Silver Spring, MD – A recently issued misleading and potentially dangerous public statement, delivered by a high-ranking, elected official regarding the COVID-19 vaccine poses a clear danger to public health. It is for this reason that the Task Force on Vaccines and Therapeutics of the National Medical Association (NMA) feels obligated to issue the following support for the current FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccines.
The SARS-COV-2 pandemic has not ended, and, in fact, we are experiencing a surge in case rates, hospitalizations and deaths across the U.S. The misinformation and false statements concerning the risks associated with the COVID-19 vaccines will exert a disparate negative impact on members of under resourced Black communities where high rates of vaccine hesitancy persist. For African Americans, overall rates of hospitalization due to COVID-19 are 2.2 times higher and death rates 1.7 times higher than hospitalization and death rates in white non-Hispanics.
- In the U.S., as of December 7, 2022, the current seven-day average of weekly new cases (65,569) increased 49.6% compared with the previous seven-day average (43,825).
- The current seven-day daily average for November 30–December 6, 2022, was 4,844. This is a 13.8% increase from the prior seven-day average (4,256) from November 23–29, 2022.
- The current seven-day average of new deaths (426) increased 61.7% compared with the previous seven-day average (263).
- COVID-19 vaccines have saved more than 3 million lives in the U.S. since December 2021.
- The COVID-19 vaccines have kept more than 18.5 million people in the U.S. out of the hospital.
- COVID-19 can cause severe illness in children. Children with underlying medical conditions are at increased risk for severe illness, although children without underlying medical conditions can also experience severe illness.
- Children and teens ages 18 years and younger who have had COVID-19 are up to 2.5 times more likely to be newly diagnosed with diabetes 30 days or more after infection.
- According to data recently published, all vaccinated groups had overall lower risk of dying from COVID-19 and testing positive for COVID-19, compared with people who were unvaccinated.
- Based on early surveillance data, people who were vaccinated with an updated (bivalent) booster dose had lower rates of dying from COVID-19 and slightly lower rates of testing positive for COVID-19 compared with people who were vaccinated but had not received an updated booster dose.
- The COVID-19 vaccine and boosters can be safely administered with the influenza vaccines.
In summary, COVID-19 vaccines have saved more than three million lives in the U.S. since December 2021. The COVID-19 vaccines have kept more than 18.5 million people in the U.S. out of the hospital. Regrettably, according to data published by the Kaiser Family Foundation, it has been estimated that 234,000 deaths due to COVID-19 that occurred in the U.S. between June 2021 and March 2022 could have been prevented by COVID-19 vaccines.
Therefore, in keeping with the mission and objectives of the National Medical Association and based upon currently available scientific data and the basic axioms of public health, the National Medical Association strongly recommends that all adults and children six months and older receive the COVID-19 initial series followed by the bivalent boosters.
COVID-19 vaccines are readily available and, in most regions, can be obtained without cost. We also urge all practitioners to proactively encourage all patients six months of age and older to receive the complete COVID-19 vaccine primary series and the bivalent booster when eligible. Practitioners should also strongly recommend the administration of the influenza vaccines for those persons six months of age and older.
The influenza vaccine can be safely administered along with the COVID-19 vaccine or bivalent boosters.
References:
[1] U.S. Centers for Disease Control
[2] COVID-19 Preventable Mortality Kaiser Family Foundation: April 21, 2022
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“The NMA promotes the collective interests of physicians and patients of African Descent. We carry out this mission by serving as the collective voice of physicians of African Descent and a leading voice for parity in medicine, elimination of health disparities and promotion of optimal health.“
Garfield Clunie, MD Contact: Michael Peery
President (312) 217-2260
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