School COVID Case Decrease | News, Sports, Work

John Whittaker

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The proportion of schoolchildren infected with COVID-19 has declined in the past week, according to local school district statistics submitted to New York state authorities.

When the New York State School COVID Report Card was released on September 27, 1.4% of children enrolled in local schools tested positive for COVID-19. That number has dropped to 1.12% as of Monday. In Jamestown, the percentage of enrolled students who tested positive for COVID decreased from 2.53% to 1.49%, while the percentage of Dunkirk City School Districts decreased slightly from 1.27% to 1.17%.

Also, the percentage of tests given to school children who returned from 11.66% in late September to 8.15% by Monday has decreased. The majority of positive school cases continue to come from students, with fewer teachers and staff tested positive locally than in late September until Monday.

According to data posted in the NY Forward database, the decline in COVID-19 cases at school is contrary to the increase in the number of cases in Chautauqua. Data released late Wednesday showed 80 new cases in Chautauqua County until Tuesday and 47 new cases on Monday. In the last 14 days, 7.7% of people tested for COVID-19 in Chautauqua County have been virus positive.

The NY Forward database also shows that 30% of hospital beds in western New York are available and 18% of ICU beds are available in the area.

According to state statistics, 65.3% of Chautauqua County residents over the age of 18 have received at least one COVID-19 vaccination, the third highest in the western New York region of five counties after Erie and Niagara counties. It is a ratio. Chautauqua County is ranked 85% in the middle of the western New York herd for immunization of hospital workers, below Niagara and Erie counties, and above Allegany (80%) and Cattaraugus (75%). I am.

The county percentage of long-term care staff vaccinated with COVID-19 was 99% until Tuesday, tied to Niagara County, the highest in western New York.

Governor Kathy Hokul is working to increase the proportion of 12-18 year olds vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine at the #Vaxtoschool pop-up COVID-19 vaccine site, but the governor will be working on Tuesday from school to pediatricians throughout the state. Infants moving to the clinic.

“But one is when younger children, pediatricians, can get involved and get ready.” Hochul said at a press conference. “Start signing up to make sure you have full access to the vaccine. So we don’t waste a moment. Approved and the pediatrician’s clinic is the most logical When it comes to places, many adults are accustomed to going to pharmacies for flu shots. I did it myself, but for your child, you are in your clinic. I think it will feel safer, so we don’t want to have problems with them. We can’t do this for our family and make sure they have enough supplies. , The pediatrician should register so that we can track you and make sure you have what you need. “

Preparation may need to be prepared sooner or later. Pfizer asked the US government on Thursday to allow children aged 5 to 11 to use the COVID-19 vaccine — and if regulators agree, firing could begin within a few weeks. In a tweet, Pfizer announced that it had officially applied to the Food and Drug Administration. Now the FDA needs to determine if there is sufficient evidence that the shot is safe and as effective for toddlers as it is for teens and adults. An independent expert committee will publicly discuss the evidence on October 26th.

According to Pfizer’s research, young children now need to take one-third of the dose given to everyone else. After the second dose, children aged 5 to 11 developed antibody levels that fight the virus as strong as teens and young adults would get from normal-strength shots.Children have a lower risk of serious illness and death than older people, but COVID-19 sometimes killed children and delta variants swept across the country, resulting in a surge in adolescent cases.

Pfizer said that 2,268 volunteers between the ages of 5 and 11 studied low doses and had no serious side effects. This study is not large enough to detect very rare side effects, such as heart inflammation that sometimes occur after the second dose of a regular vaccine, mainly in young men.

If the FDA permits emergency use of child-sized doses, there is another hurdle before starting vaccination for this age group. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention adviser decides whether to recommend shots to young people, and the CDC makes the final decision.

To avoid misadministration, Pfizer plans to ship specially marked vials for children, including low doses.

— The Associated Press contributed to this report