June 3rd Updates

Arizona Department of Health Services is phasing out the state run vaccination sites by June 28th as now there are "hundreds of locations" throughout Arizona now offering COVID-19 vaccinations. To find a vaccination site, please go to:

https://www.azdhs.gov/covid19/vaccines/index.php#find-vaccines

The entire ADHS announcement is found here

Round Up For This Week

In addition to adults, the CDC has now granted Emergency Use Authorization for the administration of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to adolescents 12-15 years of age. Moderna and Janssen COVID-19 vaccines remain available for those 18 years of age and older. To find a vaccine location closest to you based upon type of vaccine you prefer, please click on the ADHS link:

In other news, the CDC has changed its mask guidance for fully vaccinated persons, advising that masks and 6 foot distancing are no longer required in most indoor and outdoor locations. This leads to the conundrum of how to determine vaccination status – with the honor system being considered the least intrusive.

See new CDC guidance here:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated.html

Don’t forget to thank a nurse during the month of May, National Nurses Month. A salute to all nurses for devoting their lives to caring for others. In the words of Florence Nightingale,

As we navigate through this pandemic, a friendly reminder to keep up preventive care such as your annual check up, eye and dental exams, mammograms or colorectal cancer screenings you may have missed this past year. Take care of each other and have an enjoyable weekend.

“Let us each and all realizing the importance of our influence on others—stand shoulder to shoulder—and not alone, in the good cause.”

With Gratitude for Your Efforts,
Tascha Spears, Ph.D., M.Sc., RN

May 13th Updates

Today, the CDC has loosened their recommendations for face coverings for fully vaccinated persons. Specifically, the CDC states, "you can resume activities without wearing a mask or staying 6 feet apart, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance."

See the link below for specific circumstances:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated.html

May 11th Updates

ADHS has announced that "state run vaccination sites are ready to vaccinate ages 12 to 15 beginning Thursday, May 13th subject to CDC approval. Walk-ins will be welcome at seven state run locations in the Phoenix area, Tucson, Yuma and Flagstaff.

From ADHS news release:
"Once CDC makes the recommendation, parents and guardians may bring those ages 12 to 15 to state vaccination sites starting Thursday, which also is the day when many pharmacies and other providers with Pfizer plan to begin vaccinating this age group. The ADHS vaccine finder available at azdhs.gov/FindVaccine allows visitors to filter locations by vaccine type.

A parent or guardian must accompany the child and sign a consent form in person and includes an attestation that the child is at least 12 years old. No identification is required for the child. Place of permanent residence isn’t a factor in whether someone can be vaccinated at a state site.

Parents and guardians also will be able to register those ages 12 to 15 for vaccination starting at 8 a.m. Thursday by visiting podvaccine.azdhs.gov or calling 844-542-8201 to be connected with someone who can assist in English or Spanish. Appointments aren’t required for state-run sites, but they are a way to reduce the length of a visit because registration is taken care of in advance."

May 10th Updates

Pinal Public Health has another new tab on the data dashboard. If you click on this data dashboard link on this page:
https://www.pinalcountyaz.gov/publichealth/CoronaVirus/Pages/Home.aspx
There is a tab where you can select zipcodes to see data about specific zipcodes.

May 10th Updates

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration expanded the emergency use authorization (EUA) for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for the prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to include adolescents 12 through 15 years of age. The FDA amended the EUA originally issued on Dec. 11, 2020 for administration in individuals 16 years of age and older.
https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/coronavirus-covid-19-update-fda-authorizes-pfizer-biontech-covid-19-vaccine-emergency-use

May 10th Updates

On Friday, May 7th the CDC updated their documents on how the virus causing COVID-19 is transmitted. What has remained consistent is that COVID-19 can develop if one is exposed to the respiratory fluids of someone who is carrying the virus. While previously the CDC website had some mixed messages about airborne transmission of the virus, scientists have documented cases of persons contracting COVID through inhaling tiny droplets of the virus in specific conditions even if farther than 6 feet apart. This can occur in specific conditions such as poorly ventilated areas or exposure for extended periods of time. However, good ventilation and the outdoors are consistently cited as minimizing airborne transmission.
See the attached link

On the vaccine front, 225,303 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Pinal County. As of today, 72.1% of persons 65 and older vaccinated and 55.7% of those 54-64 years of age. For other ages ranges of persons vaccinated in Pinal County, click on the following ADHS link. Be sure you have clicked on Pinal County on the map located on this page:
See the attached link

COVID-19 vaccine continues to be available at county and state run sites listed on the pinal COVID-vaccine locations webpage and the ADHS webpage. State run sites are also offering COVID-19 vaccines to walk-ins.
https://azdhs.gov/covid19/vaccines/index.php#find-vaccines

April 30th Updates

It has always been the principle of Pinal County public health to share COVID information as we receive it and also to be honest about how much remains unknown about COVID-19. For example, new COVID variants are being identified about which we know very little and we continue to learn other information such as the recently identified rare blood clotting disorder that resulted in the pause of Janssen COVID vaccine. Once those cases were evaluated, on 4/23/21 the CDC reaffirmed the use of Janssen with the added warning about the clotting disorder.

Both Moderna and Janssen continue to be available at various locations in Pinal County with appointments available. See the Pinal COVID vaccine locations page. Of note, 70.9% of Pinal residents 65 and older have been vaccinated; 53.5% of those 55-64 years of age; 40.4% of those 45-54 and 30% of those 35-44. We are grateful to our Community Partner, Sun Life who is also vaccinating those medically unable to leave their homes.

On 4/27/21, the CDC advised if you are fully vaccinated and have been around someone who has COVID-19, you no longer need to quarantine or stay away from others - or get tested unless you have symptoms. (This does not apply if you live in a correctional or detention facility or group home - please test even without symptoms).

Other news - for those using hand sanitizers - on Wednesday, the FDA announced that Scentsational Soaps & Candles had issued a voluntary nationwide recall of their scented hand sanitizers due to the presence of benzene, methanol, and acetaldehyde. Recalled lots of hand sanitizer had been distributed nationwide through Ulta Beauty, TJ Maxx, and Marshalls retail stores. So - here's my shout out for using good old soap and water.

We have all been through alot this past year but it looks like we are turning the corner for healthier summer months. For those days that may still be tough, sharing with you a nice motto:
"Focus on Your 4 Walls." Take care of yourself and your immediate family first - then everything outside of your 4 walls is easier to handle.

April 23rd Updates

Per the earlier timeline today, ACIP met today to review the pause on the Janssen COVID vaccine due to blood clots and low platelet counts. Fifteen cases were reviewed, along with research and clinical discussions. At the culmination of the meeting, members voted to resume Janssen COVID vaccinations, citing the benefits of continued use. The interim recommendation is:

"Janssen vaccine is recommended for persons 18 years of age and older in the U.S. population under the FDA's Emergency Use Authorization."

Discussion also included the importance of those administering the vaccine ensuring that both the benefits and risks of the vaccine are understood, including a risk of blood clots with low platelets, particularly in women under the age of 50. The signs and symptoms to be aware of that require emergency medical attention include severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain and shortness of breath within 1-3 weeks post Janssen vaccination.

Pinal County COVID vaccination teams will be meeting next week to further discuss the new interim recommendation. Janssen vaccine is not yet available again for administration at this time.

April 23rd Updates

On April 12th the CDC recommended a pause in administration of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine due to identification of 6 cases of a rare blood clotting disease. The cases appeared more frequently in women less than 50 years of age. Over 6.8 million doses had been administered in the U.S> at the time of the pause.

Today, The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met to discuss and review the clinical presentation of Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis (CVST) and issues related to the Janssen viral vector vaccine. Symptoms including headache and fever typically began 1-2 weeks after vaccination and early recognition was important to treatment.

The EUA originally recommended Janssen one dose COVID 19 vaccine for persons 18 years of age and older. The one dose Janssen vaccine was recognized as preventing COVID deaths, reducing COVID related ICU admissions, and also offered vaccination for those that were less able to receive the 2 dose mRNA vaccines (Pfizer or Moderna).

ACIP will end their review of the research and complete their discussions at 5 pm Eastern time today. We will let you know the ACIP recommendations for Janssen when we hear the outcome.

April 21st Updates

We continue to wait for the CDC to determine if the Johnson and Johnson Janssen vaccine will become available again. In the meantime, providers in our county have Moderna appointments available.

April 13th Updates

Those who had Janssen COVID vaccine appointments canceled today at the Coolidge clinic will be contacted by public health once we know more. For those who wish to receive Moderna or Pfizer instead of Janssen, you can schedule at one of the State pods through the ADHS vaccine finder website: azdhs.gov/findvaccine

April 13th Updates

As of April 12, more than 6.8 million doses of Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in the United States. The CDC and FDA are reviewing data involving six reported cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot in women between the ages of 18 and 48 after receiving the J&J vaccine. In these cases, a blood clot called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) was seen in combination with low levels of blood platelets (thrombocytopenia). Until these cases are further reviewed, the CDC and FDA are recommending a pause in the use of the J&J vaccine. This recommendation does not impact the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines.

April 13th Updates

Janssen Vaccine clinic at Coolidge is canceled today. The CDC is recommending a pause in administering Janssen vaccine. See link. More information will be forthcoming on rescheduling or other vaccine choices

April 7th Updates

It is National Public Health week and a heartfelt thanks to each and every public health employee for their unwavering response to all public health concerns even though the public's eye has been on COVID.

For the COVID vaccine updates, Pinal County community vaccinators have vaccinated 65.4% of those 65 years of age and older. We are making steady progress as we continue to vaccinate persons 18 years of age and older. Although Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccine has been in limited supply, the Pinal County COVID vaccine locations page does identify which locations have Moderna and Janssen. We are not made aware of which vaccines the pharmacies receive.

April 5th Updates

On Friday, the CDC issued new guidelines for travel within the U.S.

• Fully vaccinated travelers are less likely to get and spread COVID-19.
• People who are fully vaccinated with an FDA-authorized vaccine can travel safely within the United States:
• Fully vaccinated travelers do not need to get tested before or after travel unless their destination requires it
• Fully vaccinated travelers do not need to self-quarantine
• For international travel, the regulations of the country to which you are traveling still apply.

See entire document here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-during-covid19.html

As of this morning, 157,111 doses of COVID vaccine have been administered in Pinal County. Over the weekend, there were 42 new cases of COVID 19 reported with 0 deaths. We are headed in the right direction. Happy Spring everyone!

April 2nd Updates

As of today, Pinal County has administered 148,978 doses of COVID vaccine. 94,362 people have received at least one dose. Research is coming out regarding the effectiveness of the vaccine and appears promising.

For an interesting website summarizing some of the latest research click here.

Please note this is a fluid situation that changes as more information is provided by the CDC and AZDHS.

Check out this video explaining how the COVID-19 vaccine works: