adults should be able to get vaccines sometime in 2021, she said.

Dr. Patrick Jackson, professor of UVA Medical Center’s infectious diseases and international health division, said he feels encouraged by Pfizer’s announcement Monday that their vaccine may be 90% effective -- but it’s still too soon to tell. “It’s very exciting stuff, and I think it points the way towards a way out of the pandemic," said Jackson. “They were only looking at less than 100 cases of COVID-19 to make that estimate of 90% effectiveness. The body produces the protein, then produces the antibodies. So, this is really powerful technology,” Jackson added.