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Your Coronavirus Update – Aug. 4, 2021
CDC extends housing eviction moratorium until October.
RHODE ISLAND & VICINITY
Rhode Island entered a high risk designation of COVID spread yesterday.
The CDC recommends wearing a mask indoors in counties with either elevated new case rates or higher Covid test positivity rates. In Rhode Island, this is recommended for all counties, except Newport County.
On Tuesday, Gov. McKee announced the state will use demographic data to determine who is not vaccinated, their ages, where they live, and other identifiers, so targeted vaccination efforts can be begun. Approx. 200,000 eligible Rhode Islanders have yet to be vaccinated.
New Bedford officials say they had an outbreak earlier this month. The Vault nightclub has ha 40 cases.
The leader of the RI Democratic Party, Kate Coyne McCoy, made the national news when she tweeted disparaging remarks about Sen. Graham having the virus and wishing him dead.
Newport & Central Falls will institute mandatory mask wearing in city owned buildings.
Cranston, Providence, Warwick and Pawtucket will not institute mandatory mask wearing for city buildings.
City buildings in Central Falls will require visitors/workers to wear masks.
Fall River’s Portuguese Festival may be scaled back – a Taste of Portugal may be scaled back as well – right now set for August – some entertainers cannot fly in, etc.
Massachusetts issued its mask recommendation as follows: “Massachusetts now recommends that fully vaccinated people wear masks indoors “if you have a weakened immune system, or if you are at increased risk for severe disease because of your age or an underlying medical condition, or if someone in your household has a weakened immune system, is at increased risk for severe disease, or is unvaccinated.” They went on to recommend “unvaccinated” students, faculty and staff wear masks in school this fall – different from national recommendations that “all” wear masks.
Massachusetts is banning evictions with rent relief applications in process; Rhode Island is not.
Vermont will not pay $100 for vaccine taking – they will focus more on access.
Brown University requires mask wearing indoors and social distancing of 3 feet as variant impacts more.
A vaccination clinic will be held on Aug. 6th at the Warwick Mall – near Nordstrom/Target – 4-6pm, ages over 12 – Pfizer vaccine.
Block Island votes to “request” masks indoors regardless of vaccination status
NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL
The CDC took the step of continuing the ban on evictions until the beginning of October – noting the spread of the Delta variant as a new emergency.
Past President Obama has reset his weekend birthday party from 600 to a few close friends and family on Martha’s Vineyard.
“Right now, as we continue to develop more variants internationally and they come our way, it looks like boosters are going to become a reality,” Dr. Manish Garg, an emergency medicine physician and co-founder of the World Academic Council of Emergency Medicine
Pfizer is expected to get full FDA authorization soon.
The White House says the goal of vaccinating 70% of Americans has been reached.
Tyson Foods is now requiring its US workers to be vaccinated (50% not).
Home Depot – Target, Kohls to require employees to shoppers to wear masks in stores.
McDonalds to require employees wear masks indoors in high risk areas.
Sale of masks are picking up once again.
States have been slow to act in giving out the rent relief funds. White House is blaming the states. SCOTUS has tied the hands of the White House to extend evictions. Congress needs to act to do so now. Some states have taken the action to stop evictions, including appealing to landlords to help tenants apply for money and to voluntarily not evict tenants. The Southeast is the hardest hit.
29% increase in vaccinations nationwide over the last few days
49% of US population now estimated to be fully vaccinated
In the states with the highest vaccination rates, current vaccinations have more than doubled.
All transit drivers in NYC must be vaccinated – 68,000
In Louisiana, mask mandates are going into effect as cases explode.
Southern part of US most in need of vaccinations
Florida tops the US with new cases.
Masks are now strongly recommended in public, indoor settings in New York City, even for those who are vaccinated, Mayor Bill de Blasio
Dr. Anthony Fauci, in a Sunday news program said there will be “some pain and suffering in the future” as cases continue to rise, but that he doesn’t foresee more lockdowns in US, but things will get worse because so many Americans are still unvaccinated.
Germany is expected to call on all citizens 12 years old and up to now get vaccinated.
Former President Obama is planning a birthday party on Martha’s Vineyard – bringing hundreds of people to the island to celebrate. Getting considerable pushback due to rise of COVID19..
Officials are recommending people have at least one home test kit to check themselves quickly if they have symptoms.
Chicago’s Lollapalooza is on amid testing and vaccinating verification in hopes that the event won’t be a super-spreader.
25% or more of migrants coming over the Mexican border are sick with COVID – the vast majority have not been vaccinated. Vaccination rates from destination countries:
Guatemala – 1.91%
Honduras – 3.51%
Mexico – 20.06%
El Salvador – 23.21%
Vietnam will from Monday extend strict curbs on movement in its business hub Ho Chi Minh City and another 18 cities and provinces throughout its south for another two weeks to help combat the worst COVID19 outbreak yet.
As Wall Street goes back to in-person work, a noticeable acceptance of “dress down” is now accepted as normal.
US reached a milestone with 50,000 people in the hospital with COVID
Rhode Island-based CVS is one of the first major retailers to change its mask policy following the CDC changes. The company’s new policy, effective Wednesday, applies to stores in those counties across the U.S. determined by the CDC to have “high” or “substantial” transmission. Stores in those places will now have “masks recommended” signage.
GrubHub has been sued by the AG for price gouging during the pandemic.
The CDC is recommending a new type of test that can detect both COVID-19 and influenza at the same time, according to fact-checkers.
The Delta variant is as transmissible as Chicken Pox. It’s more transmissible than MERS & SARS – Ebola – Common cold – Seasonal flu & 1918 (“Spanish”) flu – Smallpox
LA schools move to regular, weekly testing for students, staff to return to in-person school – if they refuse, students can move to virtual school option.
Airlines are teaching their flight attendants self-defense techniques due to unruly passengers.
Japan’s infection rate is exploding beyond Tokyo – most people infected are in their 30s and 40s and have less than a 30% vaccination rate in the entire country. State of emergency put into effect. Government says the people do not sense urgency about the virus.
Broadway attendees will have to show proof of vaccination – and – wear a mask to be admitted as the theatre district in NYC opens.
President Biden said to a reporter, when asked if there are more restrictions coming out because of COVID – “in all probability”.
Lawmakers and prominent health experts have urged the FDA to expedite full approval of Pfizer’s vaccine, citing various potential benefits.
University of Southern Mississippi is paying tuition and housing for students who are fully vaccinated.
Walmart is requiring all workers to wear a mask in hot spots – including those vaccinated.
Kroger is encouraging all people, regardless of vaccination status to wear masks in their stores.
Law firms across US are beginning to require vaccinations to return to the office.
200+ San Francisco Hospital staff from 2 different hospitals test positive. Most had been fully vaccinated. Result of community exposure. None are hospitalized, most are asymptomatic. All workers in high risk California hospitals must be fully vaccinated by Sept. 15th.
Those with natural immunity may have immunity to all facets of the virus, ins and outs of the spikes, not just the main spikes’ immunity provided by vaccinations.
Sen. Lindsey Graham says he has tested positive – but has been fully vaccinated. Says he has mild symptoms, feels like he has a sinus infection – is in quarantine for 10 days.
In Scotland, face coverings in shops and public transport will remain mandatory for “some time to come” as they lift most of its remaining coronavirus restrictions from August 9.
US automakers expected to require masks at all plants, offices, warehouses, regardless of vaccination status.
NYC expected to require proof of vaccination for indoor dining and gym use.
Eli Lilly’s COVID drug reduces death risk in patients on ventilation.