Coronavirus Updates: After FDA panel vote on booster shots, CDC panel to meet

NEW YORK (WABC) — A CDC panel will convene this week to discuss and likely vote on recommendations for who should be eligible for COVID-19 booster shots.

Last week, an FDA advisory panel recommended booster shots for people 65 years old and older and anyone at high risk of severe COVID.

It did not approve boosters yet for the general public.

The Biden Administration was hoping to have boosters approved for everyone, By tomorrow.

“What they got ahead of was the scientific process,” FDA advisory committee member Dr. Paul Offit said. “I think by sort of declaring a date of September 20, they really did marginalize the FDA and CDC in that process, but it eventually worked out.”

The full FDA will consider the panel’s advice and make its own decision, likely in the very near future.

Meanwhile the U.S. Is now averaging more than 1,400 deaths a day, 7.5 times higher than in mid-July.

Here are more of today’s COVID-19 headlines:

Chris Rock announces COVID diagnosis
On Sunday, actor and comedian Chris Rock announced via Twitter that he has been diagnosed with COVID. In the tweet, Rock urged people to get vaccinated, saying “trust me you don’t want this.”

Moderna vaccine most effective against hospitalization
A new CDC study of all three COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S. found the shot developed by Moderna is slightly more effective than those developed by Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson. In a study of more than 3,600 adults, Moderna’s vaccine provided 93% protection against hospitalization to Pfizer’s 88% and Johnson & Johnson’s 70%. The agency said that although the data shows some variation in the levels of protection, all three provide substantial protection against COVID-19 hospitalization.

East Harlem Public School closed due to COVID cases
P.S. 79 in East Harlem is first New York City Department of Education school to go fully remote for10 days after a COVID-19 outbreak in school. NYC Public Schools opened doors to students on Monday. According to Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, 19 confirmed cases at East Harlem school.

CDC predicts cases could decrease in a month
The CDC is forecasting that COVID cases will likely decrease about a month from now. But right now, the delta variant still dominating. 2,000 deaths were reported on Wednesday; the highest single-day total in seven months. Many ICUs are filled with the unvaccinated.

FDA panel is first key test for President Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine booster plan
The Biden administration’s embattled plan to dispense COVID-19 booster shots to most Americans faced its first major hurdle Friday as a government advisory panel met to decide whether to endorse extra doses of the Pfizer vaccine.

Scientists inside and outside the government have been divided in recent days over the need for boosters and who should get them, and the World Health Organization has strongly objected to rich nations giving a third round of shots when poor countries don’t have enough vaccine for their first.

More than 600,000 flags on National Mall stand witness to America’s COVID dead
On one small, white rectangle is the name of a 29-year-old engineer, on another the name of a World War II veteran, and on a third, that of a 15-year-old — just three of more than 600,000 flags on the National Mall reflecting the devastating impact COVID-19 has had on American lives and the country.

On the grassy expanse near the Washington Monument, the field of flags is being displayed as a part of a chilling exhibition called “In America: Remember.”

Each represents a life lost to the pandemic, and each sits amid a sea of symbolic grief.
San Gennaro begins in NYC as post-Electric Zoo COVID cluster renews concern
There are renewed concerns about the spread of coronavirus at mass gatherings in New York City, as the Department of Health investigates a cluster of COVID-19 cases after a large music festival and amid the return of the popular Feast of San Gennaro in Little Italy. The health department investigation is focusing on more than a dozen COVID cases following the Electric Zoo Music Festival on Randalls Island. Before the pandemic, the Labor Day weekend festival drew more than 100,000 people. This year, attendees had to be fully vaccinated. Still, the health department says the case count is now up to 16, so they are asking anyone who attended to get tested.

Temple Emanu-El holds its first-ever Yom Kippur services in Central Park
Temple Emanu-El is holding its first-ever Yom Kippur services in Central Park. Services were being held at 9 a.m., 12:30 p.m. for teens, and 3 p.m. for families. Those who took part in the services had to preregister. The outdoor services were being held in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Day of Action: Mobile COVID-19 vaccine sites at 26 restaurants across NYC
It’s a day of action for small business owners Thursday, as elected officials join restaurants across the city to encourage COVID-19 vaccination. The New York City Test & Trace Corp has deployed mobile vaccination units to 26 restaurants across the city to make sure New Yorkers are protected from the novel coronavirus. With Key-to-NYC vaccine mandates now in effect, residents must be vaccinated to access all the eateries that make the Big Apple a world-renowned food destination.
Mayor details NYC booster shot rollout plan
Mayor Bill de Blasio revealed some details of NYC’s COVID booster vaccination plan if and when federal approval for the additional shots comes. The plan will utilize all 1,900 vaccination sites across the city, and 25 city-run sites will stay open with extended hours. The city will hold weekend booster shot events to give 45,000 additional shots per week as needed. And the city will mount a proactive booster shot outreach campaign. A recommendation from the FDA and CDC on booster shots is expected as soon as next week.

Hochul announces end of NY state hiring freeze

Governor Kathy Hochul on Thursday announced the suspension of the state hiring freeze through the end of the fiscal year, supporting COVID-19 recovery efforts. It came as the governor released the updated State Financial Plan, projecting $2.1 billion in revenue above projections, with the economic recovery beating expectations. While agencies are now able to hire without first obtaining a waiver from the Division of the Budget, they must prioritize hiring for their core missions and continue to prudently manage their resources, the governor’s office said.

Grand Central Oyster Bar to reopen Monday
The on again, off again reopening of the Grand Central Oyster Bar – now possibly the most reported reopening of the pandemic — has been officially scheduled for Monday Sept 20 at 100% capacity, Chief Sandy Ingber told the mayor. The oyster bar first said it would be opening Sept. 7 after a nearly 17-month closure by the pandemic, but then pushed the date back again, citing “unforeseen operational issues, and delays caused by Hurricane Ida.” Ingber joined the mayor to announce the 440-seat restaurant’s reopening Monday, at 100% capacity.

1 in 500 Americans have died of COVID since 1st US infection
The United States has reached another grim milestone in its fight against the devastating COVID-19 pandemic: 1 in 500 Americans have died from coronavirus since the nation’s first reported infection.
As of Tuesday night, 663,913 people in the US have died of COVID-19, according to Johns Hopkins University data. According to the US Census Bureau, the US population as of April 2020 was 331.4 million.