Send us your Covid-19 Questions and Concerns |
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The delta variant isn't going away. If you have a question about anything Covid-19 or vaccine related, or a concern you'd like to share, email us at covid19@nevehshalom.org with "Reader Question" in the subject line and we'll research the answer for you.
The CNSCOS team is available to help anyone. You don't have to be a member of Congregation Neveh Shalom or be Jewish to access our assistance.
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Volunteer Opportunity: Be a Vaccinator in CNSCOS's Mobile Vaccine Unit! |
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CNSCOS announced in last week’s newsletter that we are launching our own mobile vaccine unit! Under the leadership of CNS board member Dr. Michelle Alberts, CNSCOS will soon be able to host vaccine events and administer vaccines, rather than relying solely on OHA or county vaccination teams. This new program will give us new flexibility to reach as many people in the community as possible. As vaccine eligibility for children is coming closer, it’s imperative that we have more available vaccinator teams.
Now we need a pool of volunteer medical professionals (currently working or retired) who are trained to administer vaccines. As we schedule events, we’d put out a call to this pool to see who is available for each event.
If you’d like to be involved as a vaccinator, or in another volunteer role to help with events, please fill out this Google form. Our first event will most likely take place in November. Send any questions to covid19@nevehshalom.org.
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Reader Question: If someone has had Covid-19 already, do they need to be vaccinated? |
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To put it simply: yes, even if you’ve already had Covid-19, even if you’ve had Covid-19 twice, you should still get vaccinated. While natural immunity does exist, experts aren’t sure how long that immunity lasts. And because Covid-19 can be such a debilitating disease, it’s safer to get the vaccine to prepare your body for a potential future infection. In fact, some experts say that “hybrid immunity” — or the immunity gained by combining natural immunity with the vaccine — protects you even more than people who have only one type of immunity.
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What's the deal with Covid-19 booster shots? |
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Whether you call it a “booster” or a “third dose,” a panel of experts advising the FDA has announced that young, healthy people probably don’t need an additional dose of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine. While the Biden administration was pushing for third doses, medical experts weren’t sold. The rise in breakthrough infections, experts say, are due to the more infectious delta variant and the still large proportion of Americans who still aren’t vaccinated (it remains at about half of eligible Americans).
The advisory panel, consisting of experts across immunology, vaccine policy, epidemiology, molecular biology, and more announced September 17 that third doses were unnecessary for young, healthy people. Much of their reasoning comes down to “it’s too soon to tell.” There just isn’t enough peer-reviewed data showing that immunity is waning in young, healthy people.
For now, the panel has only recommended third doses for people ages 65 and above, along with immunocompromised people of any age (although only people ages 12 and above are eligible for Pfizer)
Meanwhile, third doses are currently available for immunocompromised people. You can search for vaccine clinics through OHA’s website.
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- As of Friday, September 17, Oregon has recorded:
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309,841 cumulative confirmed or suspected Covid-19 cases.
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3,569 deaths from Covid-19.
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As of September 17, 2.7 million Oregonians have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine. Out of that total, 2.47 are fully vaccinated.
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If third doses are approved for people ages 65+, Oregon is ready. The third doses will be widely available at doctor’s offices, pharmacies, and pop-up clinics. If you’re immunocompromised, you’re already eligible for a third dose of the Pfizer vaccine. Look up vaccine events here.
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Pfizer and BioNTech announced on Monday, September 20, that their vaccine for kids ages 5 to 11 are “safe and effective,” according to NPR. The pediatric vaccine carries a 10 microgram dose, rather than the 30 micrograms used for people ages 12 and above. Pfizer also says that side effects seen in kids in the trial seem similar to those seen in older age groups. Now that their trial is complete, the company must submit their data analysis to the FDA. It still could be many weeks before the vaccine is considered for emergency use.
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Get your Covid-19 vaccine! |
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All adults age 16 should receive a Covid-19 vaccine (ages 12+ for Pfizer)! Here’s OHA’s guide on how and where to find vaccine appointments.
- Please also contact our team if you are interested in being a volunteer for vaccination events.
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If you're interested in tracking how many people in the US have been vaccinated, check out the CDC's vaccine tracker dashboard or the Mayo Clinic's vaccine maps.
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Alex Freedman (he/they) is one of CNSCOS's two program coordinators. Alex is a Massachusetts-born social worker specializing in systems-level organizational and policy change. Alex has worked closely with youth and young adults in the foster, carceral, and mental health systems, as well as with LGBTQ+ and unhoused individuals. Since joining the team in January, Alex has graduated from Portland State University with their Masters in Social Work. When they're not working, Alex also loves backpacking, graphic novels, learning languages, and science fiction.
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Stephanie Gonias (she/her, left) is one of CNSCOS's two program coordinators. She is a Social Worker originally from the Northeast with a background in trauma-informed care and supporting children and families in child welfare. She is passionate about social justice and she loves hiking, reading, hanging with her cat (and other peoples cats), and trying new recipes.
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JoAnna Wendel (she/her) is CNSCOS's communications manager (and newsletter writer!) She is a professional science communicator and has been writing about science for nearly a decade. She moved back to Oregon in March 2020 after spending six years in Washington, DC. When she's not thinking or writing about science, JoAnna likes to hike, paint, read, and hang out with her cat Pancake.
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Dena Marshall is CNSCOS's project manager. A long-time Portland resident, Dena is also CNS's Development Director. She is an avid swimmer and traveler and the mother of two Portland Jewish Academy and BB Camp kids.
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CNSCOS is here to help anyone in Washington, Multnomah, or Clackamas County who has been affected by Covid-19.
- We can help you find/apply for food and financial resources, with errands, or just calling to talk if you’re feeling lonely.
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Please do not hesitate to reach out at covid19@nevehshalom.org! And please share this information with anyone who might need help!
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