15th Annual Help-A-Child Benefit Kicks Off Today (Oct. 14)
Ag Mechanics Build Off Slated Friday; Cook-Offs, Livestock Show, FFA Project Show, Auctions Following On Oct. 15
In just a few hours, the 15th Annual Help-A-Child Benefit will kick off what promises to be two days of fun competitions and family-friendly activities designed to raise funds and awareness for organizations and programs which benefit children in the local communities.
Benefit Events
1. Ag Team Competition Build Off
Leading off this year’s benefit, will be the Ag Mechanics Team Competition Build Off which begins at 8 a.m. Friday, Oct. 14, 2022, behind Gerald Prim Stadium in the Hopkins County Civic Center Equine Pavilion Parking Lot. Although this will be the first time the team build off has been part of the Help-A-Child Benefit, it has drawn quite a bit of interest — 36 teams from 28 different schools preregistered to compete Friday, and only one team was unable to make it.
This contest will feature ag mechanics teams of four from school agriculture chapters across Texas, who will be tasked with building an identical item during a time event. Teams begin at 8 and have until noon to build their smoker. Each team receives the same materials, but put their welding and ag mechanics skills to the test putting it together. Each team will be judged on construction and how well they worked together.
The teams constructing the top four projects in Friday’s build off will go home with numerous prizes, including tools and shirts. At noon teams are to take their projects to the designated area for judging. Winners were expected to be announced Friday around 12:30 or 1 p.m., depending on how long it takes the panel to rate each project.
The top three projects then will be among the items auctioned Saturday afternoon on the Civic Center Grounds. Funds raised will go toward the children’s charities and scholarships Help-A-Child benefits. The live auction will immediately follow announcement of winners from all of the other contests starting at noon Oct. 15, 2022.
2. Chili and Brisket Contest/Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler Cooking
Things will really heat up starting at daylight Saturday, Oct. 15, on the Civic Center Grounds as cooking for the chili and brisket contests begin. Dutch oven peach cobbler will also be prepared. The are will be open to the public beginning at 11:30 a.m. to enjoy all they want of the chili and brisket cooked on the grounds for $10 a piece.
Winners will be announced and awards presented for the top rated edible entries.
3. Livestock Show
While the chili and brisket chefs are getting their campfire going and perfecting their entries, exhibitors will begin checking in at 7 a.m. for the 2nd Annual Livestock Show in the Equine Pavilion.
“Last year, we had 106 exhibitors our first time, so we feel that was a success,” said Wade Bartley, founder of the local Help-A-Child Event, who currently is over the auction. “The way we look at this is, we’ve got children helping children. We get the FFA, 4-H and FCCLA organizations involved in this. We’ve got a lot of good participation from our local chapters.”
Check-in will continue until 8 a.m., with the livestock show starting at 9 a.m. The show is open to all age exhibitors of steer and heifers. Steers will be shown by division and weight ( Ex. American, British, Exotic), while heifers will be shown by breed, and their there is no age limit on heifers. This is coordinated by Jay Jordan and Kevin Gray.
4. Big Ticket Raffle
A drawing will also be held Saturday afternoon for a Polaris Ranger 500, sponsored by The Faulk Company, premier sponsor for the 2022 Help-A-Child Benefit, and Como-Pickton FFA. The Faulk Company’s donation allowed for the purchase of the Ranger, which comes on a trailer custom-built by Como-Pickton FFA.
Raffle tickets are available for $20 each or six for $100 Friday and most of the morning Saturday on the Civic Center Grounds during the benefit. The winner does not have to be present at the time of the drawing to claim the Polaris Ranger and trailer. The winner will, however, be responsible for taxes and other fees.
5. Ira Black FFA Ag Mechanics Project Show
The Ira Black FFA Shop Project Show is slated to begin at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, on the Civic Center Grounds. This event is named in honor of the late Ira Black, whose long educational career began in a one-room school house, then took him to Cooper and Honey Grove schools. Black worked 32 years as an Area VI Vocational Agriculture Supervisor for the Texas Education Agency.
Black was active in the Texas State Future Farmer program and the Hopkins County Ag Workers Association. He also directed the Children’s Barnyard at the State Fair of Texas and served as superintendent of the livestock show. He helped establish the Ag Workers Organization in Sulphur Springs and was instrumental in the development of the Hopkins Co. Rural Urban Organization that helped bond city and county citizens. The dedicated educator received numerous honors, visionary and leadership awards related to his agriculture and education involvement throughout his life.
The Ira Black FFA Ag Mechanics Show conducted during the annual Help-A-Child Benefit typically features not only shop projects such as tables, fire pits, wooden toolboxes, a lounge chair metal home décor and cutouts, a bench and other items, but also an arts and crafts competition and recognition for cookie creations all created by area high school FFA and FCCLA students. He also spent many years as Superintendent of the Poultry Show at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
Awards will be announced during the noon presentations, with students recognized for projects entered in various categories for the students’ entries with one grand champion trophy awarded to the top rated project entered into the show. Projects are then sold at auction, with proceeds benefitting the children’s charities supported by the Help A Child Benefit.
6. Live And Silent Auctions
A silent auction of certain donated items will be conducted Saturday during the ag mechanics show. People can go by, scope out the options and, if they see something they’d like to take home, write down their name and bid for that item.
Then, immediately following the announcement of ag mechanics project show and team build-off winners, and chili and brisket winners (roughly 12:30 p.m.), a live auction of project show items and any other donated items donated will be conducted.
Where The Money Goes
All proceeds from the Help-A-Child Benefit will go to four different causes that, you guessed it, help children: Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children and Northeast Texas Child Advocacy Center, the Masonic Lodge Scholarship Program, and this year four foster families will be recognized.
There is no set goal for the fundraiser, but those involved always hope each successive year will bring in a little bit more to stretch a bit further to help children. Help-A-Child is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization so all donations are tax-deductible. There are no administrative fees paid out as the annual benefit is staffed by an all-volunteer staff, so every penny profited goes to children, Bartley noted.
Last year, the Help-A-Child Benefit donated $107,000, the balance of the fundraiser, to help children served by Northeast Texas Child Advocacy Center, Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, local foster families and the Masonic scholarship program benefitting area high school seniors, according to Bartley.
Texas Scottish Rite Hospital For Children
Of the four children’s causes benefitting from the Help-A-Child event, Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children was one of the original organizations receiving funding from the benefit 15 years ago.
The hospital opened it’s doors to the children of Texas in 1921 and has emerged as one of the nation’s leading medical centers for the treatment of pediatric orthopedic conditions and sports injuries and fractures, as well as certain related neurological disorders and learning disorders, such as dyslexia.
Each year, Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for children provides extensive treatment and therapy for thousands of children challenged by orthopedic conditions, including scoliosis, clubfoot, congenital dislocated hip, Legg-Perthes, limb-length differences and hand conditions, as well as young athletes with sports injuries.
Through the hospital’s Luke Waites Center for Dyslexia and learning Disorders, specific learning disorders, such as dyslexia, are evaluated and treated. Through the hospital’s videotaped dyslexia and literacy training programs, thousands of Texas students have learned to read and write.
The staff of more than 1,000 full-time members at the facility are actively supported by 1,000 dedicated volunteers.
Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children is governed by a board of trustees who are members of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry in Texas. Scottish Rite Masons are affiliated with Freemasonry, a worldwide fraternal organization whose members share a common desire to better themselves as citizens and members of society. Financial support from the Scottish Rite or broader Masonic groups is on an individual, voluntary basis. The hospital is not affiliated with the Shriners Hospitals for Children.
Northeast Texas Child Advocacy Center
NETCAC, located in Winnsboro, also has benefitted from the Help-A-Child event since the annual fundraiser was first started 15 years ago.
NETCAC has interviewed more than 7,800 children since the facility first opened its doors in 1998 as a safe child- friendly environment to children between the ages of 2-17 who are alleged to have been sexually or severely physically abused or have been a witness to a violent crime. The children are allowed to tell their stories in a non-leading way to a trained forensic interviewer rather than having to repeat it multiple times to multiple agencies involved in the investigation and prosecution, therefore reducing the trauma to the child.
The NETCAC meets the standards and criteria set by the Texas Family Code and are members of Children’s
Advocacy Centers of Texas and National Children’s Alliance. Currently, the facility is able to offer these services free of charge, thanks to grant assistance, financial assistance from area businesses, gifts-in-kind, donations such as the one received from Help-A- Child organization, community support, and the CAC board members and volunteers.
To provide a Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) of professionals to work together to facilitate the prevention, detection, investigation, and treatment to ensure that the best interest of the child victims are being served. CACs coordinate monthly MDT meetings to discuss cases.
Scholarship Program
The Help-A-Child benefit started with just four local Masonic Lodges involved in coordinating and putting on the event. Last year, Help-A-Child partnered with 11 Masonic Lodges from across Northeast Texas to award scholarships to graduating seniors. This year, a dozen Masonic Lodges from across Northeast Texas are partnering with Help-A-Child not only to help conduct the annual fall benefit for kids but to raise money to help high school graduates in their area with costs of a post secondary education.
In exchange for their active help hosting the event, each participating Masonic Lodge will receive a $1,500 donation they can use for scholarships. Each Lodge then has the opportunity to apply to Texas Grand Lodge for a $1,500 scholarship match, doubling the amount the Lodge is able to give in scholarships as a result of the Help-A-Child benefit. Last year along, the Lodges were able to give more than 30,000 in scholarships.
Foster Families
For the past two years, the Help A Child Benefit has recognized families who are outstanding in caring for foster children. This year, four foster families will be recognized for the unselfish time and love they offer to children in need love, attention, and direction in their spiritual.
“There are many children in today’s society who need all of the above and more. It takes special parents who will take in these special children on a moments notice to provide a safe and loving environment. We admire these foster families who are unselfish with their time and love,” Help-A-Child organizers noted in a benefit brochure explaining how and why the foster families are recognized annually.
This year, Bartley noted, four foster families will be recognized through the Help-A Child benefit.
Acknowledgements
The benefit would not be possible without the many local businesses, organizations and individuals who not only donate funds to help underwrite costs, but also donate items for the auction, participate in the competitions and volunteer their time at the various events.
The 2022 premier sponsor for Help-A-Child is The Faulk Company. Walmart is acknowledged as a presenting sponsor.
Past presenting sponsors include Benson Bros Wrecker Service, BT Medical Supplies, In-Touch by Cumby Tel, Lone Star Surgery, Alliance Bank and Purina Feeds.
HCSO Warns Of Jury Duty Phone Scam
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is warning local residents of a jury duty phone scam.
“We have been made aware that someone is calling people posing as a county employee and demanding 500 dollars because the victim failed to show for jury duty. No one from the Sheriff’s Office is going to call and ask for money over the phone. If you ever have a question if something is a scam or not, call and speak to a deputy,” a notice released by HCSO stated.
If you have an emergency, dial 9-1-1
The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is located at 298 Rosemont Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. You can reach them for non-emergency matters at (903) 438-4040.
Funding Priorities For The 2023 Hopkins County Health Care Foundation Set
By Kayla Price, Executive Director, Hopkins County Healthcare Foundation
Sulphur Springs, Texas — The Hopkins County Health Care Foundation’s Board of Directors have selected funding goals for the 2022-23 year. Through the years, almost $3 million has been raised to provide the local hospital and EMS with equipment and offerings to which a community our size would normally not have access.
One of the primary sources of funding, the annual Lights of Life Gala, is slated for Saturday, April 22, 2023 at the Hopkins County Civic Center. Monies raised through this event will go to fund projects presented by the Hopkins County Hospital District and CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs employees. The Board then decides each year which projects the Foundation will fund with proceeds from the Gala and other fundraising initiatives.
This year’s funding goals are:
- Five new Stryker InTouch Critical Care Beds to replace old hospital beds used in half of the rooms in the Intensive Care Unit. The new beds will help both patient and staff. The bed aids in preventing bed sores, helps with moving a patient, provides a warning that patient may be trying to get out the bed, plays music to lower stress, and speaks 26 languages. The five beds will cost an estimated $181,607.
- A Biodex Balance System and Barihab Treatment Platform for use by Inpatient Therapy. The balance system will help improve strength, range of motion, gait and balance for patients. The treatment platform provides safety for patients and staff by placing the patients in various positions without the risk of fall or injury. This equipment will cost an estimated $43,000.
- Portable X-Ray machine to be used in the Mobile Athletic Training Room (MATR) to determine the severity of young athletes’ sports injuries. This will aid trainers with treating the student. The X-Ray machine costs $90,000.
- An interactive educational program to teach high school students the risks of drunk driving, drowsy driving, texting while driving, as well as boat and side x side safety. The equipment and supplies will cost an estimated $37,000.
Chairman of the HCHCF Board of Directors, Maleta Reynolds, said, “The Board is pleased to raise funds to support these health and wellness initiatives for Hopkins County citizens. Any of us could find ourselves or our loved ones in ICU. The new beds will assist with healing and patient safety. Our community is so proud of our students, so programs and equipment to keep them safe will be easy for all of us to rally around. And, the rehab equipment is state-of-the-art and will provide the best care for patients experiencing mobility issues.”
“Of course, we always look forward to partnering with CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs and the Hopkins County Hospital District. Together, our three organizations are able to provide so many more opportunities for health and wellness than other communities our size can offer. We are truly blessed with this arrangement,” continued Reynolds.
Sponsorship opportunities and ticket information will be made available closer to the event. Reynolds encourages the public to watch for more announcements related to this popular event.
The Hopkins County Health Care Foundation is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. The Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that is governed by an independent Board of Directors each of whom lives in Hopkins County.
For more information on the Foundation, contact Executive Director Kayla Price at 903-438-4799.
New Senior Center A Step Closer To Construction With Signing Of Grant Contract
Sulphur Springs is one step closer to construction on a new senior center. City Manager Marc Maxwell signed the contract with Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs Thursday, Sept. 13, 2022, for a $2.4 million grant to help with cost of constructing a new activity building for senior citizens.
The City of Sulphur Springs anticipates advertising for bids Monday for the project, with a construction contract expected to be awarded at the Dec. 6, 2022, meeting of Sulphur Springs City Council.
“This has been a long process, but it will be worth it in the end,” Maxwell said, adding, “The City would like to thank the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, the voters of Sulphur Springs, and the generous donors who made this project possible.”
The project, along with renovations at Pacific Park, was part of the $3 million bond proposition approved by Sulphur Springs voters in November 2019. The city sought bonds which will be paid back over the next 20 years using Economic Development funding. While the city was able to get the new Grays Building built before costs of materials increased too significantly, the same could not be said for the planned senior citizens building, which has been delayed for more than a year now.
Sulphur Springs City Council in December 2021 agreed to hire KSBR to write the grant, at a cost of 13% of any TDHCA Community Resiliency Program grant funding the city might receive. The grant applications factored in some additional inflation and expanded the original design plan for the new senior center from about 8,500 to 11,000-square feet to better serve and meet the needs of those utilizing the facility.
The applications was submitted by the January deadline and the City of Sulphur Springs was notified in April that TDHCA has approved the grant for $2.4 million to be applied toward the construction of a brand new Senior Citizens Center on city-owned property just past the railroad tracks on Oak Avenue.
Maxwell was authorized to sign the contract to get the project moving. The project has remained in limbo since May 2022, waiting for TDHCA to submit a grant contract; the City would not be reimbursed with grant funding for any costs spent on construction of the new senior citizens activity center prior before the contract is signed.
In September, Maxwell reported an environmental clearance process which involves 2 different comment periods, the last of which was Sept. 28, had to be completed before TDHCA would have a contract to be ready in about a week for signature.
At the Oct. 4 City Council meeting, Maxwell reported another 9-day delay, pushing the environmental clearance period back to Friday, Oct. 7, with the $2.4 million TCHCA grant contract expected to be ready for a signature by Oct. 14, which would allow the city to begin seeking bids by Oct. 21.
Maxwell Thursday afternoon, Oct. 13, 2022, reported the TDHCA grant contract has at long last been signed. The city anticipates posting a notice requesting bids Monday for the project, then awarding a construction contract at the Dec. 6, 2022, City Council meeting.
In addition to the $1.5 million in bond funding and $2.4 million TDHCA grant, $157,767 in private donations will be applied toward the new activity building for senior citizens, giving the city a total budget of almost $4,078,000 for the project.
A Math Class at the Paris Junior College Sulphur Springs Campus
PJC-Sulphur Springs Center mathematics instructor Caleb Talley explains a math problem to a class room of students.
Paris Junior College — located in Paris, Texas, about 100 miles northeast of Dallas — has been a part of the Lamar County community since 1924.
Paris Junior College offers Associate in Arts, Associate in Science and Associate in Applied Science degrees, as well as Certificates of Proficiency in technical/workforce fields. The college has expanded its academic curriculum through the years to encourage associate degree and university transfer candidates. Since establishing its first vocational program — jewelry and watchmaking in 1942 — the college has been aggressive in adding technical/workforce programs that will benefit students entering the workforce.
The campus of 54 tree-shaded acres includes 20 major buildings and residence halls and provides students a unique and pleasant environment for learning.
Paris Junior College also operates centers in Sulphur Springs, Texas, and in Greenville, Texas.
Vision
To be the educational provider of choice for the region.
Mission
Paris Junior College is a comprehensive community college serving the region’s educational and training needs while strengthening the economic, social and cultural life of our diverse community.
The Sulphur Springs Public Library to Hold a Wills and Estate Planning Clinic
The library is pleased to host Lone Star Legal Aid and their Wills and Estate Planning Clinic.
You must preregister by calling 903-785-8711.
Join us at the Sulphur Springs Public Library from 1 to 4pm on Thursday October 27 .
10 most important reasons to have a will
1. Save time, money and stress for your loved ones
2. Determine who will manage your estate
3. Decide who gets your assets and property
4. Choose who will take care of your minor children
5. Provide a home for your pets
6. Leave instructions for your digital assets
7. Lower the potential for family disputes
8. Support your favorite causes and leave a legacy
9. Provide funeral instructions
10. It’s easy to make a will and gain peace of mind
Another Successful Ag In The Classroom Hosted At Civic Center
Another successful year of Ag in the Classroom wrapped up Wednesday, with approximately 1,000 fourth graders bused to Hopkins County Civic Center to learn more about agriculture and its importance in our daily lives.
Approximately 300 students attend the first session on Tuesday, Oct. 11, and about 700 more packed the Arena Wednesday morning, Oct. 12, 2022. Not only did students from all seven Hopkins County school districts attend, fourth graders from four surrounding counties were invited as well. Among the schools attending were Como-Pickton, Cumby, Miller Grove, North Hopkins, Saltillo, Sulphur Bluff, Sulphur Springs, Cooper, Mount Vernon, Rains and Yantis.
Students rotated between 10 stations for a brief overview and close up look at various aspects of agriculture. Although this is still considered a rural and agricultural rather than urban areas, with many local youth participating in 4-H or who have farms, Ag in the Classroom the first time others are exposed directly to the various aspects of agriculture.
The stations are manned by individuals representing families, businesses and other organizations involved in agriculture in the local area. Several bring livestock to illustrate their topics, including beef cattle, three different types of poultry, goats and therapy horses. Exhibits also included 4-H projects, fresh honey and mobile exhibits. Students even got to sample a dairy treat.
Students learned about the different cuts of beef and talked about raising beef cattle; the importance of clean water and the process of water filtering; horses and horse therapy; wheat and corn, dairy, beef and swine production and uses; fresh honey and the important role bees have in pollination; goat farming and uses; dairy and the importance of milk for healthy growth and bones; 4-H project; and poultry production.
Among the groups involved in putting on the annual agriculture day for area students were Hopkins-Rains County Farm Bureau, Hopkins County and Rains County AgriLife Extension offices, Southwest Dairy Museum and director Aaron Sanders, NETBIO, Hopkins County Master Gardeners, Marion Cox with Shadow Ranch Therapeutic Riding Center, and the Kelly Ebel Ranch, along with volunteers.
Extension staff offered special thanks to all of the volunteers who helped, the Farm Bureau and Southwest Dairy Center for their sponsorships and donations. At the conclusion of the second day two lucky students won bicycles donated by presenting sponsor Hopkins-Rains County Farm Bureau.
Volleyball Wins Second Straight, Continues Home Stand Friday
Sulphur Springs continues their second half of district play Friday at home when they host Liberty Eylau.
Coach Bailey Dorner’s team beat the Lady Leopards on their home court earlier this season, and hope to complete the season sweep over Liberty Eylau.
Tuesday, Oct. 11 had Sulphur Springs hosting Paris to begin the second half of district season.
The two schools played tug-of-war as each team fought to swing the momentum arrow in their favor. Late in the first set, Paris led 22-17 and looked to be on their way to a 1-0 set lead, only to see Sulphur Springs outscore Paris the rest of the way, 10-8 sweeping the rug out from under Paris to steal set one 27-25.
Shellshocked from leading late in set one, Paris fell apart in set two as the Lady Cats pulverized them 25-11 to lead in a big way 2-0. Volleyball scored 23 of the first 32 points in the set.
The story was more or less the same in the third as Sulphur Springs once again jumped out to a big lead, this time 18-10, before Paris scored seven straight points to trail by one, 18-17. Even with Paris staging a huge comeback, it fell short as Coach Bailey Dorner’s squad scored seven of the next 10 en route to a 25-20, three straight set wins over Paris.
The home win to begin the second half of district season brings the Lady Cats’ season record to 18-14 (4-2 district). The victory is not only the second straight, but also keeps Sulphur Springs firmly in third place, now two games ahead of Tuesday’s victim in Paris.
Including Tuesday’s win over Paris, Lady Cat volleyball now holds the season sweep and tiebreaker over the fourth place school. The Lady Cats edged out Paris in five sets to begin district play in late-September.
The season sweep over Paris is the first for Coach Dorner’s squad, and they look to make it two straight series-sweeps if they can best Liberty Eylau on their home court.
Lady Cat volleyball hosts Liberty Eylau on Friday, Oct. 14 in the SSHS Main Gym.
That game is scheduled to begin Friday at 4:30 P.M.
KSST is proud to be the official Wildcat and Lady Cat Station. We broadcast Sulphur Springs ISD games year round live on radio. When allowed, we also broadcast games via our YouTube channel.
8.7% COLA Increase Announced For Social Security, SSI Beneficiaries For 2023
SSA Acting Director: Medicare Premiums To Go Down Next Year
The Social Security Administration this morning announced that approximately 70 million Americans on Social Security and and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) will see an 8.7% cost of living increase in benefits in 2023, which averages out to about $140 extra in benefits per month starting in January.
SSA calls the increase a “substantial Social Security cost-of-living adjustment,” which is tied to the Consumer Price Index cost of living adjustment set by the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.
More than 7 million SSI beneficiaries will begin receiving the COLA on December 30, 2022, while benefits paid to more than 65 million Social Security beneficiaries are slated to start in January 2023, per the Social Security Act. Some people receive both Social Security and SSI benefits.
And, according to Acting SSA Commissioner Kilolo Kijakazi, another bit of good news is that senior adults Medicare premiums are going down next year, for the first time in over a decade Medicare premiums haven’t risen year-to-year. That, the acting director said, is an indicator “that we can provide more support to older Americans who count on the benefits they have earned.”
Of course, there will be other financial tax adjustments that go into effect in January, including the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social security tax. That rate will increase from $147,000 to $160,200, which the Oct. 13, 2022 SSA release stated is based on the increase in average wages.
Social Security and SSI beneficiaries are normally notified by mail starting in early December about their new benefit amount. The fastest way to find out their new benefit amount is to access their personal my Social Security account to view the COLA notice online. SSA claims the site is a secure and easy way to find out their amount before the mail arrives. People can also opt to receive a text or email alert instead of a mailed notice when they have a new message from Social Security–such as their COLA notice. People may create or access their my Social Security account online at www.ssa.gov/myaccount.
Information about Medicare changes for 2023 is available at www.medicare.gov. For Social Security beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare, their new higher 2023 benefit amount will be available in December through the mailed COLA notice and my Social Security‘s Message Center.
To view the full COLA message from Acting Commissioner Kijakazi, visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vgm5q4YT1AM.
To read more about how the Social Security Act stipulates COLA is to be calculate., visit www.ssa.gov/cola.
Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech Bivalent COVID-19 Vaccines Authorized As Booster For Younger Kids
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration amended the emergency use authorizations (EUAs) of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent and the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent to authorize their use as a single booster dose in younger age groups. The Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent is authorized for administration at least two months following completion of primary or booster vaccination in children down to six years of age. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent is authorized for administration at least two months following completion of primary or booster vaccination in children down to five years of age.
These bivalent COVID-19 vaccines include an mRNA component of the original strain to provide an immune response that is broadly protective against COVID-19 and an mRNA component in common between the omicron variant BA.4 and BA.5 lineages to provide better protection against COVID-19 caused by the omicron variant. The mRNA in these vaccines is a specific piece of genetic material that instructs cells in the body to make the distinctive “spike” protein of the original virus strain and the omicron variant lineages BA.4 and BA.5. The spike proteins of BA.4 and BA.5 are identical.
“Since children have gone back to school in person and people are resuming pre-pandemic behaviors and activities, there is the potential for increased risk of exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19. Vaccination remains the most effective measure to prevent the severe consequences of COVID-19, including hospitalization and death,” said Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D. “While it has largely been the case that COVID-19 tends to be less severe in children than adults, as the various waves of COVID-19 have occurred, more children have gotten sick with the disease and have been hospitalized. Children may also experience long-term effects, even following initially mild disease. We encourage parents to consider primary vaccination for children and follow-up with an updated booster dose when eligible.”
With today’s authorization, the monovalent Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine is no longer authorized as a booster dose for individuals five through 11 years of age. Both the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine continue to be authorized for primary series administration in individuals six months of age and older.
For each of the bivalent COVID-19 vaccines authorized today, the FDA relied on immune response and safety data that it had previously evaluated from a clinical study in adults of a booster dose of a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine that contained a component of the original strain of SARS-CoV-2 and a component of omicron lineage BA.1. The FDA considers such data as relevant and supportive of vaccines containing a component of the omicron variant BA.4 and BA.5 lineages. In addition, the FDA has evaluated and considered immune response and safety data from clinical studies of the monovalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, including as a booster dose in pediatric age groups. These data and real-world experience with the monovalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, which have been administered to millions of people, including young children, support the EUA of the bivalent COVID-19 vaccines in younger age groups.
What You Need to Know: Authorization of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent
- The data supporting FDA’s authorization of a single booster dose of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent for both the 6 years through 11 years age group and 12 through 17 years age group is based on the FDA’s previous analysis of immune response and safety data from a clinical study in adults 18 years of age and older who received a booster dose of Moderna’s investigational bivalent COVID-19 vaccine that contained a component of the original strain of SARS-CoV-2 and a component of Omicron lineage BA.1.
- For the 12 through 17 years age group, the authorization is also based on the effectiveness of a single booster dose of the monovalent Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine in this age group. The FDA’s analysis included a comparison of the immune response among approximately 250 clinical trial participants in this age group who received a single booster dose of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine at least five months after completion of a two-dose primary series of the vaccine to the immune responses among approximately 300 clinical trial participants 18 through 25 years of age who had received a two-dose primary series of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine in a previous study which determined the vaccine to be effective in preventing COVID-19. The immune response to the booster dose of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine in the 12 through 17 years age group was comparable to the immune response to the two-dose primary series in the adult participants.
- For the 6 years through 11 years age group, the authorization is also based on the effectiveness of a single booster dose of the monovalent Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine in this age group. The FDA’s analysis included a comparison of the immune response among approximately 100 clinical trial participants 6 years through 11 years of age who received a single booster dose of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine at least six months after completion of a two-dose primary series of the vaccine to the immune responses among approximately 300 clinical trial participants 18 through 25 years of age who had received a two-dose primary series of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine in a previous study which determined the vaccine to be effective in preventing COVID-19. The immune response to the booster dose of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine in the 6 years through 11 years age group was comparable to the immune response to the two-dose primary series in the adult participants.
- The safety of a single booster dose of monovalent Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine was evaluated in approximately 1,300 participants 12 through 17 years of age who received a booster dose of monovalent Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine at least five months after the second dose of the primary series, and approximately 1,300 participants 6 years through 11 years of age who received a booster dose of monovalent Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine at least six months after the second dose of the primary series. The most commonly reported side effects after a booster dose of the monovalent Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine in the clinical trial participants for both age groups were pain, redness and swelling at the injection site, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, underarm swollen lymph nodes in the same arm as the injection, nausea/vomiting and fever.
- Individuals who receive the bivalent vaccine may experience similar side effects reported by individuals who received the monovalent Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine.
The data for the monovalent Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine are relevant to the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent because these vaccines are manufactured using the same process.
What You Need to Know: Authorization of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent
- The data supporting the authorization of a single booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent for individuals 5 through 11 years of age is based in part on the FDA’s previous analysis of immune response and safety data from a clinical study in adults greater than 55 years of age who received a booster dose of a Pfizer-BioNTech’s investigational bivalent COVID-19 vaccine that contained a component of the original strain of SARS-CoV-2 and a component of Omicron lineage BA.1. In addition, the authorization is based on the FDA’s previous analysis of safety and effectiveness data of a booster dose of monovalent Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine in children 5 through 11 years of age.
- Individuals who receive Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent may experience similar side effects reported by individuals who received the monovalent Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine.
The fact sheets for both of the bivalent COVID-19 vaccines for recipients and caregivers and for healthcare providers include information about potential side effects, as well as the risks of myocarditis and pericarditis.
The amendments to the EUAs were issued to Moderna TX Inc. and Pfizer Inc.
