Coronavirus News Explained

 Pfizer Vaccine Efficacy Against the Delta and Other Variants     The Delta Variant, or variant B.1.617.2 was first identified in India in late 2020. This COVID-19 variant has since spread to many other areas including Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The Delta variant is estimated to be more infectious and about 60% more transmissible than the Alpha, or B.1.1.7 variant. Despite its rapid spread, scientists hope to lower the variant's impact through vaccination. However, there has been much discussion as to whether or not the vaccines are as effective, or effective at all, against the Delta variant. A study published in Nature in June 2021 analyzed the effectiveness of the Pfizer vaccine against multiple COVID-19 variants including B.1.617.2. As of June 28, 2021, 81 million Americans have been fully vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine which has a 95% efficacy against the coronavirus and is available for ages 12 and up. The efficacy data is taken from Pfizer's

 Myocarditis Following mRNA Vaccination     In May 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expanded Emergency Use Authorization for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to those aged 12-15 years. As vaccines become more available, the percentage of people receiving vaccines are going up: As of June 14, 2021, 52.5% of the U.S. population received at least one vaccine dose. However, since April 2021, there have been increased reports of myocarditis/pericarditis, or inflammation of the heart, after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination (currently, the approved mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S. are by Pfizer and Moderna). While the reports of myocarditis and pericarditis are rare, the rates for ages 16-24 are higher than expected. On June 10, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee held a meeting where they evaluated cases of myocarditis following vaccination.  Evaluating the Data     Data was taken from the Vaccine Adve

 Factors that Influence the Willingness to Vaccinate        As of June 1, 2021, about 135 million Americans have been fully vaccinated according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, despite the increasing availability of vaccines, over half of the United States' population (59%) is not fully vaccinated. While some have just not yet gotten the chance to be vaccinated, others are hesitant or even opposed to vaccination. Unfortunately, public vaccine hesitancy could slow down society's return to normalcy and negatively impact COVID-19 infection rates. So why are people hesitant to receive a COVID-19 vaccine? What factors could persuade or discourage someone from getting vaccinated? A recent study published in the Nature Public Journal (npj) Vaccines , investigated how vaccine type, vaccine efficacy, and other factors can impact the public's willingness to be vaccinated.  About the Study     The study was conducted from October 29-30, 2020. A total of 109