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Your Coronavirus Update – Sept. 10, 2021
Photo: Cranston West class, 1st day of school (video, bottom of page)
RHODE ISLAND & VICINITY
Gov. McKee gave the state’s own workers at the Eleanor Slater Hospital and Veterans Home an additional 75 days but they would be on leave without pay and barred from working in a state-licensed health-care facility until they get their vaccination. If they are still unvaccinated by Dec. 15, “they will be subject to progressive discipline, up to and including termination for failing to meet legally mandated conditions of employment.”
Walk-through Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular returning to Roger Williams Park Zoo
Boston school bus drivers have suggested a delay in school opening due to lack of school bus drivers.
The New England Patriots will not be requiring fans who are attending games to be vaccinated, the team announced Thursday. However, all ticketholders will be asked to confirm that they have not tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 14 days, been in contact with someone who was tested positive, or experience coronavirus symptoms in the last 14 days. All unvaccinated fans are being asked to wear masks to all Gillette Stadium events. All concession stands will be cashless. All tickets mobile.
A new movie theater is opening at the Warwick Mall – with spaced seating.
Neighborhood Health Plan now requiring all 600 employees to be vaccinated.
Vermont has evidence of police making fake vaccination cards
To be an extra in the movie Hocus Pocus filming in RI you must show proof of your vaccination.
NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL
Mississippi teachers beg for help after more than 18,000 students catch COVID-19 in one month: ‘At what point do we protect children over the economy?
1 out of every 4 infections are among children – yet the overwhelming majority are mild.
New variants will continue – the latest, referred to as MU, is in most states, most prolifically in Texas right now. The WHO calls it a variant “of interest” but not of concern at this time, meaning it is not necessarily more contagious or deadly.
Elderly & immunocompromised are most likely to suffer breakthrough cases.
UPS will hire 100,000 as more people order online for the holidays.
A research study based on data from HealthPartners and medical centers across the country finds that pregnant women who received COVID-19 vaccines did not experience an increased risk of miscarriage.
President Biden addressed the nation last night, taking a “hammer” rather than a stick or a carrot (as described by one newscaster). He said a small minority of Americans are not being vaccinated, and being supported by political elected officials.
President’s 6 point plan Press Conference:
*We’re in a touch stretch and it could last for awhile.
– This is a pandemic of the unvaccinated – despite free vaccines available for over 5 months, we have over 80 million unvaccinated Americans.
– we have elected officials undermining the vaccination program
– ¾ eligible have had at least one shot – ¼ has none (80 million, or 25% of our population in US)
– unvaccinated overcrowding emergency rooms and healthcare
– vaccines provide very strong protection against COVID19
– fully vaccinated, your risk of serious illness from COVID19 your risk is very low – 1 out of every 60,000 has been hospitalized – that’s very low.
– path ahead is not nearly as bad as last winter – but while we have the tools, we can’t turn the corner with resistance from vaccines.
To read the full Plan to require vaccinations for Americans: Go to: whitehouse.gov for details (https://www.whitehouse.gov/covidplan/)
1. The President’s plan will reduce the number of unvaccinated Americans by using regulatory powers and other actions to substantially increase the number of Americans covered by vaccination requirements—these requirements will become dominant in the workplace. In addition, the plan will provide paid time off for vaccination for most workers in the country.
Increase vaccinations among unvaccinated with new requirements. We have FDA approval for vaccines which should alleviate some people’s concerns. Time for waiting is over. Not about freedom or personal choice – about protecting those around you. Dept of Labor will have an emergency rule for employers with over 100 employees to have all vaccinated employees or weekly testing. Fines for noncompliance. Employers must give time off for people to get vaccinated.
All staff who work at hospitals, and all healthcare facilities – 17 million workers – will need to be vaccinated.
Executive Order – all executive branch – federal employees – and federal contractors – must be vaccinated.
Large entertainment venues – movie theaters, etc. – asking them to please require vaccinations or negative test for condition of entry.
Physicians, pediatricians, GPs, etc. – asking them to reach out to your unvaccinated patients in next 2 weeks with a personal appeal to get the shot.
What more is there to wait for? What more do you need to see? They are free, safe and convenient. We’ve been patient, but patience is wearing thin and your refusal is costing our country too much.
2. Continue to protect vaccinated.
A booster promises to give Americans their highest level of protection yet. Three-shot vaccines are common (Hepatitis B, Tetanus) and offer some of the most durable and robust protection. Implementation of this plan depends on authorization of boosters by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and recommendations by the CDC’s independent Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). As soon as authorizations are given, the Administration will be prepared to offer booster shots, starting the week of September 20th
Understand your anger and anxiety about unvaccinated and breakthrough cases. Science is clear that even if you get COVID if you are vaccinated, you are safe as possible.
Boosters – FDA will make their decision about who will get them and in what order. As soon as they are authorized, those eligible will be able to get a booster right away.
3. Keeping children safe, schools open.
For those adolescents aged 12 and above who are eligible for vaccination, the most important step parents can take is to get them vaccinated. To date, over half of the nation’s adolescents have been vaccinated. For those too young to be vaccinated, it is especially critical that they are surrounded by vaccinated people and mask in public indoor spaces, including schools. Studies released by the CDC found that the rate of hospitalization for children was nearly four times higher in states with the lowest vaccination rates compared to states with high vaccination rates. The FDA is undergoing a process now to evaluate a vaccine for children under the age of 12, and under the President’s plan, the Administration will do whatever it takes to support those efforts, while continuing to respect and defer to the scientific decision-making of the agency.
Doesn’t matter how low the risk, for parents’ concern.
Children 12 and over – eligible for vaccine now. Get them vaccinated now. It’s just one more vaccine added to a long list they already have to get.
Children under 12 – best protection starts at home – everyone around them needs to be vaccinated.
When will vaccinations be available for them? Can’t take shortcuts but we need to support the FDA to develop them.
Schools – they need to follow the science – testing, masking, ventilation, social distancing.
90% of school staff and teachers are vaccinated. Defense department school teachers must be vaccinated (presidential authority).
All federal Head Start program teachers must now be vaccinated.
Calling on all governors to require vaccinations for all teachers and staff. These vaccination requirements are nothing new – one more vaccination to teach or be in schools.
We will also take on elected officials undermining the school/teacher program. Dept. of Education is already taking legal steps to fix what Governors are doing.
4. Increased testing/masking.
Testing is a key tool to identify infected individuals and prevent spread to others. Likewise, masking can also help slow and contain the spread of the virus—and the combination of increased vaccinations and masking will have a major impact on COVID-19 transmission. President Biden’s plan takes new actions to increase the amount of testing—in your own home, at pharmacies, and in your doctor’s office—and ensures that strong mask requirements remain in place. Testing will be more available, affordable, convenient. Rapid tests are ramping up – Walmart, Amazon, Krogers, etc. No later than next week these outlets will sell at home test kits at cost. Expanding free testing at 10,000 pharmacies across US.
Masking – TSA will double fines on travelers who refuse to mask. Show some respect to people on airlines, etc. doing their job.
5. Economic development and growth.
We will offer new support to small businesses as they continue to weather the surge caused by the Delta variant. Supporting small businesses is critical to our economic growth, since they create two-thirds of net new jobs and employ nearly half of America’s private workforce.
Cannot let unvaccinated undo this progress.
Expanding COVID loan programs for small businesses. Small Business can borrow up to $2M – no repayment for 2 years – new programs coming.
6. Improve care for those who get COVID19
Surge Response Teams to help states experiencing case increases. Since then, the Administration has worked with 18 states, deploying nearly 1,000 personnel, including hundreds of EMTs, nurses and doctors on the ground providing emergency medical care; surged hundreds of ventilators, ambulances and other critical assets to support strained health care systems; stood up dozens of new, free testing sites; and assisted with local outbreak investigations. As we continue to battle the Delta surge, the President’s plan will continue to send response teams to states that request them and take additional actions to accelerate this work.
Surge response teams (HHS, CDC, FEMA, etc.) to areas of the country that need help to stem the spread of COVID19.
Defense Dept. teams will double.
Increasing availability of real medicine – monoclonal antibodies – to save lives.
Increase base of shipment by 50%.
Communities of color are disproportionately affected by COVID – equity will be at the center of our plan.
We need to continue to fight this virus overseas. 140 million vaccines given to 40 countries so far. Another 500 million Pfizer vaccines will go to low income countries. More to come later this month.