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Third round of COVID-19 test kits for free are now available

by Tayo Editorial Desk Staff | Published on May 24, 2022 – Updated on May 24, 2022

As more transmissible sub-variants of Omicron rages across parts of the world, another round of free COVID-19 test kits is now available for the American public.

“As the highly transmissible sub-variants of Omicron drive a rise in cases in parts of the country, free and accessible tests will help slow the spread of the virus,” according to a statement from the Biden administration last May 17, 2022.

So how do you get your hands on these free test kits?

A simple way would be to go to the website https://www.covid.gov/tests and click on the button link which will take you to the US Postal Service ordering site to fill out your order details. The site also offers the following 1-800 numbers for assistance in ordering, 1-800-232-0233 (TTY 1-888-720-7489).

The Tayo Help Desk Call Center is available to provide assistance in ordering over the phone (note that details for the order will be asked over the phone by our representative) by calling 1-800-899-5090 available Monday to Friday from 9 AM-5 PM Pacific. Calls are offered both in English and Filipino.

Remember that the free test kits are Rapid Antigen At-Home Tests, not RT-PCR tests. Each order will consist of 8 Rapid Antigen test kits which will come in two separate packages (4 kits each), each with its own tracking number. The packages are shipped for free.

These tests can be taken anywhere and would give you results in 30 minutes plus there’s no need to drop them off at a lab. These are also referred to as OTC test kits or self-tests and work whether or not you have COVID-19 symptoms, or whether or not you are updated with your COVID-19 vaccination.

It’s best practice to take these tests if you begin having COVID-19 symptoms like runny nose, sore throat, fever, loss of sense of taste or smell, and if you came in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 5 days, according to the CDC. It is also advisable to take this test prior to going to a gathering especially if you will be in contact with those at risk of severe disease or not updated with their COVID-19 vaccination.

The government website https://www.covid.gov/tests further provides guidance on what to do next if you test positive referring to CDC guidance for isolation. It also refers to CDC guidance for self-testing if you test negative.

Testing is only one step to protecting yourself, your loved ones, and others from COVID-19 and highly encourages wearing well-fitted face masks, social distancing, and getting up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines.

1. With reports from covid.gov and whitehouse.gov briefing room statements and releases dated May 17, 2022

Do vaccines contribute to monkey pox infections?

by Health Desk | Published on May 20, 2022 – Updated on May 20, 2022 | Explainer

What our experts say

The AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine uses a chimpanzee adenovirus vaccine vector. A chimpanzee adenovirus vector is a genetically engineered virus that has been manipulated in a laboratory to change some of its traits so that it becomes harmless to humans. Scientists use a chimpanzee adenovirus as a vector - a way to get instructions for making virus-fighting antigens into the body - for several reasons. You can think of a vector like a car or carrier that delivers a message into the human body.

While chimpanzee adenovirus usually causes a common cold infection in animals, scientists used genetic engineering to prevent any disease from occurring in humans for COVID-19 vaccines. This means the adenovirus vector was engineered to become a harmless form of the virus that used to make chimpanzees ill but will not infect humans who receive the jabs.

Most adenoviruses only cause minor illnesses in humans. As a result, adenoviruses are thought to be safer than other types of vectors. They do not react to pre-existing adenovirus antibodies in humans that the body might remember and recognize the virus from previous infections it might have had before, like the common cold.

The adenovirus has been studied for decades. These studies show that adenovirus vaccines produce a strong immune system response, including memory cells that can help the body recognize the virus early. These results were found both for the COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines previously developed.

Adenovirus was also chosen as a vector not just because of its ability to be genetically altered, but also because it allowed scientists to arm the virus with antigens specifically designed for COVID-19. Antigens are substances that make the immune system produce antibodies against it.

The modified chimpanzee adenovirus vector is purposefully armed with a portion of the COVID-19 virus's genetic sequence from its distinct spike protein. This allows it to enter the body so that the immune system can use the code to produce the spike proteins on its own which helps to prime the body against future exposures to COVID-19.

The AstraZeneca vaccine named the chimpanzee adenovirus vector used in its vaccine ChAdOx1 ("Ch" for chimpanzee + "Ad" for adenovirus + "Ox" for the University of Oxford where the vaccine was developed).

After three phases of clinical trials that included thousands of participants, this vaccine has been proven to be safe and effective in humans. Over 2 billion vaccine doses have been delivered to countries around the world with two-thirds of those going to low- and lower-middle-income countries.

However, a side effect called Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS) has been reported after some people received the AstraZeneca vaccine. TTS is associated with severe, unusual blood clotting events in addition to low platelet counts but is very rare.

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) has also been reported very rarely following vaccination in some people. More studies are needed to determine the association between the vaccine and these events.

At this point, there does not appear to be a link between chimpanzee adenovirus vector and monkeypox. It should be noted that chimpanzees are not monkeys.

Monkeypox was first formally detected as a pox-like illness in laboratory monkeys (macaques) in 1958 by Preben von Magnus, hence the name 'monkeypox.' However, monkeys are actually not thought to be the primary hosts or carriers of the virus. The main disease carrier called the 'reservoir host' is still unknown.

It is possible that there were outbreaks of monkeypox before 1958 that were mischaracterized. One of these potential outbreaks was in 1949 in a Djakarta zoo and another was in Bengal, India in 1936.

African rodents are thought to be one potential cause of transmission but monkeypox has only even been isolated two times from animals in nature: in 1985 in a rope squirrel (a rodent) in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in 2012 in a dead mangabey (a primate) in Cote d'Ivoire.

The two outbreaks of monkeypox in 1958 that led to the formal discovery of monkeypox were observed in monkeys that arrived in Copenhagen from Singapore. Their skin erupted in lesions between 51 and 62 days after their arrival in Denmark and 20 to 30% of the monkeys developed infections.

The virus was discovered by Preben von Magnus during his research into pox-like symptoms among the monkeys who were being used in research for the development of a polio vaccine. Monkeypox did not spread to humans at this point in time and not all monkeys who were exposed to the virus were infected.

The first case of monkeypox in humans was documented in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1970.

It is highly unlikely that monkeypox was caused by polio vaccine research given monkeypox is a double-stranded DNA virus, a cousin of the smallpox virus, and a member of the orthopoxyvirus viral family. Poliovirus is a single-stranded RNA virus in the Picornaviridae family. Many experts believe squirrels and other rodents are the natural hosts for the virus, not monkeys.

This idea likely started as some polio vaccines prepared between 1955 and 1962 were made using monkey kidney cells containing simian virus 40 which are not related to monkeypox.

Context and background

The monkeypox virus is usually found in tropical climates, especially in Central and West Africa, but recent outbreaks have caused the illness to spread to 11 countries with over 80 confirmed infections.

Monkeypox usually lasts around two to four weeks and causes people to develop symptoms including fever, rash, swollen lymph nodes, and may cause future medical complications. Other symptoms can include intense headache, back pain, muscle aches, lack of energy, and skin eruptions which can cause painful lesions, scabs, or crusts.

Usually, the virus is spread to humans in three ways: 1. From person-to-person (through close contact with body fluids, respiratory droplets, and lesions) 2. From an animal (zoonotic spread) 3. From the material that has been contaminated with monkeypox, meaning through close contact with objects like bedding and tissues where the virus is present

Monkeypox is similar to smallpox in a few ways. One is that symptoms caused by both viruses are similar and the vaccine used against smallpox, which was eradicated in 1980, has been shown to be roughly 85% effective at preventing monkeypox. In addition, an antiviral medication that was created to treat smallpox has also been licensed to treat monkeypox, which is called JYNNEOS (also known as Imvamune and Imvanex).

Resources

Monkeypox (World Health Organization)
WHO working closely with countries responding to monkeypox (World Health Organization)
Monkeypox and Smallpox Vaccine Guidance (United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Monkeypox: Overview (World Health Organization)
Innate Immune Responses to Chimpanzee Adenovirus Vector 155 Vaccination in Mice and Monkeys (Frontiers in Immunology)
Understanding Viral Vector COVID-19 Vaccines (United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Development of novel vaccine vectors: Chimpanzee adenoviral vectors (Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics)
About the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine (University of Oxford)
First peer-reviewed results of phase 3 human trials of Oxford coronavirus vaccine demonstrate efficacy (University of Oxford)
The Oxford/AstraZeneca (ChAdOx1-S [recombinant] vaccine) COVID-19 vaccine: what you need to know (World Health Organization)
Almost two thirds of vaccine doses delivered to low- and lower-middle-income countries (AstraZeneca)
Monkeypox Virus (Bacteriological Reviews)
Monkeypox: Transmission (United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
A POX-LIKE DISEASE IN CYNOMOLGUS MONKEYS (Acta Pathologica Microbiologica Scandinavica)
Smallpox and Monkeypox in Non-human Primates (World Health Organization)
National Monkeypox Public Health Response Guidelines (Nigeria Centre for Disease Control)
Human Monkeypox: Epidemiologic and Clinical Characteristics, Diagnosis, and Prevention Author links open overlay panel (Infectious Disease Clinics of North America)
Pox Swap: 30 Years After the End of Smallpox, Monkeypox Cases Are on the Rise (Scientific American)
Poliovirus (United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Viruses that Can Lead to Cancer (American Cancer Society)
Photo by Anna Shvets from Pexels

Used with Permission from Health Desk, a public health hub that explains emerging COVID-19 science.

What do we know about heart and blood issues associated with COVID-19 vaccines and infections?

by Health Desk |

Published on November 30, 2021 – Updated on May 11, 2022 | Explainer

What our experts say

People who have not been vaccinated are still being impacted with heart issues such as myocarditis, pericarditis, blood clots, strokes, heart attacks, and other ailments just as they were before the pandemic began.

However, COVID-19 increases the risk of blood clots and many other health issues dramatically. People who have not been vaccinated against the virus face much higher risks of severe symptoms from an infection than those who have been fully vaccinated.

Simply put, being unvaccinated greatly increases your risk of acquiring the virus and severe symptoms caused by it, hospitalization, and even death.

For instance, a recent study found that people who suffered blood clots after receiving the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine were much fewer in number than the people infected with COVID-19. 66 people out of roughly 10 million who received the first jab of the vaccine were found to be at risk for blood clots in the veins. In comparison, 12,614 people out of 10 million reported blood clots in the group who tested positive for the virus.

It should be noted that there have been a small amount of people who reported symptoms of myocarditis, pericarditis, and thrombocytopenia (low platelet count) after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. Evidence has reportedly shown that the majority of these cases have been easily treated and that these conditions occur much more frequently in people who have been infected with the virus. One recent study in the United States noted that from March 2020 through January 2021, patients with COVID-19 had almost 16 times the risk for myocarditis compared with patients who were not infected, and risk varied by sex and age.

Another recent study found that myocarditis was more common after a COVID-19 infection than after a full COVID-19 vaccine course and noted that up to 28% of hospitalized patients with the virus showed clinical signs of myocardial injury

Heart issues caused by the virus are almost always more severe and cause worse health outcomes in people with infections as opposed to those who received the vaccines. This is likely due to their heart being damaged directly by the virus and causing inflammation or potentially the effect of inflammatory proteins being released into the blood.

Further, COVID-19 is closely associated with an increased risk in blood clots and inflammation in the vascular lining, especially in the heart and lungs. This can lead to poor oxygen levels and delivery to organs and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Even without the risk of COVID-19 or related vaccines, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death globally, representing 32% of all deaths. Three-quarters of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries where a majority of people have not been vaccinated against COVID-19, clearly demonstrating that unvaccinated people were experiencing cardiac issues before and during the pandemic. 25% of all people around the world are dying from conditions linked to thrombosis (blood clots). Given that COVID-19 causes significantly more blood clots in infected patients than the vaccine may, the unvaccinated are at a significantly greater risk than the vaccinated population.

Context and background

Some people, particularly in the U.S., have speculated on social media that the Omicron variant is serving as a cover-up for the vaccines causing heart-related issues. Some of these posts also claim that unvaccinated people are not experiencing illnesses like heart attacks or myocarditis during the pandemic whereas vaccinated people are and at a much higher levels.

The Omicron variant was first identified by the nation of South Africa in November of 2021. After scientists there sequenced the genetic material of virus samples, they alerted the general public internationally due to the number of mutations the virus has and the likelihood that it could be highly transmissible. The World Health Organization then labeled the Omicron a "variant of concern" but noted that we need more information about the omicron before we understand how it works.

Given that the Omicron was first identified outside of the U.S. and the fact that people infected with COVID-19 have a much higher risk of virus-related heart issues, the idea that this variant is a cover-up is inaccurate. Unvaccinated and vaccinated people are still facing the daily risk of heart disease and blood clots they did before the pandemic started, but due to the virus, the unvaccinated are much more likely to develop severe COVID-19 infections and symptoms like blood clots, myocarditis, and stroke than those who have received the jabs.

Studies have shown that post-vaccine myocarditis or inflammation of the heart is an adverse effect seen in younger men, but is extremely rare and usually resolves within days or weeks. As per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the risk of myocarditis due to infection from COVID-19 is about 16 times that of not getting infected. The benefits of vaccines have been shown to far outweigh the risks associated with them. The American Heart Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, Canadian Cardiovascular Society, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, and many such organizations continue to encourage all eligible people to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

A paper published in Scientific Reports drew conclusions from its analysis of Israel’s emergency medical services (EMS) data, suggesting an increase in emergency cardiovascular events in people under-40 is linked to COVID-19 vaccination. The authors associated an increase in EMS calls related to cardiac arrests (CA) or arrhythmia and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) or heart attack for ages 16 to 39 across Israel with an increase in their vaccination rates. The conclusions of this widely circulated study have been criticized for several oversights and the editors of the journal are re-considering the paper.

Firstly, the data used for this study was at a population level, which means that the authors did not know whether the individuals experiencing CA or ACS were vaccinated against COVID-19 or not, whether they had tested positive for COVID-19 or if the people calling EMS had any other medical conditions. Without knowing these details about the individuals, making claims for an entire population of a given age group is not reliable. The paper does not discuss any other plausible reasons for an apparent increase in CA or ACS cases after the changes in conditions, lifestyle, or other factors owing to the pandemic or even the expected monthly changes in cardiac events.

Furthermore, some scientists have delved deeper into the mathematical calculations done for this study and have found several errors. They have not been able to replicate the findings of the study either. Simultaneously, another study conducted in the UK on similar research with more robust data on individual patients, and their conclusions suggest that there is no evidence to suggest an increased risk of cardiac deaths in younger individuals in the first six weeks after being vaccinated.

Additionally, Israel’s Ministry of Health had already published a study based on hospital data comparing vaccinated and unvaccinated people for a range of outcomes. Similar to other studies conducted in other countries, they had found an increased risk of myocarditis, but no other heart conditions.

Resources

Myocarditis after COVID-19 mRNA vaccination: clinical observations and potential mechanisms (Nature)
Association Between COVID-19 and Myocarditis Using Hospital-Based Administrative Data — United States, March 2020–January 2021 (U.S. CDC)
Myocarditis after Covid-19 Vaccination in a Large Health Care Organization (New England Journal of Medicine)
Safety of the BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19 Vaccine in a Nationwide Setting (New England Journal of Medicine)
Risks of myocarditis, pericarditis, and cardiac arrhythmias associated with COVID-19 vaccination or SARS-CoV-2 infection (Nature Medicine)
PubPeer comments on ‘Increased emergency cardiovascular events among under-40 population in Israel during vaccine rollout and third COVID-19 wave’ (PubPeer)
Myocarditis after BNT162b2 mRNA Vaccine against Covid-19 in Israel (New England Journal of Medicine)
Cardiovascular and haematological events post COVID-19 vaccination: A systematic review (Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine)
Risk of death following SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19 vaccination in young people in England: a self-controlled case series study (MedRxiv)
COVID Vaccines Don’t Cause Heart Disease (Voices for Vaccines)
Risk of thrombocytopenia and thromboembolism after covid-19 vaccination and SARS-CoV-2 positive testing: self-controlled case series study (The BMJ)
Heart inflammation, COVID-19 and the rare side effects of the vaccine (UC Davis Health)
Myocarditis and Pericarditis After mRNA COVID-19 Vaccination (United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Covid-19 vaccines: In the rush for regulatory approval, do we need more data? (The BMJ)
Vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (The Lancet Haematology)
Safety of the BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19 Vaccine in a Nationwide Setting (The New England Journal of Medicine)
COVID-19 Messenger RNA Vaccination and Myocarditis—A Rare and Mostly Mild Adverse Effect (JAMA Internal Medicine)
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) (World Health Organization)
World Thrombosis Day (WTD)
Update on Omicron (World Health Organization)
Copyright-free photo by thirdman94 through pexels.com
Used with Permission from Health Desk, a public health hub that explains emerging COVID-19 science.

Is it safe to mix vaccines?

by Health Desk

Published on June 21, 2021– Updated on May 4, 2022

Explainer

May 4, 2022: Recent studies have focused on the "mix and match" approach to COVID-19 booster shots. The idea of using one type of vaccine for the first dose or two and then receiving a booster shot made by a different company has been talked about over the last two years. However, recent data has led a number of health bodies, including the WHO, to endorse the use of mixed vaccines and mixed boosters in people, meaning that someone can get a booster that is a different type of brand than their original shot, and can also mix shots for a first dose depending on the vaccines available.

The World Health Organization (WHO) stance is that you should take whichever vaccine is made available to you first, and that it is safe and effective to mix-and-match different COVID-19 vaccines. This stance is based on studies researching the safety and efficacy of mix-and-matching different vaccines, and is a normal practice is many countries globally/ Scientists believe mixing boosters could actually help enhance the immune system's response to the COVID-19 virus and potentially obtain more protection against severe symptoms, hospitalizations, and deaths as a result of infection. Several countries have also been allowing residents to mix shots for their initial COVID-19 vaccines in addition to boosters. The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that "It is safe for you to receive two different COVID-19 vaccines for your first and second dose....WHO considers two doses of any WHO emergency use listings COVID-19 vaccines to be a complete primary series."

The WHO has authorized the following vaccines to receive emergency use listings: - AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine - Johnson and Johnson - Moderna - Pfizer/BionTech - Sinopharm - Sinovac - COVAXIN - Covovax - Nuvaxovid

The WHO's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) suggested that people who have received two shots of Sinovac of Sinopharm can mix a Pfizer or AstraZeneca shot for the third dose. Studies have also demonstrated that using AstraZeneca's vaccine for the first two shots followed by an mRNA shot is another way to enhance protection. Right now, more research is being done to understand more about mixing vaccines and boosters which will likely inform its future policies. Other health bodies globally have also authorized the practice of mix-and-matching vaccines. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S. CDC), for example, has authorized the use of mixed boosters following full vaccinations in people, meaning that someone can get a booster that is a different type or brand from their original shot. For those who have received Pfizer or Moderna's mRNA vaccines, substituting one for the other for a booster shot has been shown to be effective. The U.S. CDC also now offers the ability for people who received one or two Johnson & Johnson shots for their initial vaccinations to substitute an mRNA vaccine for their booster.

Aug. 11, 2021: With the emergence of the highly transmissible COVID-19 delta variant, more and more COVID-19 vaccine combinations have been reported, especially with many people taking a booster dose of an mRNA vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna) after the single dose of the Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine. Several countries in Europe followed up their AstraZeneca shots with Pfizer/ BioNTech or Moderna vaccines. The immune response in patients who received mixed doses seems to be strong, according to available data.

What our experts say

Mixing some COVID-19 vaccines appears to be safe, and generates a strong immune response. However, this may not be true for all World Health Organization (WHO) approved vaccines.

Recent studies from several countries have shown that giving the AstraZeneca vaccine as a first dose and the Pfizer vaccine as a second dose can produce a strong immune response. However, this combination can also cause more short-term side effects after the second dose.

Most COVID-19 vaccines work by targeting the same spike protein, which means that switching vaccines may work from a biological perspective. The WHO says there is not enough data yet to determine whether some vaccines can be used in place of others, which has caused an increase in research to answer that question.

In the United States, clinical trials are happening to see if mixed vaccines can be used as booster shots in adults that are already fully vaccinated. France and Germany have advised in favor of a mixed vaccine approach in some cases, because those governments no longer recommend the AstraZeneca vaccine for certain age groups. Canada, Finland, France, Norway, Sweden, Spain, and South Korea have also allowed the use of a different vaccine for the second dose if the first dose given was AstraZeneca.

Spain's Combivacs study showed that people who received a first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine and a second dose of the Pfizer vaccine had a stronger response than patients who received two AstraZeneca doses. Meanwhile, a study by Oxford Vaccine Group's Com-Cov trial showed that people who received mixed vaccine types had more severe side effects. The study has not yet determined the impact of mixing vaccines on the immune system.

Researchers from the National Institutes for Food and Drug Control in China recently tested four different COVID-19 vaccine types in mice and found that rodents who received a first dose of an adenovirus vaccine followed by a second dose of a different type of vaccine had a stronger immune response. These outcomes did not occur when the types of vaccines were given in reverse order.

AstraZeneca is currently studying whether or not a first dose of its vaccine and a second dose of the Sputnik V vaccine can help boost immune response. Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccine manufacturers have recently announced that they are considering research on combining those vaccines with doses from other companies.

Mixing tested and approved vaccine combinations may help ease supply chain pressures, boost immune system responses, give broader her immunity, reduce the emergence of new variants, and produce stronger and longer lasting protection. Again, this depends on the specific combination, and mixing non-approved vaccines may lead to negative health impacts or reduced effectiveness.

Mixing vaccines from different manufacturers for specific diseases has been done in the past for influenza, hepatitis A, and other illnesses, but it started with HIV research. Sometimes this option must be taken due to limited supplies, manufacturing delays, recent data about side effects that need to be investigated, and other reasons. One example is Johnson & Johnson's ebola vaccine which uses a mixed-dose approach by administering an adenovirus vaccine in the first dose and a poxvirus vector vaccine in the second.

Context and background

Canada recently recommended combining a first shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine with a second shot of Pfizer or Moderna in certain situations. The guidance suggested that people who received an mRNA vaccine as their first shot (Pfizer or Moderna) should be offered the same vaccine for their second dose. If the original version isn't available, the guidance suggested, then the other mRNA vaccine should be used.

This guidance comes after Canada's public health agency considered a small risk of severe blood clots and low platelets with the AstraZeneca vaccine and new data on immune responses generated when the AstraZeneca vaccine is followed by a dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

The decision was based on recent studies from the United Kingdom, Germany, and Spain. Evidence suggests that an AstraZeneca shot followed by a dose of the Pfizer vaccine had a strong safety profile, despite the potential for more immediate side effects. The data suggests that this approach may boost the immune response of vaccine recipients.

Several countries and companies have looked at the potential for mixing vaccines after reports of the AstraZeneca vaccine being linked to a very rare risk of blood clots.

There are more than ten COVID-19 vaccines being used around the globe now and 1.2 million doses have already been administered, but not all have been approved by the WHO and they may be unsafe to mix unless national health agencies have given guidance about specific combinations.

Resources

Interchangeability of Authorized COVID-19 Vaccines (Public Health Agency of Canada)
PDF [465 KB] Figures Save Share Reprints Request Heterologous prime-boost COVID-19 vaccination: initial reactogenicity data (The Lancet)
Mix-and-match COVID vaccines trigger potent immune response (Nature)
Comparing COVID-19 Vaccine Schedule Combinations (University of Oxford)
Heterologous prime-boost: breaking the protective immune response bottleneck of COVID-19 vaccine candidates (Emerging Microbes & Infections)
Heterologous ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 and BNT162b2 prime-boost vaccination elicits potent neutralizing antibody responses and T cell reactivity (medRxiv)
Canada recommends mixing and matching AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines (CBC)
Reactogenicity and Immunogenicity of BNT162b2 in Subjects Having Received a First Dose of ChAdOx1s: Initial Results of a Randomised, Adaptive, Phase 2 Trial (CombiVacS) (Preprints with The Lancet)
Is it safe to mix and match COVID-19 vaccines? (Gavi: The Vaccine Alliance)
Factbox: Countries weigh 'mix and match' COVID-19 vaccines (Reuters)
Mixing COVID-19 vaccine doses leads to more reactions, study finds, which may be 'first sign of success' (CBC)
Bahrain offers Pfizer booster for some who got Chinese shots (The Washington Post)
Spanish study finds AstraZeneca vaccine followed by Pfizer dose is safe and effective (Reuters)
Five things to know about: Mixing and matching coronavirus vaccines (Horizon: The EU Research & Innovation Magazine)
FAQ: Where Do Countries Stand on Mixing Vaccines? Is It Safe? (The Quint)
Philippines to study mixing Sinovac with other COVID vaccines (Nikkei Asia)
COVID-19: You can now take Pfizer vaccine after two doses of Sinopharm in Abu Dhabi (Zawya by Refinitiv)
Why mixing vaccines could help boost immunity (MIT Technology Review)
CDC Recommends Additional Boosters for Certain Individuals (United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Mixing and Matching COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Doses (United States National Institutes of Health)
Episode #54 - COVID-19: Mixed and fractional vaccine doses (World Health Organization)
COVID-19 advice for the public: Getting vaccinated (World Health Organization)
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Vaccines safety (World Health Organization)
WHO Experts Recommend Third Booster to Supplement Chinese Vaccines (Health Policy Watch)
Copyright-free vaccine bottle photo by Maksim Goncharenok on pexels

Used with Permission from Health Desk, a public health hub that explains emerging COVID-19 science.

FYLPRO’s Tayo Launches Call Center to Answer COVID-19 Questions from Community’s Most Vulnerable Members

For Immediate Release

Media Contact:

Leezel Tanglao

leezel.tanglao@fylpro.org

May 3, 2022

FYLPRO’s Tayo Launches Call Center to Answer COVID-19 Questions from Community’s Most Vulnerable Members

Los Angeles, CA — In an expansion of its COVID-19 resources, the Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO), through its Tayo project, announces the launch of a call center to assist community members with their pressing pandemic-related questions.

Beginning as a virtual help desk in the fall of 2020, Tayo has since continuously diversified its culturally tailored offerings to connect Filipinos with vital information and services, battle misinformation, and improve the collection of data through initiatives like educational webinars, surveys, public service announcement campaigns, and health clinics.

On May 4, 2022, Tayo will bolster its help desk capabilities by piloting a dedicated hotline to address the needs of Filipinos in the diaspora who may not have adequate access to trustworthy and reliable COVID-related information online.

“Creating this call center is a natural extension of the work and mission of Tayo – to empower our community by meeting them where they are at and providing them with essential information,” said Leezel Tanglao, Tayo project director and president of FYLPRO. “It’s truly going full circle as we leverage our network and resources both here in the United States and in the Philippines to bridge the gap.”

More than ever a resource like this is needed to ensure accurate and culturally tailored information is available to all members of the Filipino community as the pandemic continues to evolve while official guidance can run counter or is often confusing.

FYLPRO was inspired to develop the call center after evaluating insights gleaned from users of Tayo’s web-based platform and determining that seniors in particular felt more comfortable talking to someone on the phone rather than searching through a website for information.

The call center operates from Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time and is available in English and Tagalog.

Callers can call 1 (800) 899-5090 to reach a representative who can address questions on where to get a booster shot or to find a COVID-19 test.

The call center pilot is made possible by a grant from the Booz Allen Foundation, which also funded the initial launch of the virtual help desk (tayohelp.com).

“We’re proud to have played a part in supporting FYLPRO’s work to use innovation and technology to make such a positive difference for the Filipino community,” said Christine Hoisington, Executive Director of the Booz Allen Foundation. “We’re impressed with their efforts and impact.”

The call center pilot will run for 3 months.

The call center launch team includes a diverse multidisciplinary team from across the United States: Tayo project director Leezel Tanglao, project manager Brian Tajo, product counsel Mark Calaguas, medical advisor Dr. Melissa Palma, technologist and special project manager Jobel Vecino, fellowship director Krystle Canare, and risk mitigator/creative consultant TJ Simba-Medel.

Operations manager Joselito Alampayan and call representative Dhian Perez are based in the Philippines.

“The insights and learnings from this pilot will help inform how we better serve our community and as we continue to navigate life with COVID-19,” said Tanglao. “This is to ensure no one is left behind just because they don’t have access to technology.”

About Tayo

Tayo, a project of the Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO), is an innovative data hub that empowers Filipinx/a/o communities by collecting data, fostering partnerships, publishing culturally relevant insights, and developing leaders to create an equitable and sustainable future.

For more information:

tayohelp.com

About FYLPRO

The Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO) is a network of high performing, next-generation leaders who advance the Philippines and the Filipino people through their advocacy and expertise in various industries.

We continually expand the pipeline of Filipino young leaders in the diaspora. By connecting them to the motherland, we foster collaborative multinational relationships that create innovations and support the socio-economic progress of the global Filipino community.

For more information:

fylpro.org

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Applications open: FYLPRO 2022 Tayo Fellowship Program

FYLPRO Tayo Fellowship Program

Tayo Fellow

Tayo is seeking its third cohort of fellows to support the ongoing operations of the Tayo help desk platform and the upcoming launch of its Tayo call center. The fellowship is a virtual program and will run from June 5 – August 22, 2022. We are unable to offer monetary compensation at the moment, but please see the below list of other benefits this position offers.

Why Join Us?

FYLPRO is looking for dynamic content creators who want to focus their talents to help the Filipino American community navigate the COVID-19 health crisis.

In October 2020, FYLPRO launched a web help desk, “Tayo” designed for seniors, unemployed individuals, and front line workers with information to make decisions to safeguard their health and well being during the pandemic. Firmly believing that we are the agents of change, and the custodians of our own community, FYLPRO mobilized experts, content creators, and service providers in the areas of medicine and medical research, mental health, government assistance and response, transportation, and social services to provide credible, timely, and community-specific information.

Since the Fall of 2020, previous FYLPRO Tayo Fellows collectively engaged in the following projects:

Researched and authored over 500+ articles on Tayohelp.com website
Developed assets and executed social media campaigns on Tayo’s multiple platforms
Produced a range of short to long-form culturally-relevant videos
Conducted environmental scan of Filipino American organizations and initiatives in the Greater Los Angeles area
Conducted interviews to identify needs of Filipino Americans during COVID-19
Produced interactive community event, “Together sa Tayo” to bring together Filipino Americans during COVID-19
Presented at National Council on Mental Wellbeing’s Annual Conference
Supported Tayo COVID-19 Vaccine Survey Design & Webinar Dissemination Efforts
Curated a viral dance video for the Department of Health & Human Services
Curated COVID-19 PSAs for the Filipino community in English & Tagalog
Participated in leadership sessions with FYLPRO alumni, discussing topics such as:
- Combating Misinformation with Leezel Tanglao
- Self-Care is Community Care with Krystle Canare & TJ Simba-Medel
- Navigating the Workplace as a Pinay with Anna Marie Cruz, Lauren Lalicon, Ryann Tanap, Jessica Velasco
- Graduate School: The Decision, Application & Lessons Learned with Melissa Dargan, Brian Tajo, Christal Simanski, Earl Valencia
- Leveraging Your Community Experience in the Job-Search Process with Frederick Docdocil and Philjay Solar Why you?

As someone who cares about the Filipino American community, you want to empower seniors, unemployed individuals, and frontline workers with the information they need to safeguard their health and well being. You are frustrated with the misinformation, and lack of relevant updates and trustworthy information that directly impacts the Filipino American community.

About the Role

As a Tayo Fellow, your goal will be to create relevant information to help Filipino Americans safeguard their health, well being, and economic security during the pandemic. You will play the vital role of identifying important information and creating content that makes it understandable, accessible, and actionable for our target population- Filipino seniors and their caregivers, unemployed Filipinos, and Filipino frontline workers.

A panel of subject experts, and recognized leaders in their respective fields, will advise you on pertinent developments, and guide you to where you can seek resources. They will review your work and provide you with feedback.

You will specialize in two or more of the following areas:

Health, Mental Health and Wellness
Medical Advancements and Practical Research related to COVID-19
Government Assistance and Benefits
Small Business Assistance
Immigration and Travel
Mobility, Transportation, and Home Service/Delivery
Safety and Transmission Prevention

On a weekly basis you will:

Identify credible sources of information such as policy think tanks, government agencies, professional and industry associations, business associations, and social service providers.
Attend and participate in information sessions, webinars, and briefings to gather relevant information and updates and summarize the findings;
Proactively track developments in the subject area for which you are responsible
You will write short and long form content weekly
Attend a weekly coordination meeting, and bi-weekly 1:1 editorial meetings
Estimated 3-5 hours per week

Desired Qualifications

Policy or public health research experience
Ability to write for Limited English proficiency populations
Short form video editing and production skills
Familiarity or proximity to the Los Angeles Community is a plus

How might you benefit from participating?

As a writer and content creator, you want to hone your skills, by working with leaders in media, technologists, and subject matter experts. You have an interest in deepening your knowledge by working directly with experts in the fields of Medicine and Medical Research; Mental Health; Government Assistance; Law and Policy; Transportation, Travel, and Mobility; and Social Services for Senior citizens. Beyond the COVID-19 crisis, you will have, through FYLPRO, a network of young Filipino professionals who are well positioned in their respective fields, and want to help you navigate your career, by connecting you with mentors, and advocates for you.

In addition, other benefits will include: sponsorship to membership of a professional association of your choice, opportunity to publish and write for the FYLPRO website and contribute to the final published article of project findings.

You will also have an opportunity to connect with FYLPRO’s membership which includes a network of Filipinos who are leaders in their respective fields. You can learn more about the FYLPRO COVID response team here: http://fylpro.org/covidresponseteam/

For students at education institutions, we would be happy to sponsor field study units. Please consult with your academic advisor prior to applying for this program, to see if it qualifies for units at your institution of learning.

Questions? Contact Krystle Canare, FYLPRO Fellowship Director – krystle.canare@fylpro.org

How to Apply

Due 5/18/2022 at 11:59pm ET

Application Form

FYLPRO Tayo Team selected to implement a national whole health program for Filipino American youth.

The Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO)'s Tayo was one of five community-based organizations selected by the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to implement Achieving Whole Health (AWH), a national training program designed to improve holistic outcomes in Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. Next week, five members of FYLPRO’s Tayo team will participate in an intensive training program consisting of a 3-day virtual training and four follow-up coaching sessions with AWH program founder, Dr. DJ Ida, Executive Director of the National Asian American & Pacific Islander Mental Health Association.

The AWH program provides creative, interactive, and culturally relevant ways of improving both health and mental health outcomes for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islander communities. It fills a critical need by drawing on the strengths of community members to train them to become Wellness Coaches. They learn how to take an active role in improving their own health as well as learning ways to help others.

The FYLPRO Tayo Team will be represented by Chachie Abara (Honolulu, HI), Nichole Dungo (Menifee, CA), Carina Gregorio (Los Angeles, CA), Maileen Mamaradlo (Pittsburg, CA), and Aryelle Montecer (Germantown, MD). The team will be supervised by Tayo Fellowship Director Krystle Canare (Waldorf, MD).

We are excited to offer this program to members in the community. For more information about the program, please e-mail: kcanare@fylpro.org.

About Tayo

Tayo was developed by FYLPRO’s COVID-19 Task Force in response to the ongoing pandemic and to tackle the specific needs of Filipinos in the diaspora and back home. The project features a virtual help desk, Tayo, which connects Filipinos with vital information and services. Tayo's pilot launch location is Los Angeles, California.

About Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO)

FILIPINO YOUNG LEADERS PROGRAM (FYLPRO) is a network of high-performing, next-generation leaders who advance the Philippines and the Filipino people through their advocacy and expertise in various industries.

For more information:

http://www.fylpro.org