Weekly Health Digest: COVID-19 Vaccine Update, Tribes & COVID-19, Diabetes Tips

A summary of important health news from the past week.

Less Than 1% of Vaccinated People Have Developed COVID-19

By: Gillian Mahoney

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 127 million people in the United States have received their first COVID-19 vaccine dose and more than 80 million people are fully vaccinated. It also reports that 5,800 people out of 77 million vaccinated people developed COVID-19. That’s 0.008% of the fully vaccinated population who were included in the study. The agency plans to update these figures every Monday. CDC officials said these “breakthrough cases” are expected because the vaccines are not 100 percent effective. Additionally, the chief executive officer of Pfizer said Thursday that people may need to get a third COVID-19 vaccination within 12 months of being full vaccinated. Albert Bourla added that annual inoculations may be needed to prevent future spread of the disease. Researchers still haven’t determined how long protection against the disease lasts after someone is vaccinated. A new study reports that the number of blood clot cases is about the same for the Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, and AstraZeneca vaccines. The study has not yet been peer reviewed. The researchers said about 4 in 1 million people who get the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine will develop blood clots. The rate is about 5 in 1 million for the AstraZeneca shot. They note that about 39 in 1 million people who develop COVID-19 get blood clots.

Unrecognized Tribes Struggle Without Federal Aid During Pandemic

By: Eilis O’Neill

Indian tribes such as the Chinook and Snohomish tribes aren’t federally recognized by the United States, and because of this are not given any aid such as COVID-19 testing supplies and vaccines, funds for drug and alcohol programs, housing allowance, and clinics. Members of non-federally recognized tribes often travel 2-3 hours to neighboring tribes for vaccines and other testing resources during the pandemic. However, there is no distinct difference between non-recognized and federally recognized tribes, as many tribes such as the Chinook tribe signed a treaty giving up their land, yet are still not recognized, unlike their neighboring tribes who also signed a treaty.

5 Endocrinologist Tips for People With Diabetes

By: Kristen Kulasa

Living a healthier overall lifestyle is an effective way of controlling diabetes for many diabetes patients. Having a reminder of when to take your medication, eating healthier meals, and talking with your doctor weekly can help you keep your insulin production on track. This week, Dr. Kristen Kulasa shares 5 tips for people with diabetes that can help them control their condition.