15 May
2021
15 May
'21
9:59 p.m.
On Monday, May 10th, the Food and Drug Administration authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech
COVID-19 Vaccine for adolescents ages
12-15<https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/coronavirus-co…se>.
Parents who have questions should talk to their pediatricians or their healthcare
providers.
Thursday morning, sites across New Jersey, including the Morris County Regional
Vaccination Center at the Rockaway Townsquare Mall, began administering the Pfizer
COVID-19 vaccine to these age groups. Anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a
parent or guardian. Walk-ups are accepted 8:00am - 3:00pm. Appointments can also be made.
Learn more at the Morris County
website.<https://www.morriscountynj.gov/Residents/Health/Coronavirus/Vac…
On Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also updated its guidance
saying that if individuals are fully
vaccinated<https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/science/science-bri…
against COVID-19, they can resume activities without wearing a mask or staying 6 feet
apart from another person. The CDC considers someone fully vaccinated two weeks after
their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or two weeks following the single dose
of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The CDC made this announcement based on the
scientific data on the performance of the COVID-19 vaccines, the CDC’s growing
understanding of the low risk of fully vaccinated individuals transmitting the virus,
universal access to vaccines to those 12 and older, and vaccine efficacy against certain
variants<https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMc2104974>74>.
A recent study<https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2779853> from
researchers in Israel, which CDC Director Dr. Walensky referenced during her announcement
on Thursday, estimated that the Pfizer vaccine was over 95% effective at preventing
symptomatic infection and over 80% effective at preventing asymptomatic infection among
healthcare workers. Another
study<https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/p0514-covid-19-vaccine-eff…
that was released yesterday by the CDC looked at healthcare workers in 25 states and
reported that the mRNA vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna) were 94% effective at reducing the
chances of getting sick.
In response to this information, some states have lifted mask mandates. On Friday,
Governor Murphy announced that NJ will keep the indoor mask mandate in place in public
settings, for the time being. The Governor also said that vaccinated people don’t need to
wear masks at small private gatherings and that vaccinated people don’t need to wear masks
outdoors.
As a reminder - on Wednesday, May 19th, many of the capacity and gathering restrictions
that have been in place for the past year will be lifted and replaced with requirements
for social distancing.
Have a good weekend and take care.
Sarah Neibart
Mayor, Mendham Township