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More than 7 million Americans had rolled up their sleeves for the updated COVID-19 vaccines as of Wednesday, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, despite reports that some people are still finding it difficult to book vaccination appointments or find the shots at no cost. ... Distribution of the Pfizer and Moderna shots began after the U.S. Centers for the Disease Control and Prevention recommended them on Sept. 12. Last year's booster targeting the original virus and another variant was rolled out about 10 days earlier. By Sept. 28, 2022, almost 7.6 million Americans had received the updated shots. (Wingrove, 10/12)

Carrying the torch for the new COVID-19 vaccine, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s top official on Thursday visited an East Bay assisted living facility to urge Americans, and especially seniors, to get the latest shot before the virus spikes again this winter. ... CDC Director Mandy Cohen said that at least 7 million Americans have received the new formulation in the past several weeks. That’s a tiny percentage of the hundreds of millions who are eligible, and a far cry from the uptake of the first booster doses released in 2021. (Blair Rowan, 10/12)

�鶹Ů�� Health News: The New Vaccines And You: Americans Better Armed Than Ever Against The Winter Blechs 

Last year’s “triple-demic” marked the beginning of what may be a new normal: a confluence of respiratory infections — RSV, influenza, and covid-19 — will surge as the weather cools each year. Like blizzards, the specific timing and severity of these outbreaks are hard to forecast. But their damage can be limited in more ways than ever before. More protective vaccines against influenza are on the horizon. And new vaccines against respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, were approved this year, as were updated covid vaccines. Although the first days of rollout for the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines saw hiccups, with short supplies at some pharmacies and billing confusion with some insurers, the shots now are generally available at no cost. (Maxmen, 10/13)

The claim: Mercury in childhood vaccines causes autism. An Oct. 3 Instagram post (direct link, archive link) shows a video of a woman speaking about the purported risks of vaccines. “It's time to talk about the truth: the clear link between autism and mercury in childhood vaccines,” reads part of the post's caption. Our rating: False. Multiple studies have demonstrated there is no link between mercury in vaccines and autism. Routine childhood vaccines have not contained mercury for more than 20 years. (Trela, 10/12)

A consensus has emerged among experts who study and treat long Covid: Paxlovid seems to reduce the risk of lingering symptoms among those eligible to take it. The idea is intuitive, experts say. Paxlovid prevents the coronavirus from replicating, so researchers think it may also reduce the risk of an infection causing inflammation or organ damage, which in turn can lead to chronic illness. (Bendix, 10/12)

While there seems to be a range of experiences each time a person gets Covid, Dr. Geoffrey Mount Varner, an emergency room physician in Maryland and Virginia, said Black people should be vigilant about avoiding multiple Covid infections. Left unchecked, the effects of the virus could devastate Black communities. ... According to a wide-reaching meta-analysis published in 2021, Black people diagnosed with Covid were more likely to be admitted to intensive care units. (Bunn, 10/12)

Today in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a study finds that the 2022-2023 influenza season in the United States was severe, especially for children and adolescents. (Van Beusekom, 10/12)