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Your Coronavirus Update – Nov. 30, 2021
RHODE ISLAND & VICINITY
State-run PCR tests in RI are taking 3-4 days due to some delay with equipment and processing – this is not the case at pharmacies and other locations.
The Rhode Island Foundation and the Governor announced the Rhode Island Pandemic Recovery Office have jointly established the Rhode Island Nonprofit Support Fund II. The purpose of the program is to support local nonprofits with direct service programs that respond to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals and/or communities. More application info, here: https://rifoundation.org/grant/rhode-island-nonprofit-support-fund-ii
Dr. Skoly and his staff, in Cranston, have been informed that they cannot collect unemployment. Skoly is the oral surgeon who refuses to be vaccinated due to his medical condition and his having had COVID – and has been told he cannot practice because of that.
Providence reports less than 5% of its federal small business money for city companies has been spent.
Providence Police report 76% of their force are vaccinated.
Gov. McKee orders masks be worn by all in state buildings.
Rep. Charlene Lima is submitting a bill to prevent the $3K bonus for state workers getting vaccinated.
8 residents of a Connecticut nursing home died before their booster shot program could begin. This spurred CT to set up rapid booster programs to reach all nursing homes.
East Providence has given out used Chromebooks from the School Department as incentives to get vaccinated
Massachusetts Governor is asking hospitals to postponing of non-urgent medical procedures due to overcrowding due to emergency medical procedures postponed during the pandemic.
Massachusetts is concerned about low vaccination rates – about 50% – in teens in minority communities.
Maine will cancel elective procedures due to overcrowding with an uptick of cases.
last chart was Wed, 11/24
NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL
The Omicron update:
It will be 2 weeks before research shows solid facts about the new variant.
We have seen of 2,000 variants to date, and none of them have evaded the effectiveness of the vaccine or natural immunity.
There is evidence that this mutation particularly targets younger people. Hospitalizations in young people who are vaccinated is very rare.
Markets tumbled around the world and countries rushed to impose travel restrictions in response to a new COVID variant in South Africa on Friday.
Some who have contracted the variant have already had original COVID. Or, have been vaccinated.
NY has declared a state of emergency and stopped elective surgeries in preparation for an increase of new cases
UK reinstalls mandatory mask wearing on public transportation and in shops. Travelers need to take PCR tests and isolate until negative test results.
2 cases identified in Ottawa, Canada
Israel, Japan, the U.K., France, Germany, Italy and Singapore restricting entry of people from So. Africa. U.K. goes beyond to restrict travel of those from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
Portugal, which has one of the world’s highest rates of vaccination against COVID-19, announced it would reimpose restrictions to stop a surge in cases, ordering all passengers flying into the country to show a negative test certificate on arrival.
Morocco and Japan have halted incoming travel completely for 2 weeks
Dr. Fauci said it is quite likely the new variant is already here in the US.
President Biden said his medical advisors told him he could wait until Monday to put the ban on South Africa travel.
Israel has banned non-citizen international travelers for two weeks, approves Shin Bet tracking for confirmed virus carriers The US Ambassador to Israel landed in Israel on Monday and went straight to a house to quarantine
The doctor in South Africa who first reported patients with the Omicron variant said “It presents {with}mild disease with symptoms being sore muscles and tiredness; for a day or two not feeling well,” …”those infected do not suffer the loss of taste or smell. They might have a slight cough. There are no prominent symptoms. Of those infected some are currently being treated at home.”
62% of voters in Switzerland supported the government’s strict controls for only vaccinated people to attend public events, etc.
Two military medical teams will arrive in Minnesota to help out at hospitals.
Pennsylvania will cancel elective procedures with case uptick.
Other:
A federal judge has halted enforcing mandatory vaccines for healthcare workers in the 10 states who sued about it (not RI).
Disney World is pausing its vaccine mandate for employees due to legal challenges and recognizing that over 90% of staff are vaccinated. Mask wearing is still required.
US Marines have the lowest vaccination rate among military – but – 94% are vaccinated.
After saying 2 shots will no longer count as “fully vaccinated”, Dr. Fauci now says that may change and fully vaccinated may now be all 3 shots.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Monday advised against travel to Germany and Denmark because of a rising number of COVID-19 cases in those countries.
No criminal charges will be brought in the Soldiers Home, MA nursing home death case.
New Zealand is opening up with workplaces resuming business – they are asking tourists and visitors to stay away to keep their status as it is now.
New York no longer acknowledges religious reasons for healthcare employees to opt out of getting the vaccine.
4,000 new cases a week are reported in nursing homes in the US – making booster shots more important to deploy rapidly.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid will be posting booster data for every state’s nursing homes in the next 2 weeks.
Pfizer Inc. said Tuesday that it was investigating a longtime employee who it believes downloaded thousands of documents containing confidential information, some of which is related to the pharmaceutical giant’s COVID-19 vaccine.
The Netherlands started transporting COVID-19 patients across the border to Germany on Tuesday to ease pressure on Dutch hospitals
The Czech Republic may make COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for people over the age of 60 as well as for some professions including health and social care workers – their president had COVID and was treated in-hospital with monoclonal antibodies.
Studies show that inhaled steroids are not proving effective against COVID.
WHO recommends masks, distancing for vaccinated amid virus surge in Europe
The US will require essential, nonresident travelers crossing U.S. land borders, such as truck drivers, government and emergency response officials, to be fully vaccinated beginning on Jan. 22.
The Packers’ Aaron Rodgers said he was recovering from COVID Toe, a rare side effect of testing positive for COVID, where symptoms are mild because the body produces copious quantities of interferon, to fight the infection. This overproduction can cause painful lesions and purple toes, which eventually will subside. It can be extremely painful and be made worse by wearing shoes, and being subjected to cold weather. The condition is treated by a dermatologist. – However, it’s found he has a broken toe.
In Austria, starting in February, if you are not vaccinated you will be fined over $4K – if no booster, $2K – they also have a 10 day shut down of non-essential businesses, all schools, etc.
Germany having its highest cases yet – their health minister says by the end of the year, most Germans will either be “vaccinated, cured, or dead”.
Military medical teams to help overwhelmed Michigan hospitals treat COVID patients
Ozzy Osbourne has again delayed his concert schedule – this time into 2023 – saying science is showing that it’s still inadvisable to gather in large groups.
Bryan Adams has tested positive twice in the last few months for COVID-19 though he is fully vaccinated. He is in Italy.
Federal employees are at 92% vaccination rate
President Biden stresses message for Americans to get vaccinated, and get boosted, observe mask-wearing and distancing when indoors – and a message for the international community – we need to have global vaccines and he calls on other countries to match America’s speed and generosity to other countries.
US is calling on the World Trade Organization to meet the U.S. challenge to waive intellectual property protections for COVID vaccines, so these vaccines can be manufactured globally.
Dr. Megan Ranney of Brown University reacted to travel closures on Twitter: “This is pretty pointless. Better actions could include but are not limited to: * Require vaccination & negative tests for all air travel. * Speed up access to & logistics for vaccinations around the world. * Further enhance our tracking of new variants here at home.”
Merck’s treatment medication has proven 30% effective, not 50% effective as the company thought.