Luckily, we decided to save you some time by rounding up the latest bits of news that are actually important. From where we are with vaccinations and booster shots to a pill that might be beneficial to people who are already infected, here’s everything you need to know.
Everyone who wants a booster shot will be able to get one
There’s been a lot of back and forth on booster shots. A Pfizer booster was the first to be authorized by the FDA—that happened at the end of September—and now the FDA has recommended authorizing booster doses of both the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. While not everyone can get them just yet—priority is going to those who are older or immune-compromised—it seems that eventually, anyone who wants a booster dose of the vaccine they got will be able to get one. And after some preliminary research, the FDA has officially authorized “mix and match” vaccines, meaning people who received Johnson & Johnson or Moderna can get a Pfizer booster, people who got Pfizer can get a Moderna vaccine.
Kids between the ages of 5 and 12 will be eligible for vaccination soon
While shots haven’t started going into arms just yet, September brought some welcome news from Pfizer: After many trials, they now believe their vaccine is safe and effective for kids over the age of five, and they have asked the FDA to consider authorizing it for emergency use. The meeting to discuss this will tentatively take place on October 26th. For parents of school-age kids, this light at the end of the tunnel brings a lot of relief.
The CDC is begging pregnant people to get vaccinated
As of September 29, only 31% of pregnant people had been vaccinated against COVID-19. The result has been a tragically high number of pregnant people dying from COVID. “Pregnancy can be both a special time and also a stressful time—and pregnancy during a pandemic is an added concern for families," CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, MDH, MPH said in a statement. “I strongly encourage those who are pregnant or considering pregnancy to talk with their healthcare provider about the protective benefits of the COVID-19 vaccine to keep their babies and themselves safe.”
Cases of the delta variant are now in decline, confirming scientists’ suspicions about COVID’s two-month cycle
While the pandemic is not over, we’re finally seeing a decline in cases after high infection and hospitalization rates at the end of the summer. This confirms scientists’ suspicion that the virus seems to follow a two-month cycle: The delta variant also peaked and declined in other countries over a two-month span, regardless on vaccination rate—although it’s worth noting that vaccinated people were much less likely to be hospitalized or die than unvaccinated people.
There’s a pill that could be helpful in preventing severe COVID
The very best way to avoid getting severely ill from COVID-19 is to get vaccinated. But there’s also a new pill that was developed by the company Merck, and if it’s approved, it will be the first oral antiviral COVID-19 drug. The idea behind this pill is that it can be given to people when they are infected with COVID but not yet severely ill, and it could help prevent serious illness or death. This pill is not yet approved by the FDA.
Yes, you should still wear a mask in some situations
There’s no question that we’ve gotten a lot of mixed messages around masking over the past 19 months. At first, we were told that masks didn’t do much, then we were told they could save our lives (and they can!), then we were told that vaccinated people could take off their masks, then we were told that vaccinated people should put them back on. As of October 2021, if you are vaccinated, wearing a mask is still a good idea in indoor settings (especially crowded ones) and in places with low vaccination or high infection rates. And the latest research shows that surgical masks, KN95 ,or N95 masks are more effective than cloth masks. Next up: What Are the Symptoms of Delta Variant COVID?
Sources
“FDA Authorizes Booster Dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for Certain Populations.” U.S. Foods and Drug Administration.“Heterologous SARS-CoV2 Booster Vaccinations - Preliminary Report.” BMJ, Yale.“COVID Vaccine: What Parents Need to Know.” Johns Hopkins Medicine.“Pregnant and Unvaccinated: Delta’s Deadly Toll.” Scientific American.“CDC Statement on Pregnancy Health Advisory.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.“Merck pill seen as ‘huge advance,’ raises hopes of preventing COVID-19 deaths.” Reuters.“Study supports widespread use of better masks to prevent COVID-19 indoors.” University of Waterloo.
