>> JUST AHEAD ON BLACK ISSUES FORUM, THE CDC SAYS THE COVID VACCINE IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR YOUNGER KIDS.

WE'LL ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT ITS SAFETY AND EFFECTIVENESS.

WE'LL ALSO TALK ABOUT USE OF THE VACCINE FOR PREGNANT WOMEN.

STAY WITH US.

♪ WELCOME TO BLACK ISSUES FORUM.

I'M DEBORAH HOLT-NOEL.

THIS WEEK THE CDC APPROVED THE COVID VACCINE FOR CHILDREN AGES 5 TO 11.

NO DOUBT PEOPLE WILL AGAIN HAVE QUESTIONS AND RESERVATIONS ABOUT THE SAFETY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS VACCINE BEFORE TAKING THEIR LITTLE ONES IN TO GET SHOTS.

TODAY WE'RE ANSWERING QUESTIONS WITH THE STATE'S TOP HEALTH OFFICIALS.

LATER ON, WE WILL GET TO ALSO TALK WITH A PRACTICING DOCTOR.

BUT RIGHT NOW I'D LIKE TO WELCOME DOCTOR MANDY COHEN SECRETARY FOR THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND VICTOR ARMSTRONG CHIEF HEALTH EQUITY OFFICER FOR DHHS.

I'M SO EXCITED TO HAVE BOTH OF YOU HERE ON BLACK ISSUES FORUM, AND APPRECIATE THE TIME.

SECRETARY COHEN, HOW IS NORTH CAROLINA DOING ON RATES OF INFECTION AND DEATHS FIRST OF ALL FOR THE VACCINATED AND UNVACCINATED COMMUNITIES?

>> WELL FIRST DEBORAH, THANKS SO MUCH FOR HAVING US HERE THIS MORNING TO TALK ABOUT THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE, AND YOU KNOW WHAT I WOULD SAY IS NORTH CAROLINA'S CASES OF COVID IS GETTING BETTER.

WE SEE THE NUMBER OF CASES GOING DOWN, BUT WE JUST WENT THROUGH A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT SURGE OF CASES BECAUSE THIS VIRUS GOT MORE CONTAGIOUS OVER THE SUMMER.

PEOPLE HAVE HEARD ABOUT THE DELTA VARIANT WHICH IS MORE CONTAGIOUS AND UNFORTUNATELY, THIS SURGE REALLY HIT OUR UNVACCINATED REALLY HARD.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE DATA YOU WERE 5 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO GET COVID WHICH MEANS 500% MORE LIKELY TO GET COVID IF YOU ARE UNVACCINATED AND SADLY YOU WERE NEARLY 20 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO DIE FROM COVID IF YOU ARE UNVACCINATED.

SO IT CONTINUES TO REINFORCE TO US THAT VACCINATION IS SO IMPORTANT TO PROTECT OURSELVES AND EACH OTHER.

AS WE GO INTO THE WINTER MONTHS HERE NOW, I'M GLAD ARE CASES ARE GOING DOWN, BUT WE KNOW THIS IS TRADITIONALLY A WINTER VIRUS.

CORONAVIRUSES, WHICH COVID IS, IS A WINTER VIRUS.

SO WE'RE DEFINITELY MAKING SURE THAT WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO PROTECT OURSELVES WE GET INTO THE WINTER.

>> ABSOLUTELY AND THOSE NUMBERS PLAY OUT PERHAPS DIFFERENTLY FOR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR FOR MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES.

CHIEF ARMSTRONG, WHAT CAN YOU SHARE ABOUT HOW IT IMPACTED THOSE COMMUNITIES AND THE TRAJECTORY?

>> WELL FIRST DEBORAH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME AND THANKS FOR THE QUESTION.

WE DO KNOW THAT OUR COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN HIT HARD.

ROUGHLY ABOUT 21% OF CASES HAVE BEEN IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

WE RECOGNIZED EARLY ON AT THE DEPARTMENT THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF HEALTH DISPARITIES AND A LOT OF DISPARITIES IN THE WAY THAT THE PANDEMIC WAS AFFECTING DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES AND FOR A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT REASONS.

WE KNOW THERE ARE THERE HISTORICAL INEQUITIES, INEQUITIES IN ACCESS TO CARE, INSURANCE, AND SO WE RECOGNIZED THAT WE NEEDED TO TAILOR OUR RESPONSES TO BE ABLE TO ACCOUNT FOR THOSE INEQUITIES.

>> AND HOW'S THAT BEEN GOING?

>> IT'S GOING VERY WELL.

WE HAVE, AS A MATTER OF FACT WE WERE RECOGNIZED BY BLOOMBERG NEWS AS BEST FOR OUR DATA REPORTING ON EQUITY AND WE HAVE MANAGED TO TO REALLY SHIFT THE PENDULUM, WE HAVE CLOSED THE GAP BETWEEN HOW HISPANIC COMMUNITIES AND NON-HISPANIC COMMUNITIES.

AND WE HAVE NARROWED THE GAP FOR THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

SO WE HAVE SEEN GREAT PROGRESS SINCE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC, AND WE HAVE BEEN VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT ADDRESSING THOSE INEQUITIES.

>> AND NOW THAT A VACCINE IS AVAILABLE THERE'S ACCESS.

AND IT'S ABOUT MOSTLY I WOULD IMAGINE PEOPLE MAKING THAT DECISION.

>> YES, INDEED IT IS WE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE FOCUSED ON VERY INTENTIONALLY IS MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE A SUPPLY ACCESS TO HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES BEING VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT PARTNERING WITH HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES AND HAVING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO VACCINES SO IT IS ABOUT PEOPLE MAKING THAT DECISION, AND PART OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO BUILD THOSE TRUSTING RELATIONSHIPS.

>> ABSOLUTELY LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT, SECRETARY COHEN ABOUT THE POTENTIAL IMPACT FOR THIS VACCINE, AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT ACCESS.

BUT WHEN IT COMES TO KIDS, WHAT'S GOING TO BE ACCESSIBILITY TO GETTING A VACCINE FOR THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED?

>> SURE WELL FOLKS MAY REMEMBER BACK AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR WHICH FEELS LIKE A REALLY LONG TIME AGO, BUT YOU KNOW WE HAD A PRETTY LIMITED SUPPLY OF VACCINE FOR ADULTS.

LUCKILY AS WE GO INTO VACCINATING OUR KIDS 5 TO 11 SUPPLY IS NOT A CONCERN.

WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF SUPPLY OF VACCINE THAT IS EITHER HERE OR ABOUT TO ARRIVE HERE.

IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS WE WILL HAVE OVER 800 ACCESS POINTS FOR OUR FAMILIES TO GO GET THEIR VACCINE.

WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO VISIT MYSPOT.NC.GOV THAT'S THE BEST PLACE YOU CAN PUT YOUR ZIP CODE IN, YOU CAN FIND A LOCATION NEAR YOU.

AND YOU CAN ALSO GET YOUR ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ABOUT THE VACCINE WE'RE HOPING TO GO THROUGH SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS TODAY, BUT IF IF YOU HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS MYSPOT.NC.GOV WILL BOTH HELP YOU LOCATE A PLACE TO VACCINATE YOUR KIDS AS WELL AS HELP YOU ANSWER SOME ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.

>> THAT IS SO CRITICAL.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT INFORMATION MYSPOT.NC.GOV TO FIND OUT WHERE YOU SHOULD GO TO GET THE VACCINE, CORRECT?

>> CORRECT.

>> AND WHEN IT COMES TO BEST PRACTICES, I MEAN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE VACCINE BUT FOR BOTH VACCINATED AND UNVACCINATED COMMUNITY CAN YOU SHARE ONCE AGAIN I DON'T THINK WE CAN SHARE IT ENOUGH, BEST PRACTICES FOR PROTECTING YOURSELF AGAINST INFECTION OF COVID?

>> WELL THE SCIENCE AND DATA IS VERY CLEAR THAT VACCINE IS THE BEST WAY TO PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY FROM COVID-19 VACCINES ARE SAFE AND THEY WORK, BUT WE HAVE OTHER TOOLS OUT THERE, BUT VACCINE IS CERTAINLY NUMBER ONE.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE FOLKS KNOW THAT THERE IS TREATMENT FOR COVID THAT IS SOMETHING WE DIDN'T HAVE AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS PANDEMIC BUT WE NOW HAVE A TREATMENT THAT YOU CAN GET, YOU HAVE TO GO TO A DOCTOR'S OFFICE OR HOSPITAL TO GET THIS TREATMENT AND IT'S CALLED A MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY.

IT IS EITHER AN INJECTION OR INFUSION SO IT'S NOT UPHILL, SO YOU DO HAVE TO CALL YOUR DOCTOR OR YOUR OTHER HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL.

AND YOU NEED TO GET IT EARLY.

THE IMPORTANCE OF TREATMENT IS GETTING IT AS SOON AS YOU AS YOU CAN BECAUSE THE SOONER YOU GET IT THE BETTER IT WORKS.

AND SO WE WANT YOU TO GET IT WITHIN 10 DAYS OF YOUR FIRST SYMPTOM, WHICH MEANS IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET TESTED TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE COVID.

SO VACCINE NUMBER ONE, TREATMENT IS AVAILABLE AND MAKE SURE YOU'RE CALLING YOUR YOUR DOCTOR OR OTHER HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL, AND THEN THE 3RD IS OBVIOUSLY WE ALL STILL NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT PROTECTING EACH OTHER AND WEARING MASKS PARTICULARLY WHEN WE'RE IN PUBLIC SETTINGS AND WE'RE AROUND OTHERS WHO AREN'T VACCINATED PARTICULARLY OUR KIDS WHO ARE JUST TODAY STARTING TO GET VACCINATED.

WE KNOW THEY'RE LARGELY UNVACCINATED WANTING TO PROTECT THEM.

SO MASK ARE STILL AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF PROTECTION.

>> I WANT TO KEY IN ON THAT.

THAT AVAILABILITY THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED BECAUSE I THINK PROBABLY A LOT OF PEOPLE AREN'T AWARE AND CHIEF ARMSTRONG, PERHAPS YOU CAN SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT IF YOU DO GET INFECTED AND WHAT DOCTOR COHEN WAS TALKING ABOUT.

HOW AVAILABLE IS THIS TREATMENT AND WHAT'S IT CALLED WHEN YOU ASK FOR?

>> SO I AM SMART ENOUGH TO KNOW TO DEFER THE MEDICAL QUESTIONS TO THE DOCTOR SO I'M GOING TO LET DOCTOR COHEN ADDRESS THAT ONE.

>> OK DOCTOR COHEN?

YOUR YOUR DOCTOR OR OTHER HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL.

IF YOU DO DO NOT HAVE A DOCTOR, MAKE SURE YOU'RE CALLING ONE OF YOUR LOCAL FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTERS, THERE ARE HEALTH CENTERS ALL OVER THE STATE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS.

YOU CAN ALSO AGAIN, YOU CAN FIND INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE ABOUT MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES.

AND WHAT YOU WANT TO SAY TO FOLKS IS JUST SAY THE COVID TREATMENT, BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE ONE RIGHT NOW AND IT'S NOT A PILL.

SO I THINK IF YOU SAY COVID TREATMENT, THEY WILL KNOW IT IS CALLED A MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY.

IT IS AGAIN EITHER AN INJECTION OR INFUSION.

WE HAVE AGAIN SUPPLY ACROSS THE STATE.

THERE ARE SPECIFIC LOCATIONS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO GO TO.

NOT EVERY DOCTOR'S OFFICE IS GOING TO HAVE IT BUT THEY'LL BE ABLE TO HELP YOU NAVIGATE TO WHERE YOU YOU CAN GET AND AGAIN.

EARLIER TREATMENT IS BETTER AND I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE, VACCINE STILL THE BEST PROTECTION AGAINST COVID.

>> ABSOLUTELY PEOPLE NEED TO GET THAT INFORMATION ABOUT VACCINATING AND PROTECTING THEMSELVES AGAINST THIS INFECTION.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE COVID VACCINE AND RECENT APPROVED USE FOR CHILDREN AGES 5 TO 11.

TO VACCINATE OR NOT VACCINATE IS AN INDIVIDUAL CHOICE BUT FOR THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO GET THE VACCINE, DHHS IS WORKING HARD TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO HELP ANSWER COMMON QUESTIONS.

>> EVERYONE'S JUST KIND OF WAITING TO KIND OF CROSS THE FINISH LINE WITH VACCINATING THE WHOLE FAMILIES.

>> IT OFFERS THAT PROTECTION, THAT CRITICAL PROTECTION THAT KIDS DESERVE.

SO THAT THEY CAN LIVE LIFE.

>> WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT SHE IS PROTECTED.

>> VERY JEALOUS WHEN MY BROTHER HAD GOTTEN THE SHOT AND I JUST REALLY WANTED IT.

>> THE SHOT ITSELF DOESN'T HURT THAT MUCH, AND YOU CAN KNOW YOU'RE PROTECTED FROM COVID.

>> KIDS HAVE A SPOT, >> TO TAKE THEIR SHOT.

>> EVERYONE 5 AND OLDER CAN GET A COVID-19 VACCINE.

VISIT MYSPOT.NC.GOV.

>> AND RIGHT NOW I'D LIKE TO WELCOME DOCTOR VELMA TAORMINA A PRACTICING PHYSICIAN AND OB GYN IN HILLSBOROUGH, NORTH CAROLINA.

SO PLEASED THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO JOIN US.

FIRST I WANT TO GET IN A QUESTION OUT TO SECRETARY COHEN.

THIS WEEK OF COURSE THE CDC ANNOUNCED THAT THE COVID VACCINES SAFE TO ADMINISTER TO KIDS, WHICH VACCINES PFIZER MODERNA J AND J ARE CURRENTLY APPROVED.

>> AND AT WHAT DOSE?

>> YEAH, DEBORAH WERE REALLY EXCITED THAT NOW WE HAVE AN AUTHORIZED VACCINE FOR OUR 5 TO 11 YEAR-OLDS.

IT IS THE PFIZER VACCINE THAT IS AUTHORIZED.

IT'S A SMALLER DOSE OF THE ADULT DOSE.

SO IT'S ABOUT A 3RD OF THE DOSE.

AND WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS IT HAS ALSO GONE THROUGH THE SAME RIGOROUS CLINICAL TRIALS THAT THE ORIGINAL ADULT VACCINE WENT THROUGH.

SOME OF THOSE TRIALS WERE RIGHT HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA AND YOU SAW SOME OF THOSE KIDS IN THE PSA TALKING ABOUT THAT.

THEY WERE PART OF THOSE CLINICAL TRIALS.

SO IT WAS GREAT TO INCLUDE THEM.

AND YOU KNOW, I WILL SAY FOLKS KNOW IN NORTH CAROLINA, I'M A MOM OF A 7 AND A 9 YEAR-OLD AND WE WILL BE GETTING OUR VACCINES TOMORROW.

SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT.

LOOK NO KID LOVES GETTING A SHOT.

BUT AS EXCITED AS THEY CAN BE, MY KIDS ARE EXCITED ABOUT GETTING PROTECTED TOMORROW.

YOU KNOW BECAUSE LOOK THE BOTTOM LINE IS KIDS ARE STILL VULNERABLE TO COVID YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN LUCKY THAT KIDS HAVEN'T BEEN QUITE AS AFFECTED AS ADULTS, BUT WE KNOW KIDS GET COVID.

UNFORTUNATELY, WE'VE SEEN KIDS IN THE HOSPITAL FROM COVID, THEY HAVE LONG LONGER EFFECTS OF COVID AFTERWARDS, THEY HAVE SOMETHING CALLED AN INFLAMMATORY DISORDER RELATED TO IT.

SO THERE ARE MANY REASONS WHY I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR PARENTS TO GET THEIR KIDS VACCINATED.

IT'S WHY I'M GETTING MY KIDS VACCINATED TOMORROW.

>> WOW AND I'LL ADMIT, I'M A LITTLE EXCITED AS WELL, I'VE GOT A CHILD THAT'S IN THAT AGE RANGE, AND SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO FINDING A SPOT AND GETTING THE SHOT.

[LAUGHS] BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS.

>> [COHEN] ALRIGHT!

EXCELLENT!

LET ME BRING YOU AND DOCTOR TAORMINA.

YOU KNOW AS PARENTS AND LOVED ONES ARE PREPARING THEIR KIDS FOR THIS SHOT, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT THEY NEED TO KNOW ABOUT PREPARATION OR POTENTIAL SIDE EFFECTS?

>> NO I THINK THAT IS THEY NEED TO PREPARE THEM JUST LIKE THEY DID HOPEFULLY FOR THEMSELVES, I MEAN, LIKE DOCTOR COHEN MENTIONED, YOU KNOW YOU DO GET WORRIED ABOUT GOING TO GET ANOTHER SHOT, BUT IT'S THE SAME THING.

IT'S JUST PREPARE THEM TALK TO THEM TELL THEM WHAT TO EXPECT AND THE SIDE EFFECTS THAT THEY ARE GOING TO SEE AFTERWARDS ARE GOING TO BE SIMILAR TO WHAT WE SAW IN THE ADULT POPULATION.

>> OK, SO GET READY AND CHIEF ARMSTRONG CAN YOU SHARE WHAT DHHS IS DOING TO ENSURE THAT COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES HAVE EQUAL ACCESS TO THE VACCINE FOR CHILDREN?

>> SURE AND WE DO RECOGNIZE THAT WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO IN REALLY CLOSING THE GAP ON SOME ACCESS AND AVAILABILITY FOR HEALTH CARE SERVICES IN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.

BUT WE ARE VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE AND CONTINUE TO DO AROUND VACCINES, AND AS WE HAVE WITH ADULT VACCINES, WE ARE WORKING WITH PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS IN THE COMMUNITY PARTNERING WITH RESPECTED VOICES IN THE COMMUNITY TO GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT VACCINES SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW WHERE THE VACCINES ARE AND REALLY BUILDING THAT LAYER OF TRUST SO THAT PEOPLE TRUST US ABOUT TAKING THE VACCINES, AND THEN THE SECOND THING THAT WE'RE DOING IS MAKING SURE WE ARE PROVIDING ACCESS.

SO WE'RE WORKING WITH PROVIDERS IN THE COMMUNITY WORKING WITH LOCAL PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE RESOURCES IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE PEOPLE CAN ACCESS THEM WE HAVE FOLKS ON THE GROUND WORKING TO TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION TO GET TO THOSE VACCINE SITES AND EVEN ESTABLISHING SOME POP-UP SITES ACROSS THE STATE JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ADDITIONAL ACCESS.

WE HAVE FOLKS ON THE GROUND THAT ARE REACHING OUT TO LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, LOCAL PHARMACIES ASKING IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO ASSIST IN GIVING PEOPLE ACCESS TO THOSE VACCINES, AND THEN THE FINAL THING I'D SAY THAT WE'RE DOING IS INVESTING IN THE COMMUNITY.

WE HAVE PARTNERSHIPS IN THE COMMUNITY, WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH THE NC COUNTS TO ESTABLISH RELATIONSHIPS ON THE GROUND, HIRING PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY TO WORK IN THE COMMUNITY, PEOPLE THAT KNOW THE COMMUNITY AND ARE TRUSTED IN THE COMMUNITY TO HELP US SET UP THESE ACCESSIBLE SITES SO THAT PEOPLE ARE BOTH AWARE OF WHERE THE VACCINES ARE TRUST THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DIRECTING THEM TO THOSE VACCINES AND THEN HAVE THE ABILITY TO GET THERE.

>> THAT PARTNERING WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES IS SO KEY AND IMPORTANT TO THE TRUST ISSUE, AND YOU KNOW ON THE SUBJECT OF TRUST.

SECRETARY COHEN CAN YOU SHARE WHAT THE CONFIDENCE IN THIS VACCINE IS BASED ON?

>> SO, A COUPLE OF THINGS.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE FOLKS KNOW AGAIN AS I SAID BEFORE THESE VACCINES HAVE BEEN THROUGH REGULAR RIGOROUS CLINICAL TRIALS, THEY ARE THE SAME TYPE OF VACCINE THAT IS USED IN THE ADULT, IT'S JUST A SMALLER DOSE.

WE'VE SEEN MILLIONS AND MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF ADULTS GET VACCINATED SAFELY, WE'VE SEEN THE SAFETY IN THESE CLINICAL TRIALS.

SO THAT'S WHY I'VE MADE THE DECISION FOR MY DAUGHTERS TO GET US VACCINATED TOMORROW, BUT WHAT I WOULD SAY IS I KNOW THAT THERE ARE QUESTIONS.

I KNOW FOLKS WILL HAVE QUESTIONS.

I THINK IT'S RIGHT AS A PARENT TO ASK QUESTIONS BECAUSE YOU WANT TO PROTECT YOUR CHILD SO I'D ENCOURAGE YOU TO REACH OUT TO YOUR PEDIATRICIAN TO ANOTHER MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL, OR YOU CAN LOOK FOR TRUSTED INFORMATION EITHER ON THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL, THE CDC WEB SITE, OUR WEB SITE AT NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, MAKE SURE YOU'RE GETTING GOOD ACCURATE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS, BUT I THINK THE THING THAT I COULD DO AS A MOM, AS A DOCTOR IS TO SHARE WITH FOLKS WHAT I WOULD DO FOR MY OWN CHILDREN.

AND AGAIN THAT IS MAKING THE DECISION TO GET THEM VACCINATED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

TO MAKE SURE ON PROTECTING THEM.

>> GETTING THAT INFORMATION TO GIVE YOUR OWN SELF THE ASSURANCE, IT'S SO IMPORTANT BUT EVEN MORE IMPORTANT IS GOING TO A CREDIBLE SOURCE.

THE CDC IS A CREDIBLE SOURCE TO GET THAT INFORMATION AND YOU KNOW DOCTOR TAORMINA I WANT TO TALK ABOUT A VERY UNIQUE COMMUNITY.

THEY'RE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE BRINGING NEW CHILDREN INTO THE WORLD AND THAT'S PREGNANT WOMEN.

CAN YOU SHARE WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT SAFETY OF THE VACCINE FOR PREGNANT WOMEN?

>> YES, SO I MEAN IT IS ABSOLUTELY SAFE TO USE IN PREGNANCY, SO YOU KNOW WE HAVE THIS QUESTION EVERY DAY IN OUR OFFICES AND IT MAY BE THAT WHETHER SOMEBODY IS TRYING TO GET PREGNANT, THEY JUST HAD A BABY OR THEY'RE CURRENTLY PREGNANT AND YOU HAVE TO MEET PATIENTS WHERE THEY ARE.

YOU HAVE TO GIVE THEM THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT DECISION BUT IT IS SAFE TO TAKE DURING PREGNANCY.

WE DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT RISK TO THAT PREGNANT WOMAN IF THEY GET COVID DURING THEIR PREGNANCY SO,IN THE END OF SEPTEMBER THE CDC JUST ISSUED AN URGENT HEALTH ADVISORY RECOMMENDING THAT WE REFOCUS AGAIN ON WOMEN THAT ARE CURRENTLY PREGNANT, WOMEN THAT HAVE JUST DELIVERED OR WOMEN THAT WANT TO BECOME PREGNANT BECAUSE WE WERE SEEING INCREASED NUMBERS OF COMPLICATIONS IN THAT POPULATION, AND AT THAT POINT ONLY 34% OF OUR PREGNANT WOMEN HAVE BEEN VACCINATED.

SO WE KNOW WE HAVE ROOM, WE KNOW WE HAVE WORK TO DO IN THIS SEGMENT, BUT WE NOW HAVE OVER A 169,000 PREGNANT WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES THAT RECEIVED AT LEAST ONE DOSE OF THE VACCINE.

SO WE ARE ABLE TO TRACK THOSE WOMEN, WERE ABLE TO LOOK AT THE OUTCOME.

SO WE'RE VERY REASSURED WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.

WE'VE ALSO SEEN IN RECENT STUDIES THAT THERE ARE ANTIBODIES THAT ARE FOUND IN THE BREAST MILK OF THE WOMEN WHO RECEIVED THE PFIZER AND MODERNA VACCINES.

SO WE KNOW THAT THERE MAY BE MORE PROTECTION FOR THEIR BABIES.

WHICH RIGHT NOW THEY'RE NOT ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE VACCINE.

SO AGAIN THAT'S ANOTHER WAY TO PROTECT YOUR FAMILY, BUT AGAIN WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR CURRENT PREGNANCY OR THE CHILDREN WE MAY HAVE OTHER CHILDREN AT HOME, YOU WANT TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT DIALOGUE SHOW THAT EVERYONE IS COMFORTABLE WITH THE DECISION THEY'RE MAKING FOR THEMSELVES.

>> SO THERE'S CERTAINLY GOING TO BE THOSE WHO DECIDE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO WAIT OR THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GET VACCINATED.

CAN YOU SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE POTENTIAL RISK AND WHAT YOU SEEN OR WITNESSED IN YOUR OWN PRACTICE?

WELL, IT'S RECOMMENDED.

INITIALLY WE USED TO SAY THAT WE WOULD OFFER IT IN THE 3RD TRIMESTER BUT THEY'VE NOW BEEN ABLE TO OFFER THE VACCINE TO WOMEN IN ALL TRIMESTERS AND WE ARE NOT SEEING ANY ADVERSE OUTCOMES THROUGHOUT THEIR PREGNANCY.

SO WHEN SOMEBODY IS ASKING WHEN SHOULD I GET IT, OUR RESPONSE IS 'AS SOON AS YOU CAN', BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT AN OPTION TO PREVENT COMPLICATIONS.

SO WE WE KNOW THAT IT'S SAFE.

WE ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO GET IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

>> DOCTOR COHEN CAN YOU JUST SHARE WITH THE POTENTIAL IMPACT ONCE AGAIN IS FOR GETTING CHILDREN VACCINATED AND INCREASING VACCINATIONS AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN IN TERMS OF JUST OUR LIFESTYLE CHANGES AND WHAT THE POTENTIAL FOR THAT IS?

>> SURE.

WELL LOOK, WE KNOW COVID HAS TURNED EVERYONE'S LIFE UPSIDE DOWN.

IT'S BEEN A HARD COUPLE OF YEARS FOR FOLKS AND WHAT VACCINES OFFER IS THAT LEVEL OF PROTECTION SO WE CAN HOPEFULLY PUT THIS PANDEMIC IN OUR REARVIEW MIRROR.

AS I SAID NO VACCINE IS PERFECT.

AND AS WE'VE SEEN, THE VIRUS CHANGES, OUR IMMUNITY DOESN'T STAY AS STRONG OVER TIME, AND SO OUR SCIENTISTS AND OUR DOCTORS ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING STEPS TO PROTECT OURSELVES.

SO WE KNOW FOR ADULTS ALREADY WE'RE ASKING FOLKS TO GET A BOOSTER SHOT FOR EXAMPLE, BUT WE KNOW IF WE VACCINATE OUR KIDS IF WE TAKE OUR VACCINES AND AND THE BOOSTERS AS RECOMMENDED THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PUT THIS VIRUS AND THIS PANDEMIC IN A REARVIEW MIRROR, I KNOW EVERYONE WANTS TO GET BACK TO WHAT IT WAS LIKE BEFORE COVID AND I THINK WE CAN GET THERE.

I SEE OUR CASES GOING DOWN, AND IF WE USE THESE TOOLS, THE VACCINES, I'VE TALKED ABOUT NOW WE HAVE MORE TREATMENTS COMING OUT AND WE SEE SOME TREATMENTS ON THE HORIZON THAT ARE COMING UPHILL.

IT'S NOT HERE YET, BUT IT MAY BE IN A FEW MONTHS AND WE'RE USING MASKS IN HIGHER-RISK SETTINGS, I THINK THAT'S THE WAY WE PROTECT OURSELVES AND GET BACK TO NORMAL AND TO THE THINGS AND PLACES WE LOVE.

>> AND THERE ARE CERTAINLY PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO'VE ALREADY GOTTEN THE VACCINE AND NOW IT IS BOOSTER TIME.

CAN YOU SHARE WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT GETTING THE BOOSTER AND SHOULD PEOPLE GET YOU KNOW THE SAME BOOSTER FOR THE SAME BRAND OF VACCINE THAT THEY HAD BEFORE, OR IS THERE REALLY RESEARCH ON THAT YET?

>> SURE SO WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT YOU CAN GET ANY OF THE 3 VACCINES.

THE GOOD NEWS IS THEY ARE ALL SAFE, THAT'S FANTASTIC.

AND THEN THE DECISION IS DO YOU STICK WITH WHAT YOU HAD BEFORE OR GO WITH SOMETHING ELSE?

WHAT I WOULD SAY IS I'LL SHARE MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, I GOT THE JOHNSON AND JOHNSON VACCINE AS MY FIRST VACCINE.

AND RIGHT NOW IT IS RECOMMENDED FOR EVERYONE WHO GOT JOHNSON AND JOHNSON AFTER 2 MONTHS TO GET A BOOSTER AND WE HAVE SOME PRELIMINARY EVIDENCE THAT SHOWS A BETTER IMMUNE RESPONSE IF YOU ACTUALLY CHANGE TO ONE OF THE OTHER VACCINES MODERNA OR PFIZER AND SO THAT'S WHAT I DID.

SO I TOOK J & j AS MY FIRST SHOT.

I ACTUALLY GOT A MODERNA BOOSTER ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO AND SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO LOOK LOOK AT THAT OPTION FOR THEM IF YOU'VE GOTTEN A PFIZER OR A MODERNA VACCINE IF YOU'RE OVER 65, WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT EVERYONE GETS A BOOSTER.

IF YOU'RE UNDER 65, BUT YOU ARE IN A JOB THAT THAT PUT YOU IN CONTACT WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE WE RECOMMEND YOU YOU GET A BOOSTER AS WELL AND CERTAINLY IF YOU HAVE ANY UNDERLYING MEDICAL CONDITIONS THAT SUPPRESS YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM, CANCER OR OTHERS, WE DEFINITELY RECOMMEND THAT YOU GET AN ADDITIONAL DOSE OF VACCINE.

>> VERY HELPFUL ADVICE AND I WANT TO STICK WITH OUR MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS WITH THIS QUESTION ABOUT FERTILITY WHICH CAN IMPACT WOMEN AND CERTAINLY MEN.

WHAT CAN YOU SHARE ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THE VACCINE ON FERTILITY?

DOCTOR COHEN?

DOCTOR VERMINA?

>> THAT'S PROBABLY THE SECOND.

I'LL TAKE THAT THAT'S PROBABLY THE SECOND QUESTION THAT WE GET ON A REGULAR BASIS AND NOT JUST WITH THE COVID VACCINE, BUT ALL VACCINES.

WE CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE ANY VACCINES, INCLUDING COVID-19 THAT IMPACT YOUR ABILITY TO ACHIEVE PREGNANCY.

SO IT'S RECOMMENDED THAT EVERYONE WHO IS TRYING TO GET PREGNANT WHO IS SEEKING FERTILITY TREATMENT THAT YOU MAKE THAT PART OF YOUR I CALL IT MY CHECKLIST.

THINGS TO DO BEFORE YOU CONCEIVE.

YOU KNOW WE JUST WERE RECOMMENDED THEY ADD THAT TO THEIR LIST.

AND WE ALSO HAVE THE SOCIETY OF REPRODUCTIVE MALES IN UROLOGY IS CURRENTLY RECOMMENDING THAT ALL MEN WHO WANT TO BECOME FATHERS THAT THEY BECOME VACCINATED BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN SOME STUDIES THAT HAVE SHOWN THAT THE COVID-19 CAN CAUSE ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION IN MEN.

SO WE WANT TO PROTECT BOTH PARTIES AND SO IT'S RECOMMENDED THAT ANYBODY THAT'S TRYING TO GET PREGNANT, BE VACCINATED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AS WELL.

>> THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT BECAUSE I THINK THE MESSAGE ABOUT THE IMPACT OF NOT GETTING THE VACCINE OR RATHER OF POSSIBLY GETTING COVID AND THAT IMPACT ON E-D THAT HAS NOT BEEN A STRONG MESSAGE BUT IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT MESSAGE OUT THERE.

CHIEF ARMSTRONG CAN YOU SHARE ONCE AGAIN WITH EVERYONE THEY HAVE QUESTIONS THAT THEY WANT TO GET ANSWERED IF THEY WANT TO KNOW WHERE TO GO AND HOW TO GET THE VACCINE FOR THEIR CHILDREN WHERE CAN THEY GO HOW DO THEY GET THAT INFORMATION?

>> SO FIRST I'D SAY ALWAYS FEEL FREE TO TALK TO A QUALIFIED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL YOUR DOCTOR OR A NURSE OR OTHER MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL AND THEN BEYOND THAT GO TO TRUSTED SOURCES.

YOU CAN ALSO ALWAYS GO TO THE CDC.

YOU CAN GO TO DHHS WEBSITE BUT WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GO TO TRUSTED SOURCES THERE ARE RESOURCES OUT THERE.

THE VACCINES ARE AVAILABLE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE REALLY PLEASED ABOUT IS THE AVAILABILITY OF VACCINES WE'RE FOCUSED ON BOOSTERS, WE'RE FOCUSED ON -- VACCINES MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING THEM OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO I DO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GO TO TRUSTED SOURCES, THERE'S A LOT OF MISINFORMATION OUT THERE ABOUT VACCINES.

SO I DO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE GO TO TRUSTED SOURCES GET THE INFORMATION GET VACCINATED.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

CHIEF VICTOR ARMSTRONG WE HOPE THAT WE ARE BEING A TRUSTED SOURCE OF INFORMATION TODAY.

I WANT TO THANK YOU AS WELL AS SECRETARY DOCTOR MANDY COHEN AND DOCTOR VELMA TAORMINA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING ON TO BLACK ISSUES FORUM TODAY.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

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>> MY PLEASURE.

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