Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #94

[SouthAussie]

Employers cannot "make" an employee get a vaccine. But in Las Vegas, major employers are offering vaccines at work. Employees who decline, will have to be tested 2x weekly for Covid, and may be charged for "surveillance" testing.

https://www.ktnv.com/news/coronavir...st-wynn-las-vegas-employee-fumes-over-options

We are having a bit of a dilemma with hotel quarantine workers at the moment (in my state). 10-15% of them haven't been vaccinated, their choice. And that creates such a danger for the community.

I am not sure what they are going to do about it. Pass legislation that all quarantine workers must be covid vaccinated? Create policy that all quarantine workers must be covid vaccinated? I think the govt is looking into their legal choices.

Perhaps if there is no legal choice, they might just 'find' another reason to lay them off from their job. Like make their position redundant, and create a newly titled position for the same kind of tasks (and give that newly titled position to someone else who is vaccinated). That is a common way of getting rid of hard-to-get-rid-of people, it seems.

 

[margarita25]

Continued from above article re: children:

“Of the children who develop MIS-C, 99% have tested positive for SARS CoV-2 or were in close contact with someone who had COVID-19, according to the CDC.

"As we're trying to combat this pandemic, this is one of the many, many very important consequences of COVID-19," Olivero said. "Children, they're not as able to communicate. They can't express themselves quite as well in terms of how they're feeling. It is kind of a scary thing to potentially come up against. And, of course, we know that children, especially our younger children, don't have any access to vaccines at this point in time."

Olivero said it's unknown what the long-term consequences of MIS-C are on the body, particularly on the heart. Children who develop the condition will need to be monitored by cardiologists throughout childhood and adolescence.

"We would think (it) is going to affect our children with chronic medical conditions more than our healthy children, but our young healthy children seem to be the ones who get MIS-C," Olivero said.“

Michigan at 'record high' for COVID-19 hospitalizations of children | Bridge Michigan

 

[SouthAussie]

In other news, our PM is starting to discuss international travel plans for Aussies.

On the table is the possibility of vaccinated Aussies being able to travel for business reasons, for medical treatment, and for family occassions. On return they may be able to quarantine at home.

ScoMo says that opening the border is not on the cards, as it would put Aussies at risk of having over 8,000 covid cases every week.


“As quickly as we can and as the Prime Minister pointed out, if people have had properly recognised the vaccine, if they are living in London or the United States or anywhere else in the world and they want to come back home and see family or see their grandparents, bring their newborn grandchild back home, then we want to facilitate that as quickly as possible,” he told the Today show on Friday morning.

“But we just need to do it in a safe way.

“And if we are having a situation where people are coming back and bringing the virus back with them, then we will see community transmission - So again it is trying to get that balance right.

“But if we can get people away from hotel quarantine into home quarantine and people do the right thing, then you can scale up the numbers obviously much more significantly than if we are just relying on hotels.”
NoCookies | The Australian

 

[margarita25]

[URL="https://www.denverpost.com/2021/04/15/colorado-covid-dial-change-local-hospitalizations/"]Colorado says "timing is right" for state's COVID-19 rules to ease
[/URL]
Colorado nursing home outbreaks rising again as COVID-19 spread increases

COVID In Colorado: Weld County Lifting All Restrictions On Friday As State Ends Dial Framework

COVID-19 data | Colorado COVID-19 Updates

COVID In Colorado: Quarantine Measures In Place In Garfield County After Outbreak At Jail

COVID cases ticking up in Colorado as state prepares to hand over local regulation control

“As Colorado enters its fourth COVID-19 wave — and cases, hospitalizations and percent positivity tick up — state public health officials said Thursday they are confident moving forward withtransferring regulation control back to the counties on Friday.

Scott Bookman, COVID-19 Incident Commander with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, said as they prepare to transition public safety measures to local control, they are seeing variable case rates around the state.

“The time is right to transition to localized control with that state framework around it,” Bookman said, adding that the state would be closely assessing hospital capacity and working with local governments and public health agencies to hone their approaches.

But the move to local control on Friday comes as Colorado reported more than 2,000 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday and as hospitalizations continue to rise.“

 

[10ofRods]

Quote snipped. Here is Emily Smith's post about the JNJ vaccine pause:
J&J Vaccine Pause

It includes an excellent "Risk of Blood Clots" graphic, which show that the risk of having blood clots post vaccine is infinitesimal compared with other causes (birth control pills, smoking, and Covid).

I do wonder, though, whether people who have risk of clots from HRT, BC pills, smoking, genetics or COVID might also be the group with a higher risk from the vaccine.

I have pin-prick rash on my foot today (and have had BC-related blood clots that almost killed me). I'm 3 weeks out from my second shot and now they're saying clots can still occur.

Gonna go take an aspirin. No idea what to do and am pretty tired worrying about it, myself.

 

[10ofRods]

In other news, our PM is starting to discuss international travel plans for Aussies.

On the table is the possibility of vaccinated Aussies being able to travel for business reasons, for medical treatment, and for family occassions. On return they may be able to quarantine at home.

ScoMo says that opening the border is not on the cards, as it would put Aussies at risk of having over 8,000 covid cases every week.


“As quickly as we can and as the Prime Minister pointed out, if people have had properly recognised the vaccine, if they are living in London or the United States or anywhere else in the world and they want to come back home and see family or see their grandparents, bring their newborn grandchild back home, then we want to facilitate that as quickly as possible,” he told the Today show on Friday morning.

“But we just need to do it in a safe way.

“And if we are having a situation where people are coming back and bringing the virus back with them, then we will see community transmission - So again it is trying to get that balance right.

“But if we can get people away from hotel quarantine into home quarantine and people do the right thing, then you can scale up the numbers obviously much more significantly than if we are just relying on hotels.”
NoCookies | The Australian

Wow - that sounds so...smart and sensible. It should work. Just don't let any Americans or Brits (or, at this point, any Europeans and of course, no one should be allowing Brazilians).

 

[margarita25]

'I think it's going to get worse.' Michigan's thumb hit hard by COVID surge

BBM:

“SANILAC COUNTY (WXYZ) — In Sanilac County, they're on fire with COVID-19. One out of every three people tested for the virus has it.

"The hot spot started in our area in the tip of the thumb," said Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan.

If you want to know where we’re going with COVID-19, Mayor Duggan says just look north. The surge that’s filling up our hospitals first started in the thumb.”

 

[LadyL]

Why are so many babies dying of Covid-19 in Brazil?

 

[margarita25]

Massachusetts:

Mass. releases more data on COVID infections among children as overall active cases decline for second straight day

“The Department of Public Health on Wednesday released new data showing the number of infections confirmed among children younger than 15. Over the last two weeks, 1,235 cases were confirmed in children younger than four; 1,469 infections were confirmed in children between the ages of 5 and 9; and 1,816 infections were confirmed in children between the ages of 10 and 14, according to the latest data from the Department of Public Health.

There were 2,696 teenagers between the ages of 15 and 19 who came down with COVID over the last two weeks. And 5,942 cases were confirmed among 20-somethings, according to DPH.”

—

Hearing today on spread of COVID-19 variants in Massachusetts
April 13

 

[LadyL]

Survivor of rare blood clot after AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine recalls ordeal

 

[margarita25]

Syndrome Temporally associated with SARS-CoV-2 (PIMS-TS) in Children
Press Release Title: Half of Kids with Inflammatory Syndrome After COVID-19 Have Neurologic Symptoms
April 13, 2021
AAN Abstract - Neurologic and radiographic findings associated with Pediatric Inflammatory Multisystem Syndrome... - Abdel-Mannan titled.pdf

“Conclusions: Children with PIMS-TS presented with new neurological symptoms involving both the central and peripheral nervous systems, in the absence of respiratory symptoms. Neurological symptoms were seen more frequently in more severe presentations.“

—

Some Children With Covid-Related Syndrome Develop Neurological Symptoms

—

“Unfortunately, MIS-C may lead to neurological problems as well. A new study from the American Academy of Neurology found that of the 46 patients they studied last year at the Great Ormond Street Hospital in England - who were 65 percent male with a median age of 10.2 years old - 24 of them "presented with new neurological symptoms involving both the central and peripheral nervous systems, in the absence of respiratory symptoms." Specifically, these patients experienced symptoms they never had before, like headaches, hallucinations, seizures, confusion, speech impairments, and problems with balance and coordination, according to The New York Times. These neurological issues typically subside with proper medical treatment.“

What Parents Need to Know About Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome, an Illness Related to COVID-19
April 15, 2021

 

[acutename]

I do wonder, though, whether people who have risk of clots from HRT, BC pills, smoking, genetics or COVID might also be the group with a higher risk from the vaccine.

I have pin-prick rash on my foot today (and have had BC-related blood clots that almost killed me). I'm 3 weeks out from my second shot and now they're saying clots can still occur.

Gonna go take an aspirin. No idea what to do and am pretty tired worrying about it, myself.

can you telahealth a picture of the pin pricks to your Dr? that is sort of what telehealth is about and maybe they will either say "it's nothing" or "come in" or "go to a hospital to get checked out."

 

[ilovewings]

Whitmer defends DHHS director vacationing out of state without being fully vaccinated

“The head of the Michigan health department recently traveled to Alabama without being fully vaccinated as the state grappled with the worst COVID-19 trends in the nation.

That means Department of Health and Human Services Director Elizabeth Hertel did not follow the guidance of the department she directs.

But Gov. Gretchen Whitmer defended Hertel's actions on Wednesday, saying it's not her business what her top aides do on their off time.”

Maybe a guest appearance while she was spring breaking at Gulf Shores - the reality show “Floribama Shore” is filmed there.

We own a condo in Gulf Shores- The Flora Bama is quite a hoot- many years ago I remember people crawling through an open window to get into the place. Haven't been there in years though!

 

[acutename]

this surely is concerning: he had a blood clot in the left middle cerebral artery.

I really wonder how they will separate out the sequillae of a vaccine from things that were going to happen in any event.

I went though a report of side effects for a vaccine today- from the trials- and it is amazing how many "symptoms" are also experienced by people who had the placebo.
Reactions and Adverse Events of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine | CDC

But I feel awful for this man and his family.

 

[MimosaMornings]

I'm supposed to get an AZ vaccine next week. My bro had his first one a couple of weeks ago.
Should I ask for a different one? Pfizer? if they have that available??

I see Denmark discontinued the AZ vaccine....

TIA!

That’s a good question! I didn’t get a choice, you got what they specified when you signed up. I decided I had waited long enough and either Pfizer or Moderna was fine with me.
That has been the only ones offered around here.
If you have any underlying health issues, maybe you could contact your doctor for help deciding which is right for you?

 

[MimosaMornings]

I wish they'd clarify whether a moderate headache counts (who knows what "severe" means here?)

I had a rash on one hand of tiny reddish spots about 2 weeks after my last (Moderna) vaccine. Was it blood clots?

I would wonder that too.

 

[acutename]

I wish they'd clarify whether a moderate headache counts (who knows what "severe" means here?)

I had a rash on one hand of tiny reddish spots about 2 weeks after my last (Moderna) vaccine. Was it blood clots?

FWIW, the report I cited before classes headaches thus:

a Mild: does not interfere with activity; moderate: some interference with activity; severe: prevents daily activity; Grade 4: emergency room visit or hospitalization for severe fatigue, severe headache, severe muscle pain, or severe joint pain.
Reactions and Adverse Events of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine | CDC

 

[anneg]

Sem sedativo, pacientes intubados no Rio ficam acordados e amarrados ao leito, diz enfermeira
Without sedative, intubated patients in Rio stay awake and tied to bed, says nurse

More at link /graphic
Rio de Janeiro has the largest volume of patients intubated due to Covid-19 since the beginning of the pandemic, and officials denounce that the lack of sedatives for treatment is already beginning to cause deaths, as RJ1 showed on Wednesday (14).

A nurse at Albert Schweitzer Municipal Hospital in Realengo, in the West Zone of Rio, says that patients with the most severe form of the disease are intubated, awake and tied to beds due to the absence of medicines.

OMG...that is horrifying.

 

[margarita25]

Researchers hunt for cause of rare, COVID-19–linked immune disease in children
March 18, 2021

“The immunologic findings dovetail with what doctors have seen: Most children with MIS-C improve rapidly with therapies that suppress the immune system. U.S. MIS-C patients are routinely treated with intravenous immunoglobulin. But this treatment often isn’t available in underresourced countries. In September 2020, a large U.K. clinical trial called Recovery, which has been testing therapies on thousands of adults, began to recruit children for a study of other approaches. “Across the globe, people have adopted different strategies” for treating MIS-C, says Elizabeth Whittaker, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Imperial College London, who’s involved in the trial. Trial leaders want to know whether children can be treated with steroids alone or even just supportive care, for example drugs to stabilize blood pressure.

Ironically, powerful treatments for MIS-C also make it harder to study: Blood samples to probe the immune system are often collected after therapy has started. Treatment “changes a tremendous number of cell types,” says Virginia Pascual, a pediatric rheumatologist and director of the Gale and Ira Drukier Institute for Children’s Health at Weill Cornell Medicine. Her work is part of a large study called the Pediatric Research Immune Network on SARS-CoV-2 and MIS-C (PRISM), which aims to decipher the causes and long-term outcomes of the syndrome.“

—

Pfizer says third dose likely - Booster:

Pfizer CEO says third Covid vaccine dose likely needed within 12 months

“A likely scenario is that there will be likely a need for a third dose, somewhere between six and 12 months and then from there, there will be an annual revaccination, but all of that needs to be confirmed. And again, the variants will play a key role,” he told CNBC’s Bertha Coombs during an event with CVS Health.”

—

Annual Covid-19 Vaccine Booster Shots Likely Needed, Pfizer CEO Says
Albert Bourla said more research is needed but it looks likely booster shots required within a year to stay ahead of virus variants

“Countries with high vaccination rates will be ready to shift their focus to boosters possibly at the end of this year, Moderna said during a company vaccine event this week. Moderna President Stephen Hoge said it is safe to assume boosters would be needed “annually, probably seasonally, even though the pandemic is raging in a nonseasonal way.”“

The Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines are based on a new gene-based technology called messenger RNA. The likelihood that periodic Covid-19 shots will be needed is one reason Pfizer executives have said the company plans to expand its vaccine business by becoming a leader in mRNA.

—

Moderna CEO sees likely need for COVID booster for high-risk groups, eyes flu market

“The pandemic still continues to claim casualties around the world, challenging efforts by the U.S., Britain and Israel, which have inoculated their citizens at an impressive pace.

"Discussions now are really turning to 2022, and governments being worried about boosts," Bancel said.“

 

[10ofRods]

Employers cannot "make" an employee get a vaccine. But in Las Vegas, major employers are offering vaccines at work. Employees who decline, will have to be tested 2x weekly for Covid, and may be charged for "surveillance" testing.

https://www.ktnv.com/news/coronavir...st-wynn-las-vegas-employee-fumes-over-options

Sure they can. Teachers have to be vaccinated for certain diseases and show proof of negative tests for disease regularly in many states. Nurses and doctors can be required to do the same. Many employers require health certificates/exams/tests/vaccines. My brother is a pilot - he is required to have certain vaccines. All international businesspersons working in a nation that requires certain vaccines (and there are many) must have them.

I'm not sure why this keeps popping up. Employers can certainly require vaccines and do require them. Schools require vaccines for kindergartners!!

Not everywhere, but in plenty of places.

Las Vegas is trying to do a work around certain union negotiations, that's all. But just because some workers are pushing back or employers are too lazy to want to go through the process of requiring vaccines (and possibly losing workers in places where there are more consumers than workers), doesn't mean that employers in general can't require vaccines.

BTW, many federal employers require vaccines (all branches of the military. NHSC, public health workers on reservations, public health workers in areas where a disease is endemic and so on).