FDA Head Says Most People Will Get COVID-19 as U.S. Reaches Record Hospitalizations, Cases

Politics & Life Sciences (PLS) with Dean L. Fanelli, Ph.D.

COSA Poll: Majority of voters support bill to block Biden's vaccine mandate Under the constitutional system the Founders constructed, Congress would be the sole body theoretically capable of issuing a nationwide vaccine mandate. This is not to say they would have the power to do so, only that Congress is the only body constitutionally charged with creating laws. The President certainly doesn't have this authority, but thanks to bad Supreme Court decisions, executive power has steadily increased over the last 100 years. Now, Joe Biden believes he has the power to issue a nationwide vaccine mandate for millions of Americans and thousands of businesses. Unfortunately for him, the American people don't agree. According to a new poll from Convention of States Action and the Trafalgar Group, a majority of Americans (51.1%) and huge majorities of Republican (73.3%) and Independents (62.9%) support a bill in Congress that would block Biden's mandate. These Americans recognize that Congress should be the only federal body able to issue such sweeping new laws, and they're calling on their representatives to block the overreach from the White House. -------------------------------- CDC cites obesity as culprit for hospitalizing children with COVID-19 Childhood obesity in America was already putting children at risk for poor health, now it’s hospitalizing children and adolescents who have contracted coronavirus. In a study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, researchers found approximately two-thirds of COVID-19 patients aged 12-17 were obese, and the length of stay in the hospital was twice that of non-obese adolescents. The CDC found that children with an underlying condition – 34.7% – were also more likely to be admitted to the intensive care unit than children without an underlying condition (23.9%). The study was conducted from July 2021 to August 2021 and included six hospitals in Arkansas, the District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana and Texas. Of the patients hospitalized for COVID-19, the most common underlying conditions were obesity at 32.4%, followed by asthma (10%) and feeding tube dependence (8.3%). The CDC also found that hospitalization rates were 10 times higher for unvaccinated adolescents. The study also demonstrates that unvaccinated children hospitalized for COVID-19 could experience more severe disease. The study revealed that only 0.4% of vaccine-eligible adolescents hospitalized for COVID-19 were fully vaccinated. ------------------------------------ FDA Head Says Most People Will Get COVID-19 as U.S. Reaches Record Hospitalizations, Cases The acting head of the Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday said that most people will get COVID-19 as the U.S. hits record levels of hospitalizations and infections. “I think it’s hard to process what’s actually happening right now, which is most people are going to get [COVID-19],” FDA acting Commissioner Janet Woodcock told a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee hearing. “What we need to do is make sure the hospitals can still function, transportation, other essential services are not disrupted while this happens,” Woodcock continued. Woodcock was responding to a question about whether it is time to change the U.S. coronavirus strategy as the country reaches record levels of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations with no relief in sight. She indicated that after the surge, which is mostly due to the highly transmissible omicron variant, “will be a good time to reassess how we’re approaching this pandemic.” ----------------------------------- Moderna expects COVID-19 vaccine trial data for children aged 2-5 in March Moderna Inc (MRNA.O) said on Wednesday it expects to report data from its COVID-19 vaccine trial in children aged between 2 to 5 years in March. "If the data is supportive and subject to regulatory consultation, Moderna may proceed with regulatory filings for children 2-5 years of age thereafter," the company said. (https://bit.ly/3nksOES) Moderna's vaccine, based on the messenger RNA platform, already has authorizations in Europe, UK, Australia, and Canada for adolescents aged 12-17 years, and has submitted applications for children in 6 to 11 years. In the United States, the vaccine is authorized by Food and Drug Administration as primary two-dose regimen and booster dose for adults 18 years and older. The company, however, is yet to get an authorization from the regulator for use of its vaccine in children. ================== FEATURED GUEST Mark Alyn is an award-winning host and producer. His mom always thought he should be a doctor. While he never became a doctor, he has interviewed many of them. And now with Late Night Health, he’ll explore a wide variety of health and medical topics. During the last 20 plus years Mark has been a television host, reporter and producer. Hosting a reality show, a live game show and movie trivia program and interviewing thousands of people has kept him busy. From high tech to careers, politics to travel, food to authors, Mark has presented shows a wide variety of topics.