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Samsung One UI 4.0 (Android 12) update tracker: Eligible devices & more

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New updates are being added at the bottom of this story…….

Original story (published on February 22, 2021) follows:

Samsung is doing one heck of a job with getting the latest Android version — Android 11 — to eligible devices.

Within a couple of months, the OEM has pushed the Android 11-based One UI 3.0 update to a bunch of smartphones including some mid-rangers such as the Galaxy A51 and Galaxy M21.

But that’s not all. Samsung has even started rolling out the One UI 3.1 skin to several other eligible models. More on that here.

Samsung Galaxy A71 5G

Having said that, we hope to see Samsung continue with its quick OS updates for the upcoming One UI 4.0 skin that would be based on Android 12 if past trends are to be taken into account.

Speaking of which, Google recently rolled out the Android 12 Developer Preview for the Pixels to allow developers to start optimizing their apps for the upcoming Android version.

The Developer Preview program will end in May after which Google will release the Android 12 beta to the public. The stable update should go live in the following months, most likely in September if not by the end of August.

Android 12 release schedule

Unlike some other Android vendors, Samsung does not partake in beta programs alongside Google. Instead, Samsung kick-starts its own beta program after Google rolls out the stable update.

Now, since the company announced last year that it will be rolling out 3 major OS updates to certain models, a handful of devices that wouldn’t have got the new update otherwise are now eligible for it.

This means that the company would be rolling out Android 12 to just about every phone that came with Android 10 pre-installed and some models that came with Android 9 pre-installed.

On that note, here’s a list of eligible devices from Samsung that we believe will get the update to Android 12 with the company’s One UI 4.0 skin on top.

– Samsung Galaxy S21
– Samsung Galaxy S21+
– Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
– Samsung Galaxy S20
– Samsung Galaxy S20+

– Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
– Samsung Galaxy S20 FE
– Samsung Galaxy S10
– Samsung Galaxy S10+
– Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite

– Samsung Galaxy S10e
– Samsung Galaxy Note 20
– Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
– Samsung Galaxy Note 10
– Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite

– Samsung Galaxy Note 10+
– Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2
– Samsung Galaxy Z Flip
– Samsung Galaxy Fold
– Samsung Galaxy A71

– Samsung Galaxy A51
– Samsung Galaxy A90 5G
– Samsung Galaxy A11
– Samsung Galaxy A21
– Samsung Galaxy A21s

– Samsung Galaxy A31
– Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
– Samsung Galaxy A02s
– Samsung Galaxy A02
– Samsung Galaxy A01

– Samsung Galaxy A12
– Samsung Galaxy M01
– Samsung Galaxy M21
– Samsung Galaxy M21s
– Samsung Galaxy M31

– Samsung Galaxy M02s
– Samsung Galaxy M02
– Samsung Galaxy M12
– Samsung Galaxy M31s
– Samsung Galaxy M51

– Samsung Galaxy F41
– Samsung Galaxy F62
– Samsung Galaxy Tab S7
– Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+
– Samsung Galaxy Tab S6
– Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite

Samsung Galaxy A Quantum – NEW
Samsung Galaxy Quantum 2 – NEW
Samsung Galaxy A42 5G – NEW
Samsung Galaxy A41 – NEW
Samsung Galaxy A72 – NEW

Samsung Galaxy A52 – NEW
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G – NEW
Samsung Galaxy A51 5G – NEW
Samsung Galaxy A71 5G – NEW
Samsung Galaxy M42 5G – NEW

Samsung Galaxy M62 – NEW
Samsung Galaxy M31 Prime Edition – NEW
Samsung Galaxy F02s – NEW
Samsung Galaxy F12 – NEW
Samsung Galaxy Xcover Pro – NEW

Samsung Galaxy Xcover 5 – NEW
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 5G – NEW
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.4 – NEW
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 – NEW
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 3 – NEW

  • This list was updated on May 22 to reflect additional devices that should be eligible for the update to Android 12. Devices marked with the NEW tag have been added today.

    • Samsung One UI 4.0 (Android 12) release date

    Like we mentioned above, Samsung does not shake hands with Google to offer developer previews for its flagships ahead of the public rollout.

    So unless the company plans to take things up a notch this year with Android 12, we don’t expect much to change.

    Samsung Galaxy S21 & Galaxy S21+

    Therefore, if Google seeds the stable version of Android 12 to the public in September, as it did with Android 11, Samsung users can expect to see the One UI 4.0 beta program for the Galaxy S21 series around a month later.

    The beta program should soon expand to other flagships such as the upcoming Note 21 series and the company’s foldable phones that are expected to launch this year.

    Finally, the stable update may go live for its 2021 flagships in December if not earlier and most other models will get the update within the next three to four months.

    That said, while the One UI 4.0 update from Samsung is still far away, you can visit our dedicated tracker to know everything about Android 12.

    Update 1 (May 19)

    07:20 pm (IST): Samsung, as expected, isn’t joining Google in the Android 12 beta program. Hence, Samsung fans will have to wait for months before the company kick-starts its own beta program for Android 12 and One UI 4.0.

    Update 2 (May 21)

    04:45 pm (IST): Google might finally put a stop to Samsung and other OEMs from spamming your automatic Google Photos backup by throwing in screenshots and other unwanted stuff in the DCIM folder.

    XDA Developers got a hold of the preliminary revision of the Compatibility Definition Document (CDD) for Android 12 which clearly states that screenshots and recordings must be saved in a ‘Screenshots’ directory within the ‘Pictures’ folders.

    Devices “MUST NOT” save these files in DCIM. If OEMs like Samsung don’t try finding methods to go around this, then you won’t have to worry about random screenshots being backed up in your Google Photos account after the Android 12 update.

    Update 3 (June 19)

    12:45 pm (IST): New developments indicate that Samsung has started the development of Android 12 (One UI 4.0) for the Galaxy S21 series. To know more, head here.

    Update 4 (June 21)

    03:55 pm (IST): Recently, a few screenshots said to be taken on a device running One UI 4.0 surfaced online. However, the screenshots are most likely fake since, upon closer inspection, they were taken on the Galaxy A50.

    Considering that Samsung only just began developing Android 12 for the Galaxy S21 series, there’s no way it has a working Android 12 build for the Galaxy A50. More details here.

    Update 5 (June 22)

    02:40 pm (IST): As per recent reports, it is possible that the Samsung Developer Conference might be held this year where the much anticipated One UI 4.0 custom skin might be unveiled by the OEM.

    Update 6 (June 24)

    03:45 pm (IST): According to recent reports, Samsung has assigned the codename “Palette” to the Samsung Galaxy S21 Android 12-based One UI 4.0 update project.

    Update 7 (June 25)

    02:16 pm (IST): As per recent reports, it is possible that the Android 12-based One UI 4.0 update rollout might be quicker now that the One UI 3.5 update is allegedly not on the cards. More on that here.

    Update 8 (July 03)

    06:30 pm (IST): According to popular leaker, Ice Universe, Samsung might reveal the One UI 4.0 (Android 12) update development next week. Check out the complete coverage by heading here.

    Update 9 (July 05)

    05:00 pm (IST): A recent report suggests the One UI 4.0 rumor about the beta program starting as early as this week may not be true as Google itself is in the early stages of beta testing Android 12 on Pixel devices.

    But, it goes without saying, the pattern Samsung has been following regarding updates lately, the rumor being proven correct may not be surprising.

    Update 10 (July 07)

    06:05 pm (IST): With Google expected to release a foldable Pixel this year or early next year, it’s highly likely Samsung will step up its software game with One UI 4.0, especially for its foldables.

    However, given that Samsung is yet to make any announcement surrounding the release of One UI 4.0, we’ll just have to wait and see what the South Korean giant is cooking up.

    Update 11 (July 12)

    06:40 pm (IST): Popular leaker, Ice Universe, in one of their recent Weibo post has said that the One UI 4.0 announcement will be delayed and may not be made this week. Find out more about the said announcement by heading here.

    Update 12 (July 16)

    04:12 pm (IST): Ice Universe — a popular leaker — claims that we might get more info about the One UI 4.0 update towards the end of the month. But it’s worth noting that the individual does not have a spotless track record. So we suggest taking the information with a pinch of salt.

    (Source)

    Update 13 (July 28)

    11:25 am (IST): Popular leaker, Ice Universe, has shared some details about the next entry in Samsung’s tablet flagship i.e. the Galaxy Tab S8.

    As per Ice Universe, the Galaxy Tab S8+ and Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra will come alongside the Galaxy S22 and the devices will offer Android 12-based One UI 4.0 out of the box.

    Tab S8+ SM-X806x 10090mAh
    Tab S8 Ultra SM-X906x 11500mAh
    Source

    Tab S8 + will be released with S22. SM8450, One UI 4.0，10090mAh battery. But this is not the best. There is “Ultra”. I won’t say it first. Let’s wait and see.
    Source

    12:30 pm (IST): According to a recent report from the Samsung community, the One UI 4.0 beat update based on Android 12 is coming soon for the Samsung Galaxy S21 series. More details here.

    Update 14 (July 29)

    10:25 am (IST): As Android 12 continues to take shape in its beta stages, some info is coming to light with regards to Samsung’s Android 12-based One UI 4.0. According to leaks, the new skin will have a lot of elements from Google’s Material You, along with better optimization for Snapdragon 888/Exynos 2100, minor Knox updates.

    Additionally, it is coming to light that the Beta builds for Galaxy S21 are expected sometime in August with the stable update slated to be available sometime in November with possible delays until the beginning of December.

    10:59 am (IST): The Beta operations manager on Samsung’s Korean community forums has deleted the post which mentioned that the One UI 4.0 beta program will begin soon for the S21 series.

    Update 15 (July 30)

    IST 10:32 am: While Samsung’s One UI 4.0 is still a solid few months away, that hasn’t stopped people from speculating on when eligible devices are set to get updated. According to reports, we might see the Galaxy A52 bag an update to Android 12 sometime in early 2022. Again, these are merely speculative as we haven’t heard anything official.

    Update 16 (August 05)

    IST 04:00 pm: Ice Universe took to Twitter to share an image of what appears to be a device running on Android 12 with the One UI 4.0 skin, indicating that the update is just around the corner.

    (Source)

    Update 17 (August 06)

    IST 11:00 am: New reports now suggest that the Samsung Galaxy A50 will get updated to Android 12-based One UI 4. However, seeing as this is derived from a chat with Samsung Support, it might not amount to anything if these guys’ track record is anything to go by.

    Many thanks to Matthew Reiter for the tip.

    Update 18 (August 10)

    IST 06:50 pm: Recent reports from the Samsung community indicate that the One UI 4.0 update based on Android 12 might bring support for Sound Assistant to the DeX mode on tablets or all eligible Galaxy devices. More on that here.

    Update 18 (August 20)

    IST 10:16 am: A Samsung Ambassador has just confirmed that the Beta forums for One UI 4 is currently live and from the look of things, it appears as though the first wave of tests will be for the S21 series.

    Source

    Update 19 (August 21)

    IST 03:50 pm: Now that Samsung does not have to utilize any resources in pushing a major mid-year update such as One UI 3.1.1 or One UI 3.5, we hope to see the Android 12 or One UI 4.0 rollout to begin earlier.

    Update 20 (August 26)

    IST 01:19 pm: Reports surfacing indicate that a Geekbench listing has been sported showing a Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra running Android 12.

    Click/Tap to zoom (Source)

    Update 21 (August 27)

    IST 10:10 am: According to popular leaker Ice Universe, Samsung might start rolling out the first One UI 4.0 beta update based on Android 12 to its employees. While similar claims were also made earlier, this time it might be true.

    This is because Samsung has updated its One Hand Operation+ app to version 4.7.31 which brings support for Android 12. Thus it is possible that the One UI 4.0 beta update might release soon.

    Update 22 (September 01)

    IST 11:00 am: Samsung users can rejoice since it has finally been confirmed that the company will be rolling out the One UI 4.0 beta for the S21 series in September. We expect the beta to open up for more devices shortly after.

    IST 05:20 pm: It appears that Samsung has already begun testing the Android 12 update with One UI 4.0 internally in China. Popular leaker — Ice Universe — posted a screenshot of the update page showing the build number ZUHI for the Galaxy S21 Ultra.

    (Source)

    Update 23 (September 03)

    IST 12:10 pm: Renowned leakster Ice Universe has shared what is believed to be One UI 4.0 Beta new charging animation.

    Also, new reports now indicate that the Android 12 Beta will soon open in the US and Germany for the Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra.

    Update 24 (September 06)

    IST 12:30 pm: Since Samsung is steadily moving ahead with its One UI 4.0 (Android 12) update, we created a dedicated tracker for the OS update for the OEM’s Galaxy A Series devices. Head here to know more.

    IST 04:04 pm: Some of you may be disappointed to know that Samsung apparently isn’t bringing any icon design changes with the One UI 4.0 update. This news was revealed by a popular leaker — Ice Universe — on Twitter.

    (Source)

    Update 25 (September 07)

    IST 12:03 pm: Android 12 is slowly but steadily taking shape and soon, we will start seeing beta builds from various companies. Now, Samsung has updated the Global Goals with support for Android 12.

    Update 26 (September 08)

    IST 10:03 am: Ahead of the much-awaited Samsung One UI 4.0 Beta program, now reports have it that the Samsung Email app has been updated to add support for Android 12.

    The new version 6.1.51.1’s changelog mentions support (updated logic) for Android 12 and a new security patch that addresses potential weaknesses.

    IST 02:50 pm: As per a recent report from popular leaker Ice Universe, the One UI 4.0 update based on Android 12 might have the adjustable lock screen notifications transparency feature.

    One UI 4.0 Beta allows you to adjust the transparency of the UI of the lock screen notification and music.
    Source

    Update 27 (September 09)

    IST 10:53 am: The Android 12-based One UI 4.0 Beta program for the Samsung Galaxy S21 that was expected to start today in Korea has been reportedly postponed. No reasons have been cited for this move.

    Update 28 (September 10)

    IST 11:57 am: While it’s been pretty obvious that the Beta builds have been delayed, now a Beta Operation Manager has come out to officially communicate this.

    Hello, this is Beta Operations Manager.

    Unfortunately, there is no beta today.

    Please understand that we cannot inform you of the schedule until the beta opening is confirmed.

    thank you.
    Source

    Update 29 (September 14)

    IST 2:30 pm: Samsung has kickstarted the One UI 4.0 Beta program for the Samsung Galaxy S21 with the rollout of the first build in the US. More on that here.

    This build brings with it theming tools and the company also adds that the stable build Android 12-based One UI 4.0 will roll out before the end of 2021.

    Update 30 (September 15)

    IST 6:30 pm: Samsung has confirmed that the One UI 4.0 beta is now open in China, Germany, India, Poland, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

    So Galaxy S21 series users in the aforementioned countries can go ahead and try out the beta to have a glimpse at what’s coming.

    Update 31 (September 16)

    IST 11:30 am: One UI 4 Beta is out for Galaxy S21 users in the US and now, it is coming to light that this build adds support for e-SIM.

    Also added is support for third-party icon packs and Grammarly as an option on the Samsung Keyboard to provide word suggestions.

    Update 32 (September 17)

    IST 02:43 pm: While Samsung’s One UI 4.0 beta recently went live for the S21 series, this opinion piece touches upon one feature that most users would want to see with Samsung’s new skin, and that is the Google Discover integration with all models eligible for the update.

    Given the fact that Samsung usually adds features from its latest smartphones to older devices, this isn’t that much of a long shot. So we’ll just have to wait and see if this becomes a reality or dies as a wish.

    Update 33 (September 22)

    IST 10:53 am: Samsung’s One UI 4.0 comes with a bunch of changes including an interface change that just makes sense for the average consumer and you can learn more on that here.

    Update 34 (September 29)

    IST 10:53 am: Popular leakster, Ice Universe, now alleges that Samsung’s internal One UI 4 has reached the Beta 9 version, and many bugs have been added.

    Source

    Update 35 (September 30)

    IST 12:19 pm: Samsung Health has received a new update, version number 6.18.8.005, that brings a more refined design along with more gender options. Get it on the Google Play Store here.

    Update 36 (October 01)

    IST 03:20 pm: The second One UI 4.0 beta for the S21 lineup may land next week as reportedly hinted by the company’s beta operations manager on the community forums.

    The update was expected to go live this week, however, was delayed due to unknown reasons.

    Update 37 (October 02)

    IST 10:00 am: While it’s pretty obvious, T-Mobile has officially confirmed that Android 12 is under development for the Samsung Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra.

    Update 38 (October 05)

    IST 10:32 am: While announcing the release of Android 12 AOSP, Google says that devices from Samsung and other OEMs should start getting the Android 12 update later this year.

    IST 06:00 pm: Samsung has reportedly begun rolling out the One UI 4.0 beta 2 update for the Galaxy S21 series. The new update brings Material You color themes. Hence, users can change their device theme based on the wallpaper.

    Update 39 (October 06)

    IST 05:33 pm: Popular leaker, Ice Universe, has taken to Twitter to claim that the next One UI 4.0 beta update will bring with it a “pet portrait mode”. We’ll just have to wait and see if this turns out to be true.

    Update 40 (October 07)

    IST 10:22 am: Samsung is alleged to be testing Android 12 for the Galaxy S20 series of devices internally as a new build with build number EUI3 has been spotted.

    Seeing as the current stable build bears software build number DUH5, this new build signifies a major update. We shall continue to follow this development and report with new info as we get it.

    Many thanks to Onur for the tip!

    Update 41 (October 09)

    IST 12:32 pm: Notable leaker — Ice Universe — claims that the upcoming One UI 4.0 beta 3 update will showcase top-level animations for Samsung’s widgets.

    The animations that came with the first beta update left a lot to be desired.

    After several optimizations, Samsung’s widget animation has reached the top level of the industry.
    You will see the new animation in One UI 4 Beta 3. (Source)

    Update 42 (October 11)

    IST 11:12 am: Reports now have it that Samsung’s Android 12 quest is picking up pace as the Korean company is close to the Open Beta stages for Android 12-based One UI 4.0 for the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy Z Series.

    Update 43 (October 14)

    IST 09:55 am: Samsung’s Galaxy S community manager has replied to one of user’s query and said that the final version of Android 12-based One UI 4.0 is likely to be released by December this year.

    So, we can expect the stable One UI 4.0 to start rolling out in December. More on that here.

    Update 44 (October 15)

    IST 10:55 am: Popular Samsung leakster, Ice Universe, has come out to shed some more light on the upcoming Android 11-based One UI 4.

    In a tweet, he notes that Samsung China’s One UI 4 Beta has been postponed yet again to October 18.

    Source

    Update 45 (October 18)

    IST 12:55 pm: Ice Universe now notes that the Galaxy S21 Chinese version of One UI 4 Beta is now open and the build comes with version number UJ3. Still unclear is whether this is Beta2 or Beta3.

    Source

    Update 46 (October 19)

    IST 12:22 pm: There is a new weather widget in One UI 4. The company calls it the Dynamic Weather widget. This one stands out for its colorful background and attractive animations.

    Source

    Both the background color and the animations are adapted to the current weather. For example, if weather is cloudy, the background is light blue. The widget also displays current location and the last time the info was refreshed.

    One UI 4 brings richer animations and that is reflected here too. As expected, we can also change its size according to our liking.

    Update 47 (October 20)

    IST 11:22 am: Now, reports indicate that Samsung might have started testing out Android 12-based One UI 4.0 for users of the Samsung Galaxy S10+.

    As this is a pretty young stage, we still have no idea when the Beta program will start. Stay tuned for more. Many thanks to Onur for the tip.

    IST 12:14 pm: New reports now indicate that One UI 4 Beta 3rd version is scheduled for this week.

    IST 12:42 pm: Following the Galaxy S10 Plus Android 12 testing reports, it is now coming to light that the Galaxy Z Fold 2 is also undergoing the same treatment.

    According to sources, Galaxy Z Fold 2 Android 12 tests started and so far, the update has been reviewed 2 times. Again, no word on when the Beta program will start. Thanks to Onur for the tip

    Update 48 (October 21)

    IST 11:03 am:Following the rollout of Stable Android 12 to Google’s Pixel devices, Samsung is seemingly stepping up its One UI 4 efforts.

    Source

    This, as reports now indicate that the Korean company is pushing out One UI 4 Beta 3 to its S21 devices.

    Update 49 (October 22)

    IST 11:03 am: Ice Universe has come out to note that Samsung China plans to start One UI 4 Beta testing for the Galaxy Z Fold 3 in the near future.

    Source

    Update 50 (October 23)

    IST 10:45 am: One UI 4.0 Beta 3 for Samsung Galaxy S21 series is now available in more countries. This beta update was initially released in South Korea a few days ago.

    The new beta mainly comes with bug fixes and you can also notice some added new tweaks. One UI 4 Beta 3 also includes November 2021 security patch. More on that here.

    IST 11:10 am: Samsung released a hotfix update for Samsung Galaxy S21 series running One UI 4 Beta 3 that brings a bunch of bug fixes. This update is currently rolling out in South Korea. More on that here.

    Update 51 (October 26)

    IST 01:13 pm: Samsung has announced that it will be seeding the One UI 4.0 beta based on Android 12 for the Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 soon.

    Update 52 (October 27)

    IST 09:40 am: Samsung highlights key visuals of One UI 4 in a two-part video series showing all the latest components of its Android 12 based One UI. You can take a tour of Samsung’s One UI 4 from the videos linked below.

    Update 53 (October 28)

    IST 12:33 pm: Now, reports indicate that Samsung is done with the beta program for Android 12-based One UI 4 for the Galaxy S21 devices. This means that the next update should be the stable release.

    Update 54 (October 29)

    IST 10:33 am: Samsung is reportedly calling on owners of the Galaxy Z Flip3 and Z Fold 3 who would like to take part in the OneUI 4 Beta to register.

    Update 55 (October 30)

    IST 10:33 am: Samsung One UI 4.0 Beta program is reportedly live for Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 in India.

    Update 56 (November 01)

    IST 09:33 am: Now, reports indicate that Samsung might have started testing out Android 12-based One UI 4.0 for users of the Samsung Galaxy S10.

    However, we still have no idea when the Beta program will start. Stay tuned for more. Many thanks to Grim Oak for the tip.

    IST 2:52 pm: It is now coming to light that the external screen on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 does not support 120Hz, at least in the current latest Beta. This will be fixed in the next Beta.

    Source

    Update 57 (November 02)

    IST 10:47 am: One UI 4 Beta is now open for users of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Galaxy Z Fold 3 in the USA.

    IST 11:02 am: Reports now indicate that Samsung’s One UI 4 will finally let you set your wallpaper from Google Photos.

    Update 58 (November 03)

    IST 12:47 pm: Samsung is reportedly rolling out Android 12 -based One UI 4 Beta 4 to users of the S21 series of devices.

    This comes with build number G998BXXU3ZUK1 / G998BOXM3ZUK1 / G99xBXXU3ZUK1. More on that here.

    Update 59 (November 05)

    IST 12:02 pm: Ice Universe now notes that the One UI 4 Beta 4 update is rolling out to users in China with UK2 version number over the UK1.

    Source

    This is the highest version number yet, which means that some bugs have been solved compared with UK1.

    Update 60 (November 06)

    IST 01:23 pm: An individual took to Twitter to highlight that the latest beta fixed the issue where the brightness on the lockscreen and homescreen wasn’t the same.

    Update 61 (November 08)

    IST 01:23 pm: According to Ice universe, a reliable leaker, streching animations will return in One UI Beta 5. This feature had been lost in the latest versions of One UI.

    For those who don’t know, stretching animations are the ‘rubber band’ effect that appears when you reach the beginning or end of a menu/list.

    Update 62 (November 09)

    IST 10:23 am: Samsung is reportedly rolling out Android 12-based One UI 4.0 beta update to the Galaxy S20 in the US.

    Update 63 (November 10)

    IST 10:25 am: Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra are also reportedly receiving One UI 4 beta in the United Kingdom. The ROM is identified with the software version N98xxXXU3ZUK1

    Update 64 (November 11)

    IST 10:21 am: Fido now claims that the Galaxy A12 is slated to get updated to Android 12 come November 16. How true these claims are remains to be seen but this could very well be an error.

    Click/Tap to zoom (Source)

    IST 1:36 pm: New reports now have it that the Android 12-based One UI 4.0 Beta program for S21 devices has concluded and as such, the next step is the stable release.

    Update 65 (November 13)

    IST 11:00 pm: TELUS will reportedly release Android 12 based One UI 4.0 update for Galaxy S21 series on November 23 in Canada.

    Update 66 (November 15)

    IST 1:54 pm: Ice Universe now notes that the Chinese version of One UI 4 Beta 3 is rolling out. This,he adds, is equivalent to the international version of One UI Beta 5.

    IST 3:10 pm: Lates One UI 4 Beta reportedly fixed the video freezing while audio keeps playing on Samsung Galaxy S21, S21 Plus and S21 Ultra.

    The fix will arrive for everyone in the next stable update.

    IST 4:54 pm: Samsung has announced that it will start rolling out the One UI 4.0 update for the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra starting today. The update will make its way over to users across the globe over the next few days or weeks.

    Update 67 (November 16)

    IST 9:54 am: Now, Samsung has released its One UI 4 Android 12 rollout plan detailing how it plans to push out the update to eligible devices. Note that this is subject to change.

    Update 68 (November 17)

    IST 10:47 am: Samsung is now rolling out the second One UI 4 beta based on Android 12 for the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Galaxy Z Fold 3.

    IST 11:10 am: The T-Mobile locked variant of the Galaxy S21 devices are getting updated to Android 12-based One UI 4.

    IST 1:24 pm: Samsung has just shared their rollout plan for India and the US, outlining how they plan to push out the update to eligible devices. Here’s when the US Samsung users will get updated to Android 12.

    November 2021
    – Galaxy S21 series

    December 2021
    – Galaxy Z Fold 3,
    – Galaxy Z Flip 3

    January 2022
    – Galaxy S20 Plus,
    – Galaxy S20 Ultra,
    – Galaxy S20 FE,
    – Galaxy Note 10 series,
    – Galaxy Note 20 series,
    – Galaxy Z Flip/5G,
    – Galaxy Fold,
    – Galaxy Z Fold 2

    February 2022
    – Galaxy S20,
    – Galaxy S10 series,
    – Galaxy A52 5G,
    – Galaxy Tab S7 main series

    March 2022
    – Galaxy Tab S7 FE

    April 2022
    – Galaxy A51/5G,
    – Galaxy A71 5G,
    – Galaxy Tab S7 FE 5G,
    – Galaxy Tab S6 Lite

    May 2022
    – Galaxy A32 5G,
    – Galaxy A42 5G,
    – Galaxy Tab S6,
    – Galaxy Tab A7 (2020),
    – Galaxy Tab Active 3

    June 2022
    – Galaxy XCover Pro,
    – Galaxy Tab A7 Lite

    July 2022
    Galaxy A21, Galaxy A12

    August 2022
    – Galaxy A02s,
    – Galaxy A01,
    – Galaxy A11
    Source

    For users of eligible Samsung devices in India, this is how the company plans to rollout Android 12-based One UI 4.

    December 2021
    – Galaxy Z Flip3 5G
    – Galaxy Z Fold3 5G
    – Galaxy S21 5G
    – Galaxy S21+ 5G
    – Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G

    January 2022

    – Galaxy Fold
    – Galaxy S10e
    – Galaxy S10
    – Galaxy S10+
    – Galaxy Note10
    – Galaxy Note10+
    – Galaxy S10 Lite
    – Galaxy Z Flip
    – Galaxy S20
    – Galaxy S20+
    – Note10 Lite
    – Galaxy Note20
    – Galaxy S20 FE
    – Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G
    – Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G
    – Galaxy Z Fold2 5G/LTE
    – Galaxy S20 FE 5G

    February 2022

    – Galaxy Tab S7+ (Feb22)
    – Galaxy Tab S7 (Feb22)
    – Galaxy A52 (Feb22)
    – Galaxy A52s 5G (Feb22)
    – Galaxy A72 (Feb22)

    April 2022

    – Galaxy Tab S6 (Apr22)
    – Galaxy A71 (Apr22)
    – Galaxy A51 (Apr22)
    – Galaxy A32 (Apr22)
    – Galaxy F62 (Apr22)
    – Galaxy Tab S7 FE (Apr22)

    May 2022

    – Galaxy Tab S6 (May22)
    – Galaxy A31 (May22)
    – Galaxy M31 (May22)
    – Galaxy M21 (May22)
    – Galaxy M31s (May22)
    – Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (May22)
    – Galaxy A22 5G (May22)
    – Galaxy F22 (May22)
    – Galaxy F42 5G (May22)
    – Galaxy M21 2021 Edition (May22)
    – Galaxy M32 (May22)
    – Galaxy M32 5G (May22)
    – Galaxy M42 5G (May22)
    – Galaxy M52 5G (May22)

    June 2022

    – Galaxy A21s (Jun22)
    – Galaxy M51 (Jun22)
    – Galaxy Tab A7(2020) (Jun22)
    – Galaxy F41 (Jun22)
    – Galaxy A22 (Jun22)
    – Galaxy F12 (Jun22)
    – Galaxy Tab A7 Lite (Jun22)

    July 2022
    – Galaxy M11 (Jul22)
    – Galaxy MO1 (Jul22)
    – Galaxy Al 2 (Jul22)
    – Galaxy F02s (Jul22)
    – Galaxy MO2s (Jul22)
    – Galaxy MO2 (Jul22)
    – Galaxy A03s (Jul22)
    – Galaxy M12 (Jul22)

    Update 69 (November 18)

    IST 1:05 pm: A Samsung Care Ambassador now notes that the Android 12 Beta is out for the Galaxy S20 and Note 20 line of phones.

    Source

    IST 1:32 pm: Registration for the Beta program for Android 12-based One UI 4 for the US Unlocked version of the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 is now open.

    IST 2:03 pm: Theme Park with the Android 12-based One UI 4 update is said to be enabling Play Store custom icon packs on the default launcher.

    Source

    IST 2:23 pm: Samsung is said to be recruiting Android 12 One UI 4.0 beta testers for Galaxy Z Flip and Z Fold 2.

    Update 70 (November 19)

    IST 11:54 am: Samsung is pushing out the Android 12-based One UI 4 update to more and more users of the S21 devices in more regions.

    So far, reports have it that the Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand, Tunisia, Panama, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Turkey, Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Libya, and Israel, Malaysia, India, Sri Lanka, and South Africa, France, Spain, Portugal, and O2 UK, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and many more have bagged this update.

    Update 71 (November 22)

    IST 12:54 pm: Samsung has made the Good Lock modules available for its devices running Android 12-based One UI 4. These include:

    – Good Lock
    – LockStar
    – QuickStar
    – ClockFace
    – MultiStar

    – NavStar
    – Home Up (APK coming soon)
    – NotiStar
    – Routines+
    – Keys Cafe
    – Pentastic

    – Wonderland
    – Theme Park
    – Nice Catch
    – One Hand Operation +
    – SoundAssistant (APK coming soon)
    Source

    IST 1:23 pm: Samsung is reportedly pushing out the Android 12-based One UI 4 Beta 3 update to users of the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Z Fold3.

    Update 72 (November 23)

    IST 04:40 pm: Samsung has begun rolling out the second One UI 4.0 beta update for the Note 20 series in the UK. The update carries the build number ZUKA and weighs 681.72 MB. It also brings the December patch.

    (Source)

    Update 73 (November 24)

    IST 12:43 pm: Samsung is reportedly launching a new app dubbed the Expert Raw camera app. This camera app is meant to take full advantage of the S21 Ultra’s excellent optics.

    It offers a variety of pro camera functions, along with multi-frame RAW support for this S21 Ultra, and for now, it is only available on the Galaxy S21 Ultra running Android 12.

    Update 74 (November 25)

    IST 09:49 pm: The second One UI 4.0 beta is also live for the Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra in India. The update bears the build number ZUKA and weighs 715.29 MB. The December patch also tags along.

    A user confirmed receiving the update via a post on Reddit.

    IST 11:26 am: Samsung Canada has officially announced One UI 4 with e-sim support coming to the Galaxy S21 series on December 6th, 2021 in Canada.

    IST 11:32 am: Reports now indicate that Samsung is soon set to open the Android 12 beta program for the Galaxy S10, and the Galaxy Note 10.

    Update 75 (November 26)

    IST 12:10 pm: T-Mobile has updated its Android 12 tracker to reflect the current status of its eligible devices and while some devices like the S21 series have bagged the stable build, many remain under development.

    The S20 Series, Tab S7 series, Note 20 series and the A52 are under development while the Z Fold3 5G and Z Flip3 5G are undergoing testing. More on that in our own tracker.

    Update 76 (November 27)

    IST 05:23 pm: The One UI 4.0 stable update for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Fold 3 will allegedly go live in the first week of December according to a popular tipster.

    Fold3/Flip3 One UI 4 Stable expected on first week of December. If delayed, a week later. (Source)

    Update 77 (November 29)

    IST 10:53 am: Reports now have it that the One UI 4 Beta build for the Galaxy Note 10 series is right around the corner.

    Update 78 (November 30)

    IST 04:00 pm: The Expert RAW application that’s officially meant for the S21 Ultra on Android 12 can be downloaded for other devices such as the S21 and S21+ as well from here (APK).

    Update 79 (December 01)

    IST 05:05 pm: The stable One UI 4.0 release for the S20 series might be around the corner as the beta recruitment for the update has reportedly come to an end. Thus, anyone who didn’t apply for the beta earlier will have to wait until the stable version goes live.

    Update 80 (December 02)

    IST 05:15 pm: Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+ users can rejoice as the company has opened up recruitments for the One UI 4.0 beta in South Korea. We can expect the beta program to kick-start elsewhere soon.

    Update 81 (December 03)

    IST 1:15 pm: Reports now have it that the Samsung Galaxy S20 is getting the third One UI 4 Beta (Android 12) update in South Korea. This build fixes severe issues with the device.

    Also, Samsung’s 2019 Galaxy S10 series of devices are getting the Android 12-based One UI 4 beta.

    Update 82 (December 04)

    IST 10:55 am: As per reports, Samsung is now rolling out third One UI 4.0 beta for Galaxy Note 20 series in the US and South Korea.

    Also, the South Korean tech giant is reportedly releasing One UI 4.0 beta 3 for Galaxy Z Fold 2 in South Korea with various bug fixes.

    Update 83 (December 06)

    IST 05:33 pm: Samsung has reportedly (1, 2) started rolling out the stable One UI 4.0 update for its latest foldable — the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and the Z Fold 3.

    The update is live for the Z Flip 3 in Serbia whereas the Z Fold 3 is getting it in South Korea.

    Update 84 (December 07)

    IST 04:40 pm: Samsung has begun seeding the One UI 4.0 update to Galaxy S21 models in Canada as expected. The update is rolling out to carrier models and unlocked units with the firmware version G99xWVLU4BUKF.

    The rollout was captured by databases such as SamMobile’s, however, Samsung is yet to update it official update page for the device in the region.

    Many thanks for the tip, Grim Oak!

    Update 85 (December 08)

    IST 12:11 pm: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 users are a frustrated bunch as the Android 12 update seems to have brought with it a number of bugs. According to users, they can’t take screenshots, watch content on Netflix or YouTube, and more.

    Check out our dedicated bug tracker for more.

    Update 86 (December 10)

    IST 04:40 pm: If you’re a parent and own a Samsung phone eligible for the One UI 4.0 update, you might be pleased to know that the company has overhauled the Kids mode with its new skin.

    You can now change the background color, adjust what’s displayed on the main screen, activate Kids mode with a single tap via the toggle in the Quick panel, set a screen time goal, and more as highlighted by the folks over at XDA.

    Update 87 (December 11)

    IST 12:44 pm: Samsung has reportedly seeded the second One UI 4.0 beta to Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note 10 devices. This beta build comes with several bug fixes. More on that here.

    Update 88 (December 13)

    IST 11:15 am: Samsung releases fourth One UI 4.0 beta for Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Galaxy Z Fold 3. This beta can be identified with firmware version ZUL4 and brings fixes for issues found in the stable build. More on that here.

    Update 89 (December 15)

    IST 01:58 pm: In case you’ve got the One UI 4.0 update on your Samsung device or are just looking to see what’s new with the skin, then here’s a great list of the 5 best One UI 4.0 features.

    One of the most notable changes is the Material You theming (Samsung’s implementation) as well as the new widgets.

    Update 89 (December 16)

    IST 03:42 pm: Samsung is now rolling out fourth One UI 4.0 beta for Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. The latest beta can be identified with version ZULB and it brings some bug fixes. More on that here.

    IST 04:56 pm: Samsung may have begun testing the One UI 4.0 update for the Galaxy A51 internally if the latest test build spotted on the CheckFirm app is anything to go by. More details here.

    Update 90 (December 17)

    10:48 pm (IST):After releasing One UI 4.0 Beta 4, Samsung has again started rolling out One UI 4.0 stable update for Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Galaxy Z Fold 3.

    Update 91 (December 18)

    05:04 pm (IST): A beta operation manager on the Samsung community confirmed that the Galaxy Z Fold Thom Browne Edition won’t be included in One UI 4.0 beta testing.

    Update 92 (December 20)

    09:43 pm (IST): Turkey’s Android 12-based One UI 4 rollout plan is out and it looks a lot similar to the other regions. In the roadmap, these devices should get updated this December.

    – Galaxy Z Fold3 5G
    – Galaxy Z Flip3 5G
    – Galaxy Z Fold 2
    – Galaxy Z Flip
    – Galaxy Note20

    – Galaxy Note20 Ultra
    – Galaxy S20
    – Galaxy S20 Ultra
    – Galaxy S20 FE
    – Galaxy S10e
    – Galaxy S10
    – Galaxy S10+

    – Galaxy Z Fold3 5G
    – Galaxy Z Flip3 5G
    – Galaxy Z Fold2
    – Galaxy Note20
    – Galaxy Note20 Ultra
    – Galaxy S20

    – Galaxy S20+
    – Galaxy S20 Ultra
    – Galaxy S10 Lite
    – Galaxy S20 FE
    – Galaxy S20 FE
    – Galaxy S10e

    – Galaxy S10
    – Galaxy S10+
    – Galaxy Note10
    – Galaxy Note10+
    – Galaxy Note10 Lite
    – Galaxy A52

    – Galaxy A72
    – Galaxy A52s 5G
    – Galaxy Tab S7
    – Galaxy Tab S7+
    Source

    Update 93 (December 22)

    11:44 am (IST): The rollout of Android 12-based OneUI 4 update has reportedly been suspended. This, according to a moderator, is because of compatibility issues with the Google Play system on some devices.

    Source

    Update 94 (December 24)

    10:48 am (IST): Reports now indicate that the My Files app on One UI 4 does have a rather capable search engine. It is said that this new version is capable of recognizing typos and phonetic spelling.

    Update 95 (December 25)

    10:53 am (IST): The beta operation manager on the Samsung Community recently said that they are not planning to release another One UI 4.0 beta for the Galaxy S20 series since the stable version will be out soon.

    The same day, another mod who is in charge of the Galaxy S lineup said that while they have no ETA on when the update will be released, but it isn’t coming for another week or so. More on that here.

    05:30 am (IST): A moderator on the Samsung forum confirms that the third One UI 4.0 beta for Galaxy Note 10 series is under preparation. However, there is no ETA as to when it will be released.

    Also, a beta operation manager assured Galaxy S10 users that they will try to release Android 12 based One UI 4.0 third beta until next week.

    06:30 pm (IST): A moderator In charge of Galaxy Note_FOLD said that Samsung is currently analyzing the content of One UI 4.0 with Google following the issues.

    Moreover, they are preparing a revised version of the software, including a Google patch to improve compatibility issues. And the company will release a new version soon.

    (Source)

    Update 96 (December 28)

    10:16 am (IST): After the halted rollout of Android 12-based One UI 4 to the Galaxy S21, Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Z Fold 3 devices, reports have it that the Korean tech giant is set to resume this rollout. This, after implementing critical patch from Google.

    12:32 pm (IST): Samsung is reportedly rolling out the third Android 12-based One UI 4 Beta build to users of the Samsung Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note 10.

    1:11 pm (IST): New reports (1,2,3) coming in now indicate that the Android 12-based One UI 4.0 update for the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra KT 5G has been postponed and has been pushed to January.

    06:25 pm (IST): The Galaxy Z Fold 2 users can now experience the latest Android 12 as Samsung releases the stable One UI 4.0 update for these handsets.

    The new update comes with software version F916BXXS2FULE and is currently rolling out in Europe. In addition,it also brings December 2021 security patch. More on that here.

    Update 97 (December 29)

    11:16 am (IST): The rollout of Android 12-based One UI 4 is fully back on track as now, after the South Korea rollout for Z Fold 2, users of the Samsung Galaxy S20 and Note 20 devices are getting this build on their devices in Switzerland.

    1:45 pm (IST): Users of the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra are an excited bunch as their devices are now bagging stable Android 12-based One UI 4.

    Hey guys. Great news. Just got the OTA update to android 12 on my s21+. Was approximately 2.5gb! Wasn’t expecting it til next year!
    Source

    03:44 pm (IST): Samsung has reportedly released the stable One UI 4.0 update for Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S20 FE.

    The Galaxy S10 family is getting the One UI 4.0 update in Switzerland and Germany, while Galaxy S20 FE users are getting stable Android 12 in Switzerland. More on that here.

    Moreover, Verizon locked Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 are now getting stable Android 12-based One UI 4.0 update in the US.

    The latest update for Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 comes with versions F926USQS1BUL6 and F711USQS2BUL6 respectively. In addition, it also brings December 2021 security patch.

    05:20 (IST): Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 and Galaxy Tab S7+ are receiving stable Android 12-based One UI 4.0 update. The update seems to be rolling out in bunch of regions including Germany, UK, and more.

    Update 98 (December 30)

    10:02 am (IST): New reports now have it that the Android 12-based One UI 4 update for the Galaxy S20 and Note 20 series of devices might get a little delayed and rolled out next week, at least in Korea.

    Samsung attributes this to the Google Play compatibility issues that recently caused the rollout to get halted.

    You inquired about the release schedule of the Android official software version of the Note20 series.
    The Android official software version distribution of the Note20 series was in progress with the goal of releasing within December. However, a compatibility issue with the Google Play system has recently been discovered, and we are preparing an additional software version that improves the issue and testing this version.

    If the inspection process is successfully completed according to the planned schedule, it is expected to be distributed to the market during the next week.
    Source

    IST 1:09 pm: Samsung is now rolling out the stable One UI 4.0 update with Android 12 to users of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip and Galaxy Tab S7 Plus.

    Update 99 (December 31)

    10:18 am (IST): Samsung is reportedly rolling out stable Android 12-based One UI 4 to users of the Galaxy Note 10 series of devices as N97xxXXU7GULD along with users of the Galaxy Fold as F900FXXU6GUL9.

    11:49 am (IST): Reports coming in now indicate that the Galaxy S20 lineup’s Android 12-based One UI 4 update has been delayed, at least in Korea.

    Hello.
    One UI (Android 12) upgrade notice in Members has been updated today.
    Please understand that the status of a specific task may not be reflected in real time as it is being conducted for all tasks that are scheduled to be upgraded.

    Efforts are being made to distribute the updated version based on the announced schedule, but the
    version that changes the OS and One UI version has a high possibility of unexpected situations as there are many changes, so it is difficult to predict until verification is complete.
    We will do our best to provide a stable version.
    thank you.
    Source

    Similarly, users of the Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus and the Tab S5e in Korea should get updated to Android 12 in January along with owners of the Galaxy S20+ 5G (BTS Edition).

    Update 100 (January 01)

    12:51 pm (IST): Samsung is now rolling out Android 12 based One UI 4.0 update to Galaxy S10 5G in Switzerland. It comes with version G977BXXUBGULB and will be available for more units in the coming days.

    Also, the Android 12-based One UI 4.0 update has reached Galaxy S21 units in China. It can be identified with software version G99x0ZCU2BUL3.

    07:46 pm (IST): AT&T responded to a user’s query regarding the Android 12 update for Galaxy Z Flip 3 and said that they do not have any advance knowledge of the rollout.

    We do not have advance knowledge of the update but learn of the software update at the same time it is made available to customers. (Source)

    NOTE: This table is being updated regularly.

    PiunikaWeb started as purely an investigative tech journalism website with main focus on ‘breaking’ or ‘exclusive’ news. In no time, our stories got picked up by the likes of Forbes, Foxnews, Gizmodo, TechCrunch, Engadget, The Verge, Macrumors, and many others. Want to know more about us? Head here.



    Read original article here

    Business

    Evusheld to prevent Covid-19: There won’t be nearly enough for Americans who are eligible

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    But that joy quickly turned to despair as patients learned the government has only contracted for enough doses for less than one-tenth the number of people who are eligible for it.

    The first batch of the drug, called Evusheld, shipped out on Monday, according to a spokesperson for the US Department of Health and Human Services. Dr. Camille Kotton, an infectious disease expert at Mass General Brigham, said her medical system expects to receive in this shipment only doses to treat fewer than 1% of its thousands of immune-compromised patients.

    The Covid-19 vaccines worked well for many — but not all — people with suppressed immune systems, leaving them vulnerable to the virus. Evusheld is a monoclonal antibody, and doctors hoped to give it to their immune-compromised patients because it works in a different way than the vaccines.

    “I am very concerned about the immune-compromised population,” Kotton said. “I’m disappointed we don’t have better access, and I hope we have better access very soon so we can prevent as much illness and potentially death in this population as possible.”

    “It’s a shame that something that really could be a game changer for people who didn’t have a good vaccine response is now going to be something that is in short supply,” said Dr. Dorry Segev, a transplant surgeon at Johns Hopkins University and a leading researcher on vaccine effectiveness for people who are immune-compromised.

    In a clinical trial with more than 5,000 participants, those who received Evusheld — which is given in two shots one right after the other — saw a 77% reduced risk of developing Covid-19 compared to those who received a placebo, according to the FDA.
    Four percent of the people in the trial were immune-compromised, according to a company spokesperson, but their results have not been published separately.

    CNN interviewed more than two dozen Americans whose suppressed immune systems kept them from getting full protection from Covid-19 vaccines.

    “I cried tears of joy when I read the headline about Evusheld. Finally, we had hope, and then to have it dashed — well, the reality is sinking in,” said Diane Barron, 51.

    Barron has lymphoma and rheumatoid arthritis, and her immune system is weak. Blood tests show even after three doses of Pfizer’s vaccine, she has no detectable antibodies against Covid-19. At high risk of dying from the virus, Barron remains a virtual prisoner in her home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

    So do many other people with compromised immune systems — many transplant recipients, for example, or certain patients with cancers or autoimmune diseases.
    About 7 million adults in the US are immune-compromised and could benefit from Evusheld, according to its manufacturer, AstraZeneca. The federal government, which is the sole distributor of the drug, has contracted for only enough doses to treat 700,000 people.
    The 7 million figure comes from US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention information about vaccines and the immune-compromised. The drug is also available to immune-compromised adolescents ages 12-17.

    AstraZeneca does have more doses available for purchase, a company spokesperson told CNN.

    “The US government could purchase more doses if they wanted to,” the company spokesperson wrote in an email. “We already hold inventory of finished product that exceeds near-term forecast demand, and manufacturing capacity has been reserved with significant further quantities of product already in various stages of manufacture in the supply chain.”

    One health official told CNN the government “is preparing to purchase significantly more Evusheld” than the 700,000 doses.

    That official, and some others contacted by CNN, asked to speak anonymously in order to candidly discuss preparations and planning.

    When asked why the government thus far has contracted for only the 700,000 doses, Cicely Waters, an HHS spokesperson, said that “primary protection from COVID-19 related disease including immunocompromised populations is still through vaccination.”

    But it’s likely that millions of immune-compromised people did not get protective immunity through vaccination, and could benefit from a monoclonal antibody, Segev told CNN.

    In a clinical trial, protection against Covid-19 lasted at least six months, according to AstraZeneca. The trial was conducted before the arrival of the Omicron variant, but the company says lab tests show Evusheld retains activity against it.

    Immune-compromised people who fail to get protective immunity from Covid-19 vaccines tell CNN that the anticipated shortage of Evusheld is the latest in a long list of ways the federal government has failed to protect people who are immune-compromised.

    “Frustrated. Abandoned. Forgotten. Angry,” said Janet Handal, a kidney transplant recipient and co-founder of an advocacy organization for transplant recipients and others who are immune-compromised, when asked how people in her group feel about the government’s efforts to protect them.

    When asked about the few options available to immune-compromised people, a senior health official confirmed that Evusheld is the only drug available for pre-exposure prevention. The official added that the government has “built an arsenal of treatments” for people who have Covid-19 and are at risk of progressing to severe Covid-19.

    “We haven’t put all eggs in one basket, and we continue to grow these supplies and bring more products online to have an array of treatment tools at our disposal,” the official wrote in an email to CNN.

    The official said Evusheld will be distributed by states, which will in turn distribute them to health care providers “in a manner consistent with clinical guidelines and recommendations for those who should receive them.”

    “As always, equity remains central to our planning, which is why we are encouraging states to incorporate equity considerations into their distribution plans to ensure this product reaches those who need it most,” the official wrote.

    Warnings for months about vaccines and the immune-compromised

    Handal and other patients want to know why the government contracted for only up to 700,000 doses of Evusheld when it has been expected for months that many more would be needed.

    In March, doctors at Johns Hopkins published a research letter in the medical journal JAMA analyzing immune responses of 436 transplant recipients who had received one dose of either the Moderna or Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.
    A Hopkins news release was blunt: “disappointingly,” only 17% of the patients produced detectable antibodies in response to the shot.

    “This is in stark contrast to people with healthy immune systems who are vaccinated, nearly all of whom mount a sufficient antibody defense against COVID-19,” said lead author Dr. Brian Boyarsky.

    Over the next few months, studies in the US and other countries emerged that with two or even three doses of Covid-19 vaccines, many people with suppressed immune systems were not getting protective immunity.

    The problem lies in the nature of the vaccines. They act like an instruction manual, giving the immune system a recipe for how to make antibodies to the virus that causes Covid. But a suppressed immune system doesn’t always know how to read those instructions or is unable to act on them.

    “They make very poor immune responses,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser told CNN in June. “You’re going to have to figure out — what do we need to do differently to adequately protect these people?”

    Monoclonal antibodies work differently than vaccines. They don’t give instructions for how to make antibodies. They just deliver antibodies, either through an infusion or shots.

    In August, Fauci spoke at a White House briefing about “the benefit of prevention using monoclonal antibodies” and how they could have a “major effect” in the prevention of Covid-19.
    In October on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb called immune-compromised people one of the “pockets of vulnerability” and said that “we could be using the antibody drugs on a prophylactic basis.”

    Also in October, a top FDA official mentioned the need for monoclonal antibodies for some immune-compromised patients.

    For people who take certain drugs for cancer or autoimmune diseases, “you can pretty well bet they are not going to respond to vaccination, and you probably want to be pursuing some prophylactic strategies with a monoclonal,” Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said at an event sponsored by the CDC and the Infectious Disease Society of America.

    At the same event, Dr. Myron Cohen said that “we need these monoclonal antibodies to be approved for pre-exposure prophylaxis,” so that if an immune-compromised person doesn’t respond to the vaccine, “we have something to give them.”

    Cohen, director of the Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, discussed how doctors feel when they don’t have an alternative to offer their immune-compromised patients who failed to fully respond to the vaccines.

    “It’s very upsetting to physicians, the situation that we’re in right now,” he said.

    ‘I had to DIY it’

    This statistic sends chills down the spines of many immune-compromised people: Between 40-44% of fully vaccinated people who have ended up in the hospital with Covid-19 were immune-compromised, according to small studies cited by the CDC.

    They know that means the Covid-19 vaccines — while a miracle for so many — didn’t work well for a lot of people like them.

    All summer long, as the Delta variant raged through the United States killing hundreds of thousands of people, the immune-compromised scrambled to try to figure out ways to protect themselves.

    Handal, the kidney transplant recipient, says if she had listened to the FDA, she might be dead by now.

    In April, as the studies started to accumulate, French health authorities recommended third doses for severely immune-compromised people.

    But in April, the FDA was telling Americans — including the immune-compromised — to get two shots of Moderna or Pfizer vaccines.

    Handal, 71, a technology specialist who worked at the White House during the Clinton administration and now lives in New York City, decided to take matters into her own hands.

    As a participant in the Hopkins study, she knew that two doses of Moderna had given her barely detectable levels of antibodies.

    On April 28, she received a third shot of a Covid-19 vaccine, after consulting with her nephrologist who said he didn’t object, Handal said.

    Handal’s antibodies went up significantly. While they didn’t reach levels seen in people with healthy immune systems, she still felt better protected than with two shots.

    More than three months later, on August 12, the FDA gave emergency use authorization for a third shot for immune-compromised people. The next day, the CDC made an official recommendation that immune-compromised people should get a third shot.

    Handal shudders to think what might have happened to her if she’d waited for an OK from federal agencies before getting her third shot, given Delta’s rampant spread in the US between April and August, and how vulnerable she is with a suppressed immune system.

    She knows she’s one of the lucky ones. She knew about her low antibody levels because she’s in the Hopkins study and she’s bold and was willing to defy government guidelines.

    “I had to DIY it,” Handal said. “The immune-compromised have been left behind in the thinking during this pandemic from the very beginning.”

    “I’m trying to keep myself alive, and it takes a while for the FDA and the CDC to catch up,” she added. “The government has been late to the game. They’re not looking out for us, so we’ve had to look out for ourselves.”

    An FDA spokesperson said the agency is “committed to quickly and thoroughly” reviewing applications for emergency use authorization.

    “The agency worked quickly once clinically meaningful data were available to authorize the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to allow for the use of an additional dose in certain immunocompromised individuals. The authorization was ultimately based on the science and data available at that time, as has been the case throughout the pandemic,” the spokesperson, Chanapa Tantibanchachai wrote in an email to CNN. “The FDA has worked around the clock throughout this pandemic to ensure the public, including immune compromised individuals, has access to the tools needed to best protect themselves, based on the best available data on those tools.”

    A CDC spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment from CNN.

    Kidney transplant recipient finds a loophole

    Other immune-compromised patients also say they’ve had to “DIY it.” They said once they learned that their weak immune systems had not fully responded to the Covid-19 vaccines, they had to use their ingenuity to find government loopholes to get monoclonal antibodies to prevent Covid-19.

    Many of them describe it as a “Hunger Games”-like endeavor to protect themselves.

    Some have succeeded. Others have failed.

    Cohen, the UNC infectious disease expert, said he often receives their desperate pleas.

    “Every day I get emails — it breaks my heart,” Cohen said. “It’s upsetting. They are suffering so much.”

    Cohen gets these emails because patients notice he’s done research on Regeneron, the first monoclonal antibody to receive emergency use authorization from the FDA.

    The patients are looking for prevention, but Regeneron is authorized only to treat people with Covid-19 (its most famous patient is former President Donald Trump) or who’ve been exposed to the virus.

    Some patients, however, find loopholes.

    Jef Kinney found one because he’s relentless.

    In April, Kinney, 62, a kidney transplant recipient who lives in Oxford, Maryland, told his nephrologist he’d received two doses of Moderna and planned to get out of the house and start being social again.

    “Basically what I got was, ‘Whoa, cowboy, it’s going to be 2022 before you’re out and about.’ And I said, ‘Pardon me?’ ” Kinney remembers. “She said, ‘You need to lead your life like you’re unvaccinated.’ “

    Kinney was lucky that his physician advised him that because of his weak immune system, the vaccines might not have been very effective for him. Handal and many other members of the patient organization she co-founded, the Transplant Recipients and Immunocompromised Patient Advocacy Group, say last spring and summer, as Delta raged, doctors and transplant centers typically did not reach out to patients to give them this warning.

    Fully advised, Kinney, a self-described “data hog,” got to work.

    A retired vice president at Fannie Mae of innovation development, he’s accustomed to doing research, and quickly found the Hopkins studies, and emailed Segev, one of the authors.

    Segev wrote back, and Kinney joined the study and learned he did not have any detectable antibodies from his two doses of Moderna.

    “I felt pretty naked out there, with no protection,” he said.

    Kinney found an article online that mentioned Leah Lipsich, an executive at Regeneron. He sent her an email, and Lipsich connected him to the team that runs the company’s “compassionate use” program.

    Under compassionate use, doctors can ask Regeneron and the FDA for permission to use the company’s monoclonal antibody drug under certain circumstances.

    Kinney asked one of his doctors to submit the necessary paperwork, and the doctor declined. Other immune-compromised people said their doctors also turned them down because compassionate use applications involve paperwork, and the doctors told them they did not have time to do it for all their immune-compromised patients.

    Kinney’s family physician, whom he describes as a “small town doc,” agreed to submit the paperwork, but then he hit another snag. For compassionate use applications, doctors are required to get permission from an Institutional Review Board. While medical centers have such boards in-house, typically individual doctors don’t.

    Months passed as Kinney and his doctor worked on the compassionate use application. Then Kinney received an email that his nephrologist, who works at a large medical center, had agreed to submit his paperwork for compassionate use. Kinney finally received his first dose of Regeneron’s monoclonal antibody in November, after a seven-month effort to get the drug.

    “Let me tell you, if I hadn’t been on top of this, none of this would have happened,” Kinney said. “You need to be smart and you need to be persistent. It’s a hard slog to get people to engage.”

    “I’m very aggressive in pursuing people. I realize there are people who don’t have the resources to do that, or who don’t know how to do that, or would look at a doctor and say, ‘Well, I can’t be bothering a doctor.’ I don’t have those issues.”

    Cancer patient finds another loophole

    Lisa Wiest managed to get monoclonal antibodies to prevent Covid-19 because she knows how to think on her feet.

    Wiest, who has chronic lymphocythic leukemia, learned last spring that her Covid-19 vaccinations had given her barely detectable levels of antibodies.

    While her friends and family were getting protection from their vaccines, Wiest, who was 50 at the time, felt vulnerable and unprotected.

    In August, Wiest, a federal employee who lives in Rochester, New York, heard that the state of Florida had set up clinics to give monoclonal antibodies. On a trip to visit a friend there in September, she went to a clinic in Clearwater that was offering Regeneron’s antibodies to qualified patients.

    Wiest told the nurse at the clinic that she had a blood cancer and had received very little antibody response to her first two shots. She thought that would be enough to get the Regeneron infusion.

    It wasn’t.

    While the European Commission has authorized Regeneron’s drug for prevention, the FDA has not. In the US, Regeneron is only authorized to treat certain people who have Covid-19 or who have been exposed to the virus, meaning they have been within six feet of someone with Covid-19 for a total of 15 minutes or more. Wiest didn’t fall into either category.

    But the FDA left some wiggle room, and Wiest jumped on it.

    The FDA allows someone to get Regeneron if they are immune-compromised and are “in the same institutional setting” as people who have Covid, “for example, nursing homes or prisons.”

    The wiggle room patients have found is in the phrase “for example” — someone doesn’t have to actually be in a nursing home or prison to be eligible to get the drug.

    Wiest explained to the nurse that her husband is a pastor, and since Covid-19 was rampant in their community, potentially she was exposed every Sunday in church.

    That didn’t cut it.

    Then she told the nurse that she’d just gotten off a three-hour flight.

    Wiest says that did the trick. The nurse gave her an infusion of Regeneron’s monoclonal antibodies.

    While relieved to get the medicine, Wiest wishes the federal government would make it easier for people like her to get protected against Covid-19.

    “I would like to see the powers that be listen to our little voice. We’re a small group, but we’re genuinely upset that the vaccine didn’t work for many of us. Even with Evusheld, we’re going to have to fight and advocate for ourselves,” she said.

    The state of Florida did not return emails from CNN asking about standards at the state-run clinics.

    In early June, Regeneron asked the FDA to expand its emergency use authorization to include prevention for everyone who is immune-compromised, according to Dr. George Yancopolous, Regeneron’s president and chief scientific officer.

    “We assumed that it was going to happen rapidly and these people would be protected,” Yancopolous said. “We are disappointed that there hasn’t been faster action on this.”

    “We don’t want to antagonize the FDA,” Yancopolous added. “They’re pulled in so many directions and [immune-compromised] people sort of fell into a hole.”

    Chanapa Tantibanchachai, the FDA spokesperson, said the agency is “committing to quickly and thoroughly reviewing all submitted applications, including requests for Emergency Use Authorization, to speed patient access to medicines to prevent or treat COVID-19 provided they meet the agency’s rigorous standards.”

    A Christmas miracle

    Much has changed since Kinney and Wiest fought to get monoclonal antibodies this summer and fall. HHS and the FDA say it is “unlikely” that Regeneron “will retain activity” against the Omicron variant.

    Evusheld, however, retains neutralizing ability against the highly transmissible variant, according to AstraZeneca.

    As immune-compromised patients wait to see if they’ll be one of the relatively few to get a dose of Evusheld, all doctors can do is tell their immune-compromised patients to be careful about masking and social distancing — and to get vaccinated.

    In October, the CDC told the immune-compromised they may get a fourth shot at least six months after their third shot of Pfizer or Moderna.

    Even though immune-compromised people often don’t have a robust antibody response to the vaccine, it’s still important to get vaccinated because the shots could help improve other parts of the immune system besides antibodies that are more difficult to measure, Segev said.

    For weeks, Barron, the lymphoma and rheumatoid arthritis patient in Florida, called the state health department and her physicians nearly every day, trying to get one of the precious doses of Evusheld allocated to her state.

    She made calls to help other immune-compromised patients get the drug, too. She says she’s helping others in the spirit of, and in honor of, her beloved cousin, who died of the virus last summer.

    Dr. Clinton Potter, who practiced in Naples, Florida, cared for patients with HIV/AIDS, and championed the rights of the LBGT community. Like Barron, he was fully vaccinated but had cancer and a suppressed immune system.

    “When he died, I cried because I was lost in grief, but also because he was in my position. I sobbed for it all — for my vulnerability, for not knowing what was going to take me out of this,” Barron said.

    This past week, she worked with particular fervor: Ten close family members, all of them fully vaccinated, tested positive for Covid-19.

    Then on Thursday, she received a text message.

    “Looks like I’ve received a Christmas miracle,” she wrote to CNN.”Got a text tonight. I have an appointment to get one of the first and few doses of Evusheld at noon tomorrow, Dec 24.”

    She wrote that she’s getting the shots “thanks to relentless persistence, Janet’s group and sheer luck,” referring to the support group for people with compromised immune systems.

    She thinks of her cousin all the time. Before he died of Covid in August, she often turned to him for guidance on how to stay alive in the pandemic as an immune-compromised person. After he passed away, she felt more alone than ever.

    “It’s such a lonely place. … It’s very disheartening and frustrating,” she said. “You just feel like you’re completely figuring it out on your own.”

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    Sports

    Chicago Bulls players have cleared NBA’s COVID protocols and are eligible to play

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    CHICAGO — All Bulls players have cleared health and safety protocols and will be available to play in the team’s next game against the Indiana Pacers, coach Billy Donovan said Thursday.

    The Bulls had as many as 10 players in the league’s protocols at the start of last week, which led to the NBA’s first two postponed games of the season. Chicago had a third game postponed Wednesday night against the Toronto Raptors because Toronto did have enough available players, which gave the Bulls an opportunity to get whole after their roster was depleted by COVID-19.

    “Hopefully we have herd immunity coming back and we won’t have any more guys go down in the later months,” Bulls guard Zach LaVine said after practice Thursday. “I’m just thankful everybody is OK and everybody’s families are OK. Now we can get things rolling again as a full group.”

    LaVine rejoined the team for practice Thursday after completing his mandatory 10-day quarantine. He remained asymptomatic during his stint in the league’s protocol, but checked into a hotel room to isolate from his wife for a week full of video games and Netflix.

    LaVine, who also missed 11 games last season in the league’s health and safety protocol, said he was able to maintain a workout routine this time and gained six pounds during quarantine. He returned to the court for individual work earlier this week.

    “It’s frustrating, but it’s the world we’re living in now,” LaVine said. “A lot of guys and teams are dealing with it. I’m just thankful I only missed two games.”

    Devon Dotson, who entered health and safety protocols on Tuesday, had two negative PCR tests in 24 hours and practiced with the team Thursday.

    Ayo Dosunmu, Troy Brown Jr., Matt Thomas and Alize Johnson also were cleared to play.

    The only players not available for Chicago’s next game are Alex Caruso, who the team plans to reevaluate in 7-10 days after spraining his left foot during Monday’s game, and Derrick Jones Jr., who injured his left hamstring during Sunday’s game.

    The Bulls signed two players — Ersan Ilyasova and Mac McClung — to a 10-day contract via hardship exception before Wednesday’s game got postponed. Once players who exit the league’s health and safety protocols are cleared medically to play, the hardship exception is terminated for that replacement player, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks. The player will still receive the full 10-day salary.

    “We’re starting to get a little bit more whole,” Donovan said. “We went from trying to add players to our team to looking at what our roster is going to look like going forward. … You’re thinking you don’t have enough roster spots and 24 hours later, you have maybe too many roster spots. We’ll have to figure all that out.”

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    US

    Fox Christmas tree arson suspect Craig Tamanaha released, not eligible for bail

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    The arsonist who allegedly torched the Fox News Christmas tree was freed after his arraignment Wednesday night because his charges were not eligible for bail under new liberal reform laws.

    “I didn’t do it!” suspect Craig Tamanaha, 49, claimed to reporters outside Manhattan criminal court after being asked about the early morning arson that caused about $500,000 in damage outside the Midtown building that houses Fox News, the Wall Street Journal and the New York Post.

    Tamanaha, a vagrant with a lengthy rap sheet, also went on an incoherent rant outside the courthouse. He denied the arson and hurled obscenities at reporters before asking them for a cigarette.

    “The moms that want to rape their f—ing daughters — they set it on fire,” he yelled.

    The suspect was charged with a slew of misdemeanor charges — including arson, criminal mischief, reckless endangerment and criminal trespass — for allegedly setting ablaze the 50-foot tall artificial tree with a piece of cardboard that was on fire.

    Assistant District Attorney Matthew Bayley said at the arraignment that Tamanaha was “not charged with a bail eligible offense.”

    Judge Martinez Alonso granted Tamanaha a supervised release at the request of prosecutors.

    For a judge to set bail, Tamanaha would have to be charged with at least third-degree felony arson, criminal defense lawyer Mark Bederow told FOX News.

    Under New York law, arson is only a felony if the suspect tries to harm a person or commits a hate crime, he clarified.

    The arsonist who allegedly torched the Fox News Christmas tree was freed after his arraignment due to his charges of not being eligible for bail.
    William C. Lopez/NYPOST

    Two open warrants for desk appearance tickets were also vacated by the judge.

    Tamanaha was told to return to court on Jan. 4 and seemed confused about the order.

    “Today I have to be here?,” Tamanaha responded.

    The early morning arson caused by the alleged suspect about $500,000 in damage outside the Midtown building that houses Fox News, the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Post.
    Billy Becerra/NY Post

    The suspect has a history of destructive stunts, is homeless and abuses drugs, his father told The Post earlier Wednesday.

    “Oh, he’s a nut. I can’t control him,” Richard Tamanaha, of Hawaii, said. “Mentally, he’s not all there.”

    Since New York’s lenient bail reform went into effect, crime in the Big Apple has risen.

    Outgoing Police Commissioner Dermot Shea recently described “the resulting crime that has flowed from disastrous bail reform law” as “insanity.”

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    Business

    Covid vaccine boosters are now available. Here’s who’s eligible for Pfizer, Moderna and J&J’s shots

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    A patient receives their coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine booster during a Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination clinic in Southfield, Michigan, U.S., September 29, 2021.

    Emily Elconin | Reuters

    Nearly 100 million people nationwide are immediately eligible to receive Covid booster shots after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention authorized extra doses of Moderna and Johnson & Johnson’s vaccines Thursday night.

    The agency’s decision also enables fully immunized people to pair their boosters with doses from different manufacturers after research from the National Institutes of Health showed it was safe and effective to mix and match vaccines. Pfizer and BioNTech’s boosters were widely cleared for use in the U.S. on Sept. 24.

    Some 11.6 million individuals across the country have already received their boosters, and the CDC’s approvals opened them up to tens of millions of more people. But not everyone is eligible. Here is who’s allowed to get the extra doses in the U.S. based on their first round of shots:

    Pfizer-BioNTech

    More than 47 million Pfizer vaccine recipients who received both shots at least six months ago became eligible for a booster Friday, according to data presented Thursday before the CDC’s advisory committee. That includes:

    • Anyone 65 and older.
    • All adults age 18 to 64 who have cancer, dementia, diabetes, heart disease, HIV and other medical conditions that increase their likelihood of Covid complications.
    • Anyone 18 or older who live or work in a long-term care facility, homeless shelter and prison or other congregate setting.
    • Front-line personnel 18 or older who are at a higher risk of Covid exposure due to their job, including first responders, teachers, supermarket staff and mass transit employees.

    Moderna

    More than 39.1 million Moderna vaccine recipients who received both shots at least six months ago became eligible for a booster Friday, according to the CDC presentation. The CDC adopted the same criteria for Moderna recipients as Pfizer since the two companies use the same mRNA technology in their Covid vaccines. They include.

    • Anyone 65 and older.
    • All adults age 18 to 64 who have cancer, dementia, diabetes, heart disease, HIV and other medical conditions that increase their likelihood of Covid complications.
    • Anyone 18 or older who live or work in a long-term care facility, homeless shelter and prison or other congregate setting.
    • Front-line personnel 18 or older who are at a higher risk of Covid exposure due to their job, including first responders, teachers, supermarket staff and mass transit employees.

    Johnson & Johnson

    The CDC adopted a slightly different criteria for J&J’s one-shot Covid vaccine, making almost 13 million recipients eligible as of Friday. That includes

    • All adults who were vaccinated with J&J’s Covid vaccine at least two months ago, instead of six months with Pfizer and Moderna.
    • All adult J&J recipients are eligible for a booster even if they don’t have underlying medical conditions or work in a profession or live where there’s a higher risk of Covid.

    Read original article here

    Health

    More than 75% of eligible Bexar County residents are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, marking major milestone

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    SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio and Bexar County officials are celebrating what they called a major milestone in the effort to increase COVID-19 vaccinations.

    As of Thursday, Bexar County reported that 1,263,881 residents 12 and older are now fully vaccinated, amounting to more than 75%. More than 90% have received at least one dose, amounting to 1,516,675 as of Thursday.

    While San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg was pleased with the progress, he noted an important caveat in those numbers.

    “Please remember that children younger than 12 are still not eligible for vaccination and that means we still have a considerable ways to go for our community to be fully vaccinated,” Nirenberg said.

    Nirenberg reported two new COVID-19 deaths in Bexar County, totaling 4,651 since the pandemic began.

    There were also 249 new COVID-19 cases, with a 7-day rolling average of 328.

    There are 393 patients in area hospitals (roughly 70% unvaccinated), with 148 in the ICU and 75 on ventilators.

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    Booster COVID-19 vaccines are being administered at the Alamodome and other Metro Health administration locations. Those who would like to get a booster shot are asked to bring their vaccine cards with them. While an appointment isn’t required, you can still make one by visiting the city’s COVID-19 website. Eligibility will be verified using the state registry.

    The booster shots are only for those who are eligible under CDC guidelines and have received the Pfizer vaccine. Those who received Moderna or Johnson and Johnson vaccines will be turned away at this time. Click here to learn who is eligible for a booster.

    The Alamodome site is open from noon to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Friday.

    Officials are also encouraging people to get their flu shots. Many retail pharmacies are offering COVID-19 booster and flu vaccines for those who can’t make it to the city or county sites. Check with your local pharmacy for vaccine availability.

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    Watch the entire briefing in the video player above to hear more from city and county leaders.

    MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE FROM KSAT

    Copyright 2021 by KSAT – All rights reserved.

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    Health

    80% Of Eligible San Diegans Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19 | News

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    A total of 2,242,203 San Diegans, 80% of those eligible, are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the County Health and Human Services Agency announced today.

    The milestone places San Diego among the most vaccinated counties in the state and the nation.

    “San Diegans have done a great job getting vaccinated against COVID-19,” said Seema Shah, M.D., medical director for HHSA’s Epidemiology and Immunization Services branch. “However, we should not get complacent. The COVID-19 pandemic is not over and those who are immunocompromised, ineligible or otherwise vulnerable need our collective protection. Eligible residents should continue getting vaccinated and get their booster shot when it’s their turn.”

    More than 400 locations countywide offer no-cost COVID-19 vaccinations. They include doctors’ offices, retail pharmacies (Rite Aid, Walgreens, CVS, etc.), community clinics and County public health centers.

    “Local health care providers and many other County partners have made a tremendous effort to encourage San Diegans to get vaccinated and to make the vaccine available to anyone who wants it,” Shah said.

    Vaccine supplies remain plentiful, both for those seeking initial doses and boosters for those who received the Pfizer vaccine and meet the criteria. A complete list of locations and booster eligibility details are at coronavirus-sd.com.

    Vaccination Progress:

    • Doses administered: Over 4.87 million.
    • Received at least one shot: More than 2.5 million or 89.2% of San Diegans 12 and older are partially vaccinated.
    • Fully vaccinated: Over 2.24 million or 80%.
    • More vaccination information can be found at coronavirus-sd.com/vaccine.

    Deaths:

    • 37 new deaths were reported since the last report on Oct. 6, 2021. The region’s total is 4,141.
    • 27 men and 10 women between Aug. 22 and Oct. 10, 2021.
    • Seven were 80 years of age or older, nine were in their 70s, eight were in their 60s, six were in their 50s, five were in their 40s and two were in their 30s.
    • Six of the people who died were fully vaccinated and 31 were not fully vaccinated.
    • 35 had underlying medical conditions, one did not, and one had medical history pending.

    Cases, Hospitalizations, Case Rates and Testing:

    • 333 COVID-19 cases were reported to the County on Oct. 12. The region’s total is now 362,618.
    • 3,241 cases were reported in the past week (Oct. 6 through Oct. 12) compared to 3,631 cases the previous week (Sept. 29 through Oct. 5).
    • In the past 30 days (Sept. 13 to Oct. 12), there were 263 COVID-19 hospitalizations; 258 people were not fully vaccinated and five were fully vaccinated.
    • San Diego County’s case rate per 100,000 residents is 15.4 overall, 8.3 for fully vaccinated people and 25.8 for not fully vaccinated San Diegans.
    • 15,149 tests were reported to the County on Oct. 12, and the percentage of new positive cases was 2.2%.
    • The 14-day rolling percentage of positive cases among tests is 2.3%.

    Community Setting Outbreaks:

    • 21 new community outbreaks were confirmed in the past seven days (Oct. 6 through Oct. 12): 11 in TK-12 grade school settings, four in daycare/preschool/childcare settings, two in business settings, two in restaurant/bar settings, one in a government setting and one in a hotel/resort/spa setting.
    • The community outbreaks trigger is more than seven in a 7-day period.

    More Information:

    Data updates to the County’s coronavirus-sd.com website are published around 5 p.m.

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    US

    Los Angeles Unified School District set to vote on mandating Covid-19 vaccines for eligible students

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    “We imagine by second semester, our middle school and high school campuses will be absolutely even safer than they are today,” LAUSD school board member Tanya Ortiz Franklin told CNN’s John Berman on Thursday morning.

    According to a report included with an online copy of Thursday’s agenda, all students who are 12 or older and are attending school in-person would be required to have received their first dose no later than November 21 and be fully vaccinated by December 19. Students participating in extracurricular activities in-person would need to be fully vaccinated by the end of October.

    The report says “students with qualified and approved exemptions and conditional admissions” would be excluded from the mandate, but it doesn’t provide additional detail about potential exemptions.

    LAUSD, which serves more than 600,000 students and began school on August 16, would be the first major school district in the United States to mandate Covid-19 vaccines for its eligible students. A smaller district in Los Angeles County, Culver City Unified School District, announced in August it planned to require eligible students to be vaccinated by mid-November.

    LAUSD estimates at least 150,000 doses will need to be administered if the requirement is approved, Franklin said, but Los Angeles County has the doses and the capability to undertake this effort.

    Students who decline to get the vaccine but don’t have an exemption can enroll in the district’s Independent Study Program, an online resource that already has about 15,000 students who have opted for that learning option for a variety of reasons, Franklin said.

    The district is “trying to do everything we possibly can to keep our schools safe,” Franklin said, including instituting mask wearing, testing and upgrading schools’ air filtration systems.

    “Cases are on the rise and children are at risk from the Delta variant in ways we didn’t see last semester,” she said, “and our responsibility to children and our communities is their safety and well-being.”

    The vaccine by Pfizer/BioNTech is the only one available in the US authorized for emergency use for children between 12 and 15, though the vaccine has received full approval by the US Food and Drug Administration for people 16 and older.

    But that’s not an issue for the LAUSD school board, Franklin told CNN, saying, “We understand the benefits far outweigh the risks, and so the emergency authorization really isn’t weighing into our decision.”

    “It is about the access,” she added, “and that we can provide it in this country to our children, and we want to do that as quickly as possible.”

    Board member Jackie Goldberg said the mandate was “to save lives,” CNN affiliate KCBS/KCAL reported.

    “That’s why there isn’t measles and mumps and rubella in our schools — because we vaccinate and we require it.”

    White House press secretary Jen Psaki praised the move Thursday, telling CNN, “Good for them.” But she also said it was important everyone around students were also inoculated to protect students under 12 who remain ineligible for vaccines.

    Read original article here

    US

    Los Angeles Unified School District set to vote on mandating Covid-19 vaccines for eligible students

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    “By the start of spring semester, every student 12 and up who is eligible and doesn’t have an exemption will have received a vaccine,” LAUSD school board member Tanya Ortiz Franklin told CNN affiliate KCBS/KCAL, adding the district will be providing the vaccines.
    According to a report included with an online copy of Thursday’s agenda, all students who are 12 or older and are attending school in-person would be required to have received their first dose no later than November 21 and be fully vaccinated by December 19. Students participating in extracurricular activities in-person would need to be fully vaccinated by the end of October.

    The report says “students with qualified and approved exemptions and conditional admissions” would be excluded from the mandate, but it doesn’t provide additional detail about potential exemptions.

    LAUSD, which serves more than 600,000 students and began school on August 16, would be the first major school district in the United States to mandate Covid-19 vaccines for its eligible students. A smaller district in Los Angeles County, Culver City Unified School District, announced in August it planned to require eligible students to be vaccinated by mid-November.

    Franklin told CNN’s John Berman the district is “trying to do everything we possibly can to keep our schools safe,” pointing to the Delta variant as a threat to the community.

    “Children are at risk from the Delta variant in ways we didn’t see last semester,” she said, “and our responsibility to children and our communities is their safety and well-being.”

    The vaccine by Pfizer/BioNTech is the only one available in the US authorized for emergency use for children between 12 and 15, though the vaccine has received full approval by the US Food and Drug Administration for people 16 and older.

    But that’s not an issue for the LAUSD school board, Franklin told CNN, saying, “We understand the benefits far outweigh the risks, and so the emergency authorization really isn’t weighing into our decision.”

    “It is about the access,” she added, “and that we can provide it in this country to our children, and we want to do that as quickly as possible.”

    Board member Jackie Goldberg said the mandate was “to save lives,” KCBS/KCAL reported.

    “That’s why there isn’t measles and mumps and rubella in our schools — because we vaccinate and we require it.”

    Read original article here

    US

    Coronavirus US: It could be February before all eligible Americans get at least one vaccine dose, analysis shows

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    More than 90 million eligible people in the US are still unvaccinated. And though the seven-day average of people initiating vaccination each day is the highest it has been since July 4 at 446,300, many experts say the US is still not where it needs to be to get the pandemic — and the rapidly spreading Delta variant — under control.

    With less than half of the population fully vaccinated, cases have surged again, causing serious illness.

    On Tuesday, for the first time since February, more than 50,000 hospital beds across the country were occupied by Covid-19 patients, according to new data from the US Department of Health and Human Services. That number is more than triple what it was a month ago.

    “We are not crying wolf here. This surge that we’re going through right now has every potential to be — and already looks to be — the worst surge we’ve faced so far,” former US Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams said during a live online interview with The Washington Post on Tuesday.

    National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci said Tuesday he would like the US to be at upwards of one million vaccinations per day to close the vaccination gap.

    “We may get there when mandates come, but it can’t be 250,000, 500,000 a day, otherwise it’s going to go well into the winter. I want to get there sooner,” Fauci said.

    With the spread of the Delta variant, it might not be possible to stop the spread of coronavirus completely, National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Francis Collins said Tuesday.

    “But we could still get to a place where this becomes a nuisance instead of a threat to your life.”

    Experts considering boosters for immunocompromised people, Fauci says

    Although experts have said data so far does not indicate a need for the general population to get vaccines boosters, Fauci said there is an effort underway to get them for immunocompromised people.

    Some conditions — including autoimmune diseases, transplants and cancer treated with chemotherapy — compromise people’s immune systems.

    “Those individuals we know almost invariably do not have an adequate response, so the need to give them an additional boost is much more emergent than the general population,” Fauci said during a virtual event hosted by Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam Tuesday.

    Vaccine advisers to the CDC have met to discuss whether immunocompromised people may need additional protection from a vaccine booster but have not yet presented a formal recommendation or voted on guidance.

    “We are trying very hard to get the regulatory mechanism in place very soon to get those individuals a boost that might bring up their immunity to the level where it should be, if possible,” Fauci said.

    During a discussion hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies Tuesday, Fauci said it’s “very likely” Covid-19 variants evolved in the bodies of those who are immunosuppressed.

    People with immune suppression may be unable to fight off Covid-19 infections for weeks or even months, meaning the virus has plenty of time to evolve and change.

    “Variants, we all know, have emerged because of the pressure that the human immune system has put on the virus, very likely from people who are immunosuppressed … and had virus in them for days and days and days before they cleared it and/or died, and then essentially led to the emergence of a variant,” Fauci said.

    ‘Substantial’ increase in cases among children and teens

    With the new school year stirring concerns about protecting children from Covid-19, the American Academy of Pediatrics said Tuesday there’s been a “substantial” increase in cases among children.

    Nearly 72,000 children and teens caught Covid-19 last week — five times as many as at the end of June, the group said.

    The definition of a child varies by state, but generally includes those up to age 17 or 18.

    Covid-19 protocols vary across the country, but when children go back to school, districts will need to know how to respond to outbreaks quickly.

    Districts need to be prepared to enact contact tracing, testing, the quarantining of people who were exposed to the virus and the isolation of people with infections, Dr. William Schaffner, a professor at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, told CNN.

    While most schools follow those steps to isolate cases, contact trace and test, response plans can vary state by state and school district by school district, Kim Anderson, executive director of the National Education Association, told CNN.

    “From what we understand, it does depend on what district you are in. The district should have very well thought-out outbreak plans that have included the voices of educators and parents and community members in the crafting of those plans, and they should have plans that follow the CDC recommendations,” Anderson said.

    “Our recommendation to all students and school districts is to follow the medical experts and follow the CDC,” she said.

    CNN’s Deidre McPhillips, Matthew Hilk, Jacqueline Howard, Virginia Langmaid, Lauren Mascarenhas and Jen Christensen contributed to this report.

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