INDIANAPOLIS — Here are Sunday's latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic, including the latest news on COVID-19 vaccinations and testing in Indiana.
Registrations for the vaccine are now open for Hoosiers 5 and older through the Indiana State Department of Health. This story will be updated over the course of the day with more news on the COVID-19 pandemic.
CDC advisers recommend COVID-19 shots for children under 5
U.S. health advisers have recommended COVID-19 vaccines for infants, toddlers and preschoolers — the last group without the shots. The panel to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention unanimously decided Saturday that coronavirus vaccines should be opened to children as young as 6 months.
CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky gave the final signoff later in the day.
The Biden administration has been gearing up for the start of the shots early next week.
Waiting for orders of vaccines now approved for youngest children
Millions of doses have been ordered for distribution to doctors, hospitals and community health clinics around the country.
Indiana has asked for about 20,000 doses of the pediatric Moderna vaccine and nearly 38,000 doses of the pediatric Pfizer vaccine.
Delivery could be as soon as next week.
CDC map shows Dubois at 'high risk,' 20 other Indiana counties at 'medium' risk
On Sunday, June 19, 2022, Dubois County was listed on the CDC data map as having a "high" community risk of spreading COVID-19, while 20 other counties (Benton, Blackford, Carroll, Clark, Clinton, Crawford, Delaware, Elkhart, Floyd, Fountain, Harrison, Kosciusko, Lawrence, Orange, Randolph, Scott, Shelby, Tippecanoe, Washington and White) were listed as "medium" risks.
Latest US, world numbers
There have been more than 86.23 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States as of noon ET Sunday, according to Johns Hopkins University. There have been more than 1.013 million deaths recorded in the U.S.
Worldwide, there have been more than 538.83 million confirmed coronavirus cases with more than 6.318 million deaths and more than 11.6 billion vaccine doses administered.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness like pneumonia, or death.
Biden adviser Jake Sullivan tests positive for COVID-19
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan tested positive on Saturday for COVID-19, according to the White House.
Sullivan typically has frequent contact with President Joe Biden but last was in contact with the president early in the week, according to a senior administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity. Sullivan had been keeping his distance from Biden after “a couple” of people he had been in close contact with had tested positive for the virus, the official said.
Adrienne Watson, a National Security Council spokeswoman, said Sullivan “is asymptomatic and he has not been in close contact with the president.”
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White House offering additional 8 free COVID-19 tests to public
The government website for people to request free COVID-19 at-home tests from the U.S. government is now accepting a third round of orders.
The White House recently announced that U.S. households can request an additional eight free at-home tests to be shipped by the U.S. Postal Service.
President Joe Biden committed in January to making 1 billion tests available to the public free of charge, including 500 million available through covidtests.gov. But just 350 million of the amount available for ordering online have been shipped to date to addresses across the continental U.S., its territories and overseas military bases, the White House said.
People who have difficulty getting online or need help placing an order can call 1-800-232-0233 for assistance.
The third round brings to 16 the total number of free tests available to each U.S. household since the program started earlier this year. Households were eligible to receive four tests during each of two earlier rounds of ordering through the website.
2nd COVID-19 booster shot available to Hoosiers 50 and up
The Indiana Department of Health announced that Hoosiers age 50 and older, as well as those 12 and older with weakened immune systems, are now eligible to receive a second mRNA COVID-19 booster shot at least four months after their first booster dose.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended the extra shot as an option but stopped short of urging that those eligible rush out and get it right away.
The IDOH is advising vaccine providers to begin administering second boosters of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines to people who qualify.
The CDC also says that adults who received a primary vaccine and booster dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least four months ago may now receive a second booster dose of either mRNA vaccine.
You can find a vaccine location at ourshot.in.gov or by calling Indiana 211 (866-211-9966). Appointments are recommended, but many sites do accept walk-ins.