TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) A seemingly innocent post by Sesame Street icon Big Bird encouraging children to get the COVID-19 vaccine sparked controversy among some conservative figures on Twitter.
The Sesame Street icon and fictional character posted on Twitter Saturday that he got his coronavirus vaccine. This was part of a collaboration between Sesame Street and CNN, who had a town hall for families with the shows characters, CNN journalist Erica Hill, and Dr. Sanjay Gupta on COVID-19 vaccines Saturday morning.
I got the COVID-19 vaccine today! My wing is feeling a little sore, but it'll give my body an extra protective boost that keeps me and others healthy.
Ms. @EricaRHill even said Ive been getting vaccines since I was a little bird. I had no idea!
The program coincided with the first COVID-19 vaccines being given for children between the ages of 5 and 11 this weekend.
For many people, the tweet was well received. One Twitter user even pointed out Big Birds history of educating children on immunization in the earlier days of the show.
However, others, including Texas Senator Ted Cruz, didnt view the Sesame Street casts involvement in promoting COVID-19 vaccine quite as kindly. Cruz called Big Birds tweet government propagandafor your 5-year-old.
The senator later tweeted Sunday afternoon poking fun at the backlash he got for the propaganda, saying liberals were triggered by Big Bird.
Cruz wasnt the only one to speak out against Big Birds vaccination. Lavern Spicer, the Republican candidate for Floridas 24th Congressional District, also condemned the town hall.
Sanjay Gupta pushing drugs (vaccine) to kids on Sesame Street is now the cringiest most shameful thing Ive ever seen! Why are they lying to us??!! she wrote on Twitter.
However, Florida political strategist Ana Navarro-Crdenas issued a statement of her own, saying the Republican politicians complaining about Big Bird are acting like 5-year-olds.
While these bloviating outrage machines attack Sesame Street, Biden got a deal passed to build actual streets, she said. Also, apologies to 5 year olds.
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Coronavirus Updates: India logged 11,451 new coronavirus infections taking the countrys total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,43,66,987, while the active cases declined to 1,42,826, the lowest in 262 days, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday. The death toll climbed to 4,61,057 with 266 fresh fatalities, according to the data updated at 8 am.
The daily rise in new coronavirus infections has been below 20,000 for 31 straight days and less than 50,000 daily new cases have been reported for 134 consecutive days now. The active cases comprise 0.42 per cent of the total infections, the lowest since March 2020, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.24 per cent, the highest since March 2020, the ministry said.
A decrease of 2,019 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours. The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has exceeded 108.47 crore. Indias COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16. It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19. India crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23.
After Indias first indigenous vaccine, Coxavin, received a nod from the World Health Organisation, the Ministry of external affairs (MEA) has reached out to a number of countries to secure approval for the vaccine. While the MEA is holding discussions with counterparts from various countries over the issue, Indias diplomatic missions, too, are in talks with their respective host nations in this regard.
According to a Hindustan Times report, currently, several countries allow fully vaccinated Indian nationals to enter without mandatory quarantine upon arrival. However, most of these countries require travellers to be vaccinated with Covishield, the Indian variant of Britains AstraZeneca jab. Covaxin, on the other hand, has been approved by nearly a dozen nations. From November 8, the United States, too, will allow entry to travellers jabbed with the made-in-India vaccine.
In India, there has been a growing demand to roll out booster shots of COVID vaccines for frontline workers and vulnerable high-risk groups, as news of states and private players sitting on stockpiles of soon-to-expire vaccine doses spread. A TOI report states that even as the Centre monitors the national stockpile to ensure sufficient quantities are available for those eligible for second doses, there is a strong recommendation to allow boosters for the vulnerable population, as it will be criminal negligence to waste or let even a single dose expire. The issue came into the limelight recently, as the National Covid Task Force member Dr Subhash Salunkhe said that those responsible for vaccination, need to draw up a strategy for immunisation for both second and booster shots to be taken up concurrently.
According to Cowin data, it is possible to know the daily stocks, expiry date of vaccines and those eligible for second doses. Therefore, the Centre should take the crucial decision on this as a majority of doses will expire soon, Dr Subhash Salunkhe suggested. It is especially worrying because municipal bodies like the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has stocks of over 5 lakh Covid vaccine doses for the first time since the vaccination drive began on January 16 but the civic officials claim that only a few have turned up to get jabbed due to the festival season.
More than 116.58 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses have been provided to states and UTs so far, the Union Health Ministry said on Sunday. Over 15.77 crore balance and unutilised vaccine doses are still available with the states and UTs to be administered, it said. The vaccination drive has been ramped up through the availability of more vaccines, advanced visibility of vaccine availability to states and UTs for enabling better planning by them, and streamlining the vaccine supply chain, the ministry said.
However, hesitancy towards taking the second vaccine has been a major cause of concern in India. TOI report states that almost 16 crore doses of vaccine were available with states and UTs on Saturday while 7 crore individuals who were due for their second shot were yet to show up. During the Diwali celebrations, merely 2.42 crore doses were administered in the country.
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NHS workers in England must be legally required to get Covid vaccinations before the winter, Matt Hancock has said, in his first intervention since leaving government.
Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Hancock, who resigned as health secretary in June after it emerged he had breached Covid-19 social distancing restrictions with Gina Coladangelo, an adviser with whom he was having an affair, warned ministers against delaying mandatory jabs for nurses and doctors.
Hancocks comments come as the chief executive of NHS England said the country faced a difficult winter, with hospital Covid admissions 14 times higher than they were this time last year.
It has been reported that the government is expected to say the law will not be changed to require Covid jabs for the NHSs 1.45 million staff in England until spring 2022.
The law has already been changed to make Covid jabs mandatory for care workers in England, with the requirement to come into effect on Thursday.
Hancock said: Having looked at all the evidence, I am convinced we must require vaccination for everyone who works not just in social care but the NHS, and get it in place as fast as possible So, as we prepare to face a difficult winter, lets use all the tools that we have to save lives.
He argued compulsory vaccination for health staff in France proved the policy could work, with the proportion of vaccinated healthcare workers rising from two-thirds to 99% after the requirement was introduced.
Hancock said: To me, the logic is crystal clear. Medicine is founded on science, and the science of the Covid vaccine is comprehensively proven. Mandating the use of the best science isnt controversial: its common sense.
There are some people who say this isnt the way we do things in Britain. But we already mandate vaccination against hepatitis B for doctors. The British historic precedents for compulsory vaccination go back to the 1850s. He added that getting vaccinated was a moral duty.
Amanda Pritchard, the head of NHS England, told Sky News on Monday: We have had 14 times the number of people in hospital with Covid than we saw this time last year and we have also had a record number of A&E attendances and indeed a record number of 999 calls.
So as we look into winter, were very clear this is going to be a difficult winter and the things we would encourage people to do is anything they can do to protect themselves, so thats the Covid vaccine, its the flu vaccination in particular.
NHS industry bodies and Labour frontbenchers have warned that legally requiring staff to take the vaccine in the run-up to winter could risk loss of NHS staff at a critical time.
Chris Hopson, the chief executive of NHS Providers, said if the policy was wrongly adopted then we risk a significant loss of a significant number of staff.
Hancock was health secretary for three years, playing a key role in the UK governments response to the pandemic.
There have been 141,805 deaths within 28 days of a positive tests reported by the Department of Health and Social Care since the crisis began in early 2020.
NHS workers in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are the responsibility of the respective devolved administrations.
The latest figures show 79.7% of people aged 12 and over have had two doses of the coronavirus vaccine.
A look at some of the top headlines trending online today around the world including the latest from Washington, coronavirus updates and much more.
Top Biden aide, very confident infrastructure projects will begin by spring (CBS)
Spending bill faces Senate scramble (The Hill)
New high-resolution climate model predicts more extreme weather events in the future (CNN)
Tesla shares slide 5% after Elon Musk proposes selling 10% of his stock in a Twitter poll (CNBC)
Type of fat, not how much, linked to stroke risk, study finds (NBC News)
US lifts pandemic travel ban, opens doors to visitors (AP)
Feds urge schools to provide COVID-19 shots, info for kids (AP)
First lady Jill Biden and Surgeon General Vivek Murthy kick off kids vaccination campaign (CBS)
Sen. Ted Cruz Trolls Big Bird After Sesame Street Covid-19 Vaccine Tweet (Forbes)
Travis Scott Sued Over Predictable And Preventable Astroworld Tragedy (Spin)
Scott charged twice in the past for inciting incidents at his concerts (Fox)
Odell Beckham Reportedly Has 1 Preferred NFL Team (Sports Illustrated)
China builds mockups of U.S. Navy ships in area used for missile target practice (Reuters)
The latest:
More than a year and a half after COVID-19 concerns prompted the United States to close its borders to international travellers from countries including Brazil, China, India, South Africa, the United Kingdom and much of Europe, restrictions are shifting to focus on vaccine status.
Beginning Monday, bans on travel from specific countries are over. The U.S. will allow in international travellers, but they must be vaccinated with a few exceptions.
The U.S. is also reopening itsland borders with Canada and Mexico for people who are vaccinated.
Air travellers will needto show proof of vaccination on arrival in the U.S. andwillstill need toshow a pre-departure negative COVID-19 test taken within three days of boarding their flight.
WATCH |U.S. border reopening to all vaccinated Canadians on Monday:
Non-essential travellers crossing at a land border will be required to show proof of vaccination or attest to their vaccination status upon request by a border agent. Unlike air travellers, theywill face no requirementto show a negative COVID-19 test.
But when returning to Canada, recreational travellers must provide proof of anegative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hoursof their return flight or planned arrival at the land border.
Canada will only accept a molecular test such as a PCR test which can cost hundreds of dollars.
Children under 18 won't need to be vaccinated, but they do need to take a pre-entry COVID-19 test before entering the U.S. Kids who are twoand younger are exempt from testing requirements.
Canada is still requiring all travellers five years of age andolder who are entering the country to provide proof of a negative test, regardless of their point of entry.
As for which vaccines will let someone into the U.S., it's any COVID-19 vaccine approved for emergency use by the World Health Organization, which include the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines used in the U.S., as well as most used overseas, such as AstraZeneca and China's Sinovac. Not currently allowed is Russia's Sputnik V vaccine, which is authorized in 70 countries. The WHO is reviewing Sputnik but hasn't approved it.
As of Sunday, more than249.7million cases of COVID-19 had been reported worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University's coronavirus tracker. The reported global death toll stood at more than five million.
In Europe,officials in Greece are now restricting access to cafs, restaurants, state services and banks to those who are either vaccinated against COVID-19 or have a negative test.
In theAsia-Pacific region, the Australian city of Sydney will further ease physical-distancing curbs on Monday, a month after emerging from a coronavirus lockdown that lasted nearly 100 days, as close to 90 per centof people have receivedboth doses of vaccine, officials said.
Although limited to people who are fully inoculated, the relaxation in the state of New South Wales, home to Sydney, lifts limits on house guests or outdoor gatherings, among other measures.
In Asia, the Chinese mainland on Saturday reported 50 new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases, the National Health Commission said in its daily report on Sunday.The commission also reported 24 new imported cases forthe day.
In the Americas, about four million U.S. federal workers are to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Nov. 22 under President Joe Biden's executive order aimed at stopping the spread of the coronavirus.
Beyond that rule, another such mandate set to take effect in January, aimed at about84 million private-sector workers, is being challenged in court.
On Saturday, a federal appeals court in Louisiana temporarily halted the vaccine requirement for businesses with 100 or more workers.
The mandate states that those workers must be vaccinated against COVID-19 or be tested weekly, starting Jan. 4.
White House chief of staff Ron Klain told NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday that he is "quite confident" the vaccine mandate will be upheld once it "gets fully adjudicated."
In Zimbabwe, where just 18% of the population are fully vaccinated against Covid-19, the armed forces have a surplus of shots thanks to a gift from a powerful benefactor: Chinas Peoples Liberation Army.
In the Philippines, another PLA donation has helped the majority of service members get vaccinated. In Ethiopia, where the Biden administration is levying fresh sanctions over alleged atrocities committed in an offensive against Tigray rebels, the PLA has delivered 300,000 Covid-19 vaccines to government troops.
Dutchess County on Saturday reported a surge in its number of active coronavirus cases.
The county reported on its online dashboard of COVID-19 data that it had 448 active cases of the illness, up sharply from the 411 it reported Friday.
Dutchess reported no additional COVID-related deaths.
Here are the latest local COVID-19 statistics.
Ulster County: 240 reported Friday, down from 246 reported Thursday. (Peak was 2,622 on Jan. 30.) Ulster County does not report COVID statistics on Saturdays.
Dutchess County: 448 reported Saturday, up from 411 reported the previous day. (Peak was 2,576 on Jan. 16.)
Ulster County: 3.4%.
Dutchess County: 2.2%
Ulster County: 19,491 confirmed cases, 18,960 recoveries, 291 deaths. (No new deaths reported Friday.)
Dutchess County: 36,285 confirmed cases, 502 deaths. (No new deaths reported Saturday.)
Data as of Friday, according to New York states online vaccine tracker.
Ulster County: 66.8% of the population fully vaccinated, 73.4% with at least one dose of a two-dose regimen, 83.7% of the 18-and-older population with at least one dose.
Dutchess County: 61.8% fully vaccinated, 68.7% with at least one dose of a two-dose regimen, 79.2% of 18+ population with at least one dose.
Appointments: vaccinateulster.com, bit.ly/dut-vax, bit.ly/ny-vaxme.
Here are the latest reports of COVID cases in area school districts, according to New York state.
Kingston: One teacher at M. Clifford Miller Middle School.
Red Hook: One student each at Mill Road Intermediate School and one Mill Road Primary School.
Rondout Valley: One student each at the intermediate school and junior high school.
Saugerties: One staff member at Cahill Elementary school, and one student each at Morse Elementary School, the junior high school and the high school.
Ulster BOCES: One student at the Career and Technical Education Center.
For online local coverage related to the coronavirus, go to dailyfreeman.com/tag/coronavirus.
Overview
The Biden administration has stated its intention to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic around the world and recently convened a global summit to set global targets and announce new commitments. The U.S. has pledged more COVID-19 vaccine doses and funding than any other country. In the latest KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor, we find that the public is generally supportive of this work, though more likely to prefer the U.S. playing a major role versus a leading one, and there are partisan differences. When informed that the U.S. has enough of its own vaccine supply, public support for the U.S. taking a major role in global vaccine distribution rises.
About half of the public (51%) say that the U.S. government is doing enough to help provide COVID-19 vaccines to other countries, while around three in ten adults (29%) dont think the U.S. is doing enough and another one in five arent sure. Across partisans, a majority of Republicans say the U.S. is doing enough to help provide vaccines to other countries (57%) whereas Democrats are more divided (46% say the U.S. is doing enough vs. 43% who say it is not).
When it comes to how much of a role the U.S. should play, 62% of Americans say the U.S. should take a leading or major role in helping provide vaccines to other countries that need them, including 21% who think the U.S. should take a leading role in distribution (a slight decline from 27% in May).
Partisans are divided on the role the U.S. should take in efforts to distribute the vaccine globally with eight in ten Democrats (81%) saying the U.S. should take a leading or major role in assisting with global distribution compared to less than half of Republicans (43%) who say the same. In addition, about seven in ten vaccinated adults (73%), those with college degrees (70%), Black adults (68%), and Hispanic adults (67%) think the U.S. should take a leading or major role.
The share of adults saying the U.S. should take on a leading or major role in the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines globally increased after hearing that the U.S. has enough supply of the COVID-19 vaccines to help other countries without hurting its own supply (75%). Around seven in ten say the same after hearing that providing vaccines to other countries will help the U.S. achieve levels of immunity necessary to curb the pandemic (71%) or that helping other countries vaccinate their populations will reduce the risk of new COVID variants spreading to the U.S. (71%).
The share of adults saying the U.S. should play a major or leading role in international vaccine distribution rose across partisans when presented with each piece of information tested in the survey. After hearing each piece of information, roughly nine in ten Democrats, more than seven in ten independents, and at least half of Republicans said the U.S. should play a major or leading role.
Kids get Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine at Cincinnati Childrens Hospital
Kids ages 5-11 receive Pfizers vaccine for COVID-19 at Cincinnati Childrens Hospital, November 2021.
Provided by Cincinnati Childrens Hospital
One day after she got herCOVID-19 vaccine, 8-year-oldVerity was a chatterbox.
Did her arm hurt? "No." Sleepy? "No." Headache, fever, anything? "No."
Verity was among the first of 430 children 5 to 11 years old who got a first dose of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine for kids in her age group at a pop-up clinic Wednesday at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.
"I've been waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting to get it," she said. "When I was in the hospital, I tried to comfort some of the kids. I told them, 'You shouldn't be afraid, it's not gonna hurt.'"
COVID-19 vaccine for kids under 12: What you need to know about the shots and children
Verityis immunocompromised with complex medical conditions, said her mom, Morgan, of Cincinnati.
Reactions to kids getting Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine
Verity, age 8, and Dr. Patty Manning-Courtney, chief of staff at Cincinnati Childrens Hospital, talk about children receiving the Pfizer vaccine for COVID-19.
Provided by Cincinnati Childrens Hospital
"If I didn't get the shot and coronavirus got me," Verity said flatly, "I'm burnt toast."
For their family, the vaccine's federal stamp of approval this week was a relief, Morgan said. Tradeoffs for keeping Verity safe during the novel coronavirus pandemic have included bigholiday events, school days (she is homeschooled) and, Verity says,"riding my horse."
She described her two-hour wait in a line for the shot this way: "It was like the zoo! It's just the best day."
News: FDA authorizes Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for kids 5-11; Florida sues Biden administration over vaccines
Dr. Robert Frenck, director of Cincinnati Children's Gamble Vaccine Research Center,was stunned at the turnout and the mood when he walked in.
"I went to the event thinking I would see 20 to 30 families. But when I got there I was dumbfounded. The whole lobby was filled with people patiently waiting for their children to be vaccinated," Frenck said. "Everyone wore a mask. The kids found new friends and were coloring and playing games. The scene was incredible and reminded me of what everyone has been missing human contact."
"The event was a great start for vaccination of kids," he said, "but it is only a start."
Cincinnati Children's administered another324 doses to children in the newly approved age group on Thursday at its Liberty Campusin Butler County. The medical center has several additional clinics planned. Parents can schedule an appointment on the Cincinnati Children's website. Walk-ins areare accepted from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. during weekday clinics and8 a.m. to 10 a.m. onNov. 13, at the main campus in Avondale.
News: Now that children ages 5-11 can get the COVID-19 vaccine, here's how to relieve anxiety
Pediatric offices across the Cincinnati region are taking vaccination appointments for their patients. Public health departments are doing the same, and some schools are expected to partner with public health on getting out the shots. The nonprofit Health Collaborative, an organization for hospital systems in the region, added a pediatric link to its coronavirus webpage Test and Protect, which has information and scheduling for the vaccine for kids in the newly approved age group.
The Pfizer BioNTech vaccine is one-third the dose of the same shot that adults get. Two injections are required for full vaccination.
Frenck, lead investigator onseveral of the Cincinnati Children's-based COVID-19 vaccine trials, has advocated for the need for protection through vaccines for children since the start of the pandemic and says science shows the vaccines are safe and effective.
"We now have another large segment of the population that can be protected against the virus," he said.
Verity walked into the experience with a thank-you card for the nurse, DenishiaSmith, who would administer her shot. She walked out with a small bandage on her arm and a new plush sloth in her hands.
News: Cincinnati Children's to start vaccinating children ages 5 to 11
"Everybody was like, 'Oooh, she got a stuffed animal,'" she said. "I named him Pfizer."
GENESEE COUNTY, MI -- The county Health Department will have COVID-19 vaccines available for children ages 5-11 starting next week at three standing clinics and three school sites.
Beginning Tuesday, Nov. 9, the Health Department will have vaccines available at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, 2316 Coldwater Road, from noon to 2 p.m. on Tuesdays; Central Church of the Nazarene, 1261 W. Bristol Road, from 10 a.m. until noon on Wednesdays; and at Shiloh Missionary Baptist, 2120 Saginaw St., from 3-6 p.m. on Thursdays.
Also on Tuesday, vaccines are available from 3:30-7 p.m. at Grand Blanc High School, 12500 Holly Road in Grand Blanc.
On Wednesday, Nov. 10, a clinic is scheduled at Flushing High School, 5039 Deland Road, from 5-8 p.m., and on Thursday, Nov. 11 E.A. Johnson High School, 8041 Neff Road, in Mt. Morris will host a clinic from 3:30-7 p.m.
Parents or guardians must be at the clinic for children to receive a vaccine, according to the countys website.
Each site will also offer vaccinations for those older than 11, a Health Department spokeswoman said.
Despite the availability of the vaccinations, Medical Health Officer Dr. Pamela Hackert told the county Board of Health last month that the mandatory school mask mandate will continue and is working, resulting in fewer new COVID-19 cases per capita than counties without the requirement.
We are looking at just keeping the masks in the schools at this time and for the foreseeable future, Hackert said at the Oct. 20 meeting. In districts that do not have mandates for masking in schools, (COVID-19) case numbers are significantly higher.
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