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PHOENIX – GateWay Community College coach Rob Shabansky admits he wasn’t a huge fan of technology and analytics in baseball.

He didn’t understand its true purpose, or the information it produced. He couldn’t grasp how this data could help improve the performance of his players on the diamond.

Shabansky, like many others in the baseball industry, was skeptical of this numbers-based approach.

“A lot of that information was, to a certain degree, recoded for people who really knew it,” Shabansky said. “But if you didn’t know it, you didn’t get much from it.”

Then Shabansky started talking to coaches he trusted in the collegiate and professional ranks who were familiar with the data, like Vanderbilt pitching coach Scott Brown and Arizona pitching coach Nate Yeskie. The more he learned from their experiences and about the data itself, the more he wanted to learn about how he could use it, too.

Shabansky’s views began to change and he isn’t alone in embracing a new approach. Across all levels of baseball in Arizona, coaches and players are following the lead of Major League Baseball innovators and turning their attention toward analytics-based development.

Even some high schools have gone that route although it is still more exception than rule. Cronkite News surveyed various Arizona high school baseball coaches and asked them to rank their use of analytics compared to their competitors on a scale of one to 10. The average score among 30 respondents was 4.6.

University of Arizona faculty and students will provide up to 1,000 COVID-19 vaccines on Saturday.

The vaccination event, open to the public, will be led by Kristie Hoch, a member of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, volunteer Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists and student registered nurse anesthetists at the university.

The event offers only the Pfizer vaccine and no appointment is needed. It will be held from 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday at the Ina E. Gittings Building, Room 129.

For Hoch, the event not only serves the community, but also honors the memory of her family members who passed away due to COVID-19.

“My father-in-law and brother-in-law both passed away due to COVID-19 at the beginning of this year. To me, playing a role in the vaccine rollout is my way of honoring their memory and ensuring others do not suffer their fate,” said Hoch. “It’s heartwarming to see my students joining the effort. As ICU practicing nurses, they’ve seen the effects of COVID from the frontlines, and share my passion for putting an end to the pandemic."

In a statement released Wednesday, Rep. Alma Hernandez (D-Tucson, District 3) said she tested positive for the virus COVID-19, despite being vaccinated.

“I have taken COVID-19 very seriously and have worn my mask, washed my hands, socially distanced. Yet despite those measures and being vaccinated I have come down with the COVID,” she said. “I encourage all to take this seriously and continue practicing COVID protocols. Be courteous to your colleagues and loved ones who are more susceptible. The pandemic has not come to an end. Be safe, take care, do not let your guard down even after you have been vaccinated.”

Hernandez tweeted that she tested positive 11 weeks after being fully vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine. She said she had a severe migraine, fever, cannot taste or smell and “[felt] terrible right now.”

She emphasized that as a health professional she is encouraging people to still get vaccinated.

“If you have not already done so, please do so as soon as possible. This is just to let you know that just because you got vaccinated does not mean you are immune to contracting COVID. I happen to be one of the few who still got it. Hopefully, my symptoms don’t worsen; however, I am very fortunate to have been vaccinated.”

Hernandez said she will be in quarantine until Wednesday.

Her case is not the first in Arizona. The Arizona Department of Health Services has 947 similar cases across the 15 counties with no deaths, said ADHS Communications Director Steve Elliott.

70% of patients were symptomatic and 16% were hospitalized, said Elliott. They were able to get information for about half of the cases. He also noted that the increase from previous reports “has more to do with classification of cases since vaccinations began than a spike in recent weeks.”

As of Thursday, the state has fully vaccinated 2,241,092 people, "breakthrough" cases account for 0.04% of fully vaccinated individuals.

Breakthrough cases are expected, as “no vaccines are 100% effective at preventing illness,” according to the CDC

As of April 20, the CDC reported 7,157 breakthrough infections in the U.S. with more than 87 million people fully vaccinated nationwide. Of those reported cases, 64 % were female and almost half were people 60 or older. Further, only about 7% of the breakthrough infections resulted in hospitalization and 1% led to death. On Wednesday, the CDC presented data that showed fully vaccinated adults, age 65 and older are 94% less likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19.

“COVID-19 vaccines are effective and are a critical tool to bring the pandemic under control,” said Elliott. “All of the available COVID-19 vaccines are effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalizations, and deaths. As a result, symptomatic vaccine breakthrough cases will tend to be less severe than infections in people who are not vaccinated. Asymptomatic infections among vaccinated people also will occur.”

The Pima County Health Department is seeking young adults to encourage vaccination amongst youth through a video challenge.

“We have come so far in our battle against COVID-19,” said Dr. Theresa Cullen, Pima County Health Department director. “We are excited and eager to engage with and vaccinate young adults to continue our march to herd immunity and get back to the things we love in life. We know that peer influence is significant for this age group and the #VaxTruthChallenge encourages people to share their experiences.”

As part of the VaxTruthChallenge contest, residents no older than 24 years old must create a video addressing any of the following questions:

• • What’s the truth about COVID-19 and getting the vaccine?
• • Set the record straight – say no to misinformation!
• • Why does it matter?
• • What do people need to know so they can get their shot?

Participants have the chance to win the grand prize of either a Nintendo Switch, Chromebook or an approved prize of choice valued at up to $350, while the runner-up would win a choice of AirPods, Fitbit or an approved prize of choice up to $150 in value.

The video entries must be shared on Tiktok, Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube, using the use the hashtag #VaxTruthChallenge in the video description. The videos can be in any language spoken by communities in Pima County, including English, Spanish, O’odham and Yaqui/Yoeme.

Winners must be younger than 24 years old at the time of submission and must agree to allow Pima County to use their video on other outlets. The deadline to enter is May 17, 2021. For more information visit VaxChallenge.com.

The Centers for Disease Control announced Tuesday that people who are vaccinated do not need to wear masks outside unless they are in thick crowds.

The new recommendations say it’s safe to not wear a mask when you go out for a walk, run or bike outdoors with members of your household; attend a small outdoor gathering with vaccinated family and friends; and dine at outdoor restaurants with friends from multiple households. However, if you attend a crowded outdoor sports event, a concert or a similar outing, masks are still recommended. See more details here.

Vaccine walk-ins welcome; appointments available

You no longer need an appointment to get a shot at the UA vaccination point of distribution. The POD will now accept anyone over the age of 16 who comes in for a shot.

The pod, which offers both a drive-thru clinic on the UA Mall and a sit-down clinic in the Ina E. Gittings Building (1737 E. University Blvd.), is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

If you’d rather schedule an appointment, the state is expected to open new first-dose appointments daily at podvaccine.azdhs.gov. Call 602-542-1000 or 844-542-8201 for help in English or Spanish.

Because of rising temperatures, the drive-thru clinic will close on May 3.

If you need help, call the COVID Ambassador Team hotline at 520-848-4045 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. daily or email [email protected].

Meanwhile, Pima County officials are shifting to indoor vaccination sites to avoid making staff and volunteers endure long days in triple-degree temperatures.

Tucson Medical Center has shut down its drive-thru vaccination clinics and transferred its operations to the Udall Center, 7200 E. Tanque Verde Road. The site is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Thursday and Friday and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday. Register at https://vaccine.tmcaz.com/MyChart/OpenScheduling.

Pima County has opened a new indoor vaccine site at the Kino Event Center, where the county had earlier been doing COVID testing. That site is open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Register at azdhs.gov.

The county has also opened an indoor vaccination POD at El Pueblo Center, 101 W. Irvington Road, which is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. No appointment is necessary.

The drive-through POD at Banner-South Kino Stadium, 2500 E. Ajo Way, is now offering appointments between 7:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and will close permanently on May 14.

As of Tuesday, April 27, 395,301 people in Pima County had received at least one shot of the virus, accounting for 37.8% of the population. A total of 308,465 people are fully vaccinated.

For more information or additional mobile clinics, visit pima.gov/covid19vaccineregistration or call 520-222-0119.

Many local pharmacies are now receiving vaccine doses. To find one near you, visit the ADHS website.

Get tested: Pima County has free COVID testing

Pima County is continuing to offer a number of testing centers and pop-up testing sites around town, including the northside Ellie Towne Flowing Wells Community Center, 1660 W. Ruthrauff Road. Schedule an appointment at pima.gov/covid19testing.

The University of Arizona’s antibody testing can determine if you have had COVID and now have antibodies. To sign up for testing, visit https://covid19antibodytesting.arizona.edu/home.

Today’s numbers

With 603 new cases reported today, the total number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases continued to climb as of Wednesday, April 28, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Pima County, which reported 35 new cases today, has seen 114,991 of the state’s 860,772 confirmed cases.

With 6 new deaths reported this morning, a total of 17,282 Arizonans have died after contracting COVID-19, including 2,389 deaths in Pima County, according to the April 28 report.

A total of 622 coronavirus patients were in the hospital as of April 27. That’s roughly 12% of the number hospitalized at the peak of the winter surge, which reached 5,082 on Jan. 12. The summer peak was 3,517, which was set on July 13, 2020. The subsequent lowest number of hospitalized COVID patients was 468, set on Sept. 27, 2020.

A total of 1,043 people visited emergency rooms with COVID-like symptoms on April 27. That number represents 44.5% of the record high of 2,341 set on Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020. That number had peaked during the summer wave at 2,008 on July 7, 2020; it hit a subsequent low of 653 on Sept. 28, 2020.

A total of 190 COVID-19 patients were in intensive care unit beds on April 27, which roughly 16% of the record 1,183 ICU patients set on Jan. 11. The summer’s record number of patients in ICU beds was 970, set on July 13, 2020. The subsequent low was 114 on Sept. 22, 2020.

—with additional reporting from Austin Counts, Christina Duran, Jeff Gardner and Mike Truelsen

The Arizona Department of Health Services yesterday recommended resuming the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine after the CDC and FDA safety review Sunday.

On Friday, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted to recommend the J&J vaccine, but members wanted clear messaging about the possible risks for women younger than 50 years old.

On April 13, the CDC and FDA recommended pausing the vaccine after six reported cases of a rare adverse event among women developed blood clotting with low blood platelets after receiving J&J. The CDC determined the event is rare, occurring at a rate of 7 per 1 million vaccinated women between the age of 18 to 49.

“After recommending a pause out of an abundance of caution, we join our federal partners in encouraging everyone to get vaccinated against COVID-19 with the vaccine available to you,” ADHS Director Dr. Cara Christ said. “Arizonans can be confident that all COVID-19 vaccines approved for emergency use, including the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, have undergone a thorough review for safety and efficacy. The federal review will continue on all of the vaccines as more people are vaccinated.”

Arizona has allocated 226,300 vaccine doses of J&J and administered approximately 122,000. Local health departments paused the use of the J&J vaccine, which was being used in hard-to-reach communities. Pima County had allocated the use of J&J for their mobile clinics, targeting minority and vulnerable communities.

The Pima County Health Department will resume the use of J&J along with “any approved vaccine at our disposal,” said Health Department spokesman Aaron Pacheco.

The county will continue to offer the vaccine at mobile sites, but as supply increases would also offer it at larger locations that have requested it, including TMC One, “so it is no longer being specifically targeted for only mobile events or hard to reach populations,” Pacheco said.

As health departments grapple with the vaccine hesitancy, especially after the pause of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, Pacheco said the county looks to address “the risk vs. benefit reality of the vaccine.”

“Every medical treatment or procedure has a measurement of risk. In this case, that risk is incredibly low, while the benefit and efficacy of the vaccine is incredibly high. It is also important to share that the system in place to identify and respond to potential risks is strong. That is why this issue was identified so quickly,” Pacheco said.

The county is sharing the FDA Fact Sheet, with updated information addressing the concerns that led to the pause. The county has about 12,600 J&J vaccine doses as of Monday.

Dr. Richard Carmona, the former U.S. surgeon general and UA Task Force director, said it remains unclear whether the blood clotting is directly related to the vaccine “but the benefit of this vaccine is enough that we all agreed that it should go back to market.”

“We need to get this vaccine back out there because it is a very effective vaccine,” said Carmona.

However, vaccine demand has stalled nationwide and in the state with tens of thousands of appointments available at state vaccination sites last week.

“As a number of daily vaccinations at large PODs, like the one at the university, decline and as the PODs are being decommissioned, outreach to rural and other underserved communities is going to become even more important,” said UA President Robert C. Robbins.

He points to the work of the Mobile Health Program at the university, which has dispensed more than 10,000 doses of vaccine across the state. Robbins announced the university is working with the Santa Cruz County Health Department and the Mexican Consulate of Nogales to host a clinic on April 28 that will vaccinate about 150 truck drivers who transport produce and other goods in Arizona and across the nation.

COVID numbers continue on plateau

Dr. Joe Gerald, an epidemiologist and professor who has been following the spread of the coronavirus for more than a year, said the state had seen slight increases in the number of positive COVID tests over the last four week, reversing a steady decline since January.

In the week ending April 18, 5,014 people tested positive for COVID, a 6% increase from the previous week.

“Arizona cases remain ‘stuck’ at just about the threshold differentiating substantial and moderate risk owing to more transmissible variants and normalization of business and social activities,” Gerard wrote in a weekend report that noted that new cases are being diagnosed at a rate of 70 per 100,000 residents. During the week ending March 23, the rate had dropped to 53 cases per 100,000 residents, with the rate slowly but surely increasing since then.

Dr. Richard Carmona, the former surgeon general, told reporters yesterday that vaccinations not only protect those who have been vaccinated, but the shot also slows transmission in the community, which is especially important because of developing variants.

“Not only to protect yourself, but to protect the nation and the world, get a vaccine because if we can prevent that virus from getting into another body where it might make a mutation—that becomes consequential, then we have problems. So get your vaccines as quickly as possible,” said Carmona.

Preliminary results from the University of Arizona student survey show that almost half of the students who responded have been vaccinated.

The survey sent out on April 15 asked students about their vaccine participation and barriers they may face in getting vaccinated. As of Monday, more than 5,000 students have responded to the survey, with about half saying they received the first dose, said Vice President of Communications Holly Jensen. Students still have time to submit responses to the survey.

“There is clearly going to be a subset, just like there is in society at large for medical reasons, valid medical reasons, aren't going to take the vaccine, and for a variety of other reasons, but we think that number is going to be quite low compared to the general population,” said Robbins.

Vaccine efforts continue

As the county continues its mobile vaccination effort to deliver shots to those vulnerable or minority communities, Pima County Medical Director Francisco Garcia said the county is planning efforts to address vaccine hesitancy.

“We cannot underestimate the impact that the J&J and the federal action to take J&J temporarily off the table has had on vaccine demand,” said Garcia. “Remember that J&J was actually, probably, the most commonly requested, that was actually kind of the only brand that was being requested when we were doing our vaccination PODs.”

With both Pfizer and Moderna, Garcia said the challenge was making sure people got the second dose and committing the mobile clinic to return to the same location. He said the strategy continues to evolve, but they are making sure that when people vaccinated at a mobile site, “they understand that they need a second shot, and that they understand where to go for that second shot, because in some cases we will not be able to be back in exactly that same neighborhood exactly four weeks down the road in order to vaccinate.”

The county has not administered Pfizer at a mobile clinic because it requires ultra cold chain handling and it comes in multi-use vials with several doses. Garcia said Pfizer would pose the issue of “vaccine wastage.”

“You can imagine that as demand slackens, what happens when you've popped open a vial of Pfizer with 14 doses, but you only have 10 people?” asked Garcia. “We are still feeling that need to be as careful with that resource, but by the same token, not missing the opportunity to pivot. If somebody shows up not missing that opportunity to vaccinate that individual.”

“We know that a lot of people are not actually truly resistant, but are just hesitant. They're waiting to see how the dust settles,” said Garcia. “We're hoping to make vaccine opportunities so ubiquitous throughout our community, whether it's on Fourth Avenue, whether it's in some of these parts, whether it's at a fixed site. We're trying to make it so damn ubiquitous, that essentially you fall into a vaccination needle without much effort. If we can decrease those barriers for those folks for whom these are obstacles. I believe that we will continue to make progress.”

Vaccine walk-ins welcome; appointments available

You no longer need an appointment to get a shot at the UA vaccination point of distribution. The POD will now accept anyone over the age of 16 who comes in for a shot.

The pod, which offers both a drive-thru clinic on the UA Mall and a sit-down clinic in the Ina E. Gittings Building (1737 E. University Blvd.), is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

If you’d rather schedule an appointment, the state is expected to open new first-dose appointments daily at podvaccine.azdhs.gov. Call 602-542-1000 or 844-542-8201 for help in English or Spanish.

Because of rising temperatures, the drive-thru clinic will close on May 3.

If you need help, call the COVID Ambassador Team hotline at 520-848-4045 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. daily or email [email protected].

Meanwhile, Pima County officials are shifting to indoor vaccination sites to avoid making staff and volunteers endure long days in triple-degree temperatures.

Tucson Medical Center has shut down its drive-thru vaccination clinics and transferred its operations to the Udall Center, 7200 E. Tanque Verde Road. The site is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Thursday and Friday and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday. Register at https://vaccine.tmcaz.com/MyChart/OpenScheduling.

Pima County has opened a new indoor vaccine site at the Kino Event Center, where the county had earlier been doing COVID testing. That site is open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Register at azdhs.gov.

The county has also opened an indoor vaccination POD at El Pueblo Center, 101 W. Irvington Road, which is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. No appointment is necessary.

The drive-through POD at Banner-South Kino Stadium, 2500 E. Ajo Way, is now offering appointments between 7:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and will close permanently on May 14.

As of Tuesday, April 27, 393,443 people in Pima County had received at least one shot of the virus, accounting for 37.7% of the population. A total of 304,038 people were fully vaccinated.

For more information or additional mobile clinics, visit pima.gov/covid19vaccineregistration or call 520-222-0119.

Many local pharmacies are now receiving vaccine doses. To find one near you, visit the ADHS website.

Get tested: Pima County has free COVID testing

Pima County is continuing to offer a number of testing centers and pop-up testing sites around town, including the northside Ellie Towne Flowing Wells Community Center, 1660 W. Ruthrauff Road. Schedule an appointment at pima.gov/covid19testing.

The University of Arizona’s antibody testing can determine if you have had COVID and now have antibodies. To sign up for testing, visit https://covid19antibodytesting.arizona.edu/home.

Today’s numbers

With 682 new cases reported today, the total number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases rose past 860,000 as of Tuesday, April 27, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Pima County, which reported 64 new cases today, has seen 114,956 of the state’s 860,169 confirmed cases.

With 8 new deaths reported this morning, a total of 17,276 Arizonans have died after contracting COVID-19, including 2,391 deaths in Pima County, according to the April 27 report.

A total of 615 coronavirus patients were in the hospital as of April 26. That’s roughly 12% of the number hospitalized at the peak of the winter surge, which reached 5,082 on Jan. 12. The summer peak was 3,517, which was set on July 13, 2020. The subsequent lowest number of hospitalized COVID patients was 468, set on Sept. 27, 2020.

A total of 900 people visited emergency rooms with COVID-like symptoms on April 25. That number represents 38% of the record high of 2,341 set on Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020. That number had peaked during the summer wave at 2,008 on July 7, 2020; it hit a subsequent low of 653 on Sept. 28, 2020.

A total of 185 COVID-19 patients were in intensive care unit beds on April 25d, which roughly 15% of the record 1,183 ICU patients set on Jan. 11. The summer’s record number of patients in ICU beds was 970, set on July 13, 2020. The subsequent low was 114 on Sept. 22, 2020.

—with additional reporting from Austin Counts, Christina Duran, Jeff Gardner and Mike Truelsen

The Pima County Health Department is working to launch six mobile vaccination sites with FEMA funding.

Pima County Medical Director Dr. Francisco Garcia discussed the move on Friday, saying that the county hoped FEMA would help cover some of the costs of setting up the clinics as county officials work to vaccinate more residents.

Garcia said the county had given up on obtaining permission from the state to bring more vaccine doses to Pima County, but the county has plenty of vaccine now. The challenge is persuading those who are vaccine-hesitant to get their first shot and convincing those who had their first shot to get their second.

"Fortunately, today we have the vaccine in our hands,” Garcia said.

The “Plan B” asks for six mobile sites with funding from FEMA, according to Huckelberry’s April 20 memo. The sites will not need the permission of Gov. Doug Ducey and Arizona Health Director Cara Christ, who had put multiple roadblocks in the path of a Pima-FEMA partnership that would have delivered enough doses to vaccinate more than 200,000 residents.

County doubles down on vaccination effort

As the county continues its mobile vaccination effort to deliver shots to those vulnerable or minority communities, Garcia said the county is planning efforts to address vaccine hesitancy, especially after the pause of Johnson & Johnson.

“We cannot underestimate the impact that the J&J and the federal action to take J&J temporarily off the table has had on vaccine demand,” said Garcia. “Remember that J&J was actually, probably, the most commonly requested, that was actually kind of the only brand that was being requested when we were doing our vaccination PODs.”

With the pause, the mobile site began offering Moderna, as the Pfizer vaccine continues to face issues in mobile site implementation.

With both Pfizer and Moderna, Garcia said the challenge was the second dose, and committing the mobile clinic to return to the same location. He said the strategy continues to evolve, but they are making sure that when people vaccinated at a mobile site, “they understand that they need a second shot, and that they understand where to go for that second shot, because in some cases we will not be able to be back in exactly that same neighborhood exactly four weeks down the road in order to vaccinate.”

The county has not administered Pfizer at a mobile clinic because it requires ultra cold chain handling and it comes in multi-use vials with several doses. Garcia said Pfizer would pose the issue of “vaccine wastage.”

“You can imagine that as demand slackens, what happens when you've popped open a vial of Pfizer with 14 doses, but you only have 10 people?” asked Garcia. “We are still feeling that need to be as careful with that resource, but by the same token, not missing the opportunity to pivot. If somebody shows up not missing that opportunity to vaccinate that individual.”

He notes that not only was the Johnson & Johnson vaccine on pause last week, but other people getting vaccinated with Pfizer or Moderna were questioning the safety of the vaccines. He said they are working four times as hard for every vaccine delivered.

“We know that a lot of people are not actually truly resistant, but are just hesitant. They're waiting to see how the dust settles,” said Garcia. “We're hoping to make vaccine opportunities so ubiquitous throughout our community, whether it's on Fourth Avenue, whether it's in some of these parts, whether it's at a fixed site. We're trying to make it so damn ubiquitous, that essentially you fall into a vaccination needle without much effort. If we can decrease those barriers for those folks for whom these are obstacles. I believe that we will continue to make progress.”

County continues to require masks

Following Gov. Doug Ducey’s executive order rescinding mask mandates for K-12 schools and signing a bill that allows businesses to ignore local jurisdiction mask mandates, the health department updated its Public Health Advisory on Friday, April 23.

It made clear for schools that the Board of Supervisors Resolution 2020-96 is still in effect, which requires people over the age of 5 to wear masks. It also states that businesses should follow “state, county, and industry-specific guidance related to COVID-19 mitigation.”

“We believe that our mask mandate is legal and valid until 90 days after this legislature adjourns and because we have this short window of time to get people vaccinated, we're going to double down and do everything that we can in order to encourage people, cajole, incentivize people to be observant of that mask mandate,” said Garcia. “It really has an impact on the infection in this community.”

The health department surpassed its goal of 300,000 vaccines administered by March 31, with 621,000 vaccines administered as of April 21.

“We’re not done yet folks,” said Garcia, pointing out the plateau of COVID-19 cases daily since March 14, where the state has seen around 600 cases of COVID-19 daily.

ACIP recommends J&J in the U.S.

The CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted 10-4, with one member abstaining, to recommend the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in the U.S. last week.

Members moved to vote on two different interim recommendations. The first only stated the recommendation of the J&J vaccine for persons 18 and older in the U.S. under FDA’s Emergency Use Authorization, while the second added a note that women under the age of 50 should be aware of the “increased risk of Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS) and may choose another COVID-19 vaccine authorized for use in the U.S.”

The administration paused the vaccine last week after reports of six women developing a rare blood clot disorder after receiving the J&J vaccine.

The disorder combines blood clotting (Thrombosis), often in the brain with a low level of platelets, the blood cells that promote clotting, which is called (Thrombocytopenia Syndrome).

At the meeting, a CDC scientist confirmed nine new confirmed cases of the rare disorder, all women, bringing the total to 15, with 13 cases in women between 18 and 49 years old.

If the use of the Janssen vaccine resumed for those 18 and older, 26 to 45 cases of blood clotting disorder could be expected over the next six months, according to a model presented by CDC Scientist Dr. Sara Oliver. However, we could also expect about 800 to 3,500 fewer ICU admissions and 600 to 1,400 fewer deaths.

The majority voted for the first recommendation, but those in favor agreed with the four that voted no.

“I voted yes. I can live with this recommendation, but I think that under an emergency use authorization, where there is no inside informed consent, that it could be that ACIP recommendations might need to reflect some more nuanced concerns than under the usual procedure,” said Dr. Beth Bell, ACIP voting member and COVID-19 workgroup chair. “I am concerned that the consumers and women in this age group in particular, will not be adequately informed just by the FDA EUA vaccines and so we really are depending on the public health agencies and the partner organizations to make sure that people actually are informed and are empowered, and that they actually get a balanced perspective.”

Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Roundup for Monday, April 26: County working with FEMA on new vax sites; Walk-ins welcome at UA vax POD, other locations; Mask ordinance remains in place in Pima County; Here’s how to set up vaccine appointments

Vaccine walk-ins welcome; appointments available

You no longer need an appointment to get a shot at the UA vaccination point of distribution. The POD will now accept anyone over the age of 16 who comes in for a shot.

The pod, which offers both a drive-thru clinic on the UA Mall and a sit-down clinic in the Ina E. Gittings Building (1737 E. University Blvd.), is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

If you’d rather schedule an appointment, the state is expected to open new first-dose appointments daily at podvaccine.azdhs.gov. Call 602-542-1000 or 844-542-8201 for help in English or Spanish.

Because of rising temperatures, the drive-thru clinic will close on May 3.

If you need help, call the COVID Ambassador Team hotline at 520-848-4045 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. daily or email [email protected].

Meanwhile, Pima County officials are shifting to indoor vaccination sites to avoid making staff and volunteers endure long days in triple-degree temperatures.

Pima County has opened a new indoor vaccine site at the Kino Event Center, where the county had earlier been doing COVID testing. That site is open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Register at azdhs.gov.

The county has also opened an indoor vaccination POD at El Pueblo Center, 101 W. Irvington Road, which is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. No appointment is necessary.

The drive-through POD at Banner-South Kino Stadium, 2500 E. Ajo Way, is now offering appointments between 7:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and will close permanently on May 14.

As of Sunday, April 25, 391,523 people in Pima County had received at least one shot of the virus, accounting for 37.5% of the population. A total of 299,659 people were fully vaccinated.

Register for an appointment at a Pima County POD at pima.gov/covid19vaccineregistration or by calling 520-222-0119.

Many local pharmacies are now receiving vaccine doses. To find one near you, visit the ADHS website.

Get tested: Pima County has free COVID testing

Pima County is continuing to offer a number of testing centers and pop-up testing sites around town, including the northside Ellie Towne Flowing Wells Community Center, 1660 W. Ruthrauff Road. Schedule an appointment at pima.gov/covid19testing.

The University of Arizona’s antibody testing can determine if you have had COVID and now have antibodies. To sign up for testing, visit https://covid19antibodytesting.arizona.edu/home.

Today’s numbers

With 750 new cases reported today, the total number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases rose past 859,000 as of Monday, April 26, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Pima County, which reported 62 new cases today, has seen 114,892 of the state’s 859,487 confirmed cases.

With no new deaths reported this morning, a total of 17,268 Arizonans have died after contracting COVID-19, including 2,391 deaths in Pima County, according to the April 21 report.

A total of 611 coronavirus patients were in the hospital as of April 25. That’s roughly 12% of the number hospitalized at the peak of the winter surge, which reached 5,082 on Jan. 12. The summer peak was 3,517, which was set on July 13, 2020. The subsequent lowest number of hospitalized COVID patients was 468, set on Sept. 27, 2020.

A total of 946 people visited emergency rooms with COVID-like symptoms on April 25. That number represents 40% of the record high of 2,341 set on Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020. That number had peaked during the summer wave at 2,008 on July 7, 2020; it hit a subsequent low of 653 on Sept. 28, 2020.

A total of 184 COVID-19 patients were in intensive care unit beds on April 25d, which roughly 15.5% of the record 1,183 ICU patients set on Jan. 11. The summer’s record number of patients in ICU beds was 970, set on July 13, 2020. The subsequent low was 114 on Sept. 22, 2020.

—with additional reporting from Austin Counts, Christina Duran, Jeff Gardner and Mike Truelsen

WASHINGTON – With vaccination efforts in full force, airlines and airports are on their way to bouncing back from a year in which passenger traffic fell as much as 96% because of the pandemic, officials told a Senate panel Wednesday.

And that improvement has also been seen at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, where “we were very, very excited to see numbers increase to about 70%” of pre-pandemic levels, said Charlene Reynolds, assistant aviation director of the Phoenix Department of Aviation.

“Here at Sky Harbor, we are currently seeing some revival of traffic,” Reynolds said in her testimony to the Senate Commerce subcommittee. “We looked at some of the projections from the rating agencies, they believe we will return to normalcy in 2024, however, we’re very hopeful that passengers will return sooner than 2024.”

While they talked about gains, however, much of the hearing was dedicated to the question of health concerns associated with increased travel, and the need to keep enforcing COVID-19 safeguards.

“I look forward to hearing from our witnesses about how safe it is to fly, and what the future holds for air travel,” said Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., who said recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not provide the clarity “needed to maintain public confidence.”

With 896 new cases reported today, the total number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases rose past 857,000 as of Friday, April 23, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Pima County, which reported 96 new cases today, has seen 114,721 of the state’s 857,347 confirmed cases.

With 17 new deaths reported this morning, a total of 17,238 Arizonans have died after contracting COVID-19, including 2,389 deaths in Pima County, according to the April 23 report.

A total of 594 coronavirus patients were in the hospital as of April 22. That’s roughly 11.5% of the number hospitalized at the peak of the winter surge, which reached 5,082 on Jan. 12. The summer peak was 3,517, which was set on July 13, 2020. The subsequent lowest number of hospitalized COVID patients was 468, set on Sept. 27, 2020.

A total of 995 people visited emergency rooms with COVID-like symptoms on April 22. That number represents 42.5% of the record high of 2,341 set on Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020. That number had peaked during the summer wave at 2,008 on July 7, 2020; it hit a subsequent low of 653 on Sept. 28, 2020.

With 647 new cases reported today, the total number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases continued to climb as of Thursday, April 22, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Pima County, which reported 187 new cases today, has seen 114,625 of the state’s 856,451 confirmed cases.

With 22 new deaths reported this morning, a total of 17,221 Arizonans have died after contracting COVID-19, including 2,388  deaths in Pima County, according to the April 22 report.

A total of 585 coronavirus patients were in the hospital as of April 21. That’s roughly 11.5 % of the number hospitalized at the peak of the winter surge, which reached 5,082 on Jan. 12. The summer peak was 3,517, which was set on July 13, 2020. The subsequent lowest number of hospitalized COVID patients was 468, set on Sept. 27, 2020.

A total of 1,030 people visited emergency rooms with COVID-like symptoms on April 21. That number represents 44% of the record high of 2,341 set on Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020. That number had peaked during the summer wave at 2,008 on July 7, 2020; it hit a subsequent low of 653 on Sept. 28, 2020.

A total of 175 COVID-19 patients were in intensive care unit beds on April 21, which roughly 15% of the record 1,183 ICU patients set on Jan. 11. The summer’s record number of patients in ICU beds was 970, set on July 13, 2020. The subsequent low was 114 on Sept. 22, 2020.

State opposition sinks Pima County/FEMA joint vax center; New appointments available daily

Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry told the Board of Supervisors this week that the Arizona Department of Health’s contract requirements were too demanding for both FEMA and Pima County, so Pima County officials had given up on the project.

But Huckelberry said the county could still pursue vaccine clinics in low-income and minority neighborhoods with other support from FEMA.

The state of Arizona expects new first-dose appointments to open daily this week at the University of Arizona vaccination site, so they urged those 16 and older who are interested in an appointment to regularly check podvaccine.azdhs.gov.

Meanwhile, as temperatures rise, Pima County officials are shifting to indoor vaccination sites to avoid making staff and volunteers endure long days in triple-degree temperatures.

Pima County has opened a new indoor vaccine site at the Kino Event Center, where the county had earlier been doing COVID testing. That site is open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Register at azdhs.gov.

The county has also opened an indoor vaccination POD at El Pueblo Center, 101 W. Irvington Road, which is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. No appointment is necessary.

The drive-through POD at Banner-South Kino Stadium, 2500 E. Ajo Way, is now offering appointments between 7:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and will close permanently on May 14.

As of Monday, April 19, 382,615 people in Pima County had received at least one shot of the virus, accounting for 36.6% of the population. A total of 282,339 people were fully vaccinated.

You can register for your vaccine appointments at a state POD by visiting pod vaccine.azdhs.gov, and those who need assistance can call 1-844-542-8201.

Register for an appointment at a Pima County POD at pima.gov/covid19vaccineregistration or by calling 520-222-0119.

Many local pharmacies are now receiving vaccine doses. To find one near you, visit the ADHS website.

Get tested: Pima County has free COVID testing

Pima County is continuing to offer a number of testing centers and pop-up testing sites around town, including the northside Ellie Towne Flowing Wells Community Center, 1660 W. Ruthrauff Road. Schedule an appointment at pima.gov/covid19testing.

The University of Arizona’s antibody testing can determine if you have had COVID and now have antibodies. To sign up for testing, visit https://covid19antibodytesting.arizona.edu/home.

—with additional reporting from Austin Counts, Christina Duran, Jeff Gardner and Mike Truelsen