Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #95

[CSIDreamer]

I imagine due to the sheer chaos going on there, that we are not getting a true true number for India. So many have died out of hospital, and god knows how many ended up in the Ganges or on a hasty funeral pyre.

I don’t think you get a true number of anything in a normal year, let alone during a pandemic. I agree. JMO.

 

[Sundog]

I'm guessing we'll be seeing more of this in the near future...

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey issued an executive order on Tuesday that prohibits public universities and community colleges from requiring students to get COVID-19 vaccines or show proof of vaccination to attend class.
​

Universities can't require vaccines: Arizona governor's executive order

The Ohio legislature has introduced a bill that would prohibit state agencies from requiring Covid-19 vaccines (public colleges and universities are state agencies), although it hasn't passed yet, and Cleveland State University is requiring students who live in residence halls to be vaccinated. There is a lot of disparity even within states right now, so if there isn't state legislation or a gubernatorial/public health executive order, then each university can establish its own policy for all students and employees, or for students only, or for students who live in congregant settings/residence halls only.

The feedback from parents at the university where I work is that half support a vaccine requirement for students and half don't support it. That's the feedback we are getting on a daily basis as the university reopens in the fall for in-person classes and activities. The CDC guidelines for higher education don't even require 6 feet social distancing in the classroom, and students only need to wear masks if they are not vaccinated, but there is no way to know who is vaccinated or who isn't.

 

[SouthAussie]

I truly don't understand this ambivalence as to whether or not students (or employees) are vaccinated.

"Every state currently requires K-12 students to be vaccinated against some diseases, although the requirements – including which shots are deemed necessary and the reasons students can opt out – vary from one state to another."
Can schools require COVID-19 vaccines for students now that Pfizer's shot is authorized for kids 12 and up?

If children are required to be vaccinated against infectious diseases like measles in order to group together for hours in a confined setting, why the ambivalence towards people being vaccinated against another current potentially deadly/life altering viral disease?

 

[GRT]

I truly don't understand this ambivalence as to whether or not students (or employees) are vaccinated.

"Every state currently requires K-12 students to be vaccinated against some diseases, although the requirements – including which shots are deemed necessary and the reasons students can opt out – vary from one state to another."
Can schools require COVID-19 vaccines for students now that Pfizer's shot is authorized for kids 12 and up?

If children are required to be vaccinated against infectious diseases like measles in order to group together for hours in a confined setting, why the ambivalence towards people being vaccinated against another current potentially deadly/life altering viral disease?

At one of our school board meetings, the Superintendent talked about this. He said if they mandate this vaccine, it puts them on the track to mandating all annual vaccines, just just the one-shot childhood vaccines.

 

[SouthAussie]

At one of our school board meetings, the Superintendent talked about this. He said if they mandate this vaccine, it puts them on the track to mandating all annual vaccines, just just the one-shot childhood vaccines.

So, too much of an admin task? To ensure everyone enrolled is upkeeping their annual requirement? (If it turns out to be an annual requirement.)

 

[GRT]

So, too much of an admin task? To ensure everyone enrolled is upkeeping their annual requirement? (If it turns out to be an annual requirement.)

No, it was more of a "all students have the right to an education," thing he seemed to be going after. I think public schools have lost students to homeschooling and private schools, and they're afraid of losing more.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Ben’s video popped up on my YouTube feed. He provides an update on his life since leaving Wuhan:

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[margarita25]

COVID-19 Pandemic | Google India Announces $15 Million Grant To Set Up 80 Oxygen Plants

—

Ben’s video popped up on my YouTube feed. He provides an update on his life since leaving Wuhan:

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

@dixiegirl1035!

 

[weepingangel]

U.S. Embassy in Kabul Warns of Covid-19 Emergency
more at link
The U.S. Embassy in Kabul on Thursday ordered staff to avoid leaving their quarters to cope with a surge of Covid-19 cases that has filled intensive care units and led to multiple evacuations and the death of at least one staff member.

An internal management notice reviewed by The Wall Street Journal described a chaotic situation at the embassy. Some 114 coronavirus cases have been confirmed among staff, it said.

The rapid spread of the illness has stretched medical facilities, according to the notice, forcing health units to create temporary wards to deal with an influx of patients. The intensive care unit at the U.S. military hospital that supports the embassy is at full capacity and several staff members have been evacuated.

 

[LadyL]

What you need to know about the potential link between heart inflammation and COVID-19 vaccines

 

[LadyL]

Yes, Your Employer Can Require You to Be Vaccinated

 

[SouthAussie]

Yes, Your Employer Can Require You to Be Vaccinated

Well that's good to read!

"The bottom line is that companies are legally permitted to make employees get vaccinated, according to recent guidance from the federal agency that enforces workplace discrimination laws, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission."

"The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act has protections for patients’ confidential health information, but it covers what your health care provider can share with others, rather than employers and what they can ask for."

Further into the article it also says that while states can form their own law, federal law trumps it. I guess this will be tested in litigation, at some point in time.

 

[Gibbo214]

At one of our school board meetings, the Superintendent talked about this. He said if they mandate this vaccine, it puts them on the track to mandating all annual vaccines, just just the one-shot childhood vaccines.

The childhood disease vaccines are not one shot. Triple antigen is three initial shots and boosters at 18 months and 4years and tetanus has ongoing boosters. Hepatitis too.

 

[GRT]

The childhood disease vaccines are not one shot. Triple antigen is three initial shots and boosters at 18 months and 4years and tetanus has ongoing boosters. Hepatitis too.

How many of these childhood vaccines are required on an annual basis while the child is in school?

I'm not arguing the Superintendent's point, but I believe he had a valid point.

Public schools are funded by the State and that funding is student-dependent. When registration falls off, somehow that District still has to pay the teachers, so it behooves the District to keep enrollment numbers up.

As far as I know, no state in the union is attempting to make vaccines a requirement for public school kids, and even if they did, some states have such lax "exemption rules" that it probably wouldn't make a difference.

My policy hasn't changed from day one. Rather than mandating behavior, create strong public service messages that change hearts and minds. Anything less will always lead to push back and resistance.

 

[GRT]

-----snipped for focus-----

Further into the article it also says that while states can form their own law, federal law trumps it. I guess this will be tested in litigation, at some point in time.

I'm sure you're right.

We're in brand new territory here, but hopefully, before another pandemic breaks out--which I hope never happens--we'll get a lot of these things settled so we don't have so many questions lingering.

 

[MimosaMornings]

The Hard Realities of a ‘No Jab, No Job’ Mandate for Health Care Workers — Kaiser Health News

 

[dixiegirl1035]

How many of these childhood vaccines are required on an annual basis while the child is in school?

I'm not arguing the Superintendent's point, but I believe he had a valid point.

Public schools are funded by the State and that funding is student-dependent. When registration falls off, somehow that District still has to pay the teachers, so it behooves the District to keep enrollment numbers up.

As far as I know, no state in the union is attempting to make vaccines a requirement for public school kids, and even if they did, some states have such lax "exemption rules" that it probably wouldn't make a difference.

My policy hasn't changed from day one. Rather than mandating behavior, create strong public service messages that change hearts and minds. Anything less will always lead to push back and resistance.

Responses in RED

How many of these childhood vaccines are required on an annual basis while the child is in school? Each state decides which vaccines are required for attendance at schools in their states. I had many when young (smallpox, MMR, etc etc.) When I went back to college for another degree in my 40's, I had to get more. It was required in my state. Required Vaccines for Child Care and School | CDC

I'm not arguing the Superintendent's point, but I believe he had a valid point.

Public schools are funded by the State and that funding is student-dependent. When registration falls off, somehow that District still has to pay the teachers, so it behooves the District to keep enrollment numbers up. While I agree that this statement is correct, but I do not agree that this, for COVID (or MMR, or other vaccines for children) is the driving force for vaccinations so this comment is a tangent I discount to such focus MOO. I do know, for a fact, that when schools close for weather, they attempt to keep them open for 1/2 day to ensure the kids are fed (and in turn, get $ from state)... so many reasons for such actions that schools do to keep $ flowing in.

As far as I know, no state in the union is attempting to make vaccines a requirement for public school kids, and even if they did, some states have such lax "exemption rules" that it probably wouldn't make a difference. Vaccines do indeed MOO make a difference. Even with lax "exemption rules" as you state. Look to the measles outbreaks etc in recent history. See google for "herd immunity" for understanding.

I disagree that it "probably wouldn't make a difference". MOO, we are still learning and understanding and at the front of the bell curve in understanding affects to children under the Emergency Use Authorization, and vaccinations of children is just beginning. At this time, I wouldn't expect states would have as a requirement for those very reasons. But I do expect this will be reviewed once more data on such, and when they go from EUA to Approved status.

My policy hasn't changed from day one. Rather than mandating behavior, create strong public service messages that change hearts and minds. Anything less will always lead to push back and resistance MOO I think the difference in getting vaccines is significant if required by schools to enter. It prompts parents, doctors, and helps to ensure low cost through insurance to get the vaccines.

 

[SouthAussie]

The Hard Realities of a ‘No Jab, No Job’ Mandate for Health Care Workers — Kaiser Health News

"Pharmacists, physicians and registered nurses were the least hesitant to get vaccinated. Home health care aides, EMTs and nursing assistants showed the highest hesitancy among front-line health workers. "

The people who are least hesitant (especially pharmacists) are the ones who understand vaccines best. What is in them, and their benefits.

 

[acutename]

I really do not understand people who are not getting vaccinated unless they have a specific health problem that would compromise their response. I ran into a person who lives near me who "did not want to hear if I was vaccinated or not," so I realized that she was not. She believes that eating organic food and being "generally healthy" will protect her. She also said that she was traveling a lot- I know that she has distant family so I imagined that she needed to do something that had to do with them because it did not sound like pleasure travel. On a basic level, I do not get why some one would refuse- even if the vaccine only provided a small amount of protection, why would you refuse that? Makes no sense to me. I have always gotten the flu shot t00. Even if they get the strains wrong in a particular year, isn't some protection better than none? I do understand people who question a lot of modern medicine- people who reject drugs that have bad side effects or other treatments that are unproven, but with this pandemic, it seems that a shot is less dangerous than the virus. Are people afraid of the clotting? Side effects?

 

[ilovewings]

The Hard Realities of a ‘No Jab, No Job’ Mandate for Health Care Workers — Kaiser Health News

Interesting article: it seems to me that lots of people think this vaccine was developed in just a few months when in fact the basis of it has been around for over a decade- with a tweak for covid--- I think that fact has not been emphasized enough as far as educating people.