'COVID isn't over': Federal health officials offer vaccines to soccer fans in Glendale

The worst of COVID-19 may be over, but it continues to kill more than 1,000 Americans per week, which is why the federal government will bring free vaccines to soccer fans on Wednesday in Glendale.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will hold a free COVID-19 vaccine clinic at the inaugural Allstate Continental Clásico soccer match where the U.S. Men's National Soccer Team will play Mexico. Wednesday's match will be at State Farm Stadium.

The vaccine clinic is part of a federal government campaign called "We Can Do This." The campaign strategy calls for taking the COVID-19 vaccine directly to places where Americans gather rather than asking people to make a special trip to get the shot. In November, a federal health team gave out COVID-19 vaccines during a NASCAR event at Phoenix Raceway.

The federal Public Health Emergency over COVID-19 is set to end on May 11, but "COVID-19 isn't over," said Jeffrey Reynoso, director of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services region nine, which includes Arizona.

Reynoso said Tuesday that Arizona is worse than the national average for its uptake of COVID-19 vaccinations, as well as for COVID-19 hospitalizations. Though the rates of illness and death are low right now compared with the height of the pandemic, Americans, including Arizonans, continue to get sick and die from COVID-19.

"Nationwide, we are still seeing more than 1,000 deaths and more than 1,600 patients admitted to hospitals each week because of COVID," Reynoso said. "It's important to remain vigilant and utilize protective measures, including staying up-to-date with your COVID vaccines, which can reduce your risk of serious illness, emergency room visits and hospitalizations from COVID."

In Glendale: Dual nationals unite, face each other in US-Mexico soccer match at State Farm Stadium

Just 17% of the total U.S. population and 20% of the population over the age of 18 had received an updated bivalent COVID-19 booster dose as of April 12.

In Arizona, uptake of the bivalent booster is even lower, at 15.3% of the total population and 19% of the state's population over the age of 18. The bivalent booster doses from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech appear to be providing protection against the omicron variants that are circulating right now.

"Arizona has one of the highest rates of death from COVID in the country," Reynoso said. "COVID continues to be a serious illness. People ages 18 and older who are unvaccinated are nearly eight times more likely to die if they get COVID than those who are vaccinated and boosted."

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Study: Arizona's COVID-19 death rate among worst in the world

Thirty-five new COVID-19 deaths were reported in Arizona for the week ending April 8, bringing the total number of COVID-19 deaths in the state to 33,293. A study published on March 23 in The Lancet found that Arizona had the highest cumulative standardized COVID-19 death rate in the U.S. for a period between Jan 1, 2020, to July 31, 2022. The study standardized death rates by adjusting for each state’s age profile and the prevalence of chronic health conditions such as cancer, diabetes and smoking rates.

The Lancet study found Arizona's COVID-19 death rate during the study period, at 539 deaths per 100,000 people, was similar to the three nations with the highest death rates in the world during the same period — Russia, Bulgaria and Peru.

Other measures of COVID-19 deaths, including years of lost life expectancy, have similarly placed Arizona among the worst states in the country.

Fewer than one in five Americans have received the recommended bivalent vaccine dose, which is concerning as the summer holiday travel season approaches, Reynoso said.

"We're really excited to partner with the U.S. men's Continental Clásico soccer game to provide free, updated bivalent vaccines at State Farm Stadium on April 19," Reynoso. "For people who come to games like this, it may be their only encounter with a health care provider this year."

Health recommendations: Another COVID booster is now approved for older people and those at high risk

Anyone who isn't at the soccer game but wants to get a bivalent booster may find a place to get a shot at vaccines.gov or by texting their ZIP code to 438829 or calling 800-232-0233.

All COVID-19 vaccines administered to those 6 months and older will now be bivalent doses, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday, according to The Hill. The original forms of the COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna are no longer authorized for use in the U.S., The Hill reported.

Reynoso confirmed to The Republic that even people who never received any primary series of the COVID-19 vaccine may now just get a single bivalent shot to protect themselves against infection.

Also, people ages 65 and older and those who have weakened immune systems may now get a second, updated bivalent COVID-19 booster dose, the FDA said Tuesday. For everyone else, the recommendation is just one bivalent booster shot, at least for now.

Most Arizonans still need just one bivalent booster

Tuesday's ruling from the FDA authorizes people over the age of 65 to get another booster at least four months after their previous one. Also, people with some immunocompromising conditions will be able to get boosters as often as every two months, at their doctor's recommendation.

Most people need just one bivalent booster, though that could change after the FDA meets in June to make recommendations for the fall, USA Today reported.

Reported COVID-19 cases in the U.S. have declined 97% since the end of January 2022, deaths have declined by 90% and new hospitalizations have dropped by 86%, Reynoso said. But it doesn't mean COVID-19 is over. The work to protect Americans from COVID-19, including from Long COVID, will continue to be a priority, he said.

"COVID-19 is no longer the disruptive force it once was," Reynoso said. "Fighting COVID is still a priority for the administration. COVID isn't over, with nearly 250 people dying daily from the virus. We know that many people are still not vaccinated or are under-vaccinated, and that's why we are continuing to work on making vaccines and treatments widely available."

Reach health care reporter Stephanie Innes at Stephanie.Innes@gannett.com or at 602-444-8369. Follow her on Twitter @stephanieinnes.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Federal health team will give free COVID-19 vaccines at soccer match