Coronavirus vaccine and Delta variant updates for 11-10-2021

<p>This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for November 10th, 2021.</p><p><br></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Pfizer’s ready for booster shots for all adults, but are U.S. regulators? The request is in to allow anyone 18 and older to get boosters of the Pfizer vaccine. Up to now just older Americans and groups especially vulnerable to the virus have had access to dose number three. The FDA says it will move quickly on the expansion if warranted.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>A big change in Britain. All health care staff who work with the public will now have to be vaccinated starting in April, even if that means thousands of desperately needed healthcare workers might quit their jobs. More than 100,000 health workers are currently unvaccinated there.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Quick, do you know how many different COVID vaccines there are now? Well, if you’re just counting the ones approved for emergency use by the World Health Organization, there’s now eight. The latest one is called COVAXIN, and it’s been assessed for quality, safety, and efficacy.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>It sure is good to be the pharmaceutical company Merck. The U.S. government is going to buy another $1 billion worth of its COVID-19 pill. That’s after a $1.2 billion purchase agreed to in June. The drug, called molnupiravir, has been shown to halve the chances of dying or being hospitalized for those most at risk of severe COVID if given early in the illness.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Every desperate incentive to get people vaccinated has been offered so this will come as no surprise. A brothel in Austria is offering a free, uh, “fling” with the prostitute of your choice if you get the shot right there at the bordello. The only drawback is you have to be in the mood on Mondays from 4 to 10pm. One happy customer said, “I would have gotten vaccinated anyway.” Uh huh.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>In the United States cases were up 5%, deaths are down 15%, and hospitalizations are down 13% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending flat since October 25.