Coronavirus weekly need-to-know: Biden vaccine mandate, boosters, fertility & more
Each week, we offer you a roundup of our noteworthy coronavirus coverage.
More than 47 million people in the United States have tested positive for the coronavirus as of Saturday morning, Nov. 13, according to Johns Hopkins University. That includes more than 762,000 people who have died nationwide.
Globally, there have been more than 252 million confirmed cases of the highly infectious virus, with more than 5 million reported deaths.
More than 193.4 million people in the U.S. are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Nov. 10 — about 59% of the total population, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tracker shows. More than 26.1 million people have received a booster dose.
Here’s what happened between Nov. 5 to Nov. 11.
Do fully vaccinated people who had COVID-19 need a booster?
COVID-19 booster shots are now available for certain fully vaccinated people after evidence revealed the initial series of shots — two doses for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, and one dose for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine — appear less effective against the delta variant as protection wanes over time.
But what about the healthy, fully vaccinated people who’ve already had COVID-19 either before or after they received their shots?
Some experts point to early studies that show a prior coronavirus infection acts as a booster when coupled with complete vaccination. Others say there’s not enough data to know for sure.
Can employers make unvaccinated workers pay for COVID-19 tests?
Tucked in the nearly 500-page document detailing the federal government’s COVID-19 vaccine and testing requirements for millions of American workers was an unexpected provision — employers don’t have to pay for unvaccinated workers to get tested.
It’s a move federal authorities have never made before, experts said.
That’s not to say every employee will foot the bill for COVID-19 tests if they refuse a vaccine.
A patchwork of state and local laws combined with federal mandates issued at the height of the coronavirus pandemic may force their employer or health insurer’s hand, according to the ruling.
Don’t give your child pain relievers before COVID-19 vaccination
Now that millions of children ages 5-11 can receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, health experts are sharing the same advice they gave to adults: Don’t give kids pain relievers such as ibuprofen, aspirin and acetaminophen before vaccination.
It may be a tempting option to avoid a fussy child by preventing uncomfortable side effects the shots may cause, but it’s unclear how these medications might affect antibody responses to the vaccine.
Research on pain relievers in combination with COVID-19 vaccines is lacking.
How common are allergies to COVID-19 vaccines?
Allergic reactions to COVID-19 vaccines are possible, but they are extremely rare, especially the more severe ones. Importantly, they can happen after any vaccine.
Anaphylaxis — a severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction — has occurred in about two to five people per million vaccinated individuals in the U.S., according to the CDC.
The issue has gained some attention after Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said he did his own research before learning he’s allergic to an ingredient in the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, including the Pfizer and Moderna shots, which share a similar makeup.
How will COVID-19 vaccine mandate be enforced — and what happens if you don’t comply?
When President Joe Biden announced a federal COVID-19 vaccine and testing requirement for companies with 100 or more employees, legal experts had their concerns.
Chief among them was how the historically underfunded and understaffed federal agency tasked with drafting the rule — the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA — could enforce it.
An estimated 84 million workers will be affected, government officials have said. OSHA didn’t address enforcement or penalties when it issued the nearly 500-page emergency temporary standard on Nov. 4.
But a workplace safety lawyer and former OSHA official said that’s not to say there isn’t a plan in place — or a wide range of penalties on the table for businesses that don’t comply.
Do COVID-19 vaccines affect male fertility?
Rumors that COVID-19 vaccines affect both male and female fertility continue to fuel concerns among millions of people who remain hesitant to get vaccinated.
The CDC and several other medical organizations have said there is “no evidence that any vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines, cause fertility problems in women or men.”
However, popular voices, including artist Nicki Minaj and more recently Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, often give renewed attention to common conspiracies that science has proven incorrect.
Here’s everything to know about fertility and COVID-19 vaccines.
You may have to tiptoe over COVID-19 hospital waste at the beach soon
Forget the hungry seagulls; plastic waste from the COVID-19 pandemic, including masks, gloves and face shields, may ruin your future beach days instead.
New research estimates the pandemic has generated more than 8 million tons of plastic pollution globally, with more than 25,000 of those tons already dumped in oceans via rivers worldwide.
The majority of the junk is coming directly from hospital.
Fortunately for marine life, but less so for us, a significant chunk of the ocean plastic debris is expected to land on beaches, meaning it’s likely we could be tip-toeing over used masks and gloves next summer.
Worried about COVID-19 vaccine side effects? Thinking about it raises chance you feel them
The moments leading up to COVID-19 vaccination could be stressful or nerve-wracking for some, but new research suggests people are better off quieting their mind before they roll up their sleeves.
A survey of more than 550 vaccinated adults found people who expected to feel side effects such as headaches, fatigue or arm pain were “much more likely” to experience them than those who did not anticipate the reactions.
What’s more, expectation trumped other predictive factors known to influence the likelihood of experiencing side effects, such as the specific vaccine a person received, age and prior coronavirus infection, according to the study.
Some types of blood cancer can make COVID-19 breakthrough case more severe
People with blood cancers tend to have more severe COVID-19 infections than people without the diseases; they are also less likely to respond to coronavirus vaccines, meaning they are more likely to get infected after vaccination.
Now, new research shows people with blood cancers can have more serious COVID-19 cases after vaccination, too, known as breakthrough cases — and the type of blood cancer makes a difference.
Company cites aborted fetal cells to fight COVID-19 vaccine mandate
Dozens of states have filed legal challenges to President Biden’s workplace vaccine and testing requirement, citing a lack of authority and government overreach.
One company in Alabama, however, hinges its objection on different grounds — religion.
Scientists, however, have said none of the coronavirus vaccines contain aborted fetal cells.
This story was originally published November 12, 2021 at 4:07 AM with the headline "Coronavirus weekly need-to-know: Biden vaccine mandate, boosters, fertility & more."
