Veteran Day 2022

LỮ ĐOÀN 92 USV ĐẠT GIẢI NHẤT TRONG BUỔI DIỄN HÀNH VETERAN DAY 2022

Hình ảnh do anh Minh Thành & anh Thẩm Võ cũng cấp.

Theo thông lệ hằng năm, Cộng Đồng Người Việt QG-AZ thường phối hợp cùng một số hội đoàn trong Cộng Đồn tham gia vào buổi diễn hành ngày Veteran’s Day. Trong vài năm gần đây kể từ khi đại dịch COVID bùng phát, thì vì lý do sức khỏe và đường xá xa xôi, Cộng Đồng đã vắng mặt. Tuy nhiên, Lữ đoàn 92 USV vẫn tham gia diễn hành Veteran’s Day đều đặn mỗi năm. Điều đặc biệt là năm nay Lữ đoàn 92 USV đã đạt được giải nhất cho đơn vị diễn hành đẹp nhất năm nay. Xin chúc mừng đến cô Trâm, anh Việt và anh Minh Thành cùng toàn thể các thành viên của Lữ Đoàn 92 USV.

LET US UNDERSTAND NEW BIVALENT VACCINE AND WHY SHOULD WE TAKE IT

Dr. Prakash V Kotecha

Health Specialist, Asian Pacific Community in Action

Globally Covid is rising again. Over 660 million cases reported globally and over 101 million in the USA till date with over 6.7 million deaths globally and over 1.1 million deaths in the USA and sudden rise of cases in China and other countries, Covid data are alerting us to be cautious again. India has already recommended to use mask in all the public gathering, though not made mandatory yet and other countries are soon likely to come up with further public health measures to protect us from the pandemic again showing the rising trend. Considering this, it is important to understand the powerful tool that is available with us already, the new bivalent covid-19 vaccine.

We discussed very briefly about new bivalent vaccine last time. Let us understand the new bivalent Covid-19 vaccine in detail in simple language so that we can make up our mind whether we should take the new vaccine, or it is enough, and we no more need to take the vaccine anymore.

What is COVID-19 Bivalent Vaccine Boosters The updated booster is a new vaccine (outside of the primary series vaccines) that is custom-designed to help protect against multiple COVID-19 variants— and can help provide greater protection against an ever-changing virus. It contains virus antigens from both original virus and omicron virus. FDA approved this bivalent vaccine from September 02, 2022, for people above the age of 17, from October 12, 2022, for people above the age of 5, and from December 08, 2022, to most of the children 6 months and above except those children who completed 3 doses of Pfizer already. Till this date we had booster vaccine which was monovalent. It is over three months now and therefore we have adequate data to compare the efficacy of bivalent vaccine against mono valent booster vaccine. These data come from CDC, but we also have data from Arizona Department of Public Health and data from both sources encourage the new bivalent vaccine booster over normal booster vaccine. Risk for hospitalization and deaths due to Covid is many folds higher among those vaccinated with booster that is not bivalent as compared to those who were booster vaccinated with bivalent vaccine (Fig 1).

Is there evidence of the bivalent vaccine to be more protective? The bivalent vaccines provide preventative protection against COVID-19. Both Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna have now reported safety and immune response data for their updated bivalent mRNA vaccines. These data strongly suggest and helps us to take informed decision in the favor of bivalent booster vaccine. It is very encouraging to see the high degree of consistency between the two different updated bivalent vaccines in terms of their ability to address the most recent circulating variants. Overall, the evidence available for the two updated bivalent vaccines clearly indicates the vaccines are likely to help provide better protection against the currently circulating variants. With the increasing prevalence of the BQ.1.1 lineage of the omicron variant and the amount of travel that takes place around the holidays, it is very important for all those eligible, and particularly older adults, to consider getting the updated vaccine if they have not yet done so. Pfizer-BioNTech reported the following information from its study to CDC: A booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent elicited approximately 4-fold higher neutralizing antibody titers against the BA.4/BA.5 sublineages of the omicron variant compared to a booster dose of the original monovalent COVID-19 vaccine in individuals older than 55 years of age. One month after a 30-μg booster dose of the updated bivalent vaccine, omicron BA.4/BA.5-neutralizing antibody titers increased 13.2-fold from pre-booster levels in adults older than 55 years of age and 9.5-fold in adults 18 to 55 years

of age, compared to a 2.9-fold increase in adults older than 55 years or age who received the original booster vaccine. The safety and tolerability profile of the bivalent booster remains favorable and like the original vaccine. Moderna reported the following information from its study to CDC: A booster dose of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent elicited 6.29-fold higher neutralizing antibody titers against the BA.4/BA.5 sublineages of the omicron variant compared to a booster dose of the original monovalent

COVID-19 vaccine in those without prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, and 5.11fold higher neutralizing antibody titers against omicron BA.4/BA.5 sublineages compared to the original COVID-19 vaccine in those with prior infection. For the absolute increase in antibody titers, compared with pre-booster levels, one month after a 50 μg booster dose of the updated bivalent vaccine, there was 26.4-fold increase in titers in those without prior infection, and a 9.8-fold increase in titers in those with prior infection. Results were consistent in the study between participants aged 65 years and older and those 18 to 65 years of age. The safety and tolerability profile of the bivalent booster remains favorable and like the original vaccine. In an exploratory analysis of approximately 40 participants using research assays, the updated bivalent vaccine demonstrated neutralizing activity against BQ.1.1 that is predicted to be protective, despite an approximately 5-fold drop in titers compared to BA.4/ BA.5 All these data on one side, and rising Covid-19 prevalence and incidence globally, more so in China, in our country and neighboring countries on the other, suggest that taking bivalent booster vaccine dose will substantially help and reduce our chances for hospitalization and death due to Covid-19 and so strongly recommended to get the booster if not already done.

What bivalent vaccine to take and where to get it from?

Both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are now available and very effective. They are available to everyone in almost all local pharmacies and all Government Health Clinics, free of charge irrespective of your health insurance status. In Arizona, you can call 1-844-542-8201 for finding out and registering for the vaccine or go on the website https://podvaccine. azdhs.gov/ and register yourself to your nearest place for the vaccine The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent is authorized for use as a single booster dose in individuals 5 years of age and older. To be taken 2 months after your last vaccine dose. The Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent is authorized for use as a single booster dose in individuals 6 years of age and older. To be taken 2 months after your last vaccine dose. Novavax booster: You may get a monovalent Novavax booster if you are unable or unwilling to receive a Pfizer or Moderna updated (bivalent) COVID-19 booster and you meet the following requirements: You are 18 years of age or older You completed a COVID-19 vaccine primary series at least 6 months ago You have not gotten any other booster dose

We at Asian Pacific Community in Action, with the help of federal government grant, strive to improve vaccine coverage in the areas which are underserved and hard to reach by reaching out to them in their own area and addressing the areas of concern for them to achieve better vaccine coverage. We provide them education, services, guidance in the language

that they understand and at their

doorsteps or as per their requirements in the community settings, shopping complexes, farmers markets, temples, mosques, and churches and hope to raise vaccine coverage in all the groups with a focus for young children.