INDIANAPOLIS — Here are Thursday'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.
Marion County vaccination clinics Saturday
The Marion County Public Health Department is holding three COVID-19 vaccination clinics in Indianapolis this Saturday (June 12).
A pop-up clinic will be held at Arsenal Tech High School from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. for 12-to-17-year-olds. Children will need consent from their parent or guardian to receive the vaccine. Family members over the age of 17 can also be vaccinated at the same time.
Those who receive the vaccine at one of the health department's school-based clinics will be entered to win a $250 Simon Malls gift card.
Participants are asked to enter the Arsenal Tech campus from Oriental Street and enter the West Gym through Door 3. The two-dose Pfizer vaccine will be administered at this clinic.
Another clinic will be held from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on the far east side as part of a health department partnership with Mt. Carmel Church and New Beginnings.
The clinic, for residents 18 years old and older, will offer the two-dose Moderna vaccine and the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine and will be held at 9503 E. 33rd Street in Indianapolis.
A third clinic, offering the Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson vaccine, will be held from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at 3685 Commercial Drive on the west side of Indianapolis. This clinic is open to anyone age 12 and older, though children are only eligible to receive the Pfizer shot.
Consent from a parent or guardian is required.
Walk-ins are welcome at all three clinics.
ISDH closing OptumServe COVID-19 testing sites
The Indiana State Department of Health announced Thursday it will close all COVID-19 testing sites run by Optum Serve Health Services June 30.
The state has partnered with OptumServe for 14 months in an effort to bring large-scale coronavirus testing to Hoosiers. Since May 6, 2020, more OptumServe has provided more than 540,000 free COVID tests.
Now, widespread testing is available through other means, including county health departments and local pharmacies.
OptumServe currently has testing locations in 30 Indiana counties, down from 53 counties at its peak. Although demand has declined, free testing will still be available at more than 250 sites across the state after the Optum sites close. Find a nearby testing site at coronavirus.in.gov.
US officials extend expiration dates on J&J vaccine doses
Johnson & Johnson said Thursday that U.S. regulators extended the expiration date on millions of doses of its COVID-19 vaccine by an extra six weeks.
The company said a Food and Drug Administration review concluded the shots remain safe and effective up to 4 1/2 months. The announcement comes after state officials warned that many unused doses in storage would expire before the end of the month.
Expiration dates for vaccines are determined based on data the manufacturer submits to regulators proving how long the shots stay at the right strength. FDA originally authorized J&J's vaccine for use for up to 3 months after manufacture when stored at normal refrigeration levels. But J&J said the FDA extended the period to to 4 1/2 months, based on data from ongoing studies assessing the vaccine’s stability.
Community Health Network to require vaccine for employees
Community Health Network announced Thursday it will require all employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine by Sept. 15. The health system cited patient safety and vaccine effectiveness as the reason for the mandate.
Since December 2020 when they became eligible, more than 60 percent of Community Health's 16,000 employees have been vaccinated.
Community Health Network already requires employees to get the flu vaccine, barring any exemptions for religious or medical reasons. The same will go for the coronavirus vaccine.
All employees — including vendors, contractors and volunteers — who work at Community's hospitals or other provider offices will be required to get vaccinated. Masks will still be required for patients and visitors.
State reports 14K more full vaccinations, 2 additional deaths
The Indiana State Department of Health reported 14,628 more Hoosiers have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Thursday morning. The state has registered 5,329,586 total doses of vaccine, with 2,638,326 people fully vaccinated.
ISDH also reported 374 new positive tests for the virus, along with two additional deaths that occurred June 8. Indiana has lost 13,291 people to COVID-19.
The new cases bring Indiana's total to 748,259 residents now known to have had the novel coronavirus.
Moderna asks FDA to allow its COVID-19 vaccine for kids ages 12-17
Moderna announced Thursday morning that it has submitted a request to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to expand emergency use of its COVID-19 vaccine to kids as young as 12.
While much of the world is still struggling to vaccinate adults, the U.S. and Canada authorized another vaccine — the shot made by Pfizer and BioNTech — to be used starting at age 12.
Moderna's vaccine is currently authorized for ages 18 and older but said last month it found its vaccine triggered the same signs of immune protection in kids as it does in adults, and the same mild, temporary side effects.
“We are pleased to announce that we have submitted for an emergency use authorization for our COVID-19 vaccine with the FDA for use in adolescents in the United States,” Stéphane Bancel, Chief Executive Officer of Moderna, said Thursday in a statement. “We are encouraged that the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine was highly effective at preventing COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 infection in adolescents. We have already filed for authorization with Health Canada and the European Medicines Agency and we will file with regulatory agencies around the world for this important younger age population. We remain committed to helping to end the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Unemployment numbers fall for 6th consecutive week
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell for the sixth straight week as the U.S. economy reopens rapidly after being held back for months by the coronavirus pandemic.
Jobless claims fell by 9,000 to 376,000 from 385,000 the week before, the Labor Department reported Thursday. The number of people signing up for benefits exceeded 900,000 in early January and has fallen more or less steadily ever since.
Still, claims are high by historic standards. Before the pandemic brought economic activity to a near-standstill in March 2020, weekly applications were regularly coming in below 220,000.
Mobile vaccination clinics this week
Mobile vaccination clinics are planned on the following schedule this week:
June 9-12 (9 a.m. to 6 p.m.);
La Porte County:
Pentecostal Temple Church of God and Christ
2722 Wabash St., Michigan City, IN 46360
Howard County:
Second Missionary Baptist Church
819 N. Apperson Way, Kokomo, IN 46901
Fayette County:
Ivy Tech
717 W. 21st St., Connersville, IN 47331
June 9, 11 and 12 (9 a.m. to 6 p.m.):
Madison County:
Ivy Tech
815 E. 60th St., Anderson, IN 46013
June 10-11 (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.):
Kosciusko County:
Center Lake Pavilion
119 E. Canal St., Warsaw, IN 46580
June 10-11 (9 a.m. to 6 p.m.):
Elkhart County:
Goshen High School
401 Lincolnway East, Goshen, IN 46526
June 11-12 (4 p.m. to 10 p.m.):
Harrison County:
Harrison County Fair
341 S. Capitol Ave., Corydon, IN 47112
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Children's Museum of Indianapolis updates mask policy
The Children's Museum of Indianapolis updated its mask policy Wednesday.
The museum will no longer require masks in outdoor spaces, which includes the Riley Children’s Health Sports Legends Experience.
Unvaccinated visitors ages 2 and older are required to wear masks while indoors. Vaccinated visitors can choose not to wear a mask, but the museum encourages everyone to wear a mask to set a positive example since children under 12 years old can't be vaccinated yet.
The staff will continue wearing masks while indoors.
The Children’s Museum said it will not ask each person's vaccination status, so it is relying on visitors to make the right decision.
Biden to lay out vax donations, urge world leaders to join
One year ago, the U.S. was the deadliest hotspot of the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing the cancellation of the Group of Seven summit. Now, the U.S. is a model for how to successfully emerge from the global pandemic.
For President Joe Biden, it’s a personal vindication of his pledge to turn around the U.S. virus, but also a global call to action for other nations.
In a speech on the eve of this year's G-7 summit in Cornwall, England, Biden on Thursday will unveil plans for the U.S. to donate 500 million vaccine doses around the globe. And Biden is expected to ask his fellow G-7 leaders to do more as well.
Latest US, world numbers
There have been more than 33.41 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States as of 3:30 a.m. ET Thursday, according to Johns Hopkins University. There have been more than 598,700 deaths in the U.S.
Worldwide, there have been more than 174.4 million confirmed coronavirus cases with more than 3.75 million deaths. More than 2.2 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.