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8 Things to Know about the U.S. COVID-19 Vaccination Program

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8 Things to Know about the U.S. COVID-19 Vaccination Program

 

Updated Jan. 5, 2021

 

Now that there are authorized and recommended vaccines to prevent COVID-19 in the United States, here are 8 things you need to know about the new COVID-19 Vaccination Program and COVID-19 vaccines.

More Information for Healthcare Professionals

The safety of COVID-19 vaccines is a top priority.

The U.S. vaccine safety system ensures that all vaccines are as safe as possible. Learn how federal partners are working together to ensure the safety of COVID-19 vaccines.

CDC has developed a new tool, v-safe, as an additional layer of safety monitoring to increase our ability to rapidly detect any safety issues with COVID-19 vaccines. V-safe is a new smartphone-based, after-vaccination health checker for people who receive COVID-19 vaccines.

COVID-19 vaccination will help protect you from getting COVID-19. Two doses are needed.
Depending on the specific vaccine you get, a second shot 3-4 weeks after your first shot is needed to get the most protection the vaccine has to offer against this serious disease. Learn more about the benefits of getting vaccinated.

CDC is making recommendations for who should be offered COVID-19 vaccine first when supplies are limited.

To help guide decisions about how to distribute limited initial supplies of COVID-19 vaccine, CDC and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices have published recommendations for which groups should be vaccinated first.

Learn more about who should be vaccinated first when vaccine supplies are limited.

There is currently a limited supply of COVID-19 vaccine in the United States, but supply will increase in the weeks and months to come.

The goal is for everyone to be able to easily get vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as large enough quantities are available. Once vaccine is widely available, the plan is to have several thousand vaccination providers offering COVID-19 vaccines in doctors’ offices, retail pharmacies, hospitals, and federally qualified health centers.

 

After COVID-19 vaccination, you may have some side effects. This is a normal sign that your body is building protection.

The side effects from COVID-19 vaccination may feel like flu and might even affect your ability to do daily activities, but they should go away in a few days. Learn more about what side effects to expect and get helpful tips on how to reduce pain and discomfort after your vaccination.

Can a COVID-19 vaccine make me sick with COVID-19?

No. None of the COVID-19 vaccines contain the live virus that causes COVID-19 so a COVID-19 vaccine cannot make you sick with COVID-19. Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines

 

Cost is not an obstacle to getting vaccinated against COVID-19.

Vaccine doses purchased with U.S. taxpayer dollars will be given to the American people at no cost. However, vaccination providers may be able to charge administration fees for giving the shot. Vaccination providers can get this fee reimbursed by the patient’s public or private insurance company or, for uninsured patients, by the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Provider Relief Fundexternal icon.

The first COVID-19 vaccines are being used under Emergency Use Authorizations (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Many other vaccines are still being developed and tested.

Learn more about FDA’s Emergency Use Authorization authorityexternal icon and watch a video on what an EUA is.

If more COVID-19 vaccines are authorized or approved by FDA, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) will quickly hold public meetings to review all available data about each vaccine and make recommendations for their use in the United States. Learn more about how CDC is making COVID-19 vaccine recommendations.

All ACIP-recommended vaccines will be included in the U.S. COVID-19 Vaccination Program. CDC continues to work at all levels with partners, including healthcare associations, on a flexible COVID-19 vaccination program that can accommodate different vaccines and adapt to different scenarios. State, tribal, local, and territorial health departments have developed distribution plans to make sure all recommended vaccines are available to their communities.

COVID-19 vaccines are one of many important tools to help us stop this pandemic.

It’s important for everyone to continue using all the tools available to help stop this pandemic as we learn more about how COVID-19 vaccines work in real-world conditions. Cover your mouth and nose with a mask when around others, stay at least 6 feet away from others, avoid crowds, and wash your hands often.

CDC will continue to update this website as vaccine recommendations and supply change.

Last Updated Jan. 5, 2021

Content source: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD)Division of Viral Diseases

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Publication Date: 
01/07/2021

COVID-19: Health Equity Considerations and Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups

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COVID-19: Health Equity Considerations and Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups

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On This Page

·       What We Can Do

·       Data on COVID-19 and Race and Ethnicity

·       References

Long-standing systemic health and social inequities have put many people from racial and ethnic minority groups at increased risk of getting sick and dying from COVID-19. The term “racial and ethnic minority groups” includes people of color with a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. But some experiences are common to many people within these groups, and social determinants of health have historically prevented them from having fair opportunities for economic, physical, and emotional health. [1]

There is increasing evidence that some racial and ethnic minority groups are being disproportionately affected by COVID-19. [2], [3], [4], [5], [6] Inequities in the social determinants of health, such as poverty and healthcare access, affecting these groups are interrelated and influence a wide range of health and quality-of-life outcomes and risks.[1] To achieve health equity, barriers must be removed so that everyone has a fair opportunity to be as healthy as possible.

Factors that contribute to increased risk

Some of the many inequities in social determinants of health that put racial and ethnic minority groups at increased risk of getting sick and dying from COVID-19 include:

·       Discrimination: Unfortunately, discrimination exists in systems meant to protect well-being or health. Examples of such systems include health care, housing, education, criminal justice, and finance. Discrimination, which includes racism, can lead to chronic and toxic stress and shapes social and economic factors that put some people from racial and ethnic minority groups at increased risk for COVID-19.[5], [7], [8], [9]

·       Healthcare access and utilization: People from some racial and ethnic minority groups are more likely to be uninsured than non-Hispanic whites. [10] Healthcare access can also be limited for these groups by many other factors, such as lack of transportation, child care, or ability to take time off of work; communication and language barriers; cultural differences between patients and providers; and historical and current discrimination in healthcare systems. [11] Some people from racial and ethnic minority groups may hesitate to seek care because they distrust the government and healthcare systems responsible for inequities in treatment [12] and historical events such as the Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in the African American Male and sterilization without people’s permission. [13], [14], [15], [16]

·       Occupation: People from some racial and ethnic minority groups are disproportionately represented in essential work settings such as healthcare facilities, farms, factories, grocery stores, and public transportation. [17] Some people who work in these settings have more chances to be exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19 due to several factors, such as close contact with the public or other workers, not being able to work from home, and not having paid sick days. [18]

·       Educational, income, and wealth gaps: Inequities in access to high-quality education for some racial and ethnic minority groups can lead to lower high school completion rates and barriers to college entrance. This may limit future job options and lead to lower paying or less stable jobs. [19] People with limited job options likely have less flexibility to leave jobs that may put them at a higher risk of exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19. People in these situations often cannot afford to miss work, even if they’re sick, because they do not have enough money saved up for essential items like food and other important living needs.

·       Housing: Some people from racial and ethnic minority groups live in crowded conditions that make it more challenging to follow prevention strategies. In some cultures, it is common for family members of many generations to live in one household. In addition, growing and disproportionate unemployment rates for some racial and ethnic minority groups during the COVID-19 pandemic[19] may lead to greater risk of eviction and homelessness or sharing of housing.

These factors and others are associated with more COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths in areas where racial and ethnic minority groups live, learn, work, play, and worship.[5],[10], [20], [21] They have also contributed to higher rates of some medical conditions that increase one’s risk of severe illness from COVID-19. In addition, community strategies to slow the spread of COVID-19 may cause unintentional harm, such as lost wages, reduced access to services, and increased stress, for some racial and ethnic minority groups. [22]

What We Can Do

The COVID-19 pandemic may change some of the ways we connect and support each other. As individuals and communities respond to COVID-19 recommendations and circumstances (e.g., school closures, workplace closures, social distancing), there are often unintended negative impacts on emotional well-being such as loss of social connectedness and support. Shared faith, family, and cultural bonds are common sources of social support. Finding ways to maintain support and connection, even when physically apart, can empower and encourage individuals and communities to protect themselvescare for those who become sickkeep kids healthy, and better cope with stress.

Community- and faith-based organizations, employers, healthcare systems and providers, public health agencies, policy makers, and others all have a part in helping to promote fair access to health. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, we must work together to ensure that people have resources to maintain and manage their physical and mental health, including easy access to information, affordable testing, and medical and mental health care. We need programs and practices that fit the communities where racial and minority groups live, learn, work, play, and worship.

Data on COVID-19 and Race and Ethnicity

CDC resources

·       CDC COVID Data Tracker

·       COVID-NET: A Weekly Summary of U.S. COVID-19 Hospitalization Data

·       COVIDView: A Weekly Surveillance Summary of U.S. COVID-19 Activity

Other resources

·       The COVID Tracking Project’s The COVID Racial Data Trackerexternal icon

·       Emory University’s COVID-19 Health Equity Interactive Dashboardexternal icon

References

[1] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Social Determinants of Health [online]. 2020 [cited 2020 Jun 20]. available from https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/social-determinants-of-healthexternal icon

[2] Stokes EK, Zambrano LD, Anderson KN, et al. Coronavirus Disease 2019 Case Surveillance — United States, January 22–May 30, 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2020;69:759–765. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6924e2external icon.

[3] Killerby ME, Link-Gelles R, Haight SC, et al. Characteristics Associated with Hospitalization Among Patients with COVID-19 — Metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia, March–April 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. ePub: 17 June 2020. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6925e1external icon.

[4] Gold JA, Wong KK, Szablewski CM, et al. Characteristics and Clinical Outcomes of Adult Patients Hospitalized with COVID-19 — Georgia, March 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2020;69:545–550. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6918e1external icon.

[5] Price-Haygood EG, Burton J, Fort D, Seoane L. Hospitalization and Mortality among Black Patients and White Patients with Covid-19. N Engl J Med 2020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmsa2011686external icon.

[6] Millet GA, Jones AT, Benkeser D, et al. Assessing Differential Impacts of COVID-19 on Black Communities. Ann Epidemiol. 2020;47:37-44. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annepidem.2020.05.003external icon.

[7] Paradies Y. A systematic review of empirical research on self-reported racism and health. Int J Epidemiol. 2006; 35(4):888–901. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyl056external icon.

[8] Simons RL, Lei MK, Beach SRH, et al. Discrimination, segregation, and chronic inflammation: Testing the weathering explanation for the poor health of Black Americans. Dev Psychol. 2018;54(10):1993-2006. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000511external icon.

[9] Cordes J, Castro MC. Spatial Analysis of COVID-19 Clusters and Contextual Factors in New York City. Spat Spatiotemporal Epidemiol. 2020;34:100355. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.sste.2020.100355external icon.

[10] Berchick, Edward R., Jessica C. Barnett, and Rachel D. Upton Current Population Reports, P60-267(RV), Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2018, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC, 2019.

[11] Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on the Consequences of Uninsurance. Care Without Coverage: Too Little, Too Late. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2002. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17226/10367external icon.

[12] Institute of Medicine. 2003. Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17226/10260external icon.

[13] U.S. National Library of Medicine. Native Voices: Timeline: Government admits forced sterilization of Indian Women [online]. 2011 [cited 2020 Jun 24]. Available from URL: https://www.nlm.nih.gov/nativevoices/timeline/543.htmlexternal icon

[14] Novak NL, Lira N, O’Connor KE, Harlow SD, Kardia SLR, Stern AM. Disproportionate Sterilization of Latinos Under California’s Eugenic Sterilization Program, 1920-1945. Am J Public Health. 2018;108(5):611-613. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.2105%2FAJPH.2018.304369external icon.

[15] Stern AM. Sterilized in the name of public health: race, immigration, and reproductive control in modern California. Am J Public Health. 2005 Jul;95(7):1128-38. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.2105%2FAJPH.2004.041608external icon.

[16] Prather C, Fuller TR, Jeffries WL 4th, et al. Racism, African American Women, and Their Sexual and Reproductive Health: A Review of Historical and Contemporary Evidence and Implications for Health Equity. Health Equity. 2018;2(1):249-259. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.1089%2Fheq.2017.0045external icon.

[17] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Labor force characteristics by race and ethnicity, 2018 [online]. 2019 [cited 2020 Jun 24]. Available from URL: https://www.bls.gov/opub/reports/race-and-ethnicity/2018/home.htmexternal icon

[18] Economic Policy Institute. Black workers face two of the most lethal preexisting conditions for coronavirus—racism and economic inequality [online]. 2020 [cited 2020 Jun 28]. Available from URL: https://www.epi.org/publication/black-workers-covid/external icon

[19] The Annie E. Casey Foundation. Unequal Opportunities in Education [online]. 2006 [cited 2020 Jun 24]. Available from: https://www.aecf.org/m/resourcedoc/aecf-racemattersEDUCATION-2006.pdfpdf iconexternal icon

[20] Wadhera RK, Wadhera P, Gaba P, Figueroa JF, Joynt Maddox KE, Yeh RW, & Shen C. Variation in COVID-19 Hospitalizations and Deaths Across New York City Boroughs. JAMA. 2020;323(21),2192–2195. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.7197external icon

[21] Kim SJ, Bostwick W. Social Vulnerability and Racial Inequality in COVID-19 Deaths in Chicago. Health Educ Behav. 2020;47(4):509-513. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1090198120929677external icon.

[22] Webb Hooper M, Nápoles AM, Pérez-Stable EJ. COVID-19 and Racial/Ethnic Disparities. JAMA. 2020;323(24):2466–2467. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.8598external icon.

 

 

 

 

 

Publication Date: 
01/07/2021

ENCUESTA: Opinión sobre la potencial vacuna contra el COVID-19

COVID-19

¡Queremos conocer tu opinión sobre la potencial vacuna contra el COVID-19!

 

Investigadoras del Recinto de Ciencias Médicas están realizando un proyecto de investigación sobre la intención de los adultos en Puerto Rico de vacunarse contra el COVID-19 y sus creencias sobre esta vacuna. Sé parte de este estudio si tienes 18 años o más y eres residente de Puerto Rico. Tu participación consiste en contestar un cuestionario en línea de aproximadamente 20 minutos de duración

 

¡Ayúdanos a conocer el sentir sobre la vacuna contra el COVID-19 en Puerto Rico!

 

Link de encuesta: https://forms.gle/VP2vnxnqPNsV175z8

 

Para obtener más información, envíe un correo electrónico a: andrea.lopez11@upr.edu
Aprobado por la Oficina del Contralor Electoral OCE-SA-2020-1976.

 

 

Publication Date: 
12/16/2020

NIH-funded COVID-19 home test is first to receive over-the-counter authorization from FDA

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Tuesday, December 15, 2020

NIH-funded COVID-19 home test is first to receive over-the-counter authorization from FDA

Ellume USA’s rapid at-home test was developed through the NIH RADx Initiative.

Image of COVID-19 at-home test

Ellume’s COVID-19 home test offers a complete at-home sampling and testing solution. The single-use, Bluetooth-enabled test cartridge and self-collection swab are designed for consumer use in conjunction with a smartphone.Ellume photo

What

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use authorization(link is external) (EUA) today for an innovative COVID-19 viral antigen test developed with support from the National Institutes of Health’s Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) Initiative. Ellume USA LLC, Valencia, California, designed the test for use at home without a prescription. This is the first EUA awarded for an at-home COVID test that can be purchased over the counter.  Ellume developed the test with a $30 million contract and technical support from the RADx Tech program, managed by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), part of NIH.

The test is performed using a mid-turbinate nasal swab designed for comfortable self-sampling.  The sample is inserted into a single-use cartridge that returns results in 15 minutes. The at-home test analyzer connects to the user’s smartphone through Bluetooth and pairs with a downloadable app that provides step-by-step instructions and displays results.

Users can share real-time results from the test, selling for approximately $30, with healthcare professionals, employers, and schools for efficient COVID-19 tracking. Ellume plans to scale-up manufacturing to deliver millions of home tests per month in 2021.

Who

Bruce J. Tromberg, Ph.D., director of NIBIB and lead for the RADx Tech program, can comment on COVID-19 testing technology.

About the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADxSM) initiative: The RADxSM initiative was launched on April 29, 2020, to speed innovation in the development, commercialization, and implementation of technologies for COVID-19 testing. The initiative has four programs: RADx Tech, RADx Advanced Technology Platforms, RADx Underserved Populations and RADx Radical. It leverages the existing NIH Point-of-Care Technology Research Network. The RADx initiative partners with federal agencies, including the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health, Department of Defense, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, and U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Learn more about the RADx initiative and its programs: https://www.nih.gov/radx.

About the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB): NIBIB’s mission is to improve health by leading the development and accelerating the application of biomedical technologies. The Institute is committed to integrating the physical and engineering sciences with the life sciences to advance basic research and medical care. NIBIB supports emerging technology research and development within its internal laboratories and through grants, collaborations, and training. More information is available at the NIBIB website: https://www.nibib.nih.gov.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health®

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Publication Date: 
12/16/2020

2021 Health Disparities Research Institute

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Save the Date: 2021 Health Disparities Research Institute

The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) will host the Health Disparities Research Institute (HDRI) virtually August 9-13, 2021. Applications will be accepted from February 1 - March 8, 2021! HDRI aims to support the research career development of promising early-career minority health and health disparities research scientists, and to stimulate research in disciplines supported by health disparities science.

The program will feature:

  • Lectures on minority health and health disparities research
  • Mock grant review
  • Seminars and small group discussions

Institute participants will also have the opportunity to engage in sessions with NIH scientific staff involved in health disparities research across the various NIH Institutes and Centers.

Please note that applications will only be accepted from extramural scientists who meet NIH’s Early Stage Investigator (ESI) eligibility criteria. NIH and HHS staff, including persons in fellowships/training at NIH or an HHS agency, are not eligible to apply.

Visit the HDRI webpage to learn more about the target audience, eligibility, selection criteria, and how to apply.

For questions or more information, email HDRI@nih.gov

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Publication Date: 
12/10/2020

5th Annual Caribbean Alcohol Reduction Day: Webinar - Alcohol and COVID-19 - Nov 24, 2020 11:00 AM AST

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5th Annual Caribbean Alcohol Reduction Day: Webinar - Alcohol and COVID-19

Healthy Caribbean Coalition, PAHO, CARPHA, and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States Webinar

November 24  at 11:00am AST.

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_NiJuQZw6T--JKQ8P_vCXjw

The Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC) in partnership with the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission, is pleased to announce the continuation of the annual Caribbean Alcohol Reduction Day (CARD) webinar series. The HCC and partners have held an annual Caribbean Alcohol Reduction Day for the past four years, under the themes and titles: The Misuse of Alcohol (2016); Drink less, Reduce Cancer (2017); Youth: Let's talk about alcohol (2018); and Women and Alcohol (2019).

The objective of the fifth CARD webinar entitled "Alcohol and COVID-19" is to reflect on the alcohol consumption patterns over the course of the pandemic; the reciprocal impact of mental health under crisis conditions on alcohol consumption and related harms and comorbidities; government and alcohol industry action during the pandemic; and to discuss priority alcohol policy and programming, related mental health policy and programming and industry regulations moving forward as the pandemic continues.

This year's theme is most topical and critical to examine because of the specific harms and comorbidities related to alcohol consumption during this public health crisis. The interconnected nature of alcohol consumption, mental health and NCDs during the COVID-19 pandemic requires close examination in order to best devise strategies to manage these harms and to regulate alcohol sales, promotion and consumption as we continue into the prolonged social and economic conditions of the pandemic.

The webinar will highlight how alcohol use during the coronavirus pandemic is related to and impacted by poor mental health, government regulation and industry action. Through a roundtable format, a diverse panel of experts and advocates will share regional research on alcohol use patterns and associated risk and harms, linkages with mental health and the impact of government and industry action. Finally, policy strategies and recommendations will be discussed that are focused on reducing alcohol consumption and associated harms, mitigating poor mental health arising from pandemic conditions and regulating industry marketing activity.

The webinar will take the form of a series of brief presentations followed by a roundtable discussion and a question and answer session.

Register here.

 

Moderator - Sir Trevor Hassell HCC President

Alcohol use and COVID-19 - Findings of a PAHO Survey - Dr. Maristela Monteiro, Senior Advisor on Alcohol and Substance Abuse, Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health, PAHO

Clinical perspectives on the impact of COVID-19 on mental health and alcohol consumption - Dr. John Dillet, Consultant Psychiatrist, Mental Health Professional, The Bahamas

Mental health and substance use among youth during the COVID-19 pandemic -  Ms. Safiya Clarke-Mendes, Recent MHP Graduate, HCC Volunteer Researcher, Youth Advocate

COVID-19 and the Alcohol Industry - Helpful or Harmful? - Prof. Rohan Maharaj, HCC Alcohol Policy Advisor, Professor of Family Medicine of University of the West Indies

Policy and programming recommendations - GAS & SAFER - Dr. Maristela Monteiro, Senior Advisor on Alcohol and Substance Abuse, Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health, PAHO

Fit Break - Ms. Danielle Walwyn, Advocacy Officer, Healthy Caribbean Coalition

Roundtable Disucssion/Question & Answer Session - Sir Trevor Hassell HCC President

Closing - Sir Trevor Hassell HCC President

Register here.

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Publication Date: 
11/20/2020

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