INDIANAPOLIS — Here are Wednesday'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 12 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.
ISDH daily update
The Indiana State Department of Health is reporting 2,675 more positive cases of COVID-19 and 72 additional deaths. There have been a total of 976,802 positive cases and 15,413 confirmed deaths from the virus.
The state also reported an additional 4,547 Hoosiers were fully vaccinated Wednesday. More than 3.2 million Hoosiers are fully vaccinated.
Report: Vaccinations linked to reduction of nearly 1,300 deaths among Indiana seniors
A new report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services shows a link between COVID-19 vaccinations and the reduction of roughly 9,500 new infections, 3,600 hospitalizations and 1,300 deaths among seniors in Indiana during the first five months of 2021.
The study was conducted by researchers with the HHS's Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation.
It found that nationally, vaccinations were linked to the prevention of roughly 265,000 COVID-19 infections, 107,000 hospitalizations and 39,000 deaths among Medicare beneficiaries between January and May 2021.
Hamilton County reopening mass vaccination clinic Wednesday
The Hamilton County Health Department is reopening its mass vaccination site at the 4-H Fairgrounds in Noblesville Wednesday, Oct. 6.
The clinic will be open 1-7 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
The clinic will have first, second and booster doses of the Pfizer vaccine available. Booster shots are only available for people 65 and older, or adults who are 18 and older with underlying health conditions or who work in high-risk settings. High-risk settings and occupations include the following:
- Health care settings
- Schools
- Correctional facilities
- Homeless shelters
- Firefighters
- Police
- Nursing homes and group homes
- Food workers
- Manufacturing workers
- USPS workers
- Public transit workers
- Grocery store workers
Click here to see other individuals who may qualify for booster shots.
Only those who received their second Pfizer shot at least six months ago are eligible to receive the booster shot.
Walk-ups are accepted at the clinic, but appointments are preferred. To register, go to ourshot.in.gov.
Latest US, world numbers
There have been more than 43.95 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States as of 3:30 a.m. Wednesday, according to Johns Hopkins University. There have been more than 705,200 deaths recorded in the U.S.
Worldwide, there have been more than 235.85 million confirmed coronavirus cases with more than 4.81 million deaths. More than 6.34 billion vaccine doses have been administered worldwide.
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.
AstraZeneca asks FDA to authorize preventative COVID-19 antibody treatment
AstraZeneca, the drugmaker that developed one of the first COVID-19 vaccines, has asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to authorize the emergency use of a first-of-a-kind antibody treatment to prevent the disease.
The Anglo-Swedish company said Tuesday that the treatment, known as AZD7442, would be the first long-acting antibody combination to receive an emergency authorization for COVID-19 prevention. If authorized, the drug would likely be limited to people with compromised immune systems who don't get sufficient protection from vaccination.
Menelas Pangalos, AstraZeneca's head of research and development, said the company's long-acting formulation is designed to boost immunity for up to one year, compared with existing drugs that offer a month or two of protection.
The FDA has authorized three other antibody drugs, including two that can be given after a possible COVID-19 exposure to head off symptoms. AstraZeneca's drug would instead be given as a preventive measure in people who have increased vulnerability to the virus.